The Battle Of Krahen Nest - PT 01

“Wait, so you’re not coming with us?”

“No. Unfortunately for me, there’s still another hunt I need to finish before I can return. But at least this time, old Sting agreed to lend me a hand.” Mamiko had accompanied the group until some point.

“So this is a goodbye?” Arya sounded a little disheartened.

“A goodbye... or just a ‘see you later.’ We never really know which one it’ll be.”

“Don’t say that!” Peter interrupted. “I’m sure you’ll be just fine. We’ll meet again in Floating Moonlight City!”

Mamiko’s gaze reflected a darker truth hidden in her thoughts: she wasn’t only speaking about herself.

“Soon, it’ll be your turn to step into the life of a mercenary. We celebrate peace and joy with all we have, because we never know what the future holds.”

“I’m pretty sure our late teacher once said something like that… Memento…”

“Memento Mori. Remember death. It’s good to see you already know those words.” Mamiko gave a slight bow. “This might not be an official welcome, but know that from my side, you’re already accepted.”

“That’s very kind of you. Thank you, Miss Mamiko.” said Arya with a smile in the face.

The group said their farewells to Mamiko and headed north, taking the road that would lead them to Krahen Nest. Mamiko, meanwhile, returned to the city, letting her thoughts slip out in a whisper.

“May our paths cross again, and may Mors watch over yours.”

The group followed the road into the forest. Some hills to their left blocked the view, but as they circled around one of them, they could already see the distant silhouette of Krahen Nest.

The pillars of smoke rising from the city seemed to come from its many factories—but on this particular day, they masked a terrible surprise.

Krahen Nest was originally built as a stopover for the Floating Moonlight Express, the railway that connects Floating Moonlight City to the rest of the world. It didn’t take long for the constant flow of mercenaries and travelers to make the city thrive.

However, what the group found was a city on the brink of destruction, consumed by chaos. Under Edward’s lead, they stepped off their wagon and continued on foot through the city’s deserted streets. It felt as if they had walked straight into a war zone.

Shrill screams and distant sounds of destruction echoed around them, but the silence that surrounded their path gave off a strange feeling—like they were being watched.

“What the hell is going on here?”

“You’ve never seen anything like this, right? I have no doubt—this has to be the work of demons.”

“Unfortunately, I have to agree with the bone boy. Mi Romeo, it looks like your worst fear has come true.”

“So now what? Do we run while we still can?”

“Run?” Peter stepped forward. “That thought never even crossed my mind. We’re going after the demons behind this mess—no question!”

Edward and Arya exchanged glances. A simple nod from Arya was enough to show she agreed with her friend. The evil wrought by the demons couldn’t be left unpunished.

“Are you sure about this?”

“It’s alright. I’m not afraid to use my magic anymore… and I think this is the right thing to do.”

“Please, let’s be careful.”

“Don’t worry, Edward! We’re in this together!” Peter’s words helped give Edward a boost of confidence.

“Well then, I guess no one will complain if we start our mercenary work a little early. Alright! Our mission is to save as many people as we can!”

The rest of the group shouted in a loud, confident “Yes!”

They ventured deeper into the city, tension rising with every step. Still, no human or demon appeared to greet them.

That’s when, finally, as they turned a corner, their welcome arrived.

“Someone’s coming.”

A woman’s silhouette approached from the far end of the street. Her clothing resembled that of a shrine maiden, though the usual red and white colors were inverted. Despite her stunning beauty, her red eyes with vertical pupils and the two horns protruding from her dark hair betrayed her true nature: a demon.

   From the rot born of the human heart
   The decayed souls without conviction
   Spread like an endless plague
   And corrupt all who cross your path

Make your entrance, Cydonia, Sin of Corruption.

Seeing the demon’s near-perfect form, Peter and Edward remembered the words of their teacher, Belchior: “The more human they look, the stronger the demon.”

There was no doubt this was the demon behind the city's destruction. Her appearance was nearly indistinguishable from a human—except for her eyes and horns. But there was another part of her body that also clearly marked her as a demon.

Until now, her hands had remained hidden beneath the sleeves of her kimono. But with a fluid motion, she extended her right arm forward, revealing decayed hands pulsing with the vile power of corruption.

With a simple gesture of her index finger, she summoned her pawns from the shadows. A massive number of demons emerged from every direction, slithering through alleyways and crawling from windows.

There was a wide array of beast-like demons, but the majority of her personal army consisted of humanoid demons—black skeletal figures wearing oni masks to conceal their faces.

“Get ready—this doesn’t look good.”

Edward drew his sword, trying to step in front of Arya—but just like him, the girl was already preparing for battle, raising her flute to her lips. Reaper pulled his scythe from the shadows, and Peter clenched his fists, ready to conjure his fire magic.

“Well, what an interesting group we have here… A fragment of Mors and a necromancer walking side by side—now that’s a rare sight.”

“(Huh? She talks?)”

“(Now’s not the time! I’ve got a bad feeling about her…)”

“Kill them.”

Following Cydonia’s command, the demons lunged ferociously at the young warriors, shrieking and growling in a twisted symphony of despair.

Just as the swarm was about to overwhelm them, the eerie and beautiful sound of Arya’s flute echoed through the street.

“CERBERUS!”

The massive body of Cerberus emerged, wreathed in flames and ashes, pushing the demons back as it shielded the group. The beast was noticeably larger than the last time it had been summoned.

“What now? There are too many demons to deal with! Cerberus won’t hold them off for long!”

“Focus on taking out that demon,” Reaper pointed in Cydonia’s direction. “Did you see the way she commanded them? If we eliminate the leader, the minions should vanish.”

“Can you get to her?”

“Yes, leave it to me.”

But before Reaper could move, the demon had already acted. Using the lesser demons as cover, Cydonia slithered through the chaos, managing to close in on the group and dart through their blind spots.

Fortunately for Reaper, his partner was on high alert. The moment Cydonia stepped into Cerberus’s defensive range, she lunged at Reaper, extending her claws.

Magdalena was faster. Leaping out from Reaper’s shadow, she grabbed his shoulders and yanked him with her into the Black Parade.

... Inside the Black Parade, the world was an endless void of shifting shadows swirling in every direction. Reaper found himself slowly falling as Magdalena took the scythe from his hands.

“I’ll be right back.”

“Hey, don’t go doing anything crazy!”

Magdalena emerged from the Black Parade, striking upward in an attempt to catch Cydonia off guard—but the demon blocked the scythe with her claws.

Several demons charged from the flanks, only to be intercepted by Edward and Peter. Magdalena engaged Cydonia in a duel, twirling the shadowy scythe with grace and precision, spinning like a ballerina, while Cydonia dodged and countered with her dark claws.

Eventually, Cydonia pulled back from the group, retreating to the center of her army, trading rude words with Magdalena.

“It’s been a while since you last showed your face, little bitch.”

“Missed seeing a face this beautiful? Must be tough waking up every day and having to look at yourself in the mirror.”

“Mag, do you know this demon?”

“Cydonia. I’ve had the misfortune of crossing paths with her before.” Magdalena turned to the rest of the group. “Don’t let the black part of her hands touch you. Under no circumstances. One touch is enough for a death sentence.”

After making her warning crystal clear, Magdalena pulled Reaper back out of the shadow, swapping places with him once more. But that wasn’t just a warning—there was a truth she chose not to share with the others.

The touch wouldn’t kill them.
It would corrupt them…
And turn them into demons.

"(Mi Giulietta, you seem a little uneasy. Is this demon really that dangerous?)"

"(I've talked to you about her before — she's the demon I used as an example when we came up with that theory.)"

"(Isn't this our perfect opportunity to ask if it's true?)

"(Mi Romeo… Focus in the fight. Don’t let her touch you. If I have to, I’ll pull you back in and we’ll flee, leaving the others behind.)"

"(What are you saying? You’re planning to abandon them?)"

"(You know how much you mean to me. If it comes to that—yes, I will abandon them. I won’t let her steal your soul from me, no matter what.)"