42

42- FIGHT!

Osiris is fourteen now. A cricket chirped. Team coward was minding their own business, waiting by a fire with meat cooking. This time it was fish and some weird snake Osiris caught. He had it kabobbed on five skewers in a weird, wavy display.

"Do you think he found their camp?"

"Probably."

"He said he wanted to try recon again, the rings we have are working, for now."

"I found another dungeon we can hit. It might have a ring, but I'm not feeling it with that one. It feels more like an ore pocket."

Sunnie's luck was now B Grade. Her gut feelings were no joke, and she's saved the boys' asses on more than one occasion when Osiris is about to lose his shit.

Which happens quite often.

"We really need to look into banks outside of Lux."

"Yeah, our funds and expenses are being tracked. I don't think anyone here likes that our funds are in the hands of Lux."

"I bet they're using it to celebrate."

They all came to learn that their money goes to the government first for taxes before pay. They didn't like that very much. Osiris was the only one that didn't have to pay taxes, but he still had issues receiving his funds when he wanted them. They all took to carrying random rings and jewels they could sell on the road.

"Even with Osiris holding ninety percent of our profits we still live like beggars."

"You know he clears the dungeons and we only have to collect things, right?"

"That's not the point." Fibble waved her off. "Even with all the money we have we still can't afford anything because the fucking bum-shaggers wont send him his money so he can pay us."

Osiris paid them commission on top of their military salary for every dungeon found. They were far past being beggars, but the government. The government being the Queen.

"I can't wait til he burns them."

All their personalities have become a little twisted as of late.

"When this is over let's look into homes by the south coast?"

"I was thinking of the north."

"Furthing west, what the fuck, Fibble."

"Osiris liked the cold."

He shrugged.

"Right, him." She grabbed her chin and crossed her legs. "Can we at least take a vacation there?"

It became natural for all of them to think they would be with Osiris forever.

"He said we can swap for the week vacation, like Haldir, who is deemed important or high priority in the war."

The teens envied his deal with the devil king.

"Yeah, but Osiris will end up staying."

"We've been without him, you know. We're without him right now."

"Yeah, but this is different."

"How?"

"Cause I want to have fun with him!"

"Easy there bud, you'll pop a vessel in that red face of yours."

"But I do! He only ever plays when we fight. I want to like, you know, eat food, watch a play, relax. I don't think he's ever relaxed a day in his life."

"What the fuck are you talking about Fibble?" Vep threw a rock at him. "All he ever does is rest. He rests while we run. He rests when there's chores to be done. He's fine."

"But-"

"I feel like you are talking about me again."

Osiris's face was mad with fever.

In his hand, held upside down, was a baby troll. On its body sat white, stark markings, the markings of a voodoo priest.

The child of the Village Chief dangled in his hand.

"I was able to get in."

His smile deepened as his team felt the overbearing weight of the Village Chief running straight at them. A Rank going on S. The air grayed and tore red.

"And I found the funniest little thing hiding in one of the tents."

The child was petrified, eyes stuck open and irritated, voice choked up on air. The Chief's face was horror stricken. There was nothing but the pure dread of a parent chasing after their child.

His anguish was palpable.

"Time to run my little sooks."

His voice was filled with so much love that the team raged as they clutched their half unpacked bags to run. Vep snagged a few pieces of food on the way out.

"I lied. I want nothing to do with this fucker after the war."

In sync the boys chimed in.

"Agreed."

The cackling of a demon could be heard across the tropical terrain.

"The Prince did something again."

"FUCK! READY MEN!"

Lawrence was over this division.

"We told them to scout the area."

"I told you not to send that team."

"I assumed it was because they didn't want to pull their weight."

"No, they'll pull their weight."

The soldier looked towards the cackling fiend passing by their unit.

"Is that the Village Chief?!"

"I told you. They'll pull their weight. It's just never how you want them to do it."

The child was oddly quiet.

Osiris violently shook it. Tears welded in its eyes.

"So it's still alive."

The Chief was panting as he launched another attack at them.

Osiris hated the heat but loved the terrain in this tropical, wet forest. So many places to jump and hide. The trees were as sturdy as the taiga forest, but squishier. Sometimes the trees pulsed as he jumped from branch to branch.

"Give him back!"

"Him?" Osiris took a sharp left, banging the kid's arm on a tree. The troll roared. Osiris's gleeful laugh bounced through the vines. "Where were these emotions while you were fucking that girl, huh?"

The troll sent a spray of acid. Osiris let some of it splash the kid's chest.

It screamed.

"I saw you going to town on her not even ten minutes ago." Osiris allowed the troll to get close. "She was, like, ten, by the way."

The troll reached and Osiris kept the kid just a centimeter away from the Chief's grasp.

"It's all shits and giggles until someone shits on your giggles. I'd know. The Queen does it quite often. Funny story, really-"

"He's coming this way!"

The Chief's heart was racing. His child, his beautiful baby boy. He and his wife finally bore a son. She was infertile, something they knew since the day they mated. It was fine, he had other wives, but he loved her. She died giving birth to a worthy son. A priest. He carried double the mana the Chief had at birth. He was going to be their future.

The troll grabbed weapons off the humans they passed, killing every single one violently and brutally. Even if he was a witch doctor, the trolls were naturally strong, and an A Rank going on S was pernicious.

Lawrence watched the Prince nick his arm with a spear before turning and using the child as a shield.

The Chief decapitated his own child.

Osiris stepped to the side as he watched the troll drop the spear and catch his son.

He fell to his knees and he screamed.

Osiris walked behind the troll with all the leaders on site now watching.

"That was for poisoning my food yesterday, you stupid bitch."

Osiris stabbed the two through the heart and dusted his hands off.

"There, you wanted the Chief, he's all yours." Osiris watched his men run up to him. They had their bags back. "If you hurry you might be able to revive him for whatever you wanted him for."

Osiris moved to his men.

"Let's go, I'm feeling festive today."

"Festive?"

"Let's head to town, I want to drink."

"You're twelve, they're not going to let you drink."

"I'm fourteen."

"That's not any better."

As the four walked off Kim, seventh platoon leader of the Buche Corp came to stand beside Lawrence.

"I told you so."

"Shut it."

_______

Osiris was having a good ol time playing happy sack with Fibble, Vep, and Sunnie when the priests found him. Osiris cringed. He's been avoiding them ever since his run in with Lambert and the bastards kept coming back.

"What do you want now."

The priest wiped sweat off his brow. The Prince's aura was suffocating. The priest looked around. Not a single soldier was sweating under this heat.

"O-our great lord Lu-"

"Get to the point."

"S-she would like to offer a prophet under her care-"

Osiris's scoff was filled with mirth.

"The only prophet we believe in is our Prophet Fibble, am I right boys!"

"Right!"

A bolt of lightning struck the kid right in the face.

Osiris watched the smoke clear and low and behold Fibble was crowning the golden emotes with the eyes in the sky smiling down upon them.

"W-what…"

The priests were as shocked as Osiris was.

"H-has that soldier never killed?"

"Fibble? He just killed someone last night."

"T-then mana, does he have mana?"

"No- FUCK! He doesn't have mana."

Osiris pulled his hair.

"It was a joke you stupid bitch!"

He pointed at a space above Fibble's head.

Fibble grabbed his head and winced.

"S-she said… She said… I don't know what she's saying."

Osiris was tickled. His chuckling turned to laughter until he was a roaring, rapturous mess the longer Fibble struggled to translate the god.

"P-prophets are trained from a young age to learn the language of god."

"AHAHAHAHAHA-"

Sunnie pushed Osiris off his feet.

A pressure like no other filled the land, freezing everyone but Fibble and Osiris in place.

"I can speak all languages, I just prefer my natural tongue."

Osiris's face fell as everyone realized a god has descended. He stood.

"I'm not on some crusade of justice. I don't need some god trying to get in the way."

The god chuckled.

"I'm not here to stop the war, I'm here to make sure you stay alive."

"Like I trust that."

"Was the life of my pet not enough?"

Osiris looked at the god. It was weird to see Fibble's face but what can you do?

Her powers felt unreachable.

"Why not stop the war? We'd all be safe then."

"Silly boy, I'm not here to save them, I'm here to save you. My little c-"

The connection cut as Fibble passed out face first on the floor.

"This is why I hate gods."

Even back home Osiris hated the prospect of god, he was an agnostic for a reason.

"You." Osiris walked up to the priests that began to shake. "Teach him the basics then leave."

The priests flew into motion as they helped his kids drag the boy to his tent.

"Fucking great."

_______

Osiris watched as his sooks refused to talk to each other. He assumes they had another fight, especially now that they all fucked each other. His trio has become a triangle.

"What happened now?"

"Nothing, Sunnie just has a boyfriend now. It's nothing."

Osiris rolled his eyes.

The three of them were literally in love with each other. They all fuck each other without leaving anyone out. It's gross. No one wants to know their kids fuck, just like no one wants to know when their parents fuck. Osiris sighed.

"She can do whatever she wants, just like you two can do what you want. Now move it."

Osiris was over it.

It was mating season out there, mating season in here, the theme for this war sucked ass. He gets lonely too.

Osiris looked ahead.

Even if he wanted to do something he couldn't without thinking his partner was a pervert. And if he went for someone his age he'd kill himself.

"What a cruel world we live in."

That night the boys picked up a girl and Sunnie her man. As they entered their respective rooms Sunnie looked heartbroken, and when she left the boys looked back at her with long faces. It was sickening. Osiris went and watched some men practice a few buildings over.

_______

The three stood in the lobby as they waited for Osiris in awkward silence.

Neither of the pairs could go through with fucking their selected partners that night.

"Where did he say he was going?"

Sunnie broke the tension.

"He said he was going to gamble. Something about winning a free lunch."

"Isn't it illegal for him to gamble?"

"Are you going to stop him?"

The conversation died off after that.

No one could smell the poison as it crept across the floor.

The entire city was put to sleep.

Osiris came back from his little walk after lunch and found the kids' rooms empty.

"Weird."

The missing kids turned into a missing town, there was not a soul in the entire city. Osiris stood at the town square staring into the running fountain. This town was one of the few not touched by the beats. They had the Nox Kingdom to thank for that.

Osiris could feel the tips of his hands go cold.

They were gone.

_______

The Prince was inconsolable.

For weeks he has been searching.

"Prince, it's time-"

"Enough."

Haldir stood behind the Prince who was eating another dead corpse at the edge of town. He stopped eating the food Kou cooks.

"They're dead, Osiris."

Osiris turned his beady little pupil blown eyes at him.

"Leave."

Haldir grunted before leaving the Prince alone on the outskirts of camp.

".."

"They're not dead.. right?"

Osiris ran a bloody hand through his hair.

It's gotten long.

".."

He sighed.

"I shouldn't have gotten attached."

Getting up he went away from camp to the river. The teen washed his hands and stared down at himself. Smears of red floated down the river bed.

"I'm an idiot."

After he combed the city he found traces of a deal, and the deal revolved around the Queen. She leaked his location for ORES-

"Prince! Prince Osiris!"

It was fucking Bishop.

"What?!"

"We just got news that the beasts were taking all captives to the north. They took over a town-"

"Direction."

Bishop turned and pointed north.

"Straight through there."

Bishop watched the boy clear a straight path, flattening the ground and everything within a ten foot radius. Bishop's laugh was jaunty.

"Get ready men! We're going in!"

.

.

.

.

.

"High ranked user incoming!"

Osiris slammed into a camp, ragdolling from a throw an A Rank clipped him with. This battle was mainly D and C Ranked beasts, but they had an A Rank hiding. It was the tiger battle all over again. Osiris screamed, voice crack and all, as he jumped back into the fray.

"Get medics here now!"

An explosion went off.

"We just got word to clear a path for the Prince and follow behind! We're headed to the top boys!"

Osiris grit his teeth as the alligator snapped its jaws next to his ear. The bastard was tough.

But Osiris still won.

He went faster, only stopping when he collapsed. The military did their best to keep him alive but whatever they fixed only came back worse.

"Your arm was nearly ripped off!"

A medic snarled at him.

Osiris just stared up as rain fell. He was down again.

"I need water."

A tube was shoved down his throat.

"Your constant recklessness is costing us funds! We can't keep supplying you with A and S Grade potions, our guild is about to put a cap on us."

Osiris forgot those existed. They were hired help brought on by the glory of war and treasure.

"Then let me die."

The woman glared at him as her hands glowed green. Fibble's powers were gold. Osiris closed his eyes.

He needed a nap.

"Keep cover! Protect the Prince!"

"Fucking kid…"

The medic frowned down at him. She's seen far too many children in this war. If any survive, they were going to be the most terrifying generation yet.

She can feel it.

"Praise Lux."

_______

He made it.

Osiris stood at the edge of the city limits as he finished pushing mana into his sixth ring.

He was close.

To the front a giant cliff city, to his back a tropical forest. And in between was nothing but thousands of rows upon rows of beast men clad in armor and weapons in battle with the kingdom. The noise was headache inducing.

"You have to keep an eye out for them."

His mana nodded.

"If I accidentally kill them because of you I will never u-"

His mana soothed him.

".."

"Like we practiced."

Osiris hopped in place and pushed the last droplets of mana into his heart. The air around him concaved, shooting a blast of pure mana straight into the air, clearing a circle in the clouds.

He broke through.

He was born again.

"T-thAhat was, WoW."

He stumbled across the yard and into the battle.

"Retreat to the east! I repeat retreat to the east! High ranking user has awoken! I repeat, a High ranking user has awakened! RUN!"

Around him anyone within ten feet turned to mush and anyone within a hundred feet froze in place.

He felt like a god.

Osiris's exhilarated chuckle vibrated through the air.

"And this was only the sixth tier."

Another giggle left his lips.

He finally made it to A Class.

"You three better be alive."

The boy began his conquest.

Tenku's tail fluffed as a powerful wave of mana blew through the land.

"What was that?!"

Line, Tenku's General, turned her ears toward the north. They began to twitch like crazy as she searched for the cause.

"High ranking user awakened."

"On whose side?"

More ears twitching.

"Theirs."

Tenku hissed before he began to brush back his striped tail. Red panda beasts take great care maintaining their tails, especially during mating season. Now his wives were going to be upset with him.

"Leave it. I'm sure they'll-"

They were at the city limit.

It was too easy getting here.

Osiris yawned as he took another step towards the city. His nap time was approaching so he needed to be careful in his energy consumption. No use in a rescue team that knocks out mid way through.

"Have you found them yet?"

His mana hung low.

"Keep looking."

"What are they after?!"

"We're looking, my king."

Line stood by as Tenku paced. His little outfit ruffled from the situation. Tenku was about to break through to B Class and was preparing for a more human form. B and A class beasts always choose a more human form. Some more than others.

"This is bad. If he's coming straight here-"

Their direction changed.

"Found you."

He ran through the petrified streets crushing beastmen on his way towards Sunnie, she was alive. All of them were alive. His smile became manic.

They survived.

"I knew it. I knew they could do it."

Men willing to do what it takes to live, to come home.

Osiris's eyes glistened.

With the ease of pouring a glass of milk Osiris stopped his Bludgeoning and walked through the doors, passing the pissed scared guard dogs at the front.

"Weird. The animals look more.. no, that's copyright infringement."

But they did look like a certain brand of cartoon animal movies-

He walked in on a bear frozen in place, balls deep in Sunnie. Only the flash of the beast's white eyes could be seen as Osiris shoved his hand through its heart. Standing on the bed he stopped the corpse from falling onto her limp body. Her face was shoved into the covers and her arms lifeless at her sides, but she was breathing.

Slowly Osiris pushed the beast off of her, making sure to gently pull him out so she wouldn't get hurt. He turned her over. Her eyes were devoid of light, like a corpse, but once they saw him he watched them glisten and fill with life. Osiris held her chin and began to look her over. Her holes were irritated with small tearing, but she was healthy.

She was alive.

Osiris grabbed her face and brought it to his forehead. He looked her in the eyes and smiled wide and bright.

"You survived."

She sobbed.

"I did."

"You did."

"I waited for you."

"You did."

"And you came for me."

"I did."

"You came for me."

She sobbed into his chest.

Osiris cleaned her using the sheets as she held on for dear life. He waited for the episode to pass before pushing clothes on her.

"We need to get to the others before they notice what I'm doing."

As they ran Sunnie tied the belt around her waist before working on buttoning the bear sized shirt he found for her.

"The others?! They're alive?!"

Osiris flashed her teeth.

"Yes."

Fibble was in no better shape than Sunnie was.

He was chained outside to a pole next to a dog house. And speaking of dogs, there were currently three of them on him, so to speak. Sunnie took one and Osiris took two.

He very much still had light in his eyes, but he was grief stricken. He sobbed hard and held Osiris tight enough to make him bleed. Osiris worked on checking him over as Sunnie pulled the flacid dicks from Fibble's torn ass. It was bad. Osiris grit his teeth and searched his body for a potion. He poured an A Grade down his throat.

"Your god?"

His face became nasty.

"She said to wait until you come."

Osiris ran his fingers through his hair.

"And how does that make you feel."

"Angry."

"Now look at me."

He did.

Osiris held their foreheads together.

"You made it."

His lips wobbled.

"I did. I did make it. I did. I waited."

"You did."

"I waited and waited. I thought the god lied."

"I'm here now."

"I thought you weren't coming and she was just playing with me."

"She could have been."

"But you came. You actually came back."

"I did."

"He's moved again!"

Tenku pulled at his beautiful hair. He was the embodiment of rage.

"What is he doing-"

Tenku grinned.

"He's after his friends. Send the signal."

"Yes my king."

The shrieking of coyotes rippled across the city.

The wolf groaned as he heard the shrieking of a coyote. This was the second time this has happened to him during this war. Always the cock block. The wolf looked down at the body and grabbed the human by the throat, hips snapping as the smell of female musk wafted through the air. Renting a human during these times keeps the infighting down and he had the spare kills to afford one today.

"Fuck, I picked a good one." He moaned. "But a command is a command. Might as well kill you and fuck your corpse."

He pulled out to move the body when he was flung straight back into the wall, breaking his tail in half. Before he could even yip a human girl had snapped his jaw shut over his tongue. His eyes watered.

Osiris could only see layers of caked cum all over his body, in his hair, face, eyes, and even in his wounds.

Vep's eyes welled with tears.

Osiris pulled his mask off and took his time looking over his body while the other two had fun with the pup in the back. Vep cried quietly as Osiris began to clean him. He pulled out his last A Grade and handed it to him to drink.

"Look at me."

Vep gritted his teeth and looked at him with fear.

"You survived."

He almost looked away.

Osiris pulled their heads together and smiled at him. Like the others, it was filled with so much pride.

"I thought no one was coming."

"We came."

"You did come, can I hug you-"

Osiris pulled the boy in. Not a second later the other two were around them. Every fiber in his being became terrified of their touches in that moment. It felt suffocating, he felt like they were going to hurt him-

He pulled Vep closer and breathed through the fear.

That's all it was, a fear.

He knew damn well these three couldn't kill him, well, unless they were Fibble's nails. He chuckled. Must be the god's gifts or whatever.

"Why did he just stop there?!"

Tenku was pulling his ears this time.

"Maybe they found their friends?"

"Or maybe they found their body?"

Tenku wiggled his little paws together.

"Start the next wa-"

They felt the power of a High Ranked A Class, bordering on S, beast encompass the city.

No one could move.

"I can only do 10 feet of extreme blunder, and the rest is more of a freeze. Just stay ten feet from me and no one dies. Don't worry about the rest, I can control my ego now. Have fun~"

"Do you mean bludgeon?"

Osiris shrugged.

"Sure."

"Anything else?"

Fibble and Sunnie felt a chill go down their spines. They always loved when Vep talked without his mask. They thanked Osiris, their god, for forcing immunity upon them all. Vep's voice was so dee-

"You'll know when to get out of the city."

The three turned to the crowded streets and grinned.

"True!!"

"We definitely will know."

"Just because you're getting bigger doesn't mean your tantrums can't be seen a mile away."

"Pay close attention to this one my little sooks. I want to show you something worth fearing."

"There he goes again-"

Vep covered Fibble's mouth. They smiled at each other.

"I want you to double our training after this."

Osiris snickered as they walked away. When he felt them pass through his danger zone he dropped his smile and prowled to the center. He could feel that weak little boss scampering around like a headless chick trying to catch him.

"No need to worry anymore little one, I'm going straight for you."

"Is he headed this way or am I mistaken?"

"You are not."

"Fuck."

Tenku took another shaky step.

"Who did we piss off without knowing?! Was it that succubus? We were told she was still Deep South."

"We recently raided a few nearby villages."

"Was anyone there an A Class or higher?"

"...not that I can recall."

He was ten steps away.

"What do we do?! At this rate we're going to have to fight."

Nine steps away.

"Fuck. We have no choice but to fight."

Eight steps away.

The world became heavy.

Seve-

Osiris stood before them.

"Here I am!"

What Osiris thought was the cutest little tanuki attacked him in a blur or red, black, and white. Beside him a B Class beast spun her blade. She looked like a knight with giant, thick hare ears. It always throws him when he sees the stronger beasts look human.

"It really is a fantasy world."

He yawned as he batted the two attacks away. The tanuki puffed up and grew to the size of three mares. He even had a little saddle on him.

"Whose horse is that?"

The bunny dawned the tanuki and together they attacked. He could feel their power, and a few weeks ago he might have had a hard time, but.

Osiris hit the two away, snapping the bunny's neck against a wall. Her rabbit feet twitched.

"Why are only your thighs, torso, and head human? Maybe hands for you? It doesn't make sense. You things should evolve into bigger, stronger beasts."

Osiris kicked a rocker at her and turned to the tanuki.

"Tell me. Was the deal with the Queen worth it?"

Tenku had no clue what the child was talking about, but he smelled good. He smelled strong.

Osiris felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand.

He looked behind him. Nothing. He looked forward. The tanuki suddenly growled as he became a feral, slobbering mess. Like he had rabies. Osiris actually froze as the little thing jumped him. It-

It was rubbing itself all over his face.

"Mate with me."

Osiris flung him across the room.

"What the fuck."

The little bastard came back.

"I'll give it to you. I'll give you everything."

He was panting. The fucker was serious.

"Fuck off."

"The Queen traded you for some Ores! We were told you'd make a fine specimen for our Rent-a-Human program. She was really convincing, even for an enemy-"

It was the type of fan he hated. How the fuck did it even happen?!

"I'll leave my wives-"

"Okay, that's enough."

Osiris broke its tail and yanked him off the ground. Osiris grinned at the bastard.

"You want to mate with me?"

"Yes."

The fucker snapped at him.

"Take everything I give."

".."

Osiris was at a loss for words. The little bastard came every time he broke, tore, or hurt him in some way.

".."

Osiris poked a stick at the thing.

It still hasn't tried to run.

"Is that enough?"

".."

Osiris got up and left the building.

"Time to go, boys."

"Yeah, I felt that one."

"It felt weird, right?"

"Yeah…"

"Last one has to go find him once he passes out!"

Osiris walked to the center of the city where he left his kids. They were long gone, but the trail of carnage they left behind was glorious. Many of the beasts were still alive, moaning and groaning in pain.

"Leaving me for clean up this time, I get it."

He smiled and stood atop the town well.

"I think it's time for a nap now."

The bombs he planted with delay began to go off all across the city.

"Another wonderful thing about leveling up. The perks of power over mana."

He spun and swayed as he tried to keep balance on top of the well.

"It's like I've gained a clock for my bombs. Wonderful, beautiful."

The cries became grunts as debris cut through and against buildings and beasts in a firefly flower display of molten heat. Waves of feverish vehemence heat bloomed around the flashing orange lights.

"Aaaaaaaaand-"

Osiris fell back into the well, body burrowing into the water like a cacoon. It was dark.

OSIRIS WINS.