Bonus Chapter 2: Waking Nightmare

Kyriel atood up after slaying the hero who had stood against her. The entire area was littered with bodies and Corrupted horrors.

This world was called Daser.

Lord Difar had brought Axiom, Tyras, Kyriel, and even Valtheim to conquer it.

The corpse of the supposed 'strongest hero' in one of this world's countries was a mess at her feet. Kyriel had multiplied her daggers and stabbed him repeatedly.

She pinned him down with her blades and stabbed him in the throat until he stopped screaming.

At first...he shouted about honor and destroying the plague on their world.

But the truth was that Kyriel could see his eyes constantly examining her body.

Her face was hidden, but he didn't seem to care.

He even commented on her physical form before the battle. Saying that he could give her 'a wonderful time'.

But Kyriel's heart already belonged to someone else.

As she shook the blood off of her dagger, thoughts of this man danced in her mind.

Back when she'd been known as Cassandra, she had a mistaken run-in with a young man who thought she was her sister.

Isabella and Cassandra shared an almost completely identical appearance. It wasn't the first time.

This young man ran up to her with a wide smile and gave her a hug.

At the time, Cassandra didn't have the capacity to understand such a wonderful gift.

She felt an immense love and respect from this boy at the time that caused her several issues.

She couldn't understand...but it had been the very thing she sought all along.

To be loved. To be cherished and cared for.

Not to be seen as an object. Someone who just looks pretty...like an accessory.

Not to be looked at as the failed younger sister of the literal goddess of royalty that Isabella was...

But to be treated as an equal by someone who didn't care about pointless things like status. To be more than just a backup plan. A replacement.

But in that moment...she denied herself.

The warped ideas and thinking that her mother and father taught her took over Cassandra's mind.

Her father had been much nicer, but also more subtle about it. He didn't care for her as much as he did Isabella.

But the constant insults, belittling, expectations, and subtle suggestions, warped Cassandra's personality.

Everyone would constantly put her down. Even Cassandra did it to herself.

And the result...

She insulted Mizik. Abused him.

Tortured him.

And then Mizik hated her.

But when he had the perfect opportunity to take vengeance upon her for her crimes...

He chose mercy.

Cassandra had fallen in love with him long ago. But that day especially, made her heart long for him. Even if she wasn't ready to admit it yet.

She wanted to be near him. She wanted to be held in his arms again and adored.

But now she was living in a horrifying nightmare.

She was taken by the Corruption and changed into something that only looked like her old self. She had become a Corrupted General, tasked with controlling and spreading the very plague that destroyed her world.

Now, she was General Kyriel.

"Ah...Mizik would be disappointed if he saw this...but I must follow orders," she said.

After all...Kyriel didn't have a choice. She had made an agreement with Lord Difar. Kyriel had no actual allegiance to Lord Difar, of course. She only wanted to obey Mizik as her absolute everything.

But as long as she followed Lord Difar's orders, he would ensure that Mizik wouldn't be killed.

Instead, he would be given to her for safekeeping once the world he resided on had been taken care of.

Kyriel had to stop herself as she realized that her breathing had become heavy again.

"Haah...Mizik! Soon, we'll be together again! I'll give you lots of love and warmth!" Kyriel said.

"Are you still on about that blasted piece of garbage?" Tyras said behind her.

Kyriel reflexively threw a dagger and it landed in the center of his throat.

"GAH!!" Tyras shouted as he fell to the ground.

Black blood oozed from the wound on his neck as he gargled and gasped for air.

"DO NOT INSULT MY DARLING MIZIK, TYRAS!!! KNOW YOUR PLACE, YOU FILTH!!!" Kyriel screamed.

"DAMN YOU, KYRIEL! HOW MANY TIMES DO WE HAVE TO TELL YOU NOT TO ATTACK US!?" Axiom shouted.

Kyriel prepared herself to attack him as he approached. Axiom instinctively stepped back.

Kyriel was stronger than both of them. In a fight, it would be easy for her to defeat them both. She often took out her frustrations on the two of them.

Mainly because they hated Mizik and taunted her for her condition.

Her obsessive and all-encompassing love for her darling Mizik.

But the other reason was because she openly blamed them for her current situation. If Axiom had never lured Mizik into her room, he wouldn't have been tortured.

If Tyras hadn't betrayed her and prevented a dialogue between Cassandra and Mizik, she could be have been his ally...

Perhaps even escaped Avernia with him.

But no.

That wasn't how things played out.

So now, Kyriel would constantly unleash her wrath upon them both.

Lord Difar never told her to stop hurting them, either. Actually, he found it humorous.

Hell, he even assigned them both as Kyriel's subordinates. That way, she could command and torture them as much as she pleased.

Eventually, and unfortunately, Tyras got back up after he pulled the knife put of his neck. His wound regenerated and he unsheathed Hopelessness.

"I am so SICK AND TIRED OF YOU, KYRIEL!!!" Tyras screamed.

He lunged at Kyriel, but his blade was blocked by one of her clones.

Several more appeared and quickly brought him down with numerous slashes from all angles.

"Try as you might, Tyras, Hopelessness is no match for Deception. You may have been stronger before, but now you are weak to me. I'll tell you as many times as you need to hear it. DO NOT INSULT MY DARLING MIZIK!!!"

Moments later, a shadowy eye opened near then and Valtheim stepped out of it.

The three of them cowered in fear.

"Why...fight...?" She said.

"U-umm...L-lady Valtheim! I was just showing these two that...u-umm... They shouldn't insult my darling Mizik!" Kyriel said fearfully.

"..."

"Look! I killed the hero! He's dead and so are his allies! I did good, right? L-lord Difar will be pleased...?" Kyrel said.

Valtheim remained silent.

Finally, she spoke.

"Lord Difar...requests your presence... You will come..." She said.

The three of them nodded fervently and were enveloped in darkness.

* * *

Later, the three were brought over to the place Lord Difar had taken over.

A small city with a large keep that he currently dwelled in

As they walked through the front gate, they passed two of the false Sources he'd made. The blonde-haired and blue-eyed men that resembled Lord Difar, known as Cain.

They passed the two and went in unhindered.

They quickly reached the throne room and all bowed down in front of Lord Difar as he sat on the throne, formerly belonging to the Marquis who ruled here.

"Rise," he said.

The four of them stood up and Valtheim went to stand at his side as she usually did.

"Report in, Kyriel. How are things going?" Lord Difar asked.

"Yes, Lord Difar. The hero named Askel The Strong has been slain. As has the army that approached me at his back. The Corrupted Berserkers and Briar-bats laid waste to the army. As usual, Tyras and Axiom were useless to me," Kyriel said.

"WHAT!? LORD DIFAR! I WILL NOT-"

"SILENCE, TYRAS!!! DID I PERMIT YOU TO SPEAK!?!?" Lord Difar roared.

Tyras quieted down without a sound.

"Excellent work, Kyriel. You have proven to be far more useful than any of my other Generals across other timelines. If this one fails, I can promise you a place in my army from now on," Lord Difar said.

"Y-yes...th-thank you... Lord Difar..." She said.

Lord Difar frowned.

"I see. It isn't to your liking, is it? If I were Mizik, you would be much more excited, yes?"

Kyriel's heart leaped in her chest as she thought of being praised by Mizik and offered a place at his side.

"Haah...haah...M-miziiiiik..." She said quietly.

"Ugh...weirdo. I wish you didn't have that insufferable personality. But no matter. It will be useful once Mizik is captured. You'll be in charge of killing anyone that tries to harm him and also preventing him from dying again. Additionally...you can do whatever filthy things you want with the little bastard, if you absolutely have to..." Lord Difar said.

"Yes! Thank you, Lord Difar!!! I will continue to please you!!!" Kyriel said quickly.

"I know. Because if you don't, you get to go back to the pit. Speaking of which...these other two useless layabouts have yet to impress me. Why is that, you two?"

"W-well, Lord Difar..." Tyras began. "Kyriel keeps...killing everything before we can! We don't have a chance to impress you because she eliminates everything before we get a chance..."

"Yes, Lord Difar! It's the truth! Kyriel is-"

"SILENCE!!!" Lord Difar yelled.

The two of them quieted down.

"Is this true, Kyriel?" Lord Difar asked.

Kyriel smiled behind her mask.

"I'll make you both pay for insulting my darling Mizik." She thought to herself.

"No, Lord Difar. These two are lazy and let me do all the work. They're lying to you. I would be better off working alone so that they aren't constantly in my way," she said.

"THAT'S A LIE!!!" Axiom shouted.

At once, a black tentacle shot out of the ground and wrapped around his neck. It began squeezing until he stopped making noise.

"How many times do I have to tell you...TO SHUT THE HELL UP!?!?" Lord Difar roared.

Eventually, the tentacle let go of Axiom and he meekly bowed down after recovering.

"You two had better work hard or you'll be going back to the pit. Understood?"

"YES, LORD DIFAR!!!" They said in unison.

"Good. Now then, we've been here for sixteen years. Soon, it'll be seventeen. We nearly have full control over this world now, so we can leave as soon as it is ours. Next, we'll be going to a world called Ignitus. This is where the Oracle's 'Chosen Hero' has escaped to after leaving Avernia."

"Ahh...Mizik!!! My sweet darling Mizik~!" Kyriel said happily.

"Shut up, Kyriel!" Lord Difar said.

She bowed her head again.

"You are not to make contact with him. Don't tell him anything about who I am, what the Corruption is, or anything about your former identities. Kyriel, you are not allowed to touch or speak to him."

"Y-yes...Lord Difar..." She said.

Her disappointment was immeasurable. All she wanted was to be with Mizik and she couldn't do that.

"Anyway, soon we'll complete our conquest of Daser...again...and be done with this wretched place. This world has taken much longer to conquer thanks to the dense barrier, but Ignitus should take less than a week. Also, be careful. There are individuals possessing really weird powers on Ignitus. They are called 'Enforcers'. Each of them is highly dangerous, but shouldn't be a problem for any of you."

"Lord Difar, I have a question, if I may impose!" Kyriel said.

"Yes, Mizik is an Enforcer. I don't know about Isabella, unfortunately. But Mizk is especially lethal and powerful. Tyras and Axiom, you two will not be able to kill him in a straight up fight. Not even at the same time. Although, if you're lucky, it is possible that you could pull it off. Nevertheless, once we have Ignitus under our control, you should be able to beat him. Be warned, that it will STILL require both of you," Lord Difar said.

"Of course, Lord Difar! We'll eliminate Mizik once and for all. Then we'll-"

Kyriel instantly turned and decapitated Tyras.

His body fell to the ground limp for a while until his head was reattached to his body and he got up.

"Thank you, Kyriel. Now then..." Lord Difar said as he stood up and approached Tyras.

He kicked him across the face and sent him flying into a wall.

Before Tyras could utter another sound, Lord Difar had already shot forward and grabbed him by the throat.

He began mercilessly beating the shit out of Tyras for about ten minutes.

Once he finished, Tyras lay silent.

"HOW MANY FUCKING TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU NOT TO KILL MIZIK!?!? WELL!?!?" Lord Difar screamed at him.

"I-I'm s-sorry...Lord Difar...I-"

"SUBDUE HIM!!!! DO NOT LET HIM DIE!!!! UNDERSTOOD!?!?"

"Y-YES!!! LORD DIFAR!!!"

"Good."

Lord Difar walked back to the throne and sat down.

"Kyriel, you are not permitted to fight Mizik. Do not harm him or attempt to fight him," Lord Difar said.

"Ah! I wouldn't dream of hurting my darling Mizik! I want to hold him in my arms and shower him in love!!! I'll keep him warm and safe! He'll be perfectly protected by my loving embrace!!!" Kyriel said happily.

"Ugh...JUST SHUT UP!!! I DONT WANT TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR FILTHY OBSESSION WITH THAT SACK OF SHIT!!!"

Kyriel quickly bowed her head.

She was internally seething with rage, but also on the verge of tears. She was absolutely terrified of Lord Difar's wrath.

"Anyway, in all seriousness, Mizik is actually capable of killing you as an Enforcer. He's nowhere near my level, but against a General, he's sure to win. I've seen it many times. His Aspects are...as much as I hate to admit it, ridiculously powerful when used correctly."

"I...can't even touch him...? Can I look at him?" Kyriel meekly asked.

"Absolutely not! Well...eh. Looking is fine. Even if you're getting of on that, I don't really care though. You're not allowed to fight, touch, or speak with him. If you encounter Isabella, take her down immediately. She is your primary target."

"Y-yes...Lord Difar..."

"Well then, that's everything. Get back to it," Lord Difar said.

"Yes!" The three of them said in unison.

As Axiom and Tyras left, Kyriel stayed and kept her head bowed.

"Umm...that means go away, Kyriel. You can leave. Dumbass..." Lord Difar said.

"Lord Difar...I have a request. I-If I may..." Kyriel said.

He sighed.

"Fine. What do you want?"

"Lady Valtheim is capable of remote viewing in other words...yes?" Kyriel said.

"Yeah. She can do that. Why?"

"W-would it...be too much trouble if I could...l-look at Mizik? Just for a moment! A second! I just want to see him! I want to see his smile! His face!!! Please!!!" Kyriel begged.

Lord Difar scowled at her.

"Why? So you can do dirty things in private with his image in your mind? To 'motivate you' to do your best? Why should I do that?"

Kyriel didn't quite know how to respond.

He was absolutely right on all accounts, but...

"P-please! I need to see him!! I haven't seen Mizik in so many years...I must see my darling Mizik!!!" Kyriel begged.

Lord Difar smiled.

Not a warm and loving smile...but a sadistic and twisted smile.

"No. Because a window opened by Valtheim is a two-way conduit. I won't risk anything because I'm having far too much fun. You're just going to have to keep suffering, Kyriel. NOW SHUT THE HELL UP AND GO AWAY!!! IF YOU KEEP TALKING TO ME, I'LL BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF YOU AND THROW YOU IN THE PIT FOR AN ENTIRE MONTH!!!" Lord Difar said angrily.

Immediately, Kyriel got up and ran.

* * *

As the five of them walked through the ruined city of Torantis on Ignitus, they stopped as they saw the shadow dragon finally fall in battle.

Lord Difar smiled.

"Ah. Yet again, he finds victory. But it seems to have gone much smoother this time. Let's introduce ourselves, shall we?" He said.

They walked through the wreckage and Kyriel's heart leaped in her chest as she thought of seeing Mizik again.

Things didn't go well after their last meeting... She was forced to fight Isabella after Mizik got angry with her.

Additionally, she killed one of the Enforcers. A man named Dante, in order to prevent Valtheim from getting ahold of him.

She knew Mizik would be very unhappy with her. To Kyriel, his happiness was more important than life itself.

And as Lord Difar sarcastically applauded their slaying of the shadow dragon, Kyriel saw Mizik again.

"I'll do my best! I promise! I'll make sure you survive this, darling!"