Austronesian Empire, Imperial Maharlika, Luzon, Manila, In A Military Barracks Near Malacanang.
1st Year of the New Age, Monday, 2nd Week, 2nd Month Of Noah
It's now been over a month since Floria Melian Shelberry was captured by the Austronesian People's Empire. During her time in this human nation, she has been experienced a lot and was recently opened into various new perspectives, which certainly widened her horizon. She believes that if she stayed longer, she would learn even more insights. However, according to her agreement with the government, she must wait until the Empire has recovered on its feet.
Though she isn't sure how such a torn nation by the demon invasion could ever recover, she has witnessed remarkable progress over the past month.
Such revolutionary measures are emplaced on her. If she wanted the help of the Austronesians, however, for her it was a perfect one, as it heavily aligned with her and her father's ideals for their nation. Moreover, these revolutionary measures are bound to flip the world of her nation upside down, though she believes it was necessary. It is, after all, for a brighter future for her citizens.
Once she reclaims the throne once again, she would make sure to follow the form of government of the Austronesian Empire, with a few modifications here and there, so that it would fit into the culture and traditions of her nation. With the backing of the Austronesian People's Empire and the curse on her family now effectively gone, she'd make sure to purge the corrupt nobles from her nation.
Even if nobody from the ranks of the noble supports her, she still has a powerful supporter from overseas, which was the Austronesian People's Empire. The period of reformation will soon dawn upon her nation, and she must be on the lead of it, so that she could protect the interest of her people and most of all her nation.
Her brother must have already thought that she was dead, and it is better for him to think so, as when she comes back and reclaims the throne, she would be a newly reformed woman, one that is immovable and with the power of authority.
The only thing that was keeping her from being overthrown by her brother's backers was the fact that it was to maintain stability throughout the nation. While she sat on the top powerless, they'd do anything they wanted with the government and other executive departments. Basically, it was a war of intrigue between many factions of nobles.
Nobody wants to have a bloodshed, because if it happened, then they might just as well lose everything they have worked for their entire life. After all, once a civil war starts, other nations who were vying to conquer territories surely wouldn't turn a blind eye.
For now, the only thing that Melian could do now is to bide her time, and bide her time, she shall, patiently waiting for the moment to strike and reclaim her rightful place.
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Right now, Melian was sitting in the corner of the café somewhere in Manila along with a few elves, which were part of her Reformist Party. They were deep in discussion about politics and their future plans
She took a sip from the coffee and licked her lips. Most human food and drink seemed fine compared to her native fare, but it served its purpose of satisfying her necessary caloric intake, and after a month of being here in this nation, her palette had adapted accordingly.
The humans around them seemed unaware that they were elves, except for their striking European features and exceptional beauty appearance than the rest of the people here.
The reason none of them knew they were elves is because one of the elves she's with has a simple illusion magic to hide their pointy ears.
As their conversation flowed, Melian's attention was drawn to the television at the other end of the café, where it shows the news covering a range of topics, from weather forecasts to a new mineral discovery, and an interesting program aimed at protecting and reproducing endangered animals like dogs, cats, cows, and chickens, many of which had died during the New Year Tragedy.
What truly captured her attention, however, was the live feed of a protest in the Mendiola Street in Manila, which is not that far from her. There, a large crowd of men and women, all dressed in black, were gathered, chanting slogans and facing a wall of Riot Police, who stood firm, armed with shields, rubber bullets, tear gas, and even lethal weapons.
The protesters' placards bore slogans such as "Where is Our Freedom of Religion?" "Government Lies!" "Fascist!" and "Religious Liberty For All!"
While they were raising those signs up high, there were some burning the Austronesian flag to the ground.
Many countries in her world see such acts would lead to arrest, but she knew they were only burning cheap pieces of fabric.
However, whether it is just a fabric or not, it is deeply disrespectful as a country's flag symbolizes the essence of a nation and what it stands for.
Melian was aware of the new government law that arrested anyone worshipping Satanism or built an encampment that would convert them to other religions, whether they like it or not. It is a measure that seemed authoritarian yet necessary given the reports of people making pacts with demons. These protesters, in her view, were the first suspects, especially considering the nation's recent traumas.
She even wondered why the protesters still held faith in such religious ideals even when their country was almost destroyed by demons.
Deciding to ignore the news, she returned her attention to the elves, especially to the radio playing nearby, and couldn't help but smile in satisfaction. The best thing she loved about these humans was their music. Right now, the radio was blaring one of her favorite songs, "You've Made Me Stronger."
Just as she began to relax, her enhanced eyes caught sight of someone in the crowd approaching a riot police officer. When she focused, her eyes widened.
The person was wielding a pistol, and not only that, Melian felt a strange, familiar sensation within her body.
Something... unholy.
Before she could utter a word, a gunshot sound echoed from the television. The café patrons immediately turned their attention to the screen, where they saw many screams and shouts within.
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Austronesia Empire, Imperial Maharlika, Luzon, Manila, Mendiola Street, San Miguel
1st Year of the New Age, Monday, 2nd Week, 2nd Month Of Noah
"Man down!"
"Someone's armed among the crowd! FIRE!" a police officer shouted, rising from his station and open fire, unleashing a burst of 5.56mm rounds.
And then all hell broke loose.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The whole street became a shooting gallery, the large space echoing with the cacophony of dozen different types of firearms being discharged within.
Protesters ran in fear, but many fell to the ground, riddled with bullets. The shooter, however, was unfazed by the rain of gunfire despite numerous bullets punctured through her body, but she stood her ground with a shit-eating grin on her face.
Then, the next thing that happened shocked the officers as they watched the blood from the lifeless bodies of the protesters begin flowing out and coiled around the body of the shooter.
"Foolish humans... I would like to thank you all for killing these people for me."
The familiar, deep, and cruel voice of a demon echoed, and the blood-red iris in her pitch-black eyes proves more that she is definitely a demon in human flesh.
However, the officers didn't stop shooting and continued giving her more wounds which would empty their magazines, but the woman laughed maniacally as her wounds began to heal, and the blood that coiled around the woman's began to transform into some sort of armor, rendering bullets ineffective.
Summoning a blade made of blood and demonic energy, she lunged at one of the police officers at a speed none of them could react to.
"This bitch is fa-... AAARRRGGGGHHHH!"
The sword impaled the officer right in the chest with such force that blood spurted out from both the front and back, lifting him several feet into the air. He hovered there, eyes wide with shock and agony as his blood began pouring out of his body and coiled around the demon's blade, absorbing his essence and strengthening her.
"Holy shit, A DEMON!" shouted one of the other officers.
"EVERYONE OPEN FIRE!"
Fifty officers unleashed a vicious stream of semi-automatic 9mm rounds at the woman. However, the bullets seemed to have no effect on the woman, leaving sparks where they struck her body harmlessly.
At that moment, the steady thump-thump-thwomp of helicopter rotor blades could be heard rapidly approaching the scene.
"This is Stagecoach Four!" shouted the chief officer into the radio, his face pale with fear. "We need assistance, we are being attacked by a demon!"
[This is Marine Four,] the radio replied. [Copy. IR's picking up a thermal sign just a few yards in front of you. It looks like... a human?]
"That's it! Him! Her! Whatever, just kill it!"
[Roger that,] the radio crackled back. [Alright boys, light 'em up!]
A helicopter swooped low over the street. As it arrived, the officer could see the side door swing open, and a .50-cal machine gun emerge from within. For a split second, he could even see the fearful but determined face of the soldier behind it.
"Sir, eyes on the target!"
"Fire!"
All hell broke loose as spent bullet casings rained down all around the demon from above. For a moment, the chief officer thought they were clear. He breathed a sigh of relief and muttered a prayer of thanks.
But at that moment, his eyes caught the sight of some sort of crimson spear launched from the demon at incredible speed.
Then an explosion erupted behind them.
He turned around just in time to see the helicopter aflame, crashing down towards the ground in a great ball of fire.
BOOM!
"Fuck."
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Meanwhile, an Imperial Secret Police Field Agent watching from a rooftop widened his eyes in shock.
"Fuck," the agent cursed as he called through the comms.
[You called?]
"We have a Code Crimson!" He spoke urgently into his comms, "Demon sighting among the protests in the capital. I want a command sent to all State Security Service, Field Agents, and even Overwatch Teams to be on the lookout for any demons!"
He turned to the armed law enforcement below, who were continuing to shoot the possessed individual with pistols, shotguns, and SMGs.
"And bring more reinforcements. The demon in sight took down a chopper and might be a higher-tier one!"
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"I hope you like it up all three holes, bitch!" shouted an officer.
"DIE!" another screamed in pure hatred, "Just fucking DIE already!"
"This is for General Santos, demon scum!"
One of the riot police stepped forward, loading a tear gas canister into a launcher.
"EAT THIS!" he shouted, firing it directly at their foe.
Throughout all of this, though, the demonic human was moving fast as lightning, bolting, jumping, ducking, dodging, and twirling through the air, running this way, running that way, running up the vehicles even. Surely some of the relentless barrage must have been hitting her, and yet she just seemed to ignore them.
When she saw that tear gas grenade flying right at her, she leapt up, spinning in mid-air, and her foot made contact with the grenade, which kicked it right back in the direction from whence it came.
"Oh, fuck," muttered the officer who had thrown it.
The grenade unleashed a cloud of tear gas, sending two officers stepping back with tears in their eyes before being incapacitated.
A demonic sword materialized in the demon's hand, spinning and whirling around, so fast it was a blur and impossible to see it half the time with whatever frame-rate the television screen had to offer. The blade was severing heads and limbs, sometimes even slicing through metal guns in half, and left deep gashes in the pavement and buildings.
In mere seconds, she had slashed down and killed almost a half a dozen dozen officers.
Here, she kicked a wooden baseball bat into the air with such force that it smashed into an officer's face, breaking apart. There, she leapt and landed on an armored police truck like a cat.
In half a second, a spear of crimson demonic energy materialized behind her and launched at bullet speed. Twenty feet away, an officer fell back against an armored truck with a long crimson blade protruding from his neck.
With a psychopathic grin, the demon assassin turned her attention to the news reporter and her cameraman in the distance. They wore expressions of sheer terror at the sight of her massacring the law enforcement.
"P-Please don-" the reporter began.
The demon assassin jumped toward them, and the next moment, the screen went to static.
However, the audio feed were still active.
"Back up! We need back up!"
"Fuck this demon-bitch! Fuck her to hell!"
"Arrrgggghhhh!"
"Oh God!"
"Olly! No!"
The patrons in the café watched in horror as the screams echoed.
In the corner of the café where Melian and the elves had been sitting, there were only empty seats remained, with a paycheck left on the table.
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"They're getting destroyed in there!" gasped one of the Imperial Secret Police agents, "Sarge, we gotta do something!"
"I'm working on it," snarled another agent in his chair, his patience wearing thin as he spoke into his headset. "Sgt. Matthews, do you read me? I want your team to lay down a suppressing fire, lock and hold that thing. I'm calling the Liberation Army right now. Sgt. Matthews, do you copy?"
"That's not gonna work! We're just sending more bodies to add to the count!"
The first agent angrily shoved his colleague aside and continued, "I repeat, Sgt. Matthews, I want you to lay down suppressing fire until the army arrives!"
"God damn it!" hissed the second agent. "We should send the Archangels unit to deal with it!"