Gil and Maria stayed in Dirram for one week, and they spent much of it sightseeing. After giving a joint speech with the Queen, the two went on their first date. Andromeda and Holly went to visit a bar, telling their Lords to take care of themselves. Yesterday was the last day of their visit, and the four of them bade Kanetaine farewell before setting off. The second they got back to Tempestas, the four planned to design tactics against the Vasea Empire. Unbeknownst to them, however, was the fact that Vasea had already set its plan into motion and would soon give the first strike.
After some time, Volpes sensed something was astray. He felt as he had been isolated from the outside world and locked in place. To him, this indicated a barrier had been used on his surroundings. He moved to alert his Lords, but Gil and Maria were already aware, as well as Andromeda. Holly was the only one who was oblivious. "My gosh, what has gotten into all of you? I can't see the scenery!'
Gil, Maria, and Andromeda paid no heed to Holly. They sprang out of their carriage, and Maria unhooked Volpes, ordering him to stay close by her. Holly asked Maria what was wrong and drew her sword as two figures approached them. "Who are you?"
A slim man clad in gleaming armor scoffed at them. "As if I'd answer a lowly demon! Show some respect, you impure filth!" He unsheathed his sword, grinning with a murderous expression. Gil could tell from his white cape why he was here. On it was the emblem of the Holy Sentinel Church, a red cross with a demon crucified on it. However, it was the woman who got his attention. She had chin-length blond hair that jutted in curly tresses, an austere face, a dazzling figure, dark skin, and wore the same garments as the man, except she had two swords on her back. Gil thought her beauty rivaled Maria's and Alyyiah's, but that was not why his eyes were fixated on her. The woman before him radiated an immense aura, one on par with his or even surpassing it. She also had the air of a true commander, of one whose mere presence compelled others to obedience. He did not doubt her identity, and fear overtook him, for if the rumors he had heard were true, he didn't stand a chance against her. What Gil found most shocking was that this "woman" was not much older than him, if at all. Indeed, she seemed to be around Sarah's age, at least to his eyes.
The man smirked. "It looks like that little blond boy needs to go pee! Too bad you'll die-" The woman cut her off with a wave of her hand. "Enough, Hakata. Do not be so arrogant, for it will be your undoing."
"But my Lady-"
"Did you not hear me? Focus on the task at hand."
"As you command, my Lady." This show of submission confirmed Gil's suspicions and heightened his fears. He met the woman's eyes. "Mind if you tell me your name?"
"From your eyes, I thought you appraised correctly," the woman smiled wanly. "If you're unsure, then I'll quell your doubts. I am Tressa Lee, the appointed Holy Sword of the Church. What's your name?"
"Gil Asphodel."
"Good. I didn't get the wrong person. Now, we can proceed to the next stage." Tressa snapped her fingers, and Gil saw what gave him an eerie feeling moments ago. An anti-quantum barrier had been formed around the immediate vicinity, and it became visible as it expanded. Tressa clapped her hands, and Gil felt the whole world vibrate so intensely he almost vomited. Then, he realized he and Andromeda had been separated from Maria, Holly, and Volpes. The barrier had divided into two, and Maria fruitlessly banged her fists. "Gil! Gil!" It pained Gil to see the woman he admired be so helpless, but it strengthened his resolve. "I promise I'll save you, Maria. Please, just hang on until I get there. I won't let this be the end of us."
"So, the report about a sentinel and a vampire caring for each other was indeed true," Tressa drew one of her blades, a glowing blue sword. "Well, of course, I suppose that's because the vampire has you wrapped around her finger, Gil. Then I'll be quick in slashing her head and saving you."
Gil cocked his head. "What on Yggdrasil are you going on about?"
"Ah, I suppose I can't reason with you. You see, that count over there has used her powers to dominate your mind and body. This is also true for the sentinels being oppressed in Tenebris. The Church has authorized me to slay her, as doing so will free your mind and the minds of the other sentinels in Tempestas. Then, we'll subjugate the vile demons under her command for deceiving and oppressing innocent sentinels and having them be her slaves."
Gil and Maria knew that was an invented lie and propaganda that would serve as Vasea's reason and excuse for attacking Tempestas. While Gil reasoned the Holy Sentinel Church had begun their assault on Tempestas, Maria comprehended the Church's plan in its entirety. Tales of a lecherous vampire had run rampant, and although Maria tried to contain them, they still spread like wildfire. She knew the Vasea Empire had elaborated on that rumor. Based on that, Maria concluded that the new myth was that this vampire had manipulated the blood flow of all the sentinels in Tempestas, and now they were her loyal dogs. To appease her supposed voracious lust, she made the males among the sentinels her courtesans. Gil was nothing but a puppet in her bed whom she used to lure sentinels into Tempestas with warranties of "equality under the law for all races." She clenched her fist, for she acknowledged Vasea's acumen. With such a narrative, other countries will abstain from aiding Tempestas. Doing so will hamper their international reputation and will only galvanize Stella, giving them another line of attack and justification for continuing the war. Even Aurora will be unable to help, as they'll have to relent to Vasea's demands to "investigate" Tempestas to save their own skin. As the ones who made Tempestas their province, their honor will be most at risk. If they wanted to salvage it, their only option would be to insist they were ignorant of what Maria was actually doing. Then, Aurora would begin "supporting" Vasea's "attempts to find the truth of the matter" and denounce Maria's actions once the "truth" was "found." In other words, Maria couldn't count on outside help, and no matter how hard she tried, Tempestas would never be viewed in the same light. Sentinels will have reservations about immigrating there, and more of them may flock to Vasea and become future enemies. Maria sighed. She had harshly underestimated the Vasea Empire, and now her life and the lives of her friends and subjects were at stake. She powerless to change the circumstances and could only cling to life. Her only hope lay in Gil, who had the power to save her from Tressa, and in Alyyiah, who was now in charge of Tempestas's affairs.
Gil glanced worriedly above as he clashed with Hakata. With an anti-quantum barrier activated, his ability to absorb and use quanta was restrained. In fact, he found it so challenging to use quanta he had no choice but to use what his body already possessed. The problem with this was that he couldn't replace it, and so, eventually, he would run out. He would die once his body had lost all its quanta and was forced to minimize its use. For demons, the barrier makes their bodies leak out quanta, causing them to gradually weaken. Thankfully, Gil had Andromeda behind his back to support him, and Hakata was only a star. The predicament was that in the barrier, Hakata had no problem keeping up with and even injuring Gil, and pushing him back wasted a lot of quanta. Gil would need to finish him off in one blow that would use up the least amount of quanta.
Gil's opportunity came when Hakata went purely on the offense, trying to reach Andromeda, who was irritating him with her fireballs. Before he could, Andromeda cast a spell that produced smoke and clouded Hakata's eyes. Gil reinforced his body with quanta and rushed at Hakata, who, disoriented, swung his sword in the wrong direction. Gil jabbed his fist into Hakata's chest and smashed him to the ground with all his might, which caused a small crater to form.
Hakata coughed out blood. "Damm it! I'm a member of Lady Tressa's elite squadron - the Templars! I can't lose to a child!"
Gil disagreed. "Sorry, but it's over," he held out Hakata's heart. "You're too weak to get up, and you'll die shortly." Gil grabbed Hakata by his hair and noticed his pearl necklace, apprehending it was what granted Hakata immunity from the barrier's effects. Andromeda analyzed it with magic and confirmed this was the case. Gil gave the necklace to Andromeda, who refused. "No, Lord Gil. You will need it in your fight against Tressa."
"I know that, but I won't be fighting her until I get out of this barrier. You're the only one who can utilize spells and has more knowledge about magic than I do. I can't get to Maria without your help." Andromeda nodded, put on the necklace, and swiftly began chanting. After using an appraisal spell, she had an idea. "Lord Gil, it is possible to absorb the barrier."
"How?" Gil asked.
"Nearly everything in this world is composed of quanta, and an anti-quantum barrier is no different. All it does is create a vacuum in the area it's applied in, sucking out all the quanta there. This necklace is imbued with an enchantment that neutralizes its effects on the wearer. If you wear it, you could absorb quanta more easily and thus absorb the barrier. Of course, I can just use a nullification spell to destroy it."
"No need for that. I'll take care of the one we're in, and you deal with the one on Maria's end." After Gil absorbed the barrier, Andromeda cast a powerful negation spell to eradicate the other. The two could finally reunite with Maria, Holly, and Volpes, the three who desperately needed aid.
Volpes lay on his side, coughing blood as Holly tried to intercept Tressa. "If you want to kill Lady Maria, you'll have to get through me, her shield!" Tressa did not respond and only pressed Holly more. Holly reinforced her body with quanta, dodged Tressa's strike, and brung her blade down on Tressa's torso. However, the sword fragmented like glass when it struck her breastplate, which glowed a bright yellow. "Well done," Tressa's face had softened a fraction of a degree. "The only other one who was able to hit me thus far had been a demon emperor I once fought. However, you're too weak to damage my armor. You see, apparition armor is armor that has been filled with quanta and enchanted with holy magic. It is appropriately named, for it acts as a living being in that it can evolve if given enough quanta. When it becomes powerful enough, it will obtain additional properties and confer them to its wearer. Apparition equipment is broken into five tiers, with tier one being the weakest and five the strongest. The gear I have is tier three, and I've added additional charms. Even a demon emperor had a hard time breaking through its defenses. My other sword, on the other hand, is tier four." Tressa played with Holly, and when she sensed her quanta levels had been nearly depleted, she put all her might in a single slash. Holly collapsed, having taken a fatal blow. Her horn had been broken, and a diagonal cross-section of her body had been ruptured by Tressa's sword. Tressa caught Holly as she fell and gently lay her on the ground. "While you failed, you did very well to protect your master, even in the anti-quantum barrier. Now you may rest." Tressa turned to Maria. "You're next, vampire. Any last words before I kill you as well?"
"I'd like to see you try," Maria clenched her fist. She was not going to allow somebody to kill her friends and get away with it. Rage clouded her mind, and her aura went out of control. Maria parried Tressa's sword with her leg and kicked Tressa in the face. Maria then dodged Tressa's blade and flew into the air.
The only thought in Maria's mind was to rip Tressa's head off, for nothing else would satisfy her. She would not let Holly's death be in vain, and she swore to make Vasea and the Holy Sentinel Church remorse they dare messed with her. Maria bit her lip and then sucked her own blood. She spat it out, and the blood particles hovered in the air. Maria then used quanta to remodel the droplets into tiny spears and directed them all at Tressa. Tressa tried deflecting them with her sword. However, they only doubled each time she hit them with her blade. While they did her no harm, they trapped her at one point, and her patience was wearing thin. Tressa unveiled her second blade and held it into the air. The sword absorbed all the blood droplets around her and groaned as if it were burping after a meal. "I'll commend you on pushing me to use one of my most prized possessions. Tier four weapons such as these are bestowed names, much like how you demons form bonds with one another. The name of this blade is Masamune. Remember it, for it will be the last thing you will see, vampire!"
Maria coalesced her blood into a spear and solidified it using quanta. "You better not be mad when it turns out to be a disappointment!" Maria shot downward, lunging at Tressa. The Holy Knight calmly blocked and countered, unleashing a furious wave of slashes, feints, and parries. This effort would have gravely injured Maria had she not formed protective armor from head to toe created with her hemoglobin, hardened with quanta. Tressa's sword damaged it but never went deep enough to touch Maria's flesh. Maria instilled her spear with more quanta. She knew she wouldn't be able to penetrate Tressa's armor, but her head was exposed. Maria feinted and hurled her spear right where Tressa's brain was. A thunderous blast reverberated across the area, and the ground quivered violently. The earth beneath Tressa's feet collapsed and broke down as the pressure applied above her caused a crater to form.
Unfortunately for Maria, Tressa had caught her spear after reinforcing her body with quanta, although her palm had been impaled. She spat out blood. Although her hands were not as protected as the rest of her body(excluding her head), she was still impressed that Maria could injure her. "For a count, you are indeed formidable. Were you a member of Bloodbound's patrician families, or are you a pure-blood?"
"Both," Maria answered. "Although my mother discarded me at an early age."
"I see. Is the purpose of Tempestas then a method of getting revenge?"
"Partly. I won't deny the fact I hold grudges. But there's something much more important to me."
"Which is?"
"I doubt you'll believe me, but I'll say it anyway. What I...what Gil and I desire is to make a world where everyone can live happily. For that reason, we've founded Tempestas, a nation where that is possible. It will serve as a medium that will demonstrate to all demons that it is possible to coexist."
Tressa nodded. "I see. Do you truly believe it is possible to bring about peace?"
"It is, or rather, it would be if a certain Church and a certain government didn't always stir conflicts and hostilities."
"As if demons are inculpable."
"You're right. Both sides have committed atrocities. But one side, in particular, seems hellbent on continuing the war. Demons have offered various ceasefires and treaties, yet Stella and the Holy Sentinel Church reject them. Why? They repeat baseless and racist claims of demons being inferior. Stella apparently has been ordained by God to take over Tenebris and 'educate/civilize' its people. What do you think of that?"
"I think you and I are both aware of the truth. It's all a big, fat lie, yes. However, such a lie has sparked opposition, especially from demons. Naturally, they wouldn't want to be governed by racist rulers. They are now more motivated than ever to defeat Stella and secure their independence from what they see as oppression. Because of Stella's policy towards them, they have become just as uncompromising."
"So you acknowledge Stella is at fault, yet you continue to obey them and the Church despite that?"
"I am a mere follower of the Church, and my loyalty is with them. That being said, I bear no contempt for demons. I avoid meaningless or detrimental conflicts if possible. Take your subordinate, for instance. Most sentinels in the Church's army would have taken pleasure in torturing her, yet I simply granted her a quick death, even helping her to the floor. I have no evidence to say you're not lying, and you very well be telling the truth."
"Then-"
"But I won't be swayed to your side, nor will I let you live. If you want to know how I really feel, then I think you are telling the truth. I've asked some demon travelers near your nation what type of place Tempestas was, and they had nothing but good news. As for you claiming to make sentinels equal to demons, that was the one thing they all agreed on, and some of them even made friends with the opposing race, or so they say. I even made a quick visit to your nation's borders."
"So then, why are you doing all this? Why are you so adamant in your resolve, even though it sounds like you agree with me?"
Tressa displayed a melancholy smile. "I have someone I must protect at all costs. Someone very dear to me, and so, I must follow the Church, for they are the only ones who can and are willing to save him."
"I see. That explains why you'll continue the fight. In light of that, talking to you will prove counterproductive since you have both a reason to live and to fight, and you won't back down."
"Absolutely. Shall we get back into our battle?"
"Yes."
Tressa's blade clanged against Maria's spear as the two lurched towards each other, waiting for an opportunity to deliver a lethal attack. However, Maria knew Tressa would kill her, as her body was low on quanta. Now more focused, Maria's goal was to weaken Tressa as much as possible to increase Gil's chances of victory. While she couldn't get revenge for Holly, her boyfriend had a chance.
Tressa bolstered her fist with quanta and shattered Maria's armor with a single punch, noticing Maria wouldn't be able to strengthen it when she's nearly out of quanta. The Holy Knight gripped the count by the throat, and Maria dangled in the air, kicking her feet as she tried to escape. Tressa tightened her grip, choking Maria. "Like your subordinate, I'll also grant you a quick death. Before you die, there is one thing I would like to know. What is your name, vampire?"
"Maria."
"That is a name as lovely as your appearance. Well, Maria, today's the day you'll be leaving this world. I can only pray that the afterlife will be kinder than here." Tressa's blade hummed, glowing a streak of colors, and swung it at Maria's heart at breakneck speed.
Tressa's blade clattered against the ground, being knocked out of her hand. She felt an overwhelming strength push into her chest, and while it didn't damage her breastplate, it sent her crashing into a boulder a mile away. Maria gasped for air, being released from Tressa's hold. "What the hell took you so long, Gil?"
Gil embraced her, shoving her head into his chest. "Thank goodness I made it here in time. If I came a moment later, you would've been dead. I'm glad that's not the case."
"So am I," Maria hugged him tightly as tears welled from her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Gil. It's all my fault."
"Nothing is your fault, Maria. You didn't order the Holy Sentinel Church to attack us."
"No, not just that. I apologize for being so weak. If only I were stronger, nobody would have died trying to protect me."
"Who died? I'm still here, and so is Andromeda. Holly and Volpes should be-" Gil noticed Holly and Volpes lying on the floor. He knew Volpes was still alive since he was twitching, but Holly was...
Holly was dead. Andromeda noticed it as well, and she quietly mourned the loss of her childhood friend. However, Gil was too angry to shed tears. "Andromeda, take care of Maria for me, will you? While you're at it, be sure to attend to Volpes."
"As you command, Lord Gil. What about you?"
"There's a woman over there who just murdered one of my subordinates, and I intend to return the hospitality."
Gil flew into the air and dove to Tressa at blinding speed. The Holy Knight parried his arms and legs, but Gil was too fast. Tressa was given a thorough beating by Gil, although she managed to land several blows on him, notably his arm. She tried to intercept his attacks, but she could not meet his agility. Tressa used a considerable amount of quanta to augment her equipment and even more so to block Gil, which was draining her. Her other sword, Masamune, would be able to end this fight in ten blows. Its unique ability allowed it to puncture the soul of her opponents in ten successive blows to the physical body. However, that blade had been knocked out of her hands, and it lay on the ground. To add to that, Gil attacked her so relentlessly that the stress from them threatened to brutally drive Tressa to the ground. Tressa was barely managing to block Gil's attacks, and she used ever more quanta to enhance her physical capacities. The sword that was in her hand was beginning to crack, as well as her armor. Tressa was unaware that a vampire's blood had the power to erode whatever it touched, assuming it had no magical resistance to deterioration. Hearing that a former demon emperor struggled against it gave Maria reason to conduct a subsequent analysis.
Pulsars were formidable but nowhere near strong enough to defeat a demon emperor. However, Tressa's freakish armor and weapons were more than enough to turn the tide. It frightened Maria that Stella and the Holy Sentinel Church had access to such items. Thinking about what tier five equipment was capable of terrified her. Stars were what sentinels evolved into some time after they become nebulas. They were the stage most sentinels reached in their lifetime. If they were given Tressa's equipment, no matter how weak they may be, they would become powerful enough to match Gil in a fight. Stars, which were relatively weak compared to more powerful beings, could become powerhouses. Such a reality posed an existential threat to Tempestas, which alone was enough to persuade Maria to pursue developing apparition equipment of her own.
Without her armor or sword, Maria determined Gil to be the victor. Tressa may also be a pulsar, and she may have advanced combat skills, but she did not possess Gil's raw power. The Holy Knight would be powerless to defend herself from Gil, much less beat him. However, as Tressa mentioned, apparition equipment could evolve on its own if exposed to enough quanta, which is what happened. Although her armor burst, her sword became enclosed in a glowing cocoon of quanta. When Tressa pulled it out, the blade was longer, and the hilt was curved. The sword itself was a multitude of colors. Tressa injected it with more of her quanta and began chanting. A yellow circle appeared below her feet. "Thy name shall be Avalon. Grant me thy strength, for I seek power to defeat my foe."
Maria was bewildered. A sword emitting its own aura? Emitting quanta as if it were alive? She watched, stunned, as Avalon's hilt grew, winding around Tressa's wrist as their auras merged. The blade had become one with the wielder, and Maria realized Tressa had actually gained quanta, further shocking her. There was only one possible explanation. Tressa's sword, Avalon, had absorbed quanta from its surroundings as if it were a living sentinel and that Tressa's soul had fused with it. There was no doubt in her mind now, and she was horrified about what she would witness when she returned to Tempestas.
Tressa lunged, and Gil twisted his body, barely avoiding her attack. He was just as shocked as Maria to see what Avalon could do. But he remained calm, for he still retained more quanta than Tressa, even with her new sword. Gil decided that the fight had gone on long enough. He flew into the air and used quanta to create thousands of golden spears, all of which he flung at Tressa. Tressa speedily cut her way through them and was steadily approaching Gil. However, Gil would have the victory. He concentrated a vast amount of his power into a beam of plasma. Gil blasted it at Tressa, who managed to survive. However, her sword was vaporized, and she used nearly all the quanta her body had left to strengthen her body and protect herself. The attack had dissipated her armor. "Damm...I never thought I would be overpowered like this. I guess the armor made me too cocky," Tressa sighed. She was too weak to move, and she braced for death, closing her eyes with a soft smile. She wished that she would be able to see her brother one last time, as he was the reason she was loyal to the Holy Sentinel Church. "Deiondre..."
However, Gil did not end her life, for him and his friends believed she was already dead. Moreover, knowing that they could win against Tressa, they concentrated on an even more urgent concern: apparition equipment. Volpes snored on Andromeda's lap as Gil and Maria examined Masamune. Gil shoved the blade into Maria's hands. "Take it. It'll be useful to you, Maria."
"Gil?"
"These swords are unbelievable. Vasea has already declared war on us. If we get separated again, I can't attest that I'll be able to protect you. In which case, while the sword won't make you invincible, I know it will be able to bolster your power. After all, Tempestas may be a warzone once we get back home. I don't mean this negatively, but if more of Tressa's elite troops show up, you'll certainly need the power boost."
Maria understood that Gil was only trying to help her. However, he basically told her she was too weak to protect herself, and that pained her. It drove a wrench in her heart, but she burrowed her feelings. Maria felt incredibly guilty, blaming herself for Holly's death, and wondered how many would die because of her mistake. She began to wail uncontrollably, and even Gil's comfort didn't rid her of bitterness. The three resumed the ride on their caravan, and Volpes, having recovered to health, tugged them along once more. Gil kissed Maria to sleep as he laid her on his lap, rubbing the tears from her eyes as she envisaged the massacre at Tempestas.
As Maria anticipated, Alyyiah would be facing her own troubles back in Tempestas. Tucker, Harry, and Morgan had found their way into the nation, and they were keen to stir chaos. Harry's eyes wandered, shocked by what he saw. "Are you kidding me? This nation's way more prosperous than Vasea! Makes the 'grandest Stellan relic' look like a pile of total crap!"
Morgan nodded. "How are shitty little demons allowed to live a better life than us? I say we loot this place."
"Mmm-hmm," Harry concurred. "The ruler of this place are two children, right? If we kill them, then Morgan and I could really become a King and Queen!" Morgan savored such a thought. She had always wanted to be a member of royalty ever since she was little, and she would love it if Harry could be her "King." However, she was as vain as her lover. Like him, she truly believed she could defeat Maria and Gil, unaware that she and her friends stood no chance against even their servants.
The three did not even come up with a plot. Harry, Morgan, and Tucker chose to cause trouble "the simple way," namely by violence. They would just start a fight and cause a panic. All they needed was a weak, foolish, and unsuspecting victim, and they found one in Ryan, who, along with the rest of the Elven Riders, were on patrol.
Harry was the first to attack. He swung his fist, expecting an easy win, and was shocked when Ryan caught his hand. "What are you doing?"
Conall saw the scene and rushed over to Ryan. He wondered what Tucker, Harry, and Morgan were up to but understood after seeing the pin on their shirts, which was typically what members of Vasea's military wore. Jaco communicated telepathically with him. "I've spotted two hundred men on horseback from the Vasea Empire. They're headed for Tempestas." The war had started, and Conall knew the three in front of him were sent here to create an excuse for the main force to attack. He gripped his blade, ready to kill them before they could complete their objective, but a firm hand rested on his shoulder, and he bowed. Lady Alyyiah would deal with them herself.
Jaco entered the council room and gave his report to Nova, Hagas, and Atticus. Alyyiah informed them of three military members that had sneaked into Maria city, and Atticus went to her at once. "The Vasea Empire's made its move," Jaco said. "Have you contacted Lady Maria or Lord Gil about this?"
Nova shook his head. "I've tried, but there's a disturbance in the environment. I can't contact them, and I don't sense them at all. I doubt they died, for we would lose our names if they did, but have you traced the source of this problem?"
"Unfortunately, no. I've dispatched Gabe and Euryale to do so, but neither had any luck so far. What about the situation in Tiger?"
Nova pointed to the white orb on the table. "Nia requested that Tempestas take in all refugees that arrive here, and Alyyiah has accepted to do so. It seems Lady Lyra is out for blood as well."
"Are you saying that she's attacking Tiger?"
"As shocking as it is, that's what Nia said. Anyway, there's nothing we can do for them other than to accept their request. We need to focus on our current problems. Hagas, contact your son. Have the Elven Riders intercept Vasea's forces. Jaco, call in either Gabe or Euryale to assist with that." Hagas and Jaco both nodded and left the room. Nova sighed. "They attacked right when our Lords left the nation..."
Alyyiah looked squarely at the three who tried attacking Ryan. Atticus knelt behind her. "Lady Alyyiah, are these the intruders you mentioned?"
"Yes. This shouldn't take long."
Morgan laughed. "It seems a little princess has shown up, and a confident one at that. You may be one hell of a knockout, but you're still a little girl. Go back to your castle or whatever. Actually, stay here," she grinned. "I hate pretty women. However, once I kill you, I'll become the ruler of this place and rich as hell to boot!"
Alyyiah shook her head. "I'm no princess, just a humble servant of the true rulers of this place. Although I am temporary head of Tempestas until my lords return, but never mind that. I'll ask you this once. Leave, or I won't show any mercy."
Harry and Tucker laughed. "We're sorry, princess, but we have to respectfully decline. You better not run behind your servants, although it makes no difference. I hope you're as strong as you say," they sneered.
"My Lady, allow me to deal with these insolent fools," Atticus gritted his teeth. "I cannot have imbeciles insult your honor, for our Lords will be most displeased."
"I thank you, Master Atticus," Alyyiah smiled. "However, I will not forgive them for igniting conflict inside Tempestas. We'll take them down together."
"Agreed."
Tucker cackled. "As if a little girl such as yourself could touch me!" He drew his sword, reinforced his body with quanta, and charged. "With my power, even Tressa can't hope to beat me, much less you, princess! Just because you're a little girl doesn't mean I'm going to go easy on you!"
Unfortunately for Tucker, he did not realize how wild his delusions were until Alyyiah confronted him with reality. The tip of Tucker's sword was stuck between Alyyiah's fingers, which exerted so much pressure that the blade crackled into pieces. Tucker faltered backward. "No way...how the hell did you-"
"You're far too weak to do me any harm, and your swordsmanship is mediocre. You'd have never passed Atticus's training with that lack of skill," Alyyiah remarked. "Is that all you were capable of? And you thought you could defeat my Lords. Allow me to welcome you back into reality." Alyyiah used quanta to create a golden sword and slashed Tucker repeatedly but did not kill him. She augmented her fist with quanta and shoved it inside Tucker's stomach as he coughed out blood. Tucker tried to get up from the ground, but Alyyiah stomped on him with her foot until he lost consciousness. She planned to interrogate him after she had dealt with his friends. "Atticus, I have a change of heart. I can handle the remaining two on my own, and the bigger threat is that army that's approaching. I want you to go join the Elven Riders and help Conall." Atticus bowed and went off.
Alyyiah trod her way towards Harry and Morgan, who were in utter disbelief. They could not believe she had so flawlessly executed a mockery of Tucker. Morgan hated beautiful women enough, but she hated them more when they had things she didn't have, such as power, wealth, or status. Alyyiah was half her age, yet she had it all, making Morgan beyond livid. "You'll regret sending your servant away, you hear me? I'm gonna beat the living shit out of you!"
Morgan readied herself and heightened her physical strength with quanta. She jabbed, uppercut, hooked, but Alyyiah gracefully dodged her blows, only infuriating Morgan further. Morgan boosted her agility as much as she could, but she was still too slow. Alyyiah grabbed her arm and wrenched it such that it almost detached from her body. Alyyiah slapped Morgan so hard she collapsed to the ground. "I've had enough of your attitude. Do you think this is some game? You and your friends planned to invite an army into Tempestas, and you actually thought you could get away with it. I swore loyalty and devotion to Lady Maria. Therefore, I will not let the nation she founded get ransacked, nor will I tolerate an attack on any of her subjects." Alyyiah glowered down at Morgan, whose face was one of pure terror and who began to learn how arrogant she and her companions had been all this time. "If you wish to live, surrender now, or I will kill you and your other friend."
"As if!" Harry roared. "That's my girlfriend you're trampling on, you bitch!" Harry used quanta to construct golden armor fitting him from head to toe. He shaped a sword for himself as well, one as big as him. "I'm going to run you down, and then I'll enjoy ripping your limbs one by one as I watch you scream in pain." Alyyiah merely sighed. Before Harry could react, she appeared in front of him and began hacking furiously at his body. Harry jumped back, and Alyyiah flew into the air. "I'll compliment you on being able to hold your ground against me for ten seconds. However, this is where it all ends." Thanks to Gil's training, Alyyiah was now capable of manipulating large amounts of quanta. She encircled a thousand golden spears around Harry and launched them all at once, and all Harry could do was scream in pain. He didn't even have time to admit defeat before his life was taken. Morgan tried to run away, but Alyyiah hurled a spear into her head.
Alyyiah flew down to the ground, where Tucker's body lay. She ordered an awestruck Ryan to take him to the cellar. She contacted Nova and Jaco, but neither had any information on why their Lords could not be called. Alyyiah decided to join the investigation herself and met with her sister, Sarah.
That's when true chaos erupted in Tempestas, and the raid Alyyiah hoped to stop commenced.
The force Vasea sent, all two hundred men, arrived in the city and began plundering buildings. Immediately after they did, Alyyiah was shocked to see an anti-quantum barrier fixed around Tempestas. She pondered how the Elven Riders and Atticus failed to stop the army, but now she understood.
With the barrier in place, everyone on Alyyiah's side was considerably weakened. It would be difficult to stop the army from advancing any farther. Alyyiah telepathically communicated with Nova, Euryale, Gabe, and Bleak, asking them to send their forces to deal with Vasea's forces. "With things as they are, we've lost the advantage in strength. However, it's only an army of two hundred. Before they cause severe damage, mobilize units of as many men as possible and crush them. At the very least, we'll have a force of ten thousand, which will be enough. Gabe, Euryale, forget about the investigation for now. Sarah and I will take care of it, and I need you to lend a hand in this matter."
As Alyyiah and Sarah searched around the city, they faced Vasea's troops and were surrounded. Sarah held her sister's hand. "Alyyiah, how are we going to escape?"
"We can just fly away, silly-" Alyyiah realized the barrier prevented her from flying. But she could still use quanta from her body to form constructs for herself, and she made a shield. "Fighting them will be futile. Our only bet will be to ram through them and hopefully survive." That's when she saw a little leprechaun girl, hardly six years old, who ran over to her as the army approached. "Change of plans, Sarah! We'll take the little girl with us." Alyyiah sprinted for the girl. However, without quanta, she was barely able to get to the girl before the army did. Their general, Todo, whipped his horse forward. "Tempestas has been declared by the Holy Sentinel Church as an insult to God! Its existence will not be tolerated! For defying the will of God, you will face death!" Todo charged towards Alyyiah, who desperately tried to protect the little girl with her body and a single shield.
Todo and his army squashed both of them. He and his men moved deeper into the city, where they killed all they saw and looted what they could get their hands on. Before they were subdued and forced to retreat by Nova and his forces, they had left a river of blood flowing through the streets of Tempestas. Fires started by Todo's men spread hastily through the nation. An outsider might look at the entire scene and claim that Ragnarok had begun, with Tempestas the first to have fallen into calamity, into God's divine wrath.