Long ago, in the kingdom of Nessus, the magnificent city of Tartarus was once the proud capital. Its architecture was a marvel to behold, with buildings of diverse shapes and materials lining clean, orderly streets. Among its many wonders was the intricate aqueduct that supplied its people with water.
Life in Tartarus was idyllic until a calamity struck—a nautical disaster that caused the city to be slowly consumed by the earth. The citizens watched helplessly as the ground gave way beneath them. Their beloved city was swallowed whole and lost to the depths below.
With no time to spare, the people of Tartarus evacuated, abandoning their possessions and precious cultural artifacts to the merciless earth. The surviving royal family searched for a new place to establish a new capital. After a year, the royal family found the perfect place to build a new capital that has lasted to the present day.
Generations passed, and memories of Tartarus faded as the new capital flourished. However, noblemen overseeing reservoir construction discovered the ancient city's ruins, reigniting interest in its lost splendor. Word spread quickly throughout the kingdom, sparking intrigue and curiosity among its inhabitants.
Upon learning of the discovery, the king swiftly dispatched his knights to safeguard the ruins of Tartarus and deployed an excavation team to unearth the lost city. Tales of Tartarus' former glory, advanced technology, and the nautical treasures it held had been passed down through generations within the royal family. The royal family was determined to reclaim all lost when Tartarus vanished beneath the earth.
When Léopold-Louis-Philippe-Marie-Liberty ascended to the throne, only a fraction of Tartarus had been excavated, with records indicating that the city spanned less than 6,336 mi². It would be years before Tartarus could be revealed.
While Tartarus stood as a significant historical find for the nation, another group set their sights on the ruins. They sought an object belonging to Nessu that posed a threat to them, believed to be hidden within Tartarus. When the humans invaded Nessus, the group took the ruins for themselves, capturing the archaeology team alongside the workers onsite. To ensure they were not destroyed or discovered, the group attacked all the surrounding settlements near the ruins. This group diverted resources from Florian and Albina's army to develop a stronghold within the ruins alongside their other establishments. The generals from the military are unaware of what is happening in the ruins or what the group is up to. They have been told that some of their people discovered an ancient city that once belonged to their ancestors. The group is doing expeditions to learn about their past to see if they can find any records or lost knowledge that could help them fight back against the demons.
Noticing the suspicious activities at the old capital, remnants of the Nessu army dispatched scouts to investigate the enemy's intentions and their interest in Tartarus.
Upon arrival, the scout team discovered that the enemy had fortified the area with a massive stone wall and stationed guards to prevent access to the old capital. From a distance, they observed the enemy's exploitation of the ruins, hearing cries of distress from the vicinity. Under the cover of night, the scouts uncovered the source of the commotion.
Utilizing magic to levitate, the scouts soared over the wall and witnessed a harrowing scene below. The enemy forces were enslaving innocent civilians to excavate the ruins, a sight that sent chills down their spines. Captured individuals were being subjected to inhumane treatment and forced to toil under brutal conditions.
One scout witnessed a man with a broken leg carrying a heavy load of stones while demons were mercilessly pushed to transport corpses. In another area, humans subjected female demons to degrading treatment, treating it as a cruel spectacle.
The scouts struggled to contain their emotions as they witnessed the atrocities unfolding. One scout, in particular, found it increasingly difficult to maintain his composure. Despite the intense emotions, the scouts managed to restrain themselves and prevent their presence from being exposed to the enemy.
However, the breaking point came when they witnessed the captivity of two pairs of children, igniting a fierce rage within the scout team.
In a heart-wrenching moment, a young girl, no more than 5 or 6 years old, collapsed from exhaustion while working. Enraged by her perceived slacking, a cruel human struck her repeatedly with a whip, causing her to cry out in pain. A boy, around eight years old and likely her sibling, intervened, refusing to back down despite the man's threats.
Ignoring the boy's defiance, the man drew his sword without hesitation and struck him down, leaving the girl to mourn her brother's sudden death. Overwhelmed by grief, the girl screamed for her brother, her cries echoing in the air.
Under cover of night, the remnants of the Nessu army decided to reclaim Tartarus and rescue their people. Horrified by the enemy's atrocities, they resolved to take back Tartarus without delay.
Employing a strategy similar to Ashcroft, soldiers launched a frontal assault while a separate group utilized underground tunnels to bypass the enemy's defenses. With precision and stealth, the soldiers infiltrated the enemy's position, ensuring minimal disturbance to the ruins.
The central unit advanced silently towards their objectives, utilizing spells to conceal their presence. Splitting into smaller groups, they moved to open the gates, eliminate enemy forces, and liberate the captive demons held within the old capital.
Having liberated the capital, citizens joined the remnants in seizing the ruins. The demons overwhelmed the humans, leaving only a handful alive. Despite not eliminating all their foes, it was a triumph for the demons. The remnants tended to the injured captives, seeking intelligence on their captors, but the captives' distorted and broken memories yielded little information. It seemed the enemy sought something within the ruins. Only the commander of the human escort knew when the enemy would return.
Not too long, a sizable human unit, accompanied by the last two heroes, Ito Haruto and Yamamoto Riku, set out to reclaim Tartarus. Both investigators, skilled in using intellect and strategy, were tasked with exploring the ruins. They learned that Tartarus was once the capital that fell to ruin before humanity faced extinction. General Marcus, leading the invasion, informed them of a weapon within the city, originally meant to repel demons but corrupted by them.
Positioned at the far right of the marching soldiers, Ito and Riku exchanged words as they prepared to enter battle.
"I can't believe we're heading into battle. This feels different from facing monsters," remarked Riku.
"I understand, Riku. It's like when we had to take a life for the first time back in training. Some of our classmates struggled to recover from that experience," replied Ito.
During their time at Florian, their instructor had them hunt monsters to understand the gravity of taking a life. They started with animals and progressed to monsters that threatened humans. For their final test, they were presented with human prisoners on death row and instructed to kill them. Refusing to carry out such orders, they were deemed ready for deployment based on their previous performance.
As they neared their destination, the soldiers made way for the cannons to advance.
"Ready the cannons. Fire!" commanded the officer.
Hearing the order, the soldiers positioned the cannons and unleashed firepower towards the ruins.
************
"Commander Dover! The enemy is here, attempting to breach the wall," reported a demon soldier.
"Their reinforcements arrived sooner than anticipated. How are we evacuating the citizens?" inquired Commander Dover.
"The last group departed a short while ago," replied the soldier.
"Excellent. Given the thickness of that wall, it will be some time before they can breach it. Inform the remaining soldiers here to hide within the buildings of Tartarus. We shall ambush the enemy when they search for us," ordered Dover, noting the enemy's interest in preserving the ruins.
Nessus soldiers around Tartarus swiftly sought refuge inside various structures, including the wooden buildings the previous human occupants left.
************
On the opposite side of the wall, the humans prepared to launch their assault.
"Lotanit, how long until we can reclaim the ruins?" inquired the commander.
"It will likely be another 30 minutes before we can retake the area, Commander," replied the soldier, whose name was Lotanit.
"Understood. Locate Sir Haruto and Sir Riku immediately. I wish to discuss our strategy with the heroes," the commander ordered.
"Yes, Commander," acknowledged the soldier, departing to find Haruto and Riku.
The commander of this detachment of soldiers felt the pressure of losing the ruins to the demons weighing heavily upon him.
"Cursed demons! As we were on the brink of uncovering the key to Libertas, they threw a wrench in our plans. This setback will require considerable time to recover from. I pray they haven't released all the captured demons. Once we take back Tartarus, I make sure that the humans don't go snooping around the place or asking too many questions," lamented the commander.
This commander is part of the third party secretly manipulating the humans going to war with the demons for their own purpose. In addition to this commander, other Individuals from the organization were present among the humans in the vicinity.
As the commander contemplated how to deceive the human soldiers they brought and the summoned heroes, Haruto and Riku, a sudden alarm pierced the commander's mind, signaling a shared response among his kind. Soon, they witnessed a towering pillar of light ascending into the sky, forming a vast circle adorned with various symbols, shapes, numbers, and letters.
The commander's eyes widened in astonishment. This circle symbolized the ancient enemy they had battled for eons to revive their lord. However, its appearance deviated from the expected resistance against Libertas's influence.
Noticing a peculiar change in the circle, the brilliant pillar of light descended back to the ground while the circle began to dim, concealing itself from the ordinary onlookers.
"This is troubling. If my suspicions are correct, this could seriously threaten us," he muttered.
A man emerged from his shadow. "You have summoned me, my lord," the figure spoke.
"Head to the location of the light pillar's origin. Send others to the areas that the demons reclaimed to ensure the safety of the summoned humans," commanded the commander.
"As you wish," the shadowy figure acknowledged before departing.
Meanwhile, the commander rode to where his soldiers were stationed. As he approached the soldiers, they failed to notice their commanding officer approaching them. They were all confused and concerned about what just happened.
The commander spoke to his men in a loud voice: "Have you all forgotten who you people are? You are proud soldiers of the human race. You are all dispossessed who came here to take back what is rightfully ours. Will you disregard the significance of our cause?"
"But sir, what was that pillar of light?" one soldier questioned.
"And that massive magic circle that appeared in the sky?" another added.
"Shouldn't we be concerned about those as well?" voiced a third soldier.
"There's no need for concern. It signifies the great hero Sir Ajax awakening his true power!" His words silenced the soldiers. "Yes, that's correct! According to the prophecy, Ajax will unlock his true power at a certain point, marked by a sign visible to the world, signifying his awakening." He fabricated a tale that rallied the soldiers under his command, redirecting their focus toward assaulting the walls and retaking ruins.
Several commanding officers approached the commander as the soldiers engaged the demons after regaining their morale.
"Lord *`7+*8*s, that incident earlier... was it...?" one officer inquired.
"Indeed. **78^ has been dispatched to investigate. If our suspicions are confirmed, we must act swiftly to eliminate them. We must utilize humans to move faster to take Tartarus back so we can find what we are looking for. And it would probably be best to have the summon heroes deal with the Speckter," the commander replied.
"Agreed. Perhaps sacrificing one of the recently summoned humans will fuel the others' desire for vengeance," suggested another officer.
"Such an act will ignite the flames in their hearts. We must create more chaos and unrest," added a third officer.
"Very well, that shall be our strategy. However, we must address two crucial matters," the commander interjected.
"Indeed, our first step is to eradicate all humans in our midst," he continued, deceiving the human soldiers with false claims of Ajax's newfound power. Aware that uncovering the truth behind the pillar of light could lead to unwanted revelations, the commander emphasized the need for secrecy.
"After reclaiming Tartarus, our next task is eliminating all humans here. I trust you all comprehend the gravity of this decision," he concluded, ensuring their compliance with the plan.
"It's not hard to grasp; we'd act even if you hadn't mentioned it," the other officer agreed.
"If **78^ brings the news we dread, who should start the revenge fires?"
"Cross off the humans at Florian; we don't want the demons to discover the human country we created just yet.."
"Let's exclude Ajax, Sara, Hinata, Kaito, Ala, and Giichi; too vital to lose."
"Nine remain for now."
"Hina excels in martial arts; spare her."
"Himari Draid's power is valuable for future battles."
"Aiko and Hiroki are odd; they won't cause too much fuss."
"Haruto and Riku, both investigators, keep them to find Libertas."
"Aika the monk and Fumihiro the hunter remain."
"They're not that strong, not a bad idea. But if they die, will their classmates seek vengeance? Hmm, a problem not."
"Our only choice is Haru."
"He seems perfect to sacrifice. Not too strong, his loss won't hurt us much."
"His classmates will surely avenge him, especially Ajax, his best friend, the world's supposed savior."
Chuckle spread among them, the mention of Ajax the so-called savior.
"It's settled; we'll offer Haruto to the enemy," they agreed in unison.
As the commander nodded, he realized something. He had forgotten that he had sent Haruto and Riku to come to him. They should have arrived by now, yet there was no sign of them.
"Question for you all! Have you seen the two summon heroes we brought to this battlefield?"
"I haven't."
"Apologies, sir."
"Not me."
"Sorry, sir."
"Before I came here, one of my subordinates mentioned that Haruto and Riku were sent to the medical unit ."
"What happened?" the commander pressed for details.
"They experienced unexplained pain that caused them to pass out, so they were taken for examination."
The commander quickly headed to find Haruto and Riku, expecting to see them under treatment.
To his surprise, he found something unexpected.
"Commander, I was just about to report the heroes..."
"Tell me their current condition," the commander demanded from the soldier sent to bring them.
"Don't worry, they're both fine now."
"I'll judge that myself."
When he reached them, the commander's eyes widened. He saw Haruto and Riku perfectly as if nothing had happened.
"Explain Major."
As the Major explained, Haruto and Riku collapsed in pain on their way to the commander. The Major called for nearby soldiers to assist. Turning them over, he found their faces drenched in sweat and tears, and he also apologized to an unseen presence.
While the soldiers were taking them to the rear, a pillar of light formed, creating a massive magic circle. The Major quickly refocused everyone's attention.
The healers in the rear tried everything, but their efforts did not affect the heroes. Another pillar of light came from the magic circle before vanishing, and as if it were a lie, the heroes were completely fine.
"That's what happened," the latent concluded.
The commander nodded in understanding. "You did the right thing by bringing them to the rear."
"Thank you, sir," the latent replied.
"The cause of Haruto and Riku's pain remains a mystery. If it was the work of demons, they might try it again, posing a significant threat to our heroes," the commander mused. He believed the demons used magic or curses to harm the students, potentially endangering their plans.
The commander was interrupted by cheers from the front line. A soldier rode up, delivering news. "We've breached the walls. Our forces are charging in to reclaim the ruins," the messenger announced before riding off to inform others.
"Commander!"
"I heard. Let's return to the front lines. Haruto, Riku, stay here and recover."
"What? No, we're coming with you!"
"We can't sit idly while our comrades fight," Riku insisted.
"You must stay. We can't risk that strange phenomena affecting you again," the commander reasoned.
"But our presence could boost morale," Haruto argued.
After a moment's contemplation, the commander relented. "Fine, but stay close to me at all times."
"Yes, commander!"
The commander, Haruto, Riku, and other leaders headed towards the ruins.
************
Spells, arrows, and spears flew on the battlefield as the battle raged. Bodies piled up as humans charged into demon traps.
Despite the humans' numerical advantage, they struggled with demons hidden in the ruins. Desperate, they decided to damage the structures to flush out the enemy.
"We need our mages here. Attack the buildings where the demons hide," a hooded figure commanded, moving closer to the front line.
"Flames, gather your power. Show your deadly force. Explosion!" the mages chanted, causing multiple blasts in the demon-occupied buildings.
Screams echoed as the explosions hit their targets.
"Direct hit! Prepare another spell," the mages continued chanting.
On the third floor of a building, a demon rose from the wreckage caused by the explosions.
"Commander! Where are you?" The demon, second in command, had been fighting alongside the commander until a powerful magic blast hit them.
The soldiers around them were thrown aside, leaving the commander lying on the ground, his injuries severe.
"Commander!" The demon lieutenant rushed to his side. "Stay with me, sir!"
"It's too late for me," the commander whispered, his strength fading.
"No, I won't accept that!" The lieutenant tried to use his magic to save the commander, but it was futile.
"I need you to signal the retreat. Stall the enemy for our people to escape," the commander instructed.
"I can't leave you," the lieutenant protested.
"I'll only be a burden...," the commander's words trailed off as he succumbed to his injuries.
"Commander!"
"Good luck, Revail; the commander took his final breath with that."
Outside, human mages bombarded the ruins, eliminating demons and causing screams to echo.
"Aha!"
Corpses littered the ground, some twitching from fatal injuries. The survivors clung to life, helpless.
"Captain, report," a Lieutenant approached. "Mages are reducing the enemy numbers. How should we proceed?"
"Continue bombarding until all demons are eliminated," the captain commanded.
"Understood; I will relay your orders."
"Not so fast!" a loud voice interrupted. The commander and his officers appeared displeased.
"Commander!"
"Why are you damaging the ruins? I ordered otherwise."
"Apologies, commander, but we had no choice. Demons were causing heavy losses."
"No more excuses. Lieutenant, go stop the mages from attacking, and have the foot soldiers search for any surviving demons and capture them if possible."
"Roger!" the lieutenant obeyed the commander's orders and left.
Before the captain could argue, his vision shifted to the night sky.
What's happening? Why can't I move?
"Will this be enough?"
"That should suffice. It's best to eliminate disobedient dogs before they interfere with our plans."
The captain couldn't comprehend the conversation.
What are you talking about, sir? Can someone help me up?
A commanding officer reached down and effortlessly lifted the captain.
What happened to me and my comrades? This can't be real.
"Could you take care of their bodies?"
"Leave it to me. I'll make sure it looks like it was a demon attack."
In an instant, they decapitated the captain and all of their human subordinates.
"Luckily, you had the heroes take a different path to the battlefield."
"Yes, I have them go to the old residents, along with some people to watch them."
The human mages ceased their bombardment thanks to the commander's orders, leaving demons alive in the ruins.