*SWOOSH*
*DREP* *DREP* *DREP*
Matilda, Silvi and Rowan were approaching the place where Iris was currently at and on their way, they were worried at the sudden surge of ominous aura coming from it.
*DREP*
*SWOOSH* *TAP*
Matilda and Silvi landed down on the ground while Rowan stopped his horse along with his army before he could hop off of it.
The three of them met up as they exchanged silent thanks with only their gaze. After that out of the way, they dashed towards the big hole where littered in so many rubbles around it which came from the destroyed building that was reduced to nothing but ruins that scattered around creating landscape at this point.
As they arrived, they saw in the middle of that big landscape that was surrounded those rubbles and ruins...Iris was cornered by some sort of monster that was way too familiar for Rowan and Matilda.
"Isn't that–!"
"[The Ashura]?!"
Rowan shouted out the name in surprise before Matilda did since he was someone who had fought that thing face to face along with the hero.
Silvi Immediately zeroed in to her master who was sitting there helplessly while that monster approached her.
"No...OJOU-SAMA!!!" Silvi yelled, face drained of all colours and about to rush in as she took out her blades.
Rowan and Matilda was about to join her too
"Quick!! We need to save her before–"
*BA-THUMP*
"Huh?!–" Silvi halted, making the other two to stop mid dash to see what happened
And what a shocking view it was
As the monster was about to kill her.....
*SWOOSH*
*SLASH*
*SPURT*
A blade was drawn out of its sheathe...cutting the flesh and the blood burst out into many droplets in the air.
No one could comprehend how such a thing could happen, not even the monster himself.
The little girl that once frozen to her spot in fear...suddenly disappeared from their sight and reappeared right behind the monster.
She stood there with her rapier coated with thick dark blue liquid and...
*THUD*
...one of his arms flying off to the air, and landed right beside her feet.
Styx didn't understand what's happening, he didn't even realize that he was missing an arm.
*"What...just happen?"* He asked to himself and turned around to see the little girl he was about kill...was standing there right behind him with one of his arms on her feet.
"Ah...such a wonderful night~ but I wonder where am I right now~" The little girl asked to no one in particular as she smiled pleasantly.
They couldn't see her face but something was different from that smile.
And the way she talk was somewhat more...
Seductive....
And elegant.
The little girl looked around as if she's sightseeing on a trip.
"Hmmm~ oh well~ that doesn't matter~ what matter is...are you the enemy?~"
She suddenly turned around, showing her face.
*BA-THUMP*
The people in that place could tell that she's different, more dangerous and...
...there's a bit of hope sown in their heart
"An unknown place, unknown faces~
.
.
.
.
.
*SRUTTT*
She swung her blade to clean the blood out of it and curved her lips into a beautiful smile
"And an unknown enemy~"
Her pair of blood red eyes shined under the moonlight which showered the ruins with its majestic light.
Styx shuddered and widened his eyes as he felt something rose up inside of him...
Yes...
It was [Fear]
And this time...their position is switched.
His body began to tremble after meeting her mysterious yet dangerous stare coming from her.
*"W-who...are you?"*
The little girl blinked her eyes for a few times like an innocent girl as she smiled widely.
"Me?~"
*SRUTTT*
She sway her skirt and lifted it a bit while slowly bowing her head slightly.
"Pleasure to meet you~ I am~ the one and only daughter of the Welford family, [The Villainess] everyone fears...and [The Tyrant Queen] who trampled many lives.
"My name is [Iris May Welford]~" She introduced herself just like a refined Noble lady, beutiful and elegant.
But it was extremely unsettling for others to hear.
It's about the title she spoke of which even Harson, Silvi, William, Rowan and Matilda didn't know about.
[The Tyrant].
And...[The Villainess].
And it led them to one big question
[Who is she?]
Harson stared at this little girl, who's supposed to be his master, could feel the unsettling pit in his stomach and he didn't like it.
But his concern are much stronger than questioning her about it
"Ojou-sama!! Are you okay?!"
Iris turned around to see who called her like that. "Hmmm?~ Are you talking to me?" She asked with a smile.
Harson blinked in confusion, "Y-yes...?"
"Oh~ I'm okay~ I'm okay~ but...I wonder...
who are you?"
That one question made his eyes grew wide.
"W-what do you mean?"
*COUGH*
William who's on the ground tried to get up on his knees to look at Iris while coughing out blood.
"Airhead knight...I think you shouldn't be asking that."
"W-what?"
Harson was clueless but William somehow understood about what happened to her.
"Oi!" William shouted, catching her attention.
"Hmm~??"
"Who are you?"
Iris blinked for a moment, didn't see that coming and when she met his eyes, they were filled with doubt.
She huffed in mild annoyance, "Didn't I explain to you before? I am Iris May Welford–"
"–No! You aren't her! You are somebody else!" William cut her off as he ground his teeth, glaring.
Rather than intimidated, Iris was amused because William looked like a wounded cornered wild animal right now. That was enough to put a wide smile to her face. She didn't answer him for a while, only trying to observe him more.
"Hmmm~ I feel like I met you before...but where do I–?"
*SWOOSH*
*"Is this a time to be chatting around!! You brats!!"*
In a flash, Styx appeared right behind her before she could finish her words.
"Ahh! I remember!~"
*SWOOSH*
*TANGGGGG*
Styx swung one of his arms towards her from behind with inhuman speed, only to clash against the tip of her blade.
*SIGH*
Iris turned around to glare at the one who interrupted her with her icy cold and sharp blood red eyes.
"Do you not see? That I'm still talking here."
She flung her rapier aside to deflect the fist.
*THUNG*
After that, she pointed her hand that was holding the hilt of her rapier and...
"Get away from me...[Dark Pulse]."
A large dark energy ball suddenly appeared in mid air and then she shot it towards Styx, sending him flying away from her.
*BZZTT* *BZZTT*
*"ACK!!–W-what's with this power–!!"*
*SWOOSH*
*BOOM* *BOOM*
Styx crashed towards the rubbles and was caught on the explosion coming from her dark energy.
Matilda and Silvi's eyes grew wide when they saw it.
"What is this...her magic power...suddenly become more stronger–no...it's 10 times much stronger than ever!!" Matilda shouted.
Iris sighed and her smile came back again as if nothing happened, looking at William who nearly had his jaws drop to the floor
"Now then~ where were we? Oh~ yeah! You are William, am I right?~"
"H-huh?? Y-yeah I am." William knitted his brows in confusion.
If she's somebody else, how did she knows his name?
"It's been a long time since we last met, William~"
"It's been a long time?? Wait...but didn't we just met few days ago?" William asked as Iris tilted her head with her innocent cute little smile.
"Hm?"
She finally realized that something was off with him.
"Why do you look so young??" Iris tilted her head a bit and that made William and Harson raised their eyebrows.
Iris switched her eyes to ber hands and was quite surprised at what she saw, "Ara?~ So small?~ How did I become so small?? Hmmm??"
Iris proceed to inspect her body for the next few seconds until her eyes landed to the beautiful blue rapier on her hand.
"This is..." Her eyes sparkled and warmed as she looked at it and the smile on her face softened
"I see...even though there's no name engraved on it....I could tell that...
.
.
.
.
This is your work...Ray."
She spoke as she put on a nostalgic look while staring at the rapier.
William and Harson could see it, but then William coughed out another blood.
*COUGH* *COUGH*
"Hmm...It seems you need some treament, William~" She spoke when she noticed the injuries on the two men before her.
The little girl walked closer to them, but stopped to look at hem for a moment.
Shortly after that, she lifted her left hand and pointed it towards them.
"[Heal]~"
Suddenly, green light shined through her hand, enveloping their body and slowly healing their injuries, making them looked as good as new, especially William's burnt injuries on his back.
They felt fresh and somehow energetic.
"This is..." William and Harson could feel the pain all over their body was gone and at the same time they were shocked that Iris had that skill.
But the one who has the most suprised face was her own self who's now staring down at her hand.
"This is...weird...I don't remember learning light magic before." Iris blinked for a moment.
Harson and William got up from their feet and wasted no time to approach Iris.
"Ojou-sama! We must hurry to retreat first!" Harson spoke while holding onto both of arms as William nodded his head.
"From what??" Iris raised one of her eyebrows.
And suddenly...
*BOOM* *SWOOSH*
A surge of dark energy came out of nowhere, destroying the rubbles around. The source of that energy was none other than Styx himself who came out after being sent to fly by Iris.
*"How dare you....HOW DARE YOU!!!"* Styx roared
"From that thing!!" Harson shouted and pointed out at him
"Ara~" But his roar didn't faze her at all and she just smiled innocently.
******
When the energy was realeased, it was very powerful and enough to make everyone shook, even Rowan and Matilda could tell the power that came from him.
"What's with this [Magic] power...no...that's not all!" Matilda could recognize the energy that the monster released from far.
"Is it [Aura]?! If I remember...[The Ashura] doesn't have an aura nor magic! Since his body already filled with raw strength and powerful anti-magic!!" Rowan shouted.
"Rowan...I think we need to jump in...before it gets worst." Matilda suggested.
"I agree...but...I don't think we could defeat it with ourselves alone." Rowan nodded grimly.
"Yeah...since the only one who could destroy this thing...is the [Hero] or the [Saintess]." But then she looked at him and smiled, "But...I don't regret it, if I die in this battle with you."
"Hahaha, are you going senile now? As if I would let you die here alone." Rowan grinned confidently.
Matilda shook her head, closing her eyes shut and smiling, "Fufufu~ what a muscle-head...but that's the reason why I fell in love with you."
Silvi was still staring at the both of them and she could tell that her strength isn't enough to protect them.
But her master was there so she didn't care about throwing her life away if it's meant to protect her and so, she was about to jump.
*THUD*
However, she was stopped by Matilda who grabbed her hand.
"Obaa-sama! Let me go! I need to go to her side!!–"
"Silvi Threston...I need you to listen to what I'm about to say."
"Huh??" Silvi looked at her and Rowan who's standing right beside her.
"We're going in with you together...and we...me and Rowan will give you a time so you and Iris can escape."
"Ehhh...then what about Obaa-sama...and Ojii-sama?"
Rowan patted his granddaughter's head gently and smiled widely, "Of course...me and her will fight until the end, to protect you both."
Silvi widened her eyes a bit when she noticed the face they made.
It was a face of an acceptance...
Of their own certain death...
Tears slowly dripped down her cheeks as she shook her eyes, "No...No! I will come with you! I will fight together with you!! I don't want to save Ojou-sama like this! I don't want to lose both of you!! Like...
Like Mom!! and Dad!!" Silvi shouted as she cried her hearts out.
It hurts for them to hear it but they couldn't help it since it was the truth.
Matilda pulled her into a warm embrace, "Seriously...what a stupid granddaughter I have...but I love you, Silvi."
"I love you too, Silvi." Rowan approached them and gave her another rub on her head.
Silvi was silent for while longer but in the end she nodded her head. "Yes...of course...I love you both so much."
Silvi looked up, showing them a pained smile.
But then suddenly, their moment was broken when someone approached them.
"Ummm...sir, I have something to tell."
It was one of the soldiers under Rowan's command.
"Not now...can you see? I want to spend my time with my granddaughter for a bit."
"I-i know...b-but this is very urgent."
"Tsk...what is it?!" Rowan shouted at him and that made the soldier straightened his body.
"Y-yes!! Iris Ojou-sama...right now! She is approaching the enemy!!"
Suddenly after hearing that, the three of them were stunned into silence
.
.
.
.
.
"WHAT?!!!"
******
At the same time...Iris started approaching Styx who's letting out all of those energy.
"NO! O-ojou-sama!! It's dangerous!!" Harson warned.
But Iris simply waved him off,
"I don't know who you are~ but you are a nice guy~ since you are nice, I shall warn you~ you stay out of here, especially you William."
"Huh??" William blinked his eyes for a moment before nodding. "Right, okay."
"Good~ cause it will be quite difficult to protect both of you~"
"Huh?? Protect who?–"
*"AAAAGHHHH!!!!"*
*SHINGGGG*
Suddenly before William could finish his words, they were interrupted by Styx who knelt on the ground like some sort of beast and opened his mouth wide, creating a large ball of dark purplish energy from it.
And in the midst of it...Iris stood there without blinking and her lips curved into a smirk.
"Ojou-sama!! We must run!! Now!!" Harson shouted.
"We need to go now!!" William shouted as well as he got increasingly anxious about this extremely dangerous situation.
But she didn't move nor listen to what he said. Iris lifted her hand and pointed it towards Styx.
*"TOO LATE!!! [Dark Bringer]!!!"*
*TWINGGGG*
To be continue...