Kurisutarumajishan Chapter XVI: Black Out

As the convoy's lanterns dimmed in the sudden gush of wind, Nijii started to panic as well.

"She's preparing to attack!" She shouted as she ignited a bunch of sticks on the ground.

"Everyone light your lanterns and keep them burning!" Hanagura ordered, they followed suit with some of them failing to light theirs.

Those unfortunate enough immediately screamed as they were slaughtered in the dark, those who had crossbows had shot towards the direction of the screams but had hit nothing. Within a few minutes, three different locations were killed by the General.

"FORM A PERIMETER! IMMEDIATELY!" Hanagura shouted as she rallied the troops, soldiers got out of their covers with their lamps and lanterns in hand, Carter and Kiersten retreated to help with moving carriage corpses to create a wall for cover.

"All units accounted for!" Carter reported as he picked a crossbow himself.

"We can't see shit! Its fog's closing in!" Kiersten as he readied his spear.

"Keep lighting the lights on, Haruko, help Nijii burn a campfire!" Hanagura ordered as she patrolled with her daggers unsheathed.

Haruko followed and gathered all of the broken wood into one pile before standing aside to let Nijii cast a spark spell onto the pile to make a campfire.

"It'll be enough for now but we can't see the enemy" Anahana said as she readied both of her weapons.

"We won't be going anywhere with this if we just sit here" Hanagura mutters as she looks around cautiously. "It's obvious she didn't stay in one place for long, we've underestimated our opponent.

Tanjirou looked down, quite disappointed in herself.

"It's not your fault Tanny, we couldn't have known it's a Demon General" Haruko comforted her as she held her shoulder.

"No we couldn't have" Hanagura agreed. "But even if it didn't work as intended at least we know who we're up against"

Tanjirou remained silent as she massages her thigh, now freshly healed.

"Feeling okay?" Nijii checked.

"Mhm… Thanks Haruko" She replied as she nodded at Nijii. "A bit itchy though"

"That's normal, but just right now okay?" Haruko comforted as she rubbed her shoulder.

"What should we do now?" Reagan asked as she lifted her mask.

There was no response, Anahana looked at them quite puzzled at their situation though before long something clicked within her thoughts.

"Hanagura" She called.

"Thought of a good idea?" Hanagura replied as she backed herself to Anahana.

"Something" She simply replied smirking.

"I don't like this smile you're giving us" Hanagura said sarcastically.

"Reagan, Junko" Anahana calls as she holds her swords in front of her. "Do you still have napalm?"

A bright glorious smile emanated from the two as their eyes twinkled. They immediately went to find the vials within their belt and their satchel bags.

Everyone within the perimeter was concerned, they should be. Since the next few seconds following the twins scouring their bags, they had procured about twenty vials from their persons and handed them to Anahana.

"This isn't going where I think this is going… Right?" Carter said nervously as he looked at Kiersten, who simply gulped. Both were then quick to notice movement in the fog.

"We have movement!" Kiersten alerted as he raised his spear up at chest level. "She's getting twitchy!"

"Keep her away as best you can!" Anahana ordered as she split the vials between her and Hanagura.

"Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck" Carter muttered. "They're splitting the vials with General!"

"We're fucked… We're absolutely fucked…" Kiersten said as he started huffing, tears now building up as he threw a spear at a shadow.

"What are they talking about?" Anahana asked as she carefully split the number of vials. She looked up at Hanagura to see an expression she shouldn't see right now.

"I… I'm not good with explosives…" She said shyly.

"What the fuck-" Anahana muttered before reacting to Kiersten's alert.

"SOMETHING'S CHARGING TOWARDS US!" Kiersten shouted as he braced himself to throw the spear.

As he threw the spear the shadow that was getting larger with every running step stopped dead on it's tracks, seemingly recoiling to the hit from Kiersten's spear, it's abdomen now a large circular penetration mark.

"I GOT HER!" He shouted, but was quick to know that something was not right at all.

"KIERSTEN! GET OF THE WAY!" Nijii shouted as she tried to pull his leg from where she was sitting.

Kiersten barely dodges as he gets slashed by the mist, Carter banks to his right as he tried to shoot the shadow, but misses as it passes through its body he was met with a quick slash towards his chest before he falls backwards to a tree. As the body most mist falls onto Hanagura, she was pushed back by Anahana who parried with her left sword, the mist spring boarded out of the perimeter, trying to retreat into the shadows. Anahana wasn't about to let that happen as she threw a vial towards the mist.

The vial exploded as it made contact with the Demon, she screamed in agony as she tried to put the napalm off her body, it took her a while to do so as she took of the top clothes she had on.

"ARGHHHHYAAAAA!!" She screeched as she went limp standing, her four arms dangling from her shoulders as she was smoking where she had stood.

"It's much better if we burned the forest, that way we can always see her, I'll leave that to you alright?" Anahana mutters as she hops out of the perimeter, slowly approaching her opponent.

The half-skeletal Demon looked up as her skin sizzled, she eyed Anahana as she slowly walked towards her, monolith swords in hand as she spread them out assuming an elegant stance as she approached her.

"Ohoho? You're approaching me? You're actually approaching me?" Ayamega scoffed as she also assumed a stance, her short staffed scythes chiming softly as the chains danced in the cold midnight wind.

"I can't beat the fuck out of you if I don't get closer" Anahana replied as she grinned, raising her sword as she stopped.

The two warriors now stood in a standoff, waiting for one or the other to move. The wind howls as they stared each other down, the tension grows between the two as the moon now flies at its apex, as the light of the lunar body falls to Ayamega, she mutters to herself cockily.

"Heh.. The night's in my favour-" Ayamega cut herself out when she turned around and slashed two vials, it exploded right in her face, screaming and screeching as she held her face tightly from the pain.

[~Your pain. Your pain~]

Anahana poises herself for a charge, the agonizing screams became growls as Ayamega looks up at her, anger boiling under her skin as she also prepared to charge. As she launches herself, Anahana proceeded to perform a downward strike with both of her weapons, staggering Ayamega who received the full force of her charge. She disengages herself from the confrontation to keep distance away from her.

'She's not affected…?' The Demon General thought as she watched Anahana ready herself again, she glanced towards her surroundings and found Hanagura poised to throw a vial. 'Hanagura keeps her distance… However…'

She planted her eyes on her attacker once more. She caught a glint of her eye and she shivered on the spot.

'She can't feel it…' She grinned as she sweats. 'This girl isn't normal at all isn't she?'

Anahana launches herself one more time, and instead of attacking Ayamega blocks the attack, however it was quite useless as Ayamega was then launched a great distance away.

[~It's been coming for awhile but I push it back into my mind. There's a darkness in my head, try to shake it but it has its time~]

As Anahana lands her attack and launches Ayamega, she immediately plants her feet to the ground to avoid falling to the ground, as she was about to perform another charge she receives a headache, followed a voice she identifies quite well.

"There are a million ways for you to have gotten blood out of her, and you chose to kick her?"

"We're hungry Anahana, we're thirsty Anahana"

"Feed us Anahana"

She shakes her head, breathing deeply as she performs another charge, Hanagura charges as well on the right flank, holding two vials ready to be thrown towards the skeletal Demon General.

[~Cause I know. Where I am. Can't keep holding to what isn't there (isn't there, isn't there). And my words. Are not enough. Can't keep holding to what isn't there~]

As they close the distance on Ayamega, Anahana performs a swing, launching her sword towards the Demon General with its pummel attached to length of chain. It hits the ground besides Ayamega who had just dodged, subsequently slicing the vials as it was thrown at her.

She was engulfed in flames but unlike before they turned purple as soon as it hit before being absorbed by Ayamega.

"So we're playing that game are we?!" Anahana exclaimed as she retrieved her sword, the swordswoman charges without hesitation and performs yet another down strike, it was blocked yet again however Anahana plants her feet firmly on the terrain as she pushed down onto the Demon General who cackles as she engages her second set of arms to carry the weight.

"THINK AGAIN WARRIOR! BEHOLD THE GHOUL IN FRONT OF YOU! THE DREAM EATER OF EISENRING AYAMEGA FARGUIN! YOU WILL NOT DEFEAT ME MORTAL!" The General exclaimed as she started to overpower Anahana.

"ANAHANA! GET AWAY FROM HER!" Hanagura shouted as she threw two more vials at the ghoulish Demon General.

Both Anahana and Ayamega disengage themselves from each other, the skeletal Demon twisted herself just as she dodged to face Hanagura and charges at her. She instinctively dodges back with her dagger in a defensive posture just as Anahana thrusted the flat end of her blade onto Ayamega's face, staggering her into a tree.

Anahana winces again, holding her head as she approaches Ayamega.

"There she is! Kill her!"

"Drain her blood! Feed us!"

"Feed us! Anahana! Feed us NOW!"

"Anahana, are you alright?" Hanagura asks. "You don't look so good"

"Just a headache… I'm fine" She replied. 'Something's trying to get out, is it my swords? Is it the bloodlust?"

"I'm surprised she hasn't put you into an illusion yet, maybe Raleigh's curse protects you from such mind games" Hanagura remarked as she watches the ghoulish Demon General struggle to twist her head back into place the right way.

"Is that so? I didn't know that" She replied sluggishly. "Let's try and end this, we won't go far if she's still breathing"

"I'll keep her burning then, don't kill yourself" Hanagura nods as she starts sprinting to a flank.

"Look at me" Anahana calls Ayamega as she cracked her neck back into place, as she looked up, she was met with a powerful swing, she blocks the sword from hitting her body with the scythes, she was once again thrown away in a great distance as Anahana charges, following the trail of destruction her projectile had gone through.

[~Your pain. Your... Can't keep holding to what isn't there. Your... Your... Your...

Your... Your pain. Your pain~]

She again closes her distance, Ayamega recovers from Anahana's attack and starts to retaliate, the two now interlocked in a bladed dance with either side throwing swings, sending strikes and lunges. Hanagura occasionally tries to hit Ayamega from her back but was denied by the rifle being utilized by her secondary hands.

"MORE! SHOW ME MORE OF WHAT YOU'RE CAPABLE OFF WARRIOR! DON'T STOP NOW!" Ayamega cackled as she intensified her counters to Anahana's swings and pummels who were equally intensifying as Hanagura starts to aggressively break the rifle that Ayamega is using as a shield now. "I CAN TAKE THE BOTH OF YOU HEAD ON! YOU CAN'T KILL ME!"

The rifle eventually broke, and as it did, Ayamega broke her engagement with Anahana and performs multiple backflips to distance herself from both Anahana and Hanagura, as she cackles she extends the scythes to their full lengths, the weapons now thrice her body size. She proceeds to wield them with all four of her arms without missing a bit or committing a single mistake handling such large weaponry.

As she opens her stance she charges towards the two warriors, Hanagura opens a different vial and drinks it, while Anahana readies herself and performs a down strike which was immediately parried by Ayamega's scythes, a glint of excitement twinkled from Ayamega's eyes as she starts the offensive against Anahana and Hanagura, who were managing to keep up against the barrage of heavy strikes.

"HAHAHAHAHA~! WHAT'S THIS~? WHY CAN'T THE BOTH OF YOU PUSH ME NOW~?!" Ayamega mocked as she kept up with her barrages, her grin spreading from ear to ear as she relentlessly pummeled Hanagura and Anahana with her scythes, the chimes of metal scraping metal echoed deep into the forest, the momentary light from the sparks emanated from them in a rhythmic pattern.

"Anahana! It's time!"

"Let us eat! Anahana! Eaaat!"

"The Demon's whispers are right Anahana! Let us eat!"

Anahana starts to struggle keeping up with countering Ayamega and has started to slip, not long she's now forced to actively block her instead, the balance of power now being centralized to Anahana whilst Ayamega kept Hanagura from slipping her dagger into her.

"Where's your partner now?"

"She's left you to fight Zakurello"

"Obviously, you're too weak to stand beside her"

'This isn't my voice' Anahana thought as she ignored the whispers. 'This is not mine'

The cackling Ayamega kicks Anahana in her center of mass, collapsing trees as she flew away, hitting a rock and breaking it on impact.

"ACKKKKK-" Anahana's body surged with pain as she made impact, and for a moment, she lay on the dirt ground panting, weak, and staggered.

Ayamega focuses her attacks onto Hanagura who now tries to avoid her.

"WHATEVER YOU DO HANAGURA, YOU CAN'T PUT A DENT ON ME!" She shouted as she sliced a field of trees in an effort to catch Hanagura. "YOU AREN'T MADE TO FIGHT ME!"

"No I'm not!" She agreed, before throwing what remained of her vials towards Ayamega.

She sliced through them, igniting the napalm inside and igniting her once more. She tries to absorb them, but unlike before a few remained burning her skin, the burns fatigued her as she tried to put them out, she fell on one knee as Hanagura landed herself gracefully on a rock.

"I may not be able to fight you Ayamega" She remarked as she stared at the burning Demon General. "But my partner absolutely can"

And with that Hanagura went back into the shadows, as Anahana reappears, and without a second thought she laid waste onto Ayamega. She performed a series of pummeling, slashes, strikes, heavy swings and gargantuan blows onto Ayamega who was now forced to face the warrior head on while fatigue burns through her stamina.

'Whatever you may do you won't be the stronger one here'

'What will you do after she succeeds you? You won't be needed anymore after this war'

"SHUT UP! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" Anahana growls, intensifying her attacks on Ayamega.

"BUT ISN'T IT TRUE?! NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU FIGHT NOW THE END WILL ALWAYS BE IN OUR VICTORY! THE LIVES YOU'VE SACRIFICED TO GET INTO THIS MOMENT IN TIME! THE PRESENT OF WHICH YOU FACE ME! AYAMEGA FARGUIN! IT WILL ALWAYS END IN YOUR FAILURE!" The Demon General shouted as she cackled, her voice cracking from the fatigue. "YOU WON'T GET PAST ME ANAHANA! I WON'T LET YOU OR THAT BRAT!"

'You won't be the face of anyone's victory'

'She will reign over you, like a slave master to his chained dogs'

'There will be an imbalance, and you'll be the one sinking'

"SHUT UP! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" Anahana roared, her anger swells as each heavy swing, each heavy blow chipped away a part of the scythe Ayamega carries, the staff now being cut slowly into like an ice pick breaking away a glacier. The only thing on Anahana's mind is to prove the voice wrong.

[~Can't keep holding to what isn't there. Cause I know where I am. Can't keep holding to what isn't there (isn't there, isn't there). And my words. Are not enough. Can't keep holding to what isn't there Isn't there~]

"Feed us Anahana! Feed us!"

"We're starving Anahana! Please!"

"IF YOU WANT TO FEED SO MUCH, FINE! BREAK HER APART!" Anahana roared as she rose both of her monolithic blades over her head, her eyes glowed a grim red as she bared her fangs to Ayamega who promptly prepared to block her attack. "FEED!"

And with a heavy downward strike, Anahana breaks both of Ayamega's scythes. The Demon General's jaw dropped as she watched her weapons break into small unwieldable pieces. Immediately after the down strike she was pummeled relentlessly with a flurry of attacks in an intensity she hasn't experienced before.

"IMPOSSIBLE! THOSE WEAPONS WERE MADE FROM DWARVEN METAL! HOW COULD YOU BREAK THEM?!" She shouted in a panic as she repeatedly casts shielding magic. "YOU'RE A HUMAN! A MERE HUMAN! HOW CAN YOU FIGHT AGAINST ME LIKE THIS! THIS IS ABHORRENT!"

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP AND LET ME CARVE YOU OUT! LET ME GUT YOU! LET ME BREAK YOU APART AND FEAST UPON YOU!" Anahana shouted as she kept breaking shield after shield after shield. "MY ARMS NEED TO FEAST, AND YOU'RE THE MAIN COURSE!"

"NEVER! IT WILL NOT END THIS WAY! I WON'T LET IT! AYAMEGA FARGUIN WILL NOT END THIS WAY!" The Demon General shouts out in fear now as she has faced the demon lurking within Anahana, the swords she became accustomed to fight against had now bore their fangs and yearn for her flesh, she can almost hear them squeak in joy as the blades came ever so close to reaching her skin.

"Will you really give up your humanity like this? Into a dog that follows no one's orders but your partners?"

"The swords speak for themselves, are you not human? Do you not recognize the ferocity you bore upon your opponent?"

Anahana delivers a kick that sent Ayamega flying into a tree, her back popped as it did, staggering her as she panted. The fire on her skin burns embers as she tries to stand up. Anahana slowly walks up to her as the whispers continued, she paid them no mind.

"Your spells are annoying as fuck" She remarked, her swords lay on her sides, scraping on rock and gravel as she approached closer. "I can't hear myself think over your loud spells and your annoying voice, annoying, deafening…"

Ayamega scuttles as her knees gave up, crawling away from her attacker onto a fallen tree stump. As she tries to scuttle away, Anahana cuts her left knee cleanly, the demon roared in pain as she held her stump as it bled, blood pouring out from the wound pooling onto the soft ground. Anahana then placed one of her swords onto the blood pool, and without a second wasted the sword drinks the blood, it glowed as it drank the Demon General's blood, and both arms were soon replenished.

"A wonderful feast! A wonderful feast!"

"You… Those swords…" Ayamega mutters as she backs off onto the tree. "You have Raleigh's curse…"

"To think you just knew now" Anahana scoffed. "My swords will yearn for your blood, we can't leave any leftovers"

As she rose one of her blades, she hears noise from behind her. She glances back and it's Hanagura trying to warn Anahana.

"ANAHANA! DUCK!" She shouted as she dove straight into the ground holding her head tightly.

Anahana crouched as she heard whistling, Ayamega covered herself in instinct and once the whistling louder a chorus of breaking trees followed. Without much wait a projectile like object flew past them onto a dried lake bed, Anahana and Ayamega immediately went to check what it was.

[~Your pain. Your pain. Can't keep holding to what isn't there. What isn't there, what isn't there. Can't keep holding to what isn't there~]

As Anahana looked over, she noticed that the projectile wasn't a projectile at all, it was an individual with four arms, it didn't take long for Anahana to infer that it may be Natsuki's opponent.

"Impossible…" Ayamega mutters. "We have been out-matched…."

A low hum slowly followed the fainted Demon General, Anahana looked back and saw a glimpse of Natsuki as she flew past her directly onto the Demon General below. Zakurello jolted herself awake and dodged the impending attack as Natsuki pummeled the ground with her beam saber, she glances behind her at the lake bed to see the wounded Zakurello coughing blood.

"You… Surprise me…" Zakurello remarked as she breathed heavily. "To think that mere humans, and an irregular mage can water us down to this level… Such a disgrace we are"

Ayamega curled her fingers into a fist, gritting her teeth.

"Listen well!" Zakurello bellowed, she glanced behind her, finding that Ayamega has been injured greatly. "This will not be the last time you see us… Neither will this be our last encounter… You will fight me once again… AND I…! WILL…! WIN…! DO YOU HEAR ME MAGE?!"

Natsuki didn't react, she merely had her attention on her prey.

"AYAMEGA!" Zakurello called as she opened a gateway using a Teleportation Stone, the artifact crumbled to dust as she opened her hand.

As Anahana was about to pummel her with her sword, Ayamega jumped using her arms off into the dried lake bed, scuttling off into the portal dragging her leg in with her. Natsuki charged towards the portal and Zakurello, but before she could slice her she entered the portal as it closed.

It was a victory despite the losses. It was a somber victory.

"Natsuki…" Anahana mutters as she looks at her. She slips down onto the lake bed and walks towards her.

"They left already" She says as she takes big gulps of air.

"We don't know where either" Anahana remarks, she sheathes her weapons and takes off Natsuki's helm. She was met with stoic eyes rather than the shy, puzzled ones from when she had met her.

"Are you okay?" She asks.

Natsuki nods.

"Are you sure you're not tired?" Anahana makes sure as she held Natsuki's helm. She reached for it and it slowly got absorbed back into her body.

"I'm fine… Woah…" Natsuki's knees buckled as she replied, she held onto Anahana as she fell, taking more deep breathes.

"Right then, let me carry you. Hanagura! I need a little help here!" She shouted as she picked Natsuki up.

"I'm fine- Wait!" Natsuki whined as her face flushed red. "I can take care of myself!"

"Yeah right" Anahana sighed, continuing to carry her.

They slowly scale the side of the dried lake pit, and found Hanagura just coming to.

"What happened? Where's Ayamega? Zakurello?" She immediately asked as she massages her legs.

"They escaped… I'm sorry" Natsuki apologized as she bowed her head. "They escaped using some sort of rune.

"I see, if that's the case, then we have won this encounter. You both did well, it's fine, I should be the one that's sorry, I couldn't help you out much Anahana" She stands up slowly, and gave her a bow.

"Please, we all did well for an ambush" Anahana chuckled. "Let's get back to the perimeter, they might be dead worried about us by now"

Hanagura nods as she starts to walk back.

'She didn't have to bear all of that…' Hanagura thought as she glanced at Anahana. 'Her spells didn't affect her as much as it would if it were me, I would have to drink a potion for that…'

She glances at a vial she had drank from earlier.

'They're no ordinary pair' She thought to herself as she glanced at them. 'If they're anything, they're destined for each other'

"Hey, don't touch over there" Natsuki whined, slapping Anahana's hand off.

"Sorry, I slipped" She apologized. "You did well… Just… Don't do that kind of stuff again"

Natsuki bows her head.

"…"

"Hm? What is that?" Anahana leaned a bit closer to Natsuki so she can hear her.

"I said sure… You did well too…" She repeated softly.

"Why are getting flustered? Ehh~? You like me~?" Anahana teased.

"Shut up… Or I'll shoot you…" Natsuki replied shyly.

"You two outta make good partners you know that?" Hanagura remarked.

The both of them looked away from each other. With Natsuki harboring a solemn look over her face.

"Even then, there's still a Demon Queen to kill…" She mutters.

"Yeah…" Both Anahana and Hanagura agreed.

"We'll have to be careful from now on, the next base isn't so far from here, if they're friendly we might be able to recruit them, but I find that hard to see at the moment" Hanagura said as she points to the direction of the base.

"We'll have to be hostile to those bases now, we can't try to recruit them after this encounter" Anahana remarks.

Natsuki and Hanagura nods.

"For now, we hide and heal" Hanagura said as she waved at the perimeter, Carter and Kiersten waved back, with Haruko and Nijii peeking out from their spot. "Great job, both of you!"

Makeshift Defensive Perimeter | Hagenluch Sezv Valley

Haruko had set up a makeshift Medic's Tent, tending to the wounded and the fatigued. A separate tent was pitched for Natsuki, Anahana, and Hanagura, they are currently being tended to by Reagan and Junko who were instructed to guard and tend to their provisions.

The Roungkagare Tanaki Demon Base was burned to the ground, Carter and Kiersten were sent to see the remains of the base and salvage whatever that's left. They returned with a haphazardly built carriage to hold what's left of the supplies in the base, the carriage held spare armour, ingot materials for weapon repairs left hot in the former provisionary stores.

The pair returned with their salvages, and had head to Nijii and Tanjirou to help with the allocation of their supplies. A head count was conducted, their army has suffered a sufficient loss after their encounter with the Demon Generals Zakurello Hyuga and Ayamega Farguin. Nijii was ushered into the medical tent to be consulted by Hanagura and Neo Zeon's leaders to figure out how to move accordingly.

Nijii enters the tent and sits down in front of the three girls, Reagan and Junko exited to give them privacy.

"General, how are you doing?" Nijii asked first, looking at Hanagura.

"Exhausted, but fine" She replies as she smiles.

"Thank you… So much…" Nijii bows as she faces Anahana and Natsuki. "Without you, we would've been decimated already"

"It's nothing, I suppose this just solidifies the partnership between Neo Zeon and the Roungkagare Tanaki" Natsuki smiled as she held Nijii's shoulder. She nods to Natsuki as she clears her throat, now about to present her the current state of their regime.

"The Roungkagare had suffered major losses during the previous ambush, we lost more than 30 of the men under Kiersten's company, there were little loss under Carter's, however, those who aren't in Alpha Squadron have perished in the fire. Only the 10 remain including the four in Alpha Squadron." She reported, she flipped to the next paper that was a report from Carter and Kiersten when they had checked the base out.

"The fire has died out fortunately, however, the base itself has been burned to the ground, anything that wasn't made out of wood remained, the stone walls had collapsed overnight as well, there's just nothing there when Carter and Kiersten had arrived save for some materials that survived in the store houses. With those we have just about 10 or more engagements before we need to restock. There are no signs of Commander Horace anywhere…" She adds, she glances at Natsuki who nods.

"He's not dead, that's for sure" Natsuki said as she looked at Hanagura. "I didn't see him after I cut his arm off, but that's about all I can give"

"Is that so?" Hanagura bows her head for a moment. Natsuki nods.

"From now on we will identify Horace as an enemy combatant, relay this to Carter and Kiersten later" Hanagura says as she looks at Nijii. "It's unfortunate that it has come to this, but if we hold back now there's no saving tomorrow"

Nijii nods, and continues her report.

"As for our supplies, food won't be a problem, further down Vohn Valley would be plenty of wildlife to hunt and capture as provisions. Most of the metals we had for armour and weapons could last us a while if used sparingly, I'll be collaborating with Tanjirou-san for that matter as I see her skills are more than professional for the matter. Lastly, of the five Panzerwagons that we've had during escort, only two had been shot into decommission, Unit 03 had suffered major damages, its transmission and the turret shield have been wrecked during Ayamega's engagement, and Unit 01 suffered damages to its gun, Tanjirou had told me she'll have the infantry help her combine Unit 01's chassis to 03's, technically, we've only lost one machine"

"What about the remaining 200?" Hanagura asked curiously.

"According to Alpha Squadron, they had not moved from their hibernation, there were evidences of an attempt, but it was unsuccessful"

"I see, we'll have to encase them there then, we don't want them to wake up and join their master" Hanagura remarks. "Have Alpha Squadron perform a sealing ritual on the site, is that understood?"

Nijii stood up from her place and bowed. "Yes General"

She proceeds to exit the tent to relay her messages to the remaining Commanders and the squadron. Anahana yawns and pops her back as she twisted, she looks at Natsuki, checking on her as she sat there quietly.

"You alright?" She asked as she poked her cheek.

"Yeah.. just tired" She replies moving her finger away.

"Then go sleep some more, you deserved it after all" Anahana said as she wraps Natsuki in her blanket. "I'll go wake you up when Haruko brings us some food okay? Just go rest"

Natsuki nods as she slowly lays herself down, turning into a small ball under the blankets as she dozes off.

"She's grown, in just the three days she was under her transformation" Hanagura remarks as she looks at Natsuki blankly.

"As far as we know she's just woken up a few weeks before we arrived here and she's already devastating in the battlefield" Anahana said as she placed a hand on Natsuki, softly patting her.

"Is that so?"

"Mhm"

There was silence for a bit, before Hanagura continued the conversation.

"There's six Demon Generals" She said as she looks down. "Ayamega Farguin, Zakurello Hyuga, Kalliope Taurturia, and then there's me. The last two they didn't introduce, they were always kept behind something, they'll only contact us when there's trouble with the allocation of resources, or one of their test machines are being sent to one of our legions."

Anahana nods as Hanagura glances at her.

"From what I know, those two are extremely powerful, not as aggressive as Zakurello or Ayamega, but after them, we'd have to face something grander than what those two psychopaths can do" She tinkers with her necklace, Anahana has never seen this one before.

"What should we do to prepare for that then?" Anahana asked.

"Pray to whatever god you believe in and say fuck it" Hanagura replies, they both chuckle as they sat in the tent. "Did you know, I'm not really that combat effective"

"Is that so? You handled yourself pretty well back there" Anahana scoffs as she shook her head in disbelief.

"Compared to everyone else yeah, my style of fighting isn't really direct" Hanagura takes out one of her daggers from her belt that sat beside her bed and handed it to Anahana.

The dagger was quite ornate and lengthy, the material seems to be a combination of raw materials, with the most prominent being the blade and the tang as the whole piece seems to be made out of bone. Along the length of the blade were irregularly shaped sapphire gems decorating its blade. Despite the texture of the material used along the blade, it gave a sense of tribal royalty.

"This has got to be one of the more ornate knives I've seen" Anahana remarked as she examines it with shining eyes. She hands it back over to Hanagura who took a cloth from her belt's pouches and starts to clean the blade.

"Well, it is a chieftain's weapon" She said as she cleans the weapon. "It's just one of few that were made using a skeleton from one of our tribe's mystical creatures. There was a sword made, a scythe, if I remember there was one that was made from the spine of the beast"

As she finishes, she looks at it as the sapphire twinkles back at her, she smiles, satisfied with her work.

"Mine was taken from one of the Taburdas sharks in our region" She adds. "The monsters were notorious for being an enemy to our fishermen, and killing it is worth to hold a title within our tribes. I didn't kill this particular one (she specifies the one she's held and cleaned), this one was from my sister, we both got to kill a Taburdas shark, which was during a time before The Molten Crown's militarization had started"

"Where's your sister now?" Anahana asked out of curiosity, she notices a somber smile paint Hanagura's face.

"She's someplace happier now.." She said as she smiled.

"I see.. I'm sorry about your loss" Anahana apologizes.

"There's no need, I'm happy to tell about my sister. We were quite inseparable you know? Haha~" She took out the other knife from her and showed Anahana this particular piece side by side with her sister's knife.

As she put them together, a symbol was evidently shown to be etched on either half of the knives. It was the same symbol Hanagura had used as an emblem for Roungkagare Tanaki.

"This is your insignia, for the base" Anahana said as she inspected the blades together. "This was you and your sister's?"

"Yep, we were supposed to fight for our village's freedom together, but yeah" Hanagura's voice became somber as she reminisced about her past etched in the blades with which she fought and won the title of General. "She was the first before me to enter that slaughter house, she didn't make it afterwards"

"It's nice to remember that you have family" Anahana said as she looks down. "I forgot what mine were it's been so long"

"Despite that, at least you have a new family to tend to" Hanagura smiled as she looks at Natsuki.

"Yeah, you're right about that. Despite our losses it seems that we've made a bigger family the more we stood our ground" Anahana agrees as she gave Hanagura a hearty grin.

The Demon General smiles, and nods in agreement as she looks back at her daggers.

"We did make a bigger family didn't we?"

Rouheingera Arloua Castle | Danave, The Region of Royalty in the Demon Continent "Demios"

The Rouheingera Arloua Castle, home to the Demon Queen of the Demios Continent, the home to the Demon Specimens. The Rouheingera Arloua Castle sits in the middle of the Danave Region, a boiling hot region where most royalty serving The Molten Crown resides, after the Blood Rain, the Danave Region's royal houses were rendered useless as the new heir to the country's crown founded the Eisenring Hollentruppe, which had effectively removed the Houses from their status as well as those who led the military. To those in the latter, they were executed, while the former were exiled and had vanished into obscurity.

Within the grand chambers of the castle, the walls that were beautifully adorned by craftsmanship that weaved gold into strings of leaves and beautifully engraved artistry, through hallways adorned with artifacts and armory of the ancient Demon's civilizations long before the arrival of Her Majesty, a maid strides elegantly towards the Queen's Chambers holding some papers as well as some prismic object.

As she approaches the chambers' door, she knocked thrice before hearing her master speak.

"Come through" She orders. The maid follows immediately, opening the grand dark mahogany doors and closing them behind her.

She stood in front of her master's bed at attention.

"Have you brought good news? Sadana?" The Demon Queen queries as she glances at her.

"Two of our Generals have returned, they have been gravely injured" Sadana replies as she bows, she hands out the papers and the prismic object to the Demon Queen.

She took her time to read the report, and examined the object that was given to her in curious puzzlement. She looks up at her servant then back towards the paper, a sly grin slowly planting along her face.

"Interesting" She mutters. "Is this girl, connected to the Deity of Amethyst?"

"We are unsure of that fact yet Your Majesty" Sadana replies.

"If that is the case, then let's find out shall we? " She says as she stands from her bed. She approaches her wardrobe to dress in a fine gown ornate in golden linings that spur around to make a floral pattern of a flower found mostly in the Demons' region. "Come now Sadana, I want to speak to our Generals"

"Yes Your Highness, if you will please follow me" Sadana replies as she opens the door of the bedroom once more. She leads her Highness down into the halls of her grand Castle, The Molten Crown follows her esteemed maid into a stairwell leading to the basement of the Castle, she need not a torch down as her hand sufficed, lighting a bright ball of flames at the tip of her finger.

"Your Highness, if I may, I should be the one lighting the way for you" Sadana interjected as she watches her Highness light the flame.

"Oh dear, just let it be this once, I have not enjoyed the full extent of my powers in so long, let your Queen have her fun will you deary?"

Sadana sighed and nodded. "As you wish Your Highness, do hold my hand, we will descend into the dungeons now"

The Molten Crown does so, outstretching her hand as Sadana held it softly from behind. They proceed to descend into the darkened depths of the castle's dungeon stairwell, all the while her maid lead the way as The Molten Crown lit their path.

Their footsteps echoed within the confines of the stairwell, slowly descending into a spiral that penetrated the earth within. The Molten Queen held the light brighter as they descended, and as they landed onto the dungeon floor, Sadana waved her hand in front of the wall. As she did, the mechanations of the wall gave in, brick by brick it slid into the crevasse that held the pieces, giving way to the underground laboratories.

"Our Generals have been immediately sent here for… Reparations" Sadana informed. The Molten Crown nodded as she waved her hand that held the light. The lanterns that lined the hallways shone immediately and gracefully.

"Lead me to them dear, I wish to know our opponent" The Molten Crown ordered. Sadana nodded and proceeded to lead her to the "Reparation Chambers". Upon entering the room, Sadana immediately started to scold one of the maids present.

"Sadano, I thought I told you not to play around with those Generals!" Sadana scolded. Pulling Sadano away from the choking Zakurello.

"Awwww~" Sadano whined as she was held by the wrist by Sadana.

"I apologize Your Highness" Sadana said as she bowed, forcing her sister to do so as well.

"It's fine dear, as long as they're alive I don't care if they're in pain or so" The Queen waved. She slowly and gracefully walked towards the injured generals, hung from crosses and bound to in chains that wrap around their torsos and arms in areas where they aren't injured.

The Molten Crown moves to Zakurello, who coughed as she regains her breathing.

"General Zakurello" The Molten Queen addressed. "How do you do?"

The General tilted her head in pain, looking at her with a broken eye.

"That's great~!" The Molten Crown said gleefully. "Will you tell me, how you've lost against one human? Mmm?"

"I need more… Much more…" Zakurello wheezed.

"Need more of what General?" The Molten Queen inquires.

"Strength… Power…" Zakurello wheezed. "My partner… As well.

She weakly points to her right, Ayamega hung from her cross in labored breathing. Not aware of the conversation that's currently occurring.

"Unfortunately, the Generals have taken quite a lot of damage when they have encountered this… Intruder" Sadana informs the Molten Crown. "It also seems that she has found herself a powerful ally as well, one that carries with her Raleigh's Curse"

"Is that so? You have mentioned to me once, that the curse is empowered by blood, by its hunger to consume"

"That is correct Your Highness" Sadana bowed.

"That is not all~ Zakurello here has told us that the intruder utilizes crystals as her form of combat-"

"Is that so? Crystals you say?" The Molten Crown repeated with curiosity. "Is that right, General Zakurello?"

She nodded weakly, the Molten Crown is pleased. However, she still wonders what her opponent's full extent of her powers are, what her limitations are, what she's capable of. She follows her train of thought deeply, a silence that Sadana and Sadano acknowledges as their Highness is in deep thought.

"Sadano, alert of General Harjhan to her new subjects" The Molten Crown orders. "Inform her of their injuries and recuperate them to combat status, after which she is required to inform me of their completion"

"Of course Your Highness~" Sadano replied before skipping away to General Harjhan's area.

"What is it do you have in mind Your Highness?" Sadana asks curiously.

"So far, one of our Generals have perished, two of ours are currently within their elements and have yet to report their findings" The Molten Crown replies, as she moves out of the room. "I plan to move Harjhan and test the limitations of our opponents, and have our spies disassemble their element before we trap them in our territory"

"Is that so…" Sadana wonders.

"For now, I infer that this rebellion would prove difficult to quell, a traitor is within their midst as well as the enemy that came from the sky" The Molten Crown says with a grit. "They move like the water, taking the shape of whatever trap they find themselves in and break it apart. We must move equally the same, with the aggression of the magma, and quench their forces in one fell swoop"

"I must say Your Highness, that seems to be a well plausible plan" Sadana remarks, bowing. "Though, it seems to me that our opponent tends to surprise us, what will you do to counter that my liege?"

"Hm… I have not thought of that dear Sadana, I need time to think about such possibility, though for now, Harjhan must take the step onto the stage".

General Gelguug Harjhan's Area | The Accursed Manufactory

"Is that truly the wish of the Molten Crown?" A woman inquires.

"Y-yes General Seraheim" Sadano replies shakily.

" If that's the case, then we should move to fix their injuries" Another woman speaks, her voice echoing form her chamber.

"The bodies are being transported as we speak, they are Generals Ayamega as well as Zakurello" Sadano replies as she sweats profusely.

"I see, then leave us to our work, we need the silence from you to be able to function well" Seraheim orders.

Sadano picks herself up, bows and exits herself out of the foundry, leaving the giant women away as they watch her disappear from the horizon.

"What do you want me to do, Harjhan?" Seraheim asks her companion.

"Patience, is what I want you to do" Harjhan replies sweetly to her iron laden companion who tilts her head in confusion. Harjhan giggles before she gives her the easy to understand answer. "Wait with me, is what I mean~"

Seraheim nods as she smiles at her companion, she moves to her area in the Accursed Manufactory, tending to her little machinations.

"Oh how I wish I could live in peace! The curiosity I have for such commodity~! I might lose it!"

Harjhan patiently waits for the bodies to be transported, humming away a gleeful song.