Chapter 3: Crisis After Crisis
The assembly hall, located in the center of the tree city.
The curtain of the battle with the lives of the elven forest’s council leaders on the line was about to be raised.
Combat Instructor Alleyne versus The Wraith Hell Scream.
Who would win?
They won’t know that unless they fight.
“Unfortunately, I don’t use swords!”
The instant she said that, she sprang towards him.
“I thought you would say that.”
He pulled out his sword, throwing the sheath away.
It was an elegantly decorated long sword; so beautiful, it didn’t belong in the hands of a specter.
Its blade was polished like a mirror. As it reflected Alleyne’s figure, he dodged the staff’s preemptive attack and loomed closer, slipping in with a side step.
[He’s fast.]
As expected in a wraith, he could move around without the need to use his own legs. Since he didn’t make any footsteps either, it was difficult to pinpoint the direction the attacks were coming from by using telltale signs.
She kicked the floor of the hall, and jumped on top of the round table.
“Alleyne, use this…”
With a voice that felt like it would vanish soon, Mother Elder drew a magic circle on top of the table.
The assembly hall had magical equipment installed that sealed the round table in case of an emergency. She intended to break his link with his colleagues by sealing Hell Scream inside the hall.
However, in order to operate it, it needed the approval from the councilors.
“Kick the round table from each councilor’s seat twice. That will be the sign that they agree.”
“But, if I use it…”
A vast magical power was required for operating the seal.
[I don’t think the council members could withstand that consumption, as they are now.]
“Make sure you kill him.”
Mother Elder’s voice was charged with a strong intent to kill.
[What’s making her do this?]
“Will you tell me the reason later?”
“If I’m alive, I will.”
Answering painfully, she tapped the table twice, and fell face down.
“Excuse me, sorry!”
Apologizing to all the councilors, by now breathing faintly, she went around hitting the table.
Her opponent didn’t follow her, only held his sword while his pale face stared at her.
“What are you doing?”
He didn’t seem to be aware of the assembly hall’s seal. Which was hardly a surprise; only the councilors, the captain and the elven elite knew the existence of that system.
“Are you running away to find a way to escape?”
His voice echoed in the building.
“Alleyne, if you drag on the battle, the dead will only increase.”
“Do you think I’m just running away?”
As the elf kept running around the table, she kicked the seat of the last remaining councilor.
“What!?”
In response to her kick, a curtain of light spread out, surrounding the round table.
“Did you think you knew all about this place?”
Before the curtain in light covered the table, Alleyne jumped into it.
“It’s just you and me now. You won’t be able to call for reinforcements.”
“Fuh, so you thought you could win if we fought one versus one?”
Hell Scream put the sword he was holding with his right hand into his left, aiming the point at the elven warrior like a man about to let loose an arrow.
“Let’s go!”
His sword extended without a sound.
“Such dubious tricks!”
The captain lightly rotated her staff, to then slip into his bosom.
“What are you thinking!?”
He was puzzled with her actions. If one thought about the staff’s range, getting so close was nothing but folly… or was it some sort of plan?
“I plan on defeating you.”
The elf muttered, and kicked up at his chest with her slender leg.
A seriously heavy feeling was transmitted through her boots.
“Kukuku, against a wraith like me, ordinary blows just pass right…”
His confident words got interrupted halfway.
“Guhah!”
At the part she kicked directly, the robe that covered his body collapsed like dry sand.
“Impossible…”
“Looking down on your opponent is the first step towards defeat.”
“Guh… so it was like that…”
As he staggered, his gaze went to her boots. Magic characters he had regarded as mere decorations were shining gold.
“As expected from someone who claims not to be a normal wraith.”
Despite taking a direct hit, Hell Scream was still in one piece.
The elf fixed her breathing, and in a whisper, released the magical power granted to her armor.
The magic characters woven into the fabric covering her whole body shone, giving off a metallic feel.
“Magic release.”
And with those words, much like her clothes, both ends of the war staff began glowing as well. Although it would only last until the magic power ran out, all of Alleyne’s attacks would be lethal to him now.
“I’ll settle it in one blow! Get ready!”
Using her staff, she jumped up to the hall’s ceiling.
“I won’t lose so easily, not until I see my revenge through to the end!”
He jumped up, thrusting his sword.
Alleyne fell from the top, Hell Scream rose aiming at her.
That was the decisive blow; the victory would be decided the next moment. The point of contact where both fighters met would be the place to settle the fight.
*Thwap!*
The tip of the staff pierced through Hell Scream’s body, with a sensation as if punching through a rotten wooden board.
On the other hand, the tip of his sword pierced the clasp of her mantle, gliding a gentle curve slightly over Alleyne’s heart.
“Guhaah!”
Spiritual substance scattering from his pale face, he dropped to the floor of the hall, along with the staff piercing his body.
“Why?”
Landing elegantly without a sound, she sent a confused expression his way.
“Why did you turn the tip of the sword away?! If you were intending to defeat me, we should have struck each other!”
As his answer, he only pointed to the crystal ball floating in the center of the room. It was displaying the figure of Nowa—Alleyne’s disciple—, advancing through the corridor to protect a silver-haired girl in a white dress.
“Her… who is that girl…”
“Nowa, she’s my disciple.”
“She can’t be a pure elf… I can tell at a glance…”
“It’s not pure blood that you need to succeed with your talents. It’s your own effort.”
“I see…”
The spiritual body constituting his being was gradually collapsing. He wouldn’t be staying in this world for much longer.
“These are good times…”
“Hell Scream, could you possibly…”
‘Have been an elf?’
Alleyne swallowed her words. It shouldn’t be possible for an elf to become a wraith.
“Let’s talk about the past a little… you and I are the only ones here anyways.”
He took a look at his crumbling body, and started talking.
“Do you know the name of Lushel?”
Alleyne shook her head no.
“No wonder you don’t. It’s a story from 1200 years ago already…”
A story from 1200 years ago, long before Queen’s Blade, an era where the Continent was a crucible of war, confusion and chaos, basically amounted to an old wives’ tale by now. Elves were well known for their long lives, but not many of them lasted over a millennium.
“At that time, the substitution of the spirit tree took place… When the power of the spirit tree weakened, the council of the time decided to substitute it with maidens they themselves chose… An euphemism for sacrifice…”
[Substitution of the spirit tree? Is such a thing even possible?]
“The chosen maidens faithfully achieved their duties. They didn’t know the price they would have to pay.”
The magical power released from the spirit tree easily surpassed an elf’s worth in a lifetime. Naturally, the maidens who substituted it lost all their magical powers.
“What remained were just empty shells that lost all their power as elves… But that was still fine; they performed their duty with pride, and protected the elven forest then.”
“What happened to them?”
Alleyne couldn’t keep herself from asking. She had to know the fate of those who had protected the forest by sacrificing themselves.
“They were cast away.”
His mouth warped into a grin.
“Declaring that elves who had lost their magical power were something corrupted, many residents drove them away. Without even knowing they had been the ones to protect their peace…”
“How could that be…”
“You elves being an exclusive lot didn’t start just yesterday… That girl, Lushel, was one of the expelled elves. Even though she was going through that experience, she just endured it. She was a gentle girl… until the end, she worried about the very sister who had decided to expel her from the forest.”
His voice began to blur. It seems he was reaching his limit.
“Well, it’s fine… my revenge succeeded. Those who exiled Lushel died, and the elven forest will also fade away. It’s my victory.”
As Hell Scream sported a satisfied smile, his body began losing shape.
“I don’t intend to let this end with your victory.”
Pulling the staff out of the remains of his completely crumbled body, Alleyne began walking out of the barrier with a steady gait.
***
As Airi went out to the aerial corridor connecting the big trees together, dead branches fell before her eyes.
With a roar, a huge branch the size of a building fell down in a quite spectacular manner.
“It intends to survive, even this late in the game.”
Due to the influence of the stake Airi had driven into the spirit tree, the remaining trees were ultimately going to wither. Cutting off the unrecoverable parts so as to preserve a modicum of vitality was like an instinct of life.
If it kept drying up at that speed, the last thing remaining would be just the small trees that sprouted by using the decrepit, decayed big tree as seedbeds.
The forest might need tens of thousands of years to fully recover. Or, if the effects of the stake continued permanently, there was also the possibility that it turned into a zone of toxic miasma like the swamp.
“It can’t turn back to how it was before… do you not think so?”
The maid asked towards the people she felt coming.
“Not at all!”
Nowa denied it the loudest she could.
“You’re damn right.”
Fio showed up from behind the half-elf, making a way for himself.
“Oh my…”
A fine smile brushed her lips; she had been convinced he was coming ever since she heard the tone from the Sword of the Unicorn.
[If I do this right, it’s a great opportunity to accomplish yet another mission.]
The wraith’s mistress desired Fio’s abilities. If she was able to bring him back home, let alone words of praise, she might even get a reward.
“Young master… long time no see.”
She pinched the edge of her skirt and politely lowered her head at him.
“It has been since Sheldan. Are you well?”
“Yes, thanks to you. There’s one thing I’d like to ask you, is that okay?”
He asked, his tone as calm as possible, while he held back Nowa, who seemed about to pounce on the maid.
“What would that be? If I can answer it, I gladly shall.”
“Was it you and your allies who did this to the forest?”
“Yes. They were orders from my Mistress.”
Airi made a faint smile.
“You can’t turn it back to how it was?”
“That is impossible.”
“What if I use my power?”
“With your power, young master, there might be a chance.”
“Thanks, knowing that is a relief.”
Without hesitation, the boy stepped forward towards her.
“Where are you going?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Towards the spirit tree.”
“I cannot turn a blind eye to that.”
Airi blocked his way, scythe in hand.
“Even if it is you, young master, I will not let anyone interfere with the sublime plan of my mistress. I will oppose you with my full strength.”
She stuck out the weapon at him.
[To be honest, pointing my weapon at someone like him, who isn’t even a warrior, feels painful.]
However, Fio didn’t even seem to flinch in the presence of the scythe.
“I thought you would say that.”
She was taken aback at that smile that screamed he was plotting something. When the boy put on such a face, one couldn’t drop their guard.
“It can’t be…”
“Oh it CAN be.”
He held out the wooden amulets towards her.
“Please, Miss Airi. Don’t get in our way!”
The magic characters drawn in the amulet emitted a light that restrained her body.
“Wha!”
[Oh no! I can’t believe he’d use it like this…]
“H-How mean, young master.”
Tears appeared in her eyes.
She missed the days she had spent with him in the Sheldan underground; she never thought the item she’d gotten him out of pure gratitude would be used this way. Taking care of him had provided her a pleasure different from worshiping her mistress. To think the charm she had given him to let her take care of him would one day be blocking her actions...
“Sorry, I couldn’t think of any other way to use it.”
With a mischievous smile, Fio passed by her.
Behind her was the assembly hall where the council members were imprisoned.
[Hell Scream is also there, but he’s basically the same kind of wraith as me, he can’t avoid the influence of the Sword of the Unicorn. If he’s subjected to the sword’s holy sound, even if he doesn’t disappear straight away, he’ll become incapacitated.]
“I can’t let you! Not even you, young master!”
A bluish-white electric shock surged when she stretched her fingertips trying to stop him.
“Kuuh…”
[As expected from an item full of Mistress’ power.]
If she tried to stop Fio, an acute pain would run through her body to keep her from doing it. And if her physical strength kept being reduced, it’d be difficult for her to maintain her materialization.
However, it was true that this wasn’t a situation where she could just stay idle.
[Is there no one thing I can do now?]
Airi racked her brain.
[Lesser spirits… are out of the question.
Wraiths… out of the question too.
Melona… she could definitely stop Fio!
However, typical of her, she isn’t here when it counts the most. She said she was going to play around with the intruders, and is still out.]
The maid lightly clicked her tongue, and strengthened her grip around her scythe.
Conclusion: she was the only one who could deal with that.
“There’s a limit to pranks, young master, and I do believe you have crossed it!”
Enduring the severe pain running through her body, she swung her weapon.
“A-Airi?”
The unexpected attack made him fall on his butt.
“T-The amulets didn’t work?”
“No, they do work! Young lady over there, please don’t move either.”
Panting with rough breaths, the maid stopped the half-elf, scythe in hand.
[Two versus one? No, Fio’s fighting power is basically nil, there’s no need to regard them on the same level. Just preventing him from moving should be fine, and mere lesser spirits can do that.
The one I should be the most vigilant about, is this half-elf warrior.]
“I expected no less from the charm Mistress made. Its effects are wonderful.”
An electric shock ran through her body, threatening to numb her.
“Just defying its orders made me like this… aah.”
She let out a moan, her knees shaking.
“But, this pain, and this suffering, are proof that Mistress thinks of me!”
She bore the pain inside her body with a smile.
“Why would you believe that!?”
Still sitting on his backside, he edged backward.
“You’ll understand when you become an adult, young master.”
“I-I don’t want to understand it! I just don’t want to have those hobbies!”
Refusing with all he had, he slowly moved back, still sitting down. It seemed his knees had completely given way in the face of Airi’s bloodcurdling smile.
“Oh, what a pity. I thought that you would especially understand this pleasure, young master.”
She smiled at the boy, then snapped her fingers, summoning lesser spirits.
Bubbling up from her shadow, spirit orbs with vulgar faces appeared.
“Please check them. Pay special attention to the inside of their skirts!”
[If he’s hiding the Sword of the Unicorn, it can only be there.]
Following her orders, the spirits rushed to the two.
“M-Miss Airi… you seem a bit different than usual.”
He kept withdrawing, his face stiff with fear.
“No, I’m the same as always.”
[Yes, I’m the same as always. When I was taking care of Fio in Sheldan’s basement, I thought he was a “she”. Making a girl scared is just no fun. But a pretty boy paralyzed in fear, now that’s something worth enjoying.
If I think that, I might come to appreciate this pain that comes from ignoring the orders from the amulet.]
Airi’s body unintentionally shook due to the thrilling feeling welling up inside her.
***
[I screwed up!]
Even though the charm had had an effect, the loyalty of Airi towards her mistress trumped it.
“Kyaah!”
He heard Nowa scream. On the opposite side of the air corridor, across Airi, he could see her trying her damnedest to dodge all the spirit orbs that were trying to crawl into her skirt.
Every time the short skirt wrapped around her waist fluttered, the fabric rolled up and clearly revealed the line of her hip bone. What he couldn’t see at all was any kind of string or fabric keeping the underwear in place, that should by all right be visible around her hips.
“She can’t be… going commando as usual?”
The thought made his words freeze in his throat. Lou was hurrying to dangle from the skirt so it wouldn’t flip over, but it was too late already, some orbs had sunk between her thighs.
Imagining what the lesser spirits were witnessing, Fio swallowed saliva.
“Uhyo! This is paradise!”
“The legendary valleyyyyyy!”
A foolish rapture showing in their voices, the lesser spirits who got into Nowa’s skirt were wrapped in a soft glow and disappeared.
“Oh my?”
Airi couldn’t believe her eyes as she witnessed that incredible phenomenon. She’d never have imagined that the lesser spirits who crawled into the girl’s skirt would ascend to heaven.
It was said that since times immemorial, a woman’s private place had the effect of driving away demons and inviting good luck. It was also said that men facing life or death battlefields sometimes carried hair growing near a woman’s secret place as an amulet.
Nowa had succeeded in neutralizing the attack of the lesser spirits by happening not to wear any underwear.
“How could this get so stupid?”
The maid lightly shook her head, and looked at the orbs who hovered around Fio, hesitating.
“S-So it’s my turn now!?”
With an ungraceful scream, he stood up, staggering.
[I can’t sit on my butt forever. The orbs are aiming at me as well.]
Trying to run all wobbly, he couldn’t gain much ground, and the hovering orbs caught up to him in the blink of an eye.
Although he had nothing to fear from them getting inside his skirt, it surely wasn’t a pleasant experience either.
“Over there might be paradise, but here is hell!”
The lesser spirits summoned by Airi were clearly of a male nature. Fio tried to give them a warning, thinking it’d be a bother if they got some weird hopes from a male like them.
“That’s fun to watch!”
And just as one would think, they ignored his warnings and got into his skirt.
“Whoa.”
Despite himself, he let out a weird voice feeling the chill touch from the orbs brushing his thigh.
At the same time, as if they had lost the ability to fly, the orbs fell down from his skirt.
“A treasure…”
“W-We’re humbled…”
“C-Can I call you ‘big brother’…?”
Mumbling incoherently, the orbs rolled on the air corridor. So shocking seemed to be what they had seen, that they couldn’t even fly.
“Got away from them, did you?!”
Airi approached, gliding over the rolling orbs by her feet.
Fio ran straight, hearing the *wooshing* sound from wraith’s scythe as it cut the wind behind him.
[She caught up so quickly!]
At the very moment he closed his eyes, feeling her upon him, he heard a sound he wasn’t used to in the background.
“Fio! Keep going!”
Nowa’s cheerful voice overlapped with that sound. Along with that reverberating, high-pitched sound, the lesser spirits rolling by his feet blurred dimly.
“That’s… a holy sound?”
He turned around, and saw Nowa, who had stopped the other’s scythe with her weapon. A circle rotating on her staff was making that odd sound.
“So you have something troublesome on you.”
Gripping her scythe, Airi slightly turned to face the newcomer.
The circle passed on by Combat Instructor Alleyne was fit with a device that generated a holy sound when rotating. As long as that holy sound came out, attacks by lesser spirits wouldn’t work on them.
“It appears we will have to leave it for later, young master.”
The redhead rotated her scythe, staring at the orange clad girl. Apparently, if she didn’t get in Fio’s way, the amulet didn’t constrain her.
“Fio, leave this to me and keep going ahead!”
“B-But!?”
[Keep going ahead? What can I even do on my own?]
Confused, he asked her.
“If you go into the assembly hall, there should be someone. Just ask them.”
[I figured she’d say that. She has her hands full just letting me go.]
“G-Got it! Make sure you come later!”
He shouted at her, and ran at full speed through the air corridor.
***
Pictures displaying the situation the elven forest was under were reflected one after another on the crystal ball floating in the center of the hall.
With Hell Scream’s annihilation, Alleyne had been able to regain the central facilities, assembly hall included, so grasping the current situation was the number one priority right now.
Since she couldn’t find a way to remove the collars from Mother Elder and the others, the path she should take was obvious: eliminate the wraiths and revive the spirit tree. Fortunately, the enemy commander didn’t know that Hell Scream, the one who had dominated the hall, had fallen.
[If the enemy army can be split, I’ll be able to kill each one of them individually.]
The ball showed Nowa fighting against Airi. Judging from that picture, the only remaining commander was the maid, engaged in battle against the other.
[If I go help Nowa now, our victory will be all but assured.]
“Do not go.”
Mother Elder stopped Alleyne, who was about to go help her disciple.
“Why?”
“You have a more important mission.”
[A mission?]
“Alleyne, your precious half-breed did only one good job.”
Noticing the question in the warrior’s face, the elder pointed at the crystal ball.
“Your mission is to welcome this gentleman.”
The figure of a silver-haired girl running through the air corridor appeared there.
“In deference to bringing this gentleman along, I won’t push the issue of her having visited the tree city without invitation.”
Even at such times, the elder seemed to be intent on questioning Nowa’s actions harshly.
“Who is he, Mother Elder?”
“This gentleman is the one who will save us, Alleyne.”
Resting her body on the chair, her body seeming to be collapsing any time now, the elf elder stared at the crystal ball with a dream-like gaze.
“Aah, sir Fio… you came from Heaven to save us.”
***
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