55 - Cautionary Tale, Part 5

"THERE!!" Cerille cried as she and her father, Nickelson, rode atop the Pegasus. "The two demonic energy sources are coming fast from the south! I'd reckon they'll be here in no more than two minutes!"

She then turned to her father. "SIR, WHAT WILL YOU HAVE ME DO?" she called enthusiastically.

But Nickelson remained silent, his gaze fixed on the south.

"Sir...?" she muttered, noticing his unusual silence.

"Sir, what's our plan?" she urged.

"... There is no plan, Cerille," he muttered softly, signaling the Pegasus to turn to the side. "We're leaving the Capital." His voice was steady as the Pegasus began moving away from the impending battlefield.

Cerille's face tensed at his words. "SIR!!" she called, noticing his lack of response as he focused on guiding the Pegasus away.

"FATHER!!" she cried, clutching his sides, causing him to flinch slightly. "THIS IS NO TIME FOR JEST! YOUR... YOUR KNIGHTS, YOUR CITY... EVERYONE TRUSTS US TO PROTECT THEM!"

"Cerille," Nickelson interjected calmly.

"NO, FATHER! I KNOW IT ISN'T MY PLACE TO QUESTION YOUR ORDERS, BUT WE SWORE AN OATH TO PROTECT OUR—"

"CERILLE!!!" he screamed, his voice echoing across the plains, silencing his daughter.

Cerille's face paled as she sensed his suppressed distress.

"Do you even... fathom... what a Mythical Rank is?" he asked gently.

Cerille remained silent, her expression shocked.

"Arutol, the Dragon King's offspring, was L. Legendary. With a single breath, he could have destroyed our Capital if the Goddess hadn't intervened."

"B-but," Cerille stammered reluctantly, "Y-you'd have protected us! You're almost an L rank yourself, and—"

"DON'T BE NAIVE, MY DAUGHTER!!" he shouted, silencing her again.

"The people need something to believe," he continued. "With Magus Veil's death, all they had was me... and that PARTY of his."

"But the truth is, my strength peaked a long time ago, at S. I can feel it in my bones. I'm... too old, and my magic power will not grow any stronger than this. I was never close to L Rank. Magus Veil, however, was on the verge of Mythical before he died."

"I... Father... I-I get it! I get it! You exaggerated your strength! I GET IT! I DO!!" she cried, her voice cracking, tears streaming down her cheeks. "YOU DID IT SO THAT THE PEOPLE WOULD HAVE FAITH IN YOU, IN OUR KNIGHTS!"

"But... This... This...!! This is just a mere two-rank difference! If... IF ANYONE COULD DO SOMETHING TO SAVE US... IT'S YOU!!!"

Nickelson turned to his daughter as he remained seated atop the Pegasus.

And that was when Cerille's heart sank. The moment she gazed upon her father's expression as he tightly grasped her shoulder.

"A-ah... F-father... You're hurting... me..." she squirmed slightly as he held her close.

"My foolish... foolish daughter..."

"...?" She gasped.

"I was once like you. Naive. I believed there was such a thing called 'the right thing to do,'" he said.

"But that was before I witnessed the power of a Mythical Rank threat, during the Great War," he murmured, and Cerille could feel his palms shaking.

"It wasn't even a fight..." he murmured, recalling the Demon Lord, lounging bored atop her mighty bone dragon as her demons laid waste to a village Nickelson had sworn to protect.

Women. Children. Men. The elderly.

... Infants.

The demons slaughtered everyone, torching the village.

Despite standing among corpses, Nickelson, still a hopeful man, stood strong.

He fought against countless demons, dominating them with his battle prowess and endurance, dozens at a time. Soon after, he fought and defeated a Demonic Vice General.

Then, the Demon Lord herself happened upon the battlefield, spotting him.

Curious, she ordered her bone dragon to land.

'The Demon Lord,' he thought.

'This aura... It's unmistakably her! I... I can do it! SOMEHOW, I CAN END HER RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW, AND STOP THIS WAR!' he resolved, pointing his sword at her.

Believing he had a chance as he faced her and her bone dragon.

The Demon Lord, however, seeing his defiant expression, decided to test him.

She ordered the dragon to blow a gust of wind strongly toward the heavens, which were covered with ashes and thunderclouds, stretching for miles.

With a single blow. A single gust of wind.

The sky cleared in an instant before the knight's eyes, and the stars shone from horizon to horizon.

The demons all around cheered for their queen who had come in person.

It was then that Nickelson knew what true fear was.

"Human," she began, "do you know why I don't destroy you and your precious Capital this instant? Why I give you a chance to struggle?" she muttered as Nickelson lost the strength in his knees. She gently walked off the dragon, approaching the kneeling, defeated Nickelson.

"Because of them," she said, turning her head toward her soldiers.

"They like the thrill of battle. Those fools revel in the verge of death, the chance to reunite with the Archdevil. If I don't quench that thirst..." She knelt beside the cowering knight.

"They'll start killing each other. Such are demons. Like you, we have our innate desires, but we proudly express them," she whispered before standing again, looking at Nickelson with pity. "That's not our main reason for starting this war, I assure you... But this is our way." She climbed back atop her bone dragon.

"My brethren," she called lightly as the bone dragon raised her high.

"YES, MY LORD!" they all screamed.

"This battle ends in our victory. Now... move on to the next location." She gave Nickelson one final look.

"Everyone on this battlefield is dead," she said before looking away and flying off with her dragon.

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

"A single blow to the sky..." Nickelson recalled, "The only reason I survived was because she spared me. The residual aura on that battlefield was later evaluated. It was deemed Mythical. The only reason Magus Veil could face them... was because he had the Goddess's blessing, which seals a demon's prime strength, matching it to his own." He looked manically into his daughter's eyes.

"Do you see now, child? Do you understand? If you choose to face this threat, you will DIE. You... and I are mere ants to them. And so is everyone at the Capit—"

"NO...!!!" she shouted, pushing him away. "I DON'T ACCEPT IT!" she screamed.

"If you do not wish to put yourself at risk, FATHER, then I shall go in your place! I WILL DEFEND THIS CITY!" she defiantly shouted, readying herself to jump off the Pegasus.

"NOO!" Nickelson cried as he latched onto her arm. "I... I CAN'T... I can't lose you too!" he called, halting her departure.

"... You..." she murmured, looking away as her face contorted. "You already have..."

Nickelson momentarily lost his grip as he heard her speak. Cerille used that window to leap off the Pegasus, which snapped Nickelson back to his senses.

"CERILLE!!" he cried as she fell, determined to face the threat on her own.

Before long, she landed and sprinted south towards the presences, mere moments away.

'I have to fight,' she cried internally, tears streaming down her face as she ran through the plains, desperately trying not to recall her father's actions, words, or his fearful expression.

'I don't care... I HAVE TO FIGHT...'

She saw a speck from afar, growing larger in the sky. Glancing back at the Pegasus, she noticed it and its rider gradually fading into the distance.

With a determined grit of her teeth, she pulled out her sword and assumed a stance.

'Not just for honor or for Knights... But... But because...!' she thought, Anne's and Marcy's faces appearing in her mind as she clenched her teeth, noticing the dragon and something bulleting toward her position.

And despite her best efforts, her father's.

'Because my family is here...!' she thought as a stream of tears relentlessly flowed down her cheeks.

"RUUUUUUAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!" she roared moments before the dragon crashed right before her, enveloping the area in a gigantic cloud of dust.

'Is it over?' she thought.

'Am I dead...?'

"Ahh... Dear young lady," a calm, yet grunting voice pierced through, sounding as if it was directly before her.

Moments later, the dust cloud settled, and Cerille saw a towering Balrog Demon standing right before her eyes...

"W-what... What... ahhh..." she muttered and stuttered, bearing witness to the Balrog's wide back...

...as it kept a gigantic bone dragon at bay from going any further.

"I do apologize if this may seem sudden, but care to move a little? It took quite a bit... to bring... this child down..." the Balrog spoke, straining itself. Its big, furred feet created two small craters in the ground as the bone dragon resisted its grip.

"A-ah... Ah..." Cerille froze, her eyes wide open. This was definitely an enemy, she thought.

Everything she was taught led to this moment.

The only thing she could see was her sword, pointed at his back. She had a once-in-a-lifetime chance for a free hit on a towering demon.

But... her gut told her that if she didn't move as the Balrog suggested...

...she'd be in trouble.

"Grggh...! YOU... RESTLESS... CHILD!" Varlog called as he struggled against Liliac, gradually being pushed back.

Cerille, driven by instinct, sprinted out of the way. Just as she did, in an instant, the dragon pushed the Balrog backward over a few dozen meters.

Noticing the two were frozen for a few moments in place, she let out, "W-WHAT... WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" she called out reluctantly to the Balrog.

"Grrrrg... This child grew restless... and wanted to visit a friend in this area... SO I... CAME TO BRING HIM BACK!" Varlog spoke as he wrestled with Liliac.

'So... So...!' A spark of hope intensified in her gaze as she watched the Balrog fight against the bone dragon. 'They're not here to fight us! In that case,' Cerille then sprinted behind Varlog.

"YOUNG LADY... THIS MAY SOUND IMPATIENT OF ME, BUT... YOU MUST MOVE!"

'Is she going to fight us!? This is troubling, I can't protect her and fend off Liliac at the same time!' Varlog thought, as Cerille cast a spell, sending her sword upwards, holding it high above her head.

"HOLY LIGHT!" she screamed as sunlight appeared from her sword, behind Varlog.

'I'll try to blind that dragon and give the Balrog a better chance at subduing it!' she thought, noticing the bone dragon wasn't relenting in the slightest.

"Ah... Young lady. I appreciate your valor, but you see, it has no eyes, as this is a bone dragon. Surely, you... noticed that, right?" Both Varlog and Liliac froze momentarily, as if to process the purpose of her actions.

Cerille stood frozen, a blush of embarrassment coloring her cheeks.

"I... I... I noticed..." she murmured shamefully, gradually feeling herself relax.

It was then that Liliac took the opportunity of the momentary distraction, sending its claw past Varlog toward Cerille.

Varlog's attention snapped to the danger. 'CRAFTY CHILD!' he thought, shifting swiftly to take the claw deep into his shoulder to shield Cerille.

'Ahh... That demon... Took that hit... For me...?' She thought in confusion and slight awe.

"Grrgh!" he grunted as blood spurted from his wound. "What, did you grow so childish in your temper tantrum as to take that spell from this young lady personally? You foolish little...!" Varlog scolded, but Liliac hadn't relented. The dragon flicked its long tail toward Varlog, sending him flying out of the way, leaving Cerille exposed.

The dragon unleashed its roar on Cerille, causing her to stumble backward and fall on her behind, staring up at the towering beast looming over her menacingly.

'That strong Balrog... was... flicked away in an instant... I'm... I'm done for!' she thought, looking up at Liliac as he prepared his claw attack once more.

"NO!" Varlog screamed as he struggled to rise.

'I'm too far, I will not make it in time!' he thought.

'Ah... No matter,'

'Is this...' she thought, feeling her strength leave her as the bone dragon's claw blocked the sun. 'Is this what you felt... Father?'

She closed her eyes, preparing for the inevitable as the bone dragon sent its claw down toward her.

She was so focused on her doom that she failed to notice...

...the vile aura approaching from behind her at tremendous speed.

'... Seeing as he's here now,' Varlog concluded in his thoughts.

"Sheesh," he said, grabbing Cerille's sword from the ground and using it to block Liliac's strike.

[BACKGROUND MUSIC: PERFECT TIME]

"Even your bloodline is nothing but trouble, Nickelson," he murmured beneath his helmet as the force of Liliac's strike sent a large shockwave, destroying several layers of dirt and rock and creating wind pressure so great it tore the grass and flowers off the plains.

In that moment, everywhere was a danger zone, except for where Cerille lay; directly beneath the figure with the vile aura.

'... What luck,' Varlog thought, as a certain armored figure arrived on the scene.

"Y-you..." Cerille murmured as she opened her eyes, her sensory skills immediately going on full alert; recognizing this aura.

"That boy... from the pool!" Cerille exclaimed.

"Yeah," he said, powerfully parrying Liliac's claw away with such force it carved Liliac's claw mark to the mountain's side, with sheer pressure.

Cerille's eyes widened in disbelief as she watched an avalanche being caused right before her eyes. Her gaze snapped back to Van.

'He parried that... The claw of that dragon that made my father afraid for his life... With this much ease...!' Her breathing turned shallow, and her face paled as she glanced back at the armored figure.

'Who... Who is he?!' Cerille thought, bewildered.

"Van!" Varlog called as Van parried Liliac's claw. Van then briefly turned his head to the Balrog.

'Van... Wait... Van...? No way... Is he...!'

"Liliac has been recently fed and needs to be disciplined, so... please, do go all out this time, will you?" Varlog murmured.

None could see it, but Varlog knew...

... that grin hidden beneath Van's helmet.

"Sure," Van muttered.

'I did say that using over 31,000 points in strength is something I should avoid...'

He thought as he tightened his grip on Cerille's greatsword, preparing for an upward swing.

"BOY!!!" Van called out with newfound enthusiasm as Nickelson snatched Cerille away, bringing her to safety.

"F-father..." she muttered, looking up at him as he ran.

Yet she dared say nothing more as she watched his determined gaze to bring her somewhere safe, as he carried her in his arms.

"No one played with you for a while now, huh?!" Van shouted.

It was then that Liliac, unable to contain his enthusiasm, burst into flames, preparing to roar.

'That child! Is he using all his strength?' Varlog thought, concern etched across his face.

'I did say that,' Van repeated, his grin ever widening. 'But... I won't lie... I'm kinda curious.'

Nickelson knelt, covering his daughter as he saw the light of the embers from behind him.

'Just how strong am I compared to you now?'

"[ACTIVE SKILL]..."

"[HARD SWING]!!!" Van growled as he swung the greatsword at Liliac, who roared his fiery breath at him.

And then, right before their eyes, both Liliac...

... and the mountain behind him...

... and the mountain behind that mountain...

... and the entire cloudline across the horizon...

The sound of the birds...

The rivers...

The wind... The very essence of chaos, calamity, and fire...

And the valley itself was cleaved in half. A singular mark carved upon the valley's plains stretched all the way to the horizon and beyond. Some of the mountains on either side began collapsing, triggering violent avalanches visible even from within the valley.

"I..."

"Is..."

"Is that..."

"Is that... a god?" Cerille murmured.