The night before the big day, in a room given to him by Lady Planter, Maximilian worked all night on something. He stayed awake late to achieve what he wanted, the task was hard and long but he managed to finish soon enough to peacefully sleep an hour or two, thanks to a bit of help given to him by some Flowers.

...................................................................................................................................................

The next morning was grey, dark, it might have started to rain anytime.

In different hiding places, the Queen's allies were as ready as they could be. Maximilian had gone to them each in a hurry, giving them the last details of the plan and the things he was making the night before.

Finally, he went to the inn where the rest of his group was.

As he arrived, he was greeted by Octavia who jumped into his arms, burying her head in his chest.

"You're here!"

Patting the girl's head, Maximilian smiled at her.

"I promised you, didn't I?"

The spider girl nodded, still holding him tight as if fearing he would disappear.

..............................................................................................................................................

"Is everything ready?" asked Arca as she stretched in her armour.

Maximilian had given the rest of the Inquisition equipment to the guardians' group, allowing the soldiers and the guardians to be well-equipped for the fight to come.

"As ready as we can be, now all we can do is wait and see."

"Alright, we will be there, when the time comes." affirmed Arca.

"See you there, then." said Maximilian as he went out of the hiding place with his companions, leaving the group to its preparation.

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One hour before midday, the Central Place of Griffinia was already crowded. It was as if the entire kingdom was there. Commoners, Nobles, soldiers, merchants, everyone was there to see. The weather had become colder, forcing numerous people to put on the hood of their coat to protect themselves from the low temperature. There were so many people there that a lot of them had to climb on the roofs to see something, dozens of hooded faces watching the scene from upper grounds.

Right in the centre, on a massive platform built in one night, a pyre had been assembled. Around it, two dozen non-humans were bound on poles while others were guarded by guards of the Inquisition next to the platform.

The poor souls around the pyre had been beaten up, some of them not even conscious anymore. There were old ones and younger ones, barely old enough to be called teenagers. The crowd around was chanting some of Carendar's prayers, supposed to chase away the bad spirits and to clean the soul.

Thirty minutes before midday, a procession arrived from the castle. First came the soldiers, three hundred of them opening the procession as the lowest ranked, followed by two hundred other soldiers, upper ranked like captains, sergeants or simply more experienced fighters.

Following them were two hundred Inquisition guards and Inquisitors, probably what was left of the forces who had survived Maximilian's attack coupled with the ones who weren't at the headquarters at that moment.

A hundred black Paladins led by Pilgrim were following, directly protecting the King and the Cardinal who, with each step he was taking, was hitting the ground with his religious staff, emitting a deep sound like a hammer on an anvil. Unknown to the ones around, the staff was also emitting a tiny bit of black energy around, too feeble to be noticed but there nonetheless. This black energy was like an exciting gas, making the ones in the crowd already on the Cardinal's side literally thirsty with blood. Those people, chanting the church prayer like fanatics in trance, were looking more and more willing to see the non-humans burn.

Others in the crowd seemed out of place, there because they had to but not willing to be the witness of so much cruelty, and were clearly uncomfortable with what was happening. But, feeling alone in the crowd, those people didn't dare to move nor speak their mind.

The Cardinal climbed the stairs and faced the crowd from the platform, followed by the King, so feeble he had to be carried by the Paladins siding him.

The churchman breathed in slowly, savouring the flow of dark emotions around the central place. Showing the non-humans behind him with a broad gesture, he spoke aloud, like a leader had to speak to his follower.

"SEE THIS BROOD? SEE THOSE CARRIERS OF THE UNHOLY BLOOD? TODAY, WE PURGE THEIR SOULS!!!"

A literal roared of agreement rose from the crowd, the dark energy awakening the darkest parts of the peoples affected by it.

"TODAY, THE HOLY FIRE OF CARENDAR WILL START TO CLEAN GRIFFINIA FROM THIS FILTH! IT IS ONLY THE BEGINNING, NO UNHOLY BLOOD IS TO SURVIVE!!!"

Once again came the same kind of roar.

"WE, HOLY BEING, WILL FIND AND PURGE ANY OF THOSE ROTTEN BEINGS! MAY THEY BE SLAVES, COMMONERS OR THE DEMONS HIDING IN THE VERY HOUSE OF OUR DEAR KING!!!"

This time, the roar was mixed with a tiny bit of interrogative tone. Not destabilised by that, the Cardinal continued.

"YES, HOLY FOLLOWERS! THE ROYAL FAMILY HAS BEEN CORRUPTED! THE QUEEN AND HER CHILDREN ARE NO MORE!!! THEIR BODIES ARE NOTHING MORE THAN DEMONS IN DISGUISE!"

"You are quite prompt to give unfitting titles to me and my children, Cardinal."

Speaking in an authoritarian tone, not even needing to shout to be heard, the Queen arrived from the other side of the central place.

The Queen, sided by her children, Kitsu and the rainbow guard, went to the platform at a calm pace, the crowd making way for her.

In her presence, even the ones who had been roaring seemed far less bloodthirsty. It was as if the Queen and her followers were emitting a calming aura, some holy energy acting as an opposing force against the dark one emitted by the Cardinal's staff.

"PEOPLE OF GRIFFINIA! SEIZE THE DEMON! BRING ME THE ONE RESPONSIBLE OF EVERYTHING!" ordered the Cardinal, sure of himself.

To his unpleasant surprise, none of the people in the crowd moved, some of them even respectfully bowing to the royal family.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!" raged the Cardinal.

As she climbed the opposing stairs to face him on the platform with the rest of her group, the Queen answered him calmly, her composure being a noticeable contrast to his thundering speech.

"You are not the only one who can call upon greater forces, Cardinal."

The man's eyes narrowed as he understood immediately.

"So, the little Queen found some kind of holy trinket to protect herself? It doesn't matter..."

Speaking louder once again, the Cardinal raised his staff.

"DO NOT BE FOOLED BY THEM!!! THEY ARE CARRYING DEMON'S ARTIFACTS MEANT TO DEVOUR YOUR MIND, FEEL THE HOLY LIGHT OF CARENDAR!!!"

The Man shouted as his staff hit the ground, a wave of dark energy enveloping the central place.

"FEEL THE POWER, ALEXANDRIA! FEEL AND FEAR!!! YOU CAN PROTECT YOURSELF, BUT WHAT ABOUT EVERYONE ELSE?" roared the man, victory in his voice.

But, as quickly as it has come, the dark aura disappeared, several points of light coming from the Queen and her group, but also from several people in the crowd. Coming from under their clothes, amulets had started to shine. The dark aura got repulsed, only the aura around the Cardinal himself and his private army still there.

"What..." Not believing his eyes, the Cardinal furiously witnessed his black magic getting nullified.

"YOU! WHAT DID YOU DO?!" questioned the Cardinal has he pointed at the Queen, who had let out a tiny breath of relief.

"Me? Nothing, this..." said the Queen as she patted her chest where the amulet was shining. "...is nothing more than a little present given to me by a friend of the crown."

...................................................................................................................................................

In the room lent to him by Lady Planter, Maximilian was actively working. After a very pleasant bath with a flower he had met there, he had gone right to his room, feeling revived by this small pause. There, he had immediately started to work.

*This Cardinal used cursing magic several times already, it is almost certain he will use it again tomorrow, be it directly to attack or simply to play with other's mind. I will be fine, but the others may be in danger... I can make some protection for them! * Thought Maximilian after a minute or two.

He focused on the first one, adjusting the details to be sure everything was fine.

The thing was simple, a stone amulet with a string necklace. Nothing fancy, but it didn't need to be fancy in the first place. On it, he pictured runes allowing him to stock holy magic in it. The amulet would have two functions, a shield against dark energy, and a healing aura if the one wearing it was on the verge of death.

*It won't last eternally, though. If it heals the one wearing it, it will shatter right after. I wished I could stock more mana in it, but it would be too risky, the thing could explode...that would be counterproductive.*

He finished the first one and observed it, scanned it, tested it to be sure it was working as he wanted it to.

*Perfect! Now all I need to do is to create enough to give as much to our allies as possible... counting everyone, it means I must make more than five hundred of those things... this is going to be a long night. I wish I could use what I thought of with the director earlier, but who knows if nothing would happen while I'm gone... No, I have to work with the time I have. *

He sat on the ground, crossed his legs, joined his hands and closed his eyes. All around him, an aura of magic appeared and dust came from outside, by the window. Maximilian had soon realised that if he had used the stones of the building around him to work, the Flower Treasure Chest could very well have crumbled before tomorrow.

He had worked for nearly half an hour when a slight knocked at the door broke the silent noise of his work.

"Come in." said the man without opening his eyes.

Feeling two similar energies entering his room, he easily guessed who it was.

"What can I do for you, ladies?"

The elf twins looked around the room at the several amulets already made.

"What is..."

"...all this?"

*They complete each other's sentences? Funny...*

"A little something that will help us tomorrow." said Maximilian as he finished another amulet.

"What do..."

"...they do?"

"Wanna see? Put one on."

The two put an amulet around their neck, the charm on the stone shining for a second.

"Holy energy..."

"...coming from inside."

Without a word, Maximilian smiled at their comment before he answered.

"It's a protection. The Cardinal can use dark energy, cursed magic. I made these to protect the Queen and her allies against it. It will also work as a last chance healing spell."

Taking the amulet in their fingers, the two looked at them, interested.

"Maximilian is a priest?"

"Look more like a fighter."

"I am not a priest, but I can use holy magic." explained Maximilian.

The two looked at each other and nodded before sitting in front of Maximilian, in the same position.

"Wanna look..."

"...can we?"

The request made Maximilian chuckle a bit.

"I don't mind, but...aren't you going to be bored?"

"No." said the two as one.

"We are mages."

"We love magic."

"We love to learn new magic..."

"...new spell."

"Maximilian uses runes."

"Maximilian is intriguing."

"Wanna look."

"Wanna hear."

"Wanna feel." concluded the two as one.

The fast way the two were talking had some kind of hypnotic effect Maximilian found cute.

"Alright, alright. If this is what you want, I don't have any objection. I guess you can help me a bit, take the amulets and put them in this bag once they are done." asked Maximilian as he presented them the Havenbag.

"Bag too small..."

"Amulets won't fit."

"They will, trust me."

Maximilian refocused on his amulet making, his aura enveloping him like golden flames once again. The two young elf girls looked at him without a single blink, not missing a second of his work.

Each time an amulet was done, the two elves took it and put it in the Havenbag.

Some time passed, the only sound in the room was the one made by the dust forming the amulets and the two elves putting them in the Havenbag. Each new amulet, the two ladies thought Maximilian would stop, too tired to continue. They were feeling the energy needed for each of those protective charms. But each time he surprised them by continuing his work, not even slowing down.

Several hours later, Maximilian was finally done.

As the two elves put the last amulet in the Havenbag, they didn't know what to say. They had witnessed a man doing, in mere hours, what should have taken weeks to accomplish. But before them, they had a man, a human, without a hint of exhaustion.

"Are you..."

"...not tired?"

Maximilian shook his head from left to right.

"Thank you for your concern. I'll be alright, I'll just need to sleep for a bit before tom...what are you doing?"

Like fireflies attracted to light, the two had come closer to him.

"Magic energy..."

"...still there."

The two were so close they were almost touching him, their faces mere centimetres from his.

As Maximilian opened his eyes, he saw the two set of shining eyes expectantly looking at him.

"Are you two feeling fine?" asked Maximilian, finding the girls' reaction a bit strange.

Their only response was to jump on him, each one with their head buried on a side of his neck like two cats in heat.

*What the hell?!* thought Maximilian.

"Magic energy pulse..."

"...exciting..."

The two managed to make him fall on his back as they pushed him with their entire body, still caressing his neck with their cheek.

"Ladies, aren't you overdoing it?" said Maximilian as he put a hand on them to slightly push them away, only to feel their body heat.

*Wow! Talking about feeling hot...is that how elves feel like when they are excited?*

The feeling of the two young and pretty-looking ladies was far from bothering. The two looked young, but not 'too young'.

*Okay they looked like they're eighteen at most, but...*

"Wait wait wait, just a second." said Maximilian as he managed to hold the two nudging girls away just a bit.

"Something wrong?"

"Not pretty?"

The two were just adorable with their sparkling demanding eyes.

"You two are really beautiful, but I have to ask you something. How old are you?"

The two seemed surprised by the question, looking at each other before looking back at him.

"One hundred and thirty-five years old, why?" answered the two as one.

"Just to be sure." quickly answered Maximilian as he let them get close once again, this time accepting them completely.

..................................................................................................................................................

"And it works? Really?"

When Maximilian had explained what were the amulets for, the Prince had been dubious, looking at the charm in his hand with the corner of his eyes.

"Yep, that will be useful. Wear it around your neck for this battle or you may very well be affected by the Cardinal's black magic." explained Maximilian.

The Queen and Princess Arima had already put their amulet on, just like Kitsu and the rainbow guard right after. When they saw the elf twins wearing them, Lady Planter and her Flowers imitated them.

"But...how come you already have some, you two?" questioned Lady Poppy.

"Maximilian gave..."

"...last night in the bedroom."

"Last night in the bed...no, don't tell me..." said Poppy as she understood.

Lavender, Buttercup and Borage chuckled.

"Who would have thought. Those two are far more ferocious than they look." commented Lavander.

"You're right, if I had to bet on who among us would lay with him first, I must admit they wouldn't have been my first choice." admitted Buttercup.

"I guess Sir Maximilian has a thing for elves, there is nothing we can do about that." added Borage, a discreet sorry look on her face.

"Flowers. Now isn't the time to speak about that." commented the Queen before turning her eyes back on Maximilian.

"Sir Nilmerus, will those amulets be able to resist the Cardinal's power for long?"

Maximilian explained how the amulets would work, their exact role and when those wearing them should expect the charm to break.

"Like we planned, I'll leave for now. We will be there when you need us, your Majesty." concluded Maximilian after he was sure everyone had understood. The Prince and oldest Princess accepted to wear the protection too after their Mother and Sister encouraged them to.

"Before I go, Lady Borage."

"Yes? What is it?" asked the birdkin, surprised by the man's attention.

"I don't have a thing for elves, but for beautiful women...I don't care what race they are...or the colour of their feathers." said the man with a smile for the bird lady right before he teleported.

"My my, seems like you still have a chance..." taunted Lavender as she nudged at her friend’s hip, the birdkin woman blushing a tiny bit.

"Flowering maidens..." mumbled Poppy as she went back to her preparation.

...................................................................................................................................................

"So your little charms protect you from dark magic? Very well, let's see how they will protect you against blades and arrows." said the Cardinal with a smirk.

Lifting his staff to get the crowd's attention, the man spoke loudly once again.

"FIGHTERS OF THE HOLY BLOOD! RAISE YOUR WEAPONS! DESTROY THE DEMONS! DESTROY THEM ALL!!!"

From all around the central place, sounds of weapons being taken out could be heard. A roar echoed all around the platform as the nearly two hundred members of the Humaster guild arrived from every street around, pushing through the crowd to reach the centre where the Cardinal and the royal family were.

"See those brave men? They will gladly take your life, even without any black magic being used. And they are not the only one..."

With a simple gesture, the Cardinal signalled the inquisition forces to move, the guards and inquisitors quickly advanced while the royal guards, dispatched on the place, were following the orders.

"It's true, Cardinal, you have many men and women on your side. Some you have deceived, some you have bought. Some of them, I'm sure, are on your side willingly." stated the Queen in a determined tone.

The Cardinal forces were nearly at the Platform, only a few metres apart now.

"You can kill us today, Cardinal, but it won't make you King. You will always be seen as a traitor to the crown." taunted the Prince.

The Cardinal forces stopped a metre away from the platform, the crowd pushed behind the Humaster guild and the soldiers while the inquisition forces were massed on the side.

The inquisition leader laughed a bit, amused by the Prince's words.

"A king? Why would I want to be a King, foolish young man? I already have more power than what the crown could offer..." said the fat man as he took something from under his long dress.

The Queen's group gasped as they recognised the coat of arms.

"I have to admit it was a good idea to hide it with the maids' belonging, it took me time to find it. But that's not a bad thing, it gave me the time to obtain this..."

From his sleeve, the man took out a small phial filled with a red liquid.

"Blood? What are you going to do with it? Only royal blood can be used with the coat of arms." stated the Queen.

"That's why I had to ask for someone's help, she was happy to help me with my plan. And now, all that's missing is the blood of another member of the royal family..."

With those words, the Cardinal turned to face the King. One of the black paladins slightly cut the feeble man's finger, dropping some blood on the coat of arms while the Cardinal was emptying the flask on it too, a mad grin on his face.

"And now..."

The Cardinal lifted the coat of arms above his head, shouting at the sky as well as to the crowd.

"SEE THE COAT OF ARMS OF GRIFFINIA! SEE THE ROYAL BLOOD ON IT! BY THE ANCIENT PACT OF THE OLD BEARERS Of THE CROWN, I SUMMONED THE GREAT GRIFFIN!!!"

The voice echoed as the crowd stopped emitting any noise. The sky, which hadn't stopped getting darker and darker, finally cracked with a tremendous red thunderbolt that hit the coat of arms once, twice, thrice, then stopped. A heavy silence fell on the central place for a second, the sky entirely covered by black clouds.

Then, passing through the clouds like it would have with an egg shell, a gigantic black clawed paw emerged from the clouds. Slowly, as if the clouds were the hardest wall there was, the creature got out of the sky, falling down like a gigantic ball of black fur and feathers. At the last moment, wings as long as the houses deployed, destroying several roofs as they did.

The creature landed on its four lion legs and looked around, the blood-red eyes seeing the people around as nothing more than insects it would have been easy to step on.

Its black fur and feathers had red nerves pulsating on them, a dark aura coming from the gigantic griffin.

The Queen and her group, as well as the people on her side in the crowd, looked at the horrifying monster the Cardinal had summoned, the man laughing madly.

"YES! YES!!! SEE? THE MAGNIFICENT GREAT GRIFFIN ANSWERED MY CALL! SEE HOW THE GODS THEMSELVES SIDE WITH ME!!!" shouted the man, victorious.

All around the platform, people began to chant the prayer once again, more and more siding with the Cardinal.

The Prince went to his Mother's side, worried.

"Mother, is that...?"

The Queen didn't know how to answer her son. She wanted to reassure him, tell him it wasn't what he thought it was, but how could she? Facing the thing itself, she was paralysed by fear.

*We're doomed...* thought the Queen.

"THAT'S NOT THE GREAT GRIFFIN!!!"

A voice echoed on the central place. But it didn't come from the Cardinal, nor did it come from the Queen.

All eyes stopped on Arima, the youngest Princess who had stepped further, placing herself between the two group. Pointing at the Cardinal, she continued to shout.

"I KNOW HOW THE GREAT GRIFFIN IS! HE IS A SYMBOL OF COURAGE, OF GREATNESS, OF GOOD! THIS IS A MONSTER YOU CREATED, CARDINAL!" accused the young one.

The Cardinal smirked, not feeling any threat from the Princess.

"Stupid child trying to speak to adults, can't you see the truth? I have won! The purity won't be stopped anymore and..."

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH YOU FAT FAKER!!!" shouted the Princess, red with anger, surprising everyone.

"YOU POISONED FATHER'S MIND! YOU KILLED INNOCENTS! YOU THREATENED US ALL! YOU ARE THE DEMON HERE!!!"

"ENOUGH!"

The Cardinal hit the ground with his staff, sending a wave of magic against Princess Arima. At the last second, Menthe and Framboise blocked it using their large shield.

"Freaking beasts...enough is enough, your death will be the proclamation of my reign. GREAT GRIFFIN! KILL THEM!!!"

The Cardinal pointed at the Queen's group, sentencing them to death.

The Great Griffin turned its gigantic lion face to the Queen's group, showing its grey teeth as it started to growl, the ground shaking because of the sound.

"Arima!" called the Queen, extending a hand to catch her daughter, despair showing on her face.

"Princess, go back to your Mother, quick!" said the two catkins before her.

"No..."

The voice of the young Princess surprised everyone, even the Cardinal.

"Are you willing to die first? I don't think it will be a problem." Said the Cardinal as he raised the coat of arms.

Princess Arima was trembling a bit, but courageously stayed in place, the two catkins at her side.

"Arima..." her own mother didn't know how to react. Why was her young daughter acting like that?

"If...if I go now, this monster will kill the people we came to rescue. Mother! You told us you would fight for them! I will fight too....I will fight too!" repeated the young one, all the resolve she could master put in her voice.

The words of her daughter were like an electric shock to the Queen. Straightening herself, she came next to her daughter, putting a hand on Arima's shoulder and smiling at her.

"Forgive me, Arima, for I almost let despair win me over."

Lifting her head to address the monster directly, the Queen spoke, the same resolve as her daughter in her voice.

"My daughter is right! The royal family will stand for the kingdom. No one, no false churchman nor monster will make us flee. I am the Queen...AND I WILL FIGHT!" finished the Queen in a resolved shout.

The Princess and Queen's amulets started to shine slightly, although the two didn't seem to notice.

"If my Mother and Sister are willing to fight, my place is on their side..." stated Katerina as she arrived beside her sister, also putting a hand on her shoulder.

"...I DON'T FEAR YOU! YOU'RE NOTHING MORE THAN A BIG MONSTER!" shouted the eldest daughter, her amulet starting to shine too.

"Those bitches piss me off, kill them!" ordered the Humaster guild leader to the nearest three crossbowmen who shot at them. The projectiles aimed at Katerina and the Queen were stopped by Framboise and Menthe. The one shot at Arima was stopped by her Brother's shield, the Prince standing before her.

"What kind of man would I be if I let my Mother and Sisters fight alone? I am the Prince of Griffinia, proud son of its King. I have the courage of my father..."

Like the others had done, he lifted his head. Taking his sword, he pointed at the Griffin.

"THE COURAGE TO FACE MONSTERS LIKE YOU!!!"

The rainbow guard appeared at their side as the Prince amulet started to shine too.

Right next to the Queen was Kitsu, her wand in hand ready to let the magic flow.

"We're at your side, your Majesty."

"Thank you Kitsu..." answered the Queen as she spoke to the crowd around the platform.

"Is this who you wish to follow? Is this man worthy in your eyes? Look at what he has summoned! He has betrayed the crown, the kingdom, ALL OF YOU!"

The Queen's words echoed around the central place, the chanted prayer far less loud.

"Don't you think the beast summoned by the Cardinal is looking a bit...dark?" questioned a commoner to some around him.

"Now that you mention it, I thought it looked a bit monstrous for a guardian sent by the gods." answered another one.

All around the place, doubt started to rise among people. The Cardinal saw it and had a rictus of hatred.

"ENOUGH! GREAT GRIFFIN, KILL THEM!!!"

The massive paw was raised, the monster preparing to attack.

"Your Majesty, I think it is time..." suggested Kitsu.

"You are right, Kitsu."

...................................................................................................................................................

"You won't be at our side?" asked the Queen, as surprised as disappointed by Maximilian's words.

"To be exact, I won't be on the platform with you all at first. It is not me the people have to see, but you. You must show them the royal family do not fear to show themselves. But be assured I won't be far, waiting for your signal, just like the others will wait for mine." answered Maximilian.

...................................................................................................................................................

The red eyes of the creature were filled with blood thirst, the will to kill was real.

"People of Griffinia! Soldiers, Nobles, Commoners! Every each of you, hear my words." stated the Queen, the chanted prayer finally stopping.

"Today is the day we have to fight! If today, we let the forces of darkness win, our kingdom will fall. I will fight, my family and friends will fight, who else?"

...................................................................................................................................................

"A signal?" questioned the Queen.

"That's right, a rallying shout by you, their Queen. A shout they will answer to with all their might, all their heart, showing the entire kingdom the royal family has allies she can count on."

"But...what kind of words would it be?" asked the Queen, not so much to Maximilian than to herself.

"That, your Majesty, is for you to decide. This is your fight, so it will be your rallying shout." answered Maximilian, waiting for her answer.

The Queen closed her eyes for a bit, thinking, then smiled as she opened them.

"I think I know what to say..."

...................................................................................................................................................

"WHO WILL FIGHT FOR GRIFFINIA WITH US?!!!" shouted the Queen as the monstrous paw fall on them, bringing death with her.

As it was going to touch them, the paw was blocked by a wall of light, acting like a protective bubble. It shined so brightly the ones nearest the platform had to protect their eyes.

As the light shined, hundreds of voices coming from around the central place, among the crowd, from the houses tops and others coming from the adjoining streets, all as one roared, all as one certainly could be heard out of the city, beyond the walls, all as one answered their Queen.

"FOR GRIFFINIAAAAA!!!"

The hooded figures in the crowd and on the houses tops threw away their capes, revealing equipped soldiers. The one among the crowd were armed with shields and swords, mace or even small spears, the ones on the houses tops with bows and crossbows. Alariel was on the top with the soldiers, while Arca was with her men on the ground.

Using the surprise to their advantage, the Queen's soldiers attacked right away, knowing perfectly well they would need every bit of advantage they could have.

Protecting himself against the light with a wall of dark energy, the Cardinal saw the Queen's allies revealing themselves and pointed at them.

"KILL THEM! KILL THE TRAITORS!!!"

The Cardinal army turned from the platform, getting in position while the people not ready to fight were fleeing to not get caught between the two forces.

As the light sustained, Everyone could see the man stopping the monster's paw with his hands up to create the wall of magic. Looking over his shoulder, Maximilian smiled for a second at the Queen.

"For Griffinia."

And he pushed back the gigantic paw in a flash, the Great Griffin jumping off the ground to prepare for another attack.

"Who are you? You who dare to oppose me?" asked the Cardinal, pointing at Maximilian with his staff while the surprise on his face was hardly hidden after he saw a single man able to push back the Great Griffin.

"A friend of the crown you so desperately try to destroy." simply answered Maximilian before turning to face the Queen's group.

"I'll take care of the Great Griffin, you take care of things here."

The Queen nodded and Maximilian jumped in the Griffin's direction, the beast using its large wings to move into the sky with a surprising grace for its size.

"It...IT DOESN'T CHANGE A THING! MY ARMY WILL DESTROY YOUR PATHETIC GROUP OF FEW SOLDIERS!!!" taunted the Cardinal as his troops moved to surround the Queen's allies.

"SEE? SEE HOW MY MEN ARE FAR MORE NUMEROUS THAN YOURS? THEY WILL FIGHT THREE OR FOUR AGAINST ONE, HOW CAN YOU EVEN THINK OF WINNING?!" continued to taunt the fat man, encouraging his side at the same time.

He wasn't lying, the Guardians' group was far less numerous and if it was not for the fleeing civilian, they would already have been surrounded. The crowd was quickly leaving the place, the one still there knowing perfectly well hell was going to break loose.

"You are right, Cardinal, my group isn't as numerous as yours." agreed the Queen.

The fat churchman chuckled.

"It's too late to admit defeat..."

"Oh but I wasn't admitting defeat, only agreeing we should even the forces. Kitsu!"

At her Queen's word, the foxlady raised her wand, sending a fireball high into the sky.

"FOR GRIFFINIA!!!"

Another group shouted their support to the Queen, the group of slaves and soldiers coming from the slaves' level, led by the Chancellor, Kodiaki and the two tall beastkin bear and dog. They arrived from behind the surrounding Cardinal's forces, attacking them in the back. They weren't the most organised nor the best-equipped troops you could dream of, but they were numerous, they were fed, and they had a lot of pent-up rage from the years of abuse by the very same men they were now fighting, the guild of Humaster.

...................................................................................................................................................

The humans from the guild didn't expect them at all. Not only because they would have never thought slaves would dare to take arms, but the group sent to kill them the day before should have dealt with them long ago.

"WHY ARE THEY HERE?!" shouted the Humaster leader as he parried an attack from the Chancellor, the heavy man gifted with a sword and trained since years ago.

"Because you made several mistakes!" answered the man as he attacked.

"You thought we would flee!" he hit once and was parried.

"You thought we would let ourselves be killed!" he parried an attack from the guild leader, the dagger thrown at him hitting his shield before falling on the ground.

"You send a hunting group as if we were scared animals!" He pushed the man back, his large shoulder thrusting hard against the guild leader.

"You sided with the Cardinal and let yourself be corrupted!" said the Chancellor as the guild leader threw one of the dark energy filled daggers at him, the weapon blocked by the amulet magic protection.

"And finally, YOU BETRAYED THE KINGDOM!!!" ended the Chancellor in a shout, hitting the man hard with his shield, knocking him down.

The man tried to get up, only to have his heart pierced by a spear handled by Kodiaki.

"What are you..." started to ask the Chancellor.

"I don't want to risk him becoming a metal giant like the other." simply explained the beargirl.

The Chancellor simply nodded before attacking another member of the guild.

...................................................................................................................................................

"SLAVES?! WHY IS THIS FILTH ON THE UPPER LEVEL?! PALADINS! PURGE THIS PLACE!!!" shouted the Cardinal, outraged.

The inquisition forces started to move forward, the tall black armours readying their weapon, preparing a massacre.

"Kitsu..." simply said the Queen with a cunning smile.

"As you wish, your Majesty." answered the foxlady as she raised her wand once again, this time sending an ice arrow flying.

The Cardinal saw that and turned to face his paladins battalion, unable to do anything but to witness what he thought wasn't possible, more troops of the Queen were arriving.

..................................................................................................................................................

"That's the signal, Inquisitor!" said a young trainee posted on a roof, pointing at the ice arrow in the sky.

"It's about fucking time!" cursed Queritch as he stretched, making his old body cracked a bit.

"IS EVERYONE READY?" asked the old fighter in a shout.

With him were all the peoples who were locked in the inquisition cells before, but not only. Among the younger troops were able family members and friends, ready to fight, as well as old fighters, paladins and inquisitors, dressed in white equipment like Queritch was. The white inquisition members had answered their old friend's call without the shadow of a doubt, more than happy to avenge their lost brothers and sisters. To be able to tell their companions from the other members of the inquisition, everyone in the group harboured a white fabric on them, some had tied it to their head, other on their arm, each one clearly visible to avoid any mistake in the melee. One of the white paladins, an old black man with grey hair, several days unshaved grey beard and a huge scar on the side of his face, growled a bit as he adjusted his armour.

"This armour became tighter with time..."

"Or you came to love food and beer a bit too much..." taunted one of his inquisitor companions, making both of them laugh.

"You're right, my wife is going to scold me when I see her." laughed the man.

"How can they be so calm? Aren't we going to fight black Paladins? What if we die?" asked a trainee to another one, not understanding their elders.

"That's because they know we can die today, they have to laugh as much as they can, they had their last meal before coming here too. They are ready to give their life for what they believe in."

The one who answered the trainee was Milne, she and Nilem were checking their equipment one last time before the fight.

"Inquisitor Milne? How are you so sure of that?"

"Do you see the black man? His wife was a white Paladin too, she died while on a mission, probably killed by the new Inquisition."

"But he just said he's going to see her s...oh..." the trainee understood and nodded.

"He is not the only white Inquisition member who has lost a loved one, all of them have. But today they will fight till death."

"Are you too ready to fight until you die?" asked the trainee, worried about what was coming.

Milne thought for a second and looked at her sister before answering.

"No...I'm going to fight so I can live."

"ALRIGHT, YOU ALL! THE WHITE INQUISITION WILL LEAD THE ATTACK! FOLLOW US, FIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER AND DON'T LET THEM SURROUND YOU! AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING..."

The inquisitor leader pulled out his sword and lifted it up, showing the way to his companions.

"BE SURE TO STAY ALIVE!!!"

...................................................................................................................................................

"WHITE INQUISITION, FOR GLORY!" shouted Queritch, leading the assault.

"FOR THE LIGHT!!!" answered the others in a roar, following the old inquisitor as they attacked the black paladin from the side, hitting hard on their flank.

"No, no, no, no, NO!!!" raged the Cardinal.

"Is there a problem, Cardinal? Don't tell me you thought we would let you do as you please." said the Queen, facing the churchman with her group.

"You...YOU CROWNED WHORE!!! PILGRIM! DO YOUR DUTY, KILL THEM!" ordered the Cardinal in a roar, outraged.

The tall silhouette climbed on the platform as the Cardinal went down, followed by the two paladins still carrying the King.

"You won't go away!" shouted the Prince as he dashed to go after the Cardinal.

"Not so fast, little Prince."

Pilgrim talked in a deep voice as he raised his massive sword, the Prince jumped back just in time to evade the killing blow.

"My son! Rainbow guard!"

Hearing their Queen's order, the rainbow guard attacked, the two large shield staying behind to protect the royal family.

Citron and Raisin shoot their arrows one after the other, but the projectiles were not able to pierce the black armour, covering every centimetre of the man's body like a carapace. Mandarine, Cerise and Myrtille were fast, attacking Pilgrim from every angle. But, as if the attacks were nothing, the tall armoured man laughed.

"Your attacks are meaningless against my power."

Raising his gauntleted hand, he made a broad gesture before him, sweeping the catkins on the side like they were nothing. Using their agility to land on their feet, the three catkins attacked once again, their brothers using all their arrows to try and find a weakness, anything that could help them.

"Your Majesty! You should retreat!" Suggested Citron, realising like his brother and sisters they would not be able to stop Pilgrim.

"We must stay, it is our role, our duty..." said the Queen, but was stopped by Kitsu's hand on her shoulder.

"My Queen, think of your children. Let us do our duty, we swore to protect you."

"But...alright, we will go." accepted the Queen.

Hearing that, Arima quickly went to the wood-pile where the non-humans were still attached.

"Arima!" called the Prince as he went after her.

"Brother, we must help them! Please!" asked Arima as she tried to untie an injured dwarf from a pole.

"Arima, get back...I'll handle it." said the Prince, pushing his sister away. He used his sword to cut the ropes and set the prisoner free.

"Can you move?" asked the Prince.

"Yes, thank you, Your Majesty." thanked the dwarf.

"Take this, help me set the others free!" ordered the Prince as he gave the dwarf a dagger from his belt.

"I'll help too." stated Katerina, running for the nearest pole.

Acting quickly, they set the prisoner free while the rainbow guard managed to hold the tall figure back, even if just a bit.

"Now go! And don't look behind, do you hear me?!" said Kitsu as she raised her wand, a magic circle appearing around her.

"I can fight too!" stated the Prince.

"Then protect your Mother and Sisters!" retorted Kitsu, chasing the Prince away from the Platform.

"Kitsu...this is not a farewell, do you hear me?" said the Queen as she walked away.

"I truly hope so, your Highness." answered the foxlady as she fired a magic missile against the black armour who brushed it off, laughing out loud.

*...I truly hope so...*

...................................................................................................................................................

In the sky, Maximilian was chasing the Great Griffin. The gigantic beast was moving at an impressive speed for its size, and it was far more powerful than what Maximilian had fought until now.

*This beast is level 100, no wonder it is powerful. And in the air, I'm not exactly in my element.*

Once or twice, the gigantic beast had launched an attack from afar, sending him a wind blade powerful enough to cut houses in two. With his arms bothered by his quickly made wings, Maximilian had a hard time evading the spells.

After some time, it stopped to face him, keeping its distance nonetheless.

"You have realised I'm stronger than you, isn't that right? That's why you constantly fly away so I don't reach you."

The beast only looked at him, not emitting a sound other than its wings flapping.

"Nothing to say? Well, then..."

Maximilian dashed at the beast, aiming for its face. As he got close, Maximilian could have sworn he saw the Griffin smile.

At the last moment, the gigantic beast opened its mouth wide. From it came a ball of black goo, one metre diametral, with dark energy running through it.

*What the hell!!*

Evading the attack at the last moment, Maximilian felt the projectile passing right next to him, the bad sensation emanating from it strong enough to bother him even with the difference in level.

*Wow, that thing is bad, really bad.*

Using its wings to fly back, the Great Griffin started to spit other black balls of goo, one after the other.

Easily evading them, Maximilian managed to get near the beast.

*It is strong but its aim isn't good at all, it's almost as if he wasn't aiming at me or....!*

Looking down, he saw the black balls had fallen everywhere in the city, on upper and lower levels, but the most of them were around the central place. Some of them had already killed peoples and soldiers from both sides as they had fallen on them.

*Shit! I have to stop this thing!*

The beast opened its mouth once again, but Maximilian quickly used a water spell, blocking its mouth.

The monster tried to take the water off with its large paws but soon focused more on getting away from Maximilian, still trying to catch it.

"COME BACK HERE!" shouted the man, irritated.

...................................................................................................................................................

"It can't be, IT SIMPLY CANNOT BE!!!" raged the Cardinal as he was currently putting distance between him and the central place.

"How did this bitch managed to get so much support? How can she have organised all this? Where did she find those protections? WHO IS THIS FUCKER MESSING WITH 'MY' GRIFFIN!!!" shouted the man at the sky where Maximilian was currently pursuing the black monster.

As he looked up, the Cardinal saw the black ball falling down on him at a very fast speed, too fast actually.

Taking his staff with two hands, the Cardinal let the Coat of Arms fall down, the metallic artefact hitting the ground several times, stopping a few metres away from him.

"NO!!! I WON'T DIE LIKE THIS!!!" shouted the man as he raised his dark energy protection right before the ball hit him, covering his spheric shield with black goo.

"This stupid animal can't even aim?!" growled the man, focusing his magic on his protection.

To his surprise, he saw the goo starting to eat away his shield. He put more power into it, but the thing was simply too strong.

"No..."

The man opened his eyes wide as a drop of the goo fell on him, burning a hole in his dress and flesh.

"This was supposed to be my day..." plaintively said the fat man as more drops started to fall around him.

*It still can...* echoed a voice in his head.

The voice was sounding a lot like what a melting person would sound like, something unsettling about it would have sent shivers down the bravest warrior's spine.

As the voice echoed, dark energy started to emanate from the pendant around the Cardinal's neck.

"My God? Why is this happening? Why is the Griffin attacking me?" asked the Cardinal like a child would have asked his mother why things were not going his way.

*Fool...the present of corruption bestowed upon you changed the Great Griffin, destroyed the greatest symbol of good this country had... But you underestimated the will of those fighting for the light...*

"But...BUT YOU PROMISED ME POWER!!!" shouted the fat man as more drops were falling on him, slowly eating his body.

*DO NOT DARE TO RAISE YOUR VOICE AGAINST ME, MORTAL!!!* Shouted the voice in his mind, shaking the man so deep he fell on his knees.

*But...I am going to give you one last gift...swallow the black heart around your neck.*

"The pendant? Why?"

*It will give you more power than you can wish for, you will become my avatar, my envelope. Swallow the black heart and cast away your soul, your weakness...*

"But...my free will..."

* DO AS I SAY OR BE DESTROYED BY THE MONSTER YOU SUMMONED, YOU FOOL!!!*

The man closed his eyes, tears of frustration falling down his fat face.

"It was supposed to be my day..." pitifully cried the man before tearing the pendant off his neck and swallowing it.

As the thing disappeared in his throat, a tremendous pain came from his guts, heart and head. Dropping his staff because of the pain, the black goo fell on him, quickly hushing up the man's cries.

...................................................................................................................................................

Outside of the protective bubble, the two Paladins hadn't moved, like puppets waiting for their Master to pull the strings, still carrying the King.

The black goo had entirely covered the Cardinal, his body forming an unmoving bump under the black matter.

After several minutes, the bump rose, the person under the goo standing up. Slowly, the goo stopped spreading and started to accumulate around and on the body. The goo started to disappear, assimilated by the form under it. Once the goo was gone, the Cardinal stood there for a bit, his church dress replaced by a pitch black one with a black heart representation on it. Looking around him with his black and red eyes surrounded by black nerves, he took a deep breath, laughing with the same voice that came from the pendant.

"Finally, the mortal land...Now I have to create more soldiers, more pawns to start my reign..."

Looking at his hand, he slightly cut his palm with one of his long black nails, black goo oozing from the wound.

Letting drops of goo fall on the ground, the Cardinal stepped back a bit.

"Rise!" said the man as he pointed at the drops.

Each drop started to boil, expanding quickly. They formed puddles from which started to emerged forms. Deformed silhouettes at first, the things quickly took humanoid shapes, some sort of semi-human being made of solidified black goo. They didn't have hands, but outgrowth shaped like blades. Their heads twitching every now and then like they had spasms, they slightly bowed to their master, little noises like insects coming from them.

"Go...search the goo, breed, multiply. Then come back to me." ordered the man to the black being who raised their head to sniff the air before running in every direction.

The Cardinal approached the two paladins and simply touched them, some of the goo inside him going into the black armours. The two had spasms for a second or two before stopping their movements, awaiting orders.

"It is time to go back..." simply said the man as he went back to the central place. Extending his hand, black goo came from him and formed a new staff, this time with a pulsating black heart in place of the church of Carendar symbol.

...................................................................................................................................................

On the central place, things were going well for the Queen's forces. Their surprise attack coupled with the protective amulets allow them to win the advantage, slowly outnumbering the Cardinal's forces, shaken by their leader's retreat.

Some had died, of course. Numerous slaves were down, next to soldiers who had bravely fought until the end, standing back even when they should have died, only to kill one or two more before being killed once again, this time the amulet having no power left. Humans and non-humans fighting and dying next to each other, the Queen's forces were giving all they had.

On the platform, though, the situation wasn't going so well. Pilgrim was unstoppable, the rainbow guard and Kitsu having trouble even slowing him down.

Citron and Raisin, out of arrows, were running around the Platform to take back the ones they had already shot that could be shot once again, even if they knew they wouldn't have any effect.

Kitsu had tried several spells, but none had any effect.

"Mouahahahaha! is that all? Is that all you can do, inferior animals?" taunted Pilgrim, enjoying the moment.

Relentlessly attacking, the catkins were getting pushed back, the injuries on their body taken care of by the amulets, but not the fatigue.

Cerise, trying to pierce Pilgrim's neck, thrust her weapon, only to have her attack deviated by one of the massive gauntlets. Destabilise for a second, she didn't see the massive hand coming for her neck. Lifted off the ground by the hand on her throat, she had to let go of her weapon, desperately trying to make Pilgrim let go.

"Come on, little kitty...try to scream, just for me..." said the tall armour with a chuckle.

"STONE WALL!"

From the ground right behind Pilgrim's arm came a wall of stone. Hitting the arm hard, it managed to make the armour let go.

"What is that!?" exclaimed Pilgrim, stepping back in surprise for the first time since the beginning of the fight.

"TAKE THAT!" shouted a voice from behind the armoured man.

Turning around, he had to look up to see who was talking to him. From a nearby rooftop came a wind arrow, against which he just had time to defend, his arm shaking a bit against the shock.

"WHO DARES?!" shouted Pilgrim.

He looked at the young girl with long white hair aiming at him from the rooftop, a wind arrow already reappearing on her bow.

"I dare!"

The one who talked wasn't the girl on the roof, but someone under him. As he looked down, he saw a young woman with green eyes he could have sworn he had already seen. Using her spear, she thrust up, missing his chin by a centimetre, but deeply scratching his helmet.

"YOU LITTLE...!!"

Pilgrim tried to hit the girl under him but received a hard hit on the back, a tall man armed with a battle hammer using both his hand to put as much force in his hit as possible. The man was strong, clearly, strong enough to shake the tall armour long enough for the woman and him to step back, pulling Cerise back with them.

Screaming in rage, Pilgrim turned to face the group, now having three new members, the white hair girl having quickly rejoined them.

"You dared to touch me? Me, the next stage of evolution!!! I'm going to..."

A wind arrow hit him right in the forehead, knocking his head back. He wasn't hurt, but the shock on the helmet had the willed result, it shut him up.

"You talk too much." simply said Octavia.

...................................................................................................................................................

At the principal gates of the city, some guards were there, still guarding even with all that was happening.

"What do you think is going on right now, Captain?"

"Hell if I know! But with the mess they're making, I sure am happy to be guarding the door right now."

"Captain! Look!" said one of the guards as he pointed at the road.

Turning to look at what it was, the man opened his eyes wide as he recognised the holy symbol of Carendar. Making way for the men and women in armour, the guards quickly put a knee on the ground as the paladins passed the door.

...................................................................................................................................................

In the middle of the fights, Arca noticed something. Fighting an old white inquisitor, a black Paladin was using a big sword...her big sword.

Not wasting time, she finished the humaster guild member she was facing before running in the paladin's direction.

Queritch had a hard time against the black paladin. The man was tired, injured and was facing a full-armoured man handling a sword far too heavy for the old inquisitor to resist.

"What's the matter, old man, are you giving up?" taunted the black paladin with a laugh.

"If it means I won't have to hear your voice anymore, it's freaking tempting." retorted the old man, assuming his fighting position once again.

"If it is silence you wish for, let me help you with that!" exclaimed the paladin as he raised his arms, the heavy sword behind him.

For a second, the inquisitor really wondered how he was gonna defend against the upcoming attack, but the attack didn't come. The black Paladin couldn't hit, the sword refusing to come back from behind him as if something was blocking it.

"What the..."

The paladin turned to see what was happening, only to face a ferociously smiling Arca.

"I'll take this back, thank you!" said the semi-orc as she threw a heavy punch on the man's face, luckily for him protected by a helmet, sending him back and letting the sword go.

"Good punch." complimented Queritch.

"Thanks. Leave this one to me, I have something to settle with him." asked Arca without leaving a choice the white inquisitor.

"I'm not gonna argue with you on that. I'll go help the others." accepted Queritch before going away to help his white inquisition companions.

"You stole my sword, you're gonna regret this." said Arca to the Paladin as he shook his head.

When the man looked at her, he froze for a second.

"You! How can this be? You should be dead!"

"Do I know you?" asked Arca, afraid what she thought could be the truth.

"If you know me? I TOOK YOUR FREAKING ARM! How is it still there?" questioned the man, pointing at the sword handling body part.

As he confirmed what she thought, a hot wave of pleasure run along her spine, making the semi-orc straightened herself.

*I couldn't have wished for more...*

She threw him the sword she had brought, keeping her sword.

"I was famished, unequipped and tired. Wanna see how I do when I'm nourished, equipped and rested?" asked Arca with a feral smile to the paladin as he caught the sword.

"Don't make me laugh, monster. I vanquished you last time, this time won't be any different!" said the man as he dashed in her direction, aiming for her head.

Finally having her own weapon back, she parried the attack easily, using the man's momentum to it him in the chest, slightly bending the armour.

The man put a hand where she had touched, coughing loudly. Arca made her sword turn in her hands, a satisfied smile on her face.

"Come, Paladin, Strambor wishes to have a word with you!" stated the semi-orc as she pointed her blade at the paladin.

...................................................................................................................................................

On one of the roofs, Alariel was carefully observing the battleground, spell ready.

From the beginning, her role had been to seek the spellcasters from the opposite forces and to take care of them. The Humaster guild had a dozen mages in their ranks, more than happy to use their magic on non-humans.

Each time she was finding one, she didn't give them a chance, attacking them and killing them one by one.

Among the commoners and adventurers present when the hostilities had begun, several had chosen a camp, siding with or against the Queen.

Among the adventurers were several mages, some of them fighting against each other, hoping for a reward when the fight would be over. Those confrontations were easily noticeable because of the spells flying, killing more people around the mages than the mages themselves.

As mage, they knew they had to be careful not to get too close to the melee fighters, and some of them were using their magic to do so, but at the same time they were like moving target for Alariel, quickly catching on who was to be dealt with or not.

One of the mages from the Humaster guild was going to launch an attack on Arca from behind, but Alariel quickly disposed of him, receiving a thanking nod from her friend as she did so.

*This is such a mess. Those amulets are a blessing, without them, we would have already lost. But with them, we could very well have a ch... what are those things?*

From the roof, she was high enough to have a good sight of her surroundings. It was thanks to that she was able to notice the strange creatures running in the streets and on the roofs, going through the city at high speed.

*Strange things...*

"Scan."

Scanning one of the creatures, she had an unpleasant shiver running down her spine.

*Demonic being?! And they have no level? How can this be? I have to warn the others before...*

She was interrupted in her thoughts by a fireball passing right next to her head. A mage from the Humaster guild, visibly stronger than the others, seemed to be willing to avenge his fallen friends.

"It seems like I will have to take care of you first..." said the elf has she launched her magic attack on her enemy.

...................................................................................................................................................

On the platform, things were going a tiny bit better than before, thanks to Lin-Lin and Octavia's intervention. Binvo, his level not high enough to be a threat to Pilgrim, had been sent after the royal family to protect them.

A strange thing had happened, the two girls had been able to damage Pilgrim's armour, even if just a bit.

"How can your futile attack even touch?! My armour is protected by the Cardinal's blessing." wondered Pilgrim out loud.

"Your Cardinal may have enchanted your armour, but..."

Making her spear quickly turned in her hand, Lin-Lin pointed it at him while Octavia prepared a new arrow.

"...Maximilian enchanted our weapon himself, and he is far more powerful than your Cardinal will ever be!"

Pointing his sword at the two girls, red eyes shining behind his helmet, Pilgrim breathed in sharply as he heard the man's name.

"That name! THAT MAN! So you two are friends of his? Very well, it will be even more pleasurable to kill you, to torture you..."

"You can always try!" answered the two girls as one.

"DON'T MIND IF I DO!!!" shouted the tall armoured man as he attacked, Lin-Lin and Octavia evading the falling blade that broke the platform ground in one hit.

Octavia jumped high, shooting her wind arrow right on the back of the man's helmet, the force of the hit making the helmet fly.

Under the helmet, Ratman's face was still there but white as a corpse, covered by black nerves made of goo, his eyes black with a red iris.

"How dare you..." deeply growled Pilgrim as he sent a death glare to Octavia.

When she saw the man's face, Lin-Lin froze for a second, her hand going to her chest.

"You!" said the disguised Pandagirl.

Looking at her, Pilgrim wasn't recognising her at all.

"I don't know you..." said Pilgrim.

"Oh yes, you know me..." said Lin-Lin as she took off her ring of masquerade, quickly retrieving her normal beastkin appearance.

"...YOU TORTURED ME!" shouted the pandagirl, rage in her voice and fury in her eyes, the emeralds looking at the black armoured man, burning with hatred.

As he saw the true appearance of the beastkin, Pilgrim had a flash of understanding in his eyes.

"You...no, you were different back then..."

"I evolved, thanks to Maximilian. Now, I can give you what you deserve!" said the beastgirl has she held her spear handle even tighter.

Pilgrim laughed as he heard her.

"What I deserve? As if you had nearly enough power to do so...YOU'RE NOTHING MORE THAN A CREATURE WHOM A HUMAN TOOK PITY FROM!!!" shouted Pilgrim as he pulled back his sword from the wood.

"She isn't pitiful..."

Octavia arrived next to Lin-Lin, the same hatred as her friend in her eyes.

That made Pilgrim laughed even more.

"I'm terrified! A puny human girl and a beastkin uniting their forces. You two make me wanna puke!" taunted the man as he spat on the floor.

Octavia breathed in slowly, disdainfully looking at the man.

"If being a human means be like you, I'm proud to say I am not a human."

Octavia looked at Lin-Lin for a second and, receiving a nod from her friend, also took off her ring. The rainbow guard and Kitsu, the only ones really able to see what was going on, took a step back as Octavia revealed her true form, readying her bow.

"Spider? How come you're here? I thought your kind was only crawling in the dark, waiting for a prey to devour?" taunted Pilgrim.

"I have a prey..." answered the arachne.

The wind arrow flew, barely parried by Pilgrim with his sword.

"Me? Me! YOU TAKE ME FOR A PREY, ME WHO IS SUPERIOR TO YOU IN EVERY WAY?!" roared the man as dark energy start to flow around him. Raising his sword, he smirked at the two.

"Let me show you...DARK WAVE!"

Waving his sword before him, Pilgrim created a crescent, black and covered with purple flashes of lightning. The crescent dashed in the girls' direction.

Jumping on the side, Lin-Lin started to run around, trying to get behind Pilgrim. Octavia easily jumped above the attack, shooting her arrow at the man who parried it.

"Your attacks are nothing!"

Turning around, he swung his sword, creating another dark wave that hit Lin-Lin who screamed in pain.

"LIN-LIN!!!" shouted Octavia.

Luckily for her, the amulet protected her from the dark energy, but the force pushed her back nonetheless, making her roll on the ground.

Taking back his helmet, Pilgrim put it back on, the gooey texture definitively attaching it to him this time.

"Done already? I thought you would be a bit stronger than that..."

"I'm...not done yet..." said Lin-Lin as she stood up, pointing at him with her spear once again.

"Good, now you're going to suffer!"

...................................................................................................................................................

The Queen and her family were trying to go away from the fight, knowing Kitsu and the rainbow guard wouldn't be able to stop the tall armoured man.

"Where should we go? The Flower Treasure chest?" proposed Katerina.

"It's too far, we should...what is that?!"

The royal family was facing one of the black figures created by the Cardinal, its head twitching as it looked in their direction.

"Stay behind me!" ordered the Prince as he raised his shield and readied his sword, not taking his eyes off the creature.

"I'll help!" stated Katerina, raising the bow she had taken with her before leaving her hiding place that day.

"YOU! STEP ASIDE AND LET US PASS!" ordered the Prince.

In response, the creature opened its gooey mouth and let out an ear-splitting scream, several windows around exploding.

Katerina, surprised by the noise, let go of her arrow, the projectile going straight for the creature. It received it right in the mouth, by chance or not, no one knew. The scream stopped, replaced by gargling noises.

Surprising the royal family, the creature didn't fall. The arrow piercing its throat, the black figure dashed in Katarina's diction, blades up. The Prince stepped before his sister, hitting his shield hard against the creature. Surprised by the savage strength it had, the Prince got slightly pushed back.

Regaining his balance, Alberic managed to push the creature back, swinging his sword to try and kill it.

Crossing its two blades before its face, the black figure stopped the attack, looking at the Prince while its head continued to twitch.

"What kind of monster are you?" wondered the Prince out loud.

Using its high strength, the creature pushed the Prince back, making him step back once again. This time, though, the creature didn't leave him time to regain his balance, jumping on him and making him fall.

Positioned on the Prince, the creature prepared the fatal attack, raising the blades above its head.

"NO!" roared Binvo as his hammer's bashed against the creature's head's side, sending it flying on the side before violently crashing into the wall and then falling on the ground.

When he saw the creature twitching again, Binvo ran to it and hit its head hard once, twice, thrice, a good dozen times before finally stopping, panting hard as he looked at the completely destroyed head of the creature.

"Thank you, Sir. You arrived just in time to...WATCH OUT!"

Binvo had turned to face the talking Prince when the creature's beheaded body rose once again, swinging its two blades without any aim in the air.

By reflexes, Binvo stepped back, protecting himself with his hands. The creature blades brushed against his arms and hands, injuring them. Then, after a few seconds, the creature's body started twitching severely as it started to boil. A flash of understanding passed in Binvo's eyes and he ran to the Queen and the Princesses, protecting them with his massive body while the Prince raised his shield. In a loud detonation, the creature exploded, parts of its body flying like shrapnel.

The Prince hissed as he took out a piece from his shoulder. Looking at his shield, he saw the fine equipment was covered in black pieces strong as metal and cutting like a razor thrust into it.

*I was lucky.*

"Mother, Sister, are you al...?!" enquired the Prince as he turned to look at them, stopping in his sentence when he saw the scene.

Binvo, while protecting against the blades, had his ring cut by the creature. Looking his normal self, the minotaur had used his body as a shield to protect the three ladies, his back was covered with the black pieces of metal.

A lot of them had been stopped by his armour, but others had pierced his flesh, making his blood flow out.

Looking at the three wide-eyed women in front of him, Binvo asked.

"You, okay?"

As they nodded, Binvo smiled at them and closed his eyes.

"Good. Maximilian say protect, Binvo do well..." said the massive minotaur as he fell on the side, his large body making a deep noise as it hit the floor.

"Sir!" exclaimed Arima, rushing to his side and kneeling near him.

"Arima, he could be dangerous." hesitated the Prince.

"Brother! He saved you and he knows Maximilian, help him!" ordered Arima with a surprising authority.

Her brother, already almost convinced, didn't need more information and came behind Binvo, studying his back.

"He has several pieces in his flesh, we must take them out. Does he have an amulet?" asked Alberic.

"He does." answered Katerina, kneeling next to her sister.

"Very well then..."

The Prince quickly took out the long pieces of metal from the minotaur's body, making Binvo roared in pain. The amulet around his neck shined brightly and shattered while his injuries healed.

"Thank you..." said Binvo as he sat, stretching a bit.

"No, thank you for helping us. You took the hit directly to protect us, we owe you our lives." thankfully stated the Queen.

"What is your name, Sir?" asked Arima, her head raised to look at the minotaur in the eyes.

"Binvo..." answered the minotaur as he looked at his massive three-fingers hand. Realising he had taken back his normal appearance, he looked around and saw the destroyed ring of masquerade on the ground.

He quickly looked at the weapons in the Princess and Prince's hands and defensively raised his hands.

"Binvo not bad! Binvo monster but Binvo nice!" hurriedly stated the tall minotaur.

Surprised by his reaction, the Queen quickly understood and asked her children to put away their weapons.

"You are a friend of Maximilian, right?" asked Alexandria.

"Yes! Maximilian is Binvo friend!" proudly said Binvo.

"Why are you here then? Shouldn't you be at his side?" questioned the Prince.

Binvo shook his head.

"No. Plan is: Maximilian fight big Griffin, us protect you."

"Us? Are you not alone?"

Once again, Binvo shook his head.

"No. Lin-Lin and Octavia fight big black armour near pit wood pile."

"Wood pile...you mean the fire?" asked the youngest Princess."

Binvo nodded.

"Yes. Lin-Lin and Octavia help cats of colours and fox of gold. They say Binvo run and help Queen and family of Queen, so Binvo run and help."

"Those two girls you talk about are helping the rainbow guard and Kitsu? How strong are they? Can they win?" asked Katerina, quickly asking her question one after the other.

Right then, a green flash of magic came from the central place, strong enough to be felt from where they were.

Pointing at it, Binvo smiled.

"Binvo know energy. This, Lin-Lin."

...................................................................................................................................................

The rainbow guard was helping the two girls as much as they could, distracting Pilgrim so the two could lend their attacks as well as possible.

Kitsu, experienced fighter like she was, knew perfectly well that if she wanted to hurt Pilgrim, she had to focus. Using the time given to her by the rainbow guard, she was focusing all the mana she had to launch one powerful attack.

*I must be careful. If I miss or if I lose control of this spell, I could very well kill half the people here, and not necessarily the good ones...*

Octavia had used all her mana and was now doing something on the side, her hands and two front spider legs working on her bow.

Lin-Lin, teeth showing in rage, was hitting and turning around Pilgrim, slightly damaging his armour. But as if the armour herself was a living being, the damages were slowly repairing themselves, making any killing blow impossible.

"ENOUGH!!!" finally shouted Pilgrim as he planted his sword in the ground, creating a dark wave all around him. If the amulets managed to protect the ones around from the dark energy, the force of the wave pushed them back nonetheless, the violence of the hit coupled with the cumulated tiredness more than enough to finally put down the rainbow guard, their amulets, as well as Octavia, Lin-Lin and Kitsu's, vanishing as they saved them from the dark energy one last time. Lin-Lin fell on her knees, tired.

A silence fell on the platform for a second, Pilgrim disdainfully looking around him as his armour slowly reformed around him.

"Haven't you understood yet? I'M INVINCIBLE! I'M THE INCARNATION OF A NEW AGE! YOU LOT ARE NOTHING MORE THAN A DISAPPEARING RACE! MONSTER I'LL BE HAPPY TO DESTROY!!!" laughed the man, mad with power too great for him.

Looking at the kneeling pandagirl, he chuckled as he took back his sword, walking to her.

"And you..."

Taking his sword with two hands, he lifted it above his head, preparing the killing blow.

"...WILL BE THE FIRST ONE! LET'S SEE HOW YOUR DEAR MAXIMILIAN WILL REACT TO YOUR DEAD BODY!"

At that moment, Octavia, who was aiming at Pilgrim with her bow, let go of a specially made arrow of condensed web. The arrow hit the man's hands and attached them to the ground behind him, forming a column of web fixing him in place.

"WHAT THE!!!"

Slowly standing up, Lin-Lin was still looking down.

"You tortured me. You hurt me so much I thought I was going to die. You were going to kill me back in the dungeon too...each time I was saved, now it's my turn..."

On her side, Kitsu was ready. Aiming her wand at Pilgrim's chest, she let go of a condensed mana arrow. Flying at an impressive speed, the projectile hit the man's plastron, shattering it. Under the black armour, the goo was still there, moving around like a thousand nightmarish worms.

In her hands, the runes on Lin-Lin's spear started to shine green.

"In the end, meeting you was nothing more than a tribulation..."

Taking a step back and slightly crouching, Lin-Lin looked at him in the eyes, two emeralds shining more than ever as her mana was pouring in her weapon.

"That's why Maximilian gave him to me..."

"Him?" asked Pilgrim, not understanding.

"TRIBULATION'S BREAKER!!!" shouted the pandagirl as she thrust her weapon.

The spear head, covered by a layer of green energy, stopped against the worms for approximately two seconds, just enough time to let Pilgrim think her attack had failed. Then, crushing the worms and piercing the flesh, Lin-Lin's weapon literally skewered Pilgrim's body.

"DIE!!!" shouted the beastkin as a flash of green energy fell from the sky on her weapon, sending green flashes in her enemy's body.

Pilgrim screamed in agony as his body shook around violently for a good minute. Then, as if his body was burning from the inside, his flesh and armour started to turn to ashes, beginning from the flesh right around the spear.

"How?...I was supposed to be...invincible..." weakly asked the man, not believing he could have lost.

"They gave you good equipment, but inside, you were still Ratman...you never could have won against us." said Lin-Lin while Octavia came next to her.

"The Cardinal...is too powerful for you..." said Pilgrim. Half of his body was no more.

"Maybe...but not for him..." said the two girls as they pointed at the sky.

Looking up, Pilgrim fell on his back as the web shattered, Maximilian facing the Great Griffin was the last thing he saw before completely turning to ashes.

...................................................................................................................................................

Away from the central place, Talel was gathering around peoples. Her friends and friends of those friends, commoners and some adventurers, humans and non-humans.

"We cannot let the Queen fight alone! If the Cardinal win, all will be lost!"

"Talel, you know we want to help, but it's the Inquisition and soldiers we're talking about. How do you expect us to fight against them?" said a friend of the tall woman.

"We are not the only one fighting! Soldiers are on our side, the white Inquisition too! If you have to fight for a day, then it is today!"

A clapping sound made everyone turn around. Seeing the Paladins standing behind them, the people quickly stepped away, afraid of what they could do to them. The clapping sound came from a woman, calmly smiling at the amazon.

"A wonderful speech."

"You?!" exclaimed Talel, her eyes opening wide.

...................................................................................................................................................

While he was pursuing the flying monster, Maximilian felt Lin-Lin’s energy as the green flash fell from the sky. Looking down, he saw the two girls had won their fight.

*I knew they would be alright...what the hell are those things?!*

Focused on the Great Griffin, he hadn't noticed the black creatures running around the city. Now, three or four hundred black silhouettes were converging to the central place where the fight seemed to still be going.

*Are those made by the goo spit by the griffin?*

Looking back at the black flying monster, Maximilian realised by the look it gave him all this was on purpose, his monstrous mouth showing a beastly smile.

"Oh you freaking flying cat! That's it, I'm fed up with you!!"

Stopping the pursue, Maximilian flew higher, a lot higher and, turning with a backflip, he let his wings disappeared. With his hands now free, he let himself fall, focusing on his hands and pointing them at the big monster who had started to go away once again.

"Not this time! MAGIC ARROWS!!!" shouted Maximilian.

Magic circles appeared before his hands and, like a volley of a thousand bowmen, shining arrows flew at the Griffin, pursuing it at a speed far superior to its.

The beast barely had the time to turn its head to look at what was coming when the attack hit, a thousand projectiles piercing its skin and flesh.

The Great Griffin roared in pain and, because its wings were simply unusable after the attack, it started to fall, directly above the central place.

"I'M NOT DONE YET!" shouted the falling man as he made several gestures with his hands, still aiming at the falling monster.

The arrows, deeply embedded in the monster's flesh, turned bright red for a second, making the beast's roar of pain even louder.

Then, in less time than it took for it to reach the ground, its body was incinerated, the beast literally burned alive.

*Done. Too bad, I wanted to keep the usable parts...Now that I think about it, it's an invocation, is it even possible? Well, there's no use wasting time thinking about it now, let's find the Queen to stop this madness down there. So, where is she...? There, coming back with Binvo and the rest of her family, good. What about the Cardinal? I felt something strange about him earlier but I was too busy with the Griffin to really look into it and...oh... *

Maximilian had found the Cardinal, at least what was the Cardinal now. The energy emanating from the man was so different it was clear to Maximilian this wasn't the same person, that and the numerous, really numerous black humanoid monsters following him.

*That's...a freaking good opportunity! Quick, the Queen!* Thought Maximilian before dashing in the royal family direction.

...................................................................................................................................................

"What's the matter? Already tired?" taunted Arca.

"You...YOU WHORE!" insulted the Paladin as he attacked once again.

His black armour was almost completely destroyed, bent in every direction, the metal deeply cut by the magically enhanced semi-orc's blade.

"Come on, I barely touched you, don't tell me this is all a strong Paladin like you can do?" said Arca as she played a bit with her big sword.

"I'M GONNA TORN YOU APART YOU FUCKING MON... AAAARGH!!!"

Mid-sentence, Arca had dashed, passing next to the man and landing a single attack.

"That's for my arm..." calmly said the green skin woman as the Paladin's arm fell on the ground, blood profusely flowing out. He turned just in time to see her passing next to him again, cutting his other arm.

"That's for the brave men you killed..."

The man fell on his knees, the tiredness and blood loss quickly making him lose consciousness. The last thing he saw was the semi-orc turning on herself, swinging her heavy sword and beheading him.

"And that is for Paron!"

...................................................................................................................................................

The Cardinal and his newly made army were advancing to the central place. A satisfied smile on his face, the 'man' felt the presence of his creations behind him.

*Perfect, this black griffin spit enough for me to create this small army, with her I'll be able to easily decimate what is left of the two sides, then this whole city will see the beginning of a new era, my era!* thought the black army leader with a chuckle.

One or two big explosions of magic detonated, then almost no noise came from the central place.

*And judging by the absence of fighting noises, there shouldn't be too much of them left.*

"It's almost too easy! Advance!" laughed the man out loud.

Going before him, his rank of monsters quickly advanced to the central place.

A quarter of an hour later, arriving at the central street, the Cardinal was a bit surprised not to hear the screams of pain and supplications for mercy. He arrived behind his ranks, the monsters had stopped, not making a single step further.

"What are you doing? Advance!"

The monsters didn't move. Wondering what could be stopping his black army, the Cardinal passed between his creature. Leaving the King behind, he stepped before his troops.

"What is going on here? Why have you st..."

The Cardinal stopped mid-sentence, watching the scene before him.

...................................................................................................................................................

Let's go a bit more than a quarter of an hour back in time.

Maximilian brought back the royal family to the platform, hurrying them just a bit. He had checked Binvo on the way, making sure his minotaur friend would be fine.

"Binvo sorry, break ring." apologised Binvo.

"It's nothing, I'm glad you're okay. Good job protecting the royal family." answered Maximilian.

As they arrived on the platform, Maximilian could see the humaster guild was as good as destroyed, no members were still standing and the others had fled. The black paladins were still fighting, for the most part, as well as soldiers. Inquisition guards and black inquisitors were dead or too injured to fight now. As the royal family was arriving, Maximilian quickly enquired about Lin-Lin and Octavia, making sure they were alright.

"I saw your last attack, marvellous." complimented Maximilian to a blushing Lin-Lin.

"And you, Octavia, great idea, this condensed web, well-done you two."

He quickly turned to the Queen and explained the situation.

"We don't have a lot of time, something is coming with an army of those black things like the one you faced earlier."

"How many?" asked the Prince.

"Several hundred I would say."

"So many..." said the Queen, tired of this situation.

"If they attack now, we will die. Look at our forces, they are tired and still busy fighting, they would be decimated." observed the Queen.

"That's why we need to end this fight now. You need to take advantage of the fact the Cardinal is no more."

"He is dead?"

"The thing coming has his body, but...yeah, it's not the Cardinal in there." answered Maximilian.

The Queen smirked for a second.

"Well...everything isn't going so bad after all..sorry, that was unnecessary." quickly apologised the Queen.

"I understand, but let's hurry." said Maximilian as he advanced a bit on the Platform.

*If I want us to have a tiny bit of advantage in this, let's make sure they don't hear us...*

He raised a hand and launched several bubbles in the sky. They flew high before blowing up, the sound echoing far in the city. It had three effects, getting everyone's attention, muting the sounds for anyone outside the central place to hear and making holy magic fall on the central place.

"I'll make this quick.." spoke Maximilian in a strong voice, making sure everyone would listen.

"The Cardinal has lied, to you all!" started Maximilian, using holy magic to fight the Cardinal's indoctrination.

"The Queen and her family have fought for you, all this time they tried to protect you all from his actions. Now he is revealing his true self! As I speak, the Cardinal is marching in our direction, leading an army of monsters, black fiends whose sole purpose is to destroy you all."

Even with the indoctrination slowly going away, the forces of the Cardinal still standing let their indignation be heard.

"LIES! You only are scared because you know our reinforcements are arriving! You serve the demon Queen, the Cardinal told us so!"

Showing the royal family with a hand gesture, Maximilian continued.

"Really? Do they look like demons to you? Can you honestly tell me they look more demonic than the creature summoned by the Cardinal?"

"How can we be sure? They could be hiding their true nature!" answered another man in the crowd.

"I think I may be able to help you all."

From the other side of the central place, numerous Paladins were watching the crowd, followed by commoners in arms who had come to help them.

The Paladins weren't black nor white, those were equipped with golden armours, the holy flame of Carendar pictured on their chest and large almond shaped shield. Their swords were in their scabbards, each paladin had a long spear their high strength allowed them to use with one hand while protecting themselves behind their shield. Another difference was that their helmet, while covering the back, sides and upper part of their head, let their faces be seen.

Before them was Talel, armed with a sword even bigger than Arca's. The amazon was equipped with an old armour, the one she probably used to wear when she was an adventuress. At her side was a thin and tall middle-aged human woman, dressed like a nun, but more richly. Her pure white robe had been slightly reinforced by a golden chainmail, the holy flame of Carendar on her chest like the Paladins and a long staff in her hand. The staff looked a lot like the one the Cardinal used to have, but in place of a fist, it was an open hand with a real burning flame on it that ended the staff. Her hair were covered by a veil, also pure white, completely hiding them. From her emanate a feeling of purity, holiness, something only a true saint could make peoples around feel.

"Holy Maria!" exclaimed peoples around, quickly putting a knee on the ground, soon imitated by everyone on the central place as the woman advanced, her aura of holy magic acting like a light in the night among those peoples.

The Paladins followed her, just like Talel did.

With people making way for them, they quickly reach the platform, Maria using the stairs to come near the group on it. The servants of the Queen and her children put a knee on the ground like the commoners, soldiers and nobles had done a few seconds before. The Queen, apparently the same level of hierarchy as the Holy woman, politely bowed nonetheless. For his part, Maximilian did like the Queen while his companions put a knee on the ground (excepted for Octavia who bowed too, not by disrespect but because she simply had no knees...).

"What a pleasure to see you again, Queen Alexandria." amicably greeted Maria.

"Lady Maria, your presence honour us." answered the Queen.

"Although I have to question your perfect timing." said Maximilian, not paying attention to the frowning captain of the Paladin protecting Maria.

"Understand that I am grateful for your presence, seeing how the Queen seems relieved and all, but how did you know?"

"That would be because of me."

Coming from another street, Lady Planter, followed by her flowers and several men in armour, arrived.

"Who are those men?" asked Maximilian.

"Mercenaries kindly offered to me and my flowers by some Nobles who would have loved to be here but could not. They would hate to see one of us pretty flowers be hurt in the fight." explained Lady Planter with a slight laugh.

"Nobles, seriously?"

"Why do you think we arrived just now? The girls and I made sure the Queen would not have to fear an attack from the Nobles."

"Should I ask how?"

"No, you shouldn't" answered the lady with a charming smile.

"Alright, I won't. You said you were the reason why Lady Maria and the company of the golden nugget other there are here?" asked Maximilian, feeling the displeased look of the Paladins on him.

"Indeed. Knowing perfectly well the Cardinal would have blocked any message for Maria, I sent a certain little bird to bring her the message in my name." explained Planter as she showed Lady Borage who slightly bowed to the Queen, Maria and Maximilian.

"It was a pleasure to serve." said Lady Borage with a polite bow.

"Okay, I'm convinced. Lady Maria, do you think you can make them all understand Queen Alexandria is not the bad one in this story?" asked Maximilian.

"I can show them the truth. How they decide to accept it, only Carendar knows." calmly answered Lady Maria before she faced the waiting crowd.

She hit the ground with her staff once, the flame on the said staff shining white.

"By the holy flame bestowed upon me by Carendar himself, I will judge here the heart and soul of Queen Alexandria. You all, believers and followers of the Holy flame, be the witnesses of this trial, may his light guide us in the dark!"

"May his light guide us in the dark!" answered the crowd as one.

*That's a good orator we've got here.* thought Maximilian as he silently watched the saint woman act.

Maria came before Queen Alexandria, the two stood before the crowd so everyone could see.

"Queen Alexandria..." began Maria as she pointed the flaming end of her staff to her.

"Present your hand in this holy flame. Like Carendar wanted her to, she warms up the pure hearts and destroy the fiends."

Sure of herself, the Queen put her hand in the flame, the fire didn't burn her flesh.

Maria smiled at her and face the crowd once again.

"Once again, the Queen has passed the test. For the second time, she has been able to pass her hand in the fire of Carendar without any suffering. I judged her the day the crown was bestowed upon her, and that day also, she proved me her heart and soul were pure. People of Griffinia, you have been deceived by those willing to take other the kingdom. Alexandria..."

Maria showed the Queen as she advanced.

"...is your Queen, by the crown on her head and the light in her heart!" ended the woman.

A silence fell on the crowd for a second or two, then a sound of metal falling on the ground echoed.

Everyone looked at the paladin who had just dropped his sword without a word, surrendering.

"If it is Holy Maria's word, how could I doubt them?"

Following their companion's example, the black paladins and soldiers dropped their weapons, admitting defeat.

All the men and women who were fighting on the Cardinal's side surrendered, the tension on the central place slightly diminishing.

Maria sighed, relieved.

"Is it alright for you to sigh?" innocently asked Maximilian.

The saint woman chuckled a bit.

"I'm only happy my words touched them, it is a relief to see this madness had finally come to an end."

"I'm sorry to be the bad news bringer, but you're wrong."

Maximilian quickly explained Maria what was going on, how another army was coming and would be on them soon.

"That's horrible! And those poor people...look at them, they barely can stand anymore, how are they supposed to fight?" wondered the woman out loud.

"They will listen to you. Make them fight, I will heal them."

Maria seemed dubious.

"Healing them? How so? I am a holy magic user and even me could not be able to heal everyone in time."

"Act like you are, some gesture with your staff, make the flame change colour or something, make them believe you are the one healing them, they won't question it, you're a Saint. I'll handle the magic part."

Seeing Maria hesitating for a second, the Queen convinced her to trust Maximilian. She was quickly joined by Kitsu, Planter and Talel.

"Alright, if these four have that much faith in you, I'll trust their judgement."

Maria hit the floor with her staff several times, getting the crowd attention.

"Brave souls of Griffinia, hear my words! this fight is over, but I'm afraid I have to ask you the impossible. I have to ask you all to fight once again!"

Good orator, Maria explained how demons were coming, how everyone had to fight together, united to survive. In the end, before the desperate look of the injured and tired fighters before her, Maria quickly looked for a second at Maximilian, then made the flame on her staff glow brighter.

While everyone was looking at the Saint woman, Maximilian stepped back a bit, out of view. He raised his hands, creating a golden fireball. In it, he gathered holy magic, enough to heal everyone in the central place. The spell was costly in mana, even for him, taking half his mana pool away in one go. Once done, he simply threw the golden fireball above the central place, people following the magic projectile that seemed to come from Maria. The fireball exploded without a sound, liberating a golden rain that poured on everyone, rapidly closing their injuries. The holy magic falling on the Prince and Binvo made the black pieces of metal turned to dust, disappearing in the wind.

*So this thing is very sensible to holy magic, good to know...* thought Maximilian.

Once done, Maximilian discretely came back next to Maria who, even with a very good sense of public appearance, had trouble keeping her Pokerface on.

"What is this spell?" questioned the Saint woman.

"I thought I could call it 'Maria's miracle', but the name can still change."

"You...are a strange man."

"I heard that a lot. What do you say we get these good people in position before hell comes to us?"

...................................................................................................................................................

"And I thought everyone would be dead, how surprising..."

The black Cardinal looked at the armed crowd in front of him. Multiple ranks of soldiers, bowmen and crossbowmen with the last few living mages on the roofs. Before the soldiers, forming a literal metallic wall, the Paladins, be it the golden, blacks or whites, had united to create a wall of shields and spears. If they should fail at holding the line, the Soldiers, slaves, commoners and adventurers behind them were ready to attack.

Before Griffinia troops were the Queen and her followers with Maria, the flame of her staff burning brightly. Maria was the one who had held the black monsters line away, a wall of light blocking their path.

Visibly not impressed by the people in front of him, the black Cardinal laughed a bit, the sounds he made sending shivers down almost everyone's spine.

"Let's see how long your little resistance can hold against my attacks..."

The man pointed at the row of paladins. A ball of black energy formed and dashed in their direction. The black energy ball hit Maria's wall, then another one, and another one. The Cardinal was launching attack after attack, powerful spells launched like it was nothing. Maria held her shield well, but it finally gave up, the black energy ball shattering it.

"And now..."

Focusing a bit, the Cardinal launched another ball, twice the size of the others. As it was going to hit, a wall of light blocked the attack, making it simply disappeared.

This time, a bit of surprise passed on the man's face for a second.

"Intriguing. Who among you insects is able to stop my magic?" calmly asked the man.

"That would be me."

Maximilian's voice didn't come from the resistant ranks, but from behind the Cardinal's forces. Turning around, the Cardinal made his troops opened a way in their ranks by a single thought, wondering who could speak from behind him.

There, he saw Maximilian near two unconscious paladins, standing next to another man. Tall and strong, his long hair blacker than grey and his blue eyes shining with life once again, Aremik, King of Griffinia, looked like he had rejuvenated by ten years. The curse that was eating away his mind and body, his spirit and life, was gone, letting him take back what was rightfully his.

"Thank you for the diversion, Lady Maria." thanked Maximilian.

"It was a pleasure." answered the Saint Lady.

At Maximilian and the King's side arrived fifteen mages in armour, led by the academy Director. The royal mages were clearly something else, enchanted equipment, staff and sceptre in hand and a sword at their side, their head covered by a large hood representing a lion’s mane, all of them were ready to fight and got in position, circles of magic starting to appear, aimed at the monsters army.

"I received your message, how is the King?" enquired the old mage.

"See for yourself." Said Maximilian as he showed the monarch with a head gesture.

Stretching a bit like someone who had slept for too long, the King closed and opened his fists several times, checking if everything was there like it had to.

"I hope you don't mind, but I thought the King should be the one giving the order."

"The order?" questioned the Cardinal.

To answer him, the King, standing straight and proud like a King should, said a single word in a strong voice filled with as much authority for his men than hatred for the forces of evil before him.

"ATTAAAAACK!!!"

To their King's word, arrows, bolts and spells started to rain on the monster's army. Unknown to them, Maximilian used earth magic to immobilise the creatures, then holy magic coming from the ground to weaken as many as possible in one go.

*I should give them the satisfaction of defeating the monsters, let's show them fighting for the good people give them results.*

Weakened by Maximilian's magic, the creatures receiving the projectiles fell down, turning to dust.

Seeing that, the Cardinal's eyes burned red, hatred almost tangible around him.

"SEE THE POWER OF DARKNESS!!!"

He raised his staff up, a ball of dark energy forming as he was preparing to hit the floor.

"YOU INSECTS ARE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!"

The staff fall, but nothing happened.

"What!"

Preparing his attack once again, the black Cardinal hit the ground, but the ball of dark energy disappeared before it touched the ground.

The man was surprised, he didn't know what was happening, whom to blame for that, until a little whistle caught his attention.

Innocently smiling at him, Maximilian flipped him off.

"YOU? HOW?!"

Maximilian didn't bother answering him. The King, completely himself once again, took a sword from one of the fallen Paladins, making it turn in his hand.

"It's been too long...finally my body feels like mine again!"

"I think your men would be honoured to have their King lead the charge, your Majesty." suggested Maximilian with a slight pat on the man's shoulder. Discretely, he raised a magic shield around the King.

*It would be sad to let him die now.*

"You are right, Sir...how are you called?" questioned the King as he looked at Maximilian for a second.

"Maximilian Baltazard Van Nilmerus. It is a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Leave the courtliness for later, Maximilian. I don't know how, but you woke me up, come with me, let's send those monstrosities back to where they belong!" said the King, easily handling the massive Paladin's weapon.

"I wouldn't have said it better." answered Maximilian as he pulled out Falemgeril, his sword shining a bit in the daylight.

The bowmen and crossbowmen had fired all their arrows and bolts, the mages had mostly emptied their mana pool, altogether they had nearly destroyed half the monsters.

The King raised his sword and gave the order, charging with Maximilian at his side. On the other side of the monster army, the wall of shields and spears formed by the Paladins started to advance, quickly starting to run, hitting hard against the ranks of immobilised monsters.

Maximilian used holy magic to forbid the monster explosion. With that done, he let the army attack while he was slaughtering the monsters directly around him. Falemgeril was cutting through the monster's gooey flesh like it was nothing, the black figures falling four by four against his attacks.

Not far from him, the King was giving his all, letting out the pent-up frustration he had to endure for so long, locked in his own body. His rage made him stronger, but Maximilian's protection saved his life more than once.

The ladies of the army, the Queen and her children, Kitsu, Planter, Talel and Maria, stayed a bit behind with the mages, observing the action. The Queen was looking at someone in particular, though.

"Are you alright, Mother?" enquired Katerina as she saw a single tear falling down the Queen's cheek.

"Look, your Father..." answered the Queen, showing her husband fighting like he was young once again.

"My husband is finally back." stated the Queen, joy in her voice.

...................................................................................................................................................

Milne was in the melee, fighting her way to reach her target, the Cardinal.

*You bastard, you bastard, YOU BASTARD!* shouted the inquisitor in her head.

Since she had learned the truth, how the Cardinal had hurt and used her sister against her, she had one single idea in her mind: kill the bastard!

She evaded a monster attack and slashed it in two, furry enhancing her strength. Then, she saw him, the man responsible for all this madness. Not giving him any warning, she dashed into his back and thrust, her blade piercing the fat body.

"TAKE THAT!" roared the woman, a furious joy in her voice.

As if the blade in his body was nothing, the Cardinal turned around, resting his eyes on the very surprised Inquisitor.

"What's this? Did a mosquito sting me?"

Using his staff like a club, he hit Milne's side, projecting her down. Her body hit the ground hard and Milne had her breath taken away for a second. She just had time to turn on her back to see the Cardinal's foot coming down, crushing her arm.

She screamed, but it was almost unnoticeable among all the fights around.

"I'm going to crush this silly mosquito, one Limb..."

He stepped on her other arm, breaking it too.

"...By..."

Next was a leg.

"...LIMB!"

And then, the other leg.

Milne remembered right then, as if the Gods themselves wanted to show her the stupidity of her actions, that the amulet given to her earlier had already shattered, saving her after a blow to the head by a member of the Humaster guild.

The pain in her body was troubling her view, she thought about how idiot she had been, how her foolishness would take away the time she could have spent with her sister.

"Nilem..." mumbled the woman.

Smiling, the Cardinal lifted his foot, aiming for her head.

"And now, you die." stated the Cardinal.

The foot fell...and hit a stone wall.

"Octavia! Now!" shouted Lin-Lin.

The Cardinal had just the time to look up when a wind arrow hit him right in the chest, piercing it.

"What the..."

Not leaving him a second, Octavia shoot again, and again, and again, emptying her mana pool once again.

Maximilian had given her a mana potion earlier, helping her retrieving her energy, and she was using it all right now.

While the Cardinal was pushed back a bit by the Arachne's attacks, Lin-Lin pulled Milne back, getting her away from the Cardinal's reach.

"Lin-Lin! I'm empty!" warned Octavia.

The Cardinal looked at his body, looking a lot like a pincushion. More bothered than in pain, the Cardinal pulled out the projectiles from his body, letting out some goo. His injuries quickly closed, the man smirking at the beastgirls.

"Now it's my turn."

In a second, the smirked let place to an infuriated face of pure evil, madness and primal rage mixed together, a demonic face behind human flesh.

"YOU ARE GOING TO SEE WHAT AWAITS THOSE OPPOSING ME!!!"

His voice made the earth shake, stopping the fights around him.

Maximilian, who had stayed near the King during the fight, noticed who the Cardinal was talking to and immediately act.

The Cardinal raised his staff high, a massive ball of dark energy appearing at its base.

"DIE!!!"

The staff went down...but didn't touch the ground.

His hand on the Cardinal's staff, Maximilian was blocking the man's movement.

"How about no?"

The Cardinal tried to finish his attack, but couldn't. The black creatures, as well as Griffinia's army, had stopped the fight to observe what the dark army leader was going to do.

"Wanna see something cool?" asked Maximilian with a feral grin.

From the hand on the staff came a light, a golden energy that started to cover the magic weapon.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING? LET GO! LET GO!!!" ordered the Cardinal.

"Why? You wanted to launch an attack..."

The golden light reached the ball of dark energy, turning the darkness to light. Forcing the Cardinal to raise his hand, Maximilian almost lifted him off the ground.

"...LET'S LAUNCH IT THEN!!!" exclaimed Maximilian as he forcefully hit the ground, sending a massive wave of golden energy all around.

The attack passed through the forces of Griffinia, but destroyed the black goo monsters, the things turning to dust in an instant.

Once the light dissipated, all could see the black army was no more. Kneeling before Maximilian, his staff shattered, the corrupted Cardinal was looking at the sky, mouth and eyes wide open. From him exited black smoke that quickly flew away.

Frowning a bit, Maximilian looked around while the Cardinal's body fell to the ground.

"Is it over?" questioned a soldier to no one in particular, hoping someone could give him an answer.

"No, it's not." simply answered Maximilian, making everyone looking at him.

"What do you mean, Maximilian?" asked the King, curious.

"The Cardinal is down, doesn't that mean we've won?" asked a golden Paladin.

"The mastermind behind all this is still here...he was hiding in the Cardinal's body, but when he felt like he was going to lose, he left it, simple as that." answered Maximilian, still looking around.

"So, where is he now?" questioned the King, looking around too, like a lot of the soldiers.

"Around...I feel his energy, but I have some troubles clearly locating him."

"Me too, this is a very dark soul we are facing." added Maria, her eyes closed to focus, her staff shining.

Suddenly, a wave of dark energy came from the platform. Above it appeared a dark cloud that started to attract the dead bodies all around the central place.

"FOOL..."

A voice echoed, coming from everywhere at the same time, the same voice that had spoken to the Cardinal, the same spirit that was in his body moments ago. Some of the less experienced fighters fell on their knees, covering their ears in fear.

"...YOU THOUGHT THIS WAS OVER...BUT IT'S NOT..."

"I didn't think that..." said Maximilian, calmly approaching the platform.

The flesh from the bodies get torn apart, deformed, corrupted. The different bodies assembled, forming a massive being, at least five metres high.

The thing was fat, its enormous belly hanging so low it reached its knees, his arms ending with hands as big as an adult man.

The thing was made of dead flesh, and it showed, brown/green was his overall colour, his eyes were blood red, massive black horns coming from its head. His big yellow teeth hid a fat green tongue and a breath that could have killed by its smell alone.

Be it around its black nails, his eyes or in several places on its body, pus and rotten fluid were oozing out.

"...I AM DECAY, DEMON Of ROTTENNESS. AND THIS..."

Moving around one of his massive arms, the demon showed the place around.

"...IS MY NEW KINGDOM!"

The demon started to laugh, each sound made by him like a hammer hit on the weakest minds.

*As I thought, bosses always have a second form, that's classic.* thought Maximilian as he put back his sword, joining his hands and starting to focus as much holy magic as he could.

So focused on his speech, the demon wasn't even bothering to look down at Maximilian.

"NOW, BOW TO YOUR NEW KING! BOW TO DECAY AND EMBRACE THE ROTTENNESS!"

*The thing is level 120, I’d better put some effort into this attack, just in case...*

Maximilian's fist started to shine white, energy growing in it.

Finally, sensing something before him, the demon looked down, recognising immediately Maximilian.

"YOU? YOU CAN BEG ALL YOU WANT, IT IS TOO LATE TO BEG FOR MY..."

"HO FOR GOD'S SAKE, SHUT UP ALREADY!!!" shouted Maximilian, his voice at least as loud as the demon's, clearly surprising it.

"SHOW RESPECT TO YOUR KING, HUMAN!" roared the demon as he raised his massive fist.

The fist fell on Maximilian, only to be kicked back by the man.

"MY KING? MY ASS!!!" roared Maximilian in response, still charging his attack.

"YOU MANIPULATED EVERYONE! YOU MADE ALL THIS HAPPEN!" accused Maximilian.

"INDEED." answered the demon, his loud voice showing how proud he was of himself.

"MANY GOOD PEOPLES DIED BECAUSE OF YOU! YOU EVEN THREATENED THE ROYAL FAMILY!"

"AND IT WAS SO EASY TO DO." laughed the demon, his fat waving disgustingly.

"ALRIGHT THEN! THIS ONE IS FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE!"

"AND WHAT COULD YOU HOPE TO DO, PUNY HUMAN? I AM A DEMON, I AM A KING!!!"

"YOU WANT TO BE A KING? LET ME GIVE YOU A ROYAL JOURNEY BACK TO HELL!!!" shouted Maximilian, his attack finally ready.

Maximilian jumped from the ground, dashing at the demon.

"FOOLISH HUMAN!!!" roared the demon as he threw a punch.

Dashing at the monster Maximilian pulled his fist behind him.

"HOLY..."

As the demon's fist was gonna reach, Maximilian hit, throwing a punch that literally destroyed the demon's arm, Maximilian continuing to reach the monster's chest.

"...RETRIBUTION!!!"

...................................................................................................................................................

There was no sound.

The demon had shouted when he his arm got destroyed, but once Maximilian's attack hit, the people around the city could only see a pure white light shining so bright nothing on the central place could be seen for a moment, completely blinding everyone.

And as if the sound itself feared to be heard, total silence fell on Griffinia for a good minute.

The first sound they heard again were the steps of Maximilian coming from the platform as the light finally disappeared.

"What...was that?" asked Maria, barely able to speak.

*Okay, now if I don't want everyone to freak out, I should...I have an idea.*

Maximilian came before Maria and put a knee on the ground, bowing to the Saint woman.

"I thank you for your help, Lady Maria."

"My...help?" asked the woman, not understanding directly.

"Of course, the blessing you gave me and the spell you launched right as I was attacking, allowing me to defeat this monstrosity, was a real blessing. I couldn't do it without this miracle you cast." Stated Maximilian, explaining while playing the act.

Catching on, Maria straightened herself.

"I...I'm happy all went well, let's praise Carendar for his blessing, he who lent us his holy light to defeat the demon." stated the Lady out loud, convincing the peoples around.

Looking by the corner of his eyes, Maximilian saw his companions, the royal family and close friends understood his actions, not revealing the truth.

A scream made everyone turn around.

While everyone was looking at him, the Cardinal had stood up and was now holding Arima from behind, a dagger at her neck.

"ARIMA!" screamed the Queen, only then realising she was gone.

"SHUT UP, BITCH!" spit the Cardinal, his eyes looking around for a way to escape.

"Let her go this instant, Cardinal!" ordered Maria, her staff hitting the floor imperiously.

"I don't take order from you. Here is what's going to happen, you're going to send a carriage filled with gold, wine and food. I'm going to exit this place with this little bitch, and I'll let her go once we are out of sight, if one of you try something, I cut her throat open!" threatened the Cardinal.

"Princess Arima..." said Maximilian.

"YOU! EVERYTHING IS YOUR FAULT!" accused the Cardinal.

"...Do you still have the present I gave you in the dungeon? Now would be a good time to use it..." simply said Maximilian, not even bothering to look at the Cardinal.

Maximilian saw Arima had understood. She pulled out the Dagger he had offered her and thrust it in the man's leg, making him scream in pain. The sudden attack made the Cardinal let her go just enough. Before he had time to bring back the dagger against Arima's throat, the King himself caught his arm.

"Don't you dare touch my daughter!" said the King as he twisted the man's arm, breaking it.

The Cardinal screamed as he fell on his knees.

Pulling his daughter against him, the King turned his back to the Cardinal, walking away.

"You are banned from my kingdom, Elgan, be out of my sight in the next minute or face death with dignity." sentenced the King.

"GO TO HELL!!!" shouted the Cardinal as he stood up, running to the King to attack him in the back.

The prince, shield in hand, rammed into the man, projecting him back on the ground, his nose broken.

"ARG! FUCKER! SON OF A BITCH! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU ALL!!!"

With difficulty, Elgan stood up, only to receive a magnificent slap in the face from Katerina, the hit strong enough to shake the man's brain.

"That is something I dreamed of doing for a long time." stated the Princess.

"Daughter, this is not an appropriate way for a Princess to act." scolded the Queen as she stepped further.

Elgan chuckled a bit.

"That's right, stop acting like a tomboy for once in your life, be a good girl and find a noble to be knocked up by, that is all you're good for."

"On the other hand..." continued the Queen.

Stepping fast in the man's direction, she pulled her fist behind her head and punched Elgan's chin so hard the man lose a tooth or two before falling down once again.

All around her, cheers from the soldiers and the Paladins echoed.

"Good swing, Dear." complimented the King.

"Thank you, Dear." answered the Queen as she got at his side.

"Husband, although I know it is not how I normally speak, I have to remind you this man is still here, and the minute has long passed..." pointed the Queen, sentencing Elgan to death.

"Are you sure?" asked the King, looking at his wife to confirm she was sure of herself.

"The minute has passed since weeks ago in my case, Husband." confirmed the Queen.

The King nodded to the Queen and slightly pushed Arima on the side, stepping in Elgan's direction.

"No! Don't come any closer! I'M THE CARDINAL AND YOU WILL OBEY ME! ALL OF YOU SHOULD BE ON YOUR KNEES!!!"

"Good suggestion." admitted the King.

With a single gesture, the King called two soldiers who came and forced the Cardinal on his knees, head down.

"Cardinal Elgan, for your crime against Griffinia, you have been exiled. Seeing how you refused to accept your sentence, I have no choice but to proclaim your death..."

Raising his sword, the King placed himself on Elgan's side, the fat man shaking around, trying to get away with all the strength he still had, that is to say not much after the demon had left his body and mind.

"May your soul receives its rightful judgement."

And the blade fell, beheading the man responsible for all that had happened.

"Justice is served, glory to Griffinia." stated the King, solemn.

...................................................................................................................................................

Above the central place, far enough to not be seen nor felt, a head was watching the scene.

It was human but had no ears, they were replaced by bat wings that were quickly moving around, keeping the head in the air. Another strange thing was the number of eyes, a dozen of them had been added to it, in a surgical way as the numerous scars around them proved.

The thing in itself had no conscious nor free will, it was nothing more than a necrotic being, an artificial creature made by and for a necromancer. Its function was simple, it was there to be the eyes of the necromancer controlling it. It had no fighting abilities and was made to explode if caught by an enemy, simple as that.

Since the battle had begun, the creature had watched, observed and studied, while the necromancers controlling it shared the different eyes so they wouldn't miss anything.

The necromancers were not there, not in the city, but hidden in their lair, or, to be more precise, their Master's lair, where they had been called for, as the message said, a bothering illusionist.

Their Master was not there, though. He was locked in a special chamber to meditate, cultivate his dark energy, and was not to be bothered by anyone before he exited it.

Around the table made of bones, men and women hidden by black hoods and robes were looking...how to say this...a tiny bit worried.

"By the great calamity, what is this man?!" asked one of them out loud.

"That's some illusionist we've got there, truly a Master in his magic..." commented a woman.

"Illusionist? HE DESTROYED A DEMON!" shouted the man as he hit the table, revealing a hand so white it could have belonged to a corpse.

"Exactly, a demon." answered the woman with an amused laugh.

"What is so funny if you don't mind me asking?"

"The boastfulness of that human is what amuses me so much. He could have made everyone believe he brought some reinforcements or even that he had vanquished some paladins, but did you see it too? He tried to make us believe he was able to kill the Great Griffin AND a demon, alone, in a single day. Oh and let's not forget the army of darkness to make all this even better."

"And you think it cannot be possible?" asked the man.

"Mortals...so gullible...my dear young man, no mortal could have made what he showed us." stated the woman with another laugh.

"Young man? I have seen fifty-three winter pass, you idiot!" said the man as he pulled off his hood, revealing a face that seemed far older than what he had stated.

"And I've seen three thousand full moons, young man..." said the woman as she imitated the man, revealing a beauty with a skin as white as snow, black hair, red eyes and black nails some would say a bit too long if they were willing to see their heart taken off their chest.

"The black lady!" whispered some of the hooded figures, slightly bowing to the woman.

"Lady Noire! I'm sorry, I didn't..." quickly said the man as he respectfully bowed to her.

"You didn't know? That was to be expected, humans tend to know nothing." taunted the lady, looking around the table to see if anyone would be willing to answer her, but no one was even daring to look in her direction.

"Nothing to say? Very well, this reunion was a waste of time. Luckily for me, time is something I have in quantity."

The lady stood from her chair and gracefully walked out, disappearing in the dark. A heavy silence stayed on the table for a good minute before the man hit the table.

"Freaking monster! This woman is such a pain in the a...."

The man could not finish his sentence, a red line appeared around his neck, some blood started to flow from it before his head fell down, quickly followed by the man's body.

Focused on their companion's death, the people around the table didn't see the shadow leaving the room, following Noire.

Not even stopping, Lady Noire chuckled a bit.

"How amusing this mortal was, thinking some excuses could save his life. Did he suffered?"

The woman behind the vampire lady had a skin as white as her, long hair that seemed to be made of black silk, her forearms covered by black gloves made of silk, the same kind of fabric that covered her body.

"No, it was quick." answered the woman as she licked the blood on the almost invisible black string between her hands.

"Too bad...anyway, this reunion had at leats one interesting thing."

"What? I thought this man was nothing but an illusionist?"

"I don't care about the man, but one of his companions..." said Noire.

"His companions? What about them?"

Suddenly turning to face the woman, the vampire took her face between her hands and gave her a kiss, the kind you give a lover, not a friend.

"My dear Black Widow, I finally found it! The pure little one who will complete my collection!" happily said Noire.

"You mean..." said Black Widow once she could breathe again.

"Yes! a white Arachne!"

Turning to walk again, the vampire lady left her companion with a slight caress on the cheek.

"Come, my Black Widow, I'm in the mood for some of your...art."

Blushing a tiny bit, the tall woman followed her.

...................................................................................................................................................

"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

In another place, far away from Griffinia, was the demon's realm.

There, joy or hope were forbidden words, power was the only thing that mattered. There, you would find the most hideous, the most dangerous creatures your worst nightmare could make you see. The land itself was bloodthirsty, any plant growing there were poisonous and/or flesh-eating monsters, this scenery of desolation was punctuated by the Demon's capital, where was the dark castle, house of the most powerful demons.

It was in one of the numerous rooms of that very castle that a demon, entirely covered in thick scales and horns, was laughing out loud, his fist hitting a round black stone table.

"DEFEATED BY A HUMAN! IN ONE HIT! THIS IS SO FUNNY!!!" laughed the demon before taking a massive cup made with the skull of a monster, drinking wine so red you could have sworn it was blood.

"I don't find this funny, Hecatomb." said a ridiculously tiny Decay standing on the table.

"You have to admit the scene is comical, Decay..."

The one who had spoken was a gorgeous woman. Her body was the incarnation of sexiness, even the posture she naturally had while simply sitting was screaming 'take me', an order more than one man or woman would have gladly sold their soul to obey. Her golden/brown skin was covered by what could be taken for body painting of red scales, picturing very tightly on her voluptuous body a dress you could have seen worn by 'mistress' in sexual dungeons. Her long hair, going down her back, looked like a burning fire at least as hot as the desire she could make you feel. Her almond eyes, bloody red, showed an amused look on her desirable face as her bloody red lips took a sip from a golden cup.

"I know what it looks like, Lilith, thank you..." growled Decay.

A slight cough stopped their discussion. The three turned to another demon at the table.

This one looked more dignified, almost like a human gentleman, if it was not for the curved horns on his head and short white hair combed back. He had, before his yellow eyes, vision glasses made of black scales.

"You have something to say, Scheme?" asked Lilith.

"That's unusual for you." stated Hecatomb.

"Don't tell me you find my state funny too." said Decay.

"Your situation isn't my business, Decay." calmly stated Scheme.

"But more than vain discussion, I have a question: who is this human who managed to nearly destroyed one of us?"

"I heard his name was Maximilian Balta-something, I didn't pay attention back then."

"You should have, you would have, at least, brought us something valuable." stated Scheme as he readjusted his glasses.

"Anyway, the invasion of Griffinia will have to wait, we first need to find more information about that man, his weaknesses and how to kill him." said Scheme.

"Kill him, or bring him to our side." said Lilith.

"You would be willing to take the risk?" questioned Decay.

"If he managed to beat you in one attack, even with you being the weakest among us, that means he has to be powerful. And, as you all know, I love powerful being." said the demon with a charming smile.

"Love is a strange word in your mouth, Lilith..." said Hecatomb, raising his arm to protect against a whip made of black bones and tendons handled by the woman.

"Alright! I DESIRE powerful being! If this man is that strong, I'll be happy to add him to my little pet house." said Lilith as her whip retracted to her by himself, the lady caressing her weapon.

Watch out guys, Lilith is getting honest!" taunted Hecatomb.

"Do you want to taste my whip, behemoth?!" threatened Lilith, black scaled wings ending with claws opening in expectation behind her back as she showed the demon her growing red nails."

"Don't tempt me, succubus!" answered the seven-metre-tall demon as he stood, more than three times taller than the woman, less than two metres tall. He took in his hand a gigantic axe he pointed at Lilith, the two demons emitting a dark murderous aura.

"I would like some silence..." interrupted a man’s voice coming from the other side of the round table.

As they heard the voice, the two calmed down immediately, sitting down like two children scolded by their mother.

The one who had talked had a human size. He was wearing an armour made of black scales covered by a long red scale coat double with dark fur, a helmet representing a black skull hiding his face. On the helmet, circling around his forehead, a crown made of gold and black diamonds showed his title to everyone around the table.

At his side, resting against his black stone throne, was a sword, straight, long, looking a lot like a claymore, if the claymore had been cursed and deformed by dark energy. The blade was red, the metal looking like it was pulsating, and a black gem decorated the pommel.

Gauntlets crossed before his hidden face, the demon King stayed silent for a bit.

"Decay, is there anything you can tell us?" questioned the King.

"I...I'm afraid not, my Lord. I barely had time to detach this tiny bit of myself before completely disappearing, my memory is still a bit..." explained Decay, clearly fearing the King, at least as much as the others.

"Rest, for now, retrieve your power and your memory. Once it's done, come back and tell me everything." ordered the King to Decay who nodded and hastily go away, taking care to take at least three steps back before turning is back to the King.

"Lilith..."

"My King?" said the succubus, as terrified as she seemed excited by the armoured figure.

"Send your pets after him, be it the charmers or the killers. I want to know who we are dealing with."

"But...what if he killed my dear little..." tried to object Lilith.

"Lilith...it wasn't a proposition." simply said the King, cutting her mid-sentence.

Something strange happened, the succubus trembled and hissed at the same time, afraid but with a face picturing another feeling, ecstasy.

"Wow, did you just..." asked Hecatomb, astonished.

"I told you I desired powerful being...and our King is the most powerful of us all..." answered the succubus, short-breathed.

"Enough chatting, we have work to do. Hecatomb, double the force's training, Scheme, study the possibilities of this newcomer. Now begone!" ended the King, the three rising from their seats.

"We, archdemons, thank our King for his time." stated the three before exiting the room, each by a different door.