A man in his thirties dismounted from his horse and walked towards a nearby pile of wood and stone.
His short trimmed black hair and eyes framed his slightly wrinkled face and square jaw. But beneath the rough exterior enveloped by his sunbathed color, lies a warrior of immense loyalty and a man of kindness.
Traits he now felt tested as he knelt in front of the rubble, clenching his fists at the burnt hand poking out from beneath the still smoking pile of wooden beams.
It was child's hand no doubt, making his chest ache even more. With a steadying breath, he turns to the man next to him. And says. "Lead the survivors to E-Rantel, Vice Captain."
Scandalized, the man retorts with panic swelling from his voice. "Captain! Reconsider!"
"That's an order." but he remained firm.
"You can't be serious about going forward Captain!?" the man gritted out. "...they left them alive! That is more than an indication of their true intentions!"
It is as he pointed out, the implications did give off a foreboding feeling that is impossible to ignore. Even for the common man, but-
"...I can't give up on the last village..." the man whispers. His eyes darting to the hand, imagining the corpse buried beneath. "...so long as they draw breath, I must hope that I could still reach them."
"Captain! This isn't just an attack on you! But to the King-"
"Aye! To the king himself. Which is why I must act! Regardless if it is a trap or no." the man, Gazef, felt the rage encroaching in his mind, and with a deep breath, slowly calmed himself down.
His eyes became searching, and in the face of his Vice Captain, he saw fear. A fear that felt all to familiar to him and for a moment he saw another... A boy wearing a wool shirt, breaches, barefooted with an aged and twisted sword at hand...his once youthful self. So with sad smile, he added.
"I was born in the frontier villages. Lucky enough to be son to a militia who owned a sword. One he trained me with."
"...aye...me too Captain..." the man replies.
"I know of the harshness in these lands. The monsters... the men... even the neighbors... yet for each struggle, I kept on hoping... hoping for salvation. For many years I have dreamt of seeing a Hero. For one to come by and save us whenever our villages strength is tested...I have always wanted to see a hero...that when none came, I aspired to be one." his eyes scanned his surroundings, frowning at every house, every home and every corpse that littered the once standing village, now reduced to charcoal, ashes, soot, blood and rot. "I know how they feel, I could only imagine what they felt when they asked for help and no one came." he turns to his Vice Captain and says. "That is why I can't stop. Not when I know there are those who needed saving."
The firm words that left his lips were immovable. That much the Vice Captain knew, and so he only smile in defeat while giving away orders for another to lead the survivors. While mounting his horse, and nodding to the now mounted Gazef Stronoff.
"I have no intention of missing the chance to witness the rise of a Hero, Stronoff-sama."
Enri groans awake, her blurry eyes blinked away the spots. And as she recognized the place she was in, she couldn't help but call out.
"...mom...Dad?"
With an ache on her back she tried to sit up only to yelp and fall back on the bed. It was then that she felt the heat and pain that suddenly coursed up and down her spine.
She bit down on her lips to prevent the scream of pain. Only for her eyes to widen when a familiar monster loomed over her.
He was smiling from ear to ear in a hideous way. Made worst by the blood staining his teeth and lips. And as fear ran up her skin, she shivered while scooting away from the man.
And then, at the corner of her vision, she saw her mother. Nailed by a dagger to a wall, legs spread too wide and broken. With red and white fluids dripping from her thighs and between her legs.
"Mot-" she was suddenly silenced as his bloodied hands clamps painfully around her mouth. The taste of iron in her mouth, the scent of steel and the slick presence of blood... all of it made her shake in fear.
*Shhh~
The monster said, and not far from them she heard her voice..
"Enri!!! Nemu!!!"
Hope surged, and in a fit of fear and desperation she struggled against his meaty hands. She punched and kicked anything she could reach. Trying to pry off his grip but his fingers refused to let up.
Suddenly, she freed her mouth enough and bit down on the offending hand. The man yelled in surprise and pain. His face suddenly twisted into anger and in response, he threw her against the wall. Enri yelped at the massive surge of pain hammering against her back, but the sudden yell-
"ENRI NEMU!"
-gave her some semblance of hope. The loud thud could surely be be heard from a distance, but Enri could not smile triumphantly... feeling nothing but the numbness of the situation, where even hope felt hollow and cold.
Her eyes shook and tears renewed as she locked eyes with the monster in a man's skin. Holding her litter sister by her jaws, fingers clamped around her lips, and a dagger pressed against her throat. Drawing blood with every drop, a drop for every second.
Her throat dried out, unable to utter a word against the fierce, mocking and ugly eyes that bore great seriousness against her.
She didn't know when she surrendered, only that she felt so light headed. That all she could do was remain there... looking down and defeated.
The footsteps got closer and closer. Her voice, now echoing against the silence. But Enri could not speak out. All she could do was look as the monster slowly tiptoed his way behind the door, not letting go of her sister.
"Enri!" she heard.
She wanted to shake her head, to plead that she leave, but deep down. She hopes that she would save them. And as the woman's foot falls thudded against the wooden floor, she remained frozen, looking in defeat that turned to horror as the man threw her sister towards their savior.
"Nemu!!!" she cried out.
Sera caught the little girl, only to be thrown on her side as she felt a punch land square in her jaw.
Hands immediately clamped around her neck, and another at her hand.
But the assailant froze as he beheld the woman. Her face twisted into pain, skin as radiant as silk, as warm as sunlight, lips as red as blood with eyes as bright as a lone candle light. She is-
"A BEAU-" *GAHK! he spat out with blood and spit staining her clothes. His eyes widened in panic as he now gazed at the angry visage of the once defenseless woman. His eyes searched for answer, only to find a blade beside him. Halfway buried through his spine and out his belly.
"Wha-" *bam! she kicked him. A kick so hard he looked as if he was shot from a canon and through several walls, ending up as a red stain in the distance.
The room was silent with but the sounds of deep breaths released by Sera. After calming her heart, she picked herself up and checked on the two girls.
"Nemu..."
Her words sparked action from Enri. Making her reach for her sister only for her legs to give out.
In her confusion, she felt her breath leave her as she gazed at her legs. Still shaking and weak with slight shivers still trailing up and down her skin. Unable to get up, all she could do was watch as Sera treated Nemu's injury and to her relief, it took no more than a few second for her to do so.
"Enri..." her voice snapped her attention back to the woman from her sister. And cried tears of joy as she felt her strong presence embrace her.
After several seconds, she had begun to calm down from her warm and caring caress. And with some strength returning to her legs, Enri picked herself up, only to tense as a groan reached their ears.
"Mother!!" Enri shouted.
After a whole minute spent on cleaning the stains from her mother's body and healing her wounds. Sera then lifted her up and carried her while Enri carried Nemu as they went for the safety of the barn.
A few steps outside of their house and Enri yelped as she tripped. Subconsciously hugging her sister close to her chest with her hand around her head. With a deep breath, she put herself on her knee and yet she could not stand.
"Enri-" Sera whispers.
And with the flash of all that had happened, she screams and broke down crying. Her hands were weak and could not clench, her legs were shaking and felt boneless while her skin shivers either of the wind or the fear... she does not know, not when she could still feel like her heart is pressed against her throat.
"Hush...love... It's ok now. I'm here... its ok."
Her soothing voice placates her fears but barely yet again she ends up dragged away into the same nightmare. Unable to leave behind the horrors just a step behind her.
Londes could only grit his teeth in frustration and fear at clashing swords against such a monster.
Momon, had proceeded to devastate his men into whimpering little children. As he used one of their own against them. Swinging the armored man around like a club. Resulting in a mess of blood, dented steel, iron, entrails and most of all, the complete decimation of his men's minds and moral.
Feeling the ever rising of desperation, he decided to pour everything against the man.
"Heal yourselves! Cavalry forward! Archers at the ready!"
The men followed his orders, the sounds of corks popping off of their bottles were drowned out by the sound of hooves. And in the slightly cramped space of the village square, six of the twelve riders rushed forward.
But Momonga was unfazed and instead twirled his sword into a reverse grip and threw it like he would a spear.
The blade sailed at frightening speed, that when it struck at one of the riders, it pierced through his throat while throwing him off of his horse at the same time.
With incredible precision and strength, he repeated the action one more time, killing another. This time, through the slits of the helm.
The thudding of the flesh against the dirt made Londes flinch, but he clenched his fists as hard as he can. Observing his enemy while fending off the fear.
When the first rider reached him, Momon rolled to the side into a crouch, dodging a sword from said rider.
Then with great flex of his legs, he launched himself like a canon ball between two riders. Grabbing their heads mid air, and then slamming them down with a thunderous sound as he landed.
The ground quaked at his explosive strength, leaving a cracked soil and a pool of blood in between the crushed helmets and Momon's fingers.
Four dead in an instant, and in their fear induced minds, the remaining two urged their horses to run only to die with a sword through their backs and out their chests.
"Archers!!" Londes shouts and in a second, dozens of arrows sailed straight to Momon.
Momon barely reacted but with a kick of his feet, he lifted a sword from the ground and grabbed it midair. And with a grunt of effort, swung his sword with such strength that the air itself swirled violently. Throwing the arrows off track, falling aimlessly around him.
He then retaliates by throwing the sword in the far distance. Londes watched as the sword left a trail of silver and heard the scream of his Captain, Belius.
"MONSTER!!" Londes bellows but Momon wasn't done. His arm flexed, fingers rigid as he sunk them inside the steel armor of a fallen corpse at his feet. And with another grunt, threw the armored body straight towards the archers.
*bang!
The loud sound accompanied by panicked screams filled the square but Londes' eyes remained affixed at the airborne bodies of three of his men. Twisted, bleeding, crushed and torn.
He gritted his teeth as he drew his sword and rushed towards Momon, swinging his sword at the giant. But to Londes' horror, Momon moved so nimbly that he merely shifted his stance to avoid every single one of his swings.
And when he swung at Momon's waist, he suddenly grips his wrist, and twist it. "Arghh!" with a pained grunt, he drops his weapon, forced down on his knees and then.
*Bang! went his helm against Momon's knee.
The noise rattled his brain to the point that everything around him became blurry while the world spun at great speed. He tasted the blood on his lips and the steel crushing his face, and only when he felt the dirt on his finger tips did he realized he had fallen to the ground.
The sound of screams and roars of defiance sounded muffled in his ears. Wanting to focus, he shook his head only to make things worst.
But when he felt someone grip his ankle, he then realized how wrong he was. He felt himself get bound by his feet, dangling upside down. And in seconds... he began to lose consciousness, cursing his luck at the insurmountable force his men was forced to face.
Momon stood strong and unmoving, surrounded by piles of corpses, pools of blood and shattered steel, scattered beneath his feet.
The half naked man, simply squared his shoulders with a deep exhale that engulfed the silence. And already, the men's hearts were pounding against their armors.
"Now then... who's next?"
No one answered, and when Momon took a single step forward, everyone inched back.
Momon's eyes sharpened as he spoke. "You have courage to chase defenseless women and children. With none to spare against a worthy foe."
No one answered. Some of them even shook their heads in acknowledgement of his words.
"Pathetic."
「 Momonga-sama. 」
「What is it Albedo.」
「Their target is approaching. Just a couple of hours away beyond the hill.」
「Thank you Albedo.」
「You are always welcome! Momonga-sama~」
「Umu...」
"Lower your weapons and I will let you live."
Immediately the men dropped their weapons. But then, no one moved, as if waiting for his permission. Yet when he took a step forward, they ran.
"Oi!! Hey!!! Help me!!! Don't leave me here!!! Save me!! SAVE ME!!!!" Belius cried out, his leg trapped beneath his horse.
He tried to push the dead animal away, but the beast was too heavy. Suddenly, darkness loomed over him. Making him shakily look up and to his horror, saw Momon standing right above him. Looking down on him with a blank and expressionless face.
"I-I have money... just-just.. JUST spare me life!" Momon slowly reached for his head. "WAIT! WAIT! WAIT! WAIT! I HAVE MONEY- WOMEN- SLAVES- TREASURES-... I- I KNOW SECRETS!" Belius saw a slight gleam in the man's eyes. "Yes! I do! I-I can tell you a great many things! Just let me live!" he all but shrieked, desperation dripping with every word.
"Very well mortal." Momonga said. "Your life is spared, for now..."
'...mortal...'
"...what are you..."
For a moment, Belius saw an armor as black as night, crowned by horns and thorns. Heroic, majestic, menacing and imposing all at the same time and he knew then, this was no human.
"To you... I am inconsequential."