Volpes's paws scraped against the ground as he halted to a stop. He, Gil, Maria, and Andromeda had returned to Tempestas. Gil unleashed him from his collar, and the four hurried towards their nation.
Gil and Maria were shocked to see a massive anti-quantum barrier had enveloped all of Tempestas. Andromeda used a nullification spell but to no avail. She then began to analyze it. "This barrier is much stronger than the one Tressa used. A small group of mages supplied the quanta to maintain her barrier; however, around ten thousand mages are responsible for sustaining this one. A more advanced activation spell has been used, one I am too weak to neutralize with my current power. I will need much more quanta to counteract it. But, I believe should Lord Gil learn a neutralization spell, he would be able to nullify the barrier."
Gil pondered on her words. "But I don't think we have the time for you to teach me a complex spell. Can I absorb it?"
"Yes, it is possible. However, as there is a limit to how much quanta you can absorb, I do not believe that even you can absorb the entire barrier."
"That's alright. If I did, our enemies would notice. They may coordinate another attack, and I do not want that, especially not after learning about apparition equipment. Also, they're under the impression that Tressa is taking care of us. I don't want them to know she's already been killed."
Maria nodded. "The element of surprise will be important when launching a counterattack. It may be the only thing we have in our favor and what may grant us victory, especially when paired against apparition items with no defense against them."
"That's true," Gil concurred. "However, I don't think every holy knight will carry high-tier equipment. They have to be expensive, and I'm betting the Holy Sentinel Church only gives them to their strongest fighters. Even with them, their lower soldiers should be equal in strength to the gargoyles. They may be somewhat strong, but Alyyiah, Sarah, Bleak, and the rest of the Onis should have no problem dealing with thousands of them."
"I'm inclined to agree with you. But, that's only true if high-tier equipment isn't widespread among Church forces. The Holy Sentinel Church is very affluent, so I doubt they can't just buy items for their soldiers or mass-produce them. Then there's the issue of the Templars. Even with their Tressa dead, her elite force can't be trifled with, although there's no way to know if they've been authorized by the Church to attack us yet."
"You're right, Maria. We need more intelligence regarding this issue. I'll talk to Jaco right now. Knowing him, he should have sent spies to observe enemy movements." Gil telepathically communicated with Jaco.
"Jaco, how's the state of affairs in Tempestas?"
"I was spying on our enemies before the barrier was put in place. I can't contact anyone inside Tempestas, nor can I enter Maria city. However, I'm relieved to know you're safe, Lord Gil. Lady Maria is alive and well, correct?"
"Yes. Sorry for arriving so late."
"No need for apologies. I'm sure you had your own problems to attend to."
"That we did. Have you gathered any intel on our enemies?"
"Yes, Lord Gil. There are four enemy camps situated around Tempestas in all four cardinal directions. They're comprised of soldiers from the Holy Sentinel Church. Taken together, they amass a force of twelve thousand. Furthermore, many at these camps are mages, and they've gathered around a large crystal, with one at each post. They perform a ritual around these crystals, which I believe sustain the barrier around Tempestas."
"Anything else?"
"No, my Lord."
"Alright. Keep an eye out for the enemy, but I forbid any engagements for now. You will attack them when the order to do so is given."
"Understood."
Gil turned back to Maria. She was already in deep thought, formulating multiple methods to deal with their current crisis. "You heard what Jaco had to say, right? Got any ideas?"
"A few. Jaco hasn't reported the presence of the Templars, meaning that they're not in any of those camps. We should have no problem exterminating them, but we can do that later. They're likely keeping the barrier up so that Vasea's military can come and successfully occupy Tempestas. With the demons weakened and unable to leave, they'll be able to subjugate everyone in Tempestas and rule over this town. You might be able to absorb part of the barrier and release some of our forces, but not all of them. In which case, we'll only have the strongest of our servants attack the camps. As for you and me, Gil, we'll take down the main force together."
"Got it. But there is one foreseeable problem to your approach."
"Which is?"
"After Vasea's crushing defeat, the Church will propagate us as wretched, uncivilized beasts who brutally attacked their soldiers, as well as Vasea's. They'll come back for a second attack, and the Templars will get involved."
"But there's nothing we can do about that. Vasea has surely already spread the myth of me being some whore with a fetish for sentinels and that I went after their men. I hate to admit it, but they have an edge in the media realm, and we can't fight back, not when Klain just set up a radio network, which has likely been damaged. Their lies have aired on television for hours, which is more than enough to persuade people to have doubts about us or even cheer for our destruction. Besides, even if we fight them on TV, it will all be for nothing if we lose the physical war."
"Yeah, and I'm guessing we can't count on any backup from another nation, can we?"
"No."
"Alright, then we'll fix our reputation with the media later. I'll get us through the barrier." Gil absorbed quanta from the barrier, creating a gap big enough for him, Andromeda, and Maria to fit through. The three ran through the streets, becoming gradually more disturbed by what they say. Dried blood stained the streets and multiple buildings, many of which were demolished. Fires raged across the city and had only just been put down, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Maria found a child's shoe lying on the ground and picked it up, knowing that its owner had perished. She found tattered clothing, dropped swords, and even a milk bottle meant for feeding a baby. Maria breathed heavily, barely controlling her anger. Except for a few exceptions, most of those attacked seemed to be defenseless and the weak. To her, Vasea had a penchant for killing mothers and children, something she found revolting. If she got her hands on Vasea's king or the Pope of the Church, she promised to make their lives a slow, torturous nightmare.
Maria realized her aura was out of control and that people stepped back from her. Gil gripped her hand, gently asking her to calm down, and she suppressed her aura. Maria sighed, feeling depressed by what she saw and knowing worse was in store for her.
Unlike most of the structures in Tempestas, the royal court building had not been destroyed. Injured citizens lay in mats as nurses tended to them. Food and water were distributed to everyone, who silently ate their fill without uttering a single word. They lay their heads low, their eyes filled with gloom until a shout ringed across their ears. "It's Lord Gil! He and Lady Maria have safely returned to Tempestas!"
One by one, they lifted their heads and looked, looked to their Lords. It was true - they had returned. And the people knew their Lords would fix the wrongs inflicted on them and alleviate their suffering. Their mouths curved into joyful smiles, and they felt strong again. Their eyes radiated a sense of hope as they ran to embrace and kneel before their Lords. "Welcome back, Lady Maria and Lord Gil!"
Maria stood in awe, as well as Gil. They were inspired by their people's loyalty and strength, even in the face of despair. A tear ran down Maria's cheek as she gripped Gil's hand. She was mesmerized by what she saw, and now, she was determined to meet their expectations. For her failure, she would save them from their situation and push as far as she could for a peaceful world, for everyone's sakes. Yes, she would accept no other outcome. She would not have more of her loyal subjects lose their lives, nor would she allow a foreign power to defile Tempestas again. For Gil, for her ideals, and her people, she will fight to the bitter end to give them the better world they all wish to live in.
Hagas jumped in front of Gil and Maria, going on his hands and knees. "Welcome back, my Lords! I'm glad to see you're still with us! In these desperate times, I must seek your counsel."
"Um, sure," Gil nodded. "First things first, how many homes were destroyed?"
"We're still counting, but as of now, around a third of our citizens have lost their homes. We estimate the number could be as high as twice that. As such, we have made shelters in the royal court. Floors one to seven will be temporary abodes until the damage done has been fixed. I beg your apology, for we turned your grand home and government into an asylum."
"No, you've done good work. In fact, I'm pleased to know the people have a place to rest until they can go back to their homes again. If more space is needed, use the guest rooms and some of the bureaus as well. Make sure everyone is properly accommodated, alright?"
"Understood, my Lord. I'll have my staff see to it. Now, regarding our assailants-"
Klain huffed as he ran to Maria. "Oh, thank god what we heard in the square was true! You've finally returned, Lady Maria!"
"Yes, I'm glad to see you're not among the dead, Klain." Aside from emotional concerns, Klain and his brothers led projects ranging from building design to innovations in technology, labor, craftsmanship, and culture. It was apt to say that they were the building blocks of Tempestas, and Maria and Gil could not have come as far as they did without them. With the threat posed by apparition armor and the anti-quantum barriers, Tempestas's security lay in these four siblings. They would be the only ones capable of hastily inventing an effective defense or even new equipment to counter them. Maria opened her mouth to speak but stopped when she observed Klain and Hagas silently communicating. "What are you two talking about? Speak to me."
Klain rubbed his head. "In the town square, the grieved are still mourning-"
Hagas shushed him. "Klain!"
Maria looked sternly at Hagas. "Is there something you're hiding from me? What's going on in the town square? I demand an answer, Hagas."
"Well, you see..."
Sarah and Tiffany approached Gil and Maria. The two bowed. "I'm glad to know you two are alive," Tiffany said. "If Hagas hasn't informed you, medic centers have been set around the area, as well as soup kitchens. We've installed the first seven floors of the royal court to be shelters for the homeless and the refugees from Tiger."
"Refugees?" Gil asked. "Why did they come all the way from Tiger?"
"Before you came back, demon emperor Lyra had declared war on Tiger, with the battle set to start within two days from now."
"What? Is that true?"
"Yes. Nia sent us a message herself in the morning. We've thought about using the guest rooms for them, but we hesitated since we didn't have approval from you."
"Well, now you do. Make sure the refugees are well cared for."
"As you wish, Lord Gil. My daughter, Sarah, will tell you what you wish to know about the town square." Tiffany conversed with a group of men, planning arrangements to store those with no roof over their heads. Sarah again bowed before Gil and Maria. "Please follow me. If you wish to know what occurred at the town square, it'll be better to witness it yourself."
"Sarah, where's Alyyiah?" Maria asked. "I left her in charge, and I need to speak to her and make plans with both of you in the council room."
Sarah recoiled after hearing Alyyiah's name. She turned away, and Gil thought he heard her sniffle. "Did something happen between the two of you?"
"No, of course not. We'd never make each other cry. Alyyiah's... well, you'll see for yourself. Just follow me to the town square." Neither Gil nor Maria liked the melancholy in her voice or her broken expression. It seemed as if the world had been taken from under her. Gil asked what was wrong, but Sarah didn't respond, keeping her back to him. He looked to Maia for advice, and she told him to leave Sarah be, for she was clearly upset. As the three walked, Gil looked around, seeing more dismal sights of dried blood splattered everywhere and smashed buildings. It got worse the more they walked.
Finally, they reached the town square. The fallen lay in mats, with an equal amount mourning their losses. There were hundreds, no, tens of thousands among the dead, half of whom were young women and children. Some had their limbs ripped off, while others were beyond recognition. A character of despair, hopelessness, and sorrow filled the atmosphere. The environment was eerily silent, save the sobs of the grieving. The spirit of Tempestas had been shattered, and the scene made both Gil and Maria infuriated.
That's when he saw her. Gil ran through rows of dead bodies, making sure not to step onto any of them. He ran and ran until he confirmed what he saw, and now he stood there, his anger turned into agony. For what lay at his feet was the battered body of Alyyiah, who was among the dead. Her hair was messy, and it seemed she had left the world with peaceful resignation, knowing she would die. Maria followed Gil and looked in horror at Alyyiah's dead body, wondering if she was hallucinating. "I see, so this is why you were so upset. I'm so sorry for your loss, Sarah." Sarah solemnly nodded without saying a word.
"What happened? Gil exclaimed. "Who killed Alyyiah?"
"A man named Todo did the deed," Sarah answered. "Alyyiah and I ran around the city, trying to direct the people to safety. We got surrounded by a small army of two hundred men, led by a general who had the name I mentioned. The barrier had been put up, and we were powerless... a little leprechaun girl was running from the army, and Alyyiah rushed to protect her. However, both of them were stampeded to death by Todo's men. I tried to help, but she pushed me away, saying that if she dies, I would need to take her place until you two return," Sarah sobbed.
For Gil, the distress subsided into sheer fury. Everyone he saw deceased was innocent, and yet they were killed. The Vasea Empire and the Holy Sentinel Church had committed an atrocity that earned them Gil's ire. They had happily come to his nation, Tempestas, and robbed it of its people and its treasures. They had cut down those who had sworn loyalty to him and who Gil respected and cherished. For the sake of mere politics and greed, they had invaded his nation and cast it as the property of a lustful vampire, defaming Maria and Tempestas. Gil gritted his teeth and remembered that Vasea's military would soon be upon him. He swore to destroy every fighter that Vasea had, to make sure nobody else would have to deal with such a tragedy. He would turn it into a puppet nation and force impossible concessions, which would amount to Vasea's decline. Gil would cull the old Stellan colony from existence in retaliation for its numerous transgressions throughout history.
Gil's aura had spiraled out of control, and quanta were being absorbed by his body. His power was such that the anti-quantum barrier began to tremble as cracks formed in it. Everyone near him ran away, frightened by the strength of their Lord. Maria hugged Gil from behind, bringing him close to her, and reclined her head on his, whispering in his ear soothing words, which had eventually calmed him. Gil sighed. "Would you two give me some space? I want to stay here for a little longer, just by myself."
Maria tugged Gil's shirt. "Could I please stay by your side? I want... I haven't properly said goodbye to Alyyiah or the others yet." Gil understood she wanted to cry for a while longer, just like he did. "Ok."
"Thank you, Gil."
Sarah informed them of a secret meeting hosted by Hagas later tonight to discuss methods to remedy what plagued them. She quickly bowed and walked away. Gil sat on his knees, his tears landing on Alyyiah's face. "Maria, what did I do wrong? Could I have prevented this?"
Maria shook her head. "No, Gil. With the barrier in place, Vasea would still have attacked. We would still take plenty of time to defeat Tressa, and even if we got back here, people would still have been killed by then. If it's anyone's fault, it's mine."
"How so?"
"I knew Vasea would try something, but I was too confident they wouldn't actually attack us. I thought being under Sun's protection would be to our benefit, yet it turned out to be useless. If I had made at least modest preparations for war, and if Alyyiah had followed them, then maybe..." Gil embraced Maria, stroking her hair. "I guess we both failed then, huh? I was too weak to kill Tressa quickly, and you've for once made a mistake. But I know why you thought they wouldn't attack. You knew they had anti-quantum barriers, but not apparition equipment, correct?"
"Yes. Even with the barriers, our forces would still be strong enough to stomp Vasea's military. We have the advantage both in might and in numbers. Of course, apparition items are a gamechanger. It is what makes victory possible for them."
"You're absolutely correct. But this is something that couldn't have been avoided. Both of us were clueless about the existence of apparition equipment. If we had planned evacuation routes for this day, would people have been saved?"
"I don't know, Gil. With the barrier in effect, it would have been impossible for most to leave. The ambush would have likely gone the same way even in that scenario."
"I see. Then it's time we stopped crying." Gil helped Maria rise, who clutched his arms. "We'll give Alyyiah and the others a proper burial, and once we're done with that, we'll give the Vasea Empire and the Holy Sentinel Church hell."
Maria nodded. "Yes. We'll dole out the proper punishment. They will be victims of the same suffering they have caused. In light of that, is there anything you have in mind, Gil?"
"Yes. Even if we win the war, Vasea and the Chruch will keep planning to oust us. As such, it would be in our interests to make the Empire a puppet state of Tempestas. We will control both the government and the Church there and bankrupt them under the guise of concessions. We will rob them of their military and technology, so never again will they rise and take arms against another nation."
"I agree wholeheartedly, as that's what I had in mind. I've already told Klain to analyze Tressa's sword and Hakata's necklace. With luck, he should be able to reproduce them, or at least make alternate versions. We'll arm ourselves and complete the first thing on your list: wiping out their entire military." Maria began to walk away, but Gil caught her hand. "What is it, Gil?"
"Maria, I... I've realized something today of how fragile life is. I've taken everyone here for granted. If I had been here instead of with you at Dirram, perhaps I would have been among the dead. I would have died, never being able to see you again, to hug you, to have fun with you. I don't want to lose my own life, but now I know I can't bear to witness the deaths of the ones important to me. If I lost you, I think I would have lost my will to live. And if this attack had happened sometime earlier, I never would have been able to confess my feelings."
"Gil..."
"You were the only friend I had for most of my life, and you taught me a lot about the world. I always thought you were incredible, and I admired you greatly. After my parents died, I was so scared of losing you. You were and still are the one thing I have left from my old life. The scariest thing for me was if you had left me. I couldn't have traversed this path alone. I enjoyed every day we spent, and every moment we were together was only meaningful because you were there. After all, I wanted you there. As we came into Tenebris, and after our master Tempestas died, we formed a bond, a pact of solidarity. I swore to always be loyal to you, and I will never change my mind on that. I will always help you and protect you when you need it, no matter what. I won't ever abandon you, for life would have no meaning for me if I couldn't see your smile. So before either of us die, I'll tell you how much you mean to me. Your life is worth much more than mine, Maria, and you are the world to me. I love you more than anything else."
Maria's response bore no words. She simply gave Gil an ardent kiss, one that made his knees buckle as she enclosed her arms around his neck. Gil returned the intensity as he dragged Maria to his body. After their mouths parted ways, Maria brought her hand to Gil's cheek, caressing it. "You're just as important to me, Gil. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you. Tell me, will you always be this loyal and devoted to me?"
"Yes. I have no intentions of doing otherwise."
"If I order you to murder everyone in Vasea's army, would you hesitate because they are sentinels like yourself?"
"Of course not. Your needs, and hence Tempestas's, come first. Both the Empire and the Holy Sentinel Church have attacked you, something I cannot condone. I will protect you with my life and kill any who would threaten you or our nation. My loyalty to you is foremost. It makes no difference whether my opponents are sentinels or not."
"Thank you, Gil. With Alyyiah gone, I'll need you more than ever. I'll need you to become even stronger so you can serve me more efficiently."
"Understood. I'll become even more powerful so I can better protect you from any potential threat. If you know of a way to do so, that is."
"I do. As a sentinel, you're capable of absorbing quanta from your surroundings. You will absorb the souls of the fallen Vasea soldiers."
"Their souls?"
"Yes. Right after death, a person's soul is released from their bodies. They carry a tremendous amount of quanta. We will enrich ourselves and our subjects with the strength of the tens of thousands of souls that comprise the military force we will face. It should be more than enough for all of us to evolve, and I'll become a Dracul, the highest class of vampires." What Maria didn't say was that she'd finally gain the strength to fight on her own, not requiring Gil's protection. Her power to manipulate blood would be significantly amplified. A vampire could control the minds and bodies of others via manipulation of their blood. As a Dracul, she would be able to control the blood flow of thousands of individuals at once, rather than the mere hundred she could do now. Such power would be requisite for manipulating an entire country's government, as well as a branch of a religious organization. Of course, her evolution to such a class will exponentially increase the amount of quantum her body possesses and can retain. Her physical abilities will also be grown considerably. Taken together, Maria would have the power to spar with demon emperors, albeit weaker ones, but that did not bother her in the slightest. What mattered was that she would become strong enough to fight against opponents such as the Goblin Lord and Tressa and defeat them without much effort.
Maria realized she was spacing out and shook her head. "Sorry, Gil, I was just lost in my thoughts. Anyways, I'll become a Dracul. If all goes well, you'll follow suit and become a magnetar. Unlike me, you'll become strong enough to defeat demon emperors on your own."
"That isn't true," Gil disagreed. "There have been stories of Draculs beating demon emperors on their own. I'm sure you'll become as strong as them."
"Well, when you say it like that, I feel like I have to. Besides, those stories were about the strongest Draculs in history, ancestors of Bloodbound's royal family."
"You're also part of the royal family, right?"
"How did you...no, you knew ever since I formed a bond with you, didn't you?"
"Yes. Asphodel is the name of Bloodbound's royal family, and I didn't think it was just coincidence that you're a vampire who just happened to have that last name."
"Sorry to disappoint, but I won't become as strong as the ones you heard of in the legends."
"That's fine. I'll just make you strong enough."
"Eh?"
"I'll lend you plenty of quanta, hopefully enough to catch up."
"There's no need! I can manage fine on my own, thank you!"
"You sure? I'm willing to give a few thousand souls, give or take."
"Focus on your own strength, Gil. You're the strongest one in Tempestas, and I need you to keep getting stronger. You can't afford to confer some of the quanta you have to me, especially not after you evolve. Depending on the number of souls you give, you may become too weak to fight a demon emperor head-on."
"Oh, stop overthinking it, Maria. As this nation's Queen, you need to become stronger, just as much as I do. That's especially true now that we have to deal with the Templars and the Holy Sentinel Church. We may have to face a demon emperor too. Don't take this the wrong way, but I can't always protect you, no matter how hard I try to. To guarantee your security, you must become much more powerful, Maria. You have to become capable of defeating tough opponents on your own without help. Otherwise, it'll be pointless if I have overwhelming strength. If I'm not there with you, I can't use it."
Maria was shocked that Gil was the one telling her that. Before he would have assured her, he would always have her back. Now, Gil was more realistic. He had grown and matured during their time in Temebris, and she didn't even notice it. She wasn't surprised, however. Gil was now her king, as well as the male ruler of Tempestas. He managed bureaucracies and had dealt with politics from all levels, from local to international. He was no longer the child who tried to shove vegetables on her plate back in Stella.
Maria faintly smiled. "I thought you said you wouldn't abandon me. Aren't you always supposed to be there for me? What's all this talk of saying I need to become stronger to protect myself?"
"I think you know what I meant," Gil chuckled. "But, I'm not going to break my promise to you. I will protect you as best I can. If you do become as strong as the Draculs in the legends, then you'll hardly need to be protected. You'll have the power to confidently take on monstrous opponents, and I'll make sure it happens."
"Thanks again, Gil. But this concerns me, so allow me to handle the particulars."
"You sure you don't want any help?"
"I've relied on you far too much," Maria shook her head. "It's high time I stopped being a burden to you, Gil. I'm the Queen of Tempestas, after all."
"I suppose you're right. Well, Hagas's meeting should start soon." Gil offered his arm, and Maria took it. They walked back to the royal court, determined to bring ruin to the Vasea Empire, console their people, and rebuild what was destroyed into something even better.