Lions Den

A/N: Short chp since I'm busy, better luck next time reader.

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POV: Astaros

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"So these will keep us from being charmed by the High priestess?" {Fillia}

Fillia, Dryis, and Christine trailed behind me, marching under the soft glow of the moonlight, the tall swaying tree's casting shadows across the forest floor.

My armor glinted in the piecing rays that reached through the canopy as I nodded, the shadows projected by my massive form layered upon others, adding depth to the dark forest, deep shadows shifting and crawling across foliage.

"Indeed. They are capable of defending against divinity up to the high affinity. A celestial level affinity will still crack its defense though." {Astaros}

We were on our way to the meeting place to see the High priestess so I had distributed some completed Aegis medallions between Fillia, Dryis and Christine. I had invited Katia to come with us but she had decided it to be sufficient for Dryis to have Fillia by her side.

The whirling night winds brought a freezing breeze to bear causing Christine to shiver.

Noticing this I called upon the damage core and it began to revolve, slowly building up speed as I thrust my hand into the glowing scarlet light and grabbed an orange crystal from within my chest.

I then pulled it out in a flash of light, before only the orange glow of a fire element crystal reflected off my armor, deepening the shadows within my helm.

"Take this." {Astaros}

Christine stopped and curiously looked at the crystal before taking it from both hands and held it, the glow illuminating her smile.

"Thank you Astaros." {Christine}

However her smile soon turned flirtatious as an expression I hadn't seen in a while took over her face.

"Not even ten o'clock and you offering your warmth to cold women?" {Christine}

I tilted my head and looked over my shoulder.

"I can take it back?" {Astaros}

She gripped it tightly and putted.

"It was just a little teasing." {Christine}

Inside my helm however I smiled.

It had been a while since she was this cheerful. Our conversation back in the storage room seemed to have made her lighten up.

"Going after another one are we?" {Fillia}

She passed me by at such a speed that I hadn't the chance to see her expression. However I had the intelligence to guess. If only Christine had the same intelligence as I and also kept her mouth shut after figuring it out.

"Jealous?" {Christine}

I was tempted to speak my piece but I could already see how this was going to end.

*Bonk!*

As Christine came to sidle up to me to provoke her further, Fillia's scabbard came swing back and over, smacking into her skull.

"Ouch! Unnecessary." {Christine}

I sighed and looked back at Dryis, who turned and waved, her amber eyes glowing slightly in the moonlight. She was completely oblivious to the situation ahead of her.

Seeing if she was truly oblivious I began to activate some dark element and concentrated it near her.

Instantly she hopped lightly away and drew her sword. Seeing that what she had discovered was non hostile she whipped around to look at me.

'Whats wrong?' {Dryis}

I turned away from her and continued walking to catch up with the other two in front of me.

'Nothing. I was simply questioning your awareness.' {Astaros}

Dryis smiled and ran to catch up, her pace quickly matching me as I glanced back to look at her.

'Don't worry I'm paying attention.' {Dryis}

I returned my gaze to the direction of our destination as I heard her confirmation, my mind now considering different worries.

…

After an uneventful trip to the meeting place we arrived at a small tent set up by the church in a clearing.

Spreading out my mana sense I could sense up to seventy people spread out within the vicinity.

However that was nowhere near enough to cause me concern.

From what I could tell it would take upwards of two hundred of whatever was out there to provide me with a decent match up.

Even if they were holy knights.

Several torch posts were set up around the clearing we had arrived at, a single golden armored man or woman attending to them.

"Holy knights…" {Christine}

Their wary gazes now fixed on us as we entered the encampment. Through empathic sense I could tell this was an obvious trap.

However I kept walking.

The moment we entered their territory we formed a triangle formation with me as the spearhead, Christine in the middle and Fillia alongside Dryis bringing up the rear.

'This is a trap alright.' {Fillia}

My gaze passed over the hostile intents as I responded, causing several of the golden armored warriors to shift uncomfortably.

'Indeed.' {Astaros}

As we approached three spearmen I stopped and two of them crossed their spears as the third entered the tent.

After a moment of tension a single word was spoken. This word was the herald of all the battles to come, its very existence dripping with hatred and conflict.

"Enter" {Guard 1}

And so the four of them did, weapons at the ready and minds prepared to face their opponent head on.