The Monster Multiverse

Somewhere in Laramies…

It was the beginning of The Renaissance and what remains of the Old Luminaire fled to the remote continent Laramies to continue their war against Mamono-kind and their supporters which now include their Principal God, Eiraiha. Needless to say they were at a disadvantage and this was the topic of discussion in Old Luminaire’s current capital, Thalamor. The current king sits upon his throne while the rest of the throneroom had six balconies which contained one advisor each.
“The war cannot go on! They have countries while we have towns! A surrender should be--”
“Do not speak of surrender or lose hope, Advisor Jordan. Remember, we are in the right! This war may seem hopeless but--“
“Advisor Kent, simply believing is not enough to win. We should have a plan so I suggest we try a hit-and-run tactic.”
“A hit-and-run tactic, Advisor Wayne? What? Were you planning to be a mere nuisance to our enemy? A small fly asking to be swatted?”
“Advisor Arthur is right. With our enemy’s size and power, a hit-and-run tactic will prove fruitless and a waste of time and resources. We will only anger the enemy into doing something drastic.”
“At least it’s better than surrendering…”

The advisors continued to hurl their opinions and suggestions over the king’s head who stared at the gigantic doors that lead to the throneroom. His eyes were tired and stressed and thinking, a sign of how the king was faring over the course of his rule. The advisors went quiet and the king’s interest piqued when the throneroom’s doors opened and a man in a tuxedo and a top hat casually walks into the room and kneels before the king and tipping his hat. He raised his head revealing his brown, curly mustache and black eyes.
“Greetings Your Majesty, I am Dirk Willsbury or as I like to call myself, ‘El Cero’ and I have heard about your plight about New Luminaire and her allies.” He then stands upright. “I plan to offer my help in reclaiming your homeland but I will need your help too in my… covert operations.”
The advisors could not believe some random man had entered the throneroom. “Guards, remove this man!”
“Halt!” the king ordered. “How do you plan on helping us Dirk Willsbury? And what do you mean by covert operations?” he then asks the intruder.
Dirk smiles at the king. “El Cero has a multitude of plans to bring down both the Demon Lord and the traitorous Principal Goddess. However, much preparation and resources are needed. For now, continue to harass the monster lands while El Cero borrows some of your men to gather some necessary equipment.”

“This is absurd! My liege, remove this man and his idiotic ideas!” one of the advisors pleaded to his king but his words fell deaf.
“Then after that, what is next?” the king asks Dirk.
“The plan is very large Your Majesty and is subject to change at El Cero’s whim.” Dirk answers.
“Is this plan guaranteed to succeed?” Advisor Kent asks.
Dirk looks at him and answers bluntly. “No.”
The advisor could only place his palm in his face. “Your Majesty please…”

“You are not a Luminarian, that is certain.” The king then asks. “Why should we listen to what you say, Sir Dirk? Why do you help us?”
The intruder closes his eyes before answering sincerely. “Because Your Majesty, I am a human like you.”

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Somewhere in Minami Akrufia…

Ortus, a Neutral State in the middle of Minami Akrufia. It stands out from other Neutral States as it does not permit Mamono residence. It might let Mamono inside and stay for a couple of days or weeks but a Mamono staying permanently is a big no for the Ortusians. It is also mobilizing an army and its neighboring states fear an invasion from it. However, Ortus has been doing that since the Time of Upheavals and no sign of an invasion was present. This confused the neighboring states so they sent spies who squeezed not a single drop of information about the growing military.

In an Ortusian barracks was a boy practicing moves with a long wooden staff within the barracks’ training yard. He had short black hair and dark blue eyes and wore a black and blue armored bodysuit. A black-armored person with a cape enters the training yard which the boy notices. The staff wielder stops his practicing to look at the visitor in his glowing red eyes behind a bartute helmet. “Sir Dietrich. What brings you here?”
“Just checking up on you Cloy.” the black-armored person answers. “You know how caring Walter is.”
“Yeah but I guess it’s not a bad trait.” Cloy rubs the back of his head.
“Indeed, considering how openly you accepted his ideals.”
Cloy opens his mouth to protest but something else came out. “I guess he did rub off on me a bit.”

“Have you finished that mask I requested?” Cloy asked as he puts on a brown cloth to conceal his bodysuit.
“It should be done by now. It’s a stupid mask by the way.” Dietrich answered as the two exited the training yard and the barracks with Cloy still holding the wooden staff.
“It is NOT stupid.” Cloy made it clear to his black-armored friend as the two entered a busy street.

The pair soon stops in front of a stone house. It was isolated from the bustling city but not by a great distance. A black-garbed person with a hood hiding his face riding a black horse makes it way to the two and giving Dietrich what seems to be a large owl’s beak colored black except for the nostrils which were blue before riding away.
“Here it is. It looks fairly stupid to me.” Dietrich inspects the mask.
Cloy snatches it from him. “It is NOT stupid.” He then puts it on, hiding his entire jaw to his nose behind the oddly-colored owl beak and faces his friend. “See? Don’t I look heroic?”
“It’s about as heroic as a man wearing bat ears.” Dietrich muses. The young boy puffs some air before removing his owl mask.

The two silently stare at Cloy’s house before Dietrich breaks the silence. “How long has it been?” he asks. “Since you moved out of Crystal Plinth?”
“Thirteen years.” Cloy answered. “And I still haven’t forgotten her.” the boy brings out a gold locket and opens it revealing a female.
“You aimed pretty high Cloy.” Dietrich takes a look on the person on the locket. “Then again your aims were always farfetched. That girl could be as old as Walter.”
“Heh. Age is just a number.” Cloy replied as he opens the door to his house. “Are you gonna see me off tomorrow?”
“Well it’s a lot better than looking for Shadow recruits. See you tomorrow kid.” Dietrich bids farewell as he returns back to the city.

Cloy smiles as enters his house. There he rested but found it hard to do so. After all, tomorrow would be his journey back to Crystal Plinth and reunite with the love of his life. A surge of emotions went through him, from excitement and joy to fear and sadness that he will be leaving Ortus. It would not be as sad if someone tagged along but all his friends had business that they could not leave behind in Ortus. But Cloy did not hold that against them. His journey was none of their business.

Somewhere in Minami Akrufia…

Today was the day.

Today was the day Cloy Everett would depart from Ortus and towards to Crystal Plinth. The young man took everything he needed for his journey: a brown robe to conceal his eye-catching armor bodysuit, a sack of supplies including a small pillow, the utility belt Walter always reminded him to wear and last but not least, his trusty wooden staff. He took a moment to reminisce on the staff’s origins. Walter had told him that the staff was carved from an extraordinary wood and would not break easily. Cloy inquired on what kind of wood was it but Walter had kept quiet.

The young man exited his home and headed towards Ortus’ outskirts. There, two men stood to greet him. One was Dietrich and the other was an adult man with a brown beard and a crown on his head.
“Dietrich.” Cloy greeted the black-armored person before turning to the other and bowing. “King Walter.”
“Rise Cloy.” The boy does so and faces the King of Ortus. “Are you adequately prepared for your journey?” he asks.
“Yes Your Majesty.” Cloy answered.
“Good. Always remember everything I’ve taught you okay?” Walter placed his hands on the young man’s shoulders. “Do that and your journey will hopefully be a smooth one.” The king then lets go and it was Dietrich’s turn.
“I wanna know, what will you do if a Mamono takes a fancy on you?” the black-armored person asked.
“I reject her. Painlessly if possible.” Cloy bluntly answered. “I mean come on there are plenty of fish in the sea. Like King Walter.” he added before pointing to the Ortusian King.
Dietrich shifted his gaze to Walter before looking back. “I don’t think Mamono likes spoiled fish Cloy.” The King of Ortus raised an eyebrow at the quip but remained silent. “Hehe. Be safe kid.”
“May the Lord be with you.” King Walter gave a smile.

The young man smiled also and gave a nod before saying. “And also with you.” Cloy turned his back on them and began walking towards his destination, the coastal city of Etrias.

The two silently watched as Cloy becomes smaller and smaller. “You think the kid will be fine?” Dietrich looked at the king.
“I’ve taught him everything I know. All we can do now is pray for him.” Walter answered before turning to Dietrich. “And focus on the other tasks at hand.”
“I know, stopping El Cero. I’ll get back to finding potential Shadows.” Dietrich replied before turning and heading back to the city.

-------------

Cloy walked on the side of the path that lead to Etrias and he let his mind wander about the monster-friendly coastal city. He remembered that merchants and travelers from the city passed by Ortus to rest up or gather supplies or both before heading to the other monster-friendly states. The same went for the merchants and travelers from those other monster-friendly states wishing to head to Etrias. Needless to say, Ortus was the trade hub for Minami Akrufia and a suitable stop over. However, the large military the state was gathering did scare the visitors a bit.

Cloy gave a light chuckle about how his thoughts drifted from Etrias to Ortus. He let his mind start from the beginning once more but his senses perked up and he stopped and scanned his environment, a wet forest with moss-covered trees and a few moss-covered rocks darted on it. The young traveler continued his walk but each step was now taken cautiously. His head was kept forward but his eyes kept moving from side to side. A heavy feeling burdened his chest as if he was about to do something wrong. When his step was about to land, he stopped and looked down at the path. A patch of moss was in the position where his foot would be. Now he knew what he was up against.

“I know you’re out there.” Cloy apparently told the forest and readied his staff. “We can talk about this. You don’t need to--” He stops talking when he felt danger incoming and jumped to another spot of the path. He glanced at his previous position and saw it was now covered in moss. “You know, people will be mad that there’s moss on the road.” he tells his opponent as he put down his sack and leapt into another position to avoid being caught by the rapidly-growing plant. He then jumps into one of the rocks after anticipating a moss growth on his position. The young traveler then jumped to another when he noticed moss creeping up his rock. He continued to leap from position to position and he was beginning to get tired. He knew he needed to either find a way out or to find a way to stop his pursuer.

However, the continued jumping and leaping did not leave room for Cloy’s mind to think. After jumping into a relatively small and flat rock, he panted for air as he prepared to jump once more but he noticed the delay on the moss growth on the rock he was standing on. He then jumped to a moss-free position on the path and took a glance at where he came from before jumping back there. He immediately leapt again to grab hold of a branch on a tree that was just beside the rock and looks at the moss trying to grasp something that is not there. He also notices that there were small openings beneath the rock which allows one to look from beneath the rock. “Uh huh.” Cloy muttered as an idea formed in his mind.
“Hey why don’t we make a deal?” the young acrobatic traveler starts. “If moss starts growing in my position, I’ll let you get me…” Cloy then spots a blind spot on the ‘bunker’ of his opponent. “But if I find you first…” He lands heavily on the rock hiding his pursuer. “This whole brouhaha stops…” He sneakily goes to the blind spot. “Deal?”

It took a few moments before a feminine voice replied. “Deal.” Moss then started growing in the blind spot’s position and entangled something who gasped. “Hehe. Gotcha.” the female voice said. The rock was then lifted away via one of its openings and the owner of the voice saw Cloy as the culprit.
“Hehe. Gotcha.” the young traveler grins at his opponent on a hole: A young girl with green hair and eyes. Her skin was pale green and parts of it were covered by moss. Gray cloths acted as her makeshift underwear which was her only worn clothing. Cloy knew she was a Lichen and her disfigured feet was the confirmation. “Looks like I win.”
“B-but how? I…” the Lichen looked at the blind position and saw a wooden staff entangled on the moss. She was in disbelief for a moment before pouting.
“Look on the bright side. Now you know what to do when somebody like me comes by.” Cloy tells the symbiotic Mamono as he went to his staff and picked it up, wiping off any remaining greens. “The gasp’s fake if you didn’t already know.”

Cloy then made his way to the path and picked up his sack. He started walking towards to his destination but then the pain of exhaustion stroke his legs and he had to use his staff to keep himself up. “Ah, would you like stay and rest? My home is not far from here.” the symbiotic Mamono asked with concern.
The young traveler had wanted to get away from the Lichen as soon as possible for many a reason but she was right, Cloy’s legs and feet were sore from all the jumping. “Okay.”

--------------

The two had gone to the Lichen’s home which, to Cloy, looked like a large mound of dirt. Inside, however, was a nice and simple home of the Lichen. The young traveler sat on a chair and put his sack beside but his staff was still in his grasp. “Would you like anything?” the symbiotic girl asked her visitor.
“I just need to rest my feet ma’am.” Cloy formally answered. “I’ll be on my way after.”
The Lichen’s smile turned upside down at her visitor’s words. She did not want him to leave. She had captured a few men passing by but this one was the first to make her heart beat as well as the one who did not look at her feet with disgust. He was also not any ordinary man. She saw how easily he leapt from position to position and how he managed to completely outsmart her. There was no way she would let this one off. Turning to the windows, she saw the light had faded, signaling the approaching evening.
“Damn it’s dark already?” Cloy also looked at the windows. He was still tired and staying in the Lichen’s home would most likely get him on with the Mamono. However, Cloy knew the Lichen’s home was the safest place he could spend the night in within the wilderness.
“Umm… you are free to stay the night here if you wish.” The Lichen told the young traveler. She knew if he stayed the night, a chance to capture him would present itself.
“Okay. Thanks.” Cloy took up the Lichen’s offer though he certainly didn’t wish for it but he knew she wished for it.

“Here, I’ll show you to the bed.” The symbiotic girl went to her bedroom with Cloy following her, his staff and traveling sack in tow. The Lichen opened the door to her bedroom revealing only one bed. “There’s only one bed so--”
“I’ll sleep on the floor… ground.” Cloy cuts her off.
“Eh? N-no! Guests should take the bed.” The Lichen immediately replied. “I can sleep on the ground.”
“This is your home. The bed’s yours ma’am.”
The Lichen was taken aback at being called ‘ma’am’ twice but now was not the time to think about that. “B-but--”
“I insist.” Cloy silences her. The young traveler then sets his things on the ground beside the bed and pulls out his small pillow and with that, lays on the ground. It was a little moist but he could keep up with it.
“O-okay I guess.”

---------------

It was nighttime and both the Lichen and the young traveler were both asleep with the former in her bed and the latter on the earthen floor. At least that what it seemed as the symbiotic girl was clearly awake when she opens her eyes. To her, this was a chance to capture the man who has caught her fancy and make him hers. Him being asleep was part of the plan where her action would take him by surprise because if he were awake, he would most likely struggle and escape forcing her to going the trouble of chasing him and considering what he can do, that would be really troublesome.

She peered from her bed and to Cloy’s position and her eyes widened when she saw the visitor’s eyes also wide open and staring at the ceiling. He might be contemplating about something but he was clearly awake much to the Lichen’s chagrin. She went back to her original position to rethink her plan but she figured there is no need to rethink and only needed to wait until Cloy fell asleep. She checked once again and found him to be very awake. After a few minutes passed, she checked once more and she saw the same thing. She was getting impatient and wondered when Cloy was going to sleep. She kept checking every few minutes but she found herself drowsy later and to sleep she went.

Morning had come and the Lichen opened her eyes. She jolts up as she remembered her failed plan last night and looks over to Cloy whose eyes are still glued to the ceiling. “Hey mister…” she called out and her visitor appeared to wake up from sleep. He then puts his hand on his eyes and removed what seem to be glasses that are painted to look like Cloy’s eye region. The symbiotic girl stared slack-jawed at the glasses.
“Good morning ma’am.” The traveler greets the Lichen. She does not respond and he follows her gaze to his glasses. “Oh this. This uhh… helps me sleep.” He tells the Lichen but he knew full well the glasses were made to discourage Mamono from attacking him in his sleep.

Cloy gets up from his earthen bed and puts the pillow back into the sack. “Thanks for letting me stay in your abode ma’am.” He stands up and was prepared to leave. “Sadly I do not have the power to repay but I’m sure God will find a way.” He then made his way to the house’s front door with the Lichen following behind who was still not sure what to do next, whether to try to entangle the man again or do something else.
The symbiotic Mamono lets out one of her simple ideas. “Can I have your name? I’m Nyuwa.”
This prompted Cloy to stop and turn around but took a while to answer. “Wyatt. Wyatt Cletus.” He lies before opening the door.
“O-okay. Can I go with you? To wherever you’re going?” She knew that wasn’t the smartest of questions but she had to do everything to prevent being separated from the man.
Cloy stops again. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” He turns around. “Where I’m going is pretty far and might be dangerous. Plus, why do you wanna go with me?”
“B-because…” the Lichen did not know what to answer and the man was going further than she could catch him. Her body burning with desire certainly did not help. She then lets her body do what it wanted and suddenly hugged Cloy.

The young traveler was not fast enough to evade the physical contact and he found the hug to be warm and pleasant. He looked at his hugger and he found the plant-like girl to be beautiful and her scent to be aromatic. His heart started beating for this Lichen but he knew this was an effect subconsciously induced by Mamono. Cloy broke off the hug and looked at Nyuwa in her green eyes. “I just want to be with you.” She admitted, blushing while at it.
Cloy sighed. He knew he could give her a hundred reasons to let go of him and she still wouldn’t. It was in her nature. “Okay. You can come.” The young traveler said. The Lichen’s expression turned into happiness and hugged him once more, feeling the warmth and pleasantness. “Okay okay. Can we get a move on now?”

The duo walked on the path and soon they were out of the forest. “Where are we heading?” Nyuwa inquired.
“Etrias.” Cloy answered.
“What are you going to do there Wyatt?” the symbiotic girl asks.
“To get a boat to Kita Akrufia.” The young traveler answers before adding. “And my name’s not Wyatt. It’s Cloy.”
“Wait… you lied to me about your name?” Nyuwa looks at her companion. “Why?”
“Because.” A sly grin forms on Cloy’s face while Nyuwa pouts.

---------------

Just outside of Etrias, a man in a trench coat with a top hat stands with two men in black garbs. One man had blue shades on his garb as well as his mask while the other had green shades and his irises were slit. “Gentlemen, welcome to Etrias. A monster-friendly coastal city ruled by a woman whose panties are on fire.” The man in the trench coat tells the two. “Although all El Cero needs is her diary, don’t hesitate in killing her.” The two ninja-garbed men both nod at Dirk.

“El Cero’ll be around just in case.”

“Hey Cloy, why are you heading to that city near the water?” Nyuwa looked at Cloy as the two walked on an uphill path.
“I’m going to there so I could summon giant lobsters and take over the world.” The young traveler grinned. The Lichen was not amused by this as evidenced by her face. “No, seriously.” This time Cloy had a serious face.
Nyuwa’s face turned into one of shock. “R-really?”
The young traveler laughed. “Just kidding. You should’ve seen the look on your face.” The fooled Lichen grumbles about the obnoxiousness of her target. If she was going to spend a lifetime with her intended target, she’d have to get used to this. It wasn’t going to be pleasant being constantly played with but Nyuwa thought Cloy to be a good man inside.

“Look. Etrias is in sight.” Cloy points to the distance. From the duo’s elevated position, a large city can be spotted and beyond it was the blue ocean. A castle isolated from the rest of the buildings indicates that this was the ruler’s abode but that fact mattered little to either of the two travelers.
“It’s more beautiful than I imagined.” Nyuwa stares at the coastal city with eyes full of awe.
“You haven’t seen a city before?” Cloy raised an eyebrow.
The Lichen shakes her head. “I’ve only heard stories from passing people. I never left the forest until now.”
Cloy smiled at her. “Well come on then. Cities are full of surprises.” He said to Nyuwa who got infected by his smile and immediately followed.

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Somewhere in Etrias

A bench in front of many passing men and Mamono was occupied by a man wearing a trench coat and a top hat. He sported a curly mustache and had his legs crossed as he stared into the passing civilians. He had nothing on his mind as he was fully confident that his two henchmen would do their jobs accordingly. At least that is what he hoped but any mistake can be fixed. His stupor was broken when something had joined him in the bench. Looking at her, the man noticed she is a small girl with red hair, pointed ears and sported a pair of red-colored horns and wings as well as a tail of a demon. She wore a blue dress under a frilly white blouse. Silk ribbons were tied upon her horns, wings and arms. The man immediately recognized her as a Wendy who shyly looked at him but not directly at the eyes.
“Can El Cero help you miss?” Dirk asks.
“U-umm… You see I can’t really remember where I am or what I was doing.” The Wendy replies. “Can you please help me? All I remember was a house burning and six figures surrounding two people.”
“Sounds like you have a bad case of amnesia.” Dirk comments. “Sure. El Cero’ll help you out.”
“Really?!” the Wendy’s eyes lit up as she now looked at Dirk in the eyes.
“Of course! Helping others is a virtue yes?” Dirk then grabs a plastic bag filled with balls of chocolate from his coat. “I’m sure you’re hungry. Have some!” the mustached man offers.
“Thank you!” the Wendy happily takes a ball from the bag and immediately tosses it into her mouth. After gulping, she said. “I’m Sadie and what does El Cer--” She stops when she grasps her stomach. Her face flushed immediately as she looked at Dirk with an expression of discomfort. “I-I need to go to the restroom.” Sadie casually walks away and did a good job of hiding her bowel predicament.

However, after a few steps the Wendy suddenly drops to the ground with the people around her gasping and rushing to her aid. Dirk saw the commotion and made a small smile before tossing one chocolate ball into his mouth. After gulping, he stood up to walk away from the scene. It took a while but he remembered her as the child of a couple who offered him and his henchmen a night in their house which sat between Etrias and that city near the Cape of Good Hope. He was disappointed to find out the child had escaped but he knew she would turn up sooner or later and he had plans for her likely vengeful return. What he didn’t know that she would turn up as an amnesiac which made the loose end easier to tie up. He also didn’t know that he was the first person she would run into. What a lucky day for him.

---------

Cloy and Nyuwa walked in the busy streets of Etrias, hearing talks about a Wendy who suddenly dropped dead. “Wendy? Isn’t that a little girl with wings and horns and tail?” Nyuwa asks Cloy.
“Yep.” He answered. “But why she suddenly dropped dead is a better question.” Cloy thought up a couple of reasons on why the Wendy kicked the bucket without warning. That she was either assassinated or suffered a really nasty heart attack or stroke. However, the Ortusian traveler was sure Mamono were impervious to cardiac infractions or any form of internal harm.

The two continued their way across the bustling street when suddenly Cloy’s senses perked up again and dove into the person in front of him who had hair which reached to her neck and very light green in color and had a gray piece of clothing covering her entire body. “What is the meaning of this?!” the person Cloy dove into the ground turns to him. She had pale white skin and pinkish-red eyes which were clearly upset with the Ortusian’s action. “I demand an explanation right--” She stops when she noticed Cloy looking over at a fruits stand whose inventory are dissolving via a mysterious green liquid.

The two looked back at the source and saw a person in a black and green garb with the civilians fleeing from him. The only exposed parts of his clothes were his reptilian-like eyes and his well-toned arms and even then the latter was covered by armguards. To Cloy he looked like a ninja who then clasped his hands and opened them again and what seems to be a ball of green liquid formed between his hands and headed straight towards the duo on the ground. Cloy and the white-haired lady immediately got out of the way in opposite directions. The Ortusian saw the partly green ninja completely ignore him and continue to launch balls of green liquid at the white-haired girl who expertly evaded each one. Inside, Cloy was a little happy he wasn’t the target.

“What’s going on?” Nyuwa asked as she went to Cloy’s side.
“A really bad assassination attempt I think.” The Ortusian told the Lichen. “Get to somewhere safe and wait for me there okay?” Cloy ordered the symbiotic Mamono before heading to a café near their position.
“Wait! Where are you going?!” Nyuwa yelled at Cloy.
“To do something stupid!” Was the reply of the Ortusian.

Nyuwa could not figure out what Cloy had meant in his last reply. She then shifted her attention from the Ortusian to the fight between the assassin and the white-haired girl. After the assassin launched a green orb at his target who jumped to avoid it, he spat through the green covering in his mouth at the white-haired girl who gets hit as soon as she lands. The spit quickly dissolves a part of her gray clothing. “Do you have any idea whom you are attacking?” She was losing her temper. She started losing it when that boy had dove into her but that quickly vanished as soon as it was clear it was a rescue. Speaking of which, she took a mental note to find and congratulate her rescuer. Good deeds must not go unrewarded.

But right now she had an assassin to deal with. She discarded her covering and revealed an elegant dress made of jet black flame. Her white hair had grown to reach her thighs and a black, metallic glove on her right hand produced a sharp, black blade which she pointed at her opponent. “I am Ethiw Riventor and you will pay for your insolence against the Queen of Etrias!” She announced. Each word filled with immense pride. The Queen lunged at the assassin intending to do some permanent damage starting with a slash. The assassin however disappears right before Ethiw’s eyes and making her slash at nothing but air. The air seemed to have taken its revenge as the Queen gets hit in the gut then to the face. Ethiw feels something flow in her nose and a quick swipe with a finger, finds out it was blood. Her blood. “You really shouldn’t have done that.” She said before raising her fist in the air which glows in a red aura and brings it down to the ground which created a powerful shockwave which blows away the abandoned stands as well as her assassin who appeared out of thin air. Nyuwa had to brace for cover.

The assassin quickly got up only to find his target coming towards him and manages to land a slash across his torso. His reptilian eyes glared at Ethiw and hissed at her like a snake before spitting acid which the Queen blocks with her blade above the wrist. This gave the assassin the opportunity to get close to her and started hurling punches and kicks. Ethiw blocked them and retaliated with some of her own but her punches were more of slashes. Nyuwa watched the close quarter combat between the woman with the flaming dress and the man in a black and green garb. She noticed that while the man fought like an animal, the woman was more regal and elegant in her moves. However, she was fairly sure the assassin had successfully landed more hits than the flaming woman and was more flexible. The Lichen was worried about the flaming woman as the assassin would no doubt use his acidic techniques again.

And use them he did as the assassin, after a block, spun and landed a ball of acid right into Ethiw who blocked it with her black blade but drops of the acid landed into her. The Etrias Queen felt her skin irritate and gritted her teeth because of it. She leapt a distance from her opponent and put her hand forward, launching a black flaming orb at the assassin who dodges it by jumping out of the way and letting his position explode violently. She puts her hand forward again but before a fireball came out, she is suddenly frozen in place, completely encased in ice.

Nyuwa saw another man enter the scene. He wore a garb similar to that of the assassin’s but instead of green, it was blue. His mouthpiece was also more intricately designed than the simple green cloth of the assassin’s. He walked up to the frozen Ethiw but something had landed in front of him. It was yet another person in a black and blue bodysuit and what seems to be a beak covered his mouth. The Lichen saw a similarity between the person and Cloy but she became sure when she saw the staff being wielded.

“Man, you need to chill.” The beak-faced boy quips at the blue-garbed man who, to him, looks very much like a ninja. His opponent replied by sliding via ice into the boy and throwing him off his feet. “Well. That was embarrassing.” The boy got up only to find the ice ninja onto him with a left hook which he blocked with his staff. The ice ninja followed up with a right hook. The beak-faced boy blocked it before putting the end of his staff on his opponent’s chest and pushing him away, creating a distance. The ice ninja then launched an icy orb from his hands which the beak-faced fighter whacked with his staff, dispelling it. He did not know what the projectile did but he was in no hurry to find out. The ice ninja then did his sliding move but the boy had thought up a counter for that. He used his staff to propel himself right towards his opponent feet first. The bird-faced boy’s counter worked and the ice ninja met two soles to the face as his move was interrupted. As he recovered, he blocked a vertical strike from his opponent’s staff by crossing his arms before retaliating with a kick initiating a fierce close combat with the boy wearing a black beak.

Meanwhile, Nyuwa noticed the green assassin run at the frozen Etrias Queen and quickly grew thick witch moss in his path, tripping him facefirst into the ground. The assassin raised his head and looked at Nyuwa’s position and spotted the Lichen who gulps. He spits in her direction but Nyuwa was pushed away by someone who blocks the projectile with a giant metal pan. Unbeknownst to him, Ethiw had broken out of her icy prison and soon appeared above the assassin, intending to drive her blade into him. The assassin noticed this and rolled forward just when the blade was upon him. Upon getting up, he gets a kick to the torso and into Cloy who suddenly switches place with him and gets frozen in place.

The ice ninja glared at both the beak-faced boy and Ethiw who were now beside each other and assumes a fighting stance. “Come on man. You’re facing the Queen of this king…queendom and some dude you haven’t beaten yet. Give up!” The boy tells the ice ninja.
“Indeed.” Ethiw added before turning to her ally. “I must thank you warrior for assisting me. I shall see to it you are rewarded. Who are you might I ask?”
“I’m… Blue Owl and don’t thank me yet.” The boy replied his eyes still on the ice ninja who launches an ice orb at the duo.

The two evade the projectile and the Blue Owl leapt to the air, twirling his staff before bringing it down on the ice ninja. However, the ice ninja made a small skip backward leaving what seems to be an ice sculpture of him behind which Blue Owl hits with his staff and shattering it as well as somehow freezing him in place. “Blue Owl!” Ethiw said before casting a black fire ball at the ice ninja who rolled away to evade it. She then lunged at the ice ninja but stops just inches from the ice sculpture left behind by the enemy. Suddenly, she was pushed into it thanks to a dropkick from the green assassin.

The ice ninja approaches the frozen Ethiw and prepared the finishing blow but suddenly jumped backward and narrowly dodging a vertical slash from a rapier. “You have fine reflexes. If only you used them for much more upright work.” Said the female owner of the rapier. She wore a white bride dress that somehow matches her pale skin. Her long pink hair flowed in front of Ethiw who has broken out of the ice spell. “How long have you been doing this milady?”
“It was a long and strenuous fight, Tiamo. But I am fully--”
“That’s not what I meant milady.” Tiamo the Corpse Bride told her before thrusting her weapon at the ice ninja who sidestepped before grabbing Tiamo and delivering an upward strike with his clasped fists. An ice sword formed in his hands while it was in the air and then brought it down the Corpse Bride’s chest, impaling her and throwing her behind him.
“Tiamo!” Ethiw prepared for the ice ninja’s inevitable attack but he was interrupted by the voice of someone who was just tossed aside.
“I do not believe you fully understand the situation sir.” Tiamo told the ice ninja and behind her were a number of pale-skinned women wearing bride dresses. “If you give up now, I guarantee you your punishment will not be that severe. Though you dared attack the Queen…”

“Don’t reason with him! He’s crazy!” Tiamo’s attention was caught by a boy wearing a beak on his face and holding a wooden staff on the neck of the green assassin. “Just hit him till he’s out cold!”
The ice ninja used the opportunity to cast a beam of ice into the ground which froze the feet of the Corpse Brides. The green assassin escaped the hold by throwing Blue Owl over him and into Ethiw, throwing both of them to the ground. The ice ninja nodded at the green assassin who nods back and turns invisible. The ice ninja turns into an ice sculpture before dissipating into air.
“Are they gone?” The boy with the beak mask asked as he helps Ethiw back up.
“It seems so.” Tiamo answered before breaking the ice holding her feet. “Now, onto the next matter at hand…” She turned to the Queen of Etrias.
“W-well we should thank the Blue Owl for—Where’d he go?”

------------

The Blue Owl had entered the café and searched for its restroom. “Nice work there Cloy!” A Lichen entered the café.
“Cloy? I don’t know who you’re talking about.” The Blue Owl replied as he turned around.
“Cloy, you’re not fooling me.” Nyuwa crossed her arms and gave a small smile.
“Ahh nuts. Well at least it’s just you, Nyuwa.” Cloy removes the black beak on his face. “Let me just get my robe and we can jet.” The Ortusian enters the café’s restroom.
“Jet?” The Lichen raised an eyebrow in confusion.
“It’s a term my folks use all the time. Apparently it means ‘getting out of here’.” Cloy answered from the restroom. “Aaand I can’t find my robe. Any ideas?”
“I don’t know. Maybe someone found it and took it?” Nyuwa gave an idea.
“Well… dang.” Cloy said before placing his hand on his mouth as he thought up a plan.
“Why? You can go out there without your robe.” The Lichen told the Ortusian.
“The Queen will recognize me and her attention is the last thing I want right now.”
“Why? If she recognizes you, wouldn’t she reward you with lots and lots of good stuff?”
“Nyuwa, the only good stuff I need is waiting in Crystal Plinth. That’s why I must not waste time and get on a boat immediately.”

“Is this the robe you’re looking for sir?” A boy with spiky, short red hair, red eyes and a slender body said as he held the mentioned robe and stood in front of the café’s entrance. He wore a light green button short and simple white pants. Nyuwa recognized him as the boy from before.
“Indeed it is. Thanks bro.” Cloy smiled at the boy and taking the robe.
“Thanks again Wydell.” Nyuwa happily told the redhead.
“You know him?” Cloy asked.
“Yes. He was the one who saved me from that acidic spit.” The Lichen answered.
“You’re welcome again Miss Nyuwa.” Wydell then turned to Cloy. “And you’re welcome too Mister...”
“Cloy. Cloy Everett.” The Ortusian shook Wydell’s hand.
“Wait. You told him you’re full name but not me?” Nyuwa glared at Cloy.
“You’d have to be an Ortusian to understand Nyuwa.” Cloy pats the Lichen at the back making her blush from the affectionate action.

“Ah there you are Blue Owl!” said a voice Cloy doesn’t want to hear say those words. A certain white-haired, woman adorned by a black-flamed dress walked up to him. “I, Ethiw Riventor, would like to invite you to the castle for a formal expression of gratitude.” She then turns to the redhead. “Thank you for leading us to him, Sir Wydell. Great job.”
“Anything for the valiant ruler of Etrias.” He replied with a bow.
“Yeah. Great job Wydell.” Cloy said and put on a fake smile and fought back the tears and the urge to hit the redhead.

------------

“Why?! Why did you not only put a show everyone would see but let the target go with only a broken nose?!” Dirk angrily scolded the ice ninja and the green assassin inside a room. “All El Cero asked was for you to get. The. DIARY!” The two henchmen stared at into nothingness and made nary a reply. “Sure I want her dead but that wasn’t what I needed! You two could’ve just snucked into the castle and take the damn diary and slipped out! It’s not that hard!” Dirk freaked out but the henchmen did not respond in the slightest. “Unless…” The mustached man calmed down with a realization. “Unless you two did but didn’t find the diary because the diary is not there but is with the woman the entire time.”

Dirk sighed. “But still… you should’ve just attacked her in an alley or something. It seems El Cero needs to enter the playing field.”

Ethiw and the Corpse Brides had lead Nyuwa, Wydell and the frustrated Cloy who could not see an opportunity to slip out of attention during the trip to the Belle Dame’s castle. A small river stood in front of the high, stone wall with watchtowers at the sides. An arching wooden door on the wall lowered until it served as a bridge connecting the party to the inside of the castle. While crossing, Cloy couldn’t help but look over to the river filled with still, sparkling water. He had read about some castles having a river surround the stronghold and filled with crocodiles, alligators and the like.
“Don’t worry; there are no dangerous animals inhabiting the water.” The Corpse Bride with the long, pink hair tells him.
Cloy was relieved he did not have to deal with long-mouthed reptiles should he need to escape the place. “Sooo… the river is just… to slow intruders down?” He made a guess on the empty river’s function.
“Correct. Also, if someone splashes the water, it serves as an alarm.” The Corpse Bride added.
“But what if someone simply jumps across it? I’m sure in Etrias can jump over this.” Cloy pointed out.
Tiamo was a little offended at the Ortusian’s remark but she had an answer for that. “If they can, they still have to scale the steep walls and deal with the guards patrolling it.”
Cloy did not reply and resumed the entrance to the castle. He thought that the Corpse Bride might be correct since the two ninja assassins had to attack Ethiw outside her castle.

Getting past the door-turned-bridge and the walls, Cloy saw the courtyard of the castle. A simple fountain stood in the middle as brick paths leading to the other structures was surrounded by flowers of varying colors. It was no doubt to the Ortusian that the courtyard was colorful. Still, the sight made him awestruck as he had only read of grand castles in books as his king focused much of the treasury on the people and the ‘preparations’.
“Waaah. It’s beautiful!” Nyuwa said, her eyes savoring the sight before her.
“Of course. The castle’s beauty must match its owner, do you not think so?” Ethiw told the Lichen who nodded in agreement.

“Wait, hold on.” Cloy stopped walking. “I just helped fend off some wannabe assassins. It’s not that special, anyone can do it. Why the royal, formal thank you?”
Tiamo stopped too and looked at Cloy. “Her Majesty would sometimes disappear from the castle for hours and then return saying she was inside the castle the whole time.”
Cloy blinked as he stared back at Tiamo before the realization hit. “Ohhhhhhh.”
“However, if what you said was true… then somebody else should have helped the Queen before you stepped in.” Tiamo said. “But that was not the case. Only you had the courage to appear and assist Queen Ethiw in the debacle. Thank you for that.”
Cloy felt a surge of pride run through him when he heard the Corpse Bride’s words but he knew better than to flaunt it and instead focused into another issue he found. “Thanks but… shouldn’t there be guards at the city? Don’t tell me you trust the populace that much.” He asked though he then realized that was likely the case considering the natural disposition of Mamono.
“Yes. There should have been guards.” Tiamo replied as she looked away from the Ortusian to contemplate.

“Heeeey! Are you two coming or what?” Ethiw called out to the two left behind. A smirk soon formed in her face. “Oh Tiamo. You can woo Blue Owl after the feast.”
“D-don’t be absurd milady! He and I are simply discussing the incident earlier!” Tiamo blushed while Cloy simply gave an awkward laugh.

---------

The man called Dirk Willsbury sat upon a bench facing the city’s castle. His legs were crossed and playfully twirled a small, gray stick-like device with a red button on one end. “Watch and learn how El Cero does it.” He said to the empty space beside him. He then stood up and walked towards the castle humming a tune before speaking its lyrics. “Nowhere to run to, baby/ Nowhere to hide/ Got nowhere to run to, baby/ Nowhere to hide…”

---------

In the castle’s throne room, Nyuwa and Wydell watched Cloy as he was formally thanked and awarded with a small, squat device adorned with jewels that sat on a red pillow.
“What is that thing?” Nyuwa asked about Cloy’s reward.
“I heard it is some sort of communication device.” Wydell answered. “It allows one to communicate with another far away without the use of mail.”
“That is amazing.” The Lichen replied, her voice full of awe.

They then saw Cloy try to give back his award under the reason he all he needed was a ‘thank you’ though only he knew he didn’t accept the device because Ortus was full of it.
“Oh Cloy. He’s so noble.” Nyuwa stared at the refusing Ortusian dreamily.
“Sounds like you admire him.” Wydell said.
“Yup! He’s going to be my future husband.” The symiotic girl happily replied.
“Oh… Is that so?” The red-haired boy weakly smiled at the Lichen who nodded.

Meanwhile, Ethiw did not buy Cloy’s reason and thought he simply did not like the reward. The Queen started thinking for another reward for the Ortusian. She then sees Tiamo standing in the side and a mischievous idea formed in her head. “Ah I know! You can have Tiamo for yourself for one night!” She said with a smile. The pink-haired Corpse Bride looked at her Queen in disbelief, her face starting to blush while Cloy raised his eyebrow at what the Belle Dame had meant but he had a good hunch on what it was and he didn’t like it. “She has a great body. Whenever she and I take a bath, I always get jealous of her figure. I’m sure you’ll find her satisfying.”
Cloy slapped his palm onto his face while Tiamo instantly appeared in front of Ethiw. “I think someone’s getting a little comfortable with their power.” The Corpse Bride smiled. An aura of dread emanated from her which made even Cloy contract a shiver down his spine.
The Belled Dame cowered into her throne from Tiamo’s incoming wrath. “S-sorry Tiamo… I got carried away--”

The throne room’s doors suddenly flew open as two figures entered the room, catching everyone’s attention. A burly but handsome man sporting short, white hair wearing a full suit of armor and just right behind him was a pale-skinned woman with long pink-hair wearing a bridal dress. She was a lot like Tiamo but her hair was of a darker shade of pink and she was noticeably taller.
“Father. Mother.” Tiamo ran up to them and gave them a hug. Wydell and Nyuwa smiled at the warm family moment and thus failed to notice Cloy move beside them.

“Uhhhh…” Cloy said to them and the redhead knew what the Ortusian was trying to say.
“Those are Sir Deremor Caiphas and his wife Madam Suvela Caiphas.” Wydell answered. “They are Tiamo’s parents.” Cloy still stared at Wydell, obviously asking for more information. “They ware the head of the bodyguards protecting the Queen. I heard they were planning to retire when their daughter can take care of the Queen herself.”

“Mother. Father. What are you doing here?” the pink-haired Corpse Bride broke the hug and gave a sharp gaze at her father’s heterochromic eyes. “Father, your eyes…”
“Yep! The doctor in the city told me she found a way to restore this.” Deremor motioned to his left eye which was red while the other was black. “Sure it’s a little scary ‘cause it’s red but now I get to see my beautiful family with my whole vision again!” The burly man then hugged his family once more.

“Now then, what’s this commotion about an attempt on the Queen’s life?” Deremor asked.
“Ah yes. There were two men of magic and martial prowess that tried to do away with Queen Ethiw’s life.” Tiamo relayed the situation. “We were not there to properly protect her for she was…” the Corpse Bride then glared at her queen.
Ethiw made a sheepish grin. “Ehhh…” She had wanted to lie but she knew Tiamo would just shoot that down and make her situation worse. “I was walking through the city… alone. Without any guards.”
“Without any guards?” Suvela questioned.
“Mother. Remember how milady would disappear for hours only for her to reappear?” Tiamo told her mom.
“Ohhh… That explains it.” The married Corpse Bride smiled at Ethiw. One the latter did not like.

“Ah…ah but fortunately a brave fellow…” Ethiw pointed at Cloy who was suddenly under the spotlight. “…had come and assisted me in the ordeal.” The Queen successfully shifts the attention and the topic.
Deremor made his way towards to the Ortusian who felt more intimidated as the burly man came closer and closer. “Good man!” Deremor bellowed as he grabbed both of Cloy’s shoulders. The latter was sure his shoulders turned to slush due to the sheer force of the grab.
“Indeed. I have invited him to thank him properly and award him as well.” Ethiw said. “However, he has humbly refused that new, strange device that came from the north.”
“Well aren’t you a noble one?” Deremor turned back to Cloy who only gave a nervous chuckle. “At least have dinner with us as well as stay the night.”

The latter offer confused Cloy who then looked to the throne room’s windows and saw the sun has almost completely set. As if it was telling the Ortusian ‘Farewell and good luck’. Cloy wanted to get a move on as soon as possible but he knew travelling in the night would be more dangerous as well as the inevitable encounter with a man-hunting Mamono. He had made his decision but he was not going to be rude about it. “Milord I am honored to stay but is it really… alright?”
Deremor gave a hearty laugh. “Of course it is! You helped the Queen of Etrias. You deserve more than a one-night stay.” Cloy began to wonder if they could transport him to Crystal Plinth immediately and save him the trouble. “I’ll go check on the guard regiments. Honey, I’ll leave ‘em to you.” Deremor said to his wife before exiting the throne room.

“He is… quite boisterous.” Cloy commented.
Suvela giggled. “Indeed. Though he does not look the part, does he? Well in any way, welcome to the castle Mister Cloy and…” Suvela looked at the Lichen and the redhead.
“Oh this is Nyuwa and Wydell, they helped me during all the chaos.” Cloy introduced them.
“Welcome Miss Nyuwa and Mister Wydell.” Suvela bowed to them.
“You have a beautiful place here, Miss Suvela.” Nyuwa replied.
“I am glad you think so.” The Corpse Bride said. “But this is not ours but that of the Queen’s. Now, is a tour of the place suit your interest?”
Nyuwa’s eyes sparked with excitement as she looked at Cloy. “Can we?”
Cloy chuckled. “Well you decide. I’m not the boss of you.” The Ortusian really wasn’t interested but since he will be stuck there for the night, he didn’t mind the inevitable answer.
The Lichen nodded at Suvela who tilted her head and clasped her hands. “Splendid.”
“Um… excuse me.” Wydell spoke up, catching everyone’s attention. “I… really need to get back home. I don’t want my family to get worried.”
“Oh. Is that so?” Suvela face expressed sadness.

“No! No!” Cloy interrupted and approached the redhead. “Come on man. Don’t leave me here all by myself.” He whispered.
“All by yourself?” Wydell confusingly repeated the question.
“Having girls in my sight everywhere I look isn’t really… comfortable in my view.” Cloy explained.
“You have Sir Deremor.” Wydell retorted.
“Yeah but he’s married.”
“So?”
“Look, please. I’ll--”

“Is everything okay?” Suvela asked out of concern and curiosity.
The two men looked at the two confused and worried women for they were left out of the conversation. “Yes, yes. Everything’s alright. He and I are just discussing about how to get word to his family that he’s staying in the castle for a while.” Cloy lied. “Isn’t that right Wydell?” With a sigh, Wydell nodded.
“If that is so, I can have someone send word to Wydell’s family.” Suvela said.
“You hear that Wydell? You can stay.” The Ortusian happily said to the redhead who rolled his eyes.

“Hey. Where’d Tiamo and the Queen go?”

--------

“Do not think that you can easily escape your punishment with me around.” Tiamo said to Ethiw. The Belle Dame regretted how she trusted the Corpse Bride to head into the latter’s room to find a suitable dress for the dinner. Ethiw admitted to herself it was sort of a dumb decision as there was no reason for Tiamo to change clothes. “Do you know what could have happened if Sir Cloy hadn’t appeared?”
“He was pretty cool and cute.” Ethiw glanced aside and made a comment in a last ditch effort to escape her fate.
Tiamo blushed and was taken aback by the random comment. “D-don’t change the subject!” Ethiw sighed as her attempt failed. “If you’re going to be like that then… then no garden viewing for a week!”
The young Belle Dame gasped in horror. “What?! You can’t do that! I’m the Queen of this castle and the queen is free to do anything she likes!” Ethiw declared.
Tiamo glared Ethiw into submission. “But seriously milady, I and the others are Corpse Brides. We live to protect you.”
“I know that, it’s just… the people acts all respectful and tense whenever I’m present.” Ethiw replied. “If I am to be an effective queen, then I should know the true colors of my people.”
The pink-haired Corpse Bride sighed. “Didn’t it occur to you that you could’ve just asked us, or at least me, to put on disguises and walk around the kingdom all you want without turning heads?” The Belle Dame was silent to Tiamo’s much wiser plan and looked away in shame.

“Well at least now you’ve learned your lesson.” Tiamo said, catching Ethiw’s gaze. “And learning lessons brings you closer to becoming an effective Queen.” She smiled.
Ethiw smiled as well but out of amusement. “You sound like an old mentor and not someone who is my best friend.” A flick to her forehead sent her reeling.
“Just because we grew up together doesn’t mean I can let you do whatever you want.” Tiamo then went to her closet. “Now can you please help me pick a nice dress for the dinner?”
“Why would you… Ahh, you’re trying to look good in front of that Cloy boy aren’t you?” Ethiw suspected. “That is so cute Tiamo!” She further teased.

The Corpse Bride brought another flick to the Belle Dame’s forehead.

---------

Ethiw sat upon a stone bench in her garden. Various types of flowers filled the area and the bright full moon shone on the garden and the Belle Dame. She reminisced about the dinner where Cloy had strangely been quiet eyeing everyone who was present. It was not obvious as the Lichen girl threw question after question about the kingdom. Her best friend undoubtedly sat beside Cloy and asked him what he was doing in Etrias. However, the answer was not a pleasant one as Cloy was apparently travelling to Crystal Plinth and would be leaving the city tomorrow. The Corpse Bride’s expression turned to one of gloom though Ethiw knew her best friend is too stubborn and prideful to give up.

As she stared at her garden, Ethiw caught something moving in the corner of her eye. She immediately went to find out what it is and saw Cloy trying to scale the wall. “What are you doing?”
The Ortusian was startled and loses his grip on the wall and falls towards the garden’s ground. “I’ve seen better nights.” He muttered.
The Belle Dame came into his view as well as something he will never ever mention in his life, especially in the presence of the Belle Dame who was still wearing the flaming dress. “What were you doing on the wall?” Ethiw asked.
“Trying to escape.” Cloy answered before getting up. “Someone here likes me and if I hang around any longer, I’ll get hitched.”
Ethiw was surprised and found it remarkable that the boy could sense someone was going after him. “How are you certain someone here likes you?”
“It’s uhh… my folks in Ortus taught me this… ‘thing’ where you could tell a Mamono’s into you.” Cloy answered honestly while patting off the dust in his brown robe.
“That’s… impressive.” Cloy never mentioned he was from Ortus and to Ethiw, the kingdom was brimming with secrets. Secrets which were sort of leaking out via the presence of its military. “You’re from Ortus? Why didn’t you say?”
“You guys never asked.” The Ortusian replied while looking at the wall.
While that was true, the Belle Dame found the answer quite obnoxious. “Well why are you trying to escape? I mean, why do you want to escape from… whoever’s into you?”
“Because there’s a lady waiting for me in Crystal Plinth.” Cloy answered with all seriousness. “And I intend to get to her.”
“O-oh… I-Is that so?” The shock of the answer prevented Ethiw from replying properly. She wondered what would happen to Tiamo now.
Cloy noticed this and glared at the Belle Dame. “You stuttered. Why’d you stutter? Do you know who’s into me?” He asked fervently.
“W-what?! No, I don’t know. I just…” Ethiw had to quickly think up a lie that this perceptive boy would buy. “You are in no position to ask the Queen like that.” The Belle Dame could not come up with anything but quickly thought about what she had.
Cloy raised an eyebrow. “Well sorry then. Hey Your Majesty, can you… give me a lift over this wall?” He requested.

Ethiw cannot let the Ortusian go. She knew Tiamo was smitten with him and she cannot let her best friend become depressed for days, at worst weeks. “W-wait! Won’t you at least say goodbye to everyone in the castle? What about that Lichen?”
“Someone in that castle is fancied by me. She will try to stop me from going and if she has friends who are aware, they will too.” The Belle Dame was hit by guilt as Cloy said those words. “As for Nyuwa, I know she’s in love with me but like I said, I already have someone in mind. Telling her that and dealing with the aftermath will only be troublesome not to mention hurt my conscience.”
The Belle Dame thought up a way to stop the boy. “Okay fine. Follow me.”

Cloy followed Ethiw to a section of the wall with no discernible landmarks. The Belle Dame touched the section with her glowing hand and with that, the concrete of the wall gave way revealing a small, unlit room. Ethiw lit up her gauntlet with a red light into the room revealing a hole that goes underground. “There’s no ladder.” Cloy commented.
“You just jump in and you’ll emerge from a door in an alleyway.” Ethiw said before letting the Ortusian take a look for himself and positioning herself behind him.
“Oh. Alright.” Cloy replied before looking the Belle Dame in her eyes which caught her by surprise. “Thanks for being considerate milady. I know I’m being sort of a jerk and being selfish for ditching at least two women but… I already have a woman in my mind and I plan to dedicate myself to only her. So uhh… thanks and… bye.” The Ortusian turned to the quite frightening hole in front of him. He admitted to himself that jumping into the dark hole on the advice of a dead lady might not be a good idea.

Ethiw, meanwhile, prepared to hit Cloy with her gauntlet but his words stopped her. She questioned that who was she to stop this boy in love from getting what he wants. She knew that she was doing this for her best friend but that would be forcing Cloy against his will and as a righteous queen she cannot do that. However, his unannounced leave might make her best friend sad and make her do something really stupid. This clash of the consciences was interrupted when the Ortusian turned around and faced Ethiw. “And tell the others goodbye too okay?” He said before jumping into the hole. The Belle Dame gasped as Cloy disappeared into the hole and with a sigh, left the room with the fallen concrete repairing itself and making it look like nothing happened. She knew she could go after him but that would only lead to trouble. She began to think up a way to tell Tiamo as well as the Lichen about Cloy’s leave.

Her stupor was broken when someone appeared before her. “Why hello there Your Majesty. Fine night isn’t it?” Before Ethiw was a man in a gray trench coat and a black top hat. The man had a noticeable mustache over a very wide smile.
“Who are you?” The Belle Dame asked.
“Me? I’m just a friendly neighborhood man who graciously baked you a pie.” The man pulled out a well-baked pie from his coat.
“What?” Ethiw tried to comprehend the situation but in doing so, the man had the opportunity to throw the pie at her face. She wiped the pie off her face and her vision suddenly started to darken. “What… what did you do?”
“Hmm? Did you not like the pie?” Dirk asked Ethiw who was struggling to stand up. “But El Cero put much work and love into that pie… as well as a little pinch sleeping powder.” Ethiw fell to the ground as she faded into unconsciousness. “Oh, it appears I put in a little bit too much.” Dirk said before giggling uncontrollably.

“Whew. Thank God.” Cloy let out as he grasped a pass that will let him aboard the last ship that will leave Etrias for the rest of the month. He was glad he did not stay the night in the palace and missed the last trip out of the coastal city. A complication occurred that prevented trips for the next two weeks but that were none of Cloy’s concern, the Ortusian was happy he caught the trip. He walked, with many others, towards the ship that will take them to Rocai, a monster-friendly state on the southern part of Kita Akrufia. Cloy made a mental note to buy plenty of water canteens once he finds a shop in the desert land as well as find a trading caravan or a traveling merchant to hitch on. He knew that to travel the desert alone may not be impossible but very, very hard.

“Cloy!” All these thoughts caught fire when the Ortusian heard his name called out. Turning around, he saw the oh-so-familiar Lichen running up to him. He himself would do it too towards the ship but that would only further complicate the situation. “Haa… Haa… Wha… What are you doing?” Nyuwa panted. “Were you going to leave and ditch me?” She suspected with a hint of anger.
“What? No!” Cloy quickly lied. “I was just… Wait, how did you know I was here?” The Ortusian changed the topic.
“When I couldn’t find you in the palace, I knew you left.” Nyuwa answered. “I mean, you do it all the time when we were on our way here. You always said you thought I was following behind but after the fifth time, I knew those were hollow.” Cloy did not like where this was going. “Am I not… am I not good for you?”
The Ortusian could see tears already forming in Nyuwa’s eyes and as much as he did not want to severely harm the lovestruck Lichen’s feelings, there was no other way. “Nyuwa. I--”

“The castle is under attack!” A human guard yelled which caught everybody’s attention, including Cloy’s and Nyuwa’s.
Another guard approached the panicking guard. Cloy was sure this one is of higher rank. “Calm down lad. What’s happening?”
“The castle is under attack sir and the Queen is nowhere to be found!” This was ill news for both Cloy and Nyuwa and both of them had a fairly good idea on who the culprits are.
“Tsk! You stay here and tell the other guards to inspect everybody who goes through here. You two!” the higher-ranking guard pointed to a couple of guards. “With me!”

Nyuwa looked back to the Ortusian. “Cloy…”
Cloy honestly did not want to stay in the city anymore or meddle in its affairs but to leave it as it was would go against everything King Walter had taught him. The feeling to betray a righteous and virtuous man was unbearable to him and the young Ortusian pulled his mask from his traveling sack. Looking at it, Cloy decided his love could wait.
A smile formed in Nyuwa’s face. “Let’s go rescue Ethiw.”
Cloy turned and looked Nyuwa right in her eyes. “Yeah, let’s.” He smiled.

With that, both the Ortusian and the Lichen made their way back to the Belle Dame’s castle. Cloy was a little happy that this incident managed to interrupt the standoff between him and Nyuwa but he knew he needed to work on his ditching skills.

-----------

Swords clanged and met each other as a band of warriors of unknown affiliation did battle with the Corpse Brides and some Etrias guards in the castle’s courtyard. Fires were being started as the group of attacking warriors did their very best to stay alive and occupy the Mamono and their allies just like what their boss had instructed.

Somewhere inside the castle, Sir Deremor and his wife Suvela ran across a lit hallway lined with large windows on the left side. They knew the attacking force was merely a distraction judging from their movements and the fact the Queen was not in her room nor anywhere when the attack occurred. Their child had reported that she saw a person, carrying a large black sack, running in the hallways and the married couple knew what to do.
“I told you the ‘sandwich’ maneuver was a good idea.” Deremor told his wife.
“Hmph.” Suvela did not dare to admit that such a strange tactic would come useful one day.

After turning in a corner, they faced a man wearing a gray trench coat and a black top hat. He had a noticeable mustache which Deremor recognized and he carried a black, tied-up sack as big as Ethiw on his shoulder. “Mother! Father! We’ve ‘sandwiched’ him!” Tiamo called out to them from behind the man.
“Great job Tiamo!” Suvela praised her daughter at the successful tactic.
“Wait a second. Aren’t you that man from the hospital?” Deremor told the mustached person right before them.
“You know him, my love?” Suvela asked.
“Yes. He was the man who donated this red eye to me.” The husband answered.
“Indeed I am.” The man smiled at them before pressing the red button on the gray device with his free hand.

A loud bang echoed throughout the hallway. Suvela was the most affected as the loud noise deafened her ears but this was all but ignored as she slowly turned her head towards her husband, slightly hesitating out of fear of what she might see. What she saw was more horrifying than she had feared as she saw her beloved on the ground, headless. “WAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” Dirk’s laugh echoed throughout the hallway as Suvela whimpered and knelt at her deceased husband’s corpse. Blood oozing from the crimson-colored stump.6 “I guess you won’t be giving him any ‘head’ anytime soon. AAAAAHAHAHAHAHA!” The mustached man joked which caused Suvela to shift her gaze from her killed husband to his killer, replacing her grief with a newer, more violent feeling.

On the other end of the hallway, Tiamo fell to her knees. Her hands grasping her head as she refused to believe what had just occurred. Her beloved father could not be dead before her. It was impossible. But the more rational part of Tiamo’s mind said otherwise but this was drowned out by the denial. “AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!” A loud, angry shriek broke Tiamo from her storm of emotions and she saw her mother unsheathe her rapier and viciously attacked the trench coat man. This gave the young Corpse Bride enough sense to brandish her own rapier and help out her mother. However, she is stopped when a familiar black-and-green garbed man appeared in front of her, seemingly out of thin air. “Out of my way.” Tiamo growled but the green assassin snarled at her and assumed a combat stance.

------------

Cloy and Nyuwa were well on their way towards the castle but they saw the road to Ethiw’s home was blocked by a group of guards. “No way they’re gonna let us through.” Cloy said.
“But we’re here to help!”
“Everyone wants to Nyuwa.” Cloy replied before taking a quick glance at the surroundings and playing a simulation in his head. The thought process took longer than he thought.
The Ortusian spacing out did not go unnoticed by the Lichen. “Um… Cloy?”
“I have a plan. Well it’s not really a plan but more of a bet.” Cloy started. “Nyuwa, listen closely to what I say. I want you to go down this road and head into the third left alleyway you see. Got it?” The Lichen nodded and looked that way. “Hold on I’m not done yet. Once you find that alleyway, I want you to search the surrounding alleyway for anything suspicious. If you don’t find anything in half an hour, meet me in the docks. Otherwise, uhh… report it to the guards.”
“Wait wait. What do you mean this is just a ‘bet’?” Nyuwa asked. “And what do you mean by ‘suspicious’? And why the third alleyway? And--”
“One…” Cloy cut her off. “I have no idea what the bad guys are planning so it’s just a bet. And two, you’ll know when it’s suspicious and the rest; I’ll tell you when this is over. Okay?” Nyuwa gave a sharp nod.

“Right now we need to move ‘cause the Queen’s life is in danger. Can I count on you Nyuwa?”
The Lichen gave another sharp nod. “Yes you can! For you, I’ll do everything!”
Cloy reminded himself to look for a way out as soon as Ethiw and everyone else are safe. “Let’s do this then.”
“Wait, where are you going?” Nyuwa asked.
“To do something stupid.” Cloy answered. The Lichen smiled at the answer.

While Nyuwa headed towards the designated alleyway, Cloy entered another nearby alleyway. There he took off his robes and donned his trademark mask.

--------------

Dirk effortlessly evaded all of Suvela’s swings and thrusts. All the while sporting a wide smile to mock and further insult the vengeful Corpse Bride while also carrying his target. “I’m going to kill you!” Suvela yelled at her husband’s killer.
“Not the first time El Cero heard those words.” Dirk cheerfully replied followed by a light chuckle.

Meanwhile, Tiamo narrowly dodged an acid spit from the green assassin and made a quick thrust which her opponent sidesteps to evade. This was anticipated by the Corpse Bride and immediately followed her thrust with a horizontal slash which the green assassin ducked down to avoid but this was all part of Tiamo’s plan and a hard kick to the face sent the green assassin reeling. “Stop fooling around and take her down Reptile!” Dirk ordered the green assassin as he threw the large, black sack at Suvela who catches it, knowing what was inside but this left herself open to a saber’s slash to the knee, courtesy of Dirk. She locked her rapier with El Cero’s saber and pushed him away and used the short breather to stand up, the pain from the gash on her knee still present and while she was trained to ignore it, the feeling somewhat hindered her focus on the fight.

On the other side of the hallway, Reptile seemingly vanished in front of Tiamo who was immediately confused and checked all four directions for her opponent but saw anything but. The Corpse Bride’s search was interrupted when a punch to her torso knocked the breathe out of her and what seemed to be an uppercut sent her into the ground. Immediately getting up, Tiamo now knew what Reptile had become. She remembered her training on fighting invisible foes and closed her eyes to focus on feeling where the green assassin would strike next. However, the Corpse Bride did not react when a right hook sent her reeling but still she kept her eyes closed and endured the pain. The attacks kept coming and Tiamo kept on taking them, trying to predict where Reptile would strike next. Reptile’s moves seemed too erratic but with a thrust of her rapier, the attacks stopped. Tiamo opened her eyes and saw the green assassin appear backed up at a wall, not moving as the tip of her rapier would undoubtedly damage the very vulnerable neck.

Dirk deflected attack after attack from the enraged Corpse Bride. However, El Cero had to admit he was putting some effort into protecting himself and the smile on his face reduced to a grin. While there was a chance to defeat Suvela via the swordfighting, Dirk also knew the Corpse Bride could do something drastic and decided it was time to end the game by parrying an attack and pulling a metal, L-shaped device on Suvela’s face. The Corpse Bride did not know what the strange device was but considering its wielder, it was something she did not want pointed at her face and thus she ducked under it and narrowly evaded the loud attack when Dirk pulled the trigger.

The sound from El Cero’s barrel rang the entire hallway and distracted Tiamo long enough for Reptile to swat the rapier off his neck and spat acid towards Tiamo who jumped to the side to evade it. The green assassin jumped a distance from the Corpse Bride and clasped his hands vertically then separating them, creating a massive ball of acid which slowly hovered towards his undead opponent. Tiamo knew there was no way for her to evade without leaving the hallway and so she gambled on her fate and slashed the big blob of acid. The acid ball blew up, showering its acidic contents right at the Corpse Bride. “Gaah!” The acid burned her skin and dissolved parts of her dress. The pain left Tiamo vulnerable and Reptile formed a ball of acid on his hands and moved in for the kill but a flying kick from a person in a black and blue armor interrupted him and sent him reeling.

----------

Nyuwa checked real hard the areas on the designated alleyway’s two opposing exits. The city’s troops’ constant movement made it real hard for the Lichen to spot anything suspicious. Nyuwa had to sigh real long at the hard job assigned to her by Cloy. “Nyuwa?” A familiar voice called out to her and upon looking at its owner, Nyuwa found Wydell, the redhead commoner from before.
“Ah Wydell!” The Lichen immediately saw the redhead as a form of aid.
“What are you--”
“No time! Help me find something suspicious!” Nyuwa cut Wydell off.
“Something suspicious?” The redhead repeated out of confusion. “Does this have something to do with the castle attack?”
“Yes and Cloy told me to look for anything suspicious near this alleyway.” Nyuwa pointed to the designated alleyway.
Wydell looked around the both of them and saw the soldiers and carts panickily move from one place to another. “It’s gonna be hard with all this going on.”
“That’s why we I need your help!” Nyuwa said.
The redhead knew what he had to do for the city and the Lichen. “Alright. What do we need to find?”
“Just… something suspicious. I know it’s vague but we have to do our best.” Nyuwa replied.

Wydell sighed at the response and looked all around him with Nyuwa doing the same. Looking across the designated alleyway, the redhead commoner saw something of interest. “Hey Nyuwa…” He quickly called the symbiotic girl and pointed across the alleyway. “Does that look suspicious?” Nyuwa saw what seems to be a fancy, wooden carriage hauled by two horses and a person in a black cloak on the driver seat. The Lichen immediately made her towards the carriage. “Nyuwa, wait!” Wydell followed her.

Once Nyuwa reached the fancy carriage, its driver looked at her and accidentally revealed his identity. The Lichen could not mistake the ornate, blue mask the ice assassin wore and gasped once she saw it. The ice assassin knew he was compromised once the symbiotic girl had a look of surprise in her face and quickly fired an ice orb right at Nyuwa who was shoved out of the way by Wydell, taking the hit and freezing in place. “Wydell!” Nyuwa yelled which caught the attention of the guards roaming the area.

It dawned on the ice assassin that there was no salvaging the situation and so he discarded his cloak and jumped down from the carriage and landed right in front of Nyuwa. The city guards rushed to the Lichen’s aid only to be blocked by other guards who drew their weapons against them. The real city guards immediately figured out the ones standing before them were part of the attacking force and charged right at them, producing a streetwide battle. The ice assassin slammed his fists into the ground and Nyuwa felt something rising from the ground she was standing on and dove out of it to avoid whatever it was. What emerged from Nyuwa’s previous position were several ice spikes that would have impaled the Lichen had she not gotten out of the way.

The ice assassin tried to move towards Nyuwa but she quickly grew witch moss that entangled his feet. Before he could remove the moss, he was tackled by a freed Wydell into the ground. The redhead curled his fist and attempted to punch the ice assassin but the foe easily blocked the attack and kicked Wydell off him. Standing up, the ice assassin saw both Wydell and Nyuwa standing side by side, ready to fight him. He assumed a combat stance as he took a deep inhale and exhaled visible cold air.

“Now you will feel death’s cold embrace.”

-----------

“Cloy?!” Tiamo said as an armored person wearing a mask of an owl’s beak stood between her and Reptile.
“It’s Blue Owl.” The person corrected the Corpse Bride but he knew full well that his identity was no secret to her. The green assassin slid towards the Blue Owl with the aid of produced acid but the latter used his staff to launch himself feet-first onto Reptile, sending the assassin flying backwards. “Are you alright?” He asked Tiamo while still facing Reptile.
“Y-yes.” The Corpse Bride replied, the pain from the acid still stinging her.
“You just take it easy. I’ll handle this.” Blue Owl confidently told her as Reptile jumped to his feet and vanished. Cloy silently took back his words.
“Above you!” Tiamo yelled which Blue Owl heeded and jumped back before swinging his staff in front of him, hitting Reptile which made him lose his invisibility. Blue Owl struck the green assassin with his staff two more times in the head which made him stumble but recovered by only shaking his head.
“You’re made of sterner stuff, aren’t you? Are you sure you’re the acidic one and not the ice guy?” Blue Owl said. Reptile responded by spitting acid which the owl-masked boy narrowly evades. “Okay. You’re the acidic one.” Blue Owl said before charging at Reptile.

Meanwhile, Dirk continued to block swings from Suvela while modestly hiding the revolver behind his back. El Cero patiently waited for the Corpse Bride to make a wrong move of which he will exploit to its fullest potential. However, Suvela was more than Dirk expected. Even with the wounded leg, she did not show any openings on her strikes against El Cero. The mustached villain was getting frustrated but he knew he just have to outlast her. Suvela, after a few more swings and thrusts, stopped her attacks and raised a free hand in the air. The hallway floors rumbled as dead tree branches shot out from the window Dirk was standing beside to, shattering it.

A twinkle appeared in El Cero’s eyes as he dashed forward to evade the braches aimed at him and punish Suvela’s fatal move. The Corpse Bride recovered fast enough to block Dirk’s prepared thrust but unfortunately for her the thrust was merely a feign and Dirk swung at her other, unharmed leg. “Ah!” Suvela then felt something go through her. She knew what it was as blood squirted out from her mouth. She looked at her victorious opponent, his smile almost as wide as his mustache. The L-shaped weapon soon pointed upon her forehead.

The Corpse Bride’s thoughts were not of the situation before her but that of her daughter’s. She was sorry for leaving her beloved Tiamo and she worried about her child’s future. “Any last words Suv?” El Cero asked her. Suvela shifted her eyes to her daughter’s who was up and approaching the fierce battle between Blue Owl and Reptile. The owl-masked boy parried a punch and swung his staff at the green assassin hard enough to send him reeling towards Tiamo who gave a vicious uppercut to finish off Reptile for the time being. This small cooperation put an ease on the Corpse Bride’s dying heart.

“TIAMO!” Suvela yelled. This caught the attention of her daughter and Blue Owl, both of whom sported a face of horror upon seeing her. “I love you!” She said to her daughter for the last time.
“Good enough.” Dirk commented before pulling the trigger and putting a small hole on her forehead.
“NOOOO!” Tiamo shrieked while Blue Owl immediately knew what sort of enemy he was facing.

“Wait you’re undead. Rule #2: Double Tap.” Another bang was heard across the hallway.

------------

Both Nyuwa and Wydell reprimanded themselves for taking on an elite assassin while having no combat experience of their own. But such regrets must be put off for they had a battle to win or at least survive. Wydell had numerous bruises on him while holding a sword picked up from a fallen hostile warrior while Nyuwa had bruises of her own as well as small cuts. Both were at their limit. They were tired and the pain was getting too much to handle but the ice assassin looked like he was just getting started. The Lichen and the redhead commoner knew they had to end the fight soon.

Nyuwa had an idea that might work. “Wydell, keep him away from me for a while. I have an idea.”
“Well. Alright.” The redhead wanted was ready to defend her with everything he has but he was not sure whether his everything was enough to hold the ice assassin off. The Lichen stood in her place and closed her eyes while Wydell readied his sword and stood between her and the ice assassin.

The ice assassin immediately figured out that his two unskilled opponents had a plan and he did not want it to come to fruition. He shot an ice orb towards Wydell who swung his sword to nullify it before sliding via ice which threw the redhead off his feet. Wydell rolled out of the way before the ice assassin stomp hit him. The redhead retaliated with a swing which was evaded by his foe by ducking down. A left hook then a right hook sent Wydell reeling and the ice assassin followed it with an icy beam aimed on the redhead’s feet, freezing it and rendering Wydell immobile. The commoner tried to chip it away with his sword but then he was given a right hook to the face followed by a plunge by an ice dagger on his shoulder. “Gah!” A spinning punch aimed at the stomach knocked down Wydell, freeing his feet but leaving him at the mercy of the ice assassin.

The ice assassin raised his hands to form an ice sword to plunge on Wydell but he soon noticed moss rapidly growing into his legs. With his power, the moss immediately froze and he shattered it without much effort. However, moss immediately grew to his feet which he freezes and shatters before jumping into another position. The ice assassin saw the position he jumped into had moss covering it which means it was under the command of the Lichen. Having little choice, he landed into it and had moss entangling him. The ice assassin froze the moss and shattered it before jumping to a building and climbing to its roof.

As he gazed back towards the street, the area where the Lichen and the commoner was was covered with moss. He also saw his allies on the verge of defeat. As much as he hated it, the ice assassin knew he had to retreat and thus turned into an ice sculpture before dissipating into the wind. Nyuwa saw this and sighed in relief before heading to her redhead ally. “Wydell! Wydell, are you alright.” She saw that his eyes were closed but he was breathing albeit heavily. “Oh. Thank goodness.” Nyuwa muttered before collapsing on top of Wydell.

-------------

As Suvela lied dead on the ground near her husband, Dirk aimed his revolver towards Blue Owl. He did not know who this boy was or where he came from and this troubled the villain as he was a variable that entered the equation unexpectedly. Nevertheless, El Cero went with his plan to kill all witnesses while hoping Reptile would come to just in case he could not. “You’re going to die!” Tiamo screamed at Dirk before charging but she was blocked off by Blue Owl.
“Tiamo stop! He has a gun!” Blue Owl tried to reason but the Corpse Bride was too lost in her rage.

Dirk was impressed at how the situation had unfolded to his favor and fired a shot at the Blue Owl at the back. “Cloy!” The masked boy slowly sunk to the ground. “No! Please!” El Cero aimed at Tiamo but Blue Owl knew this and gathered his remaining strength to grasp his staff and to prepare. As soon as the shot was fired, Blue Owl deflected the shot towards the window with his staff, shattering it and surprising El Cero. The mustached villain heard footsteps coming and aimed once again at Tiamo and fired a shot only for Blue Owl to suddenly rise and take the bullet once again. “Cloy!”

El Cero cringed at this boy who so unexpectedly derailed his plans. He fired once more but instead of a bang, a click was heard. Dirk looked at his weapon in disbelief. He then picked up the large, black sack before exiting via the shattered window. While it looked like a victory for him, El Cero knew better.

Tiamo cradled the dying Blue Owl, scared and confused and sobbing. “Please Cloy. Don’t die. Don’t leave me. Please, don’t die. Please. Please. Please.” With the last of his strength, Blue Owl reached for something in his armor and slapping it in the Corpse Bride’s face. “W-what?” She grabbed the object on her face which turned out to be a piece of folded paper.

Cloy opened his eyes only to find the sea of black be replaced by a sea of dark red. While it did not help his situation, the young Ortusian found the colored void much more comfortable than the completely black one. Raising his head, Cloy’s tired eyes surveyed the surroundings which were illuminated by sunlight permeating through the room’s giant windows. He seemed to be in a bedroom judging from the closets and dressers. The Ortusian looked at these bedroom objects some more and realized they were feminine-looking. He was sleeping in a female’s bedroom. These had unfortunate implications and Cloy knew that. He hoped to the Good Lord of Heaven these implications were not at all true. Though Cloy remembered the last time he was conscious, the situation was tense and thus could not possibly lead to the implications he was thinking. Unless the circumstances were right but the Ortusian was sure it was not.

Cloy looked down and found white bed sheets, a white blanket covering his body and a certain pale, pink-haired girl wearing a bride’s dress asleep sitting on a chair and using the bed’s side to lie down half her body. The Ortusian then remembered the full details of what happened last time he was conscious. He was trying to stop the kidnapping of Ethiw Riventor and was fighting a mustached villain who wielded a gun. Him getting shot twice was enough proof that he failed his objective. Cloy then remembered he gave a note to Tiamo and it was obvious the Corpse Bride read it. Looking at his body under the sheet, he found he was out of his bodysuit armor. Instead a pair of gray pants covered his lower body while multiple white bandages covered almost his entire torso.

The bed then shifted and Cloy found the young Corpse Bride stirring. Tiamo raised her upper body from the bed and rubbed her eyes which then saw the young boy she was enamored with. “Cloy!” She then dove into Cloy and hugged him tightly. The Ortusian was shocked by this action but now he had an idea on who the other girl within the castle onto him. “It worked! The instructions worked!” Tiamo said, still hugging tightly and never wanting to let go.
Cloy fought the urge to hug back and instead opened his mouth. “Yeah. Looks like it did.”

“Hey uhh… Tiamo? Can you… let go? People might--”
“Please.” The Corpse Bride cut Cloy off. “Let us… stay like this for a little longer.” The Ortusian did not protest. Cloy silently admitted the close body contact felt good and an alluring fragrance invaded the boy’s nose which made his heart almost fall. He immediately shrugged these thoughts off as he could not afford to fall for a girl besides the one he was after.
“Is… is the Queen alright?” This was a question that pierced the Corpse Bride enough to break the tight embrace.
Tiamo sported a pained expression that gave away the answer to the Ortusian. “I-- We cannot find Ethiw anywhere. We can only assume-- no, I’m sure the kidnapper had taken her somewhere for purposes unknown.” The Corpse Bride eyes began to water. “Mom. Dad. Ethiw.” She was on the verge of tears.
Cloy did not know whether to stop Tiamo from crying or to let her emotions go loose but he knew he had to say something. “Hey, we will find her Tiamo. We’ll find Ethiw and bring her back to where she belongs. Okay?” The Corpse Bride stopped her tears from flowing as she listened to the Ortusian’s words though doubt was written all over her face.

Cloy was not sure if he did well or not and decided to change the topic by looking around the bedroom. “Whose room is this anyway?”
“Ethiw’s. This is the royal bedroom.” Tiamo answered and almost smiled at Cloy’s shocked expression.
“Are you sure I’m allowed to be here?”
“Yes. Anyone who risked their life for the Queen deserves to have a stay in this room.” The Corpse Bride assured Cloy with a smile. “Oh and… this belongs to you.” Tiamo then handed the Ortusian a folded piece of paper the latter recognized as the paper he handed before he lost consciousness. Opening it, Cloy saw detailed instructions on how to remove bullets from a body. It was obviously not handwritten as the text and numbers looked very technical and machine-like. “Cloy, why are you carrying detailed instructions about removing bullets? Were you expecting to get shot?” Tiamo asked. She was pretty surprised that the boy was prepared for a weapon that was only heard of in Etrias.
“Well, no.” Cloy answered the latter question. “Honestly I didn’t expect to run into a gun. Good thing you can never be too careful.”

The Corpse Bride was not done with her questions however. “I’ve only heard of these ‘guns’. They are like cannons but are smaller and like cannons, they need to be reloaded after a shot right?”
“Yeah.”
“But why does the kidnapper have one that can fire multiple?”
Cloy did not know the answer to that question. All he could do was guess. “I guess the kidnapper’s ahead of the curve. Speaking of the kidnapper, do you know him?”
“No. Nor do I know of anyone who would want to harm the Queen or benefit from her disappearance.” Tiamo answered. “Unless one of the hostile states in this continent is planning something.” The Corpse Bride explored that train of thought and reached a gruesome conclusion.
The Ortusian was aboard that train too but something tugged in his mind. “Could be. But… I kinda doubt it.”
“What do you mean?” The Corpse Bride asked.
“I mean… do you think any of the states here in Minami Akrufia have access to such advanced tech?” Tiamo thought about Cloy’s words and found truth in them unless the hostile states were having breakthroughs in science during the years but the weapon the kidnapper wielded looked far ahead by a couple of centuries.

“Anyway, are you alright Tiamo?” Cloy silently scolded himself for not asking that question earlier. “Physically, I mean.”
The Corpse Bride found it quite sweet of him to be asking for her well-being. “I am alright Cloy. Thank you for asking.”
“Really?” The Ortusian was doubtful. “It looked like the green ninja was pouring acid all over you.”
“Don’t worry, we Corpse Brides are made of sterner stuff.” Tiamo assured.
“Well, if you say so.”

“Getting comfortable are we?” Cloy heard a gentle, female voice unknown to him. The boy and the Corpse Bride both turn their gazes towards the room’s single door and found a woman who seemed to be in her twenties wearing a white dress with long sleeves and the skirt reaching all the way to her feet concealing it from view. Her hair was white as snow and flowed behind her head. The Ortusian would have mistaken her as a ghost if her skin was as white as her hair. Her eyes were purple which unnerved Cloy but the woman’s entire being gave off an aura of motherliness.
“Ah, Miss Dyrvius.” Tiamo greeted the woman. Cloy found the name a little unusual. He wondered how anybody could come up with such names. “The operation was a success. The instructions worked.”
“I can see that.” Miss Dyrvius replied before turning to Cloy who was now sitting up. “Though we would never have figured out how to treat him without the instructions. You practically saved your own life.”
“No. I may have the ‘how-to’ but I wasn’t the one doing the operating.” The Ortusian said. “Thanks. Like, a lot.”
“No problem. It is my job after all.” Miss Dyrvius smiled.

“So uhh… I take it you’re a Sorceress?”
Miss Dyrvius winced and Tiamo immediately whispered to Cloy. “She’s a Magical Girl Cloy!”
“Magical Girl? Aren’t Magical Girls supposed to look young?” Cloy could not believe the one who healed him was a Magical Girl for she looked as old as a mother. Though it did occur to him that if she was a Sorceress, they should be inside a perception bauble.
The Ortusian forgot to whisper his words however and so white-dressed Magical Girl heard every word. “I shall go and prepare lunch, you must be starving.” Miss Dyrvius smiled once more before leaving though this one put both Cloy and Tiamo on edge.

After a few moments of stunned silence, Cloy looked at Tiamo. “Uhhh…”
The Corpse Bride knew what the boy was going to ask. “She is Miss Arquea Dyrvius. A healer and one of the best in Etrias.” The Ortusian was once again baffled by this Magical Girl’s name. “Despite her looks, she is indeed a Magical Girl and married to Sir Veymoor, one of my father’s friends.” Tiamo’s expression visibly changed to one of melancholy at the drop of the last word.
Cloy gulped. “Sorry. About your parents.”
Tiamo sighed and gave a weak smile. “It’s not your fault Cloy.” She assured. “Their burial will be two days from now. Perhaps you could come?” Cloy knew the answer to that but a simple ‘yes’ did not suffice for him.
“Well then I better get to finding the Queen.” Cloy replied before removing the sheets from him and getting out of the royal bed. “Gah!” Cloy held his torso with both of his hands upon standing up and fell back to the bed.
The Corpse Bride gasped. “Cloy are you alright?” She said placing her hands atop Cloy’s. “You haven’t completely healed. You need to rest.”
“How long… how long was I out?” The Ortusian asked while his bullet wounds felt like it was opening up.
“Just one day. So please, rest.” Tiamo worriedly told the boy.
Cloy knew he cannot function at a hundred percent in his current condition but he did not want to laze around all day. “Okay.” A smile formed in Tiamo’s face. “But…” The smile dissolved. “I want to look around. Find out where Queen Ethiw might’ve been taken to.”
The Corpse Bride was silent for a moment with a raised eyebrow. “Are you some sort of detective?”
“Well…” Cloy did not exactly know how to answer the question. “I better be one if we want the Queen back.”

----------

“Mmmm… this fruit cake is fantastic!” Those words rang in Ethiw’s ears. The voice was familiar and it belonged to someone she was not fond of. Opening her eyes, she saw a well-roasted turkey sitting on a white plate along with an assortment of vegetables. Beside it was a cake covered in white icing with one slice already taken from it. She also saw a green wine bottle on the side and in front of her was an empty white plate and a wine glass. Looking up, she saw on the other side of the table was her kidnapper wearing a yellow jacket that was opened revealing his gray bodysuit with black stripes. The top hat sitting on his head and the curly mustache on his face made it clear who he was.

Ethiw tried to get up but found her hands as well as her feet bound by metal to the chair which seems to be nailed to the floor. She continued to struggle until the man on the other side of the table spoke up. “Try as you may dear but you’re not getting out.” He smiled at Ethiw. “Of course there’s the case of an itch coming up but you only need to tell me which part.”
“Yeah? Then I’ve got an itch… in your face. So scratch that.” Ethiw said.
Dirk glanced up for a moment before scratching his nose. “Hmm. Why you’re right. Thanks.” Ethiw glared at her kidnapper.

“Enough chitchat, let’s get to business.” Dirk said before snapping his fingers which summoned two men Ethiw recognized. One was wearing a black-and-blue garb while the other wore black-and-green. The two of them picked up the food from the table and left only the velvet cloth covering the table. “You should’ve tasted the turkey. It was amazing.” Dirk whispered to Ethiw who merely kept silent. “Oh don’t be so quiet. Here, I’ll let you start by letting you ask two questions.” Dirk cheerfully told the Belle Dame. “I was going to reserve that for other people but they rudely refused. So go on, don’t be shy.”

“What do you want?” Ethiw asked her first question.
“Straight to the point are we? Well alright.” Dirk then leaned closer to the Belle Dame. “I want your diary.” He coldly whispered.
The Queen stifled her laughter. “My diary? What? Are you some sort of stalker or are you just a hardcore fan wanting to know my every secret?”
“None of the above dear.” Dirk answered. “El Cero is more of a… valiant crusader hungering for justice.”
“Well you certainly don’t look or act the part.” Ethiw said. “Now, where--”
“Dearest Ethiw, El Cero only gave you two questions.” Dirk cut her off. The Belle Dame then realized what a waste her second question was.

“Since you were straightforward, El Cero will be straightforward as well.” Dirk changed the topic. “Where is your diary?”
“Like I’d tell you.” Ethiw spat.
“Oh come now Your Majesty. If this diary is so worthless as you say it is, just give it to me and I shall--”
“I didn’t say it was worthless.” Ethiw interjected. “So you’re not getting it.”
Dirk gave a sinister smile. “But what El Cero wants, El Cero gets.”
The Queen of Etrias looked directly at her kidnapper’s eyes. “I’d like to see you try.”

The stare off lasted for a few moments before it was broken when Reptile came into the room with a plate of apples. “Ooh, dessert’s here.” Dirk said as he sat back in his chair as the ninja set the plate of fruits in the middle of the table. “Here, have one Your Majesty.” The kidnapper grabbed and tossed a shiny, red apple that simply bounced off the Belle Dame’s head.
The sheer audacity of El Cero’s actions pushed Ethiw’s temper at its limit. “Do you know… who you’re committing… these outrageous actions to?” The Belle Dame’s tone was quiet yet full of anger and irritation.
“Of course El Cero does. You’re Ethiw Riventor. Daughter of Tuvalon Riventor and Fachias Nohoras. Current Queen of Etrias, a bustling little port town-turned-city which used to be a graveyard until your grandmother decided to invite some of the living to live a lively life amongst the undead.” Ethiw’s tranquil fury was replaced with disbelief at Dirk’s knowledge about her life and kingdom. “You grew up with Tiamo Caiphas, the Corpse Bride whose parents El Cero has recently… relieved from her, putting her on the same boat as you.”
The fury returned at the news. “You WHAT?! You… you killed her PARENTS?!” Ethiw’s body began to burn a black fire.
“Well yes dear. They were in the way.” Dirk calmly confirmed before smiling. “Wanna know how they died? It was quite similar to your parents’ from what El Cero heard.”

The Queen then suddenly shot up from her seat which made Dirk raise an eyebrow. The kidnapper then fell backwards when Ethiw stretched her right arm towards him, evading the jet of black flame. The Belled Dame grabbed a non-burnt apple before swatting away the table and standing before the fallen kidnapper. “Not so smug now, huh caterpillar-face?” Ethiw said before taking a bite from the apple. Though right after swallowing it, her body suddenly lost strength and the flame which once burnt brightly disappeared. The strength of the Belle Dame’s legs failed and so she unwillingly sat on the floor. Dirk then stood up from his chair and reversed the roles.

“Not so smug now, huh monster filth?” Dirk victoriously said before backhanding Ethiw. Normally it would have been nothing for the Belle Dame but somehow the pain was increased three-fold. She struggled not to scream and held back the tears. “Feeling sensitive milady? It’s okay, Uncle Cero is here for you.” The villain coldly assured the Queen before hitting her again. The pain began to grow unbearable as a tear flowed from Ethiw’s eye, her teeth gritting as if they were pushing against each other. “Come on, let it all out! No one’ll judge you! Hehehehe, HAAAAAHAHAHAHAHA!” Dirk laughed as he continued to pummel the Belle Dame.

Ethiw wanted to cry and beg the villain to stop but she steeled herself. She cannot give Dirk the victory.

---------

“She’s right there sir.” A nurse directed Cloy, who was now in his standard clothing, to one of the hospital rooms. The Ortusian made his way to the pointed room and slowly opened the door to find a space large enough to fit two beds on each opposing side and leaving enough in the middle for the non-sick people to move around quite freely. Occupying the two beds was a certain redhead boy and a certain green-haired girl. The boy was unconscious but the girl, upon discovering the guest, almost exploded. “Cloy! Ah!” The Lichen tried to get up but her body did not permit her to.
“Whoa, whoa. Take it easy Nyuwa.” Cloy told the symbiotic girl before grabbing a local stool and sitting just beside Nyuwa’s bed. “What happened to you?” He then asked worriedly.
“I-I found a suspicious person and it turned out to be a bad guy.” Nyuwa relayed her experience. “You were right, they were waiting there.”
“Did he attack you?”
“Yes but me and Wydell managed to fend him off.” Nyuwa said brightly as Cloy went for the opposite. “It was close but we prevailed. Sort of.”

“Nyuwa, I--” Cloy began as he eyed the bandages on the Lichen’s body. “Sorry for dragging you into this. You had--”
The young symbiotic girl did not let him finish by gently shaking her head. “Don’t apologize, Cloy. I willingly took part in this.” The Ortusian knew this to be true but he also knew that she did so partly for him and that stung the boy. To lead an innocent to downfall was an act unthinkable and unforgivable and it occurred to Cloy he had almost done exactly that. “How about you? Are you alright?” Nyuwa interrupted Cloy’s self-loathing thoughts. “And the Queen?”
“I’m alright Nyuwa.” The Ortusian smiled at the Lichen but his expression then grew dark. “But the Queen… has been taken.”
Nyuwa gasped. “Do you know where she was taken to?”
“No but I’m working on it.” Cloy answered. “I’ll take care of this so you just sit tight and rest.”
“No, I’ll help. I’ll--” The Lichen tried to get up but her body denied her once more.
“You are in no position to help Nyuwa.” The Ortusian said in a more serious tone.
“No! I said I’ll help!” The Lichen was now acting similar to a child dead set on something.
“Nyuwa--”
“Because you’ll leave me if I don’t!” Cloy had no reply for that. He thought he had the perfect escape route but apparently it was not so. “And I don’t want you to leave me. I want to be by your side everyday. To be with you always.” Her once loud, bratty voice was reduced to a whimper. The Ortusian’s conscience stung a painful needle into his very being for what he was doing to the Lichen. Part of him wanted to comfort Nyuwa and give in to her affections, going as far as making her a mistress but he knew he had to endure for he was sure his entire heart belonged to another. Having nothing more to say, the boy stood from his stool and headed for the door. “Cloy?” He heard the Lichen call him but did not listen. He opened the door and exited the room, closing the barrier as he went leaving a room full of heartbroken emotions.

Walking towards the hospital’s exit, he encountered the nurse he had met earlier and approached. “Hey uhh… Can you do me a favor? My Lichen friend there is very stubborn and I want you to prevent her from doing anything stupid. Please, can you do this for me?”
“Oh? Is she someone special to you?”
Cloy chuckled. “Yeah, I suppose she is.”
“Okay, what do I get in return?” The Ortusian tried to think of something he has to give to the nurse who giggled. “Just kidding. I’ll keep an eye on her don’t you worry.”
“Oh, thanks ma’am.” Cloy said in relief.

Exiting the hospital with the loose end not quite tied up, he officially started his search for Queen Ethiw Riventor and made way to the castle as quickly as possible and reunited with Tiamo Caiphas, another loose end he has to tie up.

---------

“So this is how she slips out without anyone noticing.” Tiamo commented, her eyes fixed at the section of the wall that seemed like the rest. All the Corpse Brides plus Cloy knew what was behind it.
“Yeah but I had Nyuwa guard the exit knowing the kidnapper might use this.” Cloy said.
“You had the Lichen try to take on the kidnapper?” Tiamo inquired.
“I only told her to watch for any suspicious persons and report to the authorities.” Cloy defended. “She found one and he attacked her. I shouldn’t have put her there.”
Tiamo sensed the regret in the boy’s voice and decided not to pry further. “Well if someone was waiting on the other side, then that means this was the escape route.”

The plan has now come to light but Cloy felt he missed something. He thought that if the kidnapper had used this route, shouldn’t the wall be broken down? He turned to Tiamo. “Hey T, does the Queen have like, a special magical signature?” It was then he realized the Corpse Bride was getting to him. He needed to tie this up soon.
Meanwhile, Tiamo was taken aback when the boy called her ‘T’. It sounded affectionate and it made her heart skip a beat. “S-Special magical signature?” She repeated. “And, ‘T’?” She heard the other Corpse Brides giggle.
“W-well…” Cloy was on the ropes and tried to get out of it. “Anyway, what I meant was that…” Cloy tried to put his message into words. “Can she magically seal something and only her magic can open it?”
Tiamo thought for a moment. “Yes. I believe she does.” She answered. “I know a few things that only she can open.”
“Huh.” Cloy approached the wall. “If she can cast seals only she can open, that means the kidnapper could not possibly have used this route. Unless he broke it down.” All the Corpse Brides got the message. “Can this be broken down?”
“I believe so. I don’t think the Queen is powerful enough to make a wall completely unbreakable.” The pink-haired Corpse Bride replied.
“I see. Either way, I don’t think the kidnapper went here.”

“Then how did the kidnapper escape then?” Tiamo asked.
“There, there must be another way.” Cloy said. “Something, something the kidnapper had used to enter here.” With that the Ortusian began to look around the garden. The other Corpse Brides did as well and after a few moments, Cloy found a rather peculiar patch of flowers. He approached it and saw that the ground was uneven. The Ortusian then plucked out the flowers and began removing the soil.
“Cloy? What are you doing?!” Tiamo asked and headed for Cloy who seemed to desecrating the Queen’s garden.
Upon digging out the earth, the boy stumbled upon a round wooden lid. “Bingo.” He commented while the Corpse Bride was dumbfounded.

---------

“What do you prefer my dear? Right hook?”

*SMACK*

“Or left hook?”

*SMACK*

Ethiw found herself in an even less pleasant position. She was transferred to a stone cell that now served as a more brutal interrogation chamber. Thick ropes connected to the ceiling tied her hands together and left her suspended. The vicious hits only stopped briefly when the Belle Dame was taken to a more suitable place of interrogation. As soon as it was done, the beatings resumed and every fiber of Ethiw’s being wanted to cry and scream but she instead stayed strong and quiet through the painful torture. She felt the toxins that heightened her sensitivity wearing off but the punches Dirk threw still hurt very badly.

Dirk raised Ethiw’s hung head by grabbing her chin. Bruises decorated her face and blood was visible on her nose and mouth. “You know this will all stop if you just reveal to El Cero where the diary is.” The Belle Dame gritted her teeth and spat a mixture of saliva and blood onto the villain’s face. “Now that was rude.” Dirk said as he let go of Ethiw and brandished a white cloth and wiped off the physical insult. “The first monster I tortured was more cooperative and less stubborn.” He then sighed. “All this interrogating business is making El Cero hungry.” The kidnapper pulled out a slice of apple from his pocket. “Apple?” Ethiw’s eyes widened at the fruit and shut her mouth knowing what it is. “Come on, it’s tasty.” Dirk tried pushing the apple into Ethiw’s mouth like a mother trying to feed an unreceptive child. The villain sighed once more and pinched shut the Belle Dame’s nose.

Ethiw immediately knew what El Cero was trying to do but kept her mouth shut. “You know what bugs me about stinky undead like you? You’re supposed to be dead but you still need to breathe. I mean what’s up with that?” Ethiw’s ears fell deaf to Dirk’s words for she was focusing all her energy on holding her breath and keeping her mouth closed. The villain smiled at the Belle Dame’s effort but even he rested on the fact that she had to open the mouth sooner or later. And opened it did as Ethiw made a big exhale and left her mouth wide open for Dirk to push the apple in. Right after inserting it, the villain punched the Belle Dame in the face, making her swallow the apple.

The heightened sensitivity came back and she felt weak again. “I’ll ask one more time my Queen. Where is your diary?”
“In… in…” The Belle Dame began to mutter weakly.
Dirk leaned closer. “In? In? Speak louder dear.”
“In… your ugly… mustache.” Ethiw let out.

Dirk was terribly disappointed at her words. “You know? If you’re not much of a talker…” He grabbed Ethiw’s chin once more. “El Cero has just the perfect gift for you.” He then used his free hand to invade the Belle Dame’s mouth and pulled her tongue out. The villain then released Ethiw’s chin and brandished a small blade from beneath the wrist of the now-free hand. Dirk began to giggle as Ethiw could only watch in horror as the sharp wristblade approached her exposed tongue. “I hope you appreciate it.” The blade made contact with the exposed muscle and began its slow cleave across.

Ethiw tried to keep her voice inside but the extreme pain she felt made that impossible. She began to scream and shriek and the louder it became, the wider Dirk’s smile was. Tears flowed from the Belle Dame’s eyes and blood from the tongue. Soon the steel reached the other end of the muscle and part of Ethiw’s tongue fell to the stony floor, slowly leaking a small puddle of crimson liquid. The screams of agony was replaced with sobs of pain came from the undead queen. She wanted it to stop. She wanted to fall unconscious or die altogether. She wanted her parents. She wanted Tiamo. The pain was too much to bear.

“Now, be a good girl and be quiet.” Dirk told her as if she was a little girl before giggling. He then exited the chamber and was met by the blue-garbed assassin. “Get me some pizza. El Cero needs some time to think.”

The Belle Dame was left alone still sobbing. She wondered what she could have done to deserve such a painful fate. She could only stare at the lump of muscle lying and bleeding on the floor and the drops of blood flowing from her mouth. She would never be able to speak again. The mere thought of it brought more tears upon her eyes. She wondered if she was going to leave the place alive. She wondered if it would even be worth it. Ethiw felt she would forever remember the pain brought to her by Dirk so living on might only prolong her suffering. Though it then occurred to her that she would be leaving Tiamo alone should she die.

The thought of the Corpse Bride made Ethiw realize that Tiamo’s parents were dead because of her. The fact made her heart and will completely break. She could not bear to face her friend knowing she was the cause of death. The Belle Dame was now certain she deserved the pain inflicted on her.

She then fell unconscious, hoping death would take her for there was no longer anything waiting for her in the world of the living.

--------

A day had passed and the secret passage Cloy had discovered only lead to an area in the middle of a swamp. The Corpse Brides began to scan the area without the Ortusian as he was not fit for any physical work yet. Cloy sat in the city square, enjoying his sausage snack when a certain red-haired boy appeared. “Wydell?” Cloy was surprised to see the redhead up and running. Apparently the beating he received was not that bad.
“Hey Cloy.” Wydell greeted and sat next to the Ortusian. “I have… something to talk to you about.”
Cloy figured this was going to be good. He could barely suppress his smile. “Yeah? What?”
“It’s about Nyuwa.” The redhead began. “What… what do you think of her?”
Cloy was silent for a second as he gathered his thoughts. “Well, she’s a nice friend. Little stubborn and childish but she’s got a good heart.” He said. “I mean, aren’t all Mamono?”
Wydell took in a deep breathe. “She likes you. Why do you push her away?”
The Ortusian felt like he answered that question a thousand times already. “I already have a woman. Well, in mind at least.”
“You think that’s a good reason to keep denying Nyuwa?” Wydell questioned. “It’s hurting her, you know? And she’s not going to stop no matter how painful it gets.”
Cloy felt the sting in the redhead’s words. “I know that Wydell. It’s just that… she’s not my destined one alright?”
“And how do you know that?”
“Well aren’t we the ones who dictate our own destiny?” Cloy retorted.
“Then it’s Nyuwa who dictates her destiny and she dictates you’re her destiny.” There was nothing the Ortusian could say to that.

It was time for Cloy to pull his trump card. “You like her, don’t you?”
Wydell was taken aback. A faint blush formed in his cheeks. “W-wha? Don’t change the topic.”
“I’m pretty sure we’re still on topic.” Cloy said. “I mean, why then would you fiercely defend Nyuwa’s feelings? A girl you just met a couple of days ago.”
Cloy had turned the tables but Wydell still has a card to play. “Can’t I do it out of the goodness of my heart?” The Ortusian gave the redhead a look that said he was confident in what he said. Wydell admitted defeated. “W-was it that obvious?”
“No. It wasn’t obvious.”
“Huh?”
“Well it’s obvious just now but back then, if it was obvious everybody would’ve guessed it. Even Nyuwa and she would’ve told you off.” Cloy explained. “But I knew you had the hots for her when you looked me in the eyes.”
“Huh?” Wydell repeated.
“You see, I have this… special ability to know who likes who simply by making eye contact.” Cloy began. “Okay maybe it’s not that simple. By making eye contact I immediately know if the person is in love or not and an idea on who the target of affection is. When I did it with you, I saw something ‘green’ and ‘just met’. From there it doesn’t take a detective to figure out you’re into my little shrubby companion.”

Wydell sighed. Cloy had figured him out but the conversation was not over. “But I still stand by what I said, she likes you and you’re constant denying is hurting her.”
“I already said I know that.” Cloy replied. “But come on man, I can’t love her out of pity. The relationship would be one-sidedly creepy.”
Wydell resented the Ortusian for not being considerate though he was right. Should Nyuwa take an unwilling Cloy for herself, it would paint her in a negative light. “Then what do we do? She’s clearly in love with you.”
“Yes, currently but if we can change her feelings somehow so she would look at you…”
“What?! I’m not stealing her from you!” Wydell protested.
“You can’t steal something from me that’s not mine.” Cloy retorted.
“Tell Nyuwa that.” Wydell shot back. “Besides, that would mean we would be warping Nyuwa’s perception of what she wants.” Cloy braced for impact. “And while it hurts that she doesn’t like me, gods damn me if I brainwash her into loving me.”

Cloy wanted to retort but decided not to. There was no convincing the good-hearted Wydell into subtle manipulation. “I know you have wants, Cloy. But everyone else has too.” The redhead said before getting up. “Oh and… my family told me to stay away from you and the entire incident. They’re concerned for my safety.” Wydell then left Cloy and his unfinished sausage.
The Ortusian expected the last part to happen but the first part troubled him. “Then somebody has to give way.” Cloy knew he was not going to bend but he also knew the other belligerents would not bend either. He stared at the half-eaten sausage, his appetite now lost thanks to the new problems he was facing.

-------

Tiamo stared long and hard at the map of Etrias. The Corpse Brides had scoured every nook and cranny of the swamp where the hidden passage leads as well as the outskirts of the kingdom but to no avail. Wherever the villain was hiding, Tiamo knew it was completely out of sight. Though she did not give up, she must find the villain for the sake of her Queen and best friend. The sound of an opening door caught her attention and she saw Cloy on the doorway. “Do we really have to do this here?” The boy motioned to the entire royal bedroom.
“Oh I’m sure the Queen won’t mind.” Tiamo said while sitting on the bed.

“So uhh… found anything yet?” Cloy asked.
Tiamo grimaced. “No. We have searched every corner of Etrias but…”
“Lemme see.” Cloy sat next to the Corpse Bride and took a look of the map, invading the girl’s private space. A heart started pounding and Tiamo felt her face grow hot. She tried to shake off the feeling but she cannot suppress the desires of her body. Meanwhile, Cloy silently reprimanded himself for teasing the Corpse Bride though he was aware that his body somehow moved by itself and clung to Tiamo. He was astounded by the effect of the Mamono’s aura of attraction but he knew he must endure.

The Ortusian forced his mind to think about the task at hand. “Hmmm. How do you hide a small army and be invisible?” He asked himself. “Have you guys checked for any magical barriers and stuff?”
“Yes we have. We’re all completely sure the culprit’s not using any invisible magic nor has he erected any cloaking fields.” Tiamo answered.
Cloy put his hand in his chin. He knew they were all missing something but as to what it is was the question. “Where’s the one place you would hide after kidnapping a queen. A place no one would think of looking.” The Ortusian thought hard. He put himself in the kidnapper’s shoes and imagined what he would do. “Arrgh!” The answer continued to elude him and that agitated the boy.
“Calm down, Cloy. You might hurt yourself.” Tiamo said in concern.
“I don’t know, T! I just don’t know where Ethiw could’ve been taken.” Cloy hung his head, his eyes on the carpeted floor. “I’m a failure. I couldn’t--” The boy’s eyes widened as a possible revelation occurred to him as he looked at the floor.

“No. They couldn’t have.” Cloy began.
“What? What is it, Cloy?”
“They’re… They’re…” It began to make sense to the Ortusian. He always wondered how the attack on the palace was staged so quickly without being detected. He thought they were all simply ninjas being good at what they do but the possible revelation made their stealthy assault make more sense. “They’re under Etrias.”
“W-what? What do you mean?” Tiamo was baffled at what Cloy said. She could not grasp that the attackers and kidnappers were all under the kingdom all along.
“I think they’re under Etrias, Tiamo. Underground.” Cloy answered. “Think about it. How else was the attack on the castle possible without being detected by the city guards?”
“I don’t know. They wore disguises?” Tiamo still could not believe what the boy was saying. “I mean, there were attackers disguised as guards. Though…” The Corpse Bride stopped for a moment. “They were too far from the palace to have let the kidnappers in. They were focused in a particular area… where Ethiw’s secret passage leads to.”
“See?”

“Okay let’s pretend they are simply under the kingdom.” Tiamo said, still skeptical. “How are we going to reach them then? And why does the kidnapper’s passage lead to a swamp?”
The Corpse Bride’s words made Cloy think. He then thought about the peculiar flower patch with the uneven ground. “I think… I think it was just to lead us away from the real hideout. To throw us off.” Tiamo raised an eyebrow. “I mean, just by looking at the flowers I knew something was wrong and I was just being observant. I think the kidnapper made that passage obvious but not sloppily obvious so that we’d have reason to follow that line of clues and end up with a dead end.”
“Okay if that passage was just a ruse, where did the kidnapper go then?” Tiamo made Cloy think again and run simulations in his head.
“Alright, alright.” Cloy knew the only other alternative escape route in the garden was Ethiw’s passage and that was already proved innocent. “Is there a… a place in the castle that’s located underground.”

“Yes. The castle dungeons.”

--------

He had searched her entire body for the diary yet it was not there. His lackeys had guessed wrong but he held no anger at them. He knew there was always room for error. Though the problem remains, there was something his two lackeys missed. He was going to solve the little diary problem himself. With his infiltration suit on, he was going to scour the entire castle for the diary and he would murder every single soul living in it if he must. A thought occurred to him, he would actually murder every single soul in the castle for they had been a pain in the neck and it would also help in the long run. He then thought about the boy wearing the owl mask. The boy was unexpected, a variable from nowhere that might topple his plans. While there was little evidence to believe that, there was no harm in being too careful.

However, the boy’s identity was a mystery. There was no way he would know if the next boy he talks to was the one. He could only hope. Hope that he would encounter the boy again in his full costume. So that he could tie up the very dangerous loose end. He must not give quarter. “Hmhmhmhm. Hehehehehe.” He quietly laughed. He knew there was little chance of encountering the boy again. He could murder the entire castle and still not be sure if he had taken out the boy. He must not rest his plans on the existence of the boy. He needed to rearrange things.

But he would do that sometime later for he had a diary to find. He soon found himself facing a milky-white corridor with the floor tiles contrasting it with a black color. At the end of the corridor was a painting of bubbles with a blue background. He approached the painting and grabbed a hold of it. Before he could pull it off, he felt something push it towards him. His heart raced but he assured himself it was only a colleague. He moved the painting aside and saw a person in a black and blue armor and wore an owl’s beak colored black except the nose which was blue.

Now he knew why his heart did not stop racing.

Dirk was the first to move as he tossed the painting towards the Blue Owl, making the latter catch it. Right after the action, El Cero bolted for the other end of the hallway and turned left when it split. The Blue Owl put down the painting and caught a glimpse of the kidnapper heading left. “Cloy, are you alright?” He heard Tiamo from behind him.
“Yeah I’m okay.” Cloy replied, his eyes still trained on the path the villain had taken. “The kidnapper went that way.” He pointed.
“Alright.” Tiamo turned to her back, before her a whole group of Corpse Brides and some local troops. “I want a team to secure this passage and another team to explore the right hallway! And you three! With me!”

Suddenly, the sound of bells echoed throughout the underground complex. It was no mystery to anyone there what it meant. “They know we’re here.” Tiamo grimly said.
“So much for the element of surprise.” Cloy remarked. “Let’s go, Tiamo!”
“Right!”

Cloy, Tiamo and three other Corpse Brides went left while another, larger group moved right and two Corpse Brides stood guard at the secret entrance.

----------

Dirk silently cursed as he ran past some Luminarian soldiers who were running in the opposite direction and towards to battle. He soon reached a room that looked like a living room. Two velvet couches sat on top of a blood red carpet facing each other with an oak table between them. There El Cero met with his two assassins. “You, kill the zombie.” He told Sub-Zero. “You, follow me.” He told Reptile. The ice assassin immediately left while Dirk calmly sat on one of the couches. El Cero gathered his thoughts and tried to figure out a way out of the underground palace. He had another passageway out of the place built but to his misfortune it was not done yet and it was far too late to finish it. The only way out for him was the old passage and he knew the invaders would leave it guarded.

Reptile silently stood right behind Dirk, patiently awaiting his orders. El Cero, however, was still lost in thought. The sound of footsteps running and barked orders filled his ears but it did not bother him in the slightest. Dirk stared long and hard at the couch across him when an idea occurred to him. He then looked at Reptile and wondered if the reptilian assassin could pull it off. “Reptile, I have a plan.” The acidic assassin was all ears.

-----------

Cloy’s group ran through the white corridors and hallways and soon encountered a small group of well-equipped human soldiers in a hallway. “Look familiar to you?” Cloy asked Tiamo.
“No.” The Corpse Bride answered.

The human group charged as the mostly Mamono group prepared for battle. One of the soldiers swung his sword at Cloy who blocked it with his wooden staff and immediately swung it at the side of the soldier’s head, knocking him out. The Blue Owl then narrowly dodged a spear thrust which he knocked away with his staff but his attention shifted when he saw another soldier ready to swing a sword vertically at him. He blocked it with his staff horizontally and then tackled the soldier to avoid another spear thrust.

Off their feet, Cloy quickly delivered a knockout punch at the soldier below him. After getting up, his battle was temporarily paused when he saw Tiamo fiercely but gracefully fought her foes. She spun to evade a spear thrust and also within that spin she managed to slash the spearman’s throat. She then parried a sword trying for a stab and retaliated with a successful thrust of her rapier. Her rapier immediately locked with a sword when a soldier rushed the Corpse Bride. She realized too late that the locking of blades left her open to a swing of a mace. However, a wooden staff aimed at the mace soldier’s face stopped the swing. Tiamo broke the lock with a left hook to her opponent’s face.

The Corpse Bride looked at the staff on the ground then towards where it came from, knowing full well who it was. She smiled at the black-beaked boy but her eyes noticed a danger. “Cloy!” The Blue Owl quickly picked up the warning and leaned forward to evade a spear thrust. He then grabbed hold of the spear and kicked away its owner. He then swung the spear’s flat side at the soldier, knocking him out. Cloy, seeing nobody attack him, took a moment to survey the fight and saw most of the soldiers have already either died or knocked out without any losses from his side. He was glad at that.

The fight was drawing to a close and soon the last of the soldiers has fallen with a stab from a Corpse Bride. “All clear Miss Caiphas!” One of the Corpse Brides reported. Tiamo picked up the wooden staff and walked over to the Blue Owl. “Nice job, Blue Owl.” She handed over the staff.
“Thanks.” Cloy dropped the spear and took the staff. His eyes widened as he gasped when he saw a soldier behind Tiamo get up and thrust his sword. “Tiamo!” Cloy could not act fast enough as the Corpse Bride turned around just in time to have a sword run through her. The Blue Owl could not believe his eyes when Tiamo grabbed the remaining soldier’s arm and pulled him closer before introducing him to her fist.

“Hmph.” Tiamo pulled the sword from her abdomen and tossed it aside.
“Y-you could do that?” Cloy asked.
“Told you I’m made of sterner stuff.” Tiamo replied.
“You mean to tell me… that the kidnapper could’ve shot you and you’d be completely okay?” Cloy could not believe that he took a bullet for someone bulletproof. He sighed deeply at the revelation.
Tiamo realized the boy’s senseless and unnecessary sacrifice but tried to defend it. “W-well if it hit me in the head t-then that would be a different story.”

“Ugh…” Cloy muttered as the three other Corpse Brides giggled at him. “Well, we should keep moving.”

-----------

“Sorry ma’am, we are currently in an operation. We can’t let you through.” The guard told a certain Lichen who puffed her cheeks and walked away, the battle lost but not the war. She needed a way into the castle to help her beloved. She started thinking.

The town under the dusk sky was abuzz with rumors of a military mobilization inside the castle. Some were skeptical while some were worried. One of the worried was the Lichen Nyuwa who had been stuck inside the hospital even after Wydell had been discharged. She wanted to hit the nurse for insisting that she was still hurt even after she was sure as the sun rising that she was completely healed up. She had to escape through the window in order for her to leave the clutches of that obstacle to love taking the form of a nurse. However, it seemed she has encountered another obstacle to love in the form of guards. She needed to find a way to Cloy.

“Nyuwa?” A familiar voice called out to the Lichen. Nyuwa turned and saw a certain red-headed boy who got out of the hospital first.
“Wydell!” Nyuwa greeted the redhead. “Listen, you’re a citizen of this kingdom right?”
“Um… yes?” Wydell wondered where the conversation was headed.
“Then do you know a way into the castle?” Nyuwa asked away. “I think Cloy’s in trouble and I need to help him.”
Wydell was stung when he heard the Lichen utter the Ortusian’s name. He wondered why it couldn’t have been his name. He wondered why the fates have made him fall for the lovestruck Nyuwa and Nyuwa to Cloy. It was a morbid twist of fate. “I’ve only been inside the castle once and just because I’m a citizen of Etrias doesn’t mean I know where all the secret passages are.” However, Wydell was not going to turn back from his words. “But… I’ll help.”
“Really? Thanks Wydell!”

“Heh, you’re welcome.” Wydell then had a thought cross him. “Hey Nyuwa, you were waiting in an alleyway right? During the attack on the castle?”
Nyuwa reminisced about the night when the Queen was captured and made a realization. “Yes I was and I think Cloy made me guard there ‘cause that was a secret passage to the castle!” The Lichen then grabbed the redhead’s hand. “Come on!”
“Hey, Nyuwa! Wait!” Wydell thought he should have told her that he was forbidden in meddling with dangerous affairs.

------------

“Where’s the queen?!” Tiamo growled at a blonde short-haired female soldier she held by the collar. They were in a room that looked like a living room. Two velvet couches sat on top of a blood red carpet facing each other with an oak table between them.
“My life... for Luminaire!” The soldier bravely muttered, defying her captors.
“Tsk.” The Corpse Bride was ready to kill the man.
“Hey T, let me try.” Cloy approached the two. “Where’s the queen?” Cloy calmly asked the captured soldier while looking straight into her blue eyes.
“Go to hell, monster hugger!” The soldier still defied.
“Ah, so you are keeping her in a newly-built room.” The Blue Owl said.
The soldier was taken by surprise. “H-how did you know that?”
Cloy smirked beneath his mask. “I didn’t. But judging from your words, I was right.”

The soldier realized she had divulged information, just not directly. “Y-you tricked me, you bastar--” She was knocked out by a punch from Tiamo.
“She was done.” The Corpse Bride dropped the unconscious soldier to the floor before turning to the Blue Owl. “Sooo you guessed they had a newly-built room here?”
“Yeah.” Cloy answered. “No way are they keeping Queen Ethiw in one of these royalty-like rooms.” He said before gazing at the next hallway. “Come on.”

As the small, mostly Mamono group proceeded through the hallways with no enemy in sight, the Blue Owl took the opportunity to ask. “Hey Tiamo, what is this place? I mean, there’s no way these guys could have built all these and not get noticed and the design…” Cloy looked at the black-colored tiles of the floor. “…Is sort of… weird.”
Tiamo inhaled for her answer was a long one. “When I was a child, I heard stories that the small fishing village of Etrias of the olden days had a large underground network of catacombs beneath it. It was said that all the dead came back to life as Mamono and turned their tombs into an underground palace before going up to the surface to build the kingdom of Etrias.” She exhaled as she finished. “I never actually thought it would be true.”

“I see.” The group began descending two flights of stairs. “What is--” The Blue Owl stopped when he saw the room they had a descended had a battle between the enemy soldiers and the Etrias military. Four hallways lead to the room and one was just beside the stairwell. “So this is where the party was at.”
“We have to assist!” Tiamo tried to rush to join the fight but was stopped by Cloy.
“I’ll continue looking for Ethiw.” The Blue Owl told the Corpse Bride of his intentions.
“But--!”
“Ethiw might be in danger so we can’t waste any time.” Cloy cut her off before heading to the hallway beside the stairs. “Just finish up quick, alright?”

Tiamo wanted to fight alongside Cloy but the boy was right. Time was of the essence. The four Corpse Brides all nodded at each other and joined the ongoing fight.

-----------

The female soldier stirred. She then opened her eyes and held her cheek where the monster in the wedding dress hit her. The pain was still there but she stood up nonetheless. Looking around, the room she was in was empty. Or it appeared empty when suddenly the green assassin showed itself in the corner of the room. The soldier was confused. She wondered why Reptile was invisible in that corner and why he did not help her earlier.

The female soldier stood confused as Reptile started to throw away the couches and the table above the carpet. He then removed the covering and revealed a hole where he pulled out a certain mustached man. The soldier recognized the man as their leader, Dirk Willsbury. Another question was put on her mind. She wondered what Dirk was doing in that hole. El Cero dusted himself off and put on a top hat before approaching the female soldier.

“El Cero’s really sorry for not helping you, dear.” Dirk apologized. “But you see, Reptile and I needed to be concealed to ensure escape.”
“Oh, ah, yes. It’s alright sir.” The female soldier understood he was the leader and that he had more priority than the others. However, she resented him a bit for not standing with his men. But then again, he did not look or act the type to do so.
“Well come on then. We should jet before the battle is over.” Dirk said before heading towards a hallway with Reptile following behind.

“Wait!” A female voice stopped the fleeing villains. “What about the others?”
Dirk looked at the female soldier with a pained expression. “They are… lost.”
“So we’re just going to leave them?”
“As much as it pains El Cero, do you think there’s a way for them to get out at this point?” Dirk asked a piercing question. “Let us not make their deaths in vain, yes?”
The female soldier truly did not want to leave her comrades behind. “T-then let me get back into battle. I shall help distract the monsters.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, my dear.” Dirk immediately replied. “You’ll just end up getting captured by going in alone and since you’re a girl…” El Cero words trailed off to let the soldier finish the sentence. It was enough to convince her.

-----------

Sub-Zero calmly but quickly walked down hallways where Luminarian soldiers were scurrying to battle. Soon he reached a hallway with a noticeable hole in the wall as if it had been torn down. He walked up to the hole and faced the short man-made and hastily-built tunnel before him that lead straight to a chamber. Wooden beams served as support against the rock and soil that surrounded the tunnel. Torches lit the way and the ice assassin proceeded to accomplish his objective. He shortly arrived at a large chamber with a metal cage containing an unconscious Belle Dame within it and another, more stony tunnel to the cage’s left. He remembered that the other tunnel led to the stone chamber where Dirk, in his words, ‘formally interrogated’ the captive royal.

The ice assassin approached the cage and grabbed hold of two of the bars. With his power, he froze the held bars and then pried them off the cage, removing the barrier between him and the Belle Dame. He wondered how he should accomplish his objective. He thought of freezing her solid and shattering her. He thought of ripping her spine and skull out. He thought maybe he should keep it simple and quick by driving an ice sword upon her head.

His thoughts were interrupted when he felt a presence. Turning around, his eyes fell upon a person wearing the very familiar beak mask. “Step away from the pale lady.” Blue Owl ordered, his wooden staff ready for combat. Sub-Zero thought of killing Ethiw first but he figured the Blue Owl would be quick enough to stop him. The ice assassin walked a few steps towards the Blue Owl and assumed his combat stance. With a hand raised, he motioned at the Blue Owl to come at him.

Cloy accepted and ran at Sub-Zero, his staff readied to swing horizontally. The latter bought the feigned move and was surprised when the former spun and swung his staff vertically. Fortunately for the ice assassin, his reflexes were fast enough to block the unexpected attack. Cloy pulled back and swung his staff aimed at Sub-Zero’s feet but the assassin jumped to evade it then retaliated by trying to grab Blue Owl. Cloy raised his staff and thus that was grabbed instead of him but little did he know that Sub-Zero meant to grab the staff. With the staff in his hands, the ice assassin kicked Cloy away to gain control of the wooden weapon before freezing it. He then tried to break the staff with his raised leg but only succeeded in hurting his limb. “Augh!” The ice broke after impact but the staff was undamaged.

The Blue Owl used the opportunity to grab hold of the staff and punched Sub-Zero in the face, knocking him away and relinquishing control of the wooden weapon. “This thing is tough.” Cloy took a moment to praise his staff before facing the ice assassin. Sub-Zero, angered at his previous failed action, came at Cloy and formed an ice sword in his right hand. He swung his icy weapon at the Blue Owl but it was blocked. However, he just swung again but yet again it was blocked. He swung once more but this time aimed low. Cloy leaped to avoid it and retaliated with a vertical strike from his staff but that was blocked with the ice sword.

Sub-Zero pushed Cloy away but the Blue Owl quickly moved in for he believed he needed to keep up his momentum. He stopped suddenly, however, when the ice assassin left behind a sculpture. Cloy knew what it was and what it did but he did not expect Sub-Zero to slide onto him, passing through the ice clone, and sending him flying over the ice assassin. Sub-Zero pushed the airborne Blue Owl into his ice sculpture, freezing him solid. He started to approach the frozen Cloy but a sudden jolt of what seemed to be a giant root from the ground stopped him. The move was familiar and his gaze fell onto the room’s entrance.

“Do not think you are getting a kill that easily.” Tiamo said.

-------------

Two Corpse Brides gallantly guarded the secret passage that lead to the underground palace. It was quite an easy task for they only needed to watch the hallway that contained it. However, that did not mean that they were taking their jobs easy. Their eyes were trained on the splitting paths on the other end of the hallway, looking for any kind of movement. Soon enough there was movement in the form of a male calmly walking towards them wearing a top hat and sported a curly mustache. They did not know who the man was but they drew their rapiers, ready to stop this finely-dressed man as they were commanded. The man, however, drew something from his clothes and held it towards one of the Corpse Brides.

A loud sound rang the hallway as a Corpse Bride fell to the ground, a hole in her head leaking blood. “What the--?!” The other Corpse Bride muttered but as she said that something slashed her neck wide open. Another slash occurred, this time at her stomach allowing her guts and entrails to hang. A figure appeared in front of her wearing a black and green garb. Reptile created a ball of acid on one of his hands before ramming it inside the Corpse Bride through the wound on the undead’s stomach and looking away. The Corpse Bride upper torso inflated a bit before suddenly exploding, showering the white walls of the hallway with her red blood and insides. Feeling the air on his hand, Reptile stood by the passage awaiting his master and the female Luminarian.

“It’s clear.” Dirk loudly said to the other end of the hallway. From the left path emerged the female Luminarian who had tagged along with her non-Luminarian superiors. She quickly made her way to the passageway and noticed gory work of Reptile. “What is it, my dear?” Dirk asked beside her.
“W-was all this necessary?” The Luminarian soldier motioned to the bloody mess on the walls.
“Well one, it was a monster and two, it was an undead so yes. It is necessary.” El Cero answered like what the green assassin did was no big deal.

The Luminarian took refuge on her leader’s words but a part of her did not agree with the kind of brutalities being inflicted upon their enemy. “Move with caution, my dear.” Dirk called her back to reality. “There might be more guards stationed ahead.” El Cero grabbed a rapier from a fallen Corpse Bride and handed it to her. She knew she was only good with certain kinds of swords and the rapier was not one of them so she looked at the weapon with impunity. “Is there a problem?” Dirk asked.
“Ah, no sir.” The female soldier quickly answered.
“Don’t worry, you have me and Reptile.” El Cero assured the Luminarian but she wondered if that was a good thing. “Also, hopefully there will be little to no fighting from here on.”

The trio entered the secret passageway and emerged on the castle’s dungeon. Reptile took point and carefully surveyed his surroundings, proceeding onwards to the stairs after he was sure it was all clear. Dirk and the Luminarian followed, taking occasional glances at the surroundings. They had ascended the stairs into the castle proper, encountering nary a soul nor any sort of undead. “Wait.” Dirk stopped the group. “There is… something here that needs to be retrieved.” El Cero knew he could always come back for it some other time but since the future was uncertain, he must seize the opportunity.
Reptile knew full well what needed retrieving but the Luminarian tag-along did not. “What needs retrieving?”
Dirk did not answer but instead turned to the acidic assassin. “Secure the garden.” He then turned to the female soldier. “Follow me.”

Reptile nodded at his order and went on his way. Dirk immediately moved towards another direction with the Luminarian following. She could only wonder what her leader wanted inside the undead queen’s castle.

--------------

Tiamo slashed an ice orb shot at her and proceeded to dash forward to do another at Sub-Zero. The ice assassin evaded each swing and when the Corpse Bride did a vertical slash, he caught the rapier with both of his palms. Tiamo watched as her rapier froze and snapped into two by Sub-Zero. The Corpse Bride threw away her remaining half of the rapier and immediately threw a punch which was easily blocked followed by a leg sweep that knocked Sub-Zero off his feet. Tiamo tried to stomp the assassin but the latter rolled away and rose with an ice knife in his hand. He swung his icy weapon upwards as he got up with Tiamo barely evading it. Sub-Zero continued his slashes at the undead who gracefully evaded them.

As the two combatants went at it, Cloy had broken out of his icy state and made his way towards the cage. He entered the metal prison via the hole the ice assassin created and kneeled in front of Ethiw. The Ortusian cradled the Belle Dame and put two of his fingers on her neck. He then realized that the Queen was undead and might not show any pulse at all. He could not think of any other way to check for Ethiw’s vitals besides the desperate method. Cloy started to shake the Belle Dame. “Ethiw, Ethiw!” He started calling her name. “Come on, please wake up. You have an entire king-- queendom waiting for you. Come on Ethiw, please!”

Cloy continued to do call out to the Belle Dame Queen. He feared he was doing all this for naught as his faith started to wane. He continued to rock the Belle Dame back to consciousness when he saw Tiamo struggling against the ice assassin. He looked back at the hopefully-just-unconscious Ethiw. The choice was obvious, the Queen must wait. The Blue Owl quickly went out of the metal cage and saw Tiamo in a lock with Sub-Zero; the Corpse Bride holding the assassin’s ice knife from stabbing her. Cloy aimed his staff and threw it at Sub-Zero, hitting the ice assassin in the head and breaking the lock. Quickly recovering, Sub-Zero formed an ice sword and tried to vertically slash Tiamo but the Corpse Bride immediately grabbed Cloy’s staff and used it to block the attack.

Sub-Zero put in so much force into that swing his ice sword shattered upon hitting the seemingly wooden sword. Tiamo used the opportunity to swing the staff at the ice assassin and doing it again albeit a lot harder. Sub-Zero recovered and found himself standing before the unarmed Blue Owl and the staff-wielding Corpse Bride. Despite the odds, the ice assassin assumed his combat stance but suddenly skipped backwards to narrowly avoid a black fireball. He gazed at the origin of the fireball and saw a certain white-haired woman with a jet black flaming dress whose red eyes were deadlocked into him. Her arm blade was drawn and ready to slice the ice assassin into pieces. “Ethiw!” Tiamo gasped. Cloy had a smile on his face but the Belle Dame herself seemed to not acknowledge her allies as she did not break her gaze on Sub-Zero.

“Come on man, you know how this is gonna end.” Cloy tried to make the ice assassin surrender but the latter answered by still assuming his combat stance. But the boy had a point, Sub-Zero was indeed outnumbered but unlike his fight with the boy and the plant girl, he was fighting real warriors. He started thinking up a way to accomplish his objective with hopefully his life intact. An idea crossed the ice assassin’s head and formed an ice orb with his two hands and slammed it into the ground, spikes of ice started jutting out of the ground beginning from his position and towards Cloy. The Blue Owl jumped to Ethiw’s side, separating Tiamo from her two friends.

Cloy and Ethiw found themselves standing before a meters-high ice wall made of spikes. “Not a bad idea…” Cloy turned to the Belle Dame. “…if one of us wasn’t an awesome fire user.” Ethiw did not chuckle nor even smile at the remark. The Blue Owl could swear the Belle Dame was someone who would put a smirk on their face before melting the ice wall with impunity. He wondered if what he said was something offensive or was simply not funny. Cloy kept quiet as Ethiw stretched out her left arm and from it, a jet black flame began melting the ice wall. Then something dawned at the Blue Owl. “Wait a minute.”

Meanwhile at the other side of the ice wall and right in front of the tunnel that lead to the underground palace, Sub-Zero ice slid towards Tiamo who sidestepped and countered with a horizontal swing from the Blue Owl’s staff. The Corpse Bride’s attack was blocked and the ice assassin kicked her into the tunnel. He stopped momentarily to gaze upon the position where he had cast the spiky ice wall and there he saw the Blue Owl and the Queen of Etrias making their way around the barrier of ice. Sub-Zero returned his gaze upon Tiamo who was coming at him. He responded by running towards the Corpse Bride and tackling her, carrying the undead all the way to the palace hallways and slamming her at the wall. Before Tiamo could recover, the ice assassin fired from his palms a beam of ice at her which froze her solid.

Sub-Zero turned his attention to his other two foes, one of which he needed dead. He stood in front of the entrance and on the other side of the tunnel stood Cloy and Ethiw who just arrived there. The ice assassin grabbed hold of two wooden beams and exerted his power into it, freezing it as well as the other wooden supports in mere moments. The Blue Owl figured out what was happening and grabbed hold of Ethiw’s hand. He planned to cross the short tunnel before Sub-Zero could enact his plan but it was too late.

The ice assassin shattered the first frozen wooden beam and with the other supports already weakened from being frozen, the tunnel started to collapse. The earth began to shake as bits of soil and rock fell from the tunnel’s ceiling followed by larger ones before being followed by even larger ones. Cloy led Ethiw by the hand back to the chamber to escape the falling ceiling of the tunnel. The tunnel ceiling soon entirely gave way and what was once a passage to the chamber was now rubble of earth and stone. Sub-Zero made a deep breathe before turning to the still-frozen Corpse Bride. He started to approach it but stopped as a wooden bolt wheezed mere inches from his face. He turned to the source and saw a number of Corpse Brides and city guards making their way towards him.

There was no reason for him to stay and so he made his way out, turning into ice and dissipating away.

--------------

“With all due respect sir but what are we looking for anyway?” The golden-haired Luminarian asked her mustached superior. The two of them were in the Queen’s room and were opening cabinets, closets and drawers. The female soldier was left in the dark as to what needed finding and so asked the question.
“A diary, my dear.” Dirk answered as he opened a closet and started pulling out the dresses before looking inside. “The queen’s diary.” He added before closing the closet, not finding what he needed there.
“The diary of the queen?” The soldier repeated.
“Indeed but don’t misunderstand.” Dirk pulled open a drawer before pushing it back. “El Cero cares not for its contents. The book itself is the important one.”
“Umm… okay. What does it look like?” The Luminarian asked another question.

Dirk sighed and turned to the Luminarian who grew a bit afraid since she figured she was asking too many questions. “My dear, leave the searching to El Cero. Keep watch for anyone who might be coming this way.” El Cero ordered.
“Your will!”
El Cero resumed his search but his frustration was growing. He feared that the diary may not be inside the queen’s room. He wondered where it could be if it was not. He needed to think. He sat on the royal bed and cupped his chin. “Where could it be…” He began to think where the undead could have hidden it but it was suddenly interrupted by his Luminarian companion.
“You did pretty well sir.” She said while still keeping watch. “We never had a victory against the monsters since we came to Laramies. Let alone capture a queen, the embodiment of the kingdom she rules.” Dirk removed his hand from his chin upon hearing the female soldier’s words. “I’m sorry sir. It’s just that… I haven’t tasted victory for a long time.”

Dirk gazed around the room, his eyes lying upon a globe sitting on a desk. He walked over to it and placed his right palm on the Etrias region. “The king is his kingdom eh?” He then picked up the globe and threw it on the floor, shattering it and catching the Luminarian’s attention. Dirk eyed a certain gray object among the remains of the globe and picked it up. It was a small book with a plain gray cover and back.

“My dear, as long as you’re with El Cero, you shall never taste defeat.” Dirk sported a wide smile while his only companion could only look in confusion.

---------------

Nyuwa was glad to be standing there. She almost wanted to lie down and embrace the ground. She had not felt the pure earth for a while but there were other things of more importance. “Um, Nyuwa?” The Lichen heard her companion. “Where are we?”
“Judging from how well-cared the soil is, I think this is a garden.” Nyuwa answered. True to her words, both she and Wydell stood in an area ripe with beautiful vegetation inside a stone castle, having just emerged from a hole in the wall.
“And what’s a hole doing in the castle’s garden?” Wydell asked while looking at the torn down section of the wall from which they came from.
“Mmm, I don’t know. Maybe it’s part of the castle?” Nyuwa guessed but from what she could recall, when Lady Suvela showed her the garden there was no hole.

“Well we can ask about that later. Right now we need to--” Nyuwa’s eyes widened and tackled Wydell into the grassy ground.
“Wha--?! Nyuwa?” The Lichen looked at the wall and saw acidic liquid splashed and slowly dissolving the stone. She then looked at the other direction and saw a familiar figure. It was the green-garbed assassin she last saw from the incident at the city’s market. Nyuwa worried the fight was going to turn out much similar to that with the blue assassin but she took a bit of relief knowing it was not for she had an advantage. “Nyuwa, we should run!” Wydell told the Lichen but the latter stood up and faced Reptile.

“Nyuwa?”
“I need to get to Cloy, Wydell.” Nyuwa said, determined to get to her beloved. The redhead was astounded and confused at the Lichen’s seemingly suicidal confidence but he was not given time to neither ask nor think about it when Reptile clasped his hands together vertically then separating them, creating a ball of acid that headed for Nyuwa at an alarming speed. The Lichen sidestepped the acidic orb but Reptile anticipated that and dashed at the Lichen with breakneck speed while his orb was on its way but to his surprise, he suddenly tripped into the ground while dashing. He glanced at his feet area and found a thick vine of moss that interrupted his attack. Moss then started to grow onto his body but with his strength, the green assassin broke free of them and stood up.

Wydell was amazed at how Nyuwa was handling the green assassin but he gasped when said assassin vanished into thin air. He looked around the surroundings but could not find the adversary. However, he saw the Lichen tensed but did not seem to be worried. He began wondering if Nyuwa picked up some combat prowess over the days or something gave the Lichen an advantage. He looked more carefully at the symbiotic girl and realized the answer but suddenly the Lichen sidestepped from her position to evade a dash attack from the enemy though all Wydell saw was a gush of wind on her direction but he knew better.

Nyuwa sidestepped once more to avoid another ‘gush of wind’ and tilted her head to the side when she saw a small, fast, green projectile coming towards her head. The tilt became a roll when the Lichen evaded yet another ‘gush of wind’. Nyuwa was glad she had an advantage that her enemy does not seem to notice but she could only do so much with her invisible opponent’s speed which was five times more than hers. Another problem she had was she could only see where the enemy was and so she kept herself away since if the fight got close, she would not be able to detect the assassin’s fists heading towards her. Even with her advantage, she needed a fast conclusion to the fight for she knew if it dragged too long, the enemy might notice her advantage and take the necessary steps to counter it. And that’s assuming she lasts long enough for the assassin to do so.

Wydell saw that the Lichen was struggling and needed to do something to help. The redhead searched his surroundings to use as a weapon but all he could see was the garden’s variety of plants. “Tsk!” He silently cursed at how useless he was to Nyuwa. He continued to watch helplessly as the invisible opponent slowly wore down the Lichen. He then saw Nyuwa make a surprised expression as if she had lost sight of her target. The Lichen did not pick up what was happening but fortunately for her, Wydell did and made a mad dash towards Nyuwa who noticed it. “Wydell?” The Lichen was suddenly thrown into the ground by an invisible force. She then realized who the invisible entity on top of her and was stricken with fear which was turned into surprise when the redhead commoner tackled the invisible force off of her.

Wydell’s tackle made Reptile drop his camouflage but the assassin quickly overpowered the commoner and after a bit of struggling, stood up while holding Wydell’s head with the red-haired boy trying to break free. Reptile then faced the Lichen with Wydell in front of him, his hands in a prelude to a neck snap. Nyuwa’s heart skipped a bit when she saw the unfortunate bind her red-haired friend had gotten into. Despite Reptile not uttering a word, merely staring with his reptilian eyes, Nyuwa could see he wanted the Lichen to surrender. Wydell continued to struggle free from Reptile but the assassin grip was strong but he did adjust enough to deliver a nasty bite on Reptile’s hand. The assassin winced from the pain but did not lose his grip on the red-haired boy. However, his wincing was enough for Nyuwa to grow moss onto Wydell’s feet which pulled the boy into the ground, releasing him from the assassin’s grasp.

Nyuwa did not relent and immediately grew moss onto Reptile’s feet which were torn apart by the assassin’s strength. The failed move gave Wydell time to recover and for Nyuwa to grab an amount of grass which slowly clumped together to form a spike made of grass which sported a rather deadly tip despite its vegetative nature. Wydell saw the Lichen had a weapon and likely needed an opening for an attack. Both Wydell and Nyuwa rushed Reptile from two opposing directions. The assassin quickly has a plan of action and, with acid on his feet, slid into Wydell, knocking him off his feet before dashing into Nyuwa who sensed his movements and rolled out of the way. Reptile quickly came onto Nyuwa who tried to jab her plant knife into his neck. The assassin caught the Lichen’s knife hand however and with his strength, tried to force Nyuwa to stab herself, the process only slowed by the Mamono’s strength.

Reptile sensed something coming and turned his gaze to an incoming Wydell. He reacted by kicking him away once he was close but his sudden change of attention gave Nyuwa the opportunity to push him down into the grassy garden soil. The assassin tried to get up but found his left arm restrained by moss. He ripped the plant apart with his right hand but as soon as he did, he noticed moss already creeping into his torso. He grabbed hold onto the plant to rip it off but he was too focused on the restraining moss and noticed too late a Lichen who plunged her plant knife deep into his upper chest. Reptile’s hands quickly shifted to damaged area as blood flowed into his garb. Soon the hands grew weaker until it fell limp and the green assassin was no more.

Nyuwa, who was on top of the now dead assassin, heavily panted in front of the carnage she had dealt out. She noticed the assassin’s eyes were full of shock and disbelief with some anger mixed. The Lichen could not believe she had taken a life. It was her first but the entire scene played so fast she could barely register what happened. She was far too tired and confused to react to any of it. “Nyuwa?” She heard a familiar voice call out to her. She turned to the voice’s owner, a boy with red hair and lots of bruises. “Are you alright?” Wydell limped towards the Lichen.
“I… I…” Nyuwa let out and when the boy was close enough, collapsed into his arms. “I’m tired, Wydell.”

-------------

Ethiw began to stir and slowly opened her eyes to see the earthy ceiling. As she rose, she remembered that both Tiamo and the Blue Owl apparently had come to her rescue. She wondered why they would bother rescuing a worthless, pathetic queen like herself. Glancing aside, she saw that the tunnel leading out of the chamber had collapsed but what troubled her most was the Blue Owl lying just beside her. The Belle Dame immediately feared if the unconsciousness Cloy was injured or worse. The thought of taking yet another loved one from her best friend made her guilt shoot beyond its limit. She placed her hands on the Blue Owl’s body and shook him, wanting to utter his name but only sobs came from her disabled mouth.

Cloy’s eyes twitched before opening and seeing the distressed Belle Dame. “Oh, Queen Ethiw.” The boy then rose partially. “Glad you’re okay.” But Cloy doubted those words. He could tell something was wrong behind Ethiw’s teary, lifeless eyes. He shifted his gaze to the collapsed tunnel and sighed. “I hope that’s not the only way outta here.” After getting up, he scanned the chamber for anything that could aid them but only saw earth and rock as well as the metal cage. His eyes fell onto the open, smaller tunnel that seemed to lead deeper underground. “Your Majesty, let’s check that out.” Cloy pointed at the tunnel before heading there with the undead Queen following closely behind.

As the two traversed what seemed to be their only way out, the brown soil soon turned into silver stone which made Ethiw grew pale as she was reminded of the fresh memories of her time with her captors. The two soon reached a small stone cell which completely froze the Belle Dame. It was the same cell where her vital speech organ was forcefully and brutally removed, its remains still visible in the middle of the chamber. “Huh? What is that?” The pain she experienced and the grief returned as she clutched her mouth, choking on her tears. “It looks like a…” Cloy did not notice the breaking down Belle Dame until he glanced at her. “Whoa, Ethiw are you okay?” The undead Queen would have collapsed into the floor had the Blue Owl not caught her and gently descended with her.

“Ethiw…” Cloy slowly pulled the Belle Dame into a hug and let the undead soil his armor with her tears. It was no mystery to him that something horrifying happened to the undead Queen in the stone cell though he could only guess what exactly happened. The only clue he had was the peculiar pinkish-red flesh in the middle of the cell surrounded by dried blood. To him it looked like a tongue which only raised his interest about the area. The Blue Owl wanted to satisfy his curiosity as to what exactly transpired in the cell but he knew that would be insensitive. “Milady…” Ethiw raised her head to look at Cloy. “Would you like to leave this place?” The Blue Owl asked. Ethiw lowered her head and thought about it. “I mean, there could be something here but…” Ethiw was amused at Cloy for taking her feelings into account but that should not get in the way of the main objective. The Belle Dame shook her head and stood up.

“W-well, if you say so…” Cloy said as he also stood up. The two began to search the stone cell for anything that could get them out of there. Unfortunately, the cell seemed to be just an extension of the previous chamber and nothing else. The Blue Owl found himself standing before the lump of flesh. Getting a closer look, he was now sure it was a tongue but to whom it belongs frightened him. There was the fact that Ethiw lost her strength upon entering the cell as well as her not speaking to him for a while. He did not mind it until he confirmed what the lump of flesh was. “Umm… Ethiw?” Little did he know that the undead Queen was already beside him which startled the boy but made a great job hiding it. Cloy was silent, not knowing any words suitable perhaps for the best, but faced Ethiw when the Belle Dame did so to him. The Queen slowly opened her mouth which confirmed Cloy’s fears. A reddish stub was found on the tip of Ethiw’s shortened tongue.

“Ah jeez…” Cloy muttered. “D-does it hurt? I think I’ve got something--” Ethiw held Cloy’s arm from getting anything and weakly smiled at the boy. Silence followed after Ethiw released the Blue Owl’s arm. “Well, looks like there’s nothing here.” Cloy broke the quiet moment. “I guess we’re waiting for help from outside.” Ethiw nodded at the suggestion.

-------------

“Is this part of your plan?” The blonde Luminarian asked her mustached superior. The two were trudging through the swamp right outside Etrias after taking an escape route in the castle’s garden. The two were aware of the battle between Reptile and the plant girl but fortunately for them, the route was outside their sights.
“Well, El Cero preferred a more… dignified escape but an escape’s an escape.” Dirk answered.

Soon the two reached dry ground in the form of a dirt path. “Umm… sir?” The female soldier began as she emptied her boots from swamp water while El Cero scanned the surroundings. “What’s important inside the queen’s diary?”
“Oh no no no.” Dirk quickly replied. “It’s not the content, my dear. It’s the book itself.”
“Oh, is it enchanted?” The Luminarian continued while putting her boots back on.
“Hmm, you could say that.” Dirk smiled at her. “Are you ready?”
“Yes sir, let us move.”

El Cero began to march while the blonde soldier could only follow, not knowing what her superior’s intentions were. “Umm… where are we going?” Dirk was about to answer when he suddenly stopped, prompting the female Luminarian to shift her gaze from El Cero to ahead, much to her surprise.

“Well, well. El Cero certainly didn’t expect this.”

-------------

Cloy and Ethiw had gone back to the main chamber and had resigned to relying on someone else to get them out of there, sitting right behind the pile of rubble blocking the only way out of the chamber. “You know, Ethiw.” Cloy began. “I’m glad you were okay.” The Belle Dame looked at the Blue Owl who was just staring at beyond. “And…” Cloy’s face suddenly turned sour. “…is the air getting thinner?” Ethiw took in a deep breath and found that she inhaled little air. She wondered why and the answer was with Cloy. “No, no.” The Blue Owl stood up and faced the collapsed tunnel. “This place can’t be THAT sealed.” The Belle Dame also stood up confused, looking literally at Cloy for answers. The Blue Owl sighed as he faced the undead Queen. “Looks like we’re in deep trouble, Your Majesty.” Ethiw raised an eyebrow. “Our air is limited.”

Ethiw’s eyebrow was still raised however, not sure of what Cloy just said. “I said our air is limited.” The Blue Owl repeated. “It means our air is running out and we’ll suffocate if we don’t get out of here soon.” Ethiw’s core skipped a beat and faced the collapsed tunnel. Black fire began to form in the Belle Dame’s hands and aimed it at the rubble. “NO!” Cloy successfully prevented Ethiw from unleashing her fury. “It won’t work. We’re underground, if you blast away the soil and rock, the soil and rock above it will just replace it.” The boy explained. “Besides, there’s a chance the fire will just reflect and roast us both.” The flames in Ethiw’s hands died down.

“Let’s try to get some of the rocks away to maybe let in some air.” Cloy said before approaching the collapsed tunnel and started removing some of the stones and rocks. Ethiw followed suit but the Ortusian suddenly stopped. “No, no.” What Cloy saw upon removing a small rock was another small rock suspended by soil. It was then he realized that it was not the rocks that blocked the air but the soil with them. The Blue Owl sighed at the discovery which made Ethiw stop. “It’s no use, milady.” Cloy said. “We’ll have to dig all of these out if we want some air. Assuming we’ve got enough air to do that.” He left out the part that they had to deal with the earth coming down should they do so.

The Blue Owl sat back behind the rubble, defeated. “I hope Tiamo gets to us fast.” Ethiw knelt down in front of him, her eyes asking if there was anything they could do. “Hm, all we could do now is save the air we have. That means one of us needs to die.” He joked, knowing little that somebody was considering it. The Belle Dame knew one of them had a chance if one was to stop breathing the scarce air. She did not need to weigh the options to decide who was to go. She felt she had disgraced everyone she loved by being a weak and pathetic ruler. Ethiw looked at her gauntlet and ejected the blade. The sound caught Cloy’s attention and looked at the undead Queen with rising fear. “Ethiw?” The Belle Dame put the blade upon her neck. She bit her lips and wished that Tiamo live a happy life with the Ortusian. She did not expect her life to go so badly. She expected to live her life governing Etrias as a loved and respected Queen with her best friend beside her and a man to call her own. To raise kids to succeed her and watch them grow to be fine people. But it appeared that was wishful thinking.

*THUD*

In what seemed to be a blink of an eye, Cloy was above Ethiw, pinning down her arms with his. His eyes were in disbelief as he asked. “What do you think you’re doing?” Ethiw opened her mouth but did not or could not utter a word. Realizing that, Cloy sighed. “I’m going to let you go but promise me you’re not going to do that, okay?” The Belle Dame nodded and the Blue Owl got off of her. “What? Were you thinking of killing yourself to give me more air?” Ethiw wistfully looked at the Ortusian who looked backed in disbelief. “You can’t be serious. I was just joking! If anyone here needs to die, it would be me!” Ethiw vigorously shook her head, tears in her eyes, and opened her mouth, pointing at her nonexistent tongue before stretching her arms and motioned to what Cloy understood as everything.

The Blue Owl got what the Queen of Etrias was trying to say and smiled. He put one of his hands on the Belle Dame’s shoulder and with the other, wiped off the tears. “Yeah, basically everything that happened was your fault.” Cloy started harsh. “But if you are what you think are, would Tiamo and the entire king-- queendom of Etrias be looking for you?” Cloy removed his mask, the air was getting too thin. “You’re a good Queen, Ethiw. Tiamo knows that. Your people know that. I’ve only been here a couple of days and I know that. I mean, would a bad Queen disguise herself as a commoner to check up on her citizens?” Ethiw was surprised he knew of her intentions days ago. “Yeeaahh, Tiamo told me.” Cloy rubbed a hand on the back of his head. “We want you back, Ethiw. Your people both want and need you and I doubt they’d mind their beloved Queen being mute.”

Ethiw was starting to feel better. There was truth in Cloy’s words. No one had a bad opinion of her. But the presence of the kidnappers put doubt that in that. “Why would you kill yourself even? Would you rob the world of such a beautiful woman?” The Belle Dame felt her cheeks flush and her core pound, jerking her eyes at Cloy. “You’re cute, kind, a little mischievous but basically wife material.” Ethiw did not know how to react for the situation was dire and the boy was basically whispering sweet nothings upon her ears. She took another deep breath and felt the air was gravely thin. She looked at Cloy’s face which sported a dazed look and figured he was delirious from the lack of air. Their time was running out.

Cloy fell down on the rubble blocking the tunnel. Ethiw, being a Mamono, could survive for a little more while but she felt weak and slowly collapsed on the Blue Owl. She was not sure if what the boy said was from his heart or from his somewhere else but she was glad she heard them. She put herself on top of Cloy and began thinking what her life would be like with the Ortusian. The Belle Dame then felt something wrap around her. It was Cloy’s arm and her core pounded faster for they were in a position fit for a couple. “I…I’m glad to pass with you, Ethiw.”

The Queen of Etrias smiled at the Blue Owl’s remark and silently said. “Me too.”

Nyuwa slowly opened her eyes but that was all her body could do for the moment for it was numb and tired. The Lichen noticed the ceiling she saw was familiar and so budged her head to the side to get a better look at where she was. The place was indeed familiar, she was in the hospital room she was placed in after she and Wydell fought the ice assassin. She felt a strange sense of déjà vu, especially when she saw an unconscious Wydell in a bed across her. It was as if she went back in time and began wondering if she really had. It was then the door to the room opened and a familiar woman entered the room.

“Good morning, Nyuwa.” It was the pink-haired Corpse Bride.
“Ah, good morning.” The Lichen replied.
Tiamo took a seat on a chair in the room. “We found you unconscious with the farmer boy in the castle garden. How did you manage to get there?” The Corpse Bride asked.
“Oh, there was a passage in an alleyway in the city.” Nyuwa began to explain. “Cloy had me guard it for some reason during the attack on the castle. I… Well, me and Wydell had to fight the ice assassin because of it.” Tiamo was surprised. She wondered what had gotten into Cloy to put an innocent Lichen in the middle of danger. “B-but Cloy didn’t force me into it! I knew the risks but I still insisted.” Nyuwa quickly added.
Nyuwa’s quick addition cleared things up for the Corpse Bride. “I see. Cloy certainly put much trust in you.” Nyuwa nodded at the statement. “There was also the dead body of the other assassin along with you. Did you…?”
“Yes, I did.” Nyuwa answered, her voice filled with sadness. “Looks like my hands are dirty now, isn’t it?”
“You have indeed killed but you were defending yourself.” Tiamo assured the Lichen. “So long as you don’t enjoy it, I believe you should be fine.”

Silence filled the air for a few moments before Tiamo asked a question. “Did you regret it? Was… was all the pain worth it?” The Lichen looked at Tiamo, not getting what she meant. “I mean, your journey here and everything you have went through with and because of Cloy.”
Nyuwa’s gaze shifted upwards as she pondered at the question, looking back at everything that happened to her ever since she left the forest that was her birthplace and tagged along with Cloy. She smiled at the answers she will give and she received thank to that question. “No. Not at all.” Nyuwa smiled at Tiamo.
“I see.” The Corpse Bride smiled back. “Well. I shall leave you to your bearings.”

After the door had closed and Tiamo out of the room, Nyuwa plopped back to her bed with an audible puff from the soft mattress. On the other side, the red-haired boy silently and motionlessly listened in on the Mamonos’ conversation, facing away from the two. He was impressed and at the same time depressed at the Lichen’s dedication to the Ortusian. The
farmer boy quietly sighed and resigned to the fact that he will never get Nyuwa. He then looked to the bright side. That surely there were more Lichens or plant Mamono out there in Praxis. Maybe someday he will--

“I know you’re awake, Wydell.” The red-haired boy’s heart stopped for a second when he heard those whispered words that came just behind him.
He turned around to face whom he was sure was Nyuwa though he did not expect her to be so close to him. The Lichen was literally resting her arms on his bed and the made Wydell rise from his bed. “Oh, uh, yeah.” He replied
“I assume you heard that talk earlier huh?” Nyuwa asked, her face half-buried on her arms.
“Umm… yeah.” Wydell admitted with a hand scratching the back of his head.

“But you know, Nyuwa…” The farmer boy continued. “It seems Cloy did a lot for you, didn’t he?”
“Yes. Yes, he did.” The Lichen lazily replied.
“No wonder you fell in love with him.” Wydell glanced at the window. “Hell, I know I would.” The Lichen raised an eyebrow at the last comment and made the redhead fidget. “I-I mean… I was… uggh…” Wydell hung his head.

The Lichen snickered and raised her head from her arms that lie on Wydell’s head. “Yeah, Cloy did a lot for me. He… gave me the opportunity to leave that forest.” Nyuwa said.
“Wait, why couldn’t you leave the forest?” Wydell asked.
“Because I… was too scared actually.” Nyuwa began to answer. “I didn’t know what the outside world was. Just stories and trivias I hear from people who pass by the forest. I never had the courage to tag along and so I was stuck there. That forest was basically my entire world.”
“Then… what made you tag along with Cloy?”
Nyuwa pondered at the question for a few moments. “I… don’t know actually.” She answered. “People told me that since I’m a Mamono, I would know my fated one when I see one and that I should just follow my heart and instincts. So when Cloy showed up, my body tingled because he felt so… right and…”
“Approachable and makes you brave and bold?” Wydell continued Nyuwa’s sentence for her.
“Yes, exactly!” The Lichen exclaimed despite Cloy’s initial discouraging words. “Wait, how did you know?”
“Well, I know I’m feeling more confident whenever he’s around.” Wydell admitted. “I’m usually a timid person, you know?”

“I see.” Nyuwa looked away. “So it’s not a feeling that only I had.”
Wydell was not sure what the Lichen had just said but in the instant he realized. “N-Nyuwa, I’m sure your feelings for Cloy are genuine!” The sudden outburst startling the Mamono. “Just because your feelings are common doesn’t mean it isn’t true.” He continued. “I’m sure that is the reason you like him. You know, besides him taking you to the first step towards the outside world.”
“Yeah, that’s probably it.” Nyuwa agreed to Wydell’s statements. “But not anymore.”

Wydell did not quite catch the last part. “What?” That flat question was all that he could utter.
“Cloy doesn’t like me and probably never will.” Nyuwa smiled meekly. “Some Mamono would have persisted until he gives in but not me.” Her smile then turned brighter to Wydell’s confusion. “I mean, I’ve got you right?”
“Nyuwa…” Wydell was getting the idea that the Lichen basically gave up Cloy for him. However, he thought that was too good to be true but the thought of it was enough to redden his face. “Ah!” He yelped when something was placed upon his crotch.

“Nyuwa…” There was no other sensible culprit. Nyuwa’s hand was tenderly rubbing Wydell’s crotch under the white sheet. “Nyuwa…” The commoner resisted rising, bringing even more red upon his pained face. Looking at the Lichen, he noticed Nyuwa had a seductive smile and her green eyes were half-closed, her face also turning red. She was perfectly aware of what she was doing. However, Wydell was at a loss. He had thought there was no chance for him with Nyuwa yet now she was trying to get his manhood erect. What’s even more confusing for Wydell was that Nyuwa was not doing this because she was depressed or broken and needed relief. No, she looked happy doing it, excited even. “Nyuwa… do you…?”
“Of course I do!” The Lichen snapped. “Why do you think I’m doing this?”
“Er… sorry.” Wydell meekly apologized.

“Geez, at least Cloy picked up my intentions a lot earlier.” Nyuwa mused before taking off the blanket that covered Wydell. Down below, his manhood was only half-erect; no doubt its owner putting effort in restraining it. However, when the Lichen pulled down the commoner’s pants, his membrane was exposed to the outside in all its glory. This sent a wave of excitement upon Wydell’s manhood which made it successful in defying its master’s orders and rising fully. “Oh my…” Nyuwa was surprised. She had never seen one before in her life, only hearing it in stories told to her by other Mamono. The rod, the manhood, the membrane, the sword, Nyuwa has heard of many terms of the flesh that stood proudly and redly before her.

Wydell was embarrassed for certain but he could not voice it out. He did voice out something else, though not real words. “Gah…!” Nyuwa had grasped his rod with her hand and slowly rubbed it up and down.
“It’s… cuter than I thought.” The Lichen remarked, becoming more excited herself the more she basked in its presence.
“T-thanks…?” Wydell was lucky to have responded with his mind being clouded with pleasure.

Before his eyes, Nyuwa climbed into his bed and straddled him, facing his lower part. Wydell noticed that the Lichen actually wore very little clothing, only some gray cloth or rags to cover her important bits. However, that fact was covered up mostly because she had many ‘accessories’ upon her body. Flowers, moss that looked like fur and other plant-like things were present which made it hard to tell she was actually half-naked.

Nyuwa then lowered herself towards Wydell’s erect cock and immediately engulfed it with her mouth, sending a surge of pleasure to the redhead. Though his mind clouded, he could make out Nyuwa’s behind basically waiting for it to be assaulted. Wydell took up the imaginary offer and flipped up the makeshift skirt to reveal Nyuwa’s most naughty yet most important bit of her body as a Mamono. “Hm…!” She let out a muffled whimper as fresh air blew against her pussy.

The redhead stared at Nyuwa's wet, dripping vagina leaking juices. He found it quite strange though at the same time alluring and inviting. Wydell then proceeded to bury his face upon Nyuwa's crotch and began to lick the exposed flesh, squeezing some muffled moans from his partner.

The two continued teasing their privates before Nyuwa intensified her sucking, making Wydell stop. “Ah…!” He was nearing his climax and the Lichen took notice of this and with her mouth and hand, hastened her affection of Wydell's hard and throbbing cock. "Nyuwa... I'm..."

Nyuwa's mouth was then suddenly filled to the brim with Wydell's liquid seed. While she swallowed some of it, some flowed out of her mouth and trickled down the shaft from which they came. The Lichen then released her hold on the saliva-and-cum ridden cock and gazed lovingly at her new lover, licking clean some of the seed on her face.

Wydell returned the gaze but with a red, stupefied face. He then suddenly rose up and brought his lips closer to Nyuwa's. "W-Wydell wait!" The commoner stopped confused as to why the Lichen ordered him to stop and surprise plastered onto her face. "M-my mouth... it's still full of..."
Wydell smiled at his new lover. "It's mine, isn't it? So it should be fine." He then planted his lips upon the surprised Lichen's who reciprocated. Both slowly descended back into the bed with their lips locked, adjusting to make their positions more comfortable. They broke their kiss when the boy was on top of the girl.

The two stared at each other, both ready for the real action. "I'm... putting it in." Wydell told his Lichen partner. Despite being nervous, Nyuwa put on a brave smile and nodded. The commoner then slowly decreased the distance between his manhood and Nyuwa's wet flower. Soon enough, the two fleshes kissed.
"Mmm...!" The pleasure from the contact swept throughout Nyuwa's body, forcing her to shut her eyes. Wydell then worked on a slow thrust, his manhood slowly entering Nyuwa. "A...ahhh!" The Lichen felt both pain and pleasure as the redhead's manhood entered her.

"Nyuwa, are you okay?" Wydell worriedly asked after his shaft had completed its entrance.
"Yes... please... continue." Nyuwa answered.

Wydell nodded began the usual rhythm of intercourse, a moan of pleasure from Nyuwa with each thrust. As the boy fell and hugged her due to the overwhelming pleasure, the Lichen was
also hit with the pleasure from having Wyell's shaft further enter her. She felt a happiness that she thought had eluded her for eternity.

The happiness of love.

Though as she thought that, a pang of guilt hit her. Drowned out by the pleasure and happiness she was currently experiencing was Cloy. She could only wonder how that Ortusian was doing. She knew he did not love her and will likely be glad that she has found another love besides him.

But then, the sensations began growing stronger as her mind shifted from the boy in armor to the boy in simple clothes. The boy who had been with her since the day they had met. The boy who had risked much for her happiness. The boy who loved her and only her.

That train of appreciation was interrupted when a strange, exciting feeling began rising quite rapidly. Nyuwa wondered if that was the great 'climax' she had heard so much about. The brief but amazing feeling that would awash one during intercourse. "Nyuwa... I'm..." The Lichen was surprised that her partner seemed to be also experiencing the same feeling.

"M-me too...!"

"Nyuwa, let's... together..."

"Y-yes...!"

After the last thrust, the two lovers made one last, passionate moan as they released their love fluid onto each other. Wydell collapsed by Nyuwa's side and, amongst the panting, looked at the Lichen with a tinge of worry. "I... I stole you... from Cloy..." He said.

Nyuwa, amongst the panting, smiled at the redhead. "You can't steal something from him that's not his."

-----

Cloy jolted awake. As if something happened. Something good. Real good. He wasn't sure what it was and it was the least of his concerns since the room he awoke in. He was back inside Queen Ethiw’s room. The Ortusian was not given a chance to ponder when a familiar Magical Girl entered the room. "Ah, Mr. Cloy. You're awake."

"Y-yeah." Cloy then realized something about the previous night. "Wait. I'm alive?"
"Yes. You are very much alive." Arquea confirmed. "Well, you were half-dead when Tiamo found you and the Queen. Fortunately we were not too late as you can see."
"Heh. I'll say." Cloy smirked. "I take it the Queen is okay too?"
"Indeed." Arquea nodded.

"So uhh... why am I in the Queen's chambers?" The Ortusian asked.
"Well, once you and Queen Ethiw were in stable condition, we transferred you both to Her Majesty's bedroom to make space for the other injured." The white Magical Girl explained. "There's not a single protest about it so I guess it's alright."
"Not even Queen Ethiw herself?" Cloy raised an eyebrow.
"Nope." Arquea smiled. "Speaking of the Queen, she woke up earlier than you, as you can see, but..."
"But... what?" Cloy was a little nervous to ask.
"She was... gloomy ever since." Arquea took on that emotion herself. "Did something happen, Sir Cloy?"
The Ortusian hung his head as to how to answer that question. "Y-yeah. There's... something." He hesitated to answer but he knew there was no hiding it.
"I see." Arquea gently closed her eyes. "Sir Cloy, may I ask that you help her?"
"I-I don't know if I can, Madam Dyrvius." Cloy answered to which the Magical Girl did not reply. A half-truth considering what he was currently planning.

"Uhhh... Mrs. Dyrvius. Can you fetch my armor if you can?" Cloy then requested. "I have... things to do as soon as possible."
"I believe you need rest. It's a miracle that your wound--"
"Please, Ma'am Dyrvius. I insist."

-----

Walking down her castle halls, Ethiw thought she would never do so again since she has been captured. But thanks to an Ortusian passerby, she was able to do so for the days to come. However, her face was still that of gloom. She was undoubtedly the reason why many were killed in the internal attack including Tiamo's parents and injured many more including the Ortusian. She was sure that all of Etrias had lost their faith in her, if not, outright hate her.

And worse still, her core beats for Tiamo's love. She could not believe how her own heart demands that she further torment her best friend. She cursed herself for being the worst and wondered why she was kept alive by the fates. Perhaps, she thought, that punishment must be passed upon her while she lived to appease the living before she could die.

But the words of the Ortusian came back to her mind. He said her people wanted her back and she was a good queen that would do the kingdom bad if she was gone. However, dark thoughts overrode Cloy's words. After all, there was no proof of the beaked boy's claims. The Belle Dame hoped the claims were true but no matter how hard, there was no assurance that it was not false.

"Ethiw?" The white-haired undead heard a voice, breaking her thoughts. It belonged to her
friend whose life she indirectly destroyed. Ethiw turned to Tiamo with eyes that wanted to turn away. Those eyes turned to surprise when the Corpse Bride ran up to her and embraced her with all of her friend's being. "When I heard you awoke, I came here as soon as I can."

Ethiw was confused at what her best friend said. Tiamo sounded concerned and happy and not at all angry. The Belle Dame felt happy but those she believes she did not deserve it and so pushed the Corpse Bride from the embrace. "Ethiw? What's wrong?" Tiamo, their arms still holding each other.

The Belle Dame simply looked at her best friend with pain and regret in her eyes. Tears began forming as Ethiw tried to break off from Tiamo. "Ethiw?!" The Corpse Bride however, hold onto her Queen's arms. Although Ethiw could successfully break off any day, today was different. She did not have the strength nor the will to do so, a part of her wanting to accept her friend's warm embrace.

"Ethiw please! What's wrong?" Tiamo begged. It pained the Corpse Bride to see her best friend in a mess without knowing why. "W-When we were treating you and Cloy..." Tiamo pulled out a small, brown book. "We found you... didn't have a... tongue anymore." The Corpse Bride was very reluctant to say those words and so quickly moved on to her gift. "S-So I got you this small notepad and uhh..." Besides the small pad, Tiamo also presented a small, capped bottle of ink and a small, black feather of likely avian origin. "W-With these... even when you can't talk..."

The Belle Dame was confused but not only at one thing though all of them concerned Tiamo. The Corpse Bride herself seemed to be on the verge of tears and so Ethiw let go of her self-pity for a little while to place a hand on Tiamo's shoulder and stare at her with eyes full of worry.

Tiamo burst forth the dams in her eyes and embraced the Queen. "I'm sorry, Ethiw! I'm so very sorry!" Ethiw was even more confused. Her best friend whom she tormented was apologizing to her. "If... if I had been a better Corpse Bride..." Tiamo bawled. "Y...you would never have been kidnapped. You w... would never have lost your tongue! You would n... never have been hurt!"

Ethiw could barely hold back her tears. She had not known that her best friend was so devoted to her. But that only made her feel even more guilty. Ethiw broke the embrace and fetched Tiamo's gifts. Opening the ink bottle and dipping the quill upon it, the Belle Dame began writing on the notepad with great haste before showing it to the Corpse Bride.

"But you saved me, didn't you?"

Ethiw warmly smiled at her best friend, tears leaking out of her eyes. "B-but..." It was the Belle Dame's turn to embrace, both to silence Tiamo as well as to show how grateful she were to her best friend. The small notepad was not needed for the Corpse Bride to know what Ethiw was trying to say. Tiamo returned the hug with tears in her eyes though they were no longer of
sadness or regret, but joy and happiness.

The two undead parted but gloom returned to Ethiw's face which prompted Tiamo to do the same upon witnessing it. "Ethiw, what's wrong?" The Corpse Bride asked once more, the pain of not knowing what ailed the Belle Dame returning. Fortunately, Ethiw now had the tools to relay her answer.

"Aren't you angry with me?"

"Huh?" Tiamo could understand the sentence but the meaning was lost to her. "W-why would I be angry at you, Ethiw?" The Corpse Bride watched her best friend scribble once more on the notepad, expecting a good explanation for if anyone was to be angry, Tiamo believed it was Ethiw.

"I killed your parents."

Tiamo skipped a beat when she saw those words but after the brief lapse of rationality, the Corpse Bride could still not make heads or tails of Ethiw was trying to say. It was then the pink-haired undead realized there was a meaning hidden deeper in the words. The Belle Dame was no great poet so Tiamo had no trouble figuring out the words.

"You idiot." Tiamo smiled at the surprised Ethiw. "You're not to blame for that. Heck, I'm sure not even my parents would blame for you that." The Belle Dame began scribbling once more in her new notepad. It took several moments which made Tiamo's imagination spring to life as to what Ethiw was going to say.

"I've put a lot of people in danger. Including you and Cloy and your Corpse Bride sisters."

Tiamo was tempted to call the Belle Dame an idiot again but instead, she gave a long sigh with a glance to the ceiling, to Ethiw, looked like she heard something stupid. "Really, Ethiw." Tiamo said before looking at Ethiw again. "Do you think we did what we did because of duty only? Do you think Cloy, a passerby, would spend a couple of days here to help save you for laughs? Do you think your entire country froze in fear when they heard you were in danger because they hated you?"

Ethiw was taken back to the time she and Cloy were trapped. Tiamo echoed the Blue Owl's words. With two people fiercely assuring her that her fears were baseless and actually the opposite, Ethiw felt a huge burden upon her heart lifted. A relieved sigh left her lungs but not all of her worries were lifted.

The ink-covered point of the feather was once more at the notepad's white sheets but did not move to write. "Ethiw?" Tiamo could see that Ethiw was writing, except the Queen was paused seemingly indefinitely. Little did she know that Ethiw was in conflict as to whether to write her
thoughts or not. "Ethiw, if you have something to say, say it... er, write it. Come on." The Corpse Bride gave a friendly smile.

Despite Tiamo's words, Ethiw was not entirely sure she should. However, as a Mamono there was no way she could keep her feelings hidden forever. She resumed her writing but as she finished, hints of doubt appeared. She was sure that what she had to say meant nothing good for the Corpse Bride but to drag the problem further would only prove more problematic.

"I'm in love with Cloy."

Ethiw saw Tiamo skip a beat, certain that a range of emotions had flooded upon the pink-haired undead. Her grip on the notepad tightened when she saw Tiamo hang her head. "I see. I guess we're enemies then." The Corpse Bride coldly said. Ethiw expected as much but it did not make the pain feel any lighter.

A chuckle, a happy one, then came from Tiamo, to Ethiw's surprise. "You may be the Queen of Etrias but I assure you, I shall be the Queen of Cloy's heart." The Corpse Bride raised her head, a competitive smirk on her face. The Belle Dame knew what was happening, she just could not believe it.

Before Ethiw could grasp it, the Corpse Bride picked up the bottle of ink and put its cap back on. "I'm not going to lose to you." Tiamo whispered before darting away. Ethiw would not know where if she did not know better. A smile that could not be helped formed in her face as she stood up.

With a sniff to recompose herself, she followed her best friend and new rival with silent determination not to lose.

------

Placing flowers on the two caskets, Cloy made a distance enough to address both. "Hey Mister Deremor and Madam Suvela." He started. "I... don't know flowery, parting words for you but, I've been told it's best to speak from the heart." Cloy then cleared his throat. "I'm... sorry. For a lot of things. I'm sorry for not coming fast enough to save you both and saving Tiamo from a lot of pain. We saved Ethiw but... had I come earlier I could've prevented the kidnapping altogether."

"And I'm sorry for... Tiamo. I-I know she has a thing for me but... I hope you two understand that I already have a woman in mind and that's the woman I plan to devote my life to. I'm also sorry for not attending your burial as she had asked of me." Cloy continued. "But I'll pray. I'll pray for her to... to find a better man who will properly take care of her."

The Ortusian sighed. "Well, this is goodbye Mr. and Mrs. Caiphas. I hope you two are in a
better place now." He turned to walk away but stopped to say some final words. "And don't worry about Etrias. Ethiw, with your daughter, is more than enough to handle the country. I'm sure of it."

------

Tiamo quickly made her way to the throne room where her Queen, Ethiw Riventor, sat on her throne. Both of them had a worried look on their faces. Earlier, the two undead found the royal bedroom to be empty and immediately began asking about Cloy Everett's whereabouts. The last person to have seen him was Arquea who said the Ortusian left as soon as he woke up.

As soon as Tiamo entered the throne room, Ethiw showed the Corpse Bride her notepad which already had something written on it.

"Have you found him?"

"No." Tiamo answered. "According to the townsfolk, he... came to see my parents. He left flowers for them and then disappeared." She thought that was admirable but it seemed Cloy would not be present in the burial as he had said.

Ethiw cupped her chin. She knew Cloy already a woman in mind and the boy knew he was going to get 'caught' if he stayed in Etrias any longer. The Ortusian's eagerness to leave was obvious but Ethiw did not expect the boy to seize the chance when everybody was still resting from her rescue. That meant Cloy had not completely recuperated before going out once more which was worrying.

"I'm sure he has left."

"W-what?" Tiamo muttered about what Ethiw had written. The latter began writing again but judging from the moments that have passed, it was a long one.

"He is chasing someone else and he probably knew we were onto him. That is likely why he left immediately."

Little did Ethiw know that all that were news to Tiamo and she realized it too late. "W-what? T-then he..." The Corpse Bride hung her head as she pondered about the numerous questions Ethiw had unwittingly raised up.

"Ah!"

Ethiw called Tiamo's attention to her, just as she had finished writing her next statement.

"That is why I'm sending a Corpse Bride team to find him."


Tiamo was, once more, confused as to what her Queen had said and meant. She thought it was a little weird that Ethiw wanted to kidnap Cloy to keep him in their clutches. Then it dawned on her. "Your Grace, you don't mean..." Tiamo saw Ethiw make a sinister, playful smirk that confirmed her suspicions.

The Corpse Bride herself could not help but make a similar smirk too. They were going to have Cloy no matter what. Or at least reach a compromise with the girl Cloy was chasing. "Very well, Your Highness. I shall lead--"

"Ah!"

Ethiw interrupted Tiamo before showing her extra orders.

"Your best Corpse Bride shall lead them."

It was fairly clear to Tiamo what the Belle Dame had meant with that condition. The victorious smirk only confirmed it. The Corpse Bride silently admitted she was impressed with her Queen's manuever but it was not good enough. "Very well. I shall inform Ryia Caldeyron immediately." Tiamo responded before turning away to plot her next move in acquiring the Ortusian.

"Ah!"

It seemed the Queen had more to say so Tiamo faced her once more and read what was written on the royal notepad.

"Do your best in finding my future husband!"

-----

"Will this cover it?" Cloy handed a pouch of gold to a stranger in black-blue coat with a hood on.
The stranger shook the pouch and as soon as the right clings of gold reached his ears he replied. "Yeah. The boat's yours."

"Thanks." Cloy threw his traveling sack into the wooden but sturdy boat that had two oars for rowing and hopped aboard.
"Where are you heading off to anyway?" The stranger asked.
"To Rocai." The Ortusian answered as he took a comfortable position in rowing his newly-bought boat.
"Across The Great Divide? By yourself? You're crazy." The stranger dryly said.
"Well, it wasn't up to me."

Cloy begun rowing his boat into the vast expanse of water. It was not his expected nor preferred way to travel but he was sure that if he had waited any longer, he would have been in a much dire predicament. Though leaving them behind did hurt enough for doubt to seep into his hear, he steeled himself for it was not his destiny.

Since he was not on a ship where all of his needs would be addressed as part of his payment for the voyage, Cloy thought about island hopping in the Great Divide. He had no idea as to what would happen if he took that route but it was the only route available to him. He immediately retracted that thought as he could always hide and wait for the next voyage in the port but he figured he had already pushed his luck very far.

His thoughts were interrupted when his gaze towards the shrinking port spots a green figure followed by another. They seem to be looking for someone and it was no mystery to Cloy who they were an who they were searching for. The two seemed lost as they scurried off to the different parts of the harbor as they grew smaller in Cloy's eyes.

A smile grew on the Ortusian's face when the two figures seemed to give up with the green figure giving a tender kiss to her partner. Cloy began to feel optimistic. He feared that the Lichen would not give up on him and be further hurt but his fears were finally laid to rest.

Cloy steadily rowed his boat and towards his next destination: Rocai.

"Come on, Kumi! We gotta get there so we could help prepare the party!" A dark-skinned humanoid waved. She had wavy, shoulder-length red hair and wore a beige-colored shorts with parts of the fabric in strands and a similarly-colored crop top with an orange butterfly ornament holding it together. Her most notable features were her chitinous, insect-like legs and her beautiful, yellow-hued, butterfly-like wings.

"Waaait Niiir! You knooow Kuumi is not as faaast..." A blue-colored slime with a shape of a humanoid cried. Her gelatinous form slugged as fast as it can towards the Polimana. Kumi looked like any Azure Slime but she had a silver necklace around her neck with an emerald on its center.

"Jeez, I've seen faster Azure Slimes, Kumi." Nir sighed.
"Youuu saaaid I waas the oonly ooone, Niiir." Kumi pointed out a little mistake.
"Well regardless, we need to get to Pente as soon as possible."

It was quite a few years ago that Nir found the bustling, independent town of Pente and only a short while after that she met Kumi the Azure Slime. Pente, also known as the Town of the Five Paths, was a busy, bustling town of trade and other mercantile businesses on the border of the Minor Namide Desert under Etrias and above Arstoka. It was called the Town of the Five Paths since the town had roads that lead to five nations nearest to it.

For the most part, it was friendly to all races but Nir noticed that tensions were rising as of late between Mamono and their friends and those opposed to them but she brushed those thoughts off as ludacris since she believed only complete madness would dare disturb the peace and harmony of Pente.

Emerging from the forests on the east side of Pente, Nir's cheerful face suddenly turned into one of fear and confusion. "Niiir? Whaaat's wroong?" Kumi noticed the Polimana's sudden halt and caught up with her only for her to see what Nir had seen and adopted a similar face.

The two Mamono stood on a small hill, overlooking two large human mobs gathered in at the town center, the numerous stalls that decorated it all abandoned. Both mobs had men and women either in plain clothing or wearing some form of armor but it was certain they were all armed with all sorts of weapons, though not all were the regular, traditional weapons. Some had kitchen knives, meat cleavers and pitchforks.

Both the Mamono did not like the looks of the situation but they continued to watch anyway. The mob on the left were lead by a grizzled but young man with fair skin and his smooth blond
hair reached down to his neck. He wore a brown set of leather armor and wielded a shortsword on his left hand and a tomahawk at his right. One notable individual on this mob was a woman with long golden hair and wore a dark pink body suit, wielding a pair of metal stakes.

The right mob also had a young man to lead them with all of them wearing a black sash around their waists. A short, messy, blonde hair sat atop his face was clean but he gazed at the opposing mob with a glare that did not fit his handsome visage. A steel breastplate over his black robes were his clothing and a longsword in its sheathe strapped on him was his weapon. Some notable members of this mob was a man covered in black clothing and a hood which concealed his eyes and a gruff, man in his late forties with short, spiky white hair and short beard, wearing light armor and a magenta-colored cape.

"On my challenge!" The leather-armored leader started. "By the laws of combat, we have met on this chosen ground to settle once and for all! Who holds sway over the Town of the Five Paths. Us humans born right-wise! To this fine land?" He looked at his allies before returning his gaze. "Or the vile Mamono defiling it?"

"YEAAAAAAAHHHH!" Steel and iron clanged to intimidate the opposition.

"By the laws of combat, I accept the challenge of these so-called 'humans'. Who practice inhuman actions and morals." The robed leader responded. "But from this day out, they shall terrorize the Mamono and their partners no more. For let it be known, that the hand that strikes out of hate and prejudice shall be swiftly cut down!"

"YEAAAAAAAHHHH!" Steel and iron clanged to intimidate the opposition.

"Then may the Christian Lord guide my hand!" The left leader yelled. "Against your Ortusian heresy!"

"Prepare to receive..." The right leader unsheathed his blade. "...the true Lord!"

"YEAAAAAAAHHHH!"

The two Mamono gasped as they watched the two seas of people slam into each other and began doing... horrible things to each other. Axes cleaved, swords slashed, knives stabbed, clubs bashed, maces smashed and hands ripped. Bodies on the once serene town center started to gather as blood began ruining its beauty.

The left leader hacked and slashed his way through the opposition, making his way towards the right leader. He cleaved and stabbed an opponent. He blocked an attack with his sword before cleaving the attacker on her rib. He parried an attack with his tomahawk and plunged his blade upon the attacker's neck.

Meanwhile the right leader stood his ground, slicing and impaling any opponent who dared to make combat with him. With a strike from his sword's hilt to the attacker's head, he proceeded to slash open his opponent's neck. Seeing an enemy charging at him, he responded by charging back but with his blade sticking up front and inevitably impaling the enemy.

"W-what's going on?" Uttered Kumi to which Nir could not answer to, too awestruck and horrified at the scene unfolding in front of her. She saw the hooded person dislocate arms and legs with his club while the aged man did work with his sword. The woman on the other side surprised the Polimana more since she bit her enemies and tore off their flesh and sometimes noses and ears.

The battle continued to rage as the number of combatants dwindled each half of a second. Those no longer fighting lied on the ground, the breathe of life left or leaving them. Nir and Kumi spotted the left leader getting closer to the right one, dispatching anyone who got in his way and helping any ally who was in a pinch.

"Jake!" The left leader yelled and caught the attention of the right one before grabbing one of his allies and throwing her towards Jake who retaliated by simply pointing the sword at the shoved fighter. That, however, opened up the right leader to a stab from a knife but his armor managed to stop it. He immediately grab held of the left leader's hand to prevent him from moving and thought he had the advantage.

However, that was the left leader lulling Jake into a false sense of security and raised his free tomahawk to cleave the right leader. Jake was not fast enough to stop the swing and so the small axe cleaved its way halfway through the right leader's neck. The left leader retracted his weapon and swung it again, decapitating Jake and picked up the disembodied head.

"LOOOOOOOK! AT HOW WEAK! THESE HERETICS ARE!" The left leader silenced the battle. Nir's hands were on her mouth, not knowing whether to feel relieved that the battle was over or horror that the battle happened and its effects irreversible.

Unfortunately for Nir, a bolt from the hooded man's crossbow lodged itself into the left leader's neck and the remaining leader fell to the ground right next to his last victory. With that, the fighting resumed and the Polimana's body instinctively moved to stop the mindless slaughter. Only the Azure Slime's gelatinous hand stopped Nir. "Noo, iit's too dangerouus!"

Rationality returned to Nir's mind and calmed down and her and Kumi's gazes shifted back at the battle between two leaderless mobs. The two Mamono thought the battle was over when the left leader slew the right one but now it looked like the mob with the black sashes were being driven back. Despite the wanton loss of life, at the back of their minds they were glad the mob on their side was winning.

Soon enough, the battle was ending with what remained of the left mob routing. The aftermath
was that numerous bodies littered the town center with the victors scouring the sea of dead for survivors, regardless of side. The sight was something Nir could not stomach. She knew some of the faces that fought and knew personally even more. Some of them were great friends with each other and some were even siblings or close family members.

The Polimana turned away and walked back towards the forest, tears in her eyes for it was all but certain that some of the people she knew were never smiling at her again, all killed by people she knew. "Nir!" The Azure Slime followed the Polimana's slow trudge back to the shrubbery.

-----

Nir and Kumi had entered the forest once more with the Polimana almost limping from what she had seen. "Nir..." Kumi wimpered.
"Why? Why? Why were they doing that?" Tears began flowing from Nir's eyes. "I... I knew some of them... and now... now... they're dead..."
"Nir..."
"We could have stopped them!" Nir suddenly exploded. "We could have stepped in and at least... at least... talk something out!"
"B-but... We could have been killed, Nir. There was no certainty..." Kumi meekly retorted. She knew it could have worked but she also knew it could have failed and lead to their deaths.
"We still should have tried anyway!" The Polimana was angry, the complete opposite of what her wings indicated. "We... I... should have been braver..."

Kumi said nothing, the words that was needed not entering the mind much less the tongue. A sudden rustling of some bushes interrupted the weary silence. The two Mamono turned to the sound's origin and from the veil of the shrubbery came that blonde woman in the dark pink bodysuit with one iron stake on her hand. "Well well well, looks like I get some desserts after all." The woman seductively said though the sinister tone was not lost.

Nir and Kumi was frozen in place. They were now contending with one of the fighters in the battle. And the fact that she was here alive meant something. The blonde woman lunged at the Polimana but the Azure Slime jumped in the way and caught the attacker with her gelatinous body. However, the blonde attacker jammed her metal stake at Kumi to make her flinch before sinking her teeth at her slimy flesh.

Kumi let out a pained shriek as a purple fluid seeped from the blonde woman's unnatural fangs and into her being. The attacker let the venom flow until a hit from a small log courtesy of Nir smashed to her back. The blonde woman turned, anger and annoyance in her face, and lunged at the Polimana for a bite.

Nir brought up the log and it was the piece of wood that the blonde attacker's fangs sunk into. The woman quickly retracted, leaving behind her fangs still jammed into the wood and showing
they were actually accessories on her regular teeth. Deadly accessories.

The Polimana swung her wooden weapon again but the blonde woman caught the log mid-swing and delivered a headbutt against Nir, making her let go of the log and stumble backwards. The blonde attacker used the opening to tackle Nir into the grassy floor. "I've always like chocolate over gelatin." She immediately bit the Polimana's shoulder and tried to rip some flesh off.

Nir screamed from the pain and for help. Her hands tried pushing off the attacker but she did not have enough strength to do so. She began wondering if this was her fate, mere food to a madwoman. She thought her happy, joyous life would know no end but it seemed the fates had darker plans for her.

Suddenly, the blonde woman disappeared in a light purple mist, narrowly evading a crossbow bolt and releasing her grip on Nir. The Polimana spotted the same mist appear and from it came the blonde woman looking menacingly at a direction. Nir shifted her eyes enough to see the hooded man with a crossbow aimed at the blonde attacker.

"You will pay for this interruption, Assassin." The blonde woman hissed before disappearing once again in the purple mist.

"Assassin! What--" Nir heard an aged, male voice. She was barely clinging to consciousness, the rush of adrenaline subsiding. "By the heavens, we must move them immediately!"

-----

Nir awoke to the sounds of pained screams and moans. She slowly opened her eyes to see Kumi right beside her on a separate bed. She looked at her surroundings, she seemed to be in a large tent with multiple beds on both of its sides. The Polimana got up and realized she was in a medical camp.

She saw humans and Mamono all tending to the still-living while covering up those they could not save. If there was one thing that was abundant, it was white bandages. Even she had one, on the bitten area. Only Kumi did not have one, since bandages might not work for her and because she had a different ailment.

Nir then spotted the hooded man coming up to her with a tray, a glass of water and a plate of cookies on it. The hooded person set the tray on her lap and gave a single nod. "Umm... thanks." Nir then quickly added. "He-Hey, do you mind telling me where I am? And what happened?" The hooded man, however, did not answer and seemed to completely ignore Nir's questions.

"Uh-huh." Nir sighed.
"Haaahahahaha!" The Polimana heard boisterous laughter and turned to look at the white-haired man. "You'd have better luck lying on your back than trying to get Assassin to talk!"
Nir thought 'Assassin' was quite a strange name. "Why? Can he not talk? Is he mute?"
"Could be that. Could be because he chooses not to. Or maybe a cat got his tongue, literally." The vague answer amused Nir. "I'm Gen! And you are?"
"I'm Nir." The Polimana introduced herself with a smile but then she asked the more important questions.

"Earlier... I saw... the battle." Gen's face grimmed at those words. "I... was wondering what happened."
"Mmmm... That battle was between people, Nir. It might be because of you and your kind but trust me, this is a purely human problem." Gen said. "You innocent Mamono need not bloody your hands at this petty squabbles."
Nir was unamused at those words. "We cannot do that! We cannot simply stand by and watch people slaughter each other!" She exploded. "And 'petty squabbles'?! What happened earlier was certainly more than a petty squabble!"
"It is certainly petty, relatively." Gen whispered to himself. "Look Nir. You don't understand. We were fighting to protect you."
"But fighting? You don't need to fight to protect us? Why not talk?" The Polimana begged for a reasonable answer.
Gen sighed. "Nir. Violence may not be the best answer, but sometimes, it is the only answer."

Nir hung her head and tears started dropping into her sheets. "I knew some of them, Mister Gen..."
"I'm sorry." The aged warrior said.
After a sniff, Nir faced Gen, her eyes red with tears. "What should I do now?"

"Well, look." Gen began. "We're rounding up any Mamono in the hot zones to ship them off to somewhere safer like Crystal Plinth." He explained. "We have ships ready to ferry refugees to Gentle Fire Lands. I can arrange you and your friend to hop on one of them."
"W-We can't leave! W-We can help!" Nir said.
"Nir. Look at all these people..." Gen motioned to everyone in the tent. "Every human here fought for you and your safety and they don't even know who you are. Besides, we already have too many Mamono helpers and we don't wanna add any potential war victims."
"All of them?" Nir was stuck at the first sentence.
"Yes. All of them." Gen bluntly repeated. "Even my nephew Jake."

"W-Wait, what do you mean 'war'?" Nir spotted an incredibly unpleasant word.
Gen leaned closer to the Polimana to answer. "There's a storm coming, lass. A big one that threatens to consume both Laramies and Kita Akrufia, if not the whole world." He then continued. "You do not want to be caught in its winds, Nir. They are terrible and shall show you things that innocent life like you should never ever see in your lives. Heck, things not even I should see."

"What kind of storm, Mister Gen?"

"An Upheaval."

Cloy hauled ashore his small boat into a beach of an island in the Great Divide. A day had passed since he had left Etrias and he estimated that it would take a month or two to cross the isles and reach Rocai. More time than he wanted to spend even with the water currents with him. He could always just wait for the next voyage from Etrias but that would take even more time. To the young Ortusian, rowing his boat and resupplying in each island with vegetation must suffice. He wiped sweat from his brow as he turned to look at the dense forest that resided in the island he landed in. He had a feeling that the island was larger than the others. Cloy thought it was probably large enough to support a town or two.

The Ortusian took a gulp of air before grabbing his staff and an emptied sack, the belongings inside being left behind in the boat. He was doubtful that there was anything in the island that was sentient, only trees from which he would gather fruit from and possibly small animals to provide him with meat. He was sure he was not going to take long and he was sure he was going to make sure he does not take long. Crystal Plinth was still far away and he cannot waste a moment. Besides, dark clouds gathered overhead and Cloy wanted to be quick enough to escape it and avoid a really unnecessary washing of clothes. While that possibility was slim, almost nil even, he still wanted to keep moving.

However, Cloy was, in reality, wrong when a pair of red eyes watched him as he entered the dense forest.

-----

The dark clouds had fully gathered way quicker than Cloy had expected. The wind was also picking up. He wondered why or how since it was only several minutes after entering the forest. He has not even found a single fruit or creature yet. The Ortusian began considering taking shelter in the island for a while as the incoming rain seemed inescapable. He knew he would be spending valuable time but there was no choice. Thus, Cloy shifted from finding sustenance to finding shelter large enough to house his other belongings. He hoped for a cave or burrow of sorts so he would not need to construct anything but that would run the risk of disturbing a possibly large creature. Then again, being in a large forest already ran that risk so caves and burrows Cloy searched for.

A few minutes later, thunder boomed overhead. It was not loud but it set off Cloy’s senses. It was then that the Ortusian felt the eyes watching him. Once more his priorities shifted from searching for shelter to surviving and fending off this predator. He thought of running back to the boat and rowing away but the eyes that were on him felt like it was not going to let him go. Upon realizing that, an idea formed in Cloy’s mind. The Ortusian stopped for a brief moment before bolting backwards to the beach where his boat was stationed. Even if this little gamble failed, he could get to his boat and escape. Empty-handed, but escaped nonetheless.

A few steps later and Cloy sensed something was coming towards him and fast. He dived into the soil and like his senses said, something wheezed past just above him. He raised his head but could not find his predator, just some leaves falling in one specific spot in the canopy. That clued Cloy in that his hunter was something that flew. He was a little impressed that the predator could see him through the trees’ leaves but also annoyed that the predator could see him through the trees’ leaves.

Cloy immediately got up and placed himself behind a tree. He began thinking up a plan to catch or, more preferably, repulse the predator. He began checking from afar everything his eyes could see. Various kinds of vegetation and some stones. The vines in the ground in particular gave him an idea.

After checking the coast is relatively clear, Cloy bolted. He knew it was inevitable that the predator would dive for him again; he just hoped it did not wait so he could evade the dive or wait long enough for him to enact his grand plan of classic trickery. If she dove in while he was in the middle of his plan, he was done for. He thought that would not be the end but it was something he would not want or need.

Cloy reached a vine patch and began tying his feet with the plants into the ground. The plan was to get caught while tied to the vines. The tight fastening should keep him in the ground while simultaneously throwing the predator off, probably enough to bring it crashing to the ground. And then he could do whatever needs to be done since the advantage was his. So long as he could untie himself just in time.

He was about done tying up his feet when he once more felt incoming dive aimed at him. After he tightened the last knot, Cloy turned with his staff in front. As he planned, talons grabbed hold of his weapon and tried to ascend. Emphasis on 'tried' as the predator met resistance in flying away. However, Cloy felt the vines on his feet give way and soon, despite his little trick, the predator was going to have its way. Fortunately, the predator felt like his plan succeeded and decided to let him go, making him tumble across the forest floor and for the predator to disappear once again, likely above the forest canopy.

Cloy immediately got up and made a break for the nearest tree he saw. His needed to rethink his plans. "Huh?" Cloy suddenly felt weak and he stopped midway. He could barely stand up and he felt weird. He felt wrong. The Ortusian quickly searched his known past as to what should make him feel that way. He remembered something. Something someone mentioned to him in Etrias.

He reached a hand into his armor and felt something wet. He pulled the hand out and his fears were confirmed, he was bleeding. His wounds had reopened and blood freely flowed out of him, with it was his strength. Cloy fell to his knees, out of ideas now that his body could not respond properly.

The loud cackle of lightning made him look up and witness a Harpy-like figure hurtling towards him. Her spread out wings had feathers that were white as snow and her skin was a bit dark. Her bird-like talons were primed to grasp. Cloy clutched his staff as the Harpy-like predator and unconsciousness took hold of him.

-----

He felt control over his eyes and so, chose to open them. Cloy saw thorny branches for the ceiling with small beams of sunlight passing through every hole the branches could not cover. He wondered what kind of place he was in to have such materials for a ceiling. Also, he wondered how he was transported here without a scratch. Cloy was a bit impressed at the expert handling of his bleeding, unconscious body.

Cloy raised his upper body up to get a better view on where he was and what situation he was in. He noticed he was out of his armor and the bandages he received in Etrias were replaced, though he thought the new ones looked older and cruder than the previous ones. Other than that, he seemed to be all right. He figured that the predator was the one who replaced the bandages and saved him from bleeding out. Speaking of the predator, Cloy wondered what kind it was. From what he had seen, it appeared to be a Harpy of sorts. That appeared to be the case when Cloy found that the bed he was lying in looked very much like a bird’s nest. In fact, the walls of the room he was in also looked like that of a bird’s nest. Cloy was beginning to believe he was in a burrow of some sort.

“Oh my, you’re awake.” A caring, feminine voice called out. Cloy turned his head to the entrance/exit to his room. There he saw a young female humanoid who was clearly a Mamono. Her arms were wings of white plume, her legs were black in color and instead of ending in feet, they ended in talons like those of a bird’s. Her dress was white in color but had a mishmash of colors forming a pattern around the dress. The more Cloy noticed these details, the closer he was at identifying the Mamono before him. “For a wounded man, you sure move around very much. Do you want me to get you anything?” The Mamono continued. Her skin was a light red while her hair were just as white as her feathers. There was also a necklace around her neck, its beads red in color.

There was no mistaking it, this Mamono was an Impundulu. Cloy remembered that these Mamono would aggressively capture their targets and become quite friendly once they successfully capture their potential mate to earn the victim’s trust and love. The Ortusian boy figured he was at the second phase of the Impundulu’s courting maneuver. “Well, can you get me my gear? Or at least tell me where they are?” He asked politely, playing along as to not to provoke his captor. There was a chance he could overpower the Mamono but with his wounds, it was unwise.

“They are somewhere safe but I don’t think you should be getting into them yet. You need to rest and let your wounds close up for good.” The Impundulu replied. Cloy was not sure if the Impundulu was being genuine or not but either way, he was not seeing his armor anytime soon.

Cloy nodded in false agreement. “Well, I guess I should rest up like you said.”
The Impundulu giggled. “All right but I shall bring you some fruits nevertheless. Is that all right with you?”
“…Yeah, I’d appreciate that.” That one was a more honest reply from the Ortusian.

And so the Impundulu went and came back a short while later with a nest filled with fruits balanced on her head seemingly without effort. Cloy, despite being impressed with the nest-balancing, began to suspect this Mamono was the reason he could not find any foodstuffs while he was out foraging. “Not many people pass through here, you know? Where are you from?” The Impundulu started.
“I’m… from Ortus. A country in Minami Akrufia.” Cloy answered. “I’m just a traveler trying to get to Rocai who can’t afford a place on a ship and thus had to resort to just rowing a boat. Not the best idea considering I would have died if I had not been rescued by Miss…” He stopped and let the bird Mamono continue, simultaneously asking her name.
“Zaena.” The Impundulu continued almost immediately. “Well, you’re welcome Mister…”
Cloy was impressed at how Zaena cleverly imitated his style of asking. “Cloy. Cloyfelle Everett.” He answered. He felt she deserved as much with that move.

Cloy then had a quite insane idea struck him and decided to try it, just to see what would happen. “You know what? Now that I’ve got my bearings a bit, I remember being attacked by a Harpy-like creature.” He said. “Similar to you, Zaena.” As he said that, his body tensed up to react to anything Zaena would do. He was sure he was not going to die by this Impundulu’s talons but he would be in a world of hurt if his accusation hit dead center.
“Yes. That was indeed me.” Zaena admitted without hesitation, a move that surprised Cloy. “Actually, I thought you were a dangerous person since you wore such a dark and unique armor. I trust that is not the case?”
“Don’t worry, that is not the case.” Cloy replied with a smile. While he was sure of his disposition, the same could not be said for Zaena. He wondered if what she said was true or was just a ploy to get him to like her.

“Oh and please don’t mind me enjoying these fruits.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t.”

-----

After half-an-hour of enjoying the fruits and some minor chitchat, Cloy insisted on getting up and touring Zaena’s home. He could walk on his two legs without any other support but he doubted he could make a break into the forest and have round two with Zaena. Besides he still has not found his armor yet.

Outside the ‘bedroom’, the ‘room’ Cloy entered was quite large but also quite empty save for a round wooden table on the center. The area was lit by what sunshine could pass through the branches and twigs that was the home’s walls and ceiling. He could see the forest and his freedom through a large hole at the other end of the room. Looking around, he saw his armor lying on a corner with his staff nearby. The moment he spotted his gear, plans began forming in his head but were cut off by his host.

“I’m sorry it’s not much, but this is my home.” Zaena said.
Cloy instantly turned to the Impundulu but was quick to reply. “Hey you know what they say, ‘Simplicity is beauty’.”
Zaena let out a soft chuckle. “I’m glad you don’t hate it.”

Cloy turned his eyes back to the ‘living room’ and remarked. “I suppose you spend much of the time outside?”
“Now that you’ve said it, I do spend much time out of my home.” Zaena replied. “I guess much of my day-to-day activities include going outside.”

It was barely a mystery to Cloy as to why Zaena spends most of her day outside. “That reminds me, how big is this forest?” He asked as he made his way towards the abode’s entrance, despite fearing the Impundulu may mistake it as an attempt to escape and be all over him.
“Pretty big.” Zaena said. She then followed Cloy without a hint of hostility; much to the latter’s relief. “I have grown up in this forest all my life and yet I don’t know everything within it. Although, I do know exactly how big it is.”

Zaena strode past Cloy and out of her home with the latter absent-mindedly following. “Have you been alone all this time?” Cloy asked.
“That is… complicated.” Zaena answered, a response which raised one of Cloy’s eyebrow. “I remember my parents living with me here. They told me that they came into this island when mother chased father into a cave-temple and ended up here where they gave birth to me.” She began to narrate. “When I was young, my parents brought me to the cave-temple in this island. It’s a pretty sight but when my father told me and my mother that he was going to venture to find out if the other side’s safe, we asked why.”

By now, Cloy and Zaena were taking a leisure stroll through the forest. Despite the woods’ radiance, neither felt ease because of the topic. “Father told us we needed to get back to civilization, back with other people. We protested but he promised he would come back no matter what. He didn’t. He never did.” Cloy simply listened, unable to find words of consolation for the Impundulu. “When I was old enough to fend for myself, my mother said she would go after father. I wanted to go with her but she stopped me, she said if the other side was dangerous then she would not be able to rest knowing she led her daughter to her demise.” Zaena continued. “Mother made me promise that I will not enter the cave-temple until either she or Father returned.”

There was a moment of silence before Cloy realized the tale had ended. “I’m… sorry.”
“Don’t be. None of what happened is your fault.” Zaena replied. “I can take you to the cave-temple if you want.”
“Are you sure? Are you really okay with taking me to that place?” Cloy responded to the offer.
“Don’t worry. I’ve made my peace with that place a long time ago.”

“If you’re okay with it… then sure?”

-----

Zaena had brought Cloy to the ‘cave-temple’ that had taken both her parents. The structure in question was built on the side of a cliff. Now that Cloy had seen it, it was more like an entrance to a mine than a ‘cave-temple’. But he understood the ‘temple’ part; there were two stone pillars that held up an arch that had a crude stickman drawing standing on what seemed to be a world. Cloy was not sure what that meant but he did spot symbols on the pillars. He approached them to take a better look. The left pillar had the shape that resembled a tablet or a grave stone while the right had the shape of a cross.

“I’ve never found out what those symbols meant.” Zaena said. “I probably would if I enter though.”
Cloy looked back to Zaena. “But you’re not going to because you promised.”
“…Yeah.” The Impundulu answered but found Cloy staring at her. “What?”
“That sounded a little empty.”
“Excuse me?”
“Never mind, ‘twas nothing.”

Cloy took a look at the tablet/gravestone symbol again to examine it to see if there any other details he may have missed. The only detail he noticed was that the symbol was gathering quite the dust and he decided to wipe it off with a brush of his hand. Then the unexpected happened, the symbol fluidly morphed into a shape of a triangle or more like a pyramid. The sudden transformation startled both Cloy and Zaena but not much else happened. With that one discovery, new questions and thoughts filled the two witnesses’ minds. “Did you know about that?” Cloy asked Zaena to which she shook her head.

With another brush of his hand, Cloy changed the symbol again. This time, the symbol took the form of one of those unique gates in Zipangu that usually lead to temples and shrines. There were only questions in his head but despite the discovery, they were far from being answered. He brushed again and the symbol morphed back into the gravestone shape. He brushed once more and the pyramid was again visible. With another, the Zipanguese gate appeared. Cloy brushed again but this time in the opposite direction, expecting a symbol. Like he had guessed, there was the pyramid symbol. “Interesting. Three symbols.”

Cloy’s eyes went to the other pillar and his body followed. There he found the cross symbol. He did what he had done earlier and swiped and the symbol changed shape, a crown of sorts appeared. Another swipe and the cross shape appeared. To confirm it, he swiped again and the crown reappeared. He did a brush in the opposite way and the cross symbol again showed. Cloy did some more brushes until he settled with the crown shape. “Two symbols.”

“Mister Everett, try up and down.” Zaena suggested. Cloy followed her suggestion and tried brushing up and down. To the Impundulu’s disappointment, nothing happened. “Huh...”

Cloy returned to Zaena. “So, what do you think?”
“I… I don’t know.” The Impundulu replied. “To think this ‘cave-temple’ is no ordinary structure. How about you? What do you think?”
“Well we know this ‘cave-temple of yours take people to other places.” Cloy gave his thoughts. “I’m guessing these pillars with the symbols set the coordinates.”
Zaena frowned. “What are ‘coordinates’?”
“Oh, they’re uhh… Well…” Cloy took a moment to organize his thoughts into words. “It has a lot of meanings depending on context. In this case, ‘coordinates’ mean the exact location to where this ‘cave-temple’ leads to.”

The Impundulu lit up. “Then… then that means the other side is the exact place where my parents could have went?” She immediately asked, getting all up in Cloy’s face.
The boy reeled a bit before answering. “So long as no one or nothing changed the symbols ever since your dad went in, then yes. In theory.”

Zaena rushed in front of the entrance to the ‘cave-temple’. It was obvious to Cloy what she was planning but she appeared to be hesitating. “Mister Everett, what are the previous symbols?”
“It’s the gravestone and cross symbols.” Cloy replied as he joined Zaena in looking at the pitch black void that was the entrance. “I can set them for you. You know, if you’re going.” He would be glad if Zaena left to find her parents but at the same time, he would be worried as neither of them knew exactly what was on the other side.
“I… I need to think about this.”

The Impundulu turned and began walking away. Cloy silently followed but not before taking one last glance at the ‘cave-temple’. Despite knowing its probable purpose, he still found the ancient-looking structure strange. He had a feeling there was more to the ‘cave-temple’ than he or Zaena thought but he figured he would find out in the future.

-----

The deep night had fallen and it was time for Zaena and Cloy to retire.

However, the latter had a different idea on how he would spend this night. He had kept himself awake and planned to take his gear and escape as Zaena slept. There was one problem with that plan though, his Impundulu captor slept with him. Apparently, the room he was recovering in was Zaena’s bedroom. Cloy felt he should have known that considering there were only two rooms in the home and that Zaena does not get visitors often to have a guest room. Still, he needed to escape now as there might not be another chance to do so. That and he could not afford to waste any more time in the island.

When Zaena made a faint but audible snore, Cloy slowly got up as quietly as possible. He looked over at Zaena and found she had not reacted at all to his movement. Cloy slowly and quietly got out of the nest and made his way out of the room and to the ‘living room’, all the while watching Zaena for any movement she might make as nervous sweat flowed from his temples. So far, the Impundulu had remained undisturbed in her slumber and Cloy finally made it out of Zaena’s ‘bedroom’. He was glad there were no doors in the abode for him to deal with.

In the ‘living room’, Cloy quietly gathered his armor and staff and began to make his way out of Zaena’s home and clutches, his movement becoming quicker as he got closer to the exit. Nearing the exit, his eyes were glued to the etryway of Zaena’s bedroom. Because of the night, he could only see darkness beyond and he was half-expecting the Impundulu to shoot out towards him. But she did not and Cloy soon found himself outside of his captor’s home though his eyes still locked at the pitch black darkness.

Once he had gained enough distance, Cloy made a mad dash with his armor and staff half-obstructing his vision. He rested behind a tree to wear his armor to carry them easier but as he did so…

*Boom*

He wondered if it was just nature or Zaena’s rude awakening. Not one to take chances, Cloy quickly finished putting on his armor and made his way towards the beach where his boat and other belongings lied. Unfortunately, he did not know what direction that was and mentally kicked himself for not trying to find out earlier.

But there was not time for that, his captor may catch on any moment and he needed to move. Cloy picked a direction and moved with another crack of thunder making his movement more faster. The further he went, the more he believed that Zaena was on his tail but a glance behind made it clear that it was not so. But the fear nagged on until his nose caught a whiff of a particular scent, stopping him briefly. “Seawater...” He could only smell the scent but could not see the beach. Thus, he headed towards where the scent became stronger.

Finally he reached the beach and as luck would have him, near his boat. Cloy felt immense relief and did not waste time heading—

*CRACKLE*
*BOOM*

In a strike of lighting, his boat was in flames along with everything within it. Cloy was in disbelief and turned to the source of the lightning. His worst fear had been realized. “Leaving so soon, Mister Cloy?”
Cloy gripped his staff harder as he saw the fury and anger in Zaena’s face. “…Look Zaena, we can talk about this… I have my reasons for this…”
“Really?” Zaena replied. “Then I assume you think me unreasonable as you’ve decided to leave instead of talking to me?”
‘That’s…” Cloy was about to say she would not let him go even if he did but there was no point in making her any more angrier. Thus, he decided on action than words.

Cloy dashed back into the forest as fast as he could. It was time for round two and Cloy hoped his body was finally ready. Thunder cracked and lightning struck close to him, undoubtedly from Zaena.

“COME BACK HERE!”

Zaena ordered which Cloy had no intention of following. He feared a dive from the Impundulu but he felt Zaena wanted to strike him with electricity more than to sweep him from his feet. Not that it was any better; evading lightning or Zaena’s dives was still evading something very harmful.

However, he had no plan to escape from Zaena. All he could do now was to run like mad. He contemplated fighting her but she was a Mamono who could fly and had control over lightning so the odds would be heavily stacked against him. There was also no longer a boat to escape from the island and even then, it doubtful he could row faster than Zaena could fly towards him. But he remembered there was something on that island that could grant him reprieve from the angry Impundulu. Unfortunately, he did not know exactly where that was.

Until he emerged into a clearing with the ‘cave-temple’ in front of him, with its pillars and the darkness-obscured entrance. He could very well use it this but the risks was still there: What awaited on the other side? Would it be dangerous considering Zaena’s parents never came back? Does the structure even work?

Cloy turned around to gauge his pursuer’s distance and he got his answer when Zaena slammed into him and into the ‘cave-temple’.

-----

Once he felt warm water all around, Cloy’s body instinctively stopped breathing. The Ortusian opened his eyes but the water prevented anything from being clear. His feet could feel the floor, however, and immediately used it to propel himself up.

He found out the water was not at all deep when his upper body emerged from the water. He quickly wiped the dripping water from his face to allow his eyes to see the surroundings. What he saw first was a figure.

“KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!”

I hate this chapter! I hate it! Whenever I try to write anything non-actiony, I contract writer's block with a touch of ebola. I'm not sure if this is long but I don't care. This chapter can be as long as a snake or as short as an ant. I don't care! Screw Cloy! Screw Ethiw! Screw Nyuwa! Screw Wydell! Screw Tiamo! Screw her parents! Screw Sub-Zero! Screw Reptile!

I was supposed to pump the entire arc over the course of my vacation but thanks to this ass of a chapter, it'll never happen! My other plans fell apart like how Mortal Kombat characters tear each other apart because of this!

No, the rant is not about the blackouts that happened when Typhoon Glenda hit us. Actually it's the opposite. Thanks to the blackouts, the only way for me to procrastinate is to write the chapter.

The rant is about how my oneshot has 1000+ views while this continuous fic only has half of it (at least here in TMM, it's pretty even but even then the oneshot has 10 more views than this). Is it because people prefer oneshots over novels? Or is it because people prefer the renowned MGE than our original settings? I'm for the latter.

While our original settings are great and all, it only has a fraction of the fame MGE has.

Of course this won't stop me from writing but the fact that this ongoing fic is receiving only half the attention the finished oneshot has is... disheartening.

It's not really a rant but I will b**** about how circumstances, which includes myself, have thoroughly screwed over, destroyed, obliterated, annihilated, terminated, incinerated and eliminated my plans. Pretty sure we'd be all grampas before I'm done with this fic.

Though hopefully it will not come to that and we'd all (or at least myself) see the sequels of my pilot fic.

and I am glad Nyuwa found a partner. I also liked it that they tried to find him before he had sailed out of sight and