CZ Delta and Lord Ra Ra Rasputin's trek to their side of the wall was a far quicker affair than it had been for the humans and her other masters.
"Once we're out of sight, get ready to jump and scale the wall," Lord Ra Ra Rasputin commanded, the elder automaton placing a servo against the cold stone.
Unlike her master, she was outfitted with numerous senses that allowed her to receive different environmental inputs beyond pressure and temperature. While she knew it wasn't her place, she did wonder why he did not upgrade himself in one capacity or another.
Mayhaps Lord Ra Ra Rasputin is content with his current loadout? I should consult Lord Garnet on this matter when we return to base.
The gunslinger bent his knees, cracking the earth beneath him with a single leap up the side of the city wall. She followed closely behind, landing lightly on the ramparts with nary a sound. Her superior held a servo above his optics, as if he were shielding them from bright sunlight.
"Lord Ra Ra Rasputin?" CZ Delta began.
"Yes, my smaller friend?"
"I believe that the sunlight intensity has drastically reduced by at least ninety-seven percent, with the remaining percent reflecting off of the moon's surface. You also possess a cranial shield. Why do you shield your optics as you do?"
"Ah, that," her Lord said, bringing down his servo to hover over his revolver. CZ became as still as possible when she saw that, believing that she had done something wrong to warrant a swift but brutal punishment.
That same servo went up to the back of his cranial support, where he rubbed at it with mimicked embarrassment. She logged down the action for later.
"It's an old habit, I suppose," her master explained. "I used to have to scout around like this in broad daylight, when the sun was just a bit too bright for my liking."
The pleiade tilted her head at his answer, not sure what the purpose of it was.
Is my Lord testing me somehow? Is he "quizzing" me as my sisters would say?
"I am certain then that whatever its intended use, it is beyond my comprehension. I would not even dare to guess as to why. My apologies, It won't happen again."
Now, it was Lord Ra Ra Rasputin's turn to tilt his head. Though his optics fit right through his chosen headgear like a well-lubricated socket, he still wore a lens to keep them clear of any dust or foreign particles.
Many of the broad-spectrum emotions, such as fear, anger, and others, were suppressed for her. It was a gift from her creator so that she would be unburdened from such trivial matters. Yet the way her automaton master studied her made her feel as if she was in the crosshairs of another sniper.
I must remain more diligent! My creator would be most ashamed if all I accomplish on this mission is to displease Lord Ra Ra Rasputin.
"Uh… Right… Well, we should get moving. We need to make sure there's nothing in the city that could actively hurt us. Come on, let's walk along the wall and we can talk some more."
CZ Delta nodded, unslinging her sniper and activating her thermals. Her world was awash in muted blues and purples, with the occasional flash of bright orange and red. She flicked the safety off of her weapon and activated her targeting systems.
Her Lord did much the same, his optics flashing as he pulled out his revolvers and gave them a twirl. It was always an interesting display to see how he so flawlessly flung them through the air and balanced them on the ends of his digits.
As expected of a Supreme Being. I could never hope to compare.
The walk they took was slow, leisurely even, with her master only ever-so-often glancing over the side of the wall into the city. The only sounds that could be heard were the echoing of their plated boots along the smooth stone path.
Her audio receptors were dialed up to a sensitivity of eleven, and even then she could only faintly make out the sounds of undead moaning. What few stragglers she visibly saw were quickly picked off by the heavy-duty revolvers of Lord Ra Ra Rasputin.
The moonlight flooded everything in ethereal light, not unlike the spiritual energy that Lady Ariel gave off when she unleashed her magic. Shadows seemed to deepen, opening pathways to worlds beyond that only her masters had ever seen.
"My Lord, permission to speak?" CZ asked, her optic registering no notable threats in their direct vicinity.
"You don't need to ask to talk, ya know. Me and you are friends, or comrades at least," her Lord said.
She inclined her head, her answer already prepared for such a situation. "My Lord, while your attempts at camaraderie are admirable, I would never dare to presume that I am your equal. To do so would be the height of heresy, and punishable by deactivation if deemed necessary."
"Pfft, now you just sound like my old commanding officer. Big pain-in-the-ass that HE was."
"My Lord? There was one who dared to be above you? Such an act is inconceivable! If you wish, I can assemble the other Pleiades and we shall-"
Lord Ra Ra Rasputin held up both hands in a calming gesture, pointing his weapons toward the sky.
"Relax. That was a really long time ago, not to mention that even if you could find him, there wouldn't be anything left of him anyways."
The Pleiades "Punisher" protocols were deactivated, allowing her to better understand her Lord and the implications that his statement brought about.
"I see," she said simply. "As one of your caliber should not have to, but have the right to, you handled him yourself. That is most admirable, my Lord."
"What? No! I didn't 'handle' him, he was killed on active duty. He died defending me."
CZ Delta ran the calculations over and over again, trying to decipher which phrase it was that she said that could be potentially upsetting to her master. He sighed and put away his revolvers before she could complete them, sitting himself down on the edge of the wall facing inwards towards the city.
He patted the spot next to him, and she walked and assumed the place he had reserved for her without hesitation. They sat quietly for a moment, her Lord presumably admiring the stars that were out in full force tonight.
"CZ… I'm going to enlighten you a bit, on that 'First World' theory you and the rest of Nazarick seem to have."
Lord Ra Ra Rasputin paused, taking another second to study the stars before answering.
"You're all close. We did leave and go out into another 'world' as you call it, but it was never because we chose to, but because we had to."
Her audio receptors dialed up another level, and she fully disabled her vocal cords to not interrupt him.
"Where I and the others went… It was not a good place. It was… an evil place, ruined by powers you couldn't possibly understand, ravaged by wars and disease and pollution that left ALL of us in the dust. A lot of us weren't any better than gutter rats, were they still alive."
He looked down into his lap, and CZ strained her one optic to see what it was he was staring at. She recorded nothing.
"People like me, well… we were on the frontlines for those wars. We didn't fight for freedom, or religion, or even fame. We fought for a paycheck. Something to tide us over so that we might live to see the next day."
She didn't need to breathe, but she found herself holding in the spare oxygen all the same. She never would've even entertained the idea that her Lord would bless her with such knowledge, and on the very First World of her creators!
"That commanding officer I told you about? His name was Richter Hoffman. Very by-the-book kind of guy. There wasn't a single day that didn't go by that I didn't want to spit in his stupid face and tell him to fuck off."
Lord Ra Ra Rasputin's optics never left his lap, and the dangling of his legs stopped. He sighed again, as he must have unlocked previously stored away memory banks.
"Then one day, we got caught in a firefight, someplace I can't be bothered to remember in the old ruins of a city called 'Paris'. I'd taken a nasty shard of shrapnel straight to the side of my head," he thumped the side of his head with a finger, as if to emphasize where he'd been injured, "and had to be dragged out like a lumpy sack of rations by Richter. The whole time, he's screaming at me, though I couldn't hear him over the sound of the gunfire and the bombs."
This time her Lord deemed her worthy of his attention, locking optics with her. She couldn't bear to look away, not like she wanted to anyways.
"One moment he's there, dragging me into a ditch where I'm covered on all sides, and then the next thing I know, BOOM!"
He clapped his servos, enunciating the explosion that had happened in his memory. CZ had not been startled, but the point he was making was slowly being driven home.
"The only reason I'm alive today is that he had the foresight to drag me into a ditch, to save me from the mortar that blew him to pieces. The only thing I was told they could find was a leg and part of his pants, with a wallet still inside the back pocket."
Her master stood up then, though she remained seated until he informed her she could stand with him. His command came in the form of reaching out a hand to her, to help her up from her position on the side of the wall. She clasped it and was practically yanked up.
He turned away from her then, walking down the pathway of the city wall. She followed obediently behind him, shortly coming upon a stone tower with a spiral set of stairs leading down into the city.
She had mulled over his earlier suggestion and calculated that she had a ninety-five percent chance of success with her next action.
"Lord Ra Ra Rasputin?" She asked before he could fully descend the stairs.
He glanced over his shoulder, his leather hat obscuring all but one of his optics. "Yeah?"
"Your words do me great honor, and I will always hold them close to my cardiac respirator, but I must know: why share such personal information with me? Surely such knowledge would be best heard by all of Nazarick, for I alone am not worthy of it."
Her master lightly chuckled and continued down the steps. She rushed to catch up with him just in time for his next words.
"...because there's not a day that goes by that I don't wish I could've at least spoken to Richter as a comrade. A friend, even. He and I only ever stayed professional, an officer and his tin soldiers fighting side by side on the battlefield. You never know when someone you wished you could've gotten to know better will suddenly disappear."
CZ Delta's one optic widened slightly, and it was this revelation that made her reflect on all those years that Lord Momonga had spent alone. All those years that the other forty had vanished, leaving them all to tend to the tomb in their absence.
Was that a lesson to us all, I wonder? Was it not only a test of our faith in our creators, but also our willingness to welcome them back as comrades?
I must share this with the rest of the Pleiades.
"Is that one of the reasons why Lord Bellriver suggested world domination?"
Lord Ra Ra Rasputin stopped as he was about to push open the door that led into the city, at the bottom of the flight of stairs. He paused as he considered the insignificant question she posed.
"That seems a little out of the left field. Where did you get that idea from?"
CZ inclined her head, closing her optic in deference to her Lord. "You had mentioned that the First World was evil, that it had been destroyed by the folly of others. I only wondered if, as you traveled back and forth, you were not experimenting with different ways to save it?"
Her master hummed, tapping the edge of the door with his gloved digits. He finally pushed it open and let the both of them outside, finding themselves directly outside of another set of guard barracks.
"You know, that is a different way of looking at things, isn't it? But no, my little friend… there was no saving that world, in the time that I had. The solution wouldn't come until long after I had passed, when my children and grandchildren could've seen it. At least here, I can have a small piece of that beauty that they would've gotten to see for myself."
He strode down the street, fast enough for CZ to understand that their current conversation was over and that all focus was to be on the current mission.
They found themselves on an unremarkable street corner, with no markings available to identify the buildings and their purposes. They were, however, noticeably more worn down; the bricks were faded, and the wood cracked but not quite broken. Dust from the gutters blew in the gentle breeze of that spring night.
CZ closed an optic and allowed her nasal receptors to inhale the fresh scent of mold and muck, as well as a faint undertone of a sewer that seemed to run beneath them. She blinked once, allowing her optic to switch to X-ray to survey her surroundings.
"Many of the buildings are abandoned, my Lord," the smaller automaton confirmed, "I would still advise caution, as while I highly doubt that there is anything of significant strength that could seriously harm you, Lord Punitto Moe would approve of a cautious approach."
Her Lord grunted in acknowledgment, pulling his revolvers out and giving each cylinder a twirl. His optics flashed as well, gleaming to a steady rhythm.
The sniper could hear a faint tune play over her messenger, though the exact wording was lost upon her due to the volume. However, she could make out the instrumental strings of a guitar and choir.
Lord Ra Ra Rasputin tapped his foot to the beat, his optics turning red as CZ's audio receptors picked up on the shuffling of skeletal and zombified feet.
FWOOSH!
A ravenous, serpentine undead came barreling down the street they were on from around the corner, chunks of other undead sticking out in random spaces around its body. Its head was entirely bone, but the rest of its nonliving carcass was covered in putrid, rotten flesh. In its eyes glowed crimson fire like that of Lord Momonga, and an everlasting hunger to swallow its prey whole.
Its screech was high-pitched, digging into her hyper-sensitive receptors with nary a consequence to herself, as certain protocols activated. The enemy's movements made a wet scraping sound as it wound its thick form toward them both.
Behind the serpent was a smaller horde of undead, larger zombie brutes sprinkled it to augment their forces. Once they caught sight of the denizens of Nazarick, they shambled faster toward their would-be meals.
CZ's rifle snapped to her shoulder, the first zombie falling with an explosion of brain matter staining the walls of a building. Each bullet after that first shot was like that; one of perfect precision and accuracy.
Lord Ra Ra Rasputin was unfazed by the appearance of hostile undead, flowing into a sort of sliding rhythm as he bobbed his head to the beat of his music. He shook his shoulders and tapped his armored boots, creating a symphony of metal and synthetic cadence.
He did not stop his dance until he was in the thick of the horde, having "moonwalked" and "tap danced" the whole way. His revolvers spun all the while, flying through the air and crushing the skulls and bones of skeletal undead just as easily as his bullets did.
At one point, he grabbed the hands of a massive, heavily-armored zombie brute wielding a two-handed war hammer. He engaged with it in a sort of "salsa dance" according to her historical records.
He spun the zombie around, allowing its hammer to swing wildly and smash lesser undead in one fell blow. The zombie could not express surprise, as its facial features had been torn off in its previous life, but its stiff-legged movements indicated that it could not keep up.
It quickly fell away after the last spiral, its weapon smashing into its sternum when it hit the ground.
The undead serpent had stopped its charge, coiling around the perimeter of the undead mass and observing as the elder automaton rocked his dance of bullets. It bore fangs that dripped thick, foul-smelling poison, lashing with lightning-fast reflexes.
Her Lord was faster still, his revolver, Point, landing back in his servo and discharging right as the serpent seemed to close its fangs on his forearm. Half of its triangular head blew right off, and the undead snake backed off as its lower jaw dangled.
"Dah dah, Russia's greatest love machine…," the messenger crackled, allowing CZ insight into the tempo that her master was listening to. He swung his hips in a circular motion, with no real rhyme or reason to his actions other than to keep up with his music.
The serpent's wounds slowly healed, pieces of the undead stuck in its cable body slithering to the jaw and mending it. The serpent took even greater care now, dragging its bulk up the side of a building. It left a shining trail of slime.
Lord Ra Ra Rasputin didn't even look up as his revolvers flew out and the handles smashed into the building, crumbling the walls at the impact sites. With a mighty groan, the building began to topple over with the serpent, which swerved violently to avoid being crushed.
The revolvers flew back to his hands, bullets sailing through the air to bisect the higher-level undead. It lost the lower portion of its tail, which hit the ground with a wet SLAP. The serpent hissed as the better portion of its right flank was reduced to viscera.
CRASH!
The rest of the building had fallen by that point and trapped what remained of the serpent beneath the rubble. It flailed its ossified snout about, fangs flashing to bite at anything that got within reach.
The master gunslinger hopped his way to the nearly dead enemy, CZ Delta picking off the last members of the horde with ruthless efficiency. By the time her Lord had shoved a plated boot on the neck of the massive snake, the last skeleton had crumbled into dust.
"Oh, those Russians…" the song trailed off, one optic blinking out on her Lord's face as he took aim and pulled back the hammer on Shoot.
KA-BANG!
The serpent's head exploded, the sound of glass fracturing bouncing off of the ruined architecture. There was a basket-sized crater where the skull had been, the edges steaming.
Lord Ra Ra Rasputin twirled both revolvers one last time, blowing a blast of steam to the barrels as he held them close to where his lips would've been. He holstered them and took the time to observe the buildings surrounding them.
CZ Delta followed in her Lord's footsteps, slinging her favored sniper rifle over her back as she joined his side. Her optics turned to "damage mode", her cranium swiveling on its axis to assess the damage. A string of numbers and coding flitted across her vision.
"I estimate the total amount of collateral damage to be roughly eighty-three percent. Is this acceptable to you, my Lord?"
Her master, in his infinite and flawless wisdom, shrugged. "Well, you tell me. Were there any civilians in those buildings? Anyone I could've hit?"
"Negative, my Lord. As previously stated, the buildings were devoid of any sentient life that would fall within the parameters of 'civilians'... Do you care for the humans?"
"More like I would rather not cause any more damage than I already need to. I had fun, so let's get moving on."
Just as he was about to take another step, their private messenger pinged. Her Lord answered it with a wave.
"Yeah? What can I do for you?"
"Rasputin," Lord Momonga's voice came in. "Ninya and Mekongawa just departed to go find the source of that negative energy from earlier. Nubo's watching them right now, and when they find it, he's gonna send you the coordinates. Be ready to provide some artillery support."
"Will do, standing by."
CZ Delta nodded in affirmation, her end of the call cutting off. Her Lord balanced himself on the tips of his pedes, whistling the same tune of the music he had been listening to earlier. She was unsure how exactly he could do so mentally as he did, but she deduced it was more likely a memory of the whistle than the actual whistle.
All the while, he slid off his right glove, allowing his digits to click without the ambient mufflers his gear provided. He rolled up his sleeve as high as it would, which amounted to about the space of his forearm.
With a blow of steam, the plates that made up his exterior chassis on his forearm slid across each other, his servo breaking apart and folding into compartments cleverly hidden with his mechanisms. A break action barrel slid out, like that of a grenade launcher, which automatically opened to reveal an empty chamber.
"What are we thinking today, CZ?" the elder automaton asked, sliding his free hand into his inventory space and pulling out a handful of various colored and shaped grenades. Each one had a different elemental symbol painted on them.
The sniper activated her appraisal scanner, slowly downloading the specs of each projectile and comparing and contrasting their damage and abilities.
"Incendiary grenades may prove a boon against a much larger undead," she recommended, "But we may also find that hydrofluoric acid-based grenades are just as useful."
Lord Ra Ra Rasputin said nothing, but he did quietly put away the grenades that she did not mention. One was a bright pink color with many different Valentine's Day hearts on it. Another was solid gold, ridged with spikes and, strangely, a Christian cross on the top where the pin would've been.
It seems...strange that he would so casually approach me on a matter such as this. To choose a Supreme Being's weapon of war? Were it not for my visual recordings, the others would call me a liar.
"So with that out of the way then, I'm thinking we can go with either this lovely napalm grenade here," her Lord said, holding up one with a symbol for fire painted on the side, that was cylindrical and painted bright orange.
"Or we could go with this wonderful little piece here," he said, holding up a stainless steel grenade that had strips of clear glass on the sides, showing a cloud of noxious fumes swirling inside.
Before she could reply, her messenger pinged, and she copied the "two-digit" approach that Lord Momonga and the others seemed so fond of using. Rather than an actual message, her optic displayed a holographic scene of a desolate, unnamed street.
On it were the forms of Lord Beast King Mekongawa and the inoffensive mage Ninya, directly facing a pair of stumbling skeletal dragons.
"They appear to be inebriated my Lord," CZ noted in her efficient tone.
"...and it would appear we might need something a little stronger than these two beauties here," Lord Ra Ra Rasputin said, putting away the two grenades that she had chosen. She was thankful she could not feel disappointment in any capacity.
Rather than reach back into the inventory space he had, he rolled up the front of his armored shirt, revealing the metallic midsection he had. Much like his forearm, the plates which defined its shape slid apart and revealed a hollow casing. Inside was another grenade the same shade of green as her cloak.
"Tell me, CZ, have you ever heard of something called the Manhattan Project?"
She had, thanks to Lord Garnet. "It was a research and development project that served to help weaponize nuclear energy, my Lord. It produced some of the most powerful weapons humans had access to."
"Very good! It seems like someone has been doing their homework. You're about to see the fruits of labor from that little science experiment."
When her Lord yanked the grenade from his opened midsection, a jumble of wires disconnected, and she could hear a steady ticking coming from the live bomb. It was oval with fins facing each of the cardinal directions at the back end. The other end had the eyes and maw of a shark painted upon it.
He gently pushed it into the barrel within his arm, the fins shrinking as it clicked into place and he affixed the barrel into a "live-fire" mode.
"Alright CZ, now I need you to help me calculate the trajectory. I'm gonna start aiming, and you let me know when I'm about on target."
His request confused her, but seeing as it was his command, she obliged him all the same. She zoomed out on the holographic image, providing them a clear picture of just where in the city they were to be aiming at.
"There, my Lord," CZ confirmed, once the coordinates have been locked in. "You may fire as you please."
"Excellent! Now, pay close attention as we make history in this new world. Also, please don't laugh at what happens next."
Before she could ask what he meant by that, the grenade fired, spinning so quickly as to become a blur. As it whistled through the air, she could hear a "TACTICAL NUKE: INCOMING!" from above her head.
Her eyebrow slightly raised, and as she ran the calculations, she found no feasible scenario where that would elicit laughter out of her. She turned back to the elder automaton, who was holding two digits to his head.
His optics locked with hers, and he took his digits down. "Just letting Mekongawa know what's coming his way. The radius is just big enough that it'll melt down everything in a city block. You did a good job of helping me out. I'm proud of you."
Though her confusion persisted, she inclined her head and gave him a small smile. It was the one protocol that she held most dear to her.
"Of course, my Lord. Any matter you require assistance with, no matter how important or unimportant to you, I shall always perform to my best capabilities."
"That's good because I think this night is far from over. I'm gonna check in with the others and see how they're all holding up. We should regroup as soon as possible."
FWOOM!
The sound of the nuke going off finally reached their audio receptors, and they both glanced at the small field of energy that rose above the tops of the buildings near their target area. Out of curiosity, CZ activated her thermals to see what heat signatures remained.
So far as she could tell, she found only that of her Lord Beast King Mekongawa and that of the inoffensive mage Ninya.
She found this new information to be acceptable.
The arm cannon of her Lord folded back into its compartment, allowing his servo to reform. Lord Ra Ra Rasputin flexed his digits to ensure they were still in working order.
The messenger pinged again, for both of them this time.
"Rasputin, CZ," came Lord Momonga's voice. "You should come over to the Adventurer's Guild as soon as you can. I'll have Nubo send CZ the coordinates, and she can lead you both there. I believe we may have a way of tracking down where this infestation began."
"Yes, of course, my Lord. We shall make our way there, post-haste," CZ automatically responded.
As soon as she said that, another consciousness seemed to touch hers through the messenger. Like with the coordinates for the two skeletal dragons, there were no words exchanged, but rather a set of images and magical data she could translate into coding.
"We should make our way down this street, Lord Ra Ra Rasputin," CZ said, ready to go but not moving until the elder automaton gave the word. "The path I wish to take will save us at least five minutes longer than the longest route."
Lord Ra Ra Rasputin whirred before his bodily noises were silenced by him reequipping his gear.
"Sounds good to me. Lead the way, my little friend."
—-
True to her word, she was able to lead them both to the precise location of the Adventurer's Guild, though the phrase CZ would've used was that it had "seen better days".
Clumps of feathers and decayed meat stained the stone street and the walls of the building in front of them. Massive puddles of dried blood blotted the path leading up to the door, which was positively drenched in the crimson liquid.
With her heightened senses, CZ could hear the quiet whimpers and cries of agony from inside, most likely from wounded human adventurers.
To think that they've survived even this long in this world we find ourselves in. To operate at such subpar efficiency is an affront to all that Nazarick stands for.
However, she knew that to voice these thoughts would give away their true identities, and let the mission ultimately fail, a shame she could not bear to function with.
Thankfully, Lord Beast King Mekongawa was there to distract her from her thought processes.
He stood right outside the door, acting as if he were a guard of some kind to the humans who scurried about inside. He was all smiles when he saw them both.
"Ah, if it isn't my two favorite machines!" he greeted jovially through the messenger, spreading his arms in a gesture as if he meant to hug them. He seemed to think better of it, as he hastily closed his mighty limbs.
"How's everything going on over here? I hope we haven't missed too much while we were gone?" Lord Ra Ra Rasputin politely said, patting the larger guildmate on the shoulder.
The chimera rolled his bulging shoulders. "Nah. The little mage, Ninya, just went inside moments before you showed up. Figured the adventurers wouldn't be comfortable with me there, so I thought I might keep an eye out for any trouble."
"Looks like you're doing a piss-poor job, 'cause here WE are!"
The beastmaster guffawed out loud, which quieted the noises of the adventurers inside. He coughed once he realized there were listeners and put on his best scowl.
"Here you are, little humans. Back to see your comrades? They're inside, scheming whatever little machinations that they have."
CZ performed a half bow and played along. "Thank you, oh powerful Usurper! We shall pass and reconnect with our...friends."
"You do that now," Lord Beast King Mekongawa said, giving the both of them a sheepish smile and ushering them towards the door. He patted the younger and older automaton on the shoulder as they pushed past the door and found themselves in the main room of the Adventurer's Guild.
Several tables had been set up where wounded adventurers had been laid upon and were being tended to by the resident mages. Some of them struggled to heal the many grievous injuries that the more martial combatants had acquired.
Lady Ariel could be seen tending to many of the wounded, their cries instantly silenced as soon as she laid a healing hand upon their wounds. She would move on to another table and then tend to that adventurer's wounds, provided there was not another, more serious case.
The inoffensive mage Ninya trailed behind her, CZ detecting a fifty-three percent increase in her heart rate as she watched the fey shaman perform her work. All the while, Lady Ariel intentionally went slow enough for the human girl to learn and understand what it was that she was doing.
That would explain why Lady Ariel has not mass healed them. She must be taking this as an opportunity to pass on her teachings to the human. Most intriguing indeed.
She promptly spotted Lord Momonga and the competent Peter standing over a table with an older, gray-haired, and mustached man. The three of them were looking at a far more detailed map of the city than the skeletal Overlord had purchased.
The older man marked several places on the map with a piece of charcoal, places she identified as the inner districts and the graveyard, in particular.
"I'm telling you, the graveyard seems like the most feasible place where the outbreak could've happened!" Peter said, jabbing a finger into the map.
"Son, I'm not disagreeing with you, but what makes you think that the original summoners would've even stayed behind to see the job through?" the older man asked, his mustache moving in sync with his words.
Lord Momonga chose to grace them with his opinion. "From what I know myself, summoners of this caliber have either been building up this type of magical power for a long time, or have utilized a special catalyst that gave them great magical potency. Either way, they had a purpose here, and they're gonna see it through."
"And how can you be certain on this matter, Mister Momon? From what I see you're barely a bronze plate, and this is only your third day!"
"I can assure you, Guildmaster Pluton, that this is a matter that my friends and I are very much versed in. Believe me, the summoners will still be here, if only to ensure that their minions do not get off task."
"And that task would be...?"
Lord Momonga stepped back from the table to cross his arms, the cloak he wore flowing over his left arm. "From what I've seen, and from what I've overheard the other adventurers talking about, it boils down to this: complete and total annihilation of this city and its inhabitants."
The stillness in the room was complete enough that CZ Delta could pick out the individual breathing patterns of the many adventurers. Lord Ra Ra Rasputin tapped his left boot against the wooden floor, alerting the rest of them to their presence.
Her guild leader looked up, spotting them and giving them a friendly wave. The newly identified Pluton gave him a questioning glance.
"Ah! Good, the rest of our team has just arrived," Lord Momonga explained to Pluton. "We'll fill them in on the current plan, and we'll continue from there."
They were brought before the "war table" as the annoying archer Lukrut had called it, squeezing himself between Lord Ra Ra Rasputin and her. The friendly druid Dyne stood to her opposite side.
Lukrut gave her what she assumed to be his best smile. "Glad to have our lovely Cerise back! Hope you didn't run into too much trouble now."
The sniper carefully said nothing, but she did spare the archer a side eye at the very least, which seemed to satisfy him. Dyne gave her a courteous nod, to which she returned.
What transpired for the next half an hour, according to her internal clock, was a very brief rundown of the plan that her Lord and the other humans had created. From what she could understand (which, when considering the humans, was laughably easy), they had been given a "best guess" from Lord Momonga and Lady Ariel on where the hordes could be coming from.
"Nubo and some of our Eight Edge Assassins have been scouting the city at the same time as you," the skeletal mage told CZ and Lord Ra Ra Rasputin over a private messenger. "The greatest mass of undead is centered around the cemetery, which is where we'll be headed."
CZ made no physical move to acknowledge her Lord's words, but she did give a small hum over the messenger. As she downloaded a 3-D rendition of the map, she took account of the dimensions of the graveyard and how many potential undead it could house.
She expected that Lord Ra Ra Rasputin was doing the same thing, from how intensely he was studying the wording of the map itself. How she wished that her ability to feel pride was heightened, if only slightly.
"I'm gonna have to agree with Mister Momon and Peter here ,sir," said a senior mage with chocolate brown hair and soft features. "The graveyard would be able to provide the most amount of initial undead to launch a surprise attack on the city, while the summoners could simply use a [Mass Raise] spell from the amount of negative energy they would've collected."
The guild master Pluton leaned over the map, creasing his brow as he took in the more experienced adventurer's word. He seemed to be considering many different possibilities and even looked at the door at one point. He finally closed his eyes and sighed.
"Alright, but if we're gonna do this, then we need to double-check everything that we've gone over and make sure there's no leaks or holes in this plan of ANY kind. I couldn't bear it if we lost more good men and women today because we overlooked one crucial detail."
Peter smiled. "Of course sir! My team and I will be right behind you, and with Sir Momon and his friends by our side, as well as Mekongawa, we should be able to handle this easily."
Pluton gave a small smile in return. "You've got heart son, that's what I've always liked about you and your team. Alright, so let's go through this one more time."
Lord Momonga took that moment to rejoin the table and pointed at the entrance of the graveyard. "First we'll need to have archers stationed along the walls of the gate to shoot down the initial horde that would still be lingering there. Those with heavy armor, such as myself, shall do all we can to beat down those who do not go down in the first volley of arrows."
"From there," Peter added, "we'll have Mekongawa and Ninya take to the skies and handle all those Stymphalians that attacked us earlier. If what Sir Momon said is true, the greatest concentration of them will be around the summoning site."
"Afterwards, we can send in a second wave of adventurers to watch the backs of the first wave, intermingled with mages that will constantly be countering the massive amounts of negative energy in the area."
"Then we'll finish off the last of the undead, and hopefully find the ones responsible for this whole mess and put an end to it then and there."
Pluton rolled his shoulders back, and CZ detected a spike in the elder man's adrenaline levels as his muscles went rigid.
"Alright! Let's get everyone ready and then we set out as soon as possible. I want this city taken back by dawn!"
The adventurers roared with approval, rushing about like agitated ants to see their brothers and sisters in name armed and hungry for undead blood.
"Wait, what about us?" Lord Ra Ra Rasputin asked, CZ translating faithfully for him. "We've kinda just stood here and listened to you three talk. Where do I and Cerise fit into all of this?"
Pluton smirked at that and gestured with his head towards Lord Momonga. "I know you and the newbies are all a single team, and I figured you'd want to be in the thick of the action with those you trust most. If you want to be up on that wall with the snipers and show off those fancy hand cannons you got, that's fine with me too, but you better let us know now rather than later."
The sniper automaton looked to the gunslinger, awaiting his response and already resolving to follow him wherever he pleased.
Unless, of course, another one of her Lords gave her a direct order specifying something else–
"Alright, so where can I dive head first into this heart of darkness that's fallen over the city?"
Thankfully, her current Lord was forthcoming in his answer, and she had never been happier to translate for him at that moment.
—-
It was a relatively short trip, now that she thought back on it. But it gave her a new insight into humans and their designs.
Their current compatriots and "sponsors", as a senior adventurer had dubbed the Swords of Darkness, were quick to fall in line with her masters, walking as one as they left the headquarters of the Adventurer's Guild.
The inoffensive mage Ninya had climbed onto the shoulders of Lord Beast King Mekongawa, who gave all in attendance a fearsome smirk and launched himself, the younger spell caster whooping all the while.
Lady Ariel passed on some of her magical blessings to the other mages, enhancing their abilities and increasing their mana for the cleanup upon them all. Lord Momonga swung his blades around, most likely readjusting to their weight and testing his grip. He made sure to stay far away from the massive battalion as he did so.
Lord Ra Ra Rasputin was refilling the ammunition of his revolvers, placing in specialty rounds that had a white band painted all around the brass casing. He flicked his wrists and closed both cylinders with a click.
Peter had resolved himself into using the gauntlets Sasha and Neagan had become, opting to not wear them until the very last minute before combat. He seemed to struggle with their weight, but was keeping them at the ready by hanging them from a rope tied around his shoulders.
Lukrut tightened the strings of his bow and Dyne muttered the wordings of his spells.
CZ ensured that all her systems were at one hundred percent efficiency and that her rifle was refilled.
"EVERYONE!" Guildmaster Pluton called out, standing on a crate above them all and to carry his voice better, "What we do now is not just for ourselves, but for all the remaining citizens of E-Rantel! By the time this night is through and dawn breaks, all of you will be going down in history as HEROES!"
The late-night atmosphere was deafened by the war cry of the adventurers, with even CZ Delta's masters getting carried away. Though she knew she would feel an attachment to it, she gave her best to not be left behind.
"Yeeaah," CZ cried out, receiving a hearty thump on the shoulder from Lord Ra Ra Rasputin. She logged the interaction down for later.
With the guild master's encouraging words, they set off on a general path to the graveyard, where they believed all of their evening woes to be originating. At first, the undead came only in duos or trios and was quickly cut down by either blade or magic.
As they continued their trek, easily a few dozen adventurers strong, the amount and strength of the undead continued to increase until they were facing hordes of comparable or even greater sizes.
Lumbering Death Knights charged at them like Minoan Bulls, only to be cut down by the raw strength of the guild leader of Ainz Ooal Gown himself, whose fiery eyes shone through the slits of his helmet like beacons in the night. His broadswords glimmered in the moonlight with the clotted blood and rotten, maggot-ridden muscle of his foes.
Lady Ariel threw out various types of totems that stuck to whatever surface they landed on, unleashing spiritual energy that either slowed or outright disintegrated the lesser skeletons and zombies. Whenever a zombie or skeleton brute came too close, brandishing rusted war hammers or two-handed maces, they met their end in a swirling vortex of ethereal power and joined their ranks as a spirit animal.
Lord Ra Ra Rasputin showed off his divine dexterity by throwing his revolvers out like boomerangs, the guns going off with each bonk of the head off of some unlucky undead, and killing legions more in their wake. Those who were too close found themselves torn in two by the elder automaton's mechanical fortitude, drawing looks of awe from the human adventurers that trailed behind him.
Peter had finally equipped the gauntlets, and had clearly learned from his first battle with them. He was doing his best to remain in a constant state of attack, not giving his body a chance to absorb the power they held. So far, he was succeeding, and was keeping pace with her Masters.
As they drew closer to the gates of the cemetery, the crowd of undead thinned as they collectively saw Lord Beast King Mekongawa and the useful mage Ninya blasting their skyward enemies with fire and acid respectively. The two of them cackled as they lost themselves in the thrill of battle, the smaller mage glowing with shaman might while the chimera sliced a path to the gateway.
When the flock of Stymphalian birds inevitably showed up, they were in such boundless numbers that they completely blocked out the sky, casting a shadow that swallowed them all.
In the darkness, CZ could still see perfectly fine due to her night vision, which meant that she could see the flock assemble into a tight ball as they swarmed one another and gathered speed.
"OH NO, YOU WON'T!" Lord Ra Ra Rasputin whooped, raising Shoot, and firing off a specialty shot he had just loaded. When it hit the first bird, it exploded in a shower of white fire, spreading to other birds with intense speed.
Clumps of undead birds fell from the sky, catching some of the buildings nearby aflame. Most fell into the actual graveyard, which lit up instantly due to all the dry material in the area. The entire scene reeked of burning flesh and the cries of undead and adventurers alike as they fought for their respective lives.
The haze of the smoke swirled around the Lords of Nazarick, as if the elements themselves were yielding to their unquestionable will.
Lord Beast King Mekongawa had torn off the portcullis long ago, and Ninya had hopped down from his shoulders to fight on the overhang where guards would've stood vigilant in the past. The both of them fought with fluid symmetry, despite the massive difference in abilities.
For every bolt of flame towards an undead, the beastmaster matched it with a stream of dragon fire. For every slam of his fists that cracked the wall, they stood upon, the mage incorporated a stream of acid and a swift bash of her staff.
CZ gave a small nod to Ninya, who nodded back as the group of adventurers passed under them. Lord Ra Ra Rasputin pushed past her, placing Point into his right holster and pulling out the rapier he had strapped to his waist.
The sniper had already unslung her rifle and was taking potshots at the zombified hordes when she heard heavy, mechanical breathing over the messenger. Her right eyebrow slightly raised, as she tried to discern from whom it was coming exactly.
To her surprise, she found it to be the elder automaton, who stood menacingly before a cloud of smoke that partially hid his mechanical form. His optics had darkened to a dangerous red, and he shoved Shoot into his left holster.
He tore through the sheet of smog like a curtain, stomping through paths of fire as the edges of his cloak burned. The first zombie he came across was cut in two from shoulder to hip, falling away before him like wheat in a field.
The second wasn't even given the blade, instead being thrown up and over Lord Ra Ra Rasputin's shoulder like a sack of potatoes. The zombie splattered and stained the dirt path jet black, causing some young adventurers to scream in alarm.
The undead came in greater numbers before him, but he struck them all down with his rapier with heavy, over-the-head strikes. One skeleton was grabbed by the ribcage, thrown above the gunslinger, and then sliced in half at the waist.
In the light of the fires which rampaged through the graveyard, his rapier shimmered the same color as his optics and dripped with moist chunks of slain adversaries.
—-
As Momonga had informed them, the graveyard had been crawling with undead, all of which were closing in on E-Rantel's Adventurers Guild. But with the combined might of four Supreme Ones, and herself, the massive horde of undead was like wheat before a scythe.
This continued until they got closer to the center of the graveyard, where a massive, stone mausoleum could be seen.
It was there they finally found the summoner.
The remaining adventurers, which was still most of them, fanned out around the area where the summoner was. CZ's thermals activated, which revealed that their target was as blue and purple as his surroundings. She could detect no organic systems at work, which could only mean one thing to her.
"The target has ascended to an undead status, my Lords," she said over their private comms. "I believe that his current state confirms our thought as to his mission here."
"Good work, CZ," Lady Ariel complimented, "Now let's finish this and go home. I think I've just about had enough of E-Rantel for one day."
The summoner's skin was gaunt, and as pale as winter snow. He stood directly in front of the door leading into the Mausoleum, as if to guard it. His robes, once a vibrant crimson, had faded to the color of rust. The remains of a chain dangled from around his neck, where a single skull hung by a link. On his fingers grew talons like a vampire, thin and razor sharp.
He seemed to almost float above the ground, with the way the edges of his robes billowed in the night air. He was surrounded by the corpses of similarly dressed mages, all sprawled in the throes of agonizing death.
In his hollow eyes glowed a flickering green fire. He gave them all a wicked smile, the teeth of a serpent clearly shown.
The Summoner rasped out:
"The constraints of this form are quite apparent. Nonetheless, he has served his purpose, and allowed me to get close to you all. Might I be able to entertain you tonight?"
CZ had none of the failing of humans, but even she could tell that something in the Summoner's speech was OFF.
An archer shot in response, the summoner catching and snapping the arrow in between two bony fingers all in a single motion.
"A pity that to fulfill my purpose, I have to grant Khajit's wish. Were it different, I would have met you in a more… suitable body. I can only do so much with boosting the power of this host."
"Surrender now, and you may be given a quick death!" Lord Momonga demanded, pointing a broadsword, "I think I speak for all of us tonight when I say that after all you've wrought, you're hardly deserving of a fair trial!"
The adventurers were of a like-minded temperament, closing in on the summoner that had been the cause of so much woe. CZ's danger meter rose by a single tick. It was not enough to warrant worry for her masters, but it was just enough to be a cause of concern for their extended party.
Perhaps it would be advisable for them to stand back. I foresee this not concluding well.
True to her thoughts, a wall of bones rose from the stone, cracking and disrupting the easy path forward. Sharpened ribs poked out, firing almost as quickly as the bullets of her sniper rifle could. Around a dozen adventurers fell in that first burst, either breathing their last or clutching at the new pieces embedded somewhere in their bodies.
The remaining adventurers backed off with a cry of dismay or fury, taking defensive positions behind either a gravestone or another heavily armored adventurer.
"Do not think yourselves above my notice. Mortal or immortal, all end up beneath my gaze."
In CZ's thermal vision, she saw the Summoner's head turn to look through his wall of bones, looking upon each and every one of her Masters.
"I… See… You…ALL…OF…YOU…"
"CZ," Lord Ra Ra Rasputin said calmly, "Put a bullet in him and finish this."
Her sniper rifle was cocked into the groove of her shoulder as soon as she heard the command, a bullet flying from the barrel and straight into the forehead of the summoner.
He crumbled like a sack of bricks, lying in a pile of tangled bodies from his previous comrades. It was over so quickly and decisively that the other adventurers had to take a moment to collect themselves.
"Wait, is that it?" Asked a man with a scar over his right eye and spiky, black hair. He wore a mix of leather and plate mail on his body.
"Yeah...I think we just did it," another man replied, looking around him as if he just recognized where they all were.
There were no cheers of jubilation or any sound at all as they all came to terms with how quickly it had ended. However, that didn't mean that CZ Delta was off duty just yet.
When she observed the body of the summoner, she witnessed how the cadaver's skin crinkled and shrunk in on itself, turning to powder as soon as it touched the bones. Once the skeleton itself was exposed to the air, a black mist rose over the remains, showing a pair of emerald-green flames and luminescent fangs.
Many of the adventurers let out cries of exclamation and immediately got back into defensive positions. The Lords of Nazarick were the only ones to visibly relax, watching the new apparition with idle interest.
It watched them back, never blinking, before slowly flowing into the mausoleum behind it with an airy hiss. No one moved until it was completely out of sight, save for Lord Momonga, who took the first step.
As if snapping out of a daydream, the remainder of the Adventurer's Guild followed behind the skeletal Overlord. Lord Ra Ra Rasputin and Lady Ariel guarded the group's flank, their respective weapons ready for further conflict.
CZ followed after the guild leader, reaching a dais that had already been opened. The snarling faces of two gargoyle statues greeted her as she made the descent down.
The flight of stairs themselves was rather short, but she had to continuously make stops as one adventurer or another made an excuse not to descend any further. By the time they had reached the bottom, It was only her, Lord Momonga, and three of the four members of the Swords of Darkness.
Peter and Lord Momonga led the group, the human man having hung the Sasha and Neagan gauntlets over his shoulders like before, inactive but ready for use at any time. The druid Dyne covered their rear and laid a path of twisting vines. Lukrut stood close to CZ, though he made no flirtatious remarks or gave her no adoring eyes as he had before. He was finally serious, his bow strung and his eyes surveying the area for hidden traps.
It was, admittedly, a good look for the somewhat immature man.
They finally reached an area that was noticeably man-made, with pillars of different sizes surrounding a round, slate arena. Inside each pillar was a violet orb of energy, and at the center of this structure stood a young man with a glowing circlet on his head.
His eyes were hidden by the long bangs he had, and his mouth hung open with a stream of drool coming out one side. The only article of clothing he wore to protect his modesty was a thin, silvery veil, and even then there were portions of his body that could be seen.
Blood poured from where his eyes would be as if he were weeping, but he was otherwise silent. He was completely still, and utterly content to stay that way otherwise.
CZ activated several of her vision modes, one after the other, to assess the youthful man's health. From what she could detect, there was no brainwave activity whatsoever, yet his organs seemed to be in perfect functioning order. He also breathed at a slow but steady pace.
The magic may be keeping him alive, but it has overwhelmed his mind. I should seek permission to end this human's misery if possible.
"Holy shit, is that Nfirea Bareare?!" Lukrut exclaimed, putting away his bow. Peter and Dyne also gasped, wishing to get closer but wisely staying out of the area.
She and Lord Momonga shared a glance before he spoke up to voice both of their confusion.
"I'm afraid we don't know who this individual is. I assume that they are of great importance?"
"Definitely," Peter replied, "and now this entire outbreak makes more sense. Mr. Bareare here has a unique talent that allows him to utilize any magical item, regardless of its restrictions. Those summoners must have captured him and forced him to wear that crown on his head to boost their power."
"Anything else of note we should know about him?"
"He was also E-Rantel's best pharmacist, alongside his grandmother, but after everything that's happened, I wouldn't be surprised if he's now the last Bareare."
CZ's Lord hummed in thought, and she saw him discreetly place two fingers against the side of his head to relay a message. It was not for her auditory sensors, as she heard none of the conversations that followed.
Her private questions were answered once she witnessed Lady Ariel join them with Ninya beside her. The two mages were the only ones brave enough to step into the arena and directly touch the comatose pharmacist. The younger mage blushed heavily once she realized the current state of Nfirea and turned away, but the shaman held no such shame.
There was a thoughtful look on her wooden features, and she gently placed her index finger against the center of the naked man's forehead where the circlet touched.
There was an aqua glow that shone from her fingertip, and then she gave them new info.
"This is called the Crown of Wisdom. As far as I could tell there wasn't anything like it back in Yggdrasil, but it doesn't seem all that powerful. Do you want it?"
"Normally we would," the Overlord said, "but there're too many witnesses around. Just get rid of it and be done with it."
The Shaman didn't respond verbally, but she did lay her hand against the circlet as if she were checking for a fever.
It shattered with a sound like ice cracking, and he fell forward into the fey's arms. She looked towards CZ and Lord Momonga, placing a finger against her lips in a shushing motion. Snoring accompanied the action.
"He's gonna be out cold for a while. His physical wounds should be easy enough to cure, but his mind… well..."
Lord Momonga nodded in understanding, turning around and going back to the flight of stairs they all took to get down there in the first place.
As she expected, the sniper was the last to leave, studying the area one last time before it was her turn to rejoin the surface world. But just as she was about to do so, the same black mist that came out of the fallen summoner pooled from the walls and thickened where the pharmacist had been.
She and the mist had a silent staring contest, emerald fire meeting emerald optic. The shadow shifted, showing off a peek of pearlescent light.
MAY WE MEET AGAIN, LITTLE ONE.
With that last whisper, it dissipated into nothingness, and her scanners picked up on no additional abnormalities. She had already recorded the incident and filed it down under "intriguing" for her masters to review and judge.
With that out of the way, she rejoined the humans and Ainz Ooal Gown.
—-
The events afterward were hardly of any worth, but she had diligently logged down every piece of information that came her way.
The pharmacist had been carried out in a method dubbed "bridal style" by Lady Ariel, many adventurers crowding around her as soon as they saw the renowned man. The shaman had to threaten them all with glowing eyes and the howls of spirit wolves before they backed off, giving self-conscious looks.
Guildmaster Pluton pushed his way to the front of the crowd, barking orders at the mages to take the unconscious Bareare to a safe location where he could be tended to. As was her right, Lady Ariel accompanied them, most likely to ensure they did not harm their new charge in any way.
Ninya would've joined her as well if it weren't for the blast of wind that shook the earth and rustled her hair.
"And after all we've been through together, little Ninya. You'll just run off without saying farewell?" called Lord Beast King Mekongawa teasingly.
CZ watched as the younger mage beamed at the chimera and rushed to hug him. The beastmaster chortled and gave her a soft pat on the back, to not accidentally kill her with the force of his affection.
He disengaged from the favored human, and with another mighty leap, he took back to the skies, hovering over all the remaining adventurers in the graveyard.
"Fare thee well, little morsels and humans! Consider my debt repaid in full! However, the Swords of Darkness and their companions will always be welcome in my domain. If the rest of you wish this honor, you must face me in honorable combat!
"Speaking of which…"
He held out his massive claws, and his gauntlets, currently hanging over Peter's shoulders, began to float away. Peter went to grab them, but was too slow.
"HEY!" Peter yelled indignantly. "THOSE ARE MINE!"
"No, human, they are MINE. I saw you fighting undead, and they're CLEARLY too much for your puny human body." He held them up tauntingly. "If you want to actually be WORTHY of them, train harder, and face me again in the Forest of Tob!"
He cocked his head, seeming to mull over an idea. "Or should I call it the Beast King's Forest, now?" He chuckled. "What a marvelous name!"
And with his last word, the beast king soared off into the horizon. The Swords of Darkness, save one, gave a collective wave, as did some of the awe-stricken adventurers.
"Hey wait, he was supposed to come back with us to the guild!" Lukrut cried out. "Get back here! We need you for a status boost!"
"I wouldn't worry about that son," Guildmaster Pluton reassured, walking up to the guildmates of Ainz Ooal Gown and the Swords of Darkness. "Mekongawa and I had a chance to talk while you were down there, and he told me all about how the newbies and you bested him in combat. I'd say that's one hell of a feat indeed."
"So what will happen to us now?" Dyne asked, stroking his luscious beard.
"Well, now we're gonna get to finding any survivors we can and then sending word to Re-Estize for aid. In case you haven't noticed, this city has gone to Hell in a handbasket."
Lukrut decided to push his luck with his next question. "Of course! We'd be happy to help in the rebuilding efforts, but surely bringing the Usurper to help out with this mess merits something, right?"
Pluton sighed but then chuckled good-naturedly. "You drive a hard bargain kid, so how about this: you and your team will be given a boost to Mithril rank. Seeing as how you had the brains and bronze to bring down Mekongawa too, I'd like for you to all serve as envoys to Re-Eztize to tell them of our plight."
"Wait, are you serious?" Ninya asked, the young mage gaining a sparkle in her eye.
"Indeed," Pluton confirmed, "You've braved a danger that has managed to single-handedly kill the old Wise King, who eluded and killed some of our best adventurers for the last few decades. I'd say that warrants a certain degree of trust, wouldn't you all agree?"
The Swords of Darkness said nothing, as they absorbed the weight of the new responsibility they had just been handed. CZ could not help but feel a small touch of pride, not at the Swords of Darkness themselves, but at how her masters had so expertly manipulated the group into their machinations.
It would appear that the plans of my Lords are multi-layered. I will have much to debrief Lady Albedo and the others once I return home. To think that I would be able to witness history in the process!
"And as for you folks," the guild master said, dragging the sniper away from her inner thoughts, "You endured a torturously rough initial quest, I'll say that much. I've never, ever seen adventurers quite like you all, and after the events of this night as my witness to your feats, I'd say this is well-deserved."
He drew himself up to his full height, projecting his voice as loud as he could. "It is with the highest distinction that I award you all the rank of Adamantite, effective immediately!"
There was boisterous cheering from the Swords of Darkness, as well as other adventurers who were within earshot of the guild master's declaration. All came forward to give congratulations, though some remained behind to give glares of envy, or even fear towards the new adventurers.
CZ Delta's master heartily reached out a gauntlet-laden hand to shake the guild master's.
"This is a tremendous honor indeed. However, I would say that we may not be able to join the Swords of Darkness on their journey quite yet, as we wish to help in the rebuilding efforts, and then we must be moving on."
The elder adventurer furrowed his brows but nodded nonetheless. "I understand. I thank you for at least staying to help with the rebuilding efforts."
"Of course," said the Overlord effortlessly, "It's the very least we can do."
—-
The rest of the night and very early morning were spent searching for civilian survivors, to which the majority of them were found within the merchant's district, defended by the last of the city guard.
Rations were distributed, wounds were healed, and many had to be comforted due to the loss of loved ones that they had experienced on that horrid night. Those who had lived to see the breaking of dawn called the previous night a "Night of the Walking Dead".
CZ Delta was assigned to watch over the benumbed pharmacist Nfirea, who had been set up in a makeshift medical ward. Lady Ariel had personally taken it upon herself to see to it that the young man was healed.
Throughout the day, he would slip in and out of consciousness, mumbling out for his grandmother, and asking where she had gone. After hearing this, the younger automaton would accompany the fey shaman on a small investigation to discover the Bareare residence, after asking some of the citizens that had survived.
It was then that the two denizens of Nazarick slipped away, seeking out the old pharmacy of E-Rantel. They, unfortunately, ran into a dead-end, as the location where the pharmacy had been said to have been was burned to the ground, with only charred timber and part of a door to mark where it had once stood.
The walk back to the medical ward was a mournful one.
—-
Clementine sat back in her booth with a contented sigh, downing her mug of cheap ale with a cruel smile.
To think that her escape from that dingy city E-Rantel could be so complete, so utterly easy was laughable in of itself, but it was the many trophies that she had managed to accumulate along the way that had sweetened the whole experience for her.
She knew that to escape the city without notice should've been her primary concern, but when she saw the initial confusion and panic among the citizens when she saw it upon the faces of the adventurers…
Well, how could a girl possibly refuse an opportunity like that?
She had taken as many adventurer's plates as she dared, making off with an astounding fifteen new plates to add to her attire. She had relished in the looks of fear and anguish as she drove the stilettos into their hearts, and she had breathed in their last, gasping breaths of air before they left the world.
And now here she was, in some unnamed tavern along the main road between Re-Estize and the Baharuth Empire, somewhere south of a small village named Makwallen. She had...indulged in some bodily delights, only as a minor treat of course.
Yet, despite her total self-victory in being able to run free as she wished...
"Somehow, I still can't shake the feeling that I'm being followed," Clementine muttered, her smile falling away as her instincts flared up again.
Ever since she had successfully escaped E-Rantel, she had the distinct awareness of multiple pairs of eyes that were watching her. Her sense of perception was nothing to scoff at, honed after years of elite training, but every time she checked her surroundings, she found absolutely nothing.
"Am I finally going paranoid after all of these years?" Clementine wondered, waving down another waitress to refill her mug. She was still in the prime of her youth, and no man or woman had ever been able to touch her in any capacity whatsoever.
"Nah," she decided, taking another small sip of her drink. Though, it never hurt to be careful after all.
She carefully scanned the perimeter of the room, witnessing the usual rabble that occupied a tavern like the one she was in. The only one of any particular interest was an elderly man who had combed-over hair as white as frost and an immaculate beard to match.
He had broad shoulders, a thick neck, and eyes like an eagle's. The wrinkles on his face made him look gentle, but his thin-lipped expression said otherwise. He never actually looked her way, but she sensed that he was observing the room in much the same way she was.
He wore a traveler's fur coat, which seemed fine in make, but not luxurious. A moderately successful merchant perhaps? The road this tavern was on was known for being a trade route.
But if he looks as semi-well off as he does, what the hell is he doing in a dump like this?
She decided that now, her rest time was over and that she needed to continue on the road, now.
She got up from her booth and drew her cloak in close around her. She left a handful of coppers on the table and pushed past the batwing doors. It was closer to the early morning, not too late that traffic had become congested, but early enough that farmers and tradesmen were already up and about.
She blended seamlessly in with a group of rugged travelers in overalls, pickaxes, and other farming equipment resting on their shoulders. Their conversation was of no consequence, just so long as she got as far away as possible from that tavern.
She wasn't sure what it was that had gotten her so riled up like this, but she knew instinctively that every step away from that pit stop was another step toward safety. She finally split from the group she had joined and stood under a patch of nearby Cyprus trees.
Her breathing was still even, but for good measure, she hid her body behind the greater bulk of the cluster. The sense of watchful eyes had disappeared, and she allowed herself to finally relax.
She was blindsided by an open-handed slap to her face, the force of the blow knocking her to her knees. Before she could retaliate, the second slap knocked the wind out of her, and she had to lean back against the tree for support
"My Lord always taught me to never hit a woman with a closed fist," the older traveler said, readjusting his pair of gloves. "To do so diminishes the worth of a man, and I would hate to disappoint him, after all he's been through."
Clementine couldn't even fathom what the hell he was talking about, but she knew what she had to do next if she wanted to escape this alive.
With lightning-fast reflexes she pulled her right stiletto from its sheath, aiming directly for the elder man's eye. He caught the tip in between his index and middle finger. Clementine struggled against the impossible strength of the man in front of her, who could have easily been her grandfather of all things.
He said nothing, merely allowing her to huff and puff in vain as she tried to shove the weapon closer to his indifferent facade. He must've decided he had enough because he snapped the weapon in two like a twig.
She stared numbly at her beloved weapon, which lay on the ground in two pieces. When she looked back up at the man, he slammed her full force with one of his gloves. She fell on her back to the ground then, and she swore that she heard something crack.
"I believe we're done here. My Lord is quite eager to meet you, and I would not dare to leave him waiting. I believe this is where our conversation ends."
He raised another hand, most likely to darken her world, but she managed to weakly hold out her forearm.
"W-wait," she sputtered, spitting out some blood. "Who the h-hell are you?"
The man paused and considered her question. His hand never lowered, but he did grace her with one final line.
"I am Sebas Tian, of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. And as of this moment, I am your judge, jury, and executioner."
He brought down his open hand and slammed her forehead so hard it bounced against the root of the tree. She saw no more after that.