In the Capital of Bermith, a green light blazed with blinding intensity, and the ground and roads trembled as a girl transformed into a monster. Thick green mana coiled around her tiny arms, bulging and stretching as she screamed in agony, veins popping, eyes widening until they turned pitch black. She grew larger, larger still, fur spreading over her body, until she was unrecognizable, a towering monstrosity the size of a ten-story building.
People in the area were terrified as the monster roared, the shockwaves causing violent tremors, chaos already engulfing the city. From the sidelines, hidden behind a building, Gabriel watched on.
'It's not an ideal form, but it seems powerful… at least strong enough to kill that women.'
He gritted his teeth. 'She's always getting in my way.'
Above the monster, floating crystals rose into the air, shimmering as they projected images across the city. Massive broadcast crystals flickered, relaying the scene everywhere.
[Breaking news! An unidentified monster has appeared without warning! If you are in the Logan District, evacuate immediately! I repeat, stay away!]
From atop a tower, I watched it all unfold. I couldn't believe it. Broadcasts existed in this world, marvelous indeed. You're not a true anti-hero if you can't make the news, and I intended to, no matter what. But first, the knights needed to try and fail before I made my entrance. Timing was everything, so while I waited, I stood calmly atop a pointy-edged building, gazing down at the chaos below.
*****
At the Regal Knight Academy, Princess Riaz led ten knights on horseback, their armor forged from a blend of metal and reinforced fabric to allow both protection and flexibility.
"Knights of Bermith," Riaz declared with a firm voice. "We must ensure the citizens are protected at all costs and we will slay that monstrosity."
"Yes, Captain!"
Yet Riaz's mind raced. 'What is that thing? It appeared far too suddenly… could this have something to do with the Church?' Her eyes narrowed. 'Whatever the case may be, this is proof enough that something rotten is rooted deep within our nation, and I Knight of Bermith, will vanquish it.'
The ground shook beneath the monster's footsteps.
"Captain!" a knight shouted. "We've entered the monster's radius. What's our plan of attack?!"
"First," Riaz answered calmly, "we keep it focused on us."
The knights rode out, circling the monster as they drew their swords. As Riaz moved closer, she noticed something unsettling, there were faint demi-human features in its face, elven traits barely visible beneath the distortion, though the truth was impossible to make out.
[It seems, Senior first class knights from the Regal Academy were deployed and Princess of Bermith, Riaz Bermith is leading the charge.]
The people huddled watching on the projection from afar with hopes and fear.
The monster roared once more, the shockwave tearing the top clean off a nearby building. Rubble crashed down as people screamed, ducking and scrambling for cover.
"Move in!" Riaz ordered.
The knights closed the distance and leapt from their horses, blades drawn and glowing with radiant energy. But with unimaginable speed, the monster swung its arm. The knights barely dodged, evading by a hair as shock flashed across their faces. The creature followed up instantly, its massive fist descending upon one knight, his life flashing before his eyes before getting smashed into the ground, his body utterly crushed, blood flowing beneath.
The citizens eyes widened as they covered their mouths, gasps flooding the area.
Riaz's eyes widened. "What?! It's not possible for something that size to move that fast!"
She charged her blade, pink light gathering along its edge, then slashed. A crescent of pink-black energy flew forward, cutting into the monster's flesh yet it barely tore, resisting far more than expected.
'As I thought… it won't be that easy.' Then she bellowed.
"Knights, keep your distance!"
She urged her horse forward, sword shimmering brilliantly as she rose in the saddle.
"Sword Technique... Nebulis Fang!"
Riaz leapt, her blade flashing as it cleaved clean through the monster's arm. Pink energy followed the arc of her strike as the severed limb crashed to the ground, shattering stone beneath it. Black blood oozed from the wound as the monster roared in agony.
The people watching from the projection and cheered.
"Yeah that's our warrior princess for ya!"
For a brief moment, through the pain and fury, Riaz saw it, a crying girl buried beneath the monstrous form.
Her breath caught then she hesitated.
In that instant, the monster swung its remaining arm. A knight reacted just in time, grabbing Riaz and yanking her out of the way as the attack tore through the space she'd occupied, shockwaves turning abandoned carriages.
"What happened, Captain?" he shouted. "You froze!"
Riaz steadied herself, shaking her head as her eyes hardened once more.
"It's nothing," she said firmly. "I simply let my guard down."
The monster's arm started growing back from the severed limb, flesh extending out like tendrils, coiling around itself as the arm slowly stretched, then it roared. The knights were shook to their core.
One of the knights stammered. "No… no way… it can regenerate too…"
Its arm fully recovered, then it leapt toward the knights, who barely moved out of the way as the monster smashed the ground where they had stood, debris spiraling into the air. The knights surged forward, swords raised, striking as they charged. Riaz screamed, "No don't, did you forget?!"
The monster's palm flickered with unreal speed, sending shards of rock and debris smashing into five knights, tearing through their bodies as they crumpled to the ground, blood splattering across the rubble and buildings.
Riaz's eyes widened, teeth gritting. "Damn you!!!"
The monster launched yet another unprecedented move, black energy spewed from its mouth, wind whipping violently around it. Riaz froze, eyes petrified. "W-what?… what is this…?"
The remaining three knights snapped her out of it. "Captain! This isn't the time to be daydreaming you know."
One grinned. "Looks like we're completely fucked, Captain. The only way to prevent casualties is to face it head-on."
The three of them exchanged glances and nodded. "Cap… you have to move out of the way now."
Riaz's eyes widened. "What?! Don't be foolish, I am your Captain—!"
"And that's exactly why, Captain Riaz," Teddy cut in with a grin, "if this blast kills you too, then who's going to take it down? And more importantly…" He smirked wider, "who's going to fix this fucked-up nation of ours?"
Riaz's eyes stayed wide for a while longer before she closed them, gritting her teeth as she stepped back. "I'm going to have to punish you for that vulgar language of yours, Teddy."
"Hmmp… let's go, boys," he said smirking.
"YEAH!"
Their blades glowed brightly as they pointed them forward, roaring and raging, swords shimmering with raw energy. The monster fired its mana bomb, buildings and earth shattering in its wake, hurtling toward the three knights. The blast slammed into their swords, clashing with a deafening roar. They were pushed back, armor cracking and splintering under the force, yet they held firm.
"Come on, boys! One last great service for the nation and for Captain! Let's do this right!"
They pushed forward, mana crashing as debris and buildings tore apart around them. As their swords shattered under the pressure, the bomb detonated, carving a massive crater but it was far enough away that no civilians were harmed.
When the smoke cleared, only legs and a torso remained, burnt beyond recognition. The other body had been incinerated completely.
Riaz sank to her knees, tears streaming as her fists pounded the ground. "Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! If only I had more power… if only… if only… I wasn't this pathetic little princess." She clenched her fists, trembling with frustration.
Riaz eyes constricted with fury. "I'll kill you no matter what."
As she charged toward the monster, her sword shimmering pink, Riaz leapt onto a building and sprang off, striking but the creature blocked, black blood seeping from the slash. She grabbed its fur, swinging off and cutting into its back as the monster roared, its breath slamming into her. She landed on her feet, eyes predatory, moving with lethal speed to slash at its leg and upper body but the wounds began to heal instantly. As if anticipating her next move, the monster's arm shot out, grabbing her mid-motion and slamming her into the ground, blood gushing from her mouth.
The citizens panicked, covering their mouths; some mothers shielded their children's eyes.
[Ladies and gentlemen, it seems the princess is the only survivor from the onslaught, and even she may not make it. Where are the other knights? Could this be the untimely end for our brave warrior princess?]
Gabriel watched from the shadows, eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Yes… yes, finish that bitch!"
The monster raised its arm, the princess's breaths hitching, eyes half-lidded. The arm came down.
'So this… is it… pathetic…'
A whisper cut through the chaos. "Perfect."
A flash of dark blue energy spiked as the strike was stopped mid-motion, the shockwave spiraling as the black-coated, masked figure appeared from the dust, his arm blocking the strike while facing Riaz as he stood above her. Riaz's eyes widened, shock and relief warring across her features.