— Is it just me, or does the Hero seem a little different since the last time we saw him? — Vincente asked, worried, as he watched the one-eyed figure through the screen the necromancers had activated before they left.
— Considering what he's been doing lately, it's no surprise he's changed, is it? — I replied, shrugging.
— We all changed — Celestino added.
— ...Yeah. All of us, I agreed, gripping the hilt of my holy- I mean, unholy sword. — All of us, I repeated, thinking of the macabre, empty black armor that waited upstairs.
Haicard had retreated to his chambers when the Emperor's massive army came knocking at our doors, no doubt with much to think about. But I didn't doubt for a second that the true Shadow King would be there, present and willing to do whatever was necessary when the battle truly began.
And speaking of things starting:
— Conjuration confirmed, a Spell of large scale- no, proportions never seen before! It's coming! — Celestino announced, as if he couldn't believe his own voice.
A thousand magic circles appeared around our target, and from each of these, a magic projectile faster than wind, an entire battalion of white light swords cut through the black gravel valley in seconds, and crashed into the metal structure of the fortress in enormous white explosions, perfect spheres of the purest white, blinding even, and without a doubt each one of them individually strong enough to extinguish any of our allies... including even us.
Fortunately, the divine metal produced in the golden age of humanity proved no more stressed by the attacks than a tree by a drizzle.
— They're coming — confirming that not even his absurd attacks would damage that structure, the Hero gestured, and his front lines began to move. It was only a matter of time until Veronico reached our position, since no one in that tower, with the exception of us, or Haicard in an extremely specific situation, had any chance of even offering any resistance to the man.
If only we had had more time in that tomb, we would all have had the chance to wear the gear of the same quality as the set manufactured for Haicard, but by then it was too late; when we left Hell, Saulo had already installed some kind of magical trap in the place that would exterminate any individual lower than his own Level, or would alert Veronico to the presence of stronger individuals, so it was useless to send subordinates, and if we were to go ourselves, we would be exterminated by the Hero. And when we asked Celestino to undo the Spell, he found himself unable to do so, saying something about mixing magic. We had no choice but to let Haicard use our ace up his sleeve, since if he died, everything would be over, but if we died... he would certainly have a backup plan.
— Did he really need an army that big? I mean, the guy alone is enough of a problem... — Vincente scratched his sparse, poorly groomed gray beard.
— Despite everything, Veronico is a good man and wants to avoid as many casualties as possible. Not just today, but forever. And to do that, he needs to solidify his power throughout the empire, show himself to be unbeatable, make his continent-nation solid and united like a rock — explained Celestino, stroking his large, lush white beard.
— So he just wants to show off?
— Well, in a way, Veronico's side is the safest place anyone could be — I added, shrugging. — And all things considered, spreading the populations of the major urban centers across the countryside, forcing them to farm the land and extract resources to support his unification campaign and the Holy League, while keeping his soldiers away from Haicard, was the best choice he could have made… whether he was aware of what he had done or not. — It was hard to believe I was able to accept the implications of what I had just said so naturally. Was it grief speaking? Or determination?
Realizing that absurdity, but finding no genuine anger within me regarding the decisions I had made, I tightened my grip on Strong Cleave's grip.
— Fire cannon, — I ordered, pressing a button on the panel and sending my voice to the gun operators below.
And in the next instant, six purple-colored magical spheres crossed the air. Veronico and his Heroic team, who were far ahead of their own army, counterattacked the shots, and the purple glows swallowed everything that was fired at them without difficulty, in explosions of intense purple.
— Hey, maybe we'll get lucky, and one of these will catch them? — Vincente suggested, crossing his arms.
Having avoided the first shots and assessed their destructive power, however, Veronico advanced even more quickly towards the fortress gates, and the next attacks failed to hit him even once, not even the nearly nine hundred bearers of the weapons we had looted from the bodies of the historians, the elite among our subordinates with the best aim, even though each of them fired a hundred times in the blink of an eye.
In moments, we saw a white figure descending upon our first line of defense, invading the fortress through the same flaw that Vincente had once used, and reducing all the bearers of the ancient weapons to mere red mist, everything that was organic within the wall being so completely destroyed, that along the path the Hero took, there was no solid thing left behind.
— Forget it — Vincente sighed.
Within seconds, and in an explosion that we heard so loudly in the tower, the parts not made of divine metal of the cannon were scrapped by a flow of white energy, and soon the main gate of the fortress was opened.
For a moment, Veronico watched his army approach, his men euphoric and evidently already smelling the scent of victory, of our defensive lines breached. When his Heroic companions finally reached him, however, the Emperor made no effort to wait for the infantry and low-level warriors, but turned to the entrance of the tower and continued to advance, determined, and with a single goal so fixed in his mind, that I could see it in his good eye even through the low-quality projection.
— The target has entered the tower. Initiate Operation Eclipse — I instructed, pressing the communication button on the panel, and also activating another command, which closed the tower doors behind Veronico, as well as the main gate of the wall.
The battle proceeded exactly as the Shadow King had expected, the sacred army gradually lost the vigor of its charge, watching its invitation to victory disappear inside an impenetrable fortress before their very eyes. Then, elevators brought a new wave of Mages and Archers once again garrisoned the fortress and took the position of their liquefied predecessors, while still other secret passages scattered throughout the mountains surrounding the valley regurgitated tens of thousands of mounted forces and infantry to the sides and back of the sacred forces.
Despite their many times superior numbers, the confusion, the disappearance of their leader, and the sudden cornering had turned the massive Holy League army into a confused, frightened mob ready for slaughter.
At the forefront, Spells of every kind froze, snatched, split, burned, and impaled those closest to the fortress walls, and at the rear and sides of the invading forces, elves thrust spears and halberds into the backs of other elves, lebralos kicked and bit holy soldiers, orcs split skulls and ripped open abdomens, and ogres threw their opponents away with each swing of their clubs, much as a peasant tosses hay to and fro with a pitchfork.
— From now on, Haicard will take control. Let's go — I turned my back on the panels that broadcast the bloodshed of people I knew were innocent and as much victims of superior forces as everyone else, and accompanied by my companions, I climbed the last steps of the staircase to the last landing, just before the room where the Shadow King waited.
I sighed, once again feeling the leather of my weapon's sheath.
I sat down on a step. I closed my eyes. I held the pendant on my necklace, which held a lock of her hair.
And there she was: Jasmine. Short, golden hair like the flower that gave her her name, she tried so hard to look tough, despite her fairy-like appearance. Beautiful as the first day I saw her.
I knew very well that I would be handed over to the royal family and would marry the Crown Princess, and so I tried my best not to get too close to that Healer, but if my fiancée said yes, Jasmin said no, if the Princess requested, Jasmin did it, and I often found myself comparing the women and giving credit to my campaign companion.
I realized I was in love when she presented us all with the necklaces we had worn for so many decades: when I asked her why that mine was the only one that didn't have a special power, she said I should be more cautious, and not leave her side.
When we finally retired to that little house in the countryside, I was happier than I had ever been in my life, happier than when I had attended the great banquets held in my honor, happier than when I had songs and statues created in my honor. I would trade all my awards for just one more day of collecting clay and sculpting vases, mugs, and so many other trinkets with her.
Although I would hardly get another chance like that, even if I went back in time.
Knowing what I knew then, I remembered countless times when "fate" had placed me next to the Crown Princess, and even when thoughts that didn't seem at all natural to me had lingered in my mind for weeks, sometimes repeating to myself that I loved my fiancée, sometimes that I had a duty as a Hero to the Kingdom and to royalty. Whatever had been responsible for my story, as unpleasant as it was to admit that I had lived a partial script, had disregarded that granting myself the characteristics of "common farmer with simple tastes who hates politics" and "unshakable willpower" made me not only capable, but very willing to abandon my life in the castle… even if only after marrying a woman I didn't love due to thoughts and feelings that were never mine.
I should have been more present in Criscina's life. If I had been there, if anyone had been there… I really should have been a better father, and there wasn't a single day that went by that I didn't think that. I should have, but at the same time, I feared ruining the peace I had found for Jasmine and myself; the Queen held an understandable grudge against both of us, after all. I couldn't tell how much of it was a natural reaction, and how much was punishment from a cruel entity.
Conceiving a child with a woman I was incapable of loving had been my greatest mistake and regret.
— Hmph, my biggest regret so far — I grumbled, opening my eyes. We had visitors. — I'm sorry, Jasmine. But I'm going to kill with this sword again.
— Shadow King — Veronico said, staring at me with such coldness that an iceberg would be envious of. — Where is the last of you? Where is Haicard?
— Defeat us, and perhaps you may see him — I replied, standing up and drawing Strong Cleave.
— ...Very well. I will collect the heads of each of you and adorn my throne with your skulls, you low-level villains — Veronico pointed his holy sword in my direction.
And the next moment:
"Clink!" our blades clashed, sparks flying in all directions, and if I had responded just a second later, it would have been my blood that would have sparked instead of embers.
— A Thousand Barbs! — Celestino cast against the Heroic team.
— Bherǵsōr Cradle Protector — replied Saulo, conjuring a pair of semi-transparent blue arms that embraced him and his companions, and surprisingly easily blocked the magical thorns of my companion, which I have even seen taking the lives of countless high-level monsters. Was he hesitant to face his pupil?
I didn't have the privilege of overseeing the others' battle, though: in the time it takes for lightning to strike the ground, Veronico had already pulled his sword away and thrust its blade back against mine a dozen times, much faster than the last time we'd exchanged blows.
With every passing fraction of a second, a new gash appeared on my skin, the armor I wore being as hard as paper in the face of the Hero's sacred sword, imbued with colossal amounts of energy that ignored even my Strengthening.
— Tch! — Vincente clicked his tongue, deflecting the blows of a hundred of the same number of clones of the Rogue that supported Veronico. — Gah! — he grunted when a halo of light, produced by the Healer, blinded him, and allowed so many daggers to pierce his ribs, back, legs and arms, before he managed to retreat with an explosion of shadows, close to the top of the staircase we were protecting.
— Bherǵsōr Falling Force — Saulo conjured, and a star-shaped attack chased Celestino, pierced through a dozen protective Spells, conjured barriers, and body Strengthenings, and burned through my old friend's beard, skin, and fat, throwing him against a wall, gravely injured.
— Cele- — I almost called his name, but a metal-encased punch from my opponent's gauntlet not only silenced me, it literally took away my ability to speak permanently, destroying my mask, and the teeth and jaw beneath it.
— I expected more from you — the Hero placed his blade on my neck. — Daw-
"Plin!", before the final blow was conjured, however, the protection of my identity, my mask, fell to the ground, revealing my face to my son-in-law.
— You...?! — He recognized me, probably from one of the many portraits in the castle.
— Veronico, finish him off! — Saulo urged his friend, as the tower windows began to open, revealing the bloody battlefield below, the tens of thousands of victims that had already piled up on top of each other.
But it was too late:
"BOOMMMMMM!!!!", the ground split, and gravel, elves and monsters fell as one in a simulation of Hell; the entire valley erupted as the fuel used by the fortress' defenses ignited, an explosion so great that purple flames rose almost halfway up the tower, earthquakes shook the mountains, and their steep walls collapsed like sand castles.
The smoke from the burning of the mysterious magical products darkened the day and caused a lightning storm, and when the ground disappeared beneath the fortress, the only thing that kept it standing and above the purple lava that had consumed six hundred and seventy thousand souls were its metallic roots, the many tubes and wires that stretched far beyond the valley.
While the explosion had thrown everyone off balance, the boom had completely shattered my eardrums, but I was still able to read the Hero's lips: "No… Why? Why the others? Why not me?"
— Why not you? — I replied, my jaw quickly reassembling itself, muscle fiber and bone growth remaking my speech organs. — If you know who I am, you should know that we are well aware of your capabilities, that this would not be able to finish you, much less now, at your absolute peak. — I stood up, the Emperor having staggered away from me as the trap sprang. — No, that explosion could be much better used as a sacrifice.
My old friends and I stood side by side once more, strengthened by the death of two armies in their entirety. Our newfound power was not accounted for by the System, but even without precise quantification, I could say with complete confidence:
— So, Veronico, you at your peak, or me above my peak? Who is the stronger Hero?
— ...You're no Hero! — Gritting his teeth, Veronico threw himself at me at full speed, but then I was able to respond in kind.
"Clink!" our swords clashed once more, and the true clash between two generations began.