It's around four in the morning when Princess Maria first sees the flicker of torchlight from the forest. The time had finally come.
Maria turns to her lover, the demon Osmond. He lay in their bed, still soundly asleep.
"Osmond, my love. Wake up. It's time."
Osmond rises from the silken sheets in one fluid motion, his mind fully awake. Cracked lines over his skin begin to shimmer with a purple glow.
"It's time to end this heroic farce," Osmond growls. His voice, groveling and authoritative, causes Maria to squeeze her legs together in anticipation.
"Unf. Just promise me. If you're in danger, you'll retreat to the castle. We can lure the hero inside and fight him two-on-one."
Osmond scoops Maria's pale fingers in his and kisses the back of her hand. "My love, you have nothing to fear. Leaving you alone in this world is a cruelty I could never unleash upon you."
Maria smiles. "Then knock 'em dead."
Osmond grabs his staff and throws a coat on over his bare torso.
"Dead they shall be."
As Osmond leaves the room, Maria immediately rolls over and opens up her System menu. Zelia gave her highly specific instructions to follow. All she had to do now was wait for the right moment.
…
The Adventurers, led by Barns, line up outside the castle gate. The hero steps in front of them, holding a torch up into the darkness. From above, he can see the visage of a demon bearing down on him.
"You must be Osmond!" Barns calls. "I've heard great things about you!"
The demon scoffs. "Don't tell me you came all this way to chat, little boy."
Barns tightens his fist and clenches his teeth. "Listen, demon. We don't want to fight. Have your horde stand down and let me perform the Resurrection.
Osmond bares his fangs at Barns. "You think I fear you, boy? You've killed mindless goblins up until now. The demon running town was a joke. I hear you even turned that joke into your mayor. Times must truly be difficult."
Barns withdraws his sword. He's not in range to hit Osmond, but his blood is boiling.
"Quinn was good enough for you. I just took your lead."
Osmond laughs maniacally to himself. "Oh, you're a spirited one indeed. I can see why the Princess was quite taken with you."
"I was quite taken with the Princess myself," Barns sneers. "Or should I say, I -"
"Shut up!"
Barns turns his head. Maria appears over the side of the wall, looking down at Barns. She throws a loose rock at him, but he deftly dodges.
"Nice to see you too, Maria!"
Osmond turns to Maria, whispering under his breath. "I thought you were staying inside."
"I wanted to hear what hero-boy has to say."
"Nothing important. Would you like me to string you up, my love? I know you do enjoy watching."
Maria shakes her head. She needed to be able to move quickly if she planned to succeed.
"Very well then. Barnacles! I do very much look forward to turning you into a monster. You've got quite a fiery spirit! I wonder what you will become once I lay my hands on you!"
"Come down! Let's find out!"
Osmond smiles wide, his eyes ominous and devoid of happiness. His was the smile of a sadist who'd just located viable prey.
"I'll be waiting at the fountain for you, little boy," Osmond says, the castle gates lurching open as he speaks. "By all means, come right in!"
Osmond flits into the darkness as the gate opens, and so does Maria. Barns focuses instead on what's in front of him. As the gates swing open, he's greeted by a swarm of large monsters - orcs and trolls, with a single four-legged beast leading the pack. It was a hideous monster with three heads - four if you count the writhing snake head at the end of its tail. The heads - that of a lion, a ram, and a falcon - all stare down Barns with glowing red eyes.
"He's got a chimera!" one of the Adventurers shouts. "Back! Everyone back!"
All three of the chimera heads begin to inhale deeply, their throats glowing orange with molten energy. Barns had seen a chimera just once in his past life. He knew the monsters were capable of spitting out balls of fire.
'Now's as good a time as any to show off,' Barns thinks to himself. The chimera readies its attack, shooting three fireballs one after another directly at the hero.
"Harden!" he shouts, summoning forth his crab skill. All three fireballs smash directly into Barns, but he is completely unburned and unscathed.
Barns swings his sword menacingly at the chimera - even the monster is surprised that Barns is unharmed. Cheers erupt from the Adventurers.
"He really is the strongest!" one celebrates.
"Barnacles is amazing!" a girl fawns.
Barns swings his sword again - the chimera catches it in the teeth of the falcon head. Barns flicks the hilt and shoots a water blade into the falcon's mouth. It releases his blade and retches backward.
"Duck!" shouts a voice from behind. Barns gets low and as he does, the boom of a cannon echoes over the darkness. Clancy, mounted cannon extraordinaire, lands a direct hit on the chimera. As the foam bomb explodes, it splashes everywhere. Large clumps of foam cling to the chimera and the other monsters, burning whatever it touches.
Suddenly, the trolls behind the chimera begin in-fighting. Barns turns his head to the side and sees that Haima, the girl he met last night, has joined him on the front lines. She uses her mysterious Secret Art to gain control over two trolls, and they start cutting each other down in a frenzy. Godrick, the other Adventurer, is not far behind, waiting for an opening to join the fray.
Barns darts around amidst the confusion, striking the chimera from multiple angles and slicing it with thin blades of water. The chimera can't land an attack - all three heads bite and lash out desperately, and the snake tail stays poised behind, ready to catch Barns unaware.
The lion head catches Barns, but he's ready. He uses 'Harden Body' again, and even as the lion teeth clench onto his body, he is completely unharmed. He jams his sword into the lion's snout. The blade goes deep and catches some brain. The lion's jaw unhinges - that part of the chimera is now lifeless and limp. It stumbles, a heft of dead weight unbalancing the chimera.
Barns positions his sword underneath the ram head's chin as it bucks at him and pulls the trigger. A watery blade shoots through the monster's muscular neck, causing a spout of blood to gush out of the monster. It heaves and cries, knocking into some of the other monsters as it stumbles backward, dead.
"Charge!" Barns calls, raising his sword into the air. The Adventurers begin to force their way through the castle gates, into the awaiting horde. Clancy joins him, spraying foam like a hose as they push.
Across the courtyard, Osmond sits atop the castle's dried-up marble fountain, watching the display. He was taking a thorough inventory of all Barns' techniques - already coming up with ways to counter the boy hero.
As Barns cuts through the crowd, he finds an opening through the initial group of monsters. He and Osmond lock eyes from across the battlefield.
Osmond beckons Barns onward. And the hero charges.