She stood among the dozens of bodies on the rough ground. Flames raging all around her as she commanded her scaled female monsters to gather around all the fighters who still had the ability to breathe.

“Yo-you won’t g-get away with this!” the woman said, still clinging to her consciousness.

“You truly are a tough one, aren’t you,” the black-armored woman said. She raised her heeled plated boats over the woman’s head, before she slammed it down onto her head, crushing it into the ground. The red liquid stained the earth around her face as the armored lady called one of her scaled servants to carry the defeated woman. “If she still gives you trouble, don’t hesitate to take a limb or two.”

The scaled woman screeched and nodded as it carried the defeated woman off. The black-armored woman breathed out a sigh as she gazed about the scenery of smoke, corpses, and fires.

“Can you hear me!” a sudden shout caught her attention.

Did they miss someone? She questioned herself as she took off in search of the source of the calls.

“Please, answer me!” once again, the voice shouted.

Despite the heat and flames, she managed to press on without any problems, her dark armor was specially enchanted by her Madame to handle almost any situation after all.

It didn’t take long to finally find the culprit. Behind a wall of flames, stood a lone woman, she didn’t seem like a fighter compared to the others, she couldn’t help but wonder if she was just another villager.

Either way, it doesn’t matter, the Madame said no survivors. She resolved herself and gripped her sword, the aura which poured out glowed as red as blood. You should have run away when you had a chance! As she thought that she launched into the air.

“Huh?!” the pink-haired woman below finally noticed but it was too late, with a single swing she sent a wave of the sword’s magical energy right for her. Normally that would easily kill a normal human, but it became obvious to her that this woman was far from normal.

Was that, a magic barrier? She’s a magician then?! Such a person would be great to present to her Madame. Now she had a new objective, from eliminate to capture, but magicians can be quite dangerous, she was well away of that herself. The lady with her magical sword in hand, landed feet first, sounding out a loud thud along with clanks from her black armor. Marilyn saw the figure before her and at that moment, she knew it was that woman from her vision.

As she approached Marilyn, she soon stopped and pointed her magical blade at her.

“Surrender, magician,” she spoke as she looked down at the defeated Marilyn, “and I shall offe-” her words halted as Marilyn’s large white hat tilted and her unobstructed face entered her eyes, “Argh!” she voiced out as a sharp pain pierced her head. While she stepped back from the pain, something else caught her attention.

A small bracelet shined on the ground. never had she cared for such things before, for some reason this one gave her a strange feeling inside.

“No! that’s-” Marilyn yelled as she tried to reach for it, however, the woman raised the sword to her once more. While Marilyn had no choice but to stay down, the woman grabbed the bracelet in her armored gloved hand and gazed upon.

“Ugh!” another bolt of pain ran through her head as she gritted her teeth.

“W-who are you?” Marilyn seeing her bizarre reacts decided to finally ask, “What do you want?”

“I am…” it was a simple question, with a simple answer yet for some reason she couldn’t give a reply, “I-I am…”

“Get away from her!” a loud deep-voice sounded out as a large figure entered her peripheral view.

Clank! A strong force hit her helm covered face and sent her flying back. She crashed into the ground as she tried to get up her vision was unfocused and the taste and smell of iron entered her filled her mouth and nose. However, as she reached out to hold her face, she soon realized something else. My helm! Her exposed violet eye widened as she realized it. That sudden blow shattered the left part of her helm, even though it was only a small piece that was over her eye, it filled her with great concern as to who or what could break her enchanted armor.

“Ow! Shit that armor’s tough!” Dante shook his right hand as he spoke. After being pretty much resistant to anything that attacked so far, it was surprising for him that his punch against her helm actually hurt him.

“You alright?” Lacey asked as she saw his pained expression.

“Yeah, it doesn’t seem to be fractured, it just surprisingly hurt.”

“Dante, Lacey!” Marilyn felt a sense of relief as she saw the two appear.

“While I would like to yell at you for running off like that, let us deal with her first,” Lacey told the fallen Marilyn as her blue eyes stared at the black armored lady up ahead.

“You okay?” Dante said as he helped her up from the ground.

“I am now,” a smile parted her lips as she looked up at him. Lacey couldn’t help but glance back at them, however, she soon returned her gaze in front as their mysterious opponent stood back up.

“I, Lacey of Dulac, as a member of Her Majesty’s order of knight maidens, demand you tell me your name and your goal here!” she shouted as she pointed her spear at her.

As she heard Lacey’s name and her eyes focused on her, once more her head pounded with pain. However, when she heard her mention Her Majesty a strong desire welled up in her and overshadowed the pain.

“I… I am, the black knight… and together with my Madame,”-she gripped her sword tightly- “we shall bring a new age to all of Arthrain!” as she finished speaking, her sword glowed a deep red.

“I see… then you are an enemy to Arthrain and to Her Majesty, and as a knight maiden I shall defeat you!” Lacey said as she readied her weapon and immediately charged the black knight.

As she closed the distance, she unleashed a barrage of thrusts against her opponent. While Lacey’s attacks were swift and relentless, the black knight easily avoided all of them.

How?! Lacey thought as she continued her strikes. Though not a single one managed to land. The black knight soon leaped back a short distance as she dodged the last of Lacey’s chain of attacks. The black knight readied her sword, its red aura growing in intensity. Lacey tightened her hold on her spear, as she gritted her teeth.

“Lacey, be careful! That sword is magical!” Marilyn shouted to her, but just then the black knight unleashed a wave of red energy from the sword right at her. Lacey darted to the side, even though she avoided the direct attack, the heat, and force that accompanied it still caught her and sent her crashing to the ground.

“I’ll go and help her!” Dante said, however…

“No… I’ll handle it, just keep Marilyn safe,”-Lacey stuck her spear into the ground and forced herself up, “It’s my duty as a knight maiden to stop her!”

Lacey’s body was covered in dirt, and the side of her face still stung after it got hit with the heat from that swords attack. Though, the black knight wasn’t done as she soon appeared above her and sent another strike of magical power down at her.

“LACEY!” Marilyn cried out as she narrowing managed to dodge it though the attack’s force and heat once again sent her tumbling onto the ground.

Lacey reached out to grab her spear as she laid on the ground. However, a black armored heeled boot steeped on it as soon as she gripped the pole. Above her, the black knight stood, with her magical raised up ready to slash right into her. Will I… die here?

As her sword glowed with its magical power, the black knight swung down, Lacey closed her eyes as she thought. I’m sorry, Marilyn, Kayla…My Queen… However as strong wind blew across her and as she looked up, he was there before her eyes. Dante…

“I‘m not about to let you die on us!” he said as his bare arm blocked the sword’s edge, “Ugh!” she voiced out as the blade dug into his flesh along with the intense heat it exuded.

“Impossible! You’re withstanding Dracalon’s power with your bare skin!” as she saw the unreal seen before her, “What exactly are you?!”

“I’m a man!” Dante took advantage of her surprised state and sent a punch into her exposed stomach.

“Argh!” she cried out as the hit sent her flying back.

“Damn, that hurt,” Dante said as he gazed at the shallow wound on his arm he got from the sword. Even though the pain wasn’t really that bad, it once again surprised as he had begun to get used to not feeling pain. “Come on I’m getting you out of here,” he turned and said to Lacey who was still awestruck.

“W-wait, we have to stop her, I can’t let anyone who threatens Arthrain’s people… Her Majesty’s people getaway!” as she stood up, she managed to remember her priorities.

“Even so, I’m not just going to let you go an-” as Dante said that the black knight stood up once more and a sinister aura exuded from her blade. W-what’s this feeling. The hairs on his neck all raised as he saw the magical sword glow brighter.

Her…Majesty! Her Majesty! It’s always that wretched Queen! The black knight shouted in her mind as the red aura enveloped her. She soon began to chant something and as she did, the aura bright bigger and brighter around her. Her nostrils flared and her single exposed pupil turned slit.

“That’s not good…” Dante voiced as the blacked knight raised her sword overhead and the surrounding flames all traveled towards it, “We have to go, now!” he grabbed Lacey in his arms and bolted off to get Marilyn next.

“U-um…” Lacey turned red as she tried to speak. Unbeknownst to Dante, his hand was gripping into her chest a bit. While it was a strange feeling surprised her, Lacey actually enjoyed the feeling in a way. N-no what am I thinking, especially right now!

“I’ll burn it all! Everything under her rule!” the black knight yelled out as the flames mixed with the red aura and she unleashed it all upon the trio who fought against her.

“Marilyn! Get down quick!” Dante shouted as he pulled her into him. He quickly wrapped around them and with his back against the approaching red flames, he shielded the two ladies.

Dante carried the two as the wave of flames engulfed them. He could feel the stinging pain across his body yet he still pushed forward. The overbearing heat forced their bodies to become drenched in sweat, but Dante’s body protected the ladies from any serious burns as the entire village developed into a sea of flames. Both Marilyn and Lacey couldn’t help but feel another heat rise inside of them as they pressed against his rugged body. While Marilyn was more used to this by no means had she grown tired of it, quite the opposite actually.

Lacey however was experiencing something on a totally different level. Whenever someone was in danger, Lacey was always the heroine to come and save the day, after all, she is one of Arthrain’s best knight maidens. For better or worse, because of that, she had never been the one to be saved, she never really thought of it much either at least until now. Lacey believed she was imagining before but after everything that happened and the situation she was in now, she could help but realize how giddy the whole thing made her feel. I never knew that being saved from trouble felt so… good.

“Hehehe!” once again she giggled as she peered through the mirror. The young-looking goddess had been keeping tabs on her chosen toy and his compatriots. Now it seems her work in bringing him here, along with all the extra work that came with it was about to pay off.

“Thou better be ready because from here on, it’s the real deal,” she said as she playfully poked the image of Dante on the glass, “If thou are not careful, death would be the least of thy problems.” She took a sip from the floating glass before continuing, “Now let the real play begin!” the goddess giggled out once more, as the very thought of what’s to come filled her with glee.