The Demon's Princess: Demons and their problems.

YESTERDAY WAS A LOOOOOONG DAY. BUT WE'RE MOVING ON.

DAY 38.

TUESDAY.

GOLD: 326,104.

BLOODOATH GOLD: 4,638,653.

Tyler woke to the feel of a tall, warm body on his chest with incredibly large breasts pressed into his chest while beside him was Seria's familar frame. He opened his eyes to see Akeno had drapped herself across him like a blanket with her massive melons pressed into his chest and hr arm around seria's waist. Tyler smiled at this as he stroked her long purple hair soothingly.

"Oh my. I seem to have mounted my brother!"

He chuckled at her purr as her pink eyes opened.

"Morning Akeno. How are you feeling?"

She smiled at this and hugged him.

"Better then I have in years. Mother is alive somewhere and I have family again. It's.....you know."

"Rias is gonna be pissed she got demoted."

She chuckled and the half fallen angel half devil rested her cheek on his chest.

"I'll relax her later. Thank you."

"I gotchyer back, Akeno."

Seria woke then with a smile.

"Morning Tyler."

She got a loving kiss.

"Morning Seria. I love you."

"I love you too Tyler."

The Berserker smiled and Akeno got her own hug off her neice.

"I'll see you soon Seria."

"Look out for each other, okay?"

"We will"

Seria faded out and Tyler smiled as Akeno shivered.

"Come on."

She smiled at this and they geared up for the day. Tyler went to the mainhall while Akeno went with Rias for more hugs and processing. The Berserker smiled as he saw Melody at the table with the rest of the leaders.

"See Akeno before we head out please, Melody."

"I will do so."

He smiled and looked at Asuna."

"How we holding this morning?"

She smiled.

"Wounds healed, and the looted gold we're gifting the village for their defenses. Mylissia has a battalion of knights en route to better secure her kin's home due to just HOW many bandit brigades have come through in the last three days alone."

"Smart. Dryft?"

The red feral elf smirked from her seat.

"My Rangers will aid in defending the village as well. Prevent that illusion from becoming real."

"Thanks Dryft. Sad to say I didn;t get to see you work your fangs, but hey. Always next time."

That made the red elf smirk.

"I have a request."

"Come with?"

"I wish to indeed, come with. Sister Strand had painted QUITE the glowing picture of your travels thus far."

Strand smiled as Tyler looked to her now.

"Dryft is utterly dependable. She's MY sister for gods' sake."

"Ha. Welcome to the Knights of the Bloodoath, Dryft."

She smiled.

"I will earn my way."

"Alright. we're now a 129 warrior unit. Asuna."

"We're ready to move out any time."

"Knights, MOUNT up."

The warriors mounted their steeds and loaded the wagons. Belfast approached the Berserker with a list.

"We will need resupply arrows at the next city, Tyler."

"We will do so from the remains of the bandit camp. They left a lot behind."

She nodded and Strand chuckled.

"We'll be at the next village in three days. after that is two days to the coast."

"We're making progress."

The Knights rode out of Melody's village and the illusion of bodies appeared as soon as they did. Rias smiled as she caught up.

"Akeno got her goodbye hug."

"That's the most important thing before we left."

"NOW I'm curious about MY family."

"Ha. We'll run into em sooner or later."

"Most likely."

Tyler chuckled at that as they headed for the abandoned army camp. The place now littered in the bandits' left behind gear. The scavangers looted a full resupply on arrows and potions while Tyler and Strand discovered the king's warchest in his tent. That yielded an astounding 1,500,000 gold for the force. Tyler frowned at the sum as they got moving.

"I'll ask Mylissia if that idiot broke yet. Sums like that don't just appear."

He pulled the orb and the queen appeared.

"He broke."

"He say who his benefactor was?"

"Fangorn. Another ploy from a Draken."

Tyler frowned.

"With a warchest of 1,500,000?"

The blue queen nodded.

"The plan was to have every bandit company in the region band together to assault a major city alongside the takng of Dunkrick. Problem was Dunkrick doesn't exist anymore and the occupyig force lost to the last man. Fangorn is trying HARD to avoid having to send it's own countrymen to die in our invasion as they view their lives as more valuable then ours. And so we aren't WORTH fighting directly."

"And the odds for us to launch a COUNTEROFFENSIVE?"

Mylissia sighed tiredly.

"When the Knights of the Bloodoath are level 30 across the board can we attempt another campaign. My armies are training night and day as we speak to increase power as the last wars we fought were devastating enough WITHOUT the monster control."

"I figured. Can WE launch our own sortie?"

She smiled.

"Certainly. AFTER you complete your circuit of the country. You'll return, I'll christen you as a seperate divison of the my military, and you can basically do as you please with your efforts for the war."

"Coolio. This idiot give up his handler?"

"He did. But all we know is it's just another Draken. I don't have a location for you."

"Makes sense. I'd station some knights around the valley to ambush and bandits that DO arrive late."

Mylissia chuckled.

"I will do so. they'll enjoy some blood practice."

Tyler looked ahead as they rode.

"We'll keep at it."

"As will I."

The orb was replaced and the Knights rode on.

The forest shifted from dense dedicous woodland to more open pine forests after a few hours and Tyler smiled as they made camp beside another river. This one with a deep and powerful current and some large fish leaping around. The Berserker pitched his tent in the hollow by the river while the rest of the force made a circle. HAppy with his setup he went to the river with rod in hand. Strand appeared beside him with a smirk.

"I'll ask you teach dryft how to milk a viper before relaxing."

He chuckled at that.

"Sure thing, Strand."

Dryft came over with a smirk and a live Russel's Viper in her hand.

"Let's see this MARVOLOUS new techinque of yours, Berserker."

Tyler produced a milking jar and set the serpent's fangs through the thin paper. Dryft blinked as the venom was extracted.

"This IS new. and EXTREME efficent. I will teach this to my Rangers when I have a SPARE TEN MINUTES."

Tyler smiled as he released the aggressive serpent on the other side of the river.

"It works on spiders, scorpions, and even some species of ant. Long as the fang or stinger is large enough to see that is."

Strand smiled as her sister was taught the new method.

"See, Sister? His insanity know no bounds."

"Clearly. Next he'll tell us we can extract an egg's yoke without breaking the shell."

"welll,"

They looked at him and he smiled.

"It's TRICKY in the EXTREME and you'd an aparatus to do it, but you CAN do it. You'd have to poke a hole, but the majority of the shell would remain."

dryft just looked at her sister now.

"Sister Strand."

"Sister Dryft."

"I am beginning to suspect we know nothing about our world."

"I have been suspecting this since he knew the difference between an old man of the forest, and an old man of the mountain's fur on SIGHT. And him not even seeing the animal."

TYler chuckled at that one as he flicked his line in the water.

"My world put people on their moon. And brought em back."

The Rangers looked up at the many moons of Macedona with wonder in their eyes.

"To see another world with your own eyes."

"We can bring back extinct creatures from a sliver of their bone."

Strand smiled as she sat beside the man.

"An entirely different world. I wish to have seen it."

"You don't. You'd have a mental breakdown. I'll put this in perpective."

He unrolled his map and tapped a river MILES from any people.

"In m world, a river like that has NEVER seen a person is NEARLY lethal from the contaminants in the world. Here. BOTTLED. WATER."

Dryft looked at him strangely.

"why would you bottle water?"

"It's the only varity that is safe to drink. we LITTERALLY have to run ever drop of water we use through EXTREME filtration due to how polluted it is. if you DON'T, it will SERIOUSLY fuck you up, and ruin your offspring on a mental and developmental level."

"NO more stories please. I shuddered already."

Strand shivered and Dryft sighed.

"They forgot where they came from."

"Humans aren't animals. Since we're able to REASON, we are superior. So we don't have to worry."

"NOW I have a headache."

"THAT is what is taught in schools."

They groaned at that and Tyler chuckled when his rod dipped and he tugged. The water thrashed and he smirked as he got into a fight with the fish.

"come here you FISH."

Dryft and Strand watched with amusement as the war was waged between Berserker and Fish. The war raged for an hour before the massive fish was close enough for Tyler to grab it with a hand and he TORE a near te foot long shark looking thing from the river. He slammed it on the ground and Strand applauded the catch.

"Well done. To haul a River Wolf of this size is impressive."

Tyler chuckled as he looked the thing over. It resembled a great white shark on a smaller scale with muddy brown skin and a horizontal tail for whatever reason like a whale's.

"Thanks Strand. Now how I flay it?"

"Allow me."

The brown haired elven Ranger taught the Berserker how to butcher the near 150 pound animal with minimal ease. Once the predator was stored in the wagon Strand smiled.

"River Wolf is a Noble delicacy due to just how tender and tasty trhe flesh is. AND how much of a battle catching one is. There is enough there for a few meals so enjoy."

"I will. I wanna catch another."

Strand chuckled.

"Don't get your hopes up. River Wolves are extremely cunning and once one is taken from a river the rest of the population vanishes. And DON'T reappear for a week."

"MAkes sense."

The camp fed well that night and Tyler returned to his tent to find it empty. He shrugged at this and set his stuff down when he smiled and slid the chessboard into view of the tent flap. Like he called her name, Rias poked her head in.

"CLEVER."

He chuckled at this magical summoning as he and the redhead enjoyed a few games.

"I was starting to worry."

"Honestly?"

"Go on."

"I couldn't think of a way to be subtle."

She sighed at this.

"MY tent is over THERE. In PLAIN view."

"I just got a NASTY idea."

She smirked at this as she lost the latest game.

"Do NOT let me look over and see you jerkin it you sick fuck."

"HA. Classic."

Rias sighed with a smile as the board was spun.

"Not that I wouldn't ENJOY seeing that."

"Ha. After Seria."

"I know. I'm not the primary. I know."

The games went on before Rias called it after a win and the pair snuggled together in his tent. She smiled as she pressed into his frame.

"I missed this."

He sighed and rubbed her belly in soothing circles.

"I still don't know whether to like it or not. But, I'll try to warm up a little."

She smiled and he held her tightly.

"Good night, Rias."

"Good night, Tyler."

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER FEW MILES IN THE SADDLE.

DAY 39.

TUESDAY.

GOLD: 326,104.

BLOODOATH GOLD: 6,138,653

Tyler woke to see Rias beside him in his tent and her hand firmly grasped in his. He had her pinned to his body curve and her blood red mane was their divider and he found he kinda liked how it felt to hold her in his arms like that. I guess....it's okay. I mean....it's RIAS for fuck's sake. He smiled and leaned in her ear.

"I love you too, Rias."

She woke with a shiver and a happy smile.

"I love you too, Tyler. Is that what she feels when you do that?"

"She shivers every time."

"I...like it."

"I kinda do too."

She smiled with happiness at this and he hugged her tightly to him.

"This.....isn't so bad. I guess."

she smiled at that acceptence as he stroked her long blood red hair admiringly.

"Akeno's glowing now."

"She was always glowing, Rias. It's AKENO for god's sake."

"well. MORE SO now."

"I'll call her Sparkles. THAT'LL rein her in."

She chuckled at that ploy before pressing her head into his hardening chest.

"This feels so nice. Like I'm snuggling with some god and nothing can reach me."

"Funny. everyone says that."

She chuckled at that and he patted her.

"Come on, Rias. we can just lay in here all day."

"Boo."

"Hey we work for a living. Kinda sorta."

She chuckled at that technicality before the left the tent for the day. Asuna looked at him as he walked up.

"We're set."

"Same drill as last time."

The Knights rode out with Tyler in the lead. Tyler had the map out as they went and Strand looked at him curiously.

"Miss something?"

"Nah. Passing the time."

"Ah."

The force rode well for that day and made camp inside a ring of massive oaks with a stone floor. Tyler sumoned Seria for their night and the princess smiled as he held her.

"I see fresh red hairs in here."

"I guess it's not so bad having Rias in here."

"I'm glad you're allowing a chance."

He kissed her lovingly.

"She's not you though."

"Nope! I'm your wife!"

He chuckled as they settled for the night.

"I love you too, Seria. Good night."

"I love you too, Tyler. Good night."

MORE RIDING.

DAY 40

WEDNSDAY.

GOLD: 326,104.

BLOODOATH GOLD: 6,138,653.

Tyler woke the next morning with Seria in his arms. The princess happily snuggled to his chest and he smiled as he kissed her awake.

"Morning!"

Her soft, breath-like voice was full of early morning cheer as they got into a makeout session.

"I love you Seria."

She sighed as he let her breathless.

"I love you too, Tyler. Soon."

He held her tightly as she faded back to the capital. he sighed at this but smiled as he got dressed. The he noticed the mass of red and blue hairs from the two girls and found he liked the color splash. He met up with Asuna and the leaders at the table and the redheaded second in command smiled.

"Nothing to report. Though a few are asking when you'll take your turn on watch."

"I'll take it tonight. I said that last time didn't I?"

"You did."

"Come on."

They mounted up and got moving. Strand looked at from astride her wolf.

"We'll reach the next village tomorrow. This one is another hunting village like Bjorn's but smaller."

He nodded.

"We'll do a minor resupply on food there before we make for the coast. we'll need to be on the watch for pirate raiders too."

Victoria chuckled.

"Pirate hunting be a lot of fun and good source of coin."

"We'll be sure to try it out when we got the time. For now we'll focus on returning to the capital."

Asuna looked at him.

"Have you thought of our plan for AFTER we return?"

He shook his head.

"Not yet. I'll look at our options once we get close. Victoria?"

"I'll return to my duties as knight captain as I never TRULY joined the Bloodoath."

"So we'll have to replace a captain. And Dryft's too green in our dynamic for me to trust her with a squad yet."

The red elf nodded.

"I completely understand. And do not blame you in the slighest."

Tyler looked at Asuna as they rode.

"Do we have anyone you'd recommend, Asuna?"

She smiled.

"Kirito."

"He works better as a frontline warrior then a captain. He's the second higheslt level in the party an all, but too much the line champion."

"I completely agree. I'll look our forces over."

He nodded as they moved through a more open section of forest now as a grey furred orc appeared before them on the road. The friends looked at this odd apparation curiously and it pointed a spear at them while speaking in a nasally squeak.

"Yer WOMEN. Leave em. They be 10,000 a wes in these trees!"

Tyler looked at Strand and the ranger shrugged.

"They're idiots. They do this."

"Well. Alright then."

Tyler slashed the orc with his sword and the thing died with a squeal. A band of fifteen orcs took off running but were picked off with arrows. The Berserker shrugged along with the rest of the Bloodoath at the oddity as they got moving. Then he blinked.

"Oh yeah. I have points to place."

He pulled his Status Plate out and opened it.

"Okay. i got 80 to put. And I had 145 Strength, 238 defense, 250 Stamina, 300 Vitality, 210 Magic, 100 Agility, 210 Magical Defense, 100 Dexterity, 500 Intelligence, 210 Mana. I'll slap 40 into Agility, and the other 40 into Dexterity. That'll bring them to 140 apiece and have my movement attributes all within five points of each other. After that it's just reaching the same numbers as my intelligence."

He closed his plate and Kirito smirked.

"Only 2."

"Ya BEEN at 2."

"I WILL catch you."

"Hurry up."

He chuckled and Bell smiled.

"I WILL catch up as well."

"Atta boy."

"Why does he get encouragement an I get a taunt?"

"Cause. He LIVES for catching up to people. YOU are a beater."

"I hate you so freakin much."

Asuna chuckled at the rivalry.

"At least they're not fightin over ME."

Tyler chuckled.

"Don't you DARE."

"Hey she went there first, pal. Don't look at me."

"Asuna."

"What? Come on, Kirito. How long as it been since I seen you squirm?"

"...Dammit."

Kirito slumped and the friends chuckled at his latest loss as Tyler looked ahead....

"What the?"

And spotted a large section of burned forest. The force stopped and the two Rangers frowned as they saw the burn. Easily fifteen acres of good woodland had been badly burned by fire with the scent of smoke and ash still in the air. Tyler looked at the ash on the ground,

"This is a RECENT burn. My guess is three days."

Strand nodded as she inspected an oak.

"Yet we saw or scented NOTHING."

"We wouldn't. We've had the scent of blood and battle in ur noses near constantly."

Dryft frowned.

"That explains YOUR missing it, but I am fresh and this is MY neck of the woods, Tyler. This burn is NEW like you said."

The Berserker noted a tree on the very edge of the burn.

"That tree is half burnt. That way is the source."

They nodded and the force moved along the scorched road cautiously. Strand and Dryft had crystals equipped for their records and to review their findings later. Tyler was in the lead with Shadow and the horse tossed his head as the scent of ash reached him.

"Relax tough guy."

And he did. The soot underhoof was soft and the rancid stench of drenched charcoal wafted from the trees. That was when tyler noted something in the ash.

"Look. It's got drifts like in a snow bank. There was a force behind whatever hit."

The elves nodded as they saw the near two inch thick pile.

"A blast perhaps?"

Tyler looked along the road.

"Is there a camp site up ahead?"

Strand nodded.

"There is. A rather pretty one too."

"Let's check it out."

They picked up speed until they came to a large oak enclosed glade with a dirt bottom. As soon as they saw it properly, Tyler groaned.

"fuck me. A DEMON circle."

Sure enough, burned into the dirt as if with a laser, a set of lines and runes in the shape of a circle was een in the glade. Tyler looked at Rias as she came abreast him.

"Think you can read the language?"

She looked at the circle closely.

"Maybe. It's Old Daemonic though and I'm not fluent. Akeno is."

"Over here."

The purple haired beauty came over on her black roan to inspect the circle.

"It's a Black Circle. Used to summon a demon unwillingly. The sacrifice is a virginal girl to an abomination. Or a woman with a dick and her become pregnant from the rape. The birth is the demon entering the plane and it kills the girl. Looks like....a demon of rage was the target."

Tyler nodded as a few shuddered at the imagery.

"Was it successful?"

"THAT I CAN'T tell. But these are skilled pracitioners. Skilled. NOT masters. There are VERY slight flaws in the design in some key areas."

"Hmm. There a name?"

"It's a random summoning. If we encounter the demon itself, we'd be able to figure it out."

"Rias is it's princess so makes sense."

The redhead smiled at that before she looked at Akeno.

"Was there a missfire?"

"I don't think so. If anything I'd call the ritual a success and the AFTERMATH was what the fire."

Strand nodded as she looked at the site.

"When a rage demon enters the mortal plane it's with an explosion. The fire only burns so long as the demon is in the area. It leaves, the fire goes out. No matter what fuel is around it."

Dryft nodded as she looked at Tyler.

"We will need track it. Some how."

The Berserker smiled.

"For now we'll let it be. We'll continue on our current path. If I know our luck like I think I do, we'll LITERALLY find it in a basement. from something completely unrelated."

They nodded and Victoria frowned.

"How do we deal with the circle without a priest?"

Tyler smiled.

"Akeno?"

The thunder mage chuckle as her wings appeared.

"I AM the Priestess of Thunder!"

"Still a thunder goddess to me."

She smiled at that and Rias smirked.

"No flirting with your sister, Tyler."

"I'm not flirting with her. I'm inflating her already overblown ego. When she pops we'll laugh."

He got hit with a minor thunderbolt for that myriad of images.

"I hate what I am seeing in my head right now."

"Love you too, Akeno."

She groaned at that as she aimed a powerful thunderblast at the circle. The holy lighting destroyed the circle with a hum of electricity and Tyler nodded as he looked at the rangers.

"Mark this spot down and we'll keep it close. THIS burn we'll blame on a lightining strike during a thunderstorm."

They nodded and Dryft smiled.

"Those fires happen all the time."

They got moving from the sight and Akeno smiled at him.

"Purify yourselves please. Always a solid bet when dealing with unknown demons."

The friends took the sound advice and a mass of purifies went along the party as they left the area of burn behind and entered a more lush section of forest. Tyler sighed as he looked at the silent trees.

"ALL the game for MILES will been driven away by the summoning. PERFECT."

Strand nodded.

"We'll need to check on the village, Tyler. They're a hunter village and not warriors."

"Odds are they fed them to the demon. I can see that being a thing."

The natives sighed at this as they rode on. The sun went down and they made camp in a small bowl by the road out of easy sight and Tyler smiled as he took his watch at the top of the bowl. I KINDA been slacking on my chores round camp. Gotta watch that. He did his statue of armor impression for a few hours until Bell relieved him. The white haired kid chuckled nervously as Tyler turned to face him.

"I get what Kirito was saying. Freaky."

"Ha. Have fun Bell."

The Berserker walked into his tent and found it empty. He settled on the bedroll with a groan and smiled as he missed Seria.....and found himself tempted to ask Rias to join him.

THE VILLAGE.

DAY 41.

THURSDAY.

GOLD: 326,104

BLOODOATH GOLD: 6,138,653.

Tyler woke alone i his tent and sat up with a groan before getting dressed and heading to the table. Asuna had the map open and she tapped the village.

"We'll reach it in an hour's ride."

He nodded and ran a finger from the village to the coast.

"From there to the coast is 3 more days. Then the first major port city. Sardona."

Strand smiled as she provided insight.

"A shipping port for the queendom's exports."

"I thought the Queendom was the last free human country in the world?"

"It is. But there are more countries in the world then Macedona and Fangorn. And there be more humans too. Macedona is the human capital of the world and she had numerous lands in her heyday the Draken have thus since conquered. Humanity as a whole, is in danger if Macedona falls."

"I get it. So we'll spend a day in Sardona and move on. The next city in the line is this one here. Nard. One day there, and we ride for Berun. A 7 day ride from Nard."

They nodded and Strand smiled.

"Berun will seem very small to to when we return."

"That'll be an inneresting feeling. we left as rookies. We're RETURN as warriors. Annnd a mess. Mostly warriors."

They chuckled at that as the broke camp. Tyler climbed astride Shadow and he tossed his head as they got moving at a light canter. Asuna smiled as she ran a comb through her lock flaming lockes.

"It'll be nice to be a major city again."

"So long as it doesn't get CAPTURED the next day."

"Yeah that would suck."

Victoria chuckled.

"Sardona and Nard are military garrisons as well. They have a million men between em and with the way they were BUILT? Taking them would be a meatgrinder."

"So wasn't Dunkrick."

She sighed at that reminder as they went. Tyler looked ahead as they entered a lane of weeping willow trees with their dangling leaves adding a rather CREEPY ambience to the ride. Asuna had a new look of nerves on her face as she looked around at the silent forest.

"BOO."

"EEP!"

Tyler's sudden noise made the poor redhead nearly JUMP out of her skin! Tyler was LAUGHING uproarishly as Asuna squeaked and then had to FIGHT not to murder him as the rest of the force just smiled. Kirito? He gulped and looked at Kyba beside him.

"THAT guy has a DEATHWISH.

he blonde haired Kyba smiled knowingly as Asuna sheathed her rapier inch by inch.

"He DOES seem to WANT somebody to BEAT him to death."

Tyler chuckled as he patted the VERY pissed off redhead.

"Relax Asuna. Try not to blow a fuse."

Her voice was a grated scrape if WRATH.

"Words cannot express just how much I want to BEAT ya to death with a CHAIR you sick sonuvabitch."

"cute."

She lost it. Like full on LOST it! The now OUT OF HER MIND WITH RAGE asuna had her scabbard up as she proceeded to BEAT the idiot with it in a fit of blind rage and him laughing like a madman with his shield up blocking the hits. Kirito whistled as his wife wnt BERSERK.

"Wow. He made her lose it. I'd say that's impressive, but she has a TERRIFYING temper."

Asuna litterally pounded on his shield for FIFTEEN minutes before her rage subsided and she hunched over panting with exertion from the blackout. Tyler smiled as he passed her a stamina potion.

"Here. Seems ya need this."

She looked up and her expression would have stopped the heart of a lesser man. Rias had to come to rescue or watch her friend commit murder.

"Okay, Tyler. She is going to hurt herself if you keep pissing her off."

Tyler chuckled as he instead cast a light ice spell on Asuna's neck as she recovered. The ice soothed the now RAGING migraine going off behind her amber eyes.

"I hate you."

"You're so fun to fuck with. I'm done."

She sighed and he rubbed her temples like he did Akeno and Asuna smiled in relief as her headache vanished.

"Thanks."

"I get some spare time I'll teach kirito how to do the real deal."

She smiled at the apology.

"Thanks Tyler."

"You're my friend too Asuna."

She smiled as they moved on and he noted her scabbard wasn't even scratched.

"Huh. Should use that as an offhand."

"I WOULD, but I've been looking for a decent rapier to match with mine so."

She shrugged.

"So you wanna be a bloody dancer?"

"Hey-oh. Huh. I kinda like that."

He chuckled at her now thoughtful expression.

"That dinkleberry dualwields. Why can't you?"

"THAT is a very good point. Dinkleberry."

"Now you're trying to piss ME off, Tyler? if you WANT somebody to BEAT ya to death, just ASK!"

Tyler chuckled at Kirito's irritation as they came around the corner to the village.....and found that it too was covered in blood. The force sighed at this and Tyler rubbed his eyes.

"Boy who cried wolf much? Come on."

The force approached the blood smeared gate of the village and Tyler pushed it open with his greatsword. This village was laid out in a similar style to Melody's home but with the center area a rather pretyy carpet of grass. There was puddles of blood everywhere but not a sign of any bodies. Tyler looked at the blood and noted the slight crusting on the edges.

"This blood's about 4 days old."

Strand nodded as they entered the village.

"And NOT an illusion. I checked."

Tyler looked at the puddles as if visualizing the people making them.

"The pools all have drag marks leading to that longhall there."

The hall in question was painted with blood. Tyler and the force dismounted and approached the place cautiously. The Berserker noting the steps were covered in tried blood as well as he reached the main door. He booted them open with a slam and were faced.....by an empty hall.

"It's a trap."

Tyler's three words summed it up perfectly. The force nodded and the Berserker smiled,

"Let's check it out."

They smirked and he walked through the door....only for it to slam shut and lock him inside while ALSO cutting him off from the rest of the army. Rias sighed as she saw this.

"SERIOUSLY? Get a new trope."

Inside the hall Tyler just rubbed his eyes as the door locked behind him.

"I guess we found the demon."

A dark chuckle was heard from further inside the hall and Tyler smirked.

"Get yo bitchass up here ya aftermath of a fire dragon blowjob."

INSTANTLY the building burst into flame and a ten foot tall molten pile of slag TORE itself up from the basement to tower over the Berserker. Tyler hefted his greatsword curiously.

"So THAT'S what fire dragon cum looks like? Ugh. Get back in the ass you spewed in ya PIECE OF SHIT!"

The demon turned WHITE from how enraged is was and threw itself into a bodyslam.

"Dark Sacralant."

Tyler slashed it with his Soulkiller ability and the demon screamed in agony as it's fell soul was indeed slain. It's body went from white hot to stone cold in a split second before crumbling to dust with a 3 foot thick sphere of glowing magma to bounce on the floor. The door unlocked and Kirito booted it open just in time to see Tyler kick the orb up and spin it on a finger.

"Class, dismissed."

The Black Swordsman slumped.

"Okay. YOU are TOO badass for your own good. You get em?"

"Yup. Rage demon. It came uo from the basement."

Strand walked over with Dryft.

"We'll take posession of the core for the time being Tyler. We have a special container for it to prevent it's influence from escaping."

"I used my Soulkiller on it."

Dryft chuckled.

"So you destroyed it utterly. it didn't even return to hell. Good."

Kirito was looking into the burnt hole the demon had torn in the floor.

"I found the cultists. AND the remains of the villagers. Nothing but bone."

Victoria sighed.

"We'll inform the queen and have the village consecrated."

Tyler looked at his plate.

"Halfway to level 13. I guess it WAS just a lesser."

The ord was taken out and Mylissia appeared.

"You find an issue every three days on the dime. What happened?"

They explained the demon and the queen sighed.

"Like i said. Villages are sacked every day. I have a priestess convoy flying to the site. At least the beast is dead. That is a good thing."

Tyler smiled.

"I killed it."

She smirked.

"I watched with Seria. Fire dragon blowjob? REALLY?"

"It pissed it off, didn't it?"

"Ugh. It did."

He chuckled at that as the orb went out. Then the Berserker looked at Asuna.

"Loot the village and see if we can use anything."

"On it."

The second in command took two squads on a door to door search as the orb was put away. Belfast came over with a frown as the looters went around.

"Is this really proper, Tyler? looting the houses of the dead like that?"

He smiled at her.

"They don't need their stuff anymore. And besides. Asuna won't take anything personal like gold or jewels. She'll take stuff like food or blankets or stuff of that nature."

The Quartermaster looked at the mainhall.

"and the bodies? We are just going to leave them?"

"If we tried to bury them, Belfast, they'd just rise as undead as we're not undertakers. the best thing we can do for them is let them be and leave it to the professionals."

She sighed at that and looked to where Asuna had a group carrying useful items from houses to the wagons.

"I suppose you are correct. An d we DID slay the beast that killed them. I can take comfort in that."

Tyler smiled understandingly at her as another girl came up with a report. Tyler recognized her as Javelin. One of Belfast's friends. She was a VERY pretty girl with long, purple hair that shimmered with health and life. her skin was smooth and pale while her eyes were a shining blue. She was very slender and a head shorter then Tyler with a moderate bust on her chest. Her attire was a white unitard with no sleeves and a miniskirt. Her armor was a shirt of chainmail under her unitard and a set of gauntlets on her arms. On her back was a long trident with four prongs and on her feet were a pair of white cowgirl boots. She smiled as she reached the berserker and spoke in a soft, airy breath.

"We have the intial resupply numbers, Lord Berserker."

"Thanks Javelin. What level are you again?"

she smiled.

"I am level 7, Lord Berserker. One of the elites."

"Tough girl. Get to it."

She smiled and ran off. Tyler smiled as she went and looked at an also smiling Belfast.

"I am introducing her to Seria. She would LOVE HER."

"She would indeed. Javelin is something of a camp gem."

He chuckled.

"Enterprise here?"

"She is aiding Lady Rias in her search of a house."

"Hornet?"

"Alas, she did not. Nor did Prince of Wales. Only myself, Unicorn, Illustrious, Javelin, and Enterprise came from my world."

"Odds are they'll appear next time."

She smiled at that.

"I will keep hope then."

Tyler chuckled at that as a bout of yelling broke out from further down the village between a pair of the boys. The Berserker and Belfast blinked at this and so walked over to investigate. There they found a slender blonde boy in the face of another slender boy with black hair with raised voices. Tyler recognized Gasper, one of Rias' friends, as the blonde boy. He was a tiny thing not even Tyler's chest in height witj shot cut blonde hair and red eyes that denoted his heritage as a vampire. His skin was browned while his attire was a tight fitting tanktop and jeans with scalemail for armor. His weapon was a kodachi shieldsword, or a smaller katana. There was anger in his eyes as he snapped at the other boy in a soft yet firm voice.

"Call me a LEECH one more time and they'll bury you in pieces, Max. I am NOT going to take that from you."

The other boy was also slender with short hiar but his was black. He had blue eyes and pale skin. His attire was a t-shirt and jeans with chainmail armor and a warhammer in his size on his back. He spoke in a sneer.

"Oh that's real BIG fuckin talk comin from the crybaby that got his ASS handed to him during that fight with the ORCS! FANGER LEECH!"

Gasper slugged the other boy in the FACE and ir DROPPED him.

"I am a level 7 you cocky prick. YOU are still at 5. I am considered an ELITE in TYLER'S force and YOU don't even contribute to the fire. This is your last warning. Try to bully the people in the squad again, and I will PERSONALLY drain you dry."

Max rubbed his jaw with a smirk.

"That all you got, LEECHER?"

"Okay enough you little shit."

BOTH boys jumped at Tyler's mildly irritated voice. max rounded and was faced with the Berserker looking right at him.

"That BLOODSUCKER hit me! I did nothing-"

"Shove it. Gaspy?"

The blonde vampire smiled as Tyler looked at him.

"Nice to meet you properly, Tyler."

"Same here, Gaspy. A kodachi?"

He shrugged with a smile.

"I can wield it and when I use my Vampire Glare, the idiots just stand there."

"How's your time magic?"

"I lost most of it save for one spell that locks a target in place for 5 seconds. Akeno doesn't let me use it a lot though."

"Smart. Just make sure to get SOME practice in with it otherwise you'll be overpowered, but your ace in the hole will be useless."

"Will do. Somehow. I gotta keep direct eye contact or it breaks early."

"Huh. We'll do some raidin together then an see how best we can use it. Oh. Ya got a decent right, Gaspy."

The blonde vampire smiled proudly as Max snorted.

"Decent RIGHT? He didn't even BRUISE me."

Tyler looked at Max now with a lifted eyebrow.

"Gasper, who is this runt?"

The blonde boy sighed.

"His name's Max. He's another Pleasurer like Issei with half the balls to go for it. He's a level five that thinks he's level 100. HE will LITTERALLY follow me around for HOURS calling me bloodsucker, fanger, LEECH, you get the idea. Always shuts up when one of the officers wakes by, and starts RIGHT back up once they're gone."

Tyler nodded at this and then he looked at Akeno, their squad leader. She sighed.

"I've been hearing complaints. Was trying to catch him in the act."

"Little BITCHES are good at it. Max."

The black haired boy balked.

"what? You're gonna take the word of a VAMPIRE over a FELLOW HUMAN? wow you have issues."

Tyler slammed a fist into his stomach with a ferocious force.

"Okay. YOU'RE just a narrow minded rascist."

Max spit up blood from the vicious shot and Tyler cracked his neck.

"I do SO love BEATIN the crap outta people like you!"

And he did. The smiling Berserker beat the living tar out of the racist for a solid 45 minutes until he grew bored and tossed the whimpering carcass to Gasper's feet.

"APOLOGISE."

Max spit at the Berserker.

"I'd rather DIE then apologise to an UNDEAD LEECH."

Tyler chuckled.

"Okay. That's fine."

He produced the orb and Mylissia appeared with a smile.

"What now?"

"See that beaten runt over there? He is cast out of the Knights for being a HATEFUL racist. He would rather DIE then admit his mistake."

Mylissia nodded as she faced the bruised and beaten Max.

"I see. And the vampire in question?"

Gasper walked over and bowed.

"It is I Milady. I am Gasper."

The queen smiled.

"Awww. You're soo cute! And with proper manners? How refreshing. Are you a true vampire Gasper? I ask as I have had many dealings with the fangs and you don't resemble them."

The boy chuckled.

"I am a half vampire your grace. Half vampire, half devil. I am frm Rias' world you see."

"Ah. Her world is simply fascinating."

Tyler chuckled as he patted Asia.

"Asia here's half devil half angel."

"Hey! No I'm not!"

"You sure?"

Asia looked at Rias now, now doubting her own past. Rias patted her as well.

"You're too sweet to just be a devil Asia."

"Oh. THANKS!"

Mylissia chuckled at Asia's ever present sweetness.

"I love that airheaded blonde."

"Hey!"

"everyone does, Mylissia. It's ASIA for fuck's sake!"

They chuckled at that truth before they returned to the matter at hand and Mylissia smiled at Gasper.

"You are an interesting lad indeed. And a kind one too. I know of you and your fondess for visiting local orphanages to spend time with the children."

Tyler looked up sharply now at the word orphanages and Mylissia saw it.

"You....look like you've seen a ghost."

"Yeeeah just a BAD TROPE from my world for orphanages."

Gasper smiled.

"I beat ya to it, Tyler. I WAS an orphan, remember?"

"Ah. Your verdict?"

"well. I showed up as a lost kid at every single one and the kids told me I shoulda gone to a different orphanage due to them serving this for food or that. They said it was the best in the city. They are NOT dens of evil. I PROMISE this."

"Atta boy, Gasper. THAT is you take intiative."

He smiled with pride at that and Mylissia smiled.

"A VERY sharp boy too. I should have you know the Den for the Hopeful was recently purchased by the crown as a direct venture. Seems Seria foudn one of the girls there ADORABLE."

"Oh crap."

Tyler's mild gulp made the queen laugh.

"She is NOT ready to be a mother YET, Tyler dear. Loves the children s she does. She loves little sisters."

"OH THANK GOD. Yeah I haven't THOUGHT o a that one yet, Mylissia."

"That is OKAY. I expect yuo two to have MANY years together before the family is discussed. There is NO RUSH on that. Okay?"

He smiled.

"Thanks Mylissia. I'll admit it. That one scares the hell out of me. And I never wanted any of my own."

"We shall discuss this in the room together at a later date, Tyler. I appreciate the honesty. Now. The issue."

Mylissia looked at Max as he got groggily to his feet.

"I have heard YOUR NAME too Max. YOU have been thrown out of THREE brothels for how cruel you were to your dove. when she herself was NOT into such play, you refused to heed her words and continued. And NOW I hear of you being a HATEFUL RASCIST? This is not okay. Tyler, you were planning to exile him, were you not?"

"I was. while ALSO stripping him of everything he's gained minus 100 gold and basic equipment. He wants to go through life as a narrow minded racist, he LIVES LIKE ONE."

Max sputtered in rage at this.

"I busted my ASS for you, TYLER! WHILE I WAS OUT THERE NEARLY DYING ON THE FRONTLINE, YOU WERE FLYING OVERHEAD LIKE A BIRD ON THE SAFEST PART OF THE ENTIRE OP! I HAVE NEARLY DIED THREE TIMES IN THREE WEEKS! YOU haven't gotten CLOSE to death as every time you do, one a those broads saves your life. THEY lead this army more then YOU DO. anda HI? Yo claim to be in love with the princess so freakin much....yeeet you SLEPT with that REDHEAD last night? Some HERO."

Tyler chuckled at that one and Mylissia looked right at Rias and she shrugged, utterly confused.

"Hey MAx."

"What?"

"Here's a tip? If you're gonna follow somebody, follow the right damn person. I was alone last night. KIRITO was with a redhead last night. RIAS, the ONLY OTHER REDHEAD IN THE PARTY, had a snugglefest with Asia, Unicorn, Yoshkia and Shiro."

Max smirked.

"PROVE IT."

"Okay. Metalica?"

The iron sprite appeared with a pop from inside his soul and Max blinked.

"What the fuck is that thing?"

The iron sprite chuckled as she sat on Tyler's shoulder.

"I'm Metalica. The IRON SPRITE? The floating ball of light that's been FOLLOWING this idiot AROUND for the last two weeks? ANY a this ring a bell?"

Asuna chuckled as she looked at her.

"MAx is one of the biggest slackers in the camp. First asleep, last awake, first to the food and loot, bickers when selected for guard duty, BITCHES when it's his turn for the chores. I've been meaning to deal with him but we've been busy."

"What the hell could a firecunt like you know about hard work? Only work YOU do is on your BACK for THAT guy."

Max's venom filled sneer was met by Kirito and Asuna drawing swords and about to SKEWER him when Tyler chuckled.

"Kirito. Asuna. Hold."

The pair looked at him curiously and the Berserker smiled. They SHUDDERED. Kirito sheathed his sword with a smile.

"Alright. He's not worth it anyway."

Tyler walked over to Max whistling a VERY cherry tune, grabbed hum by the hair, and DRAGGED him behind a house.

"We're gonna have a chat. MONSTER, to BARKING DOG."

Once they were out of sight, the screamign started. Mylissia smiled with approval as the sounds of vile and sadistic torture wafted from behind the house.

"THAT is how you handle evil hearted little babies like that. The sealing of the levels will also be inflicted."

Asuna chuckled sheepishly as she looked at Gasper.

"Sorry I didn't get to it sooner."

The blonde boy shrugged as the screaming turned to agonized whimpering.

"It's okay Asuna. Was either gonna be you or Tyler that stepped in. My hope? was Tyler got him."

Akeno smiled with a vivid blush at the screaming and was squirming with a telltale wiggle in her hips.

"Oh my."

Mylissia looked at her with a lifted eyebrow.

"Rias, dear, should I be concerned by her evident arrousal?"

Rias chuckled.

"Akeno is WAAAAAY into S&M. She brings the pain....and LIKES it."

"Oh dear."

Rias chuckled at the concern.

"She gets the nod before getting kinky."

Belfast smiled knowingly at the beauty with the purple hair.

"And that is a beautiful thing."

The screaming cut off and Tyler returned without any blood on him and a tramtized Max being dragged by the hair. The Berserker tossed him into the dirt and the orb was placed on his back for the brand as he curled into the fetal position.

"I'll be good, daddy. Not more belt please. No more. I'll listen, i swear!"

The camp shuddered at the broken boy's babbling and Tyler's refreshed smile.

"Alright. We're back to 127 warriors. Let's go. Leave the trash."

The Knights nodded and mounted their horses with one extra as Max had lost the claim to the mare. the force rode out and left the still trembling boy to his new tramua.

Tyler was out in front as they left the village behind and Asuna looked at him.

"Thanks for stepping in."

"Have issues like that been croping up?"

"A few times. Mainly about guard duty though."

"Grumbling is fine. I do it myself. DO NOT, try to bully people in MY ARMY. You do, I'll bully you. using tricks from MY world and MY tormentors."

A mass shiver went through the army at those implications and Belfast looked at Rias in alarm.

"did he do what I think he did?"

Rias gulped.

"If he DID, he has a VILE revenge streak."

"It was a pole."

They BOTH shivered at the imagery and Belfast gagged a little.

"I do not wish to know."

Rias nodded with a little greenness around the gills. The reactions of the two ladies MORE then enough to instill a new set of nerves in the fighting force when it came to making the one called Berserker angry.

The friends rode for another few hours until they came to a rather lush clearing of moss beside a bridge crossing a river. There they made camp and Tyler pitched his tent near the road by an old oak. Metalica appeared from his soul, looked him in the eye, and shuddered.

"I'll hide in someone else's soul when yoy do stuff like that now."

"What'd it feel like?"

"Dude. Your soul DIED for a while and your heart turned to ash. It was like I merged with an undead lich instead of a person. Scared the HELL outta me too."

"Yeah. Don't TRULY piss me off."

The grey iron sprite snorted.

"CLEARLY. You REALLY didn;t like that guy. That's fine."

She lounged on his shoulder now and he smiled.

"Glad you're back in action Metalica."

"Me too. And you're NEVER alone. I'm with you. Always."

"Thanks."

She smiled at that as they had dinner together and he summoned Seria for their night's snuggle. The princess smiled as she got comfy.

"Mother says I gave you a near heart attack today. Mind explaining, METALICA?"

The Sprite chuckled as she poked her head out of his chest.

"He heard you had visited an orphanage and fallen in love with one of the girls there. Guess kids is a fear a his. His heart stopped."

Tyler chuckled as Seria looked at him knowingly.

"I see. Tyler. WHY have we NOT had this conversation already?"

"It never came up."

"Fair. Know I AM NOT looking to become a mother anytime in the forseeable future. And by forseeable future, I mean the next several decades. And even THEN we'll negotiate."

HE smiled.

"I never wanted kids to begin with."

"We'll discuss this in the future."

"Alright. I love you, Seria."

"I love you too, Tyler."

They kissed and settled down for the night.