As the moon hangs high overhead with Miller standing atop a large hill, staring out at the submerged airship. Sam stands at his side as they take the occasional glance at him and then towards the airship once again. Down below them, a makeshift camp of soldiers work building their defenses and preparing for the upcoming battle.
“I don’t like this.” Miller clenches his fist.
“There’s not much we can do. But I’m surprised about how fast she accepted us into her camp.”
Miller nods. “Even with the ceasefire in effect, she was studying us. She’s shrewd.”
“She could tell my Succubus blood at just a glance. It was almost scary to see someone like that in person.”
“I wonder what Glyn’s opinion of her is?”
“No clue. She seems to hold Glyn in some high regard. In a way.”
“I believe my lady’s words were she’d crush him beneath her heel.” Emily approaches the pair and bows.
The pair turn back to her. “Out for a walk?” Sam asks.
Emily nods. “Somewhat. Ashton was running about, looking for you. Saying something about a rematch for training.”
“Tell him I’ll think about it.”
Emily nods. “If you're wondering about Lady Hei and Sir Mattox, the pair aren’t antagonistic towards each other.”
“You know Glyn too?” Miller asks.
Emily nods. “I was Lady Hei’s closest attendant in the academy. She approached Glyn to join her camp, and he flat-out rejected her. Since then, she’s challenged him time and time again. Sometimes she wins, sometimes he wins, sometimes they tie. I think she enjoys seeing him as a competitor, someone to test herself against.”
“Well, at the very least, we know she’s not planning to slit his throat,” Miller says.
Sam laughs. “I think Glyn would rather welcome that type of challenge.”
The two laugh happily, with Emily watching the pair.
“I figured you all felt similarly about your Lord.”
“How?” Miller asks.
“Myself and everyone here revere Lady Hei. She is the embodiment of our ideals made flesh. We idolize and follow her without question. You seem to question your Lord, but follow him, regardless.”
“Glyn never gave us orders on how to treat him. Outside of battle, he doesn’t even give orders too much. He’s mostly okay with us doing whatever we want to, but we unite when the time calls for it.” Sam says.
“That sounds like Glyn’s leadership. He’s not too heavy-handed.”
“You sound like you hold him in regard as well,” Miller says.
“Of course, he’s someone who was chosen by Lady Hei; that alone makes him worthy of praise.”
“Well, when the time comes for our battle, I look forward to truly clashing with your mistress,” Miller says.
Emily bows. “Likewise. May we hold an honorable duel, and then may the best person win. Although Lady Hei’s victory is practically assured.”
“We’ll try our best. Although the odds are, we may end up working together in the end.” Sam says.
“Huh?”
“Glyn doesn’t seek the throne. He entered the competition to protect his family and now he continues to make sure no one of ill repute takes over the mainland.” Miller explains.
Emily pauses. “That could change things. I’m sure Milady and Glyn share the same viewpoints. If they can combine their forces, then victory is assured.”
“Maybe. We still don’t know who fired off that giant cannon, but if another candidate has that kind of firepower, they're unlikely to go down easy.” Miller says.
Sam nods. “The only ones left are those who’ve fought tooth and nail to make it this far. The best of the best, one way or another.”
“The best and the worst now stand the closest to the throne. You have a point there. But I still believe in Milady’s chances. And I’m sure Glyn can come up with a clever plan or two.”
“You have a point there,” Miller says happily.
High in the skies above the campsite, Lois floats smiling as she watches the people down below. At her side, dozens of armored soldiers float alongside her. She counts the people below as she examines the area. Out of the corner of her eyes, she spots the other camps and sends out her soldiers but keeps her attention down on the one below her.
“Now then, let’s have some fun.” She says, laughing. “Let’s capture as many people as we can. We have a banquet to prepare for, after all.”
She snaps her fingers and her armored suits descend rapidly, crashing down onto the camp below.
Tisha sits on a tree top, leaning against the tree by herself, as she keeps watch. She looks over her bow and arrows, trying to take her mind off her worry for Glyn and Mila. She glances down at the campsite and notices something falling from above. Leaping into action, she tightens her grip on the bow and leaps down from the tree.
“Finally, something to distract me.” She says to herself, rushing ahead.
She rushes down towards the camp as suits of armor fall from above, crashing down into the middle of the camp. She watches as they snatch people up the armor opening and snatching people up before returning to the sky.
“What is this?”
“An abduction!” Miller rushes down towards her. “Where is everyone?”
“Don’t know.” She aims at an armor rising into the sky and lets loose an arrow.
The arrow flies, hitting the armor and exploding into a mess of vines wrapping around the armor to weigh it down. The armor crashes to the ground as Miller and Tisha rush towards it. Miller takes his sword and they pry it open, freeing the person inside as the pair look to see a strange type of plant lining the inside of the armor.
“What is this?” Miller asks.
Tisha stares at it until rubbing her finger across the inside of the armor. “It’s a kind of weed. I can feel someone’s Mana flowing through it, controlling it from afar. But it feels strange, cold, dark.”
“Could it be Misama?”
She pauses. “Yes. That’s what it is.”
“So those Demons are making their move.” Zeng Hai walks forward with Ashton at her side, towards the pair, a fan covering her face as she walks forward. “Glyn’s forces, will you obey my commands during this conflict?”
Miller pauses. “For this fight, yes. We can’t allow them to take any more people?”
She nods. “Good answer. Now Tisha, right? Voron tells me you’re a master at manipulating plants with Mana. I want you to disrupt their control over these plants and work with Emily to stop these armors dead in their tracks.”
“I can’t promise anything but when I have a few ideas that could work,” Tisha says, taking a part of the armor.
She nods. “Miller. I want you to work with Ashton, gather your forces, and fight back the armor. I’ll work with Voron in securing the civilians in the camp. Understood?”
“Alright.”
Ashton leaps forward. “I won’t let you down, Lady Hei!” He yells at the top of his lungs.
She laughs. “Do your best, my dear Ashton. Now let’s get to work!”
Lois floats in the skies above, watching the battle below unfold. She smiles, directing the armors to kidnap anyone in sight and fly off, returning to the airship. Out in the distance, sensing the battles through the armors, she smiles happily.
“Yes, resist, struggle, don’t give in so easily. Make this entertaining as your cries and screams are fed to the Great One to hasten his awakening!”
As she floats about, a burst of pain shoots through her head. She tumbles forward, grabbing at her head as blood trickles down her face. She smiles, laughing as she stares straight down, watching the battle going on below her feet.
“Oh, some dearies are playing a little harder than the others. Maybe I should pay them a visit?”
She smiles, barely containing herself as she floats down to the ground.
On the ground, Miller and Ashton fight back against the swarm of armors. Around them, other soldiers and warriors fight, trying to push back the tide of enemies on the attack. As the fighting escalates, something descends from above, crashing down into the middle of camp. Miller stares ahead as a woman in a habit stands amidst the swarm of demonic armors.
“Who’s the nun?” Ashton asks.
Miller points his sword at her. “That’s one of the Demons!”
Ashton raises his fist. “If we kill her, then do you think these armors will stop?”
“No clue, but it’s worth a shot to try it out.”
Lois laughs. “Oh, my dears. Let’s try our best. I want to see everything you can do and all the power you have in your body. Your exhausted selves will serve as good food for the Great One’s awakening.”
“I refuse to give up here.”
Tentacles erupt from Lois’s body as she laughs, stepping forward. “Good, that’s the right attitude!”
As she walks ahead, a fireball flies out as Rufus and Sam appear. “I’m here to back you up, Boss!” Rufus yells.
Sam nods. “Let’s hurry and kill this one. We have bigger enemies to take on!”
Rufus and Ashton charge ahead as Lois laughs, lashing out with her tentacles as the chaos of battle envelops the area.