Chapter 46: Save Yourself

*Song recommendation: Helvegen - Wardruna (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNUJCH3CeR8)*

The sun cast an ominous red glow over the field. Lucia rode her horse to the designated spot. Ramelle's ranks were already waiting. Duke Morton watched with smug satisfaction as she dismounted. In his hand was a long dark sword. It seemed to absorb all the light around it. 

As soon as Lucia approached, Duke Morton stepped forward with a smile. Lucia met his gaze with cold indifference. She cast an eye on the sword. She recognized its dark malevolent energy. Duke Morton held it up proudly.

"It's called Bedlam." He gestured to the sword. "I got it from our friends on the other side. It's only fair, I would say," He smiled wickedly. 

"A demonic sword?" Valentus scoffed, coming up behind Lucia. "You dare parade that.."

Lucia held up a hand to interrupt Valentus. "As you wish, Duke Morton," Lucia said drily.

A circle formed around them.  Lucia and Duke Morton faced off. 

Duke Morton was the first to make a move. He lunged hastily towards Lucia. The demon sword came down like a hammer. Sparks flew from the clash of the blade. Lucia could instantly sense her mana being absorbed. She pulled back. This time, she engulfed her sword in flames. 

Lucia flew towards Duke Morton with incredible speed. The trail of embers fluttered behind her like the tail of a phoenix. Her blade hit him with enough force to drive him back. Duke Morton grimaced, he held up the demonic sword and released a slew of blows. 

As their blade's met, Duke Morton smiled hungrily.

"I can't say I'll miss you. But, you played your part well." He chided.

Lucia's expression didn't change. She held off his blade effortlessly. Parrying each attack deftly, her pale green eyes set upon Duke Morton. Looking into her eyes, Duke Morton flinched. He felt a shiver down his spine but continued his assault.

"I may have exaggerated your role. You were such a distraction. A piece of meat to be flung in front of a gullible Prince." He provoked. 

The demonic blade seemed to absorb as much mana as Lucia gave out. Neither side was able to overcome the other. Duke Morton's eyes narrowed. Why wasn't it working? He launched another furious attack. His blade swung down with full force on Lucia. She didn't move. Duke Morton smirked. She was finished.

Lucia caught the blade in her bare hand. The force of her mana completely overwhelmed the sword. Duke Morton's eyes widened in horror. Before he could move, she kicked him at point-blank range in the stomach. He flew back and rolled across the ground with a yell. 

Lucia flung his blade aside. She walked slowly towards him. She looked down coldly. Duke Morton went cold. He came uneasily to his feet with a huff. Lucia's blade met his throat. She stared into his eyes with unwavering resolution. 

Duke Morton's nostrils flared. He flung up his hands. 

"I concede," Duke Morton spat. 

Lucia's sword remained at his throat. There was a deathly silence. 

"You would kill me?" Duke Morton gulped. "After I raised you up? I gave you everything you have! "

Lucia breathed out a shallow breath. She could feel her own blood pumping. 

"You're not any better than me. You're just another ungrateful bitch who should lay down and die for her country! It's the least you could do. Prove yourself now, warrior!" He continued.

Lucia lowered her sword.

"You have lost," She stated coolly. 

Duke Morton's eyes were facing down. The corner of his lip began to twitch. He broke into a wide-toothed grin.

Before Lucia could question him further, there was a tremendous blast from behind her. The noise of the explosion made the ground tremble. Lucia turned around in time to see a ball of flames engulfing the stronghold.

"You don't honestly think we've just been sitting around doing nothing for the last year, do you?" Duke Morton sneered. "I'll admit it took a while to get all the pieces in place. Demons are quite difficult to work with"

A blinding light filled the sky with black smoke. Within moments, a horde of demons began to clamber over the horizon. All manner of beasts and monsters followed. Lucia's eyes widened. They fell bewildered onto the smiling face of Duke Morton.

"Lose? Me? I win, you stupid little girl! I was always going to win" He broke into a hideous laugh. 

"All we had to do was delay you long enough for our friends to arrive. Parade around a bunch of peasant whores and you were too willing to fight" Duke Morton hissed gleefully. " Better hurry back and save your precious Emperor!" He began to move back into the ranks of his men.

Lucia's eyes darkened. In a split second, she gained the distance between them. Her sword swung like an amber haze, slicing Duke Morton from neck to gut. He let out a painful gasp, spluttering blood down his front. Choking for air, he gripped the wound before falling down dead.

"Kill them!" The king screamed.

Blood splattered across the earth. Lucia flicked the blood from her sword before turning back to Valentus. She nodded, leaving Duke Morton's body in the dust. Ramelle's soldiers took a moment to absorb what had happened. Nobody moved.

"I said KILL THEM!!" The King cried.

Lucia cast an eye back on the trembling men and women.

"Today you can choose your own destiny. Will you die for the man who put you in bondage? OR, will you save yourselves?" Lucia addressed them.

She walked away without looking back. She leapt onto her horse and broke into a gallop. As she raced back to the door. Behind her, thousands of men and women fled the battlefield.  Those that remained in the King's army marched forward. 

The Empire's forces were split between the attacks from both sides. A legion of monsters attacked from one side and Ramelle's forces from the other. What remained of Ramelle's armies were slowly cut down. The troops contended with the legions of monsters and demons.

Lucia galloped back to the stronghold. The demons were clambering to get in. A veil had shrouded the door in purple shadow. The sealing was still happening. Lucia fought through the dregs to get closer to the fort. From the corner of her eye, she could see Keitel cutting through a rampaging Ogre. Their eyes met and Lucia knew to proceed on. 

Michael needed to be protected whilst the sealing was conducted. Clover could fend off all these demons alone. Valentus was making his way through the demons blocking the way. He created an opening and Lucia pushed forward.

Once inside the fort, Lucia could see the fortress was already entombed in a blanket of flames. With her mana to protect her, she proceeded towards the door. The purple shroud had completely encased the door from view. Lucia stepped towards the barrier.

Suddenly, her instincts kicked in, she dodged just in time as a fist plummeted towards her. Lucia turned abruptly. Neri stood over her with childish delight.

"Master says you're not invited inside. Do you think that means I can kill you this time?" Neri giggled. He threw back his head and let out a laugh. His red eyes glared against the dark veil. He danced like a wicked elf against a backdrop of flames.

  Lucia gripped her sword. From what she knew, Neri was far stronger than Soir or Duke Morton. It would be a battle to the death. Lucia pumped herself up. She let out a deep exhale before charging towards Neri. Neri grinned. He parried each blow indifferently.

Lucia focused her mind. As Neri's punch hurtled towards her, she caught his hand. Neri pulled away with a cry. However, this time he didn't run. His eyes grew dark. He held up his hand. A dark sphere formed in front of him. With a flick of his wrist, the ball launched towards Lucia. 

Lucia held up her blade to defend. It took all her strength to push it back. The mana surrounding her body dipped. She felt the sharp whip of the flames around her. Lucia quickly covered her body in mana once more. Another series of dark spheres tore at her with lightning speed. 

She knew better than to meet them this time, she ducked and dodged away from each one. However, as she did so, Neri followed with a powerful kick. It sent back against the wall with a thwack. She gritted her teeth to absorb the impact of the blow. She came to her feet uneasily.

Neri raced over. Lucia met his attacks with hand to hand combat. While her hits were clearly damaging Neri, his blows were equally felt. Lucia fell back. She scanned the flames breathlessly. She couldn't keep up this pace for much longer.  Her attacks were working but they weren't strong enough.

She used the interlude to focus her mana. She would put it all into one blow. This was all or nothing.