Chapter 2
Part 1
"........huh?"
Whoosh. A single gust of wind blew over her heart that has already accepted defeat.
Yō was lying on the ground, but she suddenly raised her head.
There was no change in her surroundings, the blizzard painted everything pure white. On the other side of the blizzard the twin-headed dragons were still most likely nearing their target, causing loud tremors in the process. However, it was odd. The presence of the twin-headed dragons could be felt this close, yet they still haven't started attacking the refugees.
To Yō, who knew very well how ferocious those twin-headed dragons were, this was clearly unnatural.
As if they were hindered by a giant wall. Just as this thought formed in Yō's mind ——
in front of her eyes, Maxwell was attacked by whirling blades of tempest.
"What-!?"
"Grraaaarghhh!!!"
Maxwell let out a scream from the shock of the sudden attack. Not having anticipated being on the receiving end of an attack, Maxwell took the blows of the tempest and after a few magnificent spins, impacted the ground.
However that was not the end of it.
Super-condensed maelstroms of wind warped his entire field of view and impacted one after the other. And yet surprisingly, those whirlwinds were launched from so far away, the source could not be seen, moreover all the projectiles hit their target. It was no ordinary ability user.
"Wh-......who......!?"
At first everyone thought the twin-headed dragons started attacking.
However Maxwell was attacked by focused flashes of tempest.
Similar, but different to the attacks of the twin-headed dragon before. When the second war cry echoed, only Yō noticed that it wasn't from the twin-headed dragons.
"This voice...... it's not from a twin-headed dragon"
Even with her senses greatly deteriorated, her experiences didn't go away. And that shout was somehow familiar to her.
It sounded heroic, and somewhat nostalgic. When she almost remembered who it belonged to—— Yō turned her gaze upon the radiant objects that were falling from the sky.
"Glowing......feathers, and parchments?"
Along the glowing feathers, countless parchments were fluttering downward from the sky. Glowing just as brilliantly as the feathers, the parchments were fluttering downward shining brighter than the light from the stars, tearing apart the veil of the night.
"No, it's not just that!! Look! ", looking at the sky, Alma yelled in disbelief.
In response, Yō also looked up to the sky and lost her voice from the shock. The panicking refugees were the same. Some rubbed their eyes blood red since they couldn't believe what they saw. The thing that appeared in the sky was so large and out of place. Yō's lips were trembling and she shook her head in disbelief.
"A flying......castle!!? But, that should be near Underwood......!?"
Yes. The enormous shadow they were looking at in fright. Yō knew what it really was.
The flying fortress of the vampires that was left floating near Underwood —— the stage of "SUN SYNCHRONOUS ORBIT in VAMPIRE KING", was now floating far above their heads.
"Oi, look at that flag!!", yelled one of the dumbfounded looking Salamandra member while pointing at the flag fluttering on top of the castle. Looking at the flag that came into view, they realized who it belonged to.
"The emblem of Draco Greif!"
"Sala-sama! Did Sala-sama return to Kouen City!?"
"That's not all! The emblems that are standing beside it.....can it be.....!?"
Golden Garuda. Circling Snake. Twin Goddesses facing each other. Every one of those is an emblem of a super dreadnaught class Community, but the one that really caught their attention was the one that was even more dazzling than those.
A golden rice flower and the sun rising from the horizon. Standing in the center, a goddess', —— no, a Queen's flag.
In the Garden of the Gods, a Demon Lord with a unique title.
At the highest point was fluttering the flag of Little Garden's 3 Digit Community, Queen Halloween.
"It's the Queen! The Queen's flag!"
"The Demon Lord that rivals Shiroyasha!?"
"But to think the Queen,......that Queen would stand up for Little Garden....!?"
The voice of Mandra from Salamandra, who was in charge of the vanguard, was shaking from the shocking developments.
As more and more mythical beasts from the south side showed themselves, he saw the surprise spreading among the refugees. However that wasn't the only thing that rapidly changed the current situation. The offshoots of the Three-Headed Dragon that didn't show signs of approaching till then, suddenly started closing in on the refugees, howling and baring their fangs at them. Mandra pulled out his sword and yelled.
"The Fire Dragons split into two units and start shooting! Demi-Dragons encircle the refugees and strengthen their guard! Cooperate with those from Draco Greif and take the refugees to the castle!"
"Understood!"
The Fire Dragons counted over 4000 in the beginning, but due to the hurricane that was caused by the Three-Headed Dragon, only around one third remained. Against the Divine Spirit class offshoots, and multiple ones at that, their forces were much too weak, even with their Draco Greif allies.
(The reinforcements shouldn't be just the Queen. I don't know how much reinforcements could Elder Sister gather up, but.......we must at least buy enough time for the refugees to escape.....!)
Having those reinforcements is very reassuring, but it generally takes some time before allied forces can find their pacing together. Depending on the situation, they may have to prepare themselves for an honorable end. When Mandora and the Fire Dragons embraced the possibility of death, the shadows beneath their feet twisted into a weird shape.
"Hey now, hey now. Stop that. You still have your part to play. Don't die in vain."
"Who is that!?"
"That's very rude thing to say. Even with things as they are, I knew you since you were a child. Or you say —— KIHAHAHAHA!!! —— without this kind of laughter you don't even recognize me!?"
The squirming shadow shimmered like hot air, then took the shape of a human.
A top hat and tailcoat. And that vulgar and mean laughter.
Mandra realized who he really was and the blood suddenly drained from his face.
"You...you are.....!!!"
"....Indeed. Leave the evacuation to me. You all focus on defense. The twin-headed dragons are Divine Spirit class, but they've only born recently and not that powerful. Fire Dragons should be able to buy some time. Time to redeem yourself from dishonoring the alliance."
Leaving only those words, the squirming shadow disappeared.
Mandra's blue-ish lips were still trembling as he tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword.
After ordering the fire dragons that were standing by to strengthen their defences, he gazed towards the sky thinking 'the time has finally come'.
(I see..... Finally, they were able to come back....!!)
The question was, who exactly were the ones that made it back. Depending on the answer the progress of battle will greatly change. However predicting that wasn't his task. He readied his stance, and with feelings of relief and just a bit of exaltation dwelling in his chest, he launched an attack on the twin-headed dragons.
The winged mythical beasts of Draco Greif followed as well.
The core of the avian forces were the members of Two Wing, but in the scuffle with Izayoi and the others many of their positions were left vacant. However, they reorganized their ranks around their newest members, the mysterious Greek birds, the Stymphalians. Their feathers were made of bronze and possessed powerful poisonous Gifts. With those they strengthened the defence by creating a protective barrier of poisonous fog that emanated from their mouths. Against the twin-headed dragons it could only slow their movements a bit, but for now it was more than enough.
The other mythical beasts created gusts of wind, so that the poisonous fog wouldn't come into contact with the refugees.
Within those, there was a mythical beast that was especially fast.
The upper body of an eagle and the lower body of a lion. Despite having the body of both the kings of the land and sky, the proud gryphon that sacrificed his wings for the sake of his comrades, with Sala Doltrake on his back he descended right beside Yō.
"Yō-dono! Thank goodness, are you all right!?"
"Sala? Why are you here!?"
"There is no 'why' about it!! Of course we are here to rescue you!!"
"B-But, we don't have an alliance or anyth-"
"Don't be foolish!! We don't need a reason to save a friend, do we!?"
Her red hair fluttered as Sala answered without a shred of hesitation. On a closer look, sweat was flowing on her forehead like a waterfall. She must have really hurried with the preparations for the battle.
With sweat glistening she dismounted from the back of the gryphon. She was short on breath, panting heavily as her shoulders trembled, her hair looking disheveled. Her messy appearance wasn't something a leader of an army is expected to have.
However she didn't care about that in the least. Her eyes reflected her feelings of relief.
'We made it in time'
Brandishing the banner with a gryphon on it, Sala strongly declared:
"Yō-dono. We have fought against the Demon Lords side by side. There is no way we wouldn't come to the aid of our brethren in need. ——Isn't that right, Gry-dono?"
The wingless gryphon also agreed with a bestial growl.
Having lost the Gift of the Genome Tree, Yō couldn't comprehend the language of the gryphons, but even without words, she understood what he said.
(.....!)
Her tears almost started to overflow once again, but she held them back with will-power.
The first mythical beast friend she made after coming to Little Garden. Also her first opponent in a Game. It was this gryphon. The Gift she received from him saved her many times.
The sign of friendship with that gryphon was without exaggeration the testament of the path Kasukabe Yō had taken since coming to Little Garden.
Even having lost the power of the gryphon, it didn't negate the time Kasukabe Yō spent living in Little Garden. That is why, that gryphon friend said this.
——Friend. I have come to save you.
"Yō-dono. It's still dangerous here. Let's fall back to the castle once with the refugees. Hurry, on to the back of Gry-dono!"
She pulled together the reins and made space for her on the saddle.
Yō wiped away her remaining tears and shook her head before telling them the dangerous situation her comrades are in.
"Sala. Don't mind us, head towards Kouen City instead."
".....? Why?"
"Izayoi is fighting alone. If we also lose him there will be no one to stop the Demon Lord."
She spoke in an exceedingly calm tone. However Sala didn't miss the meaning behind those words. She looked around the surroundings of Yō, confirmed that none of her comrades are anywhere near, and with that, a painful expression appeared on her face.
"I'm sorry. It seems we were a bit too late."
".....no. If you didn't come, I too would've been in very bad situation. But first Izayoi, -"
"No need to worry."
Interrupting Yō's words Sala reassured her, then held her up in her arms.
She then quickly moved her right hand towards the sky and caught a single parchment.
"We didn't arrive late for nothing. Rescue is on its way to him already. The strongest forces we can currently muster."
The ones that hurried there wasn't just the comrades of Draco Greif.
With those words the radiance of the parchment has increased.
Yō knew very well the identity of those shining parchments, and regardless of the dangerous situation she was in, she felt her pulse quicken.
If those shining parchments really belong to the one Yō is thinking of, then there is nothing more reassuring than that.
Sala fearlessly smiled and raised the parchment in her hand, then ——
In that moment. The entire scenery that was reflected in their field of vision has crumbled and the world changed completely.
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login