4

With each day ticking by I experienced many things and some were downright despicable in my eyes. Yet I also experienced new things, such as the princeling and a Were-Badger Therianthrope named Wynria having a daughter together. My Priestess also had experienced parenthood now as she taught twin Vipers how to hunt.

I had no direct relationship to them, they are solely based on their mothers genetics. My powers only "Jeused" them into being fertilized eggs. I however had in fact given creation to a companion of the Gun Spirit. They were an semi-immortal elemental wolf pack called "Venationes Sociorum" in Latin from Earth. Which translates to Hunting Companions, for a hunter of any kind usually has a companion.

The pack of wolves representing all types of magics, besides racial inclined ones, were an unintended creation but one now forever registered to the gun. Although anyone I bond with can't summon them for more than two hours. However, just having them always around me when I'm not bonded to anyone just feels right. As I feel like a more completed Guardian Beast and Weapon Spirit then with them around me always on the prowl. I've even taken to naming the wolves and working out keyword summoning for my bonded individual.

Ignis: Hellhound is the key wording for Ignis the fire wolf, he's a jovial hell hound. Aqua: Drowned Hound is for Ocean the water wolf who is a depressed soggy looking hellhound. Nature: Golem Hound is for Life the more ashen golem looking hellhound who is very robotic at times if not sleepy. Breeze: Angel Hound is for Strato a hellhound made entirely of wind with glowing yellow eyes. Umbra: Fade Hound for Abyss, a hellhound that looks like a living shadow with purple eyes.

There are a few more but whoever hears these thoughts should know the theme by now. I will admit though that Bones is my favorite hellhound, simply because she's positively friendly for a more skeletal Hive looking wolf. Which reminds me of Destiny and boy was recreating those weapons hard, amusing, but hard given they have a level requirement of four hundred for my bonds to use. Which is fair, they are parasecsule weapons that break physics compared to most forms I have.

I mean if I can have flint locks that shoot compacted explosive cannonballs considered normal. Then having a gun be powered by or shoot a fundamental law of everything is worth a high leveled restriction for mortal use. I had also been keeping track of the various wave timers and rather spitefully have been delaying the dangerous ones. The one meant for this village I haven't delayed however, as while I do like it. I must think pragmatically and logically as a Guardian Beast allowed to roam freely to proactively protect my new world.

This village had a geographical advantage that we could exploit to defeat, or delay the wave for evacuations. So while it would traumatize many I didn't delay it as it would also be the trigger for the Cardinals to be summoned. The Cardinals are the key to ending the waves for some time and keeping the God's away from my world. So I didn't delay the timer for the village, the Princeling and my Priestess both knew this which was why they'd been preparing the village. Young Rapthalia even asked me why I wasn't doing so and explaining it to her was easier than other brats.

"Because this is a trigger event. We need it for the Cardinals to be summoned to not delay any hope of ending this. Many may die, yes, but that is war. War isn't shiny rainbows and peace, it is cold, merciless, and requires hard choices. Damned if we do, damned if we don't. Besides shielding the world, ninety percent of all life must die at a Guardians hands. Heroes are a much safer method for you, but we Guardians are last resorts which require blood to be split for protecting you all."

She didn't like that but she at least seemed to understand that they can't count on me to just keep delaying the waves. They could, but then I'd have to genocide most of all life to do so for a good while. However, to lighten the mood I pulled a song from my memories and with a casual use of my psychic abilities. Then well I played it for everyone within hearing range. "Beginning of the end" by All Good Things, is a good song for what's about to happen sooner rather than later.

*Im staring into the valley of hell

With a cross on my heart

And smoke on my breath

We are outnumbered but I'm not scared

I am ready to die*

Focusing on the space around the village I have a mirthful laugh at the audacity of the main bitch and the Elders. Shaking my head as I eyed the Wave Timer for this village I flicked my hands out to my sides. Duplicates of my firearm appearing in each hand, crimson etchings along each of their barrels. I aimed Shotgun Revolver Magnums called Blood Flower Magnum's at the air where the Elders portal would open as I WOULDN'T LET THEM OPEN IT ANYWHERE ELSE.

*Shoot my soul through the sky

Father forgive us for what we may do

Sometimes we lie when we search for the truth

We sell who we are cos we don't want to lose

I hear the heroes calling out my name*

They want to try me? Then I'll let them do some community service by dragging them into the waves. Afterall they want to abduct me and very likely enslave my world so let's have them work for it. Though the God's can't interfere with them trying since my Zero ability funnily enough is triggering against that. Which means they can't even trace them back to their origins which means no contact period as long as my ability interferes with their gateway.

*In Valhalla they wait

Preparing my place

I'll take fire from the edge of the sun

Put the crown on my head

Either way I have won*

Seeing my weapons and me becoming quite visible to everyone, psychic blades formed along my tentacles. Everyone grew nervous as the Advent Gateway opened in the sky. As soon as the first platoon dropped onto the ground I was upon them like a deranged serial killer. Ripping through their armor and mechanical bodies like it was nothing, the Princeling seeing it wasn't the Waves was relieved. Before with able bodies fighters and my Priestess he joined the fight. Running a blade through a Captains stomach with his unnatural strength due to this world.

*Father forgive us for what we have done

We have to finish what we have begun

And pray that tomorrow we may see the sun

There's a red dawn over the land

Fate's dealing it's hand*

Shoving a barrel of a gun into a Chrysalids mouth and pulling the trigger. I searched for the main offender, then I spotted them, an Avatar. My eyes became microscopic dots before I abruptly vanished. My sudden disappearance shredded a Priest's body and armor into a shiny bloody mess due to the nature of how I did so. Appearing above the Avatar my bladed tentacles hooked into its flesh. Its armor meant little as I flung it through a tree, my bladed tentacles ripping out of its body caused a surge of blood to gush from the Avatar.

*Times ticking to leave

While you still can

Calm before the storm

Pride before the fall

Goodbye to it all*

Standing from its impromptu new spot as the fucker tried to speak. I pushed all my guns against the Avatar and spoke plainly one word before their life ended.

"Now now young one, I'm just trying to help you and bring you-"

"Never."

The sounds of numerous shots going off echo as the Avatar's head becomes mostly a bloody mist, as holes open along their chest and stomach. The blood mist forms in flowers which seek the dead Avatar and latch onto them. The Blood Flowers feeding off the corpse glow a ghostly purple light that feeds into me. The flowers' abilities transfer whatever stat points and skill points they could convert from the corpse of the interdimensional trespasser to me.

*Good luck my friends

This is the beginning

This is the beginning of the end

Blood in my eyes

Dirt on my hands*

With an expensive toy disposed of and fed to my gun I briefly glanced at the new weapon [Psionic Lance Cannon]. From that name alone and given what the Avatar was essentially, but in a more Human shape. However, I knew that the weapon form was a stationary weapons platform. Due to seeing its schematics in my mind, and because the Avatar was the Elders tactical missile if they ever got used to piloting it. Twitching I could feel a Wave Timer nearing its end. Switching to my Ethereal Desert Eagles I felt my psionics thrum with an increased power.

*I got a bulletproof heart

And I'm ready to dance

Blood in my eyes

Dirt on my hands

I got a bulletproof heart*

As soon as my senses felt the world barrier crack unlike with the Elders gateway. I bellowed a murderous gunfire symphony that stunned everything which heard me. Various weapon forms replaced my Psionic blades when the first monster dropped from the sky. A hail of bullets tore through it when its feet touched the ground along with several others. Those that dropped near Advent were a mixed bag of results as some monsters kicked their shit in or died to team work by Lancers and Captains

*Yeah I'm ready to dance

There's a red dawn over the land

Fate's dealing it's hand

Times ticking to leave

While you still can*

Letting the mortals of two different universes deal with the weaker monsters. I temporarily granted use of my weaker forms to those in the village willing to fight given their protectors were occupied. When the boss dropped into our reality I was already appearing at its side, guns firing weaker shots than normal. After all I had to gauge the strength of bosses due this being reality and not a book to me anymore. The first two shots pushed the boss back a few feet, only pin prick sized holes drawing blood from the Cerberus looking boss.

*Calm before the storm

Pride before the fall

Goodbye to it all

There's a red dawn over the land

Fate's dealing it's hand*

While me and the boss glared at each other it seemed to gloat as it let out a barbatos sounding cackle. Did it think I was weak? Advantageous but not worth it as while its pride will temporarily cloud its judgment on certain things. I wouldn't play with it for longer than needed, ramping up the power with each shot I eventually found the threshold to be used for a boss of this strength. That when the Cerberus lunges at me I grapple it with my tentacles mid air, breaking its limbs with a sickening crack.

*Times ticking to leave

While you still can

Calm before the storm

Pride before the fall

Goodbye to it all*

Then I heard a mournful cry of a child, not sparing the boss another second I ended its life. Storing the remains that didn't get eaten into my Weapon Storage before making my way towards the crying. My weapons ripping through or turning a stray monster into a bloody mist. The stray Advent soldiers however were swiftly dealt with, their consciousness was destroyed turning them into vegetables.

*Good luck my friends

There's a red dawn over the land

Fate's dealing it's hand

Times ticking to leave

While you still can*

As I tore my way through my foes with ruthless and cold efficiency befitting a creature like me. I arrived to see the exiled royal couple dead as they had fought off a squad of Shieldbearers, Priests, Lancers, and a Lieutenant from getting the children with them. Rapthalia's hands holding onto the fading form of a modified M1A16 as it turned into golden motes of light. Her mother had a broken axe near her disfigured body, a stun lance piercing her heart.

*Calm before the storm

Pride before the fall

Goodbye to it all

Good luck my friends

This is the beginning of the end*

Looking at the deceased and the wailing children I focused my mind on the battlefield. Taking in all Psionic signatures in the Advent forces heads, I seized control violently before overloading them all. Either exploding or melting their heads and brains by triggering a melt down. With them dropping dead as the Wave Monsters were either dead or dying, I began to clean up this giant mess of death.

//\\ Lancrest POV \\//

Watching otherworldly soldiers drop dead suddenly was disturbing to watch. Yet I could see Nual towering over the carnage silently, his symphony deathly silent. His eyes no longer visible as if they'd shrunk so much that they disappeared into his glowing heading. Then the Guardian moved, slowly he walked through the village. Collecting all the corpses without a sound to be heard from him as if he was a ghost. Once he reached the village entrance he did something horrifying as one of his arms rose and pointed forward.

The dead bodies fixed themselves before reanimating with groans. Claws and weapons being beared at something, Nual's voice sounding lifelessly with calmness.

"You want WRATH then let's show you focused and controlled wrath, Sin… I shall not bow my head to you or anyone… I am Nual the Roaming Guardian. My verdict for the crimes to come and that were committed unseen is EXECUTION."

Then as if on cue a company of Melromarc Knights were suddenly and forcefully brought before the reanimated corpses. Nual stared impassively at them while cloaked figures bearing the signet of Lo'Quento were violently teleported before the Guardian. Who didn't even glance down at them he simply waved a hand and their heads exploded. Certain knights were being besieged and torn apart by the corpses as if directed to get them specifically. I could only watch on in silence as those knights were slaughtered and the rest sent away with a flick of a hand.

Nual never once looked away from the carnage happening before him. Eventually he absorbed the walking corpses and the ones that were killed by them or himself.

"Lithasz Neuanfang, stay or come?"

Hearing Nual's voice once more clearly, I turned to look at Lithasz who closed her eyes and sighed softly. Opening her eyes that had become an amethyst color over time she slowly slithered towards Nual. Her children follow her closely.

"Ssstupid question my Lord, I am your servant and my place is alwayss by your side. Now and forever for you've given me more than a lowly soldier and runt deservesss…"

"Lancrest… you will make a great king one day, for you are worthy. So live and grow princeling… your mother will need you and so shall the Shield… when that time comes expect us…"

Hearing Lithasz and then Nual I tried to move but I couldn't. I could only raise my hand trying to stop them and demand answers. Yet they disappeared to another wave that's likely happening elsewhere in secret, I knew that as I could see the wave timer because our party hadn't disbanded, and I knew I wouldn't see them again until sometime later. Nual would make sure of that, he's done it before to me. Sighing and setting a goal for myself as he'd likely throw them through the grinder to get stronger in order to strong arm situations. I wouldn't slack off either. I would come to terms with what happened, I WILL ask him why he did what he did.

Shadows be damned. I want to hear from him, not anyone else. For I wouldn't be a good friend if I didn't make him do so… because I owe the Guardian Beast too much to not hear his logic out even if I vaguely knew. Looking at where my friends once stood I pulled out the first ever "modern" gun Nual taught me to create. Checking the clip of the gun he called a Colt 1911 I spoke to the air idly.

"Get me a list of monster nests, and updates on waves as they come until I meet my companions once more. I will not let the one who gave me a second chance and a wake up call be disappointed. I must get stronger and eventually from what I have learned through our bond… be ready to deal with my father and "sister" in the future. All in order to ask that damned Guardian some questions about today…"