Reject Human. Become Demon. [Book 2 Finished!]

Chapter 170: The Soldiers And Those Above.


–Kerdinand The Human Soldier PoV–

Please Angelic God and His Angels. Grant me courage, grant me strength. Deliver me from the temptation of fear. Move my body where I cannot. I am your limbs, so let me act in your stead and punish these heretics who have dared deny your rightful rule!

"N…N-NO!!!" I shouted once I'd snapped out of it. Even now my teeth still chittered, and my hands shook, from the sheer crushing fear and pressure that I'd felt. But at least I hadn't run like the other cowards who had so easily abandoned their duty and fled. I was still standing instead of collapsed on the ground. Many of us had already died as those rebel soldiers continued to cull those who could not defend themselves because of the strange evil fear implanted into our minds by the demon. I was almost one of them, but I believed in a higher power, and from them I was able to borrow the strength that I lacked!

"EVERYONE! STAND STEADY! HOLD YOUR GROUND! WE HAVE THEM OUTNUMBERED! THE ANGELS ARE WITH US! WE WILL WIN THIS! CHARGE!!!"

The shepherd priestess' voice reached my ears, and instantly the fear and inaction that remained were banished into the abyss where it belonged. Righteous anger swelled within me, finally resolidifying my resolve and snapping me back into action. I crouched down to grab my fallen sword, just as a fireball impacted nearby. I heard the screams of my own people, but I did not allow that to cause me to hesitate any longer. I glared at those of us who had fled, and were even now disturbing our formation, but the shepherds had at least stopped any more of them from doing the same, and even convinced some of the deserters to come back and fight.

They needed to immediately be tried and executed for treason, but it wasn't my decision to make. I knew I would've acted on my emotions and punished them here and now, which… would've made things worse. But that was why I was a soldier, and they my commanders and priests. So I did as they commanded, as I should, and charged with my cohort. I came to a stop once our very front lines met the enemy's, and I cheered when we very quickly began to move forward again.

The rebel army was losing ground. Of course they were! All they had was that one fucking trick. That traitor who had turned to the most vile of forces for power. But now that she had been stopped and we were free to move, they had nothing else!

We continued to push them back. Soon the dead bodies of my allies crunched under my boots, and I gritted my teeth in grief. Far too many had already died for this mission. Haell Zharignan would not listen to reason. She refused to understand–No, she willfully refused to do the right thing. I'd seen her close enough, and I knew she took perverse glee in our deaths. She stood in defiance of righteousness. She was a rabid beast that must be killed, and with her, these rebels that had stood beside her and against us for too long!

I reached the very front lines amid the chaos of battle. I slashed at the first enemy that I met, and wondered what a fountan was even doing here swinging a sword. These people truly lacked common sense. We exchanged a few strikes, hid behind our shields, and eventually disengaged upon the rain of arrows that came from both sides. I recovered faster because there were less arrows that had battered my side. I slammed my shield into my enemy's own, and the handless arm strapped to it was wrenched out of position. I stabbed him in the throat, and then fell back into formation. Another enemy took his place, and I dueled the human woman until the impact of a spell scattered us across the battlefield again. Many more separate battles followed, and I did my best to fight the enemies right in front of me. I trusted my allies to do the same… even when they had failed earlier. I failed too. But by the Angels' favor, we managed to regain our senses. We ganged up on one human, stabbed a centaur until she fled, and whittled down an ogre elite until he fell. We outnumbered them greatly, because most people did understand right from wrong, unlike those who chose to side with these rebels. A few of our inhex vanguard had turned against us, while the rest had already died or fled. My companions shouted at these duplicitous creatures, for they had no loyalty and could only be controlled by threats.

"GET BACK!"

"STOP THIS NOW OR YOUR QUEEN SUFFERS!"

"SHE HAS SENT YOU TO US TO ATONE FOR HER SINS, SO DO YOU YOUR JOB!"

"YOU USELESS PIECE SHITS! GET BACK IN LINE OR WE'LL KILL YOUR QUEEN SO THERE CAN NEVER BE ANOTHER INHEX AGAIN!"

Half of them remembered who they owed service to, and turned on the rebel scum. The rest kept on attacking us, and I made sure to remember how many I'd seen doing so to report later. Dozens… no, hundreds! I was sure our officers already had it covered, but I was willing to add my testimony. The battle proceeded in the same way for a bit longer, with the bodies piling up on both sides, but theirs more than ours.

And then the ground erupted into spikes.

It killed or injured a small chunk of my cohort, and then another. I heard faraway shouts, which I took to mean that this was happening everywhere. My heart hammered, I felt my sweat drip within my gray painted bone armor, and my eyes darted every which way as I tried to get a feel for the surrounding mana. The enemy dwarves had made their move, killing more of our people while providing obstacles to control our advance. I breathed hard and prayed, until I received a nugget of wisdom.

There was nothing I could do except keep moving forward. If I died, then someone else would take my place in the line, and we would surely win this! That was exactly the command given to me, and no new contradicting orders had since been given!

The chaos of battle rearranged itself, and I found myself almost impaled by the spikes. I swallowed my fear and kept on swinging the sword in my hand. Our own earth mages finally arrived, and wrestled for control with the enemy dwarves. Our ogres, ever stout in their sheer strength, smashed apart the spiky obstacles. An enemy ogre slammed her mace into me, and I broke my arm in my attempt at deflecting it. But at least I didn't die. Not yet.

I was eager to keep going, but I knew my orders. A quick glance behind myself confirmed that there were many soldiers still ready to take my place, despite the disastrous campaign this had been. I fell back, and waited for my turn to get patched up by the nearest healer. I glanced at the twister of fire and curse well behind us, and heard from the others how the traitor Haell had attacked the general, and all the other important people with him. Far more important than she could ever hope to be. The attack was evidently not yet over, but I had faith. They would prevail. They must.

The healer finally got around to fixing my wound, but only at the bare minimum. We just didn't have the personnel or the mana left to be wasteful with it. I returned to the frontlines with a stinging pain that remained in my left arm, but I could move it somewhat, which would have to be enough.

I returned, and stared at the short makeshift walls that had been built by the enemy. The same subpar works by those dwarves who hogged the mountains. But like I expected, it was already falling apart by the efforts of our own mages, and more heavily-armed ogres. My allies streamed in, and so did I. It didn't take long until I was rotated into the thick of battle. We slaughtered them by the dozen even as arrows rained upon us from the uneven ramparts of the wall. One of those arrows lodged itself into my shoulder, but I fought through it. An enemy kobold breathed fire, and my right side was caught in the blast, but I didn't die like the half-dozen of my people who were caught in the direct line of fire. A human woman was bodily thrown at me, and I caught her, recognizing the familiar design of our armor, but she was already dead. It was made of chitin and only painted in the proper colors of our army. She may have survived had these people not hogged all the metal. I heard whispers from behind, from my own side, of the general having fallen and how we had already lost. Traitors, imbeciles, saboteurs, spies! I threw myself harder into battle, my left arm now hanging limp again, but my right still able to hold a sword. There was no way that was true! There was no way!

"Retreat! RETREAT!!!" someone commanded. One of our many commanders, echoed by another. I turned around to follow the command despite my wounds, only to be shoved forward by a spear that pierced right into my back. My vision blurred as I held a hand out, our army now running away from the enemy. I was sure there was a good reason for it, some strategy. I'd done my part, and now it was time to rest.

I smiled with the reassurance that I would finally be by the Angelic God's side.

~~~

—Commander Lamina the Human PoV—

The news of General Victario death reached us. My head snapped towards the center of our army, and the torrent of fire and curse that had rescinded. I didn't want to believe it. It could be a trick, some sort of illusion. Maybe the soldiers mistunderstood something. Maybe it was a malicious attempt to demoralize us. What was left of us.

It couldn't have all been for nothing. After marching here, and putting ourselves through weeks of agonizing skirmishes. It couldn't have been ended by just one woman. One 'demon.' It couldn't be.

Oh, please, Angels, The Angelic God. If you're listening, then let it not be so that we have lost. Protect me and my people. End the threat of this demon.

Fire began to rain from the sky, and the screams of my people were heard.

I beg of you. Smite her now, and punish this sinner who has sinned so many time against you!

But nothing came. No miracle. The divine cared not for the plight of us mortals. We were far below notice.

"Retreat! RETREAT!!!" I was forced to announce. Maybe then, some of us may yet be saved.

I followed my own advice and retreated away from the fighting. This was the most dangerous spot, because Haell would come to save her allies first now that she was free. And sure enough, the rain of terrifying flames and curse came closer. I squeezed myself in between and past the other soldiers to save myself. I encouraged them to do the same. A blood red fireball landed nearby, those who could not get out of the way fast enough screamed in pain and joined the cacophony of everyone else. The demonflame singed my few spots of exposed skin even from this distance. Its blood red light was so painful to look at. The retreat had turned into a stampede, and someone tripped amidst all the kicking feet. A promising kid with a good head on his shoulders.

"MOVE! CLEAR THE WAY!!" I commanded.

"No! She has killed priests and shepherds! We can't just retreat and let her go!" A stupi–wise shepherd wished for us to stay, leading so many soldiers to, well… their likely deaths. I understood where she was coming from, but this was just… it would far more beneficial to our people and to the Angels if more of us were able to survive and spread the word of what had happened here.

I helped my fallen subordinate back to his feet, and lent him my shoulder so we could escape out of here. Those ingrates would likely try to kill us to the last person, so our best bet was to scatter in all directions. I went in a direction that not many were favoring, while Haell Zharignan made an absolute mess of our frontlines. The enemy had rallied, and our gradual victory had abruptly been turned into a rout. They stabbed my fleeing companions from behind, and it pained my heart. Haell took off into the air again, to rain destruction from above now that her own side was safe. Her gaze roved over me, and I felt small, I felt terror. It clawed at my mind almost physically, and blood began to dribble out of my nose. But I was already scared shitless. I was already running away. So I was able to continue doing the same thing. I cried and sobbed, and so did the young man in my shoulders.

We disappeared past the stacked logs and then into the treeline, praying the whole way that the demon would not come and find us.

A searing torturous heat reached our back, and the world became dyed in blood red, but we only kept running from the burning rainforest behind us.

~~~

—Back to Haell PoV—

I ascended into the air along a winding trail of destruction. I brought the war to a close, starting from the section that saw the most action. Hundreds of our soldiers were dead, and so were a thousand of theirs. I landed in between the still ongoing clash, and started hacking apart the damned Edengarians who remained fighting. Our own forces rallied, and they followed in my wake, reinvigorated. I unleashed my intimidation package, along with a rolling black mist of the same concept, until they finally began to retreat. The shepherds could really herd their sheep when they wanted to, and their grudge against me only grew.

How sweet. The feeling was fucking mutual. I took to the air again once their flock had finally broken. I rained denser projectiles among them, especially at the pockets where resistance was the toughest. I bombarded a particular ritualist with my own rapid ritualistic hellfireballs. The human man was impressive as someone who had those skills at the level of 20 already, but he would still fall short against someone higher level. More evolved. I had killed so many of their ritualists, that kids like him were the only option left. It was hard to conceal your position while doing that, after all. It was likely to make the end result weaker too, wherein you might as well just cast a normal spell.

The enemy was in full retreat now, but I did not let up. Fire and curse continued to fall in an unstoppable storm. These trained soldiers were too dangerous to let go, and for that same reason, they could not be taken prisoner. New Grandera would not trust them in their lands… and I wouldn't either. The two nations were unwilling to ever engage in diplomacy, and I doubted Edengar would treat me any differently despite my efforts to separate Arisen City from the Republic. There would be no exchange of prisoners.

I spotted a group of inhex from the back, and they were the only ones I willingly spared after they'd bowed and surrendered. People in New Grandera could generally sympathize, and so did I. We just couldn't ever deploy them in war, because they could be very easily manipulated by our prime enemies. They would also have to be watched, because spies could turn them more easily than normal…

"Oh!" I spotted a single elite running for the trees, and made a quick drop to kill her. The adventurer's gear was particularly good, so our allies better remember that I had first claim. Unlike that lone gold-ranker, most of my enemies here weren't actually smart enough to scatter in all the different directions. Instead, they ran through the 'road' of chopped trees and churned ground that their long march had left in its wake, even as I flew the length of their army and back, over and over. I had directed their irrationality to stay the course by setting fire to the trees and logs on both sides of the 'road.' Thousands more had died by the time they finally realized that they should scatter like ants. A few remaining mages managed to secure some manner of passage, and the rest were just left to endure the hellflames pressing in from all sides. Many gave up, but enough made it through the net of hellfire made to contain them. I made an effort to keep hunting them down, but knew that it would be impossible to get them all in this situation.

I'd have to clean up some new bandit groups over the next few months.

~~~

"Hey look! She's coming back!"

"Haell! Hey Haell!"

"Uh, yeah… she just… did all this…"

"RIGHT!? SHE'S FUCKING AWESOME!"

"HAELL! HAELL! HAELL!"

"HAELL ZHARIGNAN!"

"WOOOOOO!!"

The fighting was over by the time I deigned to land. The soldiers and adventurers of our side looked up at me with nigh-reverence in their gaze. We had just achieved victory over a far larger force, and this time, it couldn't be denied that I was absolutely instrumental to our success.

I noticed a few people going into the rainforest with some 'prisoners' when we weren't supposed to keep any. I took a look, and sure enough they were up to rape and torture. I killed them… and then the prisoners too. Perhaps I was no better, but murder was a line I'd long crossed. There were other lines that I would not allow to be crossed by me, or anyone.

People got the message, and the few captives that remained were just killed. I didn't let it bother me as I continued along to the brewing party. We had some more food, taken from the previously starving enemy that we'd just routed. Someone brought out some beer, and I took it. The chants for my name continued, and no one came to reprimand me for the actions I'd just taken. No one dared. I kept a keen eye on my mind and body, to make sure the alchohol wasn't actually affecting me. My regen heart should be enough to flush most of it out, but I also had my blood magic ready and outright active every few seconds, just in case. It wouldn't do if I acted on the desire to kill everyone else here, just like I'd done for my enemies.

I met with Moonwash and my parents, and a genuine smile bloomed on my face. They saw some good action during that last battle. Moonwash had made some simpler rituals from more basic but destructive elements, while Mom and Dad had done a great job of protecting her. My girlfriend was really the only one of us keen on discussing the details, however. Even I didn't wish to linger on how exactly it felt to cut through a dozen people in one slash with the massive blade of Devilcalibur. That was best kept to myself.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Commander Franz sat by our campfire at some point, and I raised a mug to the T-rex-looking man.

"You did great out there," he said.

"I know," I simply replied.

"I would've preferred it if you hadn't killed my soldiers."

"Crossed a line." I shrugged. "That's what it means to fight alongside me."

"That's incredibly troublesome. You could've just reported it."

"Eh. Not my style, and I don't trust military bureaucracy. It certainly might not dole out my penalties." I gestured at the still-smoldering rainforest, and the thousands of corpses scattered across the land. Nature would regrow here nicely. "Worth it though, isn't it?"

He sighed. "Yes, I have to admit that it is."

Commander Franz gestured to an aide, who encased our group in a silence bubble. We weren't really talking about anything I cared to keep secret.

"Well, as… dangerous as you are, I have now seen exactly why the council is even considering giving the whole city to you. I'm no councillor, nor a famous general, but I'll give what word I can to make it so." The tyranight man extended a clawed hand out to me. "I do hope you'll continue to be our ally in the future. We'll… overlook your eccentricities."

I bristled at the thought that I needed their permission to be 'eccentric,' but shook the claw regardless. "Sure. We have a common enemy."

Today, an army corps. Tommorow, the palace of Gardine. I would drag that Eden bitch down from her throne and lynch her across the entire length of the city.

~~~

We marched back to Arisen City. I could've flown ahead, or even teleported, instead of putting up with their woefully slow speed, but I decided to stay. The soldiers and adventurers praised my strength and prowess, which I took very well, but I wasn't willing to say anything useful the moment they asked for specifics. My abilities were completely off limits. I wanted my enemies and everyone else to keep guessing. People didn't even know the name 'hellfire' just yet. They wondered what flavor of curse I had, when the answer was fucking all of them.

They asked about my exploits, and I busted out some of my older stories. Some of the adventurers who knew a little about me asked about my party, and that included Therick. I did not hide that he betrayed me, terribly, but didn't go into the specifics. I just said that I killed him for it, terribly, and I allowed a little bit of my aura to show for emphasis.

Message successfully delivered.

There were many carts that trailed off behind us, containing the bodies of the deceased. People showed their respects, and some even prayed. To the Nature Dragon of the Grandest Forest, or the Leviathan of the seas. Some worshipped the planet itself, or even the very cycle of reincarnation. Few were interested in the Aneuscara of the harpies, other than the harpies themselves. That was likely because Aneuscara's existence… couldn't actually be proven, and the people of this world generally preferred entities that were more real, because godlike beings did actually walk among us.

No one openly gave praise to the angels. We'd just killed their armies. And unlike the ambiguity of Earth, we knew exactly whose side they were on. And that they existed at all.

I also showed my own respects, for our dead here today had fought and died alongside me. I made the simple gesture of silence and a bow, but that wasn't all I intended to do. I planned to tell Granuel about it later, and make sure that their families and friends were well taken care of. I couldn't do anything else for them now that they were dead, but I did also wish for them to be reincarnated into some very good lives next time.

Maybe the greater magic that I knew existed could hear me… and maybe it had something to do with reincarnation? I couldn't know. But I was certainly not worshipping some deity I didn't know, nor was I worshipping anyone at all! It was a fucking request!

After half a day, the city of Arisen finally came into view. Smoke rose in the distance, and I decided to separate from the group and fly straight to our destination. There, I found the city damaged, but standing. The fighting was already over. People were cleaning up the damage that had been done. There were only a few corpses left on the poorest streets. Some smears indicated an attack launched on Pandemonium, but it was smaller than before. They had learned how futile it was, and few were willing to make that same mistake again.

I landed inside my home and asked, "Had your fill?"

The black grass of the courtyard fluttered in the burp of released gas.

I fucking guffawed. "Ewww. Anyway, you seen Granuel? Is he here?"

The air around me swirled in the negative. I went back out looking for him, and a few soldiers were able to point me in the right direction.

"Ah, Haell!" my friend smiled at me once I entered his office in the town hall. "I heard you won!"

"Was it ever in any doubt?"

"Err, well…"

"Relax," I snorted. "I won't bite. And I'll admit that it might have been a closer affair had I gone for my original plan of doing it all by myself."

"That's right!" he nodded, his eyes turning more serious. "So rely on us more in the future, okay?"

"I'll think about it," I shrugged unapologetically. "It would be hard to tear down the whole of Edengar all by myself. Just going by the sheer volume. Do you know how long it'd take to raze it all to the ground?"

The warmth disappeared from his face. "As long as it takes. In that venture, you have my full support."

"Oh. That's the kind of bite I like to see." I took a seat on the couch, still in my bloody armor… "Shit, uh. Someone can clean that?"

"It's fine," he sighed.

"Great! You can have me pay for it if you want. But I was right about there being a big attack on the city, huh?"

"Yep. There would've been a lot more damage if we didn't have the soldiers we had. The attempted rebellion didn't expect us to do something that stupid either, and I managed to hide just how many were left behind."

"Nice. I'm good at this. A strategist. A demon outwitting her foes…"

"Yeah, right," he laughed. "Anyway, is that all you came for? I can give you the full rundown."

"Ehhh… Maybe. But I do also have some things I want you to do. Starting with the soldiers who died…"

~~~

—Berry PoV—

I tapped my six feet across the white bone tiles of Pandemonium as I hummed a happy tune. The ground rumbled ticklishly with my every step, and I giggled. Pandemonium was actually really sweet once you got to know it.

'I have a job to do!' I tapped to the playful manor, and began to dust and clean all the many paintings, busts, armor, and more, that they'd placed around every hallway. Those could be a bit harder for Pandemonium to clean by itself, not that dirt ever accumulated too much in this house. It was a great job, if a bit lonely, because I was the only staff. Haell didn't trust people… and people didn't trust her. Or Pandemonium. Which was not fair! The ambient curse was something you could get used to. I certainly did. And now, this was the best home I'd ever had in my life.

"Oh, hey Berry."

I ran across Haell on my way to the dining room to have breakfast.

"Haell!" I waved. She wasn't always here, but it was always nice when she was. I was glad she'd recovered fine after everything that'd happened. My thoughts soured for a moment, turning to a friend who might never truly have been a friend the entire time. But I shook it off quickly and walked to the breakfast table with the friend I did have.

Breakfast was nice. Moonwash's cooking was always the best, and I particularly liked these rabbids that Haell had been bringing back from her adventures. Mahka and Rallem too talked about some recent nearby quests and happenings, but that world was well behind me, and I couldn't be happier for it.

I did still listen to what they had to say though. I loved listening to my friends talk about their interests… even if it could get brutal sometimes. M-Moonwash, please… I don't need the details of how you clawed a goblin's face off to observe how its skin would twist back together into an uglier whole by the power of its wickedness! AT THE BREAKFAST TABLE!

It was very admirable though, how she was exploring this as a way to heal people! And it warmed my heart to know that it was partly for me too. She told me that she wanted to either return my missing limbs, or make prosthetics that were just as good, if not better. I didn't really need it to be that strong, but I knew how dangerous of a place this world could be, so I'd take it.

I talked about the state of the city and my recent activities myself. More and more crustecars had been moving here recently, and they didn't get the best reception from the existing people. I'd been trying to help them settled in recently despite the discrimination, and Mahka and Rallem promised to help me out. Their help would likely mean some intimidation, at least, but I supposed it might just be necessary.

"I can go too, if you want?" Haell said.

"Ummmmm…" I trailed off. "I'm sure you're busy…" Her brow raised, and I knew she just preferred things blunt. "...Thanks for the offer, Haell. Truly. But I really don't want this to turn into a fight."

"Hey!" she gasped. "That's not all I can do!"

"Ah! That's not what I meant! You uh, protect us! And you bring back lots of interesting things! And you're funny when you want to be! And ummm…"

She chortled hard. "And that's part of me being funny. Relax, Berry."

"Oh, right. Of course." My red carapace heated up a little, and I maneuvered the soup carefully to my mouth with my big claw and small hand. We chewed in silence for a short minute, before Haell complained about this 'invisiboy' who she swore was actively running away from her. I didn't blame him, I'd run away too if she were my enemy and was actively chasing after me! I was glad she was on my side.

As the meal wound down, Golex talked about a new grand tale of adventure I hadn't heard before. It was amazing how he very rarely ever repeated himself. He'd just lived that storied of a life, I guessed, being a hero and all… and then throwing all of that away to save his granddaughter. That was a greater story than anything he could ever tell. It didn't matter that he arrived too late.

Breakfast was soon over, and I marched happily outside. The black grass felt wonderful to walk on, and the various plants and trees of similar coloration were kind of pretty now that I was used to them. I went to work, and trimmed some of the bushes with my big claw, so they didn't grow gnarled and mean. Naturally, I also had to do the same thing for the trees because they could be far worse. It was like they wanted to be the gnarled fingers of some evil old person, withered and dry. Pandemonium helped me reach the canopies of the trees by making platforms that wouldn't kill the grass they displaced, and then I pruned the branches and leaves to keep them looking nice.

"Nice work!" a familiar voice said, and I nearly fell over from shock. My friend was back, and I quickly made my way down from the grassy staircase.

"Angerly!"

"Hey, Berry!" She crouched low to give me a hug. "How've you been?"

"Amazing! How about you?"

"Pretty good too!"

We walked over to nearby bench, and caught up with each other's lives. She'd apparently come with her new boyfriend, but he didn't want to enter a place as creepy as this. I tried to defend Pandemonium, but I knew it was a losing battle. So I just talked about myself and how I'd been adjusting to life as the only caretaker of this massive place.

Terrifically well, of course.

Haell soon came out along with Moonwash, and they smiled upon seeing the return of our friend.

"Angerly!" the demon shouted like I did, and we spent the entire day exchanging stories.

The rest of the manor could wait until tomorrow to be cleaned. Haell never really fussed about that kind of thing.

~~~

—Haell PoV once again—

A few months after the great war that I won.

I walked through the festive streets with my family and friends. Even Grandpa had joined us, and everyone had to stare at least once at the massive and famous man. The people weren't so… hostile today. They might even be friendlier. That might have something to do with the many soldiers patrolling the streets. The population of Arisen City was also slowly changing because the incentives for both immigration and emigration that had finally been put into effect just shortly after the big war.

We enjoyed ourselves before the likely tiresome event to come. Naturally, I went for the food stalls first. I now had other ways to replenish my body mass, but I still loved to eat, so I did. There was nothing stopping me. Money was no issue. And my companions were only happy to join me, because delicious food was just that awesome.

We checked out some shows next. From famous troupes who had come here for the very first time, to street performers desparate to make ends meet. I liked to colorful shows of magic, even if those constructs would never hold up in a fight. Granuel separated from us at some point, because he had plenty of business to attend to. Angerly's new boyfriend joined, and I waved to the well-mannered centaur, Entarin. He was smaller than most other centaurs, despite being nearly level 30, with blonde hair on his head and… glittering(?) white fur for his lower half. Angerly had managed to snag a councillor's son… which sounded like a whole lot of trouble. But hey, if he was cool. And it's her life. I shrugged.

Moonwash spotted someone who could use some strange magic, and she immediately approached him in the middle of his performance. We learned that it was indeed caused by fog magic, and that he rescued and bonded with the rare frogog(frog monster) in his youth. Big Cutie was unfortunately not for sale. But her mana could be sold for frankly exorbitant amounts, which we could easily afford.

We told him we'd negotiate later. That was best done with Granuel's presence.

One of his agents came to us an hour more later, and we followed after the play about… me finished. I was flattered. They did get my strength mostly correct, if not the specifics, but I was definitely not actually that heroic. Still, a solid 9/10 story without the context of me existing in reality.

We soon made it to the townhall, and saw the large opulent stage that had been set up. There were plenty of chairs facing it, some set up around round tables, and plenty of bleachers built on both sides. Banners and posters had been set up everywhere, unveiling a new generation of propaganda. There were plenty that depicted me in all my violent glory… which I was pretty sure Moonwash had helped with. The fully colored statues of myself in blood red armor, but foolishly without a helmet, were definitely her doing. I knew because I posed for them… enthusiastically. I did love showing off, and these didn't really give out any new information about me.

There were a lot of new information unveiled about myself today, however, in the streets and especially here. Many of them I didn't even know myself! One poster showed me shaking hands with the current Council Speaker, a colorful belfegor man, and that, at least, I understood. It would probably happen later. But then there were more banners of the both of us being regular ol' drinking buddies, great friends, confidants, and warriors who marched into battle together. That had never happened! I didn't even know if this Orin character had ever seen active battle up close! Maybe in the command room, for some easy defensive wars, protected behind the thick layers of walls and soldiers. But those few instances were the only times he'd ever 'fought' at all in record.

Oh well, I shrugged, content to let them have their charade. They were giving me a whole city after all. I could be magnanimous.

I sat with my group at the very front, and after a few more minutes, the event finally began in earnest.

A colorful belfegor, the most politically powerful person in this nation, walked up to the stage.

"People of New Grandera! I am Orin Talanor, Council Speaker of the Republic of New Grandera. It is my honor to once again speak and have my voice heard by so many people today. As such, I would like to take this opportunity to speak for the more voiceless of us. I would like to thank the staff for this event, those who prepared the venue, Granuel and the Angelslayers for ensuring that the festivities were in order, the waitstaff at the inn who were just very responsive, Haell for driving away the malicious Edengarians twice else we wouldn't even have this city today, Moonwash for her beautiful artworks, the council for always deliberating over every problem with the attention they each deserved…" And on and on he went. I didn't even like the 'thank yous' that I got. It made it seem like I did these things for them. But more than anything, this was just getting more annoying the longer it dragged on. And due to the curse that coursed through my blood, that annoyance was quickly spiraling into raw malice. I wanted to rot that stage and devour that pompous asshole with a shadowy maw from below.

None of that showed on my face. Much. Granuel said that the more skilled people could tell just how much of a tightly bound ball of violence I was, but I didn't care. Let them fear, let them judge. It mattered not what the weak thought of me. And the strong, could always be killed by the stronger.

"...and that is why I wish to give this reward to Haell Zharignan." Orin finally took a pause.

I took that as my cue and stood. I waved to the crowd and raised a single powerful fist into the air. I went up the stage, and then towered over the colorful belfegor man in white and gold attire. I myself wore the armored dress that Moonwash made from me, which had been hastily cleaned with magic just a little while ago. Orin extended out a hand and I shook it, without squeezing too hard.

He let go. "Haell here exemplifies the spirit with which New Grandera was founded. She stands in defiance of the evils of Edengar, even when she was born into their nobility. She fought and found a way to win, even when she was buried in a prison so deep that no light could ever touch it. Under the torture of those hypocrites, she did not give in, nor did she reveal a single word of our secrets!"

I stiffened just a little, and roiled a lot more internally. Orin glanced subtly at me, a knowing and understanding look in his eyes. I don't know you, you prick. And what secret? It's not like I knew much. Well, I knew about 'The Blur', and… okay, maybe I was privy to some New Granderan secrets. My captors just never asked me about that. They were after other things.

"And for all that service, for all that she has done for us, I shall now give a suitable reward. Let this symbolize the big difference between our lands. Where Edengar would conquer and subjugate our people, we are willing to let go. Unlike Edengar, or the Angelore Empire, we prefer diplomacy over war. We are a peaceful people, unlike those who desire only conflict. We give freedom to our people, instead of shackles that wish to limit them. That is why we have secured Haell Zharignan's support in the first place, and my wish is to continue this legacy ever more. New Grandera hereby gives to you this city."

Begrudgingly, I scoffed in my head. They were not that enthusiastic about it. But just like the rest of his speech, I accepted the scroll handed to me with a grateful smile. There was some truth to some of what he said.

"Thank you!" I announced. "I shall be a leader worthy of the Arisen City State. Despite all the turmoil it has experienced, like its namesake, it shall rise from the ashes! I shall repel all invaders! I WILL BE THE SWORD THAT SLICES THROUGH THE HEART OF EDENGAR AND THAT BITCH QUEEN EDEN!"

"HUUURRAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!"

The crowd went wild, starting from the very front.

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