Word count: 2600 words
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The wind howled gently over the Katze Plains, yet the tension in the air was anything but calm.
Meliodas took his first step forward, his boots sinking softly into the dry earth. Behind him, his elite entourage followed, Tatsumaki, arms crossed and levitating slightly above the ground, Shoko Leiri, Mahito, grinning as always, and finally Hisoka.
Shalltear Bloodfallen, Guardian of the First to Third Floors of Nazarick. A beautiful yet fearsome creature, adorned in her gothic battle regalia, standing eerily still atop the gentle slope ahead. The undead vampire radiated hostility like a beacon.
Meliodas exhaled calmly. 'Here we go.'
The moment he entered the invisible radius that surrounded her, Shalltear's head snapped toward him with unnatural precision like a marionette on strings suddenly animated.
Her crimson eyes locked onto his with a terrifying lack of emotion. No hesitation. No words.
She launched herself in their direction with a thunderous crack, Shalltear kicked off the earth and flew toward Meliodas like a bloodthirsty bullet, her lance of jet black and silver ready to pierce, but before she could do that...
*CRASH!*
Her body was slammed into the dirt, flattened by a sudden invisible force.
"Hmph. Stay down, bloodsucker," Tatsumaki muttered, eyes glowing faintly green. She floated a few feet off the ground, one hand lazily raised while the other resting on her tiny waist.
Shalltear squirmed, trying to lift her head, her fingers clawing at the ground but it was no use. The psychic pressure from the Tornado of Terror held her tighter than any magical restraint ever could.
When facing Tatsumaki, Shalltear's physical strength was almost meaningless.
But Shalltear was no fool. Physical altercation wes not her only option.
In an instant, she began chanting.
[Purifying Javelin]
A high-tier holy magic meant to destroy undead or demonic entities.
The spear of light formed above her, gleaming with devastating energy, and fired directly at Tatsumaki, recognizing her as the source of her paralysis.
Tatsumaki didn't flinch.
Before the javelin reached her, a glowing green barrier of psychic energy surrounded the entire group individually. The spear impacted it with a shattering force and scattered into harmless particles.
Meliodas didn't even blink. "Shoko, go ahead!"
Shoko nodded silently and stepped forward. "On it."
Despite the chaos in front of her, her expression was calm, she kept walking as she approached Shalltear, the vampire's attention shifted again, instincts kicking in like a beast backed into a corner.
[Force Explosion]
A shockwave burst from Shalltear's body, trying to hurl Shoko back. The impact shook the surrounding plains, tearing up the ground like an earthquake but the psychic shield absorbed the full brunt of the blast.
Dust swirled. The battlefield trembled.
But Shoko kept walking forward, unfazed.
Shalltear hissed through clenched teeth, her voice finally breaking through in a guttural, monstrous tone. "You… dare approach me?!"
Shalltear had to get out of there in order to find a different strategy to fight this mysterious power. She decided to teleport out of there.
[Greater Teleportation]
But Tatsumaki narrowed her eyes. "Not happening." Another layer of barrier encased Shalltear, trapping her in a prison that she couldn't even recognize, let alone break.
The vampire's rage twisted into desperation as the teleportation miserably failed.
She began rapid casting, showing why she was a Floor Guardian of Nazarick.
[Magic Destruction]
Nothing.
Great [Cure]
[Boosted Life Essence]
[Negative Burst]
[Explosion]
All these high-tier spells flickered uselessly against the psychic walls.
With her fangs gritted in frustration, Shalltear finally roared and unleashed Charm Species, her most dangerous control magic. A desperate attempt to save herself by controlling the opponent.
A pink glow pulsed outward like a web meant to enslave the will of anyone nearby.
But the spell washed harmlessly against the psychic field surrounding the group, failing to penetrate.
"Still trying that?" Tatsumaki muttered, bored. "Not very creative."
Now close enough, Shoko knelt beside the restrained vampire. Her hands hovered on either side of Shalltear's head, careful and delicate.
Shalltear's eyes widened, sensing something unnatural. Not magical. Not holy. But something… invasive.
Shoko's lips moved slightly. "Sorry about this. It might hurt."
[Reverse Cursed Energy]
It flowed from her fingers like invisible ink, seeping into Shalltear's skull.
The spellwork in her mind began to recoil something insidious unraveling.
Shalltear screamed.
Her body spasmed violently, but all she could do was twitch against Tatsumaki's crushing psychic pressure.
Her voice was shrill, inhuman, and filled with pain. Meliodas didn't react. Mahito's grin widened. Hisoka tilted his head, watching curiously.
One minute passed.
Then another.
Finally, her arms dropped. The tension in her body vanished.
And her crimson eyes… closed.
Shalltear fell unconscious, sweat glistening on her pale forehead. For the first time in a long while, she looked fragile.
Shoko stood, brushing dust from her sleeves. "It's done."
Meliodas crossed his arms and gave a small, satisfied nod. "Good work, everyone."
From a distance, Ainz observed everything silently, his eyes glowing bright red. The battlefield was quiet again.
Where once Shalltear Bloodfallen had thrashed like a feral beast, now only silence remained. Her form, unmoving, was cradled by the cracked earth she had been forced into. The psychic suppression had vanished, and her chaotic magic now lay dormant.
Seeing the child of his former friend being reduced to such a state by a stranger was hard to watch, but he had no other choice.
Meliodas dusted off his jacket as he approached Ainz, leaving Shalltear's unconscious body way behind, hands in his pockets.
Behind him, his subordinates, Tatsumaki, Mahito, Hisoka, and Shoko followed in casual but watchful silence. They had done their part. Their expressions revealed little, though Tatsumaki's eyes still narrowed occasionally toward Shalltear's direction, in case she tried anything again.
Ainz stood in the same place as before, framed by his loyal Guardians.
Albedo, still in her black armor, glanced protectively toward her master. Cocytus's icy stance remained as solid as ever, and Mare and Aura stood at ease but ready.
Meliodas stopped a few feet from Ainz and gave him a nod, a casual one, yet respectful.
"It's done," he said, voice calm. "She's not brainwashed anymore. Though... I recommend you give her a few days. Cursed energy and psychic force don't exactly go gentle on the mind. Even with Shoko stabilizing her system, she'll need time."
Ainz nodded slowly, his glowing crimson orbs narrowing behind his helmet-like skull. "I see. That was… faster than I anticipated. And cleaner," he admitted, voice echoing faintly. "My gratitude, Meliodas. This… this means more to me than you may realize."
Meliodas gave a small smile and stretched his arms. "Hey, when you make a deal with me, I deliver. Simple as that. Obsidian Chains guarantees its customers satisfaction."
Then his tone shifted, slightly more grounded, more businesslike.
"I'm not in a rush," he continued. "You can have a week to observe her condition. I'll wait. Besides, I'm also curious to see how she recovers too. Is she going to remember what she did? I wonder."
Ainz glanced briefly toward Shalltear's prone form. "She was created with the highest care and strength by a Supreme Being. She will be fine."
Meliodas nodded solemnly. "Then let's wrap this up properly. After the week, once she stabilizes, we'll meet again. At that time, I'll tell you everything. Who was behind it. How they did it. What tools they used. All of it. You'll get your answers."
Ainz's skeletal face remained unreadable, but his voice carried the intensity of focused interest. "And you shall receive your payment," he said.
A small grin tugged at Meliodas's lips. "Now that's a reward that'll make a king jealous." Then he turned to leave, but as he passed by the Guardians, they gave him a deep bow, their movements rigid with the formality of true soldiers.
On the other side, Tatsumaki, Hisoka, Mahito, and Shoko turned slightly and gave synchronized bows of respect to Ainz, who answered with a slow, dignified nod of his own.
Even Hisoka smiled slightly and whispered, "What an interesting skeleton…"
Meliodas, hearing it, sighed. "Don't get any ideas..."
With the wind picking up across the grassy expanse of the Katze Plains, Meliodas and his group walked in the same purple portal they came from.
Ainz remained still for a long moment.
Behind him, Albedo stepped forward slightly. "Ainz-sama… should we prepare for the second phase?" "Yes," he replied. "Let Shalltear rest. And when the time comes… we will finally have our answers."
The crimson glow in his sockets dimmed thoughtfully as he turned back opening a gate toward Nazarick, walking slowly inside with his Guardians, Shalltear held by Cocytus.
.
.
.
The corridors of the Great Tomb of Nazarick were quiet. Even the air felt solemn as if the very walls themselves understood the gravity of what occurred recently.
Deep within the Tomb, in the grand chamber that Ainz often used for serious discussions with his Guardians, the floor guardians had assembled.
Cocytus stood like an unmoving glacier, his hands behind his back, unmoving. Aura and Mare sat nervously. Demiurge stood perfectly upright, his glinting glasses catching the room's soft light, calculating even in silence. Albedo stood closest to the throne, her usual affection restrained by the seriousness of the moment.
It has been a few days since Shalltear was brought back to Nazarick. During this time she was placed in solitary confinement in order to find out if she was truly back to her original state, and if Meliodas had done something to her, such as affect her memories or brainwash her as well.
The results turned out to be satisfactory, Shalltear was as good as before. Now she was allowed to meet the Supreme One.
Only then… Shalltear arrived.
She knelt the moment the doors opened, her silver-white hair cascading like a river down her back. Her red eyes were fixed firmly on the ground, her body trembling, not from fear, but shame.
The doors sealed behind her with a low, ominous boom.
Seated on the throne was the Supreme Ruler of Nazarick, those glowing crimson embers inside his eye sockets, bore down upon Shalltear like a divine weight.
No one spoke for a moment. Not until Ainz's voice echoed across the chamber.
"Shalltear Bloodfallen. You are dismissed from your duties during this session as a floor guardian. Speak freely."
Her trembling intensified. "Y-yes… Ainz-sama…"
She dropped lower into a prostration, her forehead pressing against the cold floor. "This servant… no, this disgraceful creature dares not even raise her head. I… I have disgraced your name and the name of Nazarick."
Albedo frowned, her lip curling in distaste but not for Shalltear. Rather, for the fact that such disgrace had even occurred in Nazarick.
"Shalltear…" Ainz began, his voice neutral, calm.
"I beg of you, Ainz-sama," she interrupted, unable to hold her feelings any longer. "Please… dispose of me. I was created to protect you, to die in your name if needed. And yet… I was used like a puppet by the enemy. I… I almost pointed my blade at you."
Aura looked down, frowning. Mare's fingers fidgeted nervously with his staff. Cocytus remained a statue of discipline.
Demiurge adjusted his glasses, pushing them up the bridge of his nose. "I understand your anguish, Shalltear. I too...would feel unworthy, had I failed in such a way," he said quietly.
Albedo crossed her arms tightly, but her voice betrayed a deep understanding. "We are your creations. Our very lives are gifts from the Supreme Beings. Failing them… is worse than death."
Ainz held up a hand. Silence fell instantly.
He stood up slowly from his throne. The click of his staff on the floor echoed with every step he took toward the kneeling Shalltear.
He stopped a short distance in front of her. "Shalltear."
She didn't look up.
"I am disappointed," he said.
Her entire body shook violently.
"But I do not blame you."
Her head shot up. Tears were welling in her crimson eyes. "A-Ainz-sama…"
"You were not in control of your actions. You were taken most likely by a World Item, something even I cannot completely defend against without preparation. This is the only conclusion I can come up with. You are not at fault."
She tried to respond, but her voice cracked. "I-I failed you. I failed Nazarick…"
Ainz looked at her for a long moment.
"Then stand. And prove yourself worthy once more." The chamber was silent again. Shalltear stared in disbelief.
"Do you believe that death is the way to make up for your failure?." Ainz asked, a slight sternness to his voice.
"I… I…" she struggled to find the words.
"Then you are wrong," Ainz declared, stepping forward. "Living, and serving me with renewed loyalty that is how you prove your worth. It is a depressing fact, but we do need you desperately now, Shalltear"
Shalltear finally rose, still shaking, her eyes wide with emotion. "Ainz-sama… I swear, I will serve you until the last drop of my blood is spilled… Thank you, my lord!"
Ainz nodded. "That is enough. Resume your duties. And everyone present here, let's make sure things like these never happen again."
She bowed deeply once more, holding back her tears.
Ainz was walking back to his throne, but he suddenly remembered something. "Shalltear, I almost forgot. Do you remember anything from before you were brainwashed?"
She tried to recall what happened exactly, placing her fingers on her chin. "Um, I remember after you sent me on a mission, I arrived in an underground and everything was going smoothly then..." Her expression was one of struggle. "Uhh, umm... Im sorry lord Ainz this is as far as my memory goes. Forgive me."
"I see." Ainz turned around and walked to his throne.
Demiurge took a step forward. "Ainz-sama… forgive the interruption, but I believe this event raises several important concerns."
Ainz returned to his throne and gestured for him to continue.
"First, the man responsible for Shalltear's recovery, Meliodas. His abilities and knowledge of Nazarick's affairs remain a variable. Though the results were beneficial, whether he has good intentions or not he remains a threat."
Albedo's wings twitched. "If he ever attempts to betray Ainz-sama, I will personally shred his soul from his body."
"Ahem. Yes. That being said," Demiurge continued, "we must prepare three contingencies. As we already said, first, if Meliodas truly wishes to forge an alliance, we proceed with caution but cooperation. Second, if he is deceiving us, we prepare countermeasures to eliminate him. And third…"
Demiurge's smile grew colder. "If this is all a prelude to eventual betrayal, we begin creating profiles on all of his known associates now."
Ainz nodded. "I agree. Begin those operations immediately. I will meet him again soon to pay him and get the info as well as to confirm his sincerity. Until then… proceed as if he could be an ally... or an enemy."
"Yes, Ainz-sama!" the Guardians said in unison.
"Shalltear."
She stood upright now, though her eyes still glistened. "Yes, Ainz-sama?"
"I will summon you when the time comes. For now… rest. And reflect."
She bowed deeply once more. "With all my heart, my master."
As the meeting ended, the Guardians slowly dispersed, each returning to their own floor with newfound urgency. Plans would be drafted, contingencies mapped out.
Meliodas had saved one of Nazarick's most powerful Guardians, but the Supreme Ruler never allowed himself to be caught unprepared again.
Ainz remained seated long after they left, gazing at his reflection in the polished marble beneath his throne.
'I will trust you for now, Meliodas. I hope you wont make me regret it.'
TO BE CONTINUED --->
Power stones motivate me to keep the story going.