Novel Yuusha Isekai! Youjo Suki! [Ch 1-152]

Discussion in 'Community Fictions' started by eharper256, Jun 28, 2017.

  1. eharper256

    eharper256 Purveyor of Dubious Medicinal Elixirs [since 1885]

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    SIDE CHAPTER Y
    TRI-ATTACK


    "Protect all I find dear! There!"

    I slam my fist into my palm, and a ghostly glowing bubble of crackling red light erupts around my good friend, Kali.

    S'tavi Kaliasta Meenaora launches forwards like a ballista bolt, dramatically sliding straight under the legs of the huge nine foot tall skeleton knight clad in rusted chainmail with a giant axe and a gothic shield.

    Her trust in me warms my heart, as she doesn't guard the incoming overhead swing that should surely split her mostly unarmoured chest in twain.

    My heart is still in my throat, but my barrier, ever my speciality, holds true, reducing the momentum of the strike that impacts Kali to basically nothing before popping in an explosion of flames that makes the skeleton hesitate and stagger.

    It's the window we needed.

    Kali shouts a vicious roar, and effortlessly rolls from her slide into a low, wide stance with a stomp that shakes the ground, surging back and upper-cutting the spine of the skeleton from behind, her gauntleted fist and trailing red hair making her almost resemble a phoenix in flight.

    The giant skeleton roars silently as it is blown three feet upwards, losing the grip of its axe along with its footing.

    Then, before it can guard again, out of nowhere, a barrage of six arrows, blazing black fire appear. Four accurately pierce its arm and leg joints from left and right, and two slam into its head from the back and the front simultaneously, like a skewer.

    Blazing arrows from all angles at once. That is the work of 'Quickdraw' Kurono. I still don't get how, but she can effortlessly teleport projectiles launched from her longbow, changing their trajectory whilst maintaining their momentum.

    The arrows are enough to bring a second death to the undead abomination, shattering and melting the blue crystal inside the skull, and making the glow of its eyes fade away. It almost appears to cry blue tears as it collapses in a heap of bones and metal.

    Delivering death from the shadows, Kurono then appears in shimmer, wielding a dark steel long-bow nearly her own height in her trademark gothic funeral fashion. Sweat is on her brow, and she sighs.

    I let out a breath as well. We did it. Three skeleton knights was a hell of a battle, and I think all of us are exhausted. This place seems to be on high alert for some reason today.

    I heal Kali. I was never as good as Rishya at this, so I focus on preventative measures.

    "Ta mushily, Yuuzu-chan! Kali owez ya more dan one!" She says, patting me on the shoulder as I heal her. I'll never get used to her speaking in third person, in her broken Jezzathan.

    "You're too reckless, Kali! If I hadn't of... hah... you're still gonna have a few new scars." I sigh, noticing the line of blood along her leg and shoulder.

    She rolls her shoulder as I heal it.

    "Aw, it be fine! Scars are like hats. You need one for every occasion!" Kali retorts.

    "Do not attempt to understand the subtleties of hat selection, you mad Veranian bitch." Kurono retorts, adjusting her own black wide-brim in the process.

    "Hey! Kali isn't a dog! She's a hawk!" Kali replies, most of the insult passing right by her.

    I sigh. These two are always at each other’s throats. But somehow, our dysfunctional trio works like a finely tuned magic tool in a fight. At least that's something.

    Father... Douglas... I think that soon, I can proudly call myself a proper mercenary. Even if doing this kills me, the alternative; spending my entire life as a baby-machine for another nobleman, is just not worth considering.

    But I miss Rishya. I wonder if I'll ever be able to go home?
     
  2. eharper256

    eharper256 Purveyor of Dubious Medicinal Elixirs [since 1885]

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    CHAPTER 53
    OTHER STRANGERS


    After reviewing the recent occurrences, 'Power Throw' seems like a good investment. It's all the points I have though. I did briefly consider either developing some track up on the actual Throwing Skill or finally considering some kind of primitive firearms construction. But it seems the former is mostly concerned with accuracy and rapidity of delivering repeated shots.

    It's naturally the sort of thing Kiku and Kaede need, but for myself, not so much. As long as the explosive lands in a vague vicinity like before, the accuracy is a moot point. The latter still has the same issues as before. Without a means to create and machine precise steel, brass and lead components, it's just going to be superfluous knowledge.

    "Thankyou for waiting. I'm ready." I say to the girls.

    "Oooh... did you gain something interesting?" Aria asks.

    "Not really. I should be able to throw things further." I reply.

    Seria nods. "A practical choice. Fufufu... your Etranger ability is quite unique. It never ceases to interest me."

    "Um... do you remember other Etrangers, Seria?" Kiku asks.

    That's an interesting point. It is somewhat implied she has a point of comparison...

    Seria looks momentarily surprised.

    "No. Elijah is Seria's. First. Time." She states seductively, finger on her lips. I nearly get a nosebleed.

    But wait...

    "Um... but what about the previous Sages?"

    Detective Kiku is at work today. I did notice that myself with Seria's random switch to third person.

    Seria sighs.

    "Godfucker. Your sharpness does you proud, Kiku. Ah... hell... of course... Elijah will still understand." She glares at me.

    Kiku, however, looks puzzled and confused. Seria just spoke in Syjilian again? She sighs once more.

    "I was saying your wit is to your credit, swordsgirl."

    Kiku shyly goes 'hehe', with one hand behind her head.

    "My... mothe... master. She loved an Etranger. Long before I was born. This must be... five hundred years ago, at least."

    "He was a swordsman, who used a pair of long curved blades. He had hair the colour of night, and eyes like amber."

    Seria squirms and blushes, but then narrows her eyes and shakes her head. Is she even reliving her master's emotions? And curved blades? Surely... not a samurai?

    "But her love was unrequited. She travelled with him for a time, but he much preferred a slave he rescued from Syjil."

    "I believe his actions, treating slaves as people, would plausibly be the seed that created the revolution that caused Jeraldine to appear. He was summoned by Syjil, but rebelled against them."

    "They... they had many children. I do wonder... I do wonder if my own appearance is why... why I was selected as her pupil. Sages cannot have children. But perhaps my hair and eyes must have resembled his?"

    She clears her throat.

    "In any case, I would rather not have to recall this."

    Kiku bows and apologises.

    "Alas, it is my own fault for this deception. Your mind is never to blame. You should foster your ability." She smiles.

    Kiku looks wide-eyed for a second, but smiles back.

    I'm glad for her. She is far from the meek girl I first met in the guild. The change in just a few days is quite staggering.

    She catches my eye and then blushes.

    "Ah! Um... p-please don't stare at me with that... uh... smile... it's..." She squirms like Seria did a few seconds ago.

    Seria grins. "The boy is such a lady killer. Ufufufu..."

    I look away. I see Aria and Rishya pouting like twins.

    Well... isn't this starting to become precarious?
     
  3. eharper256

    eharper256 Purveyor of Dubious Medicinal Elixirs [since 1885]

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    CHAPTER 54
    SPIRITS OF THE VOID


    We continue in the previous formation deeper into this tomb. I feel a prickling on my spine, like something is crawling over my grave.

    Suddenly, the corridor goes dark as pitch.

    Rishya yelps and leaps backward, falling into my embrace.

    "Kyaa! The light is!" She shouts.

    I wonder for a moment if this is a weird scheme, as she was the one providing the light in the first place.

    "Oho? What a staggering quantity of Void spirits ahead. They have choked out your light, healer girl."

    I see.

    Kiku relights her torch, but what starts as a blaze appears to struggle, and it quickly becomes dim embers. Kiku looks annoyed.

    "Even the fire spirits, who love to burn things, are being supressed." Seria adds.

    Rishya appears to realise she is shaking in my grasp, and with a sharp intake of breath, she elbows me in the stomach and leaps off.

    "G-get off!" She exclaims.

    I bend like a '>' and wheeze from the sudden assault.

    "Y-you were the one who leapt back. Should I have not caught you?" I cough as I retort.

    "S-s-shut up! Hmmph!" She puffs as her chest jiggles. So damn tsundere. Aria snickers.

    We proceed tentatively into the area that is supposedly rich in void spirits. We must be some way underground by now as we enter into a huge vaulted chamber. The torch, which was previously just embers anyway, splutters and dies entirely.

    It's interesting that fire spirits must be present for things to continue to burn. Does the fire attract them, or do they start the fire? Why do explosives I create from the ideas of Earth work anyway? How are spirits and combustion reactions related? There are alot of confusing things I don't understand about spirits.

    Nevertheless, we are not thrust into darkness. In the centre of the vaulted room is a blazing pyre of purple flames, which illuminates the vaulted room in cascading waves of eerie violet light.

    The room itself reminds me of something straight from a grim-dark souls-like game. Large stone edifices, that appear to be oversized thrones, perch on raised ledges overlooking the main concourse and the flames. Skeletons are crowded in piles around these macabre seats. Going by standard protocol, I expect at least some of them to come to life.

    It is, overall, an impressive sight to behold, like much of the gloomy architecture of this place. Seria said something about it being constructed as a containment for a crux of death following a large scale battle in this place. You can clearly tell the effort put into it. I've always found it pretty weird that so much effort can be spent by humans glorifying death, like with the pyramids on earth for example, and this is not dissimilar.

    But I guess, if you look at history, it really just boils down to a record of people dying in increasingly impressive ways, right?

    Our formation accumulates around the purple blaze.

    "Necrofire, is it? This is doubtlessly one of the cruxes of death. This is how the undead rise. We should be cautious." Seria says.

    "I have not been witness to this prior. It feels... discomforting, yes." Kaede muses.

    "I wonder why you would make a place like this. Why encourage the Void spirits to gather and make undead?" I wonder aloud.

    "Um... I don't think it works like that, Elijah." Kiku retorts.

    "Hmmph! Do you know nothing? It is the other way around. We build tombs when the Void spirits gather. They are slow moving, so if they gather like this, they are contained and prevented from causing their mischief in cities." Rishya lectures.

    "I see. I guess that is sensible." I nod.

    It is like herding them. I keep forgetting that people in this world really do treat spirits and monsters as natural occurrences to just be dealt with.

    Doesn't this also answer my question about fire spirits? They can cause spontaneous combustion via magic, but are not actually required to set a blaze. Surely it must work like that, right?

    Before I can ponder much more, though, the purple necrofire flares majestically.

    With a clatter, a huge skeleton, at least eight foot tall and clad in chainmail, steps out of the fire. It raises a halberd menacingly.

    Looks like we have another fight!
     
    Last edited: Oct 5, 2017
  4. eharper256

    eharper256 Purveyor of Dubious Medicinal Elixirs [since 1885]

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    CHAPTER 55
    IT’S FIGHT KNIGHT!


    "Skeleton Knight! Destroy the jewel inside the skull!" Aria shouts.

    It literally just appeared. Why is so tall? Where the hell did it get equipment? I was expecting the piles of bones to form into... ah... I see. I need to adjust my thinking. If fire spirits make fire from nothing... then why not create skeletons from void out of nowhere?

    To be honest, I think this may not even necessarily be a dead person as such. It's better to think of it as a... a bone golem?

    It wastes no time in aggression, though. Its eye sockets blaze with a blue glow, and it zips forward with a speed unbefitting its size, swinging the halberd in a wide crescent. Aria is forced to duck, and Kaede flips the side.

    Scary. Our formation is already broken. As the backswing comes around I grab Rishya's shoulder and roll to the ground with her, dislodging her hat. She squeals but doesn't resist as the axe blade whistles three feet above.

    I hear Seria leap back as well, chanting rapidly, and letting Kiku dash by me with a ‘shing’ from drawing two swords.

    From it missing both swings, it is somewhat off guard to take Kiku's counterstrike, raising its gauntleted off hand barely in time to catch the short swords with a rain of sparks.

    Kiku stays close, changing her attack angle to harry it and prevent it from bringing the pole-arm to bear, but it doesn't work quite as she hoped, as the skeleton adapts quickly, and punches her in the arm with force enough to make her cry out and spin away instinctively.

    I pull the somewhat dazed Rishya up, as Aria leaps at it to cover Kiku's escape. The two long pole-arms clash furiously.

    Aria shouts and really utilises that crazy strength of hers, pushing back the halberd with a clang.

    The skeleton staggers back, perhaps not expecting the explosive force generated by our little silver princess.

    Kaede doesn't miss this opportunity, leaping onto its shoulders like the acrobat she is, and jamming her wakizashi into one of the eye sockets from behind.

    The angle of the strike is somewhat off, though, and the wakizashi pings off the skull and is forced from her hand in a spiralling arc.

    It silently appears to roar and thrashes wildly, and she is thrown off, barely landing safely with forward roll, though I bet that hurt a bit.

    It turns to stab Aria again, realising her threat is probably highest, but before it can attempt another swing, it gets a double blast of crackling lightning to its chest.

    Seria advances forward pouring forth electricity from both of her hands like the emperor from Star Wars, her black cape and twin-tails billowing dramatically.

    It judders from becoming a ground for electricity, it's skeleton burning black from the current, and as it does, a sword flies out of nowhere with obscene accuracy, finishing the attack Kaede was attempting a moment before.

    The lightning stops, and it falls to its knees with a sword comically stuck in the eye socket. A gush of blue tears drip down the skulls cheekbone, and it collapses into a pile of bones and armour.

    Shows over, I guess. I felt a bit useless there, but much like the fight with Kerkyon, I guess it is rather hard for me to react well to fast and vicious single enemies... at least assuming I don’t want to drop grenades in the middle of my own formation. I’m not about to start being a team killer, especially with such a team of cute ladies!!

    Kiku staggers up to me and Rishya, her right arm hanging quite loose on one side. This appears to wake up the still gobsmacked healer.

    "Ah! I'm sorry! I'll do it right away!" She cries out, raising Michael up.

    "That was... surprisingly strong." I remark uselessly.

    "It was..." Aria comes up to my side. "Will you be able to help Kiku, Rish?" She asks.

    Rishya grimaces, but nods. She grasps Kiku's arm as she says "I am tremendously sorry. This may hurt."

    White light engulfs the arm briefly, and there is an audible crack. Kiku screams and lets out some tears, staggering away.

    I grab onto her as she reels with the intent to just stop her from falling over, but it somehow turns into an embrace.

    Ah well... She deserves it for that godly finisher. She even managed it with a broken arm!

    ------
    Hmm... this combat ended quicker than I first expected. But I guess its appropriate.
     
  5. eharper256

    eharper256 Purveyor of Dubious Medicinal Elixirs [since 1885]

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    CHAPTER 56
    GROWING CONCERNS


    "Ehehe... um... Nii. I'm good now." Kiku chitters.

    I let her loose. Her face is like a radish. It's cute, so I rub her forehead.

    "You're such a player, Nii." She grins.

    "I was worried about Kiku." I state.

    "I see you have little faith in my prodigious healing abilities... hmmph!" Rishya adds from behind Kiku.

    Rishya is pouting whilst healing a big scratch to Kaede's forehead. The blood dripping from it has closed her eye and was probably caused by her being thrown off from her skeleton rodeo attempt, but the sparkles of light dutifully swirl around it, knitting it together without any evidence of scarring on her doll face. She wipes the blood away, opens her now clear eye, and carries on as if nothing had happened.

    I ruffle them both on the head as well.

    "I'm also glad you are both safe." I add. I thought Rishya would back away, but she accepts it with a complicated and begrudging expression.

    "This much is nothing, yes?" Kaede interjects. I withdraw my hands.

    "The void here has died down temporarily. It was truly choking before. Quite strange." Seria ponders.

    "Is it not normally like this, then?" I ask.

    "Though it is a higher danger training ground than some by default... I do believe ones of that calibre should be rare. The flow and aggression of the residents is certainly heightened. I wonder if the high quantity of void spirits is to blame?" She replies, mostly talking to herself.

    "So... we should be careful?" Aria summarises.

    "Ahem! Quite..." Seria flicks a twintail.

    "Nii, there are three ways to proceed here. Um... generally it is normal to go right. There is a fairly safe area to camp out there, and beyond is stairs further downwards... the other routes loop round to each other and the intersection earlier."

    "Not much of a choice, then. Right we go."

    Kiku nods, retrieving her thrown sword from the pile of bones. She flicks off the blue ichor from the blade.

    "What is that stuff. It was a crystal, but it melted?" I question.

    "It's a soul shard, Elijah. The ghosts of the dead are attracted from the Void and form into them. Malicious and grudge bearing ones constantly return to life." Aria answers.

    "The shard forms in all undead. The smaller, less vicious ones normally return in wraiths and revenants. Larger ones, the souls of the especially malign, create skeletons, liches, and skull beasts." Seria explains further.

    Huh. Skeletons are normally the bottom of the undead food chain, but maybe not in this case. Liches are still normally a problem in any good RPG.

    "No dracoliches then? That's good." I sigh.

    "Draa-ko-lee-shee? What's that?" Rishya asks

    "An undead dragon." I say.

    This causes a fuss with the girls. Kiku, Aria, and Seria all gasp and recoil. Even Kaede and Rishya raise an eyebrow as if to you 'you jest, bro'.

    "That would be horrifying!! No wonder your world has such powerful weapons if you have to deal with that." Aria exclaims, wide-eyed.

    It's probably best to not correct her crazy assumption. Might bite me later though.

    We continue down the right hand passage. It is not long before it descends further and then opens into a room full of urns neatly stacked like crates in a warehouse. Several prominent ones are clearly adorned with scary designs of skeletal creatures. Are these all... ashes?

    There is a flickering necrofire here as well, but it is nowhere the size of the one in the room of the thrones, and does not stir the dead.

    It's best to think of these things as spawn points, right?

    We carry on tentatively. After another drab passageway, stairs lead to another open room.

    This one is disturbing.

    It is... frankly... a butcherhouse.

    The smell in the stagnant underground air soon becomes that of blood.

    Twelve corpses, nine men and three women, litter a raised platform that overlooks a dramatic temple like affair, with a macabre altar of bones at the far end, which is of course flanked by two necrofires at a high blaze.

    Kiku and Aria recoil in shock, and Rishya gags. I feel a tad queasy myself.

    "Well... I would say the rest area is compromised, yes?" Seria comments, narrowing her eyes at the carnage.

    This is the rest area? Now that she mentions it, there are tents here, and a large brazier has been repurposed as a camp fire. This overlook seems easy to guard, with the only way down into the temple proper being a bloodied rope looped around a gargoyle statues mouth.

    You could probably get away with just a watch on the way we came from, considering the dead would have to scale a twenty five foot sheer ledge from below, and you would have plenty of notice. Even one of those big skeleton knights should have troubles.

    But clearly in this case, there has been a rather catastrophic security failure…
     
  6. eharper256

    eharper256 Purveyor of Dubious Medicinal Elixirs [since 1885]

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    Double Update today!! Whee!! (I was off work this week!)
    --------------

    CHAPTER 57
    WADING THROUGH BLOOD


    "What caused this?" I wonder aloud, staring at the scene of blood and gore whilst attempting to restrain my stomach’s rising intensity at the smell.

    Kaede, unperturbed by the carnage, rolls over a man's corpse. It squirts blood over her hands, as a massive gash is almost diagonally bisecting his torso.

    "Yes. Probably a Skull Beast." She states, deadpan. She moves to the centre of bloody ledge, pointing.

    "It landed here. Cut a bloody swath with... a large blade? Five of these people died instantly. Yes... taken by surprise. None have drawn weapons in the centre. Several are not even in armour." She shakes her head.

    "It landed!? How!?" Aria exclaims, tears in eyes.

    Kaede shrugs. "Wings? Dropped from ceiling? Don't know. Probably dead a few hours. But not more than a day ago. Bodies still warm. And we did not hear screams, yes?"

    Aria brows twitch. It looks like she wants to say something at the callousness of Kaede's appraisal, but it is hard to fault her logic.

    "How troublesome. I appear to have jinxed these individuals by mentioning a skull beast." Seria muses, crossing her arms with a shudder.

    “I take it that a Skull Beast is like some kind of chimera of bones, or something?” I ask, not really wanting a reply.

    Seria looks at me wide-eyed.

    “Chimera… you really do know about a surprising number of strange creatures, boy. I suppose the comparison is not… incorrect. It is a caused by an especially powerful Void force. It can have any number of strange features, and it only knows rage.”

    I suppose you can’t underestimate the usefulness of memorising stat-blocks from the Monster Manual in a good RPG, after all.

    Rishya urgently checks the female corpses, and seems mildly relieved. "Not Yuuzu." She mutters, but still looks distressed.

    "T-there is... nothing I can do for these people." She states. Aria puts a comforting hand on Rishya's shoulder.

    "Considering the level of this ambush, it is no longer safe to rest here. We should move on or retreat. What do you ladies think?" I ask.

    "Um... we need to tell the local guild about this. This place is... is vicious for some reason. A proper investigation should be conducted by elite mercenaries." Kiku suggests.

    "I think we need more information before that. Vague platitudes of danger will not stir rapid response. And the curious concentration of Void spirits is certainly fishy." Seria adds.

    "Yu... I mean... there could be others still inside. They need to be warned!" Rishya pleads.

    "It's up to you, Elijah... This place is more dangerous than we thought and I couldn't be... ahem... it would not do to have any of us die at this juncture. But... but... well... as far as opportunities go to give you experience..." Aria has a troubled expression as she struggles with her own conflicting feelings and logic.

    Kaede shrugs. I don’t think she cares either way as long as she follows the group.

    Well... I crease my brows. Undoubtedly part of me feels weak at the knees just looking at this carnage. I've hardened up at quite the rate these last couple of weeks... but even so, a little voice is always telling me I should just run. Especially when the gamer in me is screaming ‘This is a boss monster! You’re too weak to take it!'.

    But... there's no way I can succumb to that. No one likes a quitter. I promised to Aria, after all. I can't let any of these girls down. And I'd rather be a dead fool than living coward.

    I take a breath and...

    "You're a fucking moron, Nii!!" Rowdy Kiku rebukes me, startling me for a second. She sighs exaggeratedly. "But I guess I'll have to keep up with you." She changes to a wry smile.

    "How did you know?" I ask.

    "Hehe... um... your eyes..." she blushes.

    Am I really that easy to read?

    Aria sighs exaggeratedly, and the girls begin to laugh amongst themselves. The dissonance between cute jovial girls and this scene of a massacre is quite bizarre.

    "No rest for the wicked. None for the good, either." I state, shrugging.
     
    Last edited: Nov 28, 2017
  7. eharper256

    eharper256 Purveyor of Dubious Medicinal Elixirs [since 1885]

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    Also, forgot to mention that several chapters from September til now were given a secondary editing pass. The only thing of significant note besides typos was the fact that Douglas's manor flipped randomly between having two and three floors (lol), so that was fixed: it was supposed to have two stories.

    Furthermore, we should be getting our sixth and yes, FINAL, girl fairly shortly (probably ten chapters maximum). I might give a cookie to the first correct guess of who this will be, though this didn't solicit any replies before when I tried it, so who knows?

    However, after we give the final girl some appeal time, I might consider running a best girl survey (as a poll). It'll be interesting to me to find out who you guys like best.
     
  8. eharper256

    eharper256 Purveyor of Dubious Medicinal Elixirs [since 1885]

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    CHAPTER 58
    MALICIOUS SPIRITS


    We all rappel down the rope into the temple proper. As we reached the far end we kept an eye on the flames but nothing happened this time. These things could do with handy cool-down timers above them, but it seems this is beyond even the prowess of translation function-san. I suppose it’s likely that there is no set timing anyway, right?

    Behind the dramatic altar is another skeleton knight, already defeated, its skull literally shattered into fragments.

    Aria whistles in awe.

    "That was a serious impact. Some kind of warhammer?" I say.

    "Could be." She nods.

    Further beyond here is a single majestic archway. It is an obvious choice, but Kaede stops me with an outstretched arm, her eyes squinting and brows showing frustration.

    She throws a loose piece of masonry into the arch. It lands squarely in sight, rolls once, and a 'ka-chunk' sound resonates.

    From the dark, a giant shafted spiked mace swings down with terrible speed and power. It stops with a bang about two feet in front of us. The whoosh of the shockwave is still enough to make me jump.

    "Kyaaaa!! What the heck!! Which fool puts these things in a tomb?" Rishya cries, staggering back.

    "Nobody, in fact." Seria states, matter of factly with her arms crossed.

    "What?" I ask in surprise. There is 'ka-chunk' noise, and a rattle as the mace retracts back to conceal itself in the ceiling.

    "Fufufu... think about it, boy. When these places are frequented by mercenaries and knights for training, why leave a trap without disarming it?"

    I gape like a fish. She... she is right. Re-spawning monsters is one thing, but...

    "The spirits again!?" I exclaim.

    She nods.

    "Metal and earth in this case. Both can be somewhat vindictive. But this is exuberated in the presence of Void spirits, probably due to the grudges of the dead they carry."

    "So no effort is spared in Void spirit containment for this very reason." I ponder.

    She gains a creepy shark smile and slaps me on the back. She almost shines with happiness when I solve my own problems, it seems.

    Still, this is pretty weird. It is easy to think of spirits as being just mindless apparitions of magic and power, but clearly they have wills of their own, and this goes beyond any kind of mischievousness and goes straight into honest to goodness malicious intent. I’m fairly certain that mace could have easily just taken my head off and ended my adventure in an instant. And did it destroy the skeleton with the smashed in skull as well? Internal disputes too?

    I look down and pat my own stomach uneasily. What about the thunder spirit she says I've taken inside?

    Seria goes wide-eyed, and then realises my chain of thought. She advances to me, and pulls my head straight to look at her, running a finger along my cheek seductively.

    "Don't worry boy... it won't hurt you. It is a... a kind of symbiosis. They do not harm their host, in exchange for your energy."

    She steps back, letting go of my face with a sigh.

    "But yes. Given time... perhaps you will come to understand it as well."

    "Ahem! You should listen to your heart! Ahh... it is your partner!! Is that not correct, Michael!" Rishya adds, banging her own chest with a bounce and a smug expression.

    Hehe... I see. Such a classic ojou-sama. I feel a bit bad about thinking Rishya was silly for naming her staff.

    "I see. I think I understand. It's easy to understand when Rishya says it that way."

    She nods, still smug. But then goes wide eyed, blushes, and looks away.

    "It! It's not like I was saying it for your benefit! Hmmph!"

    Also a classic tsundere of course.

    "Hohhh? Is that how it works?" Aria just looks confused.

    Well, she was said to be different due her godly blessing or whatever. She's just a weird prodigy that skips steps and probably the whole logic and imagination section to arrive at the result. No wonder that’s a bit of a cheat to people of this world.

    I guess all this is coming together in my head. We think about the things the spirit is interested in, and it senses that, expressing its power. Its little wonder a person can become attached to that. I wonder if I should name the spirit inside of me as well?

    Raijin? Taranis? Leizi? Wakinyan? Hmm… maybe it’s a bit chuuni to use the names of thunder gods I can remember. I’ll think about it a bit more.

    Ahem! In any case... more importantly, what should we do about this mace?
     
  9. eharper256

    eharper256 Purveyor of Dubious Medicinal Elixirs [since 1885]

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    SIDE B
    THE IRON DUCHESS


    I despise this city already. How is it that a place like this can be so upbeat and jovial with a war on the horizon?

    Maybe it's just that humans are stupid like that.

    This place, Hal-Castemour, is apparently a 'thriving' coastal trade city. But to me it just reeks of fish and drunkard sailors, and its white towers have nothing on the finest architecture of our people. Personally, I feel that if this is the height of human culture, they all deserve the hell we are bringing to them.

    Cultivator says that humans are most dangerous because of their weakness. If he means that this draws them to be cunning and desperate in a pinch, and capable of boundless cruelty in pursuit of their own greed, then I guess he is correct.

    Still, I must set aside my hate, focus it for the job at hand. Our great leader has given me a job worthy of my skills at last, and I shall not deign to see him disappointed in me.

    It will be here. The best way to kill an animal is to set a trap, or slay it before it becomes aware of its own doom. Pre-emptive destruction saves needless struggle in the long run. And this is the specialty of Barbatos Si'vesj, myself.

    "Hey little lady. Are you lost? Wanna come have fun with us?"

    A group of five thuggish men slinks in, two in front and three behind me in this filthy wharf alleyway. The ones in front have warts for days and rippling muscles. And they stink.

    At last. I've been wandering shady alleyways for an hour in the growing darkness already just to find this kind of group of idiots.

    "Why go anywhere? Here seems a perfect place for a bit of... fun." I grin.

    The men are momentarily taken aback. I'm disguised like some noble human girl, so it's not a surprise, but the fact that they cannot sense the difference in strength between us and are underestimating me is strangely unsatisfying, even if it was exactly what I was aiming for.

    "Feisty one, ain't she, lads?"

    They all laugh. It sounds disgusting.

    The head thug licks his lips and runs his tongue over a long knife. Fool. Who gives an opportunity like that to a potential opponent?

    I flash step forwards in an instant, help him insert the knife into his own gaping mouth, and pray to its long maligned spirit of metal. With the spirits untapped rage at being forged and used against its will, the metal of the knife melts and rapidly re-forges, slicing out in all directions in a barrage of thin spikes. The foul idiot explodes at the neck.

    I grasp the knife hilt, and the spikes shoot back towards it in glee, turning into a barbed whip of superhot liquid metal. I spin around to lash it at the still stunned group that was behind me. Part of the masonry is sent flying as one the thugs loses an arm, another the top of their head, and the third is simply bisected at the waist, intestines spilling down his legs.

    I then call the metal back to me once more, making a spiked gauntlet, and slam it into the abdomen of the remaining man before he can even get his own sword fully out of its scabbard. I kick him off the spikes, and he goes sailing ten feet down the alley and crumples silently in a cloud of dust.

    A delayed rain of blood cascades around me, softly pitter-pattering like a refreshing summer shower.

    I pat the gauntlet affectionately, staining it with blood, and it purrs in satisfaction at delivering justice to its oppressors. I melt it down once more and take the spirit inside of me.

    Hmm… maybe I was a ~little~ too hasty in releasing all of my pent up frustration. It seems I rendered two of the subjects unusable in my enthusiasm. But… perhaps it doesn’t matter. Yes.

    I stroll casually back to the armless man, whom is squealing like a stuck pig and rolling around in his own blood. He starts to scream and back away on his rear as I approach, but backs into a wall, eyes full of terror as he wets himself.

    I lick my lips. Yes, yes. This one will do. He's not horribly unattractive like the others.

    He's so weak though. He passes out long before I can carefully pry off his face with my searing metal cutter.

    ------
    Yikes, Barbatos Si'vesj is a pretty scary girl, eh? :blobowoevil_horns::blobhero:
     
  10. eharper256

    eharper256 Purveyor of Dubious Medicinal Elixirs [since 1885]

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    CHAPTER 59
    SUBVERTING THE TRAP


    "How are we going to pass by this? Trigger it and run by?" I question.

    "Not advisable. Tricking a trap often makes it behave unpredictably, yes? We must find the mechanism so I can correct it." Kaede shakes her head.

    Well that sucks. But if the mace is effectively alive, she's right. Who knows, it might suddenly swing sideways or something? How troubling, but apparently it's a sucker for traditional methods like a rogue-type person disarming it?

    "Fufufu... leave it to me. Metal spirits appreciate brute force methods." Seria interrupts.

    I wonder what she means... but of course... it's easy to forget she deals with electromagnetism as a whole... and it’s a big wad of metal... so I guess...

    Seria dashes forwards suddenly, a magic circle forming around her hand as she chants something under her breath.

    "Wait! Stop! H-how are you going to brute..." Aria cries urgently, tensing up to probably jump tackle Seria out the way.

    But I grasp her shoulder and shake my head as she looks back incredulously.

    Seria reaches the trigger with a click, and the mace descends once more, but halfway down in its swing, there is a crackle of sparks, and it stops with a bang.

    The shockwave is still enough to make Seria's hair and cape billow.

    "Go... now!" She shouts, grimacing, with her palm open and arm still outstretched.

    I react immediately, and dash past her, giving her a thumbs up and a smile as I do. She responds with a toothy grin.

    Weirdly, as I pass underneath the mace, I can't help but feel some voice snicker in my head, and almost the impression that something else is howling in frustration.

    The others wake up shortly after and run to join me on the other side.

    Suddenly, from behind us, one of the necrofires of the altar we passed flares up, and another Skeleton Knight leaps forth, brandishing a pair of longswords. It wastes no time in running towards us.

    Seria goes wide eyed, and just as Rishya jogs past, herself jumps into a forward roll and opens her hand. Her assembled magic circle shatters, and the momentum of the giant steel club suddenly appears to return all at once.

    Just in time to slam into our new pursuer with a crack.

    Its entire top half explodes into fragments and the remains sail twenty feet away with a boom.

    But most scarily, the mace seems overpowered now, and with a huge snap, breaks its own shaft and goes shooting off in a spinning swath of destruction, smashing the altar in an explosion of bones and putting out the remaining necrofire before rolling to a stop.

    Then, most peculiarly, it's like thousands of years pass by for the broken mace in an instant. It rusts away and disappears into a fine dust.

    If I had any doubts before, there would no way to refute it now. That... the mace was actively ~angry~ at us. Furious, in fact. And likely a co-conspirator with the Void and its necrofire once it realised we might evade it.

    I shake my head, but as the other standing girls are still gobsmacked, I give Seria an outstretched hand. She looks mildly exhausted and wide eyed, breathing heavily, but recognises the gesture.

    "Nice job!" I compliment.

    "N-naturally! Wh-wh-what are you doing, boy!"

    I pulled her into a hug as she rose upwards. Sneak attack!

    I pat her back as she squirms.

    "Y-you get ahead of..." she whines.

    "Nice job. Thankyou, Seria." I repeat.

    She settles down promptly, so I squeeze her tightly, and then release her. She has tinged with a slight blush and looks incredulous.

    "I thought you must have been scared." I say, shrugging.

    She creases her brows.

    "That is beside the! ... nggh!" She facepalms, muting herself.

    I laugh to myself as she glares. She gets an eye twitch.

    "This is not acceptable behaviour for an apprentice!!" She pouts.

    The other girls burst into laughter behind us.

    Besides everything, I'm glad she can sometimes still act like the maiden she appears to be.
     
  11. eharper256

    eharper256 Purveyor of Dubious Medicinal Elixirs [since 1885]

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    CHAPTER 60
    CHAMPIONS OF THE GODS


    Leaving behind that scary trap mace of doom, we continue to advance onwards and downwards with growing trepidation.

    "Just how deep is this place? We must have been going for a couple of hours now." I ask.

    "Yes, it will be dark outside now. To be honest, Elijah, I don't think anyone knows where the end is." Aria answers.

    "They may never know." Seria adds. She is still pouting at me.

    "I suppose that, if spirits can make an entire trap apparatus spring up from nowhere, what is stopping them from making an entire random rogue-like dungeon here." I ponder out loud.

    "Um... I don't what a roa-guu-lai-kuu is... but that is basically right, Nii. A dungeon crawler mercenary’s job is never done. But Dad said it doesn't actually end well for most of them. There is always rumour of big treasure in these places, but that's really rare. It's more profitable, as a mercenary, to take escort jobs and monster hunting contracts. Every time." Kiku explains.

    She's right. There hasn't been a single convenient treasure chest at all here. Stingy.

    "But the romance of the unknown keeps people delving even then?" I guess.

    "Eh wot? Um... is that what it is?" She shrugs.

    "Maybe that, but primarily training, yes?" Kaede adds.

    Yes, infinite respawns at least mean that, it is why we are here after all.

    The dark passageway opens out onto a chasm like expanse. We have to stop promptly. Across the gap are rows of stone coffins laid atop one another. It almost appears a dead end, but then it becomes apparent that we're on a ledge running parallel to the expanse, so we follow it along, and at the far end is a set of further downward stairs. This itself leads to an arena like room with necrofire braziers, and the destroyed remains of several skeletons.

    The centre plinth of this room has a elaborately painted circle with nine distinct segments of differing colours. Each segment seems to have a drawing of a person and a creature of some sorts, watching the middle, where there is the image of two muscled men fighting with spears. It evokes a piece of ancient art at its finest, including the classic lack of proper perspective that these types of things tend to have.

    "The wheel of the old faith." Seria steps up to me whilst I am studying the edifice. "These figures are the nine gods, and their divine beasts." She explains.

    "The gods are watching a trial by combat. They used to have fights in honour of the gods like this. Slaves in Syjil would fight to be recognised as one of the Nine Great Templars, representatives of their god. I believe the empire was the last place that had this practice, though. It is now gone."

    "Hmmph. We still have to study it in school, though. The gods may be long gone from the world, but their blessings still manifest. Like in Aria." Rishya adds.

    "Right. Sendervil is the god of light, right? What are the others?" I say.

    "Oh... it is easy to forget you are missing fundamental knowledge like this, boy. Perhaps this can be revision for the princess." She turns to Aria who has sneakily sidled up to us.

    "Eh! Ah... oh... eto... ahem... I forgot most of them, teehee!" Aria tries the cute 'teehee' pose again, with her tongue out.

    Rishya chops her on the head. Poor Aria. Kiku snickers with Seria.

    Suddenly, Kaede steps up to the plinth, and points at the 'gods' in turn.

    Saulm. The fire dancer, forge mistress, the creator of life.

    Garmere. The frigid justicar, wise magister, water reader, seer of all things.

    Hezety. The sky princess of wind and rain, lady of logic, and master strategist.

    Trieze. The golden delver of the earth, patron of wealth and arts.

    Juna. The huntress, lady of time, growth, wood and fertility.

    Kinah. The wanderer, he who rides lightning and ponders the world’s secrets.

    Sendervil. The lord of light, healing, leadership and mercy.

    Kanestus. The metal executioner and lady of agony, but also endurance and determination.

    And Agon, the Void emperor, lord of the dead, the darkness and destruction.

    Seria gives applause at our ninja’s apparently textbook recitation. Rishya and Aria are wide eyed.

    "Very good, ninja-girl. Whilst most can recite the names of the gods, their portfolios are more esoteric. Wherever did you learn that?" Seria asks.

    "Eh... I... I enjoyed reading the old scrolls handed down in the village, yes? One had this very image, with annotations. It was one of my favourites." Kaede explains, looking mildly embarrassed.

    Well, I find all of this quite interesting, though I don't think I can suddenly remember all that like Kaede does.

    However, it does make me wonder about something that has been bothering me for a while though...

    "Why are there nine spirit types but only seven sages?"

    Seria spins to look at me, gaping with an incredulous expression.

    Was that... a bad question?
     
  12. eharper256

    eharper256 Purveyor of Dubious Medicinal Elixirs [since 1885]

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    CHAPTER 61
    SECRETS AND HERESY


    Seria narrows her eyes at me. But then she sighs dramatically.

    "Back in the empire, saying that would get you drawn and quartered, boy." She says something scary.

    "Mmmm... but I guess the inquisition is long gone." She taps her own cheek.

    "In theory... this is forbidden knowledge. But... there was at least one Sage of Metal and one Sage of Void. They are... were... demons."

    Aria, Kiku and Rishya look shocked.

    But you know what, that is like the missing link, isn't it?

    I've recently learnt Void spirits manipulate the dead.

    Cultivator is a six armed necromancer dragon.

    "So is Cultivator the Sage of Void?" I assemble my conclusion.

    Arias mouth works like a fish, her eyes wide. I don't think she considered this.

    "Fufufu... A logical conclusion, boy. I don't honestly know the answer, though." Seria laughs.

    "I am not one for trifles and speculation, but there is a persistent rumour we sages are all descendants of demons." She continues.

    Rishya sharply intakes a breath. She's clearly heard that one before. Seria cackles at this reaction.

    "That is hodgepodge of course. But all rumours have a basis. The first sage was taught by the original dragon, Rah'lyah."

    "What? But wasn't it Rah'lyah's children that..." Rishya queries.

    "...Formed the demonic nations? Yes... Belthegor Seth'lew and Balthalsar Rolens'takar. The twin demon emperors of yore. They were apparently the offspring of Rah'lyah and Agon."

    There is silence among the girls at this revelation. As an outsider looking in, I'm fairly sure this is probably because Seria's bomb dropping is rocking the boat of basic facts they gave likely been taught since childhood, especially the saintly types, Aria and Rishya.

    "In any case. Enough boring history. Shall we proceed before these necrofires bloom?" Seria stretches like a cat, her neck chain clinking.

    I should really ask about that chain at some point. It doesn't look like a comfortable fashion accessory, for sure.

    But she's right. There are three potential ways from here, as the arena type formation is also a crossroads of sorts.

    "There has been a battle here quite recently, yes?" Kaede proclaims, crouched whilst rubbing some of the dirt from the floor between her fingers.

    She digs further at the earth patch that appears to have interested her, and pulls up a serrated black arrow by the quarrel.

    "Eh wot? That's a scary looking arrow." Kiku exclaims.

    "It was impaled quite far in the ground. And then there is a small splatter of fresh blood just here." Kaede says, pointing.

    "Not to mention... these are probably dead skeleton knights. Someone is fighting down here indeed." Aria contributes.

    Now I am less distracted by the plinth, it is pretty obvious to pick up the same signs the girls are. The floor is loose dirt, and even though us tramping in has disrupted proceedings, there are clearly plenty of footprints, either from a dance-off or a battle.

    Whilst challenging skeletons to a necrodancer battle humorously reminds me of a certain game, it's almost certainly the latter.

    I try to follow the path of the footprints a few times, but all the layers just lead me to confusion. I don't think professional tracker is going to be in my job description any time soon (well, at least not without serious aid from the Multivultus Scientica, at any rate).

    But strangely I do come across one slightly odd thing. I crouch and retrieve a long curly golden blonde hair from the ground.

    "Is Rishya moulting at the moment?" I joke, twirling the hair as I hold it up.

    "W-w-what!!? How dare you...! Nnn!" Rishya gives me a death glare, but then almost leaps at me and snatches the hair from my hand.

    Woah, down girl!

    "This!! This must be Yuuzu's!! She -is- here after all!!" She breathes a sigh of relief.

    I don't know how she can be so sure at a glance. But I guess it is a similar shade of resplendent golden blonde like her own, except longer and curlier.

    "That's great, Rish, you can catch up after these last few months." Aria pats her on the shoulder.

    Kaede has been following the prints like I did, and then pipes up.

    "Appears the same three I noticed earlier, yes? They went down the left intersection."

    Should we follow? I guess that would keep Rishya happy as we can confirm or deny the presence of her cousin.

    Suddenly there is a rumble and a bloodcurdling roar from the left.

    "The skull beast?!" Aria exclaims.

    "From... the left... NO!!" Rishya shouts. She drops the hair, grabs Michael, and dashes towards the noise.

    Kiku stops her, however.

    "Let me go! Yuuzu could be there!" She squeals, flailing ineffectually against Kiku's strength.

    Aria looks to me. Well, I'm not such a bastard to leave something like this. I nod.

    Aria dashes over and slaps the hysterical Rishya.

    Rishya looks shocked that her best friend has just done this.

    "Rish. Running off and getting yourself killed won't help her. We will all go." Aria explains.

    "Of course. Let's hurry." I confirm, patting the still shocked Rishya on the head. She blushes and looks away.

    We fall back into formation and start to run.

    -----
    A warning in advance that I will be very busy on this coming Tuesday, so there may not be chapter 62 until next Wednesday or Thursday! :cry:
     
    Last edited: Nov 28, 2017
  13. eharper256

    eharper256 Purveyor of Dubious Medicinal Elixirs [since 1885]

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    CHAPTER 62
    EXPLOSIVE RESCUE


    I dash furiously, the corridor flying by ahead. Our way is clear, fortunately, even though we do pass by necrofires. The reason is soon evident.

    We burst into another wide open chamber. This one has a stagnant water trench around the outside. In the midst of this, stairs rise on all four sides to a higher level, flatten, and then rise once more to a top level. It reminds of a Mayan pyramid set underground, in grey stone. Each level has dotted sarcophagi and pillars holding up the ceiling, though there is a shaft-like skylight here as well, through which eerie lunar light watches the proceedings.

    But the highlight is of course, our friend, the skull beast. It is... for better description, a skeletal praying mantis, as ludicrous as that sounds, with strong bone legs, wings of flittering black fire, and giant fore-scythe like appendages.

    It roars in fury as the scythes repeatedly slam against a quivering wall of light urgently held up by a crouching woman with an outstretched hand who is stood protectively in front of another fallen young woman.

    The stood up woman could indeed pass for Rishya if she were five years older or such. Long puffy golden twin-tails, and a majestic multi-layered navy blue robe that in no way covers a voluptuous hourglass figure with impressively large bosom. Though the squinted eyes are green, not red.

    As we dash in, it’s easy to tell her barrier of light is already cracked furiously, like a crumpled pane of glass.

    With a final triumphant double slam from the scythes, the skull beast makes the barrier explode, and the girl is blown backwards, crumpling over the crouched body of her compatriot, making them both roll into a pile together.

    "YUUUUZUUU!!" Rishya screams. I guess that confirms that. Small world, huh?

    Fortunately, the barrier still did its job to the last, halting the momentum of the beasts swing. It still has to reach back once more to make the kill.

    Can I reach in time?

    It feels as though things slow down. I dash forwards, lighting a vial. It's too far. Over forty metres!

    Well, Power Throw. I guess I'll have to trust you.

    I screech up next to a sarcophagi and stop with a huge spin like I'm winding up for the shot-putt.

    As my view rotates, out of the corner of my eye, I briefly spot a tanned young girl with fiery red hair cowering behind the sarcophagus next to me. Her gauntleted arm hangs loose like Kiku's did earlier, and blood covers her face.

    No time for that. I let loose. It's very strange. All of my muscles tense up in an instant, painfully, and I can almost sense the crazy bullshit power that runs up my arm.

    Make it!

    The vial is projected forwards like a damn bullet from a sling. It actually cracks and bursts into flame mid-air, and just before the skull beasts wing, unleashes its pent up fury.

    KRAAAKOOMMM!!

    It worked. Holy shit!

    The skull beast, hit from the side, is actually blown aside from the shockwave, crashing down from the top level. Part of its left wing disintegrates.

    The two are saved for now, at least. Their tangled up blonde and dark brown hair whips around a bit, and if they're conscious I likely gave them some temporary blindness or something. But hey, lives!

    Aria, Kiku and Kaede dash by me.

    It reminds me it's not over, and I stop gawking. This thing is still barely scratched.

    As if to answer my thoughts, an ear piercing roar echoes in the chamber. How is a skeleton able to roar?

    The beast leaps from the mid-level, its huge skull creaking around to assess the new threat. It really does resemble some kind of massive insect, though the actual skull feels like it was pulled from a giant bull, and the rear end evokes a lizard like tail. Seriously a bone chimera. Scary.

    Kiku, Kaede and Aria ignore it briefly, running to the other passed out girls. At a serious dash, Aria hands her spear aside for Kaede to hold, crouches and retrieves Yuuzu and the brown haired girl simultaneously on both shoulders with an ugly sounding grunt.

    It looks absolutely absurd, this little barely teen girl hoisting two grown women over her shoulders like sacks of potatoes. But hey, she is not super-strong for nothing.

    The beast realises quickly that this is a rescue operation, and roars once more in fury, tensing to make a jump again with its strong legs.

    But before it can move, I feel anticipation in my stomach, the air becomes intense, and with a crackle, a fork of lighting drops from the ceiling and slams into the beast. The explosive impact slams it into the ground with a dust raising 'boom!'.

    Seria and Rishya sidle up to me. Residual electricity crackles around Seria from the excited thunder spirits around her, and Rishya urgently eyes Aria running towards us whilst carrying her burden. She then looks up at me wide eyed.

    "Y-you... you saved her..." Rishya smiles.

    "Not quite yet... we still have to fight." I reply.

    I smile and she nods with a determined expression, blushing quite furiously.

    Rishya then notices the girl nearby me, and I also remember her. I turn and reach my hand down to her.

    "We're here to help, miss. Are you okay?" I say.

    She has an incredulous expression and wide eyes as if she has trouble processing what is going on.

    But suddenly, staring into my eyes, she grins a massive shit-eating grin, and using her unbroken, gauntleted arm, forcibly grabs my outstretched hand with a squeeze that makes me gasp.

    "Pah nannakvastoris!!" She exclaims.

    Translation function-san actually has a delay that I've not heard since I first arrived. But a millisecond later...

    "My destined one!!"

    Oh fuck.
    ------
    Hahaha. :blobxd: It's love at first explosion for Kali-chan! And is Rishya developing her dere at last?
    As expected, I was too busy this Tuesday. At least this one is actually quite a long one!
     
    Last edited: Oct 20, 2017
  14. eharper256

    eharper256 Purveyor of Dubious Medicinal Elixirs [since 1885]

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    CHAPTER 63
    BEAUTIES AND THE BEAST


    I sigh as I now realise this girl is part of the standard age bracket of my current party. About thirteen, I'd estimate. Tanned olive skin, hair blazing red, bright blue eyes. Behind the blood trickling from her forehead, she has a thin but cute face. She is partially covered in steel plate, just her legs and arms. But her freshly blooming chest is literally just covered by wrapped bandages, and her shoulders have a feathery shawl and necklace setup that envisages something quite tribal. She has strong abs, but no obvious weapons.

    Rishya, with a glare, grabs away the new girl’s hand. She has a funny eye twitch.

    "D-do you not need healing!? I will get to that. Please be careful where you grasp. This arm is also hurt, no?" She splutters.

    The girl cocks her head quizzically at Rishya, with a smile. I swear it feels like my thunder spirit wants to leap out my chest to create ambient sparks between them.

    Seria watches this with an expression one step from berserk laughter.

    Fortunately (?), the roar of the beast reminds us this is no time for shenanigans.

    Aria arrives with her ninja and swordsman escorts, and dumps her burdens behind the sarcophagus with a wheeze.

    "Yuuzu got fat!" She exclaims, glaring and rolling her shoulder before taking her spear from Kaede.

    This is almost certainly not true. Yuuzu is a seriously curvy-in-all-the-right-places young woman. But maybe she is referring to the bosom. It's a DD-cup for sure. Is this Rishya's future? She is already bouncy... it is surely in the genes here!

    A second punctuation of a roar dispels my wayward thoughts, and I look to the beast. It is still crackling with some electricity, but shakes it off and crouches to leap once more.

    "It's coming, yes!" Kaede exclaims.

    Kiku flings a sword, but it ineffectually pings off one of the scythes, ricocheting far off into the room’s corner.

    It leaps, covering most of the distance between us in a single bound, even though it now only has one wing.

    A sweep of its scythe annihilates the sarcophagus two down from the one we are behind in a hail of stone and dust.

    I hold back from wetting myself. Can we even defeat this?!? What was I thinking!

    "We have to try." Aria says, twirling the spear. "It must have a crystal!"

    She grounds my fear. She's right. We don't need to destroy it entirely... just...

    "Za...gemthang... tail it does sits on!" The red haired girl says. "It... hard to smack. Tail dances!"

    Well shit. She's right. Inside the bones of the tail, about halfway from the tip, a rather huge blue crystal sits.

    We need to destroy that?

    Of course, it doesn't give us time to ponder. Aria and Kiku rush forth to intercept it. It roars as Aria skewers it from the side and Kiku leaps over the scythe to run a blade along its skull in a spray of sparks. Their attacks are fairly useless.

    I realise they are not just being suicidal, but are trying to distract it from the unconscious girls.

    Rishya, with a begrudging expression, is healing the red haired girl as well whilst Seria is chanting. These girls having such a controlled battle sense is a blessing to me, who clearly doesn't.

    A crack similar to before is quite evident, but the red haired girl just grimaces rather than crying out. She's quite a hard case, eh?

    "Ta mushily, litta' Yuuzu! I'll fight bester now!" She slaps Rishya on the shoulder, dazing her.

    Then, grinning at me, she crouches, stretches, and then backflips over the sarcophagus, spinning and breaking into a run towards the skull beast in melee.

    She bounces past a gawking Kiku, off an incoming scythe, and then uppercuts the beasts skull with a cracking punch before flipping away once more.

    It roars furiously from the attack. I just raise an eyebrow.

    So this one is a brawler. The conspicuous lack of a weapon and the armoured limbs should have been a giveaway, I suppose.

    As Rishya is shaking her cousin attempting to wake her, Seria looks to be approaching the full spell incantation, and even the new girl is attacking with surprising vigour, I need to step up my game as well.

    Staring at its hollow ribcage, I come up with a stupid idea.

    I pull another vial from the pouch. Time to finally make use of that iron meteorite sand I gathered such a while back...
     
  15. eharper256

    eharper256 Purveyor of Dubious Medicinal Elixirs [since 1885]

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    Also, its a little early for this, traditionally. I normally wait until we have the character perspective chapter for images, but that's a disservice to the badass S'tavi Kaliasta Meenaora as it will be quite a while off until she gets identified this time, so for those wanting a picture of the punchy final girl, here she is:
    [​IMG]
    As normal, you can click Kali to see her on Imgur.

    EDIT: Also updated the front page banner (to include Rishya and Kali)!!
     
    Last edited: Oct 20, 2017
  16. eharper256

    eharper256 Purveyor of Dubious Medicinal Elixirs [since 1885]

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    CHAPTER 64
    AWASH AMIDST THE FURY


    Another blast of lightning launches from the ceiling, but showing some insane dodging skills, the beast leaps to the side. It was ready this time. Seria curses at her wasted blast.

    Aria attempts to make use of its leap to get behind it. She thrusts her spear at the waving tail in an attempt to get a hit on the crystal, but hits the bone with a horrid screeching noise.

    With a roar, the beast slaps Aria away with the tail. My heart leaps into my throat.

    Fortunately her own barrier appears in the nick of time to protect her, but even so, she is still sent smashing into a sarcophagus in a < shape, coughing up something.

    "Aria!" Rishya shouts. She temporarily ignores Yuuzu and the brown haired gothaloli woman, and stands rapidly and chants, soothing Aria with some healing light.

    I kind of want to run out there... but...

    Right now, I can't be foolish. I have to stay calm. She's fine. Look, she just got up. I turn aside.

    "Seria! I have an idea!" I shout over the beasts roar, dashing up to her.

    She looks at me, lowers her upraised palm, and asks "What is it boy? I can't natter and cast at the same time."

    "Is this magnetic?" I urgently query, holding up the bomb containing meteoric sand.

    She stares at it, her eyes briefly glowing white.

    "Curious... it is... but... why?"

    "Shoot it with your accelerator!" I shout. Accelerating the sand to high speed, using a shotgun effect to give a wide burst will help with the accuracy

    She momentarily thinks, but she then shakes her head.

    "Not enough space to go at a useful speed, boy. And will it not explode in my face?" She says.

    Oh shit. She's right. Both of these things are possible problems. Shotgun blasting the tail is actually out. Fuck.

    I curse repeatedly under my breath.

    "Fufufu... that sounds quite... colourful in Syjillian, you know."

    She looks aside and begins chanting once more. I need to think of something better.

    I then suddenly hear Kaede shout out something, and shimmer into existence above the skull beast.

    I did wonder where she went...

    She falls and lands like a cat on the skull, crossing her arms whilst grasping a pair of Kunai, drawing an 'X' shape with a screech and all her strength.

    "It's now!?" I hear Aria shout. She stops, leaps backwards, plants her feet, grasps her large spear one-handed, and looks about to throw it like a javelin.

    What the heck?

    "Get away, yes!" Kaede shouts.

    The beast roars, and tries to fling her off, but before her second rodeo of the day can end in failure, she bounces off of her own volition in a mighty leap.

    Her warning is heard by both Kiku and the red haired girl, though, who both momentarily burst with backwards speed, almost appearing to teleport. Flash step, of course.

    Just in time for an explosive vertical pyre of orange fire to engulf the beasts head. It is slammed into the ground, losing its footing once more, and sticky fire engulfs the skull.

    It reminds me of a highly controlled but less powerful variant of the time I used the molotov.

    When the heck did she learn something like...

    But my surprise is hardly finished. A row of magic circles, of all things, engulf Aria's ready and waiting spear. It begins to suck in light like a black hole.

    The beast, despite being momentarily stunned, realises Aria is preparing something. Though prone, it opens its mouth and purple flames start to appear.

    This thing has necrofire breath?! It'll be faster!?

    Aria grimaces, but stays put.

    "Aria, get out of the way of it!!" Rishya cries out again, reflecting my own concern as the flames start to rise.

    But...

    "I got it" Kiku shouts.

    What the heck has she got?

    She flash steps back in, right next to the fire, and with a spin, both of her blades shimmer.

    She plants them into the skull beasts open mouth. There is a screeching 'ping' noise and the flames literally disappear in a gush of embers.

    It's seriously the imagine breaker, sword version. Even the sound!

    How brave! I feel like I'm falling in love.

    The beast reels backwards at having its magical breath dispelled.

    Just in time for Aria to actually complete her spell, whereby her spear is sheathed in light and she flings it.

    The sunbros. spear as well!? It soars like some kind of sci-fi blaster laser.

    Is this it?!

    Fanboying aside, when did they come up with this combo attack?

    Unfortunately, my surprise turns into shock. The beast somehow still forces itself to leap up, and bounces aside itself in evasion, slapping Kiku away with the backswing of its scythe in fury, and the spear laser that should have penetrated the centre of its mass and taken the tail crystal with it only glances by, blowing away its remaining wing.

    "Kiku!!!" I shout.

    She didn't have a barrier to absorb the crazy power of the scythe like Aria. One of her swords shatters and she spins through the air at obscene speed and will slam into the wall head first like this!

    I can't make it...
     
    Last edited: Nov 28, 2017
  17. eharper256

    eharper256 Purveyor of Dubious Medicinal Elixirs [since 1885]

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    CHAPTER 65
    END OF THE LINE


    But before she can smash into the wall face first and ruin her good looks, a chain apparently made of light itself snakes after her like a bullet, unceremoniously snatching her by the ankle and halting her movement with some severe whiplash.

    She vomits mid-air. Poor Kiku. But whatever that was probably prevented a potentially fatal injury.

    I spin back to look behind me. The chain leads back to Yuuzu, who has one eye closed in a grimace and is being supported up by a simultaneously worried and relieved looking Rishya. Such a complex and surprisingly beautiful expression. The brown haired girl is also coughing in a sitting position now.

    So much has happened whilst I was gawking in a flap. I need to stop panicking and get myself together!

    I slap my cheeks.

    "Are you ok, Miss Yuuzu? And your friend?" I ask her as Kiku is literally reeled in like a fish on a line.

    She looks up at me with some surprise as I address her, but Rishya gleefully answers for her, interposing herself between us in a happy jump.

    "She is! We really saved her, Elijah!"

    Yuuzu stares briefly at Rishya and me, and smiles warmly.

    "Thank-you kindly for the assist, Ser Elijah. I owe you a debt." Her voice is highly lyrical.

    "Not at all. You've just rescued my swordsgirl as well."

    Just on cue, swirly eyed Kiku finishes being reeled in like a fish, and is deposited next to us.

    The beast returns to roaring behind us and combat has resumed already over my shoulder.

    I nod to Yuuzu, and crouch to check out Kiku with concern. She looks more green than usual and is passed out. Her grip is still tightly on one other blade, but she is breathing and otherwise appears unhurt.

    "She will be ok. She will be. I will make her." Rishya chants to herself, balling her fists. She has a cute determined expression when I look to her as she comes down next to me.

    "I trust you, Rishya." I nod.

    She gawks for a second, then nods with determination.

    I breathe out, standing up in time to witness another pair of lightning bolts smash the beast away from a desperately parrying Aria. She leaps back, panting. The red haired girl takes her place in a flurry of blows, apparently still as energetic as ever.

    But... we need to finish this soon, or a death really will occur...

    How can we chain it down?

    Chain it... what about Yuuzu's...

    The brown-haired gothaloli girl suddenly appears next to me. She looks like quite the ojou-sama, but the image is suddenly spoiled as necrofire vertically spikes from her right fist, and forms into a giant bow made of dark steel.

    She pulls one of those scary arrows out that Kaede found earlier, answering that question, and with a draw that baffles the imagination from her slender frame, lets rip with the arrow.

    It hits with some force, smacking aside the beast's scythe just enough for it to completely miss the agile red haired girl, who proceeds to kick the beast’s skull once more, sending it reeling, before back-flipping away.

    The arrows have barbs.

    Is this it? It's worth a shot.

    "Nice shot. Do you think you can hit close to the crystal?"

    She looks at me and snorts with some disdain.

    "I have already tried that. The movement makes it difficult. And when it does connect, the damage is insignificant."

    "But you can certainly get it close? That's all I need!"

    She gapes incredulously as I pat her shoulder, and then immediately turn to Yuuzu.

    "Miss Yuuzu?" I ask. "Are your chains able to pin the beast down?"

    She also looks surprised.

    "Uh... not likely. I can... maybe... trip it up?"

    I look back to the other girl, who has pulled another barbed arrow. A roar resounds behind her again.

    "Can you hit the crystal in that window of time?"

    "Hmmph! Naturally... but I just said..." she debates.

    I rudely grab the arrow off her, take a vial, and skewer the wadding on one of the arrows barbs. It remains quite secure when I tug at it.

    "Now it will damage." I state, matter of factly.

    She snatches the arrow back.

    "This?! Don't be ridiculous!" She complains.

    "Perhaps you should trust him, Kurono." Yuuzu replies. "We have a debt to repay. This man and Rishya saved us."

    The brown haired girl is Kurono? I see. She seems stubborn.

    "I... whatever. I will make it count."

    Yuuzu smiles at her and Kurono blushes and looks away.

    Oh... oh my... so she plays for the other team?

    I grin at this interesting (and possibly premature) revelation. Well... time for crazy plan part two!
     
  18. eharper256

    eharper256 Purveyor of Dubious Medicinal Elixirs [since 1885]

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    CHAPTER 66
    TRI-ATTACK SECOND SORTIE


    Considering power throw was enough to shatter the vial, I'm sure Kurono's powerful shots will also cause a detonation.

    The skull beast is still furiously slashing away at Aria, Kaede and the red haired girl. Being undead, it probably has no concern for fatigue. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the girls, who have mostly stopped attacking and are just evading and distracting for dear life. Even Seria has stopped, looking fatigued from repeated spell casts.

    This is going to work. It must. Retreat will kill us all, and we haven't done enough damage.

    "Yuuzu! Don't strain yourself! Can you really use a full power radiant fetters?" Rishya cries.

    Yuuzu pats Rishya's head, and then raises her hands and chants under her breath, nodding at me.

    I light the fuse on Kurono's arrow. She pops it on her bowstring, glaring at me.

    I take a deep breath, and then shout.

    "Get back!!"

    The girls in melee all retreat. The beast now has no barrier to charging right at this position where us squishies are. I suppose I have to thank it for not being too bright. A somewhat cleverer enemy would have purely focused on where the most obviously dangerous attacks, like Seria's lightning blasts, came from. But it's very much like it has a short attention span, focusing purely on destruction. When it has such power and infinite endurance, though, does it really need more than this rage?

    This time, five chains of light shoot out from Yuuzu's hands. Two of them are intercepted by scythe slashes, and are destroyed in screeching shattering bursts, but the remaining three circle round the two front legs and the tail with precise control before it can pounce to jump away.

    It reminds me of a scene from a certain classic space movie showing a battle on an icy planet.

    The chains snap taut, and the beast falls in a cloud of dust.

    Almost instantly, it smashes one of the leg restraints as it struggles against them. Yuuzu staggers as if she is physically hurting from this damage.

    But it’s long enough. Kurono aims at the tail and let’s an arrow fly.

    ...

    ...

    The tail erupts in blazing white fire, raining debris. The shockwave and flash being so close makes us all stagger back a step. My ears ring. A shard of bone or something clips my forehead, giving me quite a start from the sting.

    Kurono gapes and looks incredulous, as if she is thinking "I did that!?” I guess she was out cold when the first one saved her and Yuuzu.

    I watch the beast intently. The dust clears. It is clear most of the ribcage has been disintegrated this time along with the back left leg. The tail is hung by a string and the crystal... is cracked and is dripping blue fluid.

    It tries to pull itself up, the roar more of a pathetic whine this time.

    It -still- wasn't enough!?

    "No... your time is over. Go meet your ancestors. Kali send you!" The red haired girl shouts, and takes a big leap.

    As she descends, fist first, her violent looking red hair flaps behind her. I might be hallucinating at this point, but yes... it really feels like she is accompanied the silhouette of a large bird.

    She smashes down amongst the flickering flames of the detonated vial, looking tremendously gallant.

    The crystal finally bursts, splattering the girl's gauntlets with that blue liquid.

    The beast’s skull and body jerks up like a doll with its strings cut, and its remaining bones collapse like a precarious museum sculpture.

    The girl bounces away.

    I let out a pent up wheeze.

    It's really... we won!

    All the girls let out relieved whines in the same way I did. There is no jubilant cry of victory, because it was just too close for comfort, I suppose.

    Aria staggers up to me, and breaths out dramatically. She is drenched in sweat and is panting. A few cuts decorate her, dripping blood, and she even has a slight limp in her left leg. She drops her spear with a clang.

    I feel the urge to immediately ruffle her head. So I do. Just briefly. She gives me a weird expression.

    "I... I... was starting to think we couldn't... but..."

    "Haaa... We did it. Aria. You were right."

    We share a knowing wry grin.

    Apparently this causes me to briefly lose touch in my surroundings, though.

    I entirely miss the red haired girl running full pelt at me.

    I experience a flying glomp tackle hug for the first time in my life. It hurts.

    Lacking any preparation for this, I also fall on my ass.

    "My destined one! My rescuer! My strong man! It must be this one for Kali!!"

    She is rubbing her head intensely on my chest, just above the breastplate, like an affectionate cat. She is practically purring like one too. Her movements continually grate her soft developing bosom against my arm and an appealing musky smell enters my nostrils. It's incredibly stimulating...

    But wait! What! Holy crap!

    I look incredulously around. Both Aria and Rishya have developed an eye twitch. Seria's eyes have narrowed and she has a scary, happy smile. Kaede somehow looks even more stoic than usual. Kurono is gawping and even Yuuzu has raised an eyebrow to accompany her gently tolerant smile. If Kiku were conscious, she doubtlessly be shying away and chittering.

    Well I thought the risk to my life was finally over.

    But I was mistaken.

    ----
    Yup, there was no chapter yesterday; because I wasn't happy with this one and re-wrote it from scratch. This version I like alot better!
    It was a four chapter-long fight, but I think it was pretty cool.:blobhero:
     
    Last edited: Oct 27, 2017
  19. eharper256

    eharper256 Purveyor of Dubious Medicinal Elixirs [since 1885]

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    CHAPTER 67
    FEVER DREAM


    I'm living the dream inside the nightmare. A tanned juvenile girl with naught but taunt bandages covering her top is affectionately nuzzling me.

    Whilst I'm surrounded by seven other mostly unimpressed girls.

    Aria, still bearing an eye twitch, advances on this situation, grabs the girl under the armpits, and picks her up.

    It looks absurd.

    Kali... is that her name? She continues to look like a cat that has been hoisted up by its owner.

    She flails with some strength, and tries to stagger onto her feet, but trips, and both of them fall over in a pile. A whipping arm, trying to find support, also grabs Rishya by the top and pulls her down with a squeal. There is a slight tearing sound. Through sheer chance, the falling mess of girls collapses right atop the still prone Kiku as well.

    Wow. I leap up so fast you'd think I'd get whiplash.

    Ah... my lolicon problem is quite severe for me to instantly recognise the value of this situation and even subconsciously use Precognitive Dodge to get a view!

    The view is indeed extraordinary. A groaning trio of red, silver, and golden blonde haired girls are writhing atop each other and the green haired one.

    Best of all, Kali's bandages have gotten loose, Rishya's top has torn right down her cleavage, and Aria's clothes have ridden up to show both her midriff and her panties.

    My blood pressure rises rapidly. I'm probably grinning like a madman.

    Life is good.

    Of course, Kiku also chooses this moment for both of her big green eyes to snap open.

    "Eh wot!!? What in the holy fuck! The shit!" She panics, kicking out involuntarily.

    The mad reaction from rowdy Kiku only makes things worse. It becomes a menagerie of limbs and sweaty panic.

    I snort. Steam should probably come from my nostrils.

    "Goodnight Nii-sama."

    Kaede assassinates me. I didn't even see her coming.

    As I spin backwards from being slammed in the gut, I puzzlingly see Kurono watching the whole affair with a feverish intensity similar to my own whilst Seria and Yuuzu are jointly face-palming.

    I pass out.

    ...

    ...

    When I come to, I have been left on the cold stone floor. How cruel.

    Kiku, Aria and Kaede appear to be picking over the huge bones left behind by the remains of the skull beast.

    Our two mages, plus Yuuzu, are sat at the side, eyes lightly shut, presumably recovering their power. Rishya is grinning with her eyes closed being next to Yuuzu, and is cuddling her arm. They really do look and act like close siblings.

    And both Kali and Kurono seem to both have been forced to sit in a kneeling pose the opposite side. They are both clearly grimacing from this posture. I feel like they need matching signs around their necks stating "I'm repenting."

    I notice Kurono keeps looking up and smiling sinisterly at Kali as well... Weird.

    I feel a prickling sense of danger.

    "Ah, Nii is ~finally~ awake. ~Perhaps~ you want to help us out here?" Kiku musically states.

    Holy shit, she is smiling so sweetly but I have never felt such a palpable sense of menace in my life.

    "Yessir!" I jump up involuntarily with a shudder.

    What did I do?

    I momentarily cause all the girls to pause and look at me as I approach.

    No really... what the hell did I do?!

    "Why do you have such a dumb face, Elijah? When you really looked like you were enjoying us in a tangle earlier, I thought you'd still be absolutely overjoyed." Aria states, absolutely deadpan.

    Maybe... maybe I might have been making the face of a sexual predator to a writhing pile of young girls.

    Yeah. Ok. Maybe I became trash for a minute there.

    I dogeza in front of the massive skeleton, my forehead kissing the stone.

    "I apologise. I was distracted by a beautiful field of flowers and dozed off. I am awake and in control and now I am deeply regretful for my actions."

    I feel like more than just a beat goes by.

    "You wot? Flowers?" Kiku just sounds confused.

    I look up. Aria and Kiku do look confused... and sad.

    I exhale.

    "I was being an irredeemable pervert. Please forgive me."

    Another beat goes by.

    "Pffft... sorry Aria, I can't... bwhahaha!!" Kiku suddenly bursts out laughing.

    "So what's new, Elijah?" Aria snickers.

    Then Aria also starts giggling. I can only be godsmacked.

    ...

    ...

    "So you were just messing with me?" I sigh.

    "Um... actually..." Kiku starts "...you did have a scary face then, Nii... but when it's y..."

    "But males are just this variety of creature, yes?" Kaede interrupts her.

    "Too true. Though this one is a special breed of lolicon pervert." Aria adds the fatality.

    I sigh and it feels like a ghost pours out of my mouth again. Though I have no one to blame but myself, do I?
     
  20. eharper256

    eharper256 Purveyor of Dubious Medicinal Elixirs [since 1885]

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    CHAPTER 68
    PARADISE LOST


    "So, for proper introductions, I am Yuzuurial Ashensalve. I am, as you have likely ascertained, Rishya's elder cousin. I am also a cleric and user of light magic, but my speciality is conjuration, rather than healing."

    I shake her hand, keeping my eyes on her face rather than her exceptional figure.

    The new girls have lined up to introduce themselves. Kali and Kurono still look unsteady on their legs.

    "Kurono, do introduce yourself." Yuuzu says, nudging her.

    "Hmmph... Kurono Cairne. I am an archer and user of void magic. I dislike men."

    Very much to the point. She especially emphasises the last part to me whilst glaring.

    Yuuzu sighs with a 'haah...' and shrugs with a smile to me. Kurono just goes 'hmmph' and wanders off, her duty complete.

    "I apologise for her rudeness... and this is..." She starts.

    "Kali is Kali. Call me Kali! Kali is from Verania! Kali be training to be strong girl to be trader and leader!"

    It feels like she's about to leap and nuzzle me again as I warily shake her gauntleted hand, but she thinks better of it.

    "Her full name is actually 'S'tavi Kaliasta Meenaora'." Yuuzu explains.

    "Not all name. Silly Yuuzu. Is Kali's home, Kali's name, and Kali's school of fighting! But Kaliasta too much. Call Kali Kali."

    "I see. Nice to meet you, Yuuzu, Kurono and Kali." I say. "My name is Elijah, and I am an Etranger. I have been summoned by the Princess Aria to defeat the Demon Lord, Cultivator."

    I point her out, and she nods.

    Yuuzu nods, curtsies, and says 'your majesty' to Aria, entirely unfazed. Kurono, at the back, looks startled at this, and hurriedly also grabs her long black dress and curtsies. Kali bows.

    "Hehe... I don't need anyone to scrape. This isn't the place... and no one ever seems to realise I'm a princess of Jeraldine anyhow... hahaha..." Aria has her arm behind her head, looking embarrassed.

    "This girl is Kiku Arnas." I continue. "She’s a swords-girl mercenary."

    "Um... nice to meet you... and thanks for saving me back there, Miss Yuuzurial." Kiku chitters, blushing at being introduced.

    "This is Kaede Murasaki. An assa..."

    "A rogue, yes, nii-sama?" She interrupts. She sure is becoming more brazen recently.

    "...A rogue and... our party scout?"

    She nods.

    I suppose calling her a killer or an assassin is not going to set a good impression. I should indeed be careful...

    "Ahem. This is Seria Sesshouin. The Sage of Thunder."

    This makes both Yuuzu and Kurono go wide eyed. Seria cackles like the old woman she secretly is. No one expects such a young looking girl to be a Sage.

    "And I probably don't have to tell you about our party healer, Rishya."

    Yuuzu smiles wryly.

    "You sure got yourself into quite the pickle, Rishya. Helper to an Etranger? Uncle Doug must be beside himself in worry. But... you always wanted to be with Aria, didn't you?"

    Rishya folds her arms over her chest and nods.

    Yuuzu then blushes slightly as she looks back at me.

    "Um... as you are wearing my engagement present, does this mean... umm...?"

    Oh shit! I forgot about that!

    "Ahhhh! No way! Dad was being a douchebag! You! You can't marry Elijah, Yuuzu!!!" Rishya answers for me, balling her fists.

    Yuuzu looks at her, and at me, and back to her, then smiles wryly again.

    "You have a tough road ahead of you, Rishya. Good luck." She says.

    That has such nuanced meaning to it.

    "W-w-what are you t-talking about! It's not like I... Ahhhh! R-rude! I hate you, Yuuzu!" She denounces.

    Aria starts laughing, and everyone joins in, even Rishya herself after a delay. Although… not Kali, who has been studying each of the girls as I introduced them. Scoping out her competition?

    Yikes... that's not the sort of thing I ever expected to say about a girl in my old, mediocre life. It's actually quite disconcerting that I've come to almost just accept this as the norm.

    After the laughter dies down, Kali opens her mouth.

    "Yuuzu. Kali is very sorry. But Kali wishes to go with this man. Is Kali's saviour." She looks determined.

    This causes an uproar. Aria sighs dramatically, Kiku face-palms and clangs her own visor, Kaede narrows her eyes, Seria smiles terrifyingly, and Rishya has a sharp intake of breath before going 'hmmmph!' and looking away.

    Yuuzu sighs as well.

    "I expected as much. If he will have you, do as you will."

    Wait, I get a say in this? It feels to me she'll just stalk me if I refuse.

    "Another troublesome one... will it never end?" Aria whines, apparently already resigned to me approving this decision with a tired look.

    "WAIT! You mad Veranian bitch! You can't... we haven't settled anything! And I..." Kurono pipes up, apparently surprising Kali.

    "Ah! Kali is sorry, Kuro-chan, but Kali likes men!"

    Kurono deflates and it's almost like Kali directly punched her in the gut with her gauntlets.

    "My... my paradise is already falling apart..." she groans, staggering backwards.

    Yuuzu face-palms with a smack. Her eye twitches.

    "Kurono... we already discussed the fact that I am not that way..."

    "Nononono! I'm not listening! It's always men that ruin it all! Ahhhh!"

    She dashes off, attempting to escape reality. I feel somewhat sorry for her. A lesbian harem is surely a noble goal... I wonder just...

    Aria chops me on the shoulder with an unimpressed look.

    Yep... gotta be careful. Dangerous thoughts are dangerous.

    Welp... looks like I've gained another source of trouble.
    ----
    Post #100! :aww: