Ascalon and The Ice Queen - Finale

----[Catalina's perspective].

A couple of days had passed.

The number of guards in the city has increased enormously. The security in the castle is only increasing... and the girl who stole the position as team leader is just playing with a weird tool.

I don't understand what she has, but Seth has been going around providing this girl with very expensive materials.

But while we were waiting for her orders to attack, the idea that girl had was somewhat unique. She could easily slip between all the supervision in the city and go back and forth several times in a frequent tavern.

It seems that she managed to create a way to nullify Orphelia's spell, as it seems that the individuals in that tavern have slowly started to spread their influences while she is gradually releasing everyone who enters the tavern.

I still don't quite understand her line of thinking... it's curious to think how far she's willing to go just for us.

So far I have only received ambiguous answers about her intentions, but I don't think she is evil in any possible way.

Well... she unquestioningly killed the previous boss, and since then no one has any intentions of even approaching her or bothering her to the point where she would become aggressive against us.

But I still find her knowledge of technology very intriguing. Even if she's a [Reincarnation] just like Seth, it's like they're both in different dimensions.

—I know what you're thinking... —. Elise says suddenly.

Ah, right...

—My expression, right?

—Yup. You're pretty easy to read, Lina.

She had taken this way of calling me since she didn't want to be saying my whole name. Not that it really bothers me.

—I'm sorry for being so predictable.

—Don't worry, we are all like that in the beginning. So tell me, are you worried about something?

I'm surprised he knew what was going through my mind just by looking at my face, that innate ability gives me the creeps.

But yes, he's right, something is bothering me.

—How do you plan to deal with Olivia Cross? You said yourself that you've seen her destroy the city barrier with just one of her fists. She could basically take your head off with one punch if she wanted to.

—Ah, she... well right now I have to take advantage of her being in a more or less weakened state since she doesn't have her best weapon at this point and neither does the companion to it. Olivia is out of my reach, yes, but that doesn't mean I can't win in an all-out fight against her.

—You mean [Excalibur], don't you? But even without her, I think you're at a huge disadvantage since if I understand correctly, the [Cross Family] was bred for vampire hunting. Right now she may be preparing exclusively to face you.

—That's true. Olivia is a very skilled adventurer and also an excellent trap designer, I didn't realize until very late that many orcs aware of our presence were killed by her traps that were very well crafted, I have no doubt that she has also been preparing things against me now that she has multiple resources at her disposal.

Wow, you can tell she knows Olivia Cross this girl. I only heard of her family from stories that were told through the dungeon, the most popular being the [Spear of Longinus] which is the weapon that Elise's ancestor was murdered with.

—Okay, I'm done! If everything works as I planned, this is going to be one of our most powerful weapons. —. Elise stands up, and then hands me the strange tool that was in her hands.

—And you are going to be the one to shoot. —. She says to me while smiling.

—Me?! Are you sure you don't want someone more familiar than Seth for this?!

—Nah, you can do it just fine, Lina. Do you want me to show you how to use it?

—I don't want to break it! Take it back!

I give Elise the thing again, but she ignores my intentions to set it aside and simply forces it into my arms.

It's heavy, no doubt about it. Its entire composition feels like it's sturdy. I think I could crack a couple of skulls with this thing.

—You see, Lina. I modified this weapon with many things with the help of a dwarf, my friend. We hadn't started the revolution because this weapon was not yet complete. And the result obtained is that it will allow you to destabilize the flow of magic of anyone you shoot with this. Call it [Thaumaturgic Dispersal Rifle] or just call it TDR for short.

—TDR... I understand...

—You know that all of us have a certain flow of magical energy, so the purpose of this weapon is to cause an instability in this flow and it will suddenly pull everything out of the body. It's an attack that even Olivia won't be able to do anything about.

—Tell me what you have planned about this weapon.

—Well... the battle against Olivia is going to be mostly about resistance. So, what you need to do is fire when I give you the signal.

—How will I know when the time is right?

When I ask that, I hear a metallic sound, and a black helmet suddenly covered Elise's face. I can't even see her eyes through the slits in the visor.

—The moment you see the helmet appear, just do it, okay?

She says that, and pats me on the shoulder.

—Tell Seth to help you practice in the meantime. We'll start at dawn.

And with that, Elise leaves the place... leaving me with more questions than answers about it. For starters, how do you operate this thing?

----[Elise's Perspective]

Back in the tavern—

Mirue was putting the finishing touches on my armour, adding [Elven Runes] to increase any defensive and counter-attacking aspects.

—It's very good equipment you have here, Lady Elise. Not much to add to it... it was made from the finest materials in the world and enchanted in the best possible way.

—Thank you, I suppose it was a good purchase.

—The best a fighter like you could have made. Now I understand how it was that Lord Drïmur perished against you.

—I'm not too flattered by that victory... I wish it hadn't been mandatory. Anyway, Geuse, did you get the things I asked for?

Changing the subject, I turn to the Lizardman who is equipping his armour pieces like all the other Beastmen inside the tavern. It's a formidable fighting force, but I have to distribute them properly throughout the city.

I don't want anyone to die, just defend themselves at all times while I personally take care of the battles they can't handle.

Geuse looks at me with his yellowish reptilian eyes and answers:

—Of course I made it, but you must destroy the city's barrier first if you want help.

—Don't worry about that, I'll make it. How many are there?

—Three platoons of 1200 men, just as you asked. All ready to fight and die for you, remember you must keep your side of the bargain with the Lord of my floor.

—I know, I know. That won't be difficult at all.

To increase our strike force, I asked for help from the people of Geuse, as who are my allies on the nearest floor. They are the first diplomatic decision I've ever made in my life, but I guess since I took the hammer of Drïmur, I set myself up as a ruler.

And now that I have revealed the truth about Orphelia, this has spread to several floors, but for fear of her not everyone has decided to lend me some help for the occasion.

Even though it is a small city, there are still many defences on this floor such as Golems or any other beast that guards Orphelia in its castle. No one scares me as much as Olivia... who seems to have recently joined the special forces under the queen's orders.

That's why I've taken my time to prepare and take countermeasures for someone who could kill all the monsters on this floor, including me, in a heartbeat.

The ruler of the ninth floor only asked me to help him with access to the materials on [Floor 14], requesting permission to explore and mine on that floor. I have no problem with any of that.

The more of us there are, the better our results will be.

—I'm done, Lady Elise, is there anything else I can do for you? —. Mirue asks me, out of politeness more than anything else.

To which, with a brief smile on my face, and hiding again the armour I wear, I only reply:

—Prepare yourself. I don't want you to die, you need to take me to meet your friend on [Floor 19].

—Rest assured that this sack of bones will not perish sadly on the battlefield, Lady Elise. Once again, I want to thank you for freeing me from that witch's enchantment.

—No need, you have paid your debt.

The dwarf made a small bow to me, symbolising his withdrawal from where we were.

As if he had been waiting his turn to speak, the owner of this particular tavern, a rather older [Werewolf] named Albert, slowly approaches me.

It's not hard to notice him, so just so he has no qualms about speaking to me, I'm the one who initiates the conversation:

—Something wrong, Albert?

—Oh, nothing in particular, Lady Elise. I just wanted to thank you, on behalf of all the [Beastmen] you have released so far. If it wasn't for you, we would never have realised the evil that was hanging over us.

I can easily notice that these are your most sincere words. So I reply with a smile:

—It was really no big deal. I am happy that my actions finally helped someone after all.

—I revere your benevolence... in all my life I have never met as you.

The old wolf kneels down before me....

—No! Don't kneel. I don't like to see any of you do it. I am liberating you, not conquering you. I am not looking for differences or social stratification. Both you as a citizen and I as a ruler are equal in rights.

I get up from my chair, and as quickly as I can, I help Albert to his feet again.

I don't want this kind of mandate. Not even close.

—Lady Elise... you're a very good girl... you must change that way of being if you don't want to be hurt in the future.

—Thank you for your words, but this is the way I am. At the end of the day we are all the same, monsters.

Finishing saying that, we can hear knocking on the door.

「Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump」.

Loud banging that can be heard throughout the building.

We all get a little alarmed at that, Albert was going to take the lead to go and answer it, but I stop him by waving my arm.

I put my index finger to my lips, telling everyone to be quiet now. And I slowly make my way towards the door. The knocking continues... and when I remove the wooden board blocking the door, it is suddenly pushed open. It is suddenly pushed open with a bang.

My expression freezes and I instinctively take a defensive stance...

—Oh, long time no see Blondie! I knew you'd be here.

That annoying voice... it's no one's but Orphelia's...

But I try to stay calm. Come on, it can't be that she's discovered my plans.

I'll try to persuade her...

—Orphelia... What's going on? Why are you here?

I barely finished with those few words, and Orphelia disappeared from my life, suddenly appearing a few centimetres away from us.

—You know why I'm here, Blondie. Let's get this over with once and for all.

I could see slowly, as her hand came up to my chest... and before I flew away, I shouted:

—ATTACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My scream spread throughout the tavern, and across the sky, as my body was shot with the full power of a [Zero Inch Strike].

This was not the way I had planned for the fight to start.