Chapter 12: The Ceasing of Death.
After discussing the plans, we headed towards Fort Kol. Where the enemies are at.
What met us later was rather disappointing.
As we arrive at the front gates, the demons have already expected us and took a defensive stance to protect themselves, and the gates.
"Humans. We see the massive power difference between us... But for th-"
The demons were shot before they could even continue speaking. Rayan shot down the enemy guard on the fortress walls. The plan proceeded, but with a few changes.
"Crowler. Break in through the gates."
Says Den, before Crowler dashes forward, crashing through the front gates. The enemy charged towards us right after the gates collapsed, but Crowler cuts them down in an instant.
This is going exactly like as we planned. Almost like it's the same as when we used to be with Korpa. Feradon fires [Flame Burst] at the enemies, helping out Crowler.
"Just like how we always do it! Actually... the enemies are too weak! Can anyone give us a challenge?"
Suddenly, the demons stop fighting. A white flag is raised up by their leader. Have they surrendered?
"Surrendering? Didn't know demons do that too."
The flag holder walks up to us. Is it offering it's head to save the rest? What's going on?
"Hero... We have seen it already... We are no match for you... We give up..."
Says the Demon.
"Hooray!! Good thing I didn't waste any of my magic energy on you guys!"
"Hm. How strange. For a demon to surrender..."
Something is definitely off... Why would they surrender so easily..? I can't sense any bloodlust anymore...
"Hehehe... You humans can celebrate for now... For the Blood God will arrive soon... There won't be any escape during the apocalypse..."
Blood God again?! Even on another continent, I still hear that name!
"Blood God? Oh. That guy. Yeah. We'll definitely die during that day. But for now. We'll have fun slaughtering you guys."
"No need for more bloodshed... I am Opera... The leader of the demons in this fortress... We can talk this out... We have some message to you as well... Coming from our home. Kikikikikiki..!!!
"What a funny laugh. But alright. We'll follow you. Don't even try attacking. My guys have like... I don't know but they can sense danger for some reason."
We follow behind Opera, he leads us down into the fortress, into a room with a lot of papers. A magic circle is drawn on the floor, looks like some sort of ritual.
"What's this? Summoning chamber? The portal to your home?"
"Something like that... It also serves as a communications room... Where we talk to our friends back in our world..."
Hmm... If I'm right, demons come from the demon world, or the demon realm. Though, the demons in our world are weaker, and they have no way back home.
"Here it is... The message..."
The demon shows a paper to us. It reads:
"Blood God's Return."
"This is Keraya, the 1st Demon General. The reality disturbance in the human realm has become too strong, Sawa has given all of you an order to kill as many humans as you can, we need more food for the revival of the Blood God."
"Apocalypse will dawn on us, when the end is nigh, will the Blood God return and open up the gateway back into our home."
This Blood God sounds really dangerous... Is it the end of the world when it comes back? What can we really do against this thing?
"Hmm. What nonsense. Even if it's true, I'll just save the world from this, Blood God or whatever."
"Heh... Do what you want to do... The Blood God has an immeasurable amount of power... Mere humans like you wouldn't be a match against it..!"
"Wouldn't you be taken out by the Blood God as well though?"
"We only want the destruction of mankind... We don't care what else happens to us along the way..."
"Well then. I shall crush your head right here now."
"That wouldn't matter... More death means more souls for the Blood God..."
I think we've talked about this before... To revive the Blood God right? Those cities being destroyed, and left alone by the demons...
"Sigh... So what should we do to stop this..?"
"There is no way to stop it... The blood God will come back soon... And the end of humanity will come..."
"Oh... Right... I remember now. I'm the Hero for a reason. Even if it means fighting a God. I will save humanity!"
"How great... Too bad everything will be crushed soon... There will be none stopping the Blood God..."
"Anyways. Goodbye now, Demons. I suppose there wouldn't be any reason to kill you guys here right now. It would only speed up the Blood God's revival. And you're only a defense group right? I'll just let our guys know that killing is just pointless."
"I shall see you again... Hero... Back in the abyss..! The place where all souls come to rest..!"
"Yeah. But don't expect me to show up. I'm in a hurry, you see? A man like me don't have time for places like the abyss. Feradon. Contact Asanrak. Tell them about the situation. We're going to be the heroes of humanity..."
We really are going to be the heroes of humanity huh... I wouldn't want to fight a God myself but I guess we'll have to!
"Very well, Den. May the fate of humanity rest on our hands."
"Let's go! I can't wait to hunt down this Blood God or whatever..!"
"Heh..?! We're really fighting a God?!"
"I shall strike down, any who stands against humanity."
"Haven't gone full power before..! This'll be great!"
This will definitely go wrong. Frelhr has already told me about how the Blood God is a trillion times stronger than humanity. Even Den won't be able to make a scratch- no, he won't even get near in first place.
Later, we left the fortress without taking down another demon. We head down a long road leading into "Madagon", a city now taken by the Eleantad Empire. Feradon told us that there was someone skilled at crafting in the city, now, they have become a part of the resistance groups. Is it the same person that The Tale of the Great White mentioned? Wait. No... Madagon is not from the holy kingdoms...
Now that we know that losing more souls means reducing more time for the Blood God's revival, it would be pointless now to attack demons, or fight enemies.
Thanks to some disguise made by Lare, we managed to get in Madagon without being caught by the soldiers. There were many people of the empire in the city, the former inhabitants were treated terribly by their new occupiers.
"Ha..! How horrible..! Shouldn't we help them? Like... More death is bad, but if we sacrifice one so he doesn't make more deaths... It would mean good, right?"
Says Liand as we walk past multiple people being kicked around by the soldiers.
"It doesn't work like that you idiot. Besides... We don't want attention right now..."
"We're here for your friend right, Feradon?"
"No. Not my friend. I haven't even met them before. They're more of a... Right! They're a friend of Rika! That one commander back in the bases..? Yeah. This is also her hometown. It wouldn't be surprising if the army comes in and fight these guys."
Hmm... I'm more interested about her home. Why, how, and where did she even keep Napalm, and Thermobaric bombs? Is it thanks to her friend?
"Rika Zerai? Oh, her. So? What about her friend? What do they do?"
"We'll see. I've heard that they're making something called a plane. Basically a flying vehicle, made to fly in the sky! Isn't that cool?!"
A plane?! In this world?! Judging from the bombs used by Rika, and the plane mentioned by Feradon, this person must have some knowledge about my old world... Perhaps, they're another reincarnated human??!!
"Hmm. That does seem interesting. There has been some people who have tried making that before... But it's mainly used in the military now."
"It's only a rumor. But if we can get them on our side..!"
"We can fly."
"Exactly! I have more details about the plan later. But for now. We've gotta find them first."
"Where are they? You must have their location already huh. But if-"
"Nope. I don't know where they are."
"..."
"Really. I told you we are gonna find them."
"Why do you have no plans?"
Afterwards, we spent 2 days trying to search for this person. No one had a clue about them! Did they even exist in this city? But if Feradon's right... Rika's house should be around here somewhere...
"Hm? Where are you going Vixen? Wanna buy carrots? I've already run out of cash so don't expect me to pay for you..!"
No, Rayan. I just want to leave.
We stayed at an inn for the time being. Me and Rayan were sitting at the bench right outside. Even though it's already getting dark, I'll have to find Rika's house as fast as possible, and find her weapons somehow.
I roamed around the streets for while. Until I finally found it... H-how obvious!! Is this what they meant by "hidden in plain sight"?! How did I not notice it before?!!
A large sign was placed above a house saying: "Rika's Home".
I entered the house, the door wasn't locked but the lights were also turned off. Is no one home? Of course, she's in battle, probably...
I turn on the lights and find the place... Surprisingly clean... Looks like someone has been living in here. Is it the person we've been looking for? A locked door sat on the kitchen. I rip the lock out and find a stairway leading down to the basement.
As I descend down the stairs, the sound of someone singing can be heard.
"La-la-la-la-laa!! Hmm!! Time for my favorite meal!! Copper and Iron!!"
Copper and Iron?! Is there a robot?!
As I reach the final steps, I cautiously look behind the wall and see a woman cooking something on a table. Wait. What's the point of hiding? I get up and put my hand on her shoulder.
"HAA!!!"
The woman jumps back in fear, trembling, before freezing. Isn't she overreacting?
"Wawawawawawa!!! W-w-who the hell are y-you?!!"
Gah! I wish I could talk right now... But I don't want to throw down Divine Intervention in a stranger's home.
I perform some hand signs. I don't know what this means but I hope she will understand that I'm friendly.
"H-huh?! P-please!!! Spare me!!! I'm not!!- I'm not!!! Waaaahhhh!!"
What?! She's crying?!!! She's an adult! Why is she crying like this!?
I sigh. I guess I'll have to talk. I throw away Divine Intervention for the curse to disappear.
"Ahem ahem. Relax. Woman. I am not a threat. Do not fear."
"Waaaahhhh!!! Nooo!!! Please!!! What have I done wronggg??!!!"
How can I forget how to speak now?! Has the curse done too much damage?! That I can't even speak properly now?!
"Do not fear. I am. I am the hero."
"Please..!!! Spare me!!"
"How many times will I have to say it woman?!?"
"Noo!! I'm sorry!!!"
"Hah... What should I do..."
"I'll give you the plans!! Please!! Don't!!!!"
"Plans? Oh. That's right. The plans! Where is that plane you've been making?!"
"P-plane..?!! Okay okay..!! I'll show you..!!"
She slowly takes something out under the table. It's a- it's a gun!!
"Stay back o-o-or I'll have to shoot!!!"
"Relax. Please. I am not a threat..!"
What should I do..? Getting shot is painful. But she'd become more scared if I just destroy her gun.
"Please. Trust me!"
She shoots anyways. I dodge the bullet perfectly. But she becomes even more frightened. How annoying. I guess I'll have to beat- no... I must calm down...
"Woman... Relax your mind... I am not a threat..."
"W-why are you in my house anyways!!!?"
"This isn't your house. This is Rika's house."
"Doesn't matter!!"
What does she mean it doesn't matter!?
"Calm down. I'm her friend. We have worked together in the past."
"W-worked together?!!? I-I-I have no choices but to kill you thenn!!"
Huh? What? Why?
I grab her gun and take it away. I'm really gonna crush her skull if she doesn't stop being this scared..!
"Wawaawawa..!! Why!! Noo!!"
"Relax. Please- wait."
I walk away and come back with a cup of tea. This should begin a normal, and friendly discussion now.
"Sit down. And drink the tea."
She sits down at the other side of the table.
"Please..!! H-huh... tea..?? Oh... Hehe... A-alright then..!"
She drinks the tea while shaking. How does one overreact this much? Wait. Does she think it's poison? If she has calmed down already. I can assume that she's not afraid of poison.
"S-so..? Why are you here..?!"
"I'm with the Asanrak army. Allies are somewhere in this city. We've come here to help you."
"R-really..?! I don't need help..!! Rika will be back soon... She'll be the only help I'll take..!!"
How annoying. If we can't get her on our side... This will be an annoying mission. I'm not that good at communicating. Especially now that the curse has damaged my communication skills. I could get everyone here... But there's a risk of her running away...
"Rika is in the army. She's probably fighting some demons right now. She'll be here though, don't worry."
She did tell me that we were going to meet again...
"I know..! I-I don't need your help..!! Shoo shoo! Get out of the house!"
"Hah..? I guess I'll have to speak the truth then. We need your help."
"My h-help..? No! I won't help you!"
"I haven't even... Anyways. Were you the one who made those thermobaric and napalm bombs? It was a massive help in taking down the enemy."
"It w-was..?! Hehe..!"
"So it was you who made it."
"W-what?! No! I never said anything about it!!"
"How simple minded. But please trust me. We're not going to hurt you, in any way. We just need your help."
If we can get her on our side, we might be able to fly back to Jruhgu, and her abilities would be a massive help in creating the Magical Electromagnetic Superweapons. They've only copied the LASER blueprints after all.
Of course, we could just take her forcefully... But I'd rather not do that...
"No! I'll never help you! I don't even know who you are..!!"
"I'm Vixen, Vixen Corr. From the kingdom of Djoflour at the other continent. We're sent here as heroes, to save humanity from doom."
"I-I don't care if you will save us from- what or what!! As long as I can live peacefully- I-I will-"
"You will live peacefully, you know? Our base is one of the safest places in this world right now. Unlike this continent, which is filled with war and death, Jruhgu is in a continent where the humans have already won. It's also a city controlled by my friend. We also have a God on our side."
"A-a god?! I don't believe you!! Besides... I don't mean-"
"You wanna live with Rika, right? Well. You can live safely there too."
"Kh!! Stop being annoying! I won't join you!"
She's the one being annoying! Hah... This feels really childish... I must take care of this immediately.
"You impertinent little brat! Don't you understand that the fate of mankind is in your hands?! Once you give us your help, the demons will be eradicated off the face of this planet!!"
"H-hah... I'm sorry... You have something to get rid of demons..?"
"Yes. Exactly."
"I see... You aren't really a bad guy, I know... But I'm sorry... I'll only stay by her side..! And-"
How damn annoying! For such a weak and unimportant person...
"Come, on..! We can get both of you into our base! Why do you resist so much?!"
"... Actually... T-the Eleantad Empire has me to make them their weapons... If I don't... Something bad will happen..."
"Hmm. I see. How about we destroy the Eleantad Empire as well. So why don't you. Come with us?"
I hold my hand out to her.
"H-huh... Really..? You can do that..?"
"Hm! That's right!"
Her eyes fill with hope, almost beginning to cry again.
"Alright then! Let's destroy the demons! And the Eleantad Empire!"
She says, before taking my hand.
How naive..! But that's fine, I guess.