Our group exited the castle and was immediately met with Stella. She bowed respectfully to me and smiled.
"It is good to see you, Master. Use me however you wish!" She said.
"Prepare anti-Valtheim countermeasures. Stay back until she shows herself. We'll handle the others," I said.
"With pleasure! Light Spear!"
Stella unsheathed Faith and summoned the angelic warrior to her side. She activated the fourth form of Faith and six wings sprouted from her back. She held a spear in her hand.
The fourth form of Faith allowed her to use complex creation magic. Much more so than form three, manifestation.
Light spear, the fourth form, was what made her effective against Valtheim.
Her wings were a product of her Ultra Aspect: The Seraph.
Stella was in charge of dealing with Valtheim. Until we could secure Kestel's help, that is.
As soon as she did this, however, the crystal barrier shattered and several figures walked in.
"Well well...it looks like-...oh..." The man in front said.
He had a black shortsword at his side.
It was Axiom.
I readied Vengeance immediately.
He seemed in a daze for a moment.
"Long time no see, Arvild. Should I decapitate you again?" I said.
"HOW THE HELL ARE YOU EVEN HERE, YOU BASTARD!?!? VALTHEIM SAID YOU HADN'T MOVED! CASTRA SAID THE SAME THING!!!" Axiom screamed.
"Well, this is perfect. I can finally devour them the way I always meant to..." The woman standing behind him said.
She was a tall, voluptuous woman with black hair, horns and wings. She had streaks of purple in her hair and her eyes glowed with the power of Corruption.
"Who...or what are you?" I said to her.
"Oh...we're well acquainted already, love. Ahn...I would love for you to just get inside me, already..." She said.
I was taken back by her forward speech, but another General spoke up.
"She means to eat you. Not that other thing. Sorry, Kel is bad with phrases," he said.
It looked like this guy had a strange sword at his side. A dadao.
Meaning...it was a Corrupted form of Redemption.
"I don't believe we've met. You seem to have something of mine..." I said.
"Oh, we've definitely met. I never wanted to be on this side against you, but here we are. And sadly, this sword is mine whether I like it or not... The name's Valak. This guy is Jack, that's Naomi...and like I said, this creepy lady is Kel. Short for Kelvastiol. You'll definitely recognize that name," Valak said.
"Valak! What are you doing!?" Axiom said angrily.
"Shortening introductions. We need to leave, so I figured I would give us a head start while they're processing-"
I shot forward with Vengeance and changed it into a mace. I slammed it into Valak's head and shattered his mask.
He flew back as Axiom attempted to draw his sword. Cassandra was quick on the uptake, however, She attempted to impale him with her daggers, but he just barely managed to evade her.
As Valak's face regenerated, I saw what he looked like.
"Michael...!?"
"Gah...that really fucking hurt, you know!? Jeez...yeah, it's me. But my name is Valak now..."
"Then I have to apologize. You'll be dying here and now."
"Not gonna happen. I have my orders and I'm not about to disobey the King of the Abyss. SO SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE FRIEND! DAMNATION!!!" Valak said.
He pulled out his sword and changed it into a gun.
Somehow...I was also attacked with light and shadow at the same time.
He could still use his Aspects.
Isabella appeared in front of me with her shield raised.
"Michael...I'll free you if it's the last thing I ever do!" She said.
He just smiled as he put more distance between us.
"I'd love that. But I can't afford to just let it happen..."
"EVERYONE, PREPARE FOR BATTLE!" Another General, presumably Jack said.
He pulled out a kopis and changed it into a scythe.
"No, you idiots! We have to escape! ESCAPE!!! WE CAN'T WIN THIS FIGHT!!!" Axiom screamed.
"I'm so tired of our cowardly leader... I only want to eat, love. Just let me have a nibble..." Kelvastiol said.
And that was another thing...
All of this was a lot to take in, but somehow the shadow dragon had gained a humanoid form.
And...the power radiating off of her was extreme. This would be a difficult fight...
She was stronger than the others by far...possibly near Difar's level.
And just like that, I began having flashbacks to Avernia and Ignitus...
Kelvastiol appeared in front of me in an instant with her mouth wide open. She lunged at me, but I managed to block her fangs with the blade of my sword..
"Hmmm...delicious! The blade that nearly killed me tastes so sweet!" She said with a wide smile.
"JUST DIE ALREADY, YOU DAMN ABOMINATION!!!" I screamed.
At that moment, I felt a presence of rising power behind me.
I smiled...because we weren't alone in this fight. We had the Avatars of Tanavol on our side.
Immediately, I saw a large silver golem bring down a halberd over Kelvastiol's head.
She leaped backward and protected herself as two magic golems blasted her with their magic.
Nirani came to my side and readied her weapon. The Silver Peacemaker.
Aldaril and Nasuria stepped forward as well, followed by Ranis and Triglavikk.
"Yer not tryin' to have all the fun by yourself, are ya? That would be pretty greedy of you, eh Mizik?" Triglavikk said with a wide smile.
"I won't allow anyone to harm you. I will not tolerate violence in your presence," Nirani said.
"Ah...if only Nirani could be that way to me... Oh well. We have a job to do and these freaks aren't about to stop us," Ranis said.
"Gods...damn it... Avatars...? He recruited THREE AVATARS!?!?" Axiom said fearfully.
"Actually, it's four. I was the first, remember? I definitely don't appreciate being left out," Aldaril said.
"I may not be an Avatar, but a divine fox will certainly make do. I am Nasuria, Master Aldaril's wife!"
"We aren't marri-gah!"
Nasuria stepped on his foot.
"Bastard...I hate you!!! SHE'S MINE!!!" The female General, Naomi, said.
Several shuriken swirled around her.
"I guess we're really doing this...? Dammit...I have to call for backup. VALTHEIM!!! IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, GET OUR ASS OVER HERE RIGHT NOW!!!"
Suddenly, the sky lit up with a bright, white magic. It formed the shape of a hexagonal web and remained as is.
I glanced back and saw both Stella and Faith casting a barrier into the sky.
"No need to worry, Master. Valtheim won't bother us today. Fight freely!" Stella said.
Ah, I love you! Yes!
Axiom seemed hopeless, now.
"I'm ordering a retreat. Kelvastiol, keep them busy. Everyone, go to the portal right now-"
"NOT A CHANCE!!!" I roared.
I switched Vengeance into a pair of plasma blasters and unloaded on the group.
They scattered and Kelvastiol shot forward with her fangs bared. Isabella blocked her and smiled.
"I have to wonder how you managed to obtain a human form...but it doesn't matter. You'll perish all the same!" She said.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! DIE FOR HIS MAJESTY!!!" Cassandra laughed.
Kelvastiol leaped back and flew into the air as Cassandra flew at her in a whirlwind of daggers and slashing. I knew for certain that if she could land a single strike, we could very well win this.
But the shadow dragon was nothing to laugh at.
And still...someone was unaccounted for.
A certain fish-faced bastard that I had explicitly been informed of entering the Order realm with the others.
"Everyone, get started. I'm going to check on Estelyn. Isabella, Cassandra, and Nirani, deal with Kelvastiol. Everyone else, you decide your best matchup. Take their swords and kill them with extreme prejudice. But don't take them lightly," I said.
They nodded and moved forward to attack.
I turned and ran back into the castle.
* * *
Isabella, Cassandra, and Nirani met Kelvastiol outside of the crystal barrier.
Several golems stood ready to assist and Nirani was already commanding them to fire at her.
Kelvastiol dropped to the ground with a crash and attempted to attack Nirani. But as she got close, she stopped in place.
Kelvastiol looked around in confusion.
"What is this!? Why can't I move!?" She said angrily.
"The Eye of Peace will not permit violence from my enemies. If you seek to do us harm, you will be stalled. Plain and simple. Give up and perhaps we'll let you die peacefully. Lady Cassandra, would you be so kind?"
"With pleasure! His Majesty will reward me for bringing him the head of such a beast!"
Cassandra slashed Kelvastiol several times and impaled her body with numerous daggers. Then she mouthed the word for both magus stream and lotus slash as multiple clones appeared and grabbed extra daggers.
Kelvastiol was enveloped in light as multiple Cassandras spun with their blades outward towards her.
There was an explosion and Kelvastiol was sent sprawling back. She was covered in deep wounds.
"Ah...her skin is harder than metal. I couldn't cut her to pieces, but my poison managed to enter her veins," Cassandra said.
"That's alright, sister. You did well. Finish her off now!" Isabella said.
As she spoke, she prepared to blast Kelvastiol with several streams of holy light.
Kelvastiol slowly stood up as Cassandra snapped her fingers. Then she doubled over in pain.
"AAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!! MY INSIDES!!!! THEY BURN!!!!"
"Huhuhuhu...how do you like my poison? As much as I want you to suffer, you can't be allowed to live for another second. I'm sure you understand, you wretched dragon..." Cassandra said.
Kelvastiol clawed at her throat and sighed heavily.
"Haaaaaaah...that was close..." She said.
Her wounds quickly began to regenerate and she smiled at the three girls.
"Huh...? Wait...hold on a moment... That was the most deadly poison I can make.." Cassandra said.
"Did you really think a bit of poison would be enough to kill ME? I AM KELVASTIOL!!! THE SHADOW DRAGON OF CORRUPTION!!! A DRAGON'S VITALITY IS FAR STRONGER THAN SOME MEASLY POISON!!!!" She roared.
"Umm...who is this woman, exactly...?" Nirani said.
"She's the world dragon of water from our home world. She was Corrupted and now serves our enemy. She gave Mizik and I a terrible trauma when we first met her..." Isabella said.
"So I'm assuming she has a more monstrous form...? In that case, I'll make this quick!" Nirani said.
Nirani charged at Kelvastiol and swung her sword quickly. As soon as the split-tip of the blade crossed her, it fired a blast of magenta magic that violently exploded on impact.
Kelvastiol dodged and blocked whenever she could, but had no means of attacking Nirani.
Eventually, she smiled again.
"AHA! I UNDERSTAND NOW!!!"
"Eh...?"
Kelvastiol flew into the air and held her fingers over her ears. She jammed the tips of her claws into her head until black blood oozed from her ears.
"IT'S SO SIMPLE!!! AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! SOUND MAGIC!!!" Kelvastiol roared.
"Wait...no... That can't be... How did-"
Kelvastiol opened her mouth wide and energy began to gather around it. Then it violently exploded outward in a breath attack.
Isabella teleported to Nirani's front and blocked the attack completely.
"She...evaded my peace aura...? What do you mean it's based on sound!? Sound magic!? WHAT KIND OF SENSE DOES THAT MAKE!?!?" Nirani cried.
She was panicking. Obviously, she didn't even know how her own magic worked. To Isabella, it made her look like an amateur.
Someone like her had gone three thousand years without understanding the source of their overwhelming power. Isabella would make sure to mention this to Mizik. Nirani would require further training.
Although...
"I thought you said you could change the frequency when you spoke to Mizik! How did you not know!?" Isabella said.
"I was only repeating what I had been told in the past! I didn't think they meant frequency like an actual sound!!! I don't get to fight very often in the Peace realm, either... There's like, no violence whatsoever!" Nirani said.
"Haaah...Mizik will have to train you more later. Until then, stay close. The shadow dragon is dangerous!" Isabella said.
"R-right...ugh...how could I be so stupid...?" Nirani said.
The three girls looked up in the sky as the humanoid dragon gave them an unsettling smile.
Isabella knew deep down that this was going to be a rough fight... She could only hope the others were faring better against the Generals...and that Mizik was fine as well.