Divine Retribution

Number of times König Geistdunkelrustung has resurrected: 82

Everything had been put in place to frame the Champion and Saintess for treason. While it had been the First Princess’ plan, she had the full cooperation of the King’s Council, but more than that, the approval of the King and Queen themselves.

It didn’t need to be too complicated. The Champion, despite three years of service, had no talent for political intrigue and was too honest. Then again, three years is nothing in the face of those who have spent their whole lives learning the game. She stood no chance against a cunning woman like Princess Cynthia.

As she donned her armor and prepared to march to Fort Galafern and entrap the gullible Champion and uncooperative Saintess, Gloria held up the shield that was emblazoned with her family’s crest. A gift from her mother and reminder that, if she fought for their family, her family would protect her.

“A deployment like this comes seldom along.” She recalled Victoria telling her, both as her mother and as the General of Facide. “You are too young to be named the commander, Gloria, but as a daughter of House Quentellia, you shall hold the highest rank among the knights. I expect you to behave as befitting your position, and return with accomplishments.”

“I shall, Mother.” She said to the empty room, strapping her shield on her back as she finished getting armored. “As you wish, General Quentellia.” Convicting herself as both daughter and soldier, she knew what her role was. Her main concern, the most obvious and potentially greatest danger should the worst come to pass, had also been laid to rest.

“You need not fear resistance from either the Champion nor the Saintess. Pope Joan tells me the Divine Artifacts are extensions of the Goddess Lini’s love and protective instinct towards the Pure.” Victoria’s reassurance was as absolute as her faith in their Goddess. “The reason the Divine Artifacts ceased functioning for Champion Samuel was because, had he achieved his goals, we, the Pure, would have suffered more from it. It is the failsafe from our Goddess to ensure they cannot be used against us. And without their Divine Artifacts…”

“The Champion and Saintess are mere mortals.” Tightening her grip on the hilt of her sheathed sword, Gloria set out.

*****

Number of times König Geistdunkelrustung has resurrected: 84

And the trap had sprung without a hitch.

However, as she looked down at the soon-to-be former Champion and Saintess from atop her stallion, Gloria was caught off guard as Lylia cast sleep-inducing magic on Inessa. As the otherworldly Champion collapsed face-first into the ground, without sustaining any damage that would have woken her up, a dark knot formed in the pit of her stomach. Maintaining her composure, she placed her hand on her sword, but left it sheathed. “Saintess Lylia, what is the meaning of–?”

“These bandits are all heretics, aligned with the Corrupted and seeking to aid the Demon Monarch, König Geistdunkelrustung!” Taking a deep breath, Lylia proclaimed the ‘crimes’ of the ‘bandits’ who had occupied the fort for all to hear as she raised her staff high above her head. “Strike them down, before their Impure agendas threaten the rest of the kingdom!” Turning to face the majority of the defeated and surrendered men and women, a smile of pure sadistic pleasure and righteous indignation lit up her entire face. “Use:–”

Realizing what the most powerful religious figure in the land was about to do, Gloria called out to stop her. “C-Cease this, Saintess Lylia, you have no authority to–!”

“Mic~ro~” There was too much joy in her words to activate her Divine Artifact, as the entire courtyard was enveloped in the holy light of the relic’s spell.

When the light faded, all the former bandits had, at first glance, vanished. Gloria looked out over the courtyard and couldn’t see a single one. However, when she remembered how the particular spell Lylia used worked, she looked closer and saw that all the soldiers had been shrunk, or rather, all the ones she could see had been. Hardly any bigger than her pinky finger nail, the ones who were conscious were just as confused as she was.

“Face judgment at the hands of Her faithful servant, you heretics!” Lylia, on the other hand, was not confused, nor did she hesitate, lifting a foot as she looked at some of the shrunken soldiers at her feet. “Oops. My apologies. I shall be using my feet, not my hands.” She corrected herself, giggling coldly as, without hesitation, she lowered her foot.

The scream of the woman caught under the Saintess’ foot couldn’t reach Gloria’s ears. There was no sickening crunch or quiet pop to accompany the casual cruelty. The blonde simply took a single step, as casual as taking a stroll, and the mission that was supposed to end without any casualties had its first death.

It took three Lylia taking three more steps, three more proud soldiers of Facide being reduced to unrecognizable stains by the incomprehensible weight of a woman over a hundred times bigger than them, before Gloria’s shock passed. Drawing her sword, she pointed its tip at the rampaging woman. “The Saintess has taken leave of her senses! Detain her. Strike her down if you must. Do not allow this senseless violence to continue!” She ordered, dismounting her horse. Even if she truly believes what she said, Saintess Lylia knows that we were deployed by the Council directly. She thought as she joined the charge with a dozen of the more courageous knights who had come with them. Should she turn on us, the Goddess Lini will abandon her and–

When Lylia turned to face the approaching knights, there was no surprise or confusion on her face. If anything, the cold, gleeful grin on her face only spread further as she pointed her staff at the group. Like she was hoping that Gloria would take that exact course of action. “Unbelievable! These heretics have disguised themselves and infiltrated even our ranks! Show no mercy! Show them what happens when you stray from the just path illuminated by Her light! Use: Micro!”

Another flash of light illuminated the courtyard before any of the knights charging Lylia could reach or attempt to stop her.

A discombobulating sense of vertigo caused Gloria to stumble and stab her sword into the ground to support herself as her heart raced. N-No… This… This cannot be. As her eyes adjusted, she stared at the dirt as if doing so would deny the spell that had been cast on her. But the grains of dried-out, lifeless soil that met her eyes were so much bigger now, and the ground trembled slightly as a shadow fell over her. Turning her gaze upward, Lylia was staring down at her, in particular, smiling with the sort of grace that was a poor match for the inhuman disregard for life it conveyed. “H-How? It shouldn’t be possible for you to use the Divine Artifacts against the kingdom!”

“Oh? Then, pray tell, Gloria Quentellia, how plotting against a Champion who is still serving in the interest of the kingdom is not making oneself an enemy of Facide?” Lylia questioned the diminutive knight dispassionately. Gone was the sadistic glee. Barely contained rage darkened and twisted her beautiful face into the visage of a merciless, unapologetic, unhesitant contempt. As if daring to be in her very presence was an affront against the Goddess Lini herself. “I do not know the reason the Council supported such folly, nor do I care to know their plans had everything gone accordingly, but…” Raising her foot over the trembling girl, she didn’t even pretend like she would spare her. “...do not believe that a price will not be extracted for spitting on the selfless sacrifice of my friend.”

“W-Wait… Cease this madness, S-Saintess Lylia…” Her voice barely able to squeak out of her throat as impending death under the gigantic blonde’s foot crept so agonizingly slowly upon her, Gloria couldn’t even find the strength to try to crawl away. Strength refused to gather in her legs, and her arms were trembling so violently, she had dropped her weapon. Had it not been strapped to her arm, her shield would have also clattered to the ground. “P-Please, spare me. I-I was merely fulfilling my duty. I…” Falling onto her back, she was barely able to raise the all-too-inadequate shield in a feeble attempt to protect herself. “Mother… Help–”

*****

Despite how small she had made them, the sensation of the tiny bodies' futile attempts to withstand her weight sent a vibration up through the soles of her heels into her foot. The sudden burst that signalled a life had come to an end under her was neither gratifying nor disturbing. It simply was.

“Traitors! Traitors all of you! Now, die. Die, die, die!” However, she couldn’t stop.

*****

Magically-induced sleep was infamous for being a dreamless state that, to the one affected, felt like an instant. As such, as soon as her consciousness began to awaken, Inessa pushed herself up with a start and gasped.

“Wh-What happened? Lia, why’d you–?”

“Oh, thank Lini you awoke, Champion Inessa.” However, before she could question what was going on, the guard who had woken her up, an older man who was doing his best to remain composed, interrupted her. “You have to stop the Saintess! She has gone completely mad.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?” She asked, looking around, only to see far fewer people in the courtyard than she remembered.

“Run, you heretical traitors! Run, but know it will now spare you!” Her gaze being drawn by the sound of Lylia’s voice, she, at first, thought the blonde was merely walking around in a circle, crackling as she took slow, methodical, heavy steps. However, between each step, she paused before raising her foot and deliberately aiming where she would place it next.

Upon closer inspection, however, Inessa could see tiny figures running under the shadow of Lylia’s feet, desperately trying to save themselves before she would crush them flat.

Without hesitation, the brunette sprang into action, crossing the distance, drawing her sword, and sliding it between the golden heel and the ground before it could connect with the ground and crush the terrified, shrunken people. “L-Lia, what are you d–?!” Freeze as she looked around the fort, her keen senses picked up on all the death that would have otherwise been overlooked due to the shrinking magic involved. Dozens of fingernail-sized bloodstains across the ground, the faint scent of blood in the air, the diminished screams of terror and pleas for salvation. “Lia… What have you done?”

“Oh, good morning, sleepyhead,” Lylia said, smiling the crooked smile only a deranged mind would think is normal. “These traitors dared to stray from the righteous path. As such, I have been meting out judgment in the name of divine justice.”

“But these people can’t fight back! And… they look like knights and soldiers.” Inessa said, trying to reason with the blonde. “We weren’t supposed to kill anyone!”

“Mere bandits can be redeemed, but I have deemed that these heretics are too dangerous to be left alive,” Lylia said, rejecting any notion of compromise as she tried to stomp on the shrunken people seeking shelter by Inessa. However, the brunette blocked her foot once more, intent on saving the lives that she could. “Essa, I am not asking that you join me, but do not interfere.” She said dispassionately, trying to kick the holy blade away.

“N-No. This is wrong, Lia.” Inessa said, tightening her grip on her sword. “You need to stop, before it’s too late. We can figure this out, okay?”

Hardening her gaze, Lylia shook her head and raised a hand, pointing her palm at her. “If you are going to continue to spout such nonsense while getting in my way, I shall put you back to sleep. Step aside, Champion Inessa.”

Biting her lips so hard she drew blood, there was no time to hesitate, nor could she give Lylia a chance to incapacitate her again. There were lives on the line. “Many, as One. Multislash (Advanced)!” And in a blur of movement too fast for mere mortals to track, she struck the blonde multiple times with the flat of her blade, measuring her strength to knock out her friend.

As she fell into Inessa’s arms, an apologetic, proud smile graced Lylia’s face before the damage caused her to lose consciousness.

With the fight over before it began, and the massacre ended, the Champion stood in the center of the courtyard and looked at the survivors, both those shrunken and not. “Gather the shrunken and make sure nothing happens to them. I’ll return with help.” She said loudly, her voice carrying over the dead silence. Crouching, she scooped up the few survivors who had gathered around her. “Use: Teleport.”

*****

To say that the Council hadn’t taken the news of what happened at Fort Galafern well was an understatement. They had been expecting a message confirming the successful capture of the Champion and Saintess, stripping them of their Divine Artifacts, and en route back to the capital for sentencing. Having the Champion return with a literal handful of survivors, some of which the children of nobles, all verifying Inessa’s report of what had transpired, was not something they were prepared for.

Resources to assist Inessa in transporting back all the shrunken victims in the hopes of removing the magic cast on them were hastily prepared. Discussions surrounding the ramifications of the horrific tragedy and how to handle the perpetrator were passionate and fierce. Lylia’s Divine Artifacts were confiscated, and she was to be imprisoned in the castle’s heavily fortified dungeon, but beyond that would require much deliberation.

However, as the adults argued and debated what needed to be done immediately, Princess Cynthia excused herself from the proceedings, as her presence only made it more difficult for the bereaved to maintain cool heads. While she was able to maintain her composure in the chamber, as soon as there were no eyes on her, she slammed her fist into an immaculate marble wall, biting her tongue to keep from cursing.

“She ruined my plan. That Impure woman, how could the Saintess slaughter so many people so easily? I thought she was at least sensible.” Spitting bitterly as her plan had been turned on its head, the worst outcome that shouldn’t have even been possible had been created from the unforeseen actions of the blonde. “Because she went mad, that Otherworlder demonstrated her resolve to maintain order in our world. To even turn her blade against her closest confidant, trust in the Champion has never been higher. Why did that woman have to take leave of her senses so completely at the worst possible moment–!?” As she ranted to the empty hall, Cynthia’s mind, developed for subtle manipulation, political machinations, and understanding how others thought, reached an epiphany that left her dumb for a moment.

For all the faults the public and Council found with her, a woman who would lose her composure so completely was not who she was. She knew when to hold her tongue, not to lash out when treated poorly, all to maintain the idea that the former Saintess was right to select her as her successor.

“She is not a woman to break from something like that.” The lavender-haired princess whispered to herself, and the full realization of the decision she forced the now mass-murdering criminal to make weighed on her.

*****

Number of times König Geistdunkelrustung has resurrected: 85

As it was still the middle of the week, Geist had prepared himself to be stomped to death, possibly after some more philosophical debate, by Lylia once more. There was no longer the same hate in her words when she spoke to him, and despite treating him like an insect, there was now a budding respect for him that he knew she’d deny if he pointed it out.

However, when the flash of light that preceded either of their arrivals, seeing the brunette standing before him, caught him off guard. “Inessa? Did I stay dead longer than usual this time?” He asked, looking around as if something would allow him to calculate the date and time. However, the only things different he noticed were the streaks of white stain on her cheek and the redness in her puffy eyes. “What happened?”

“Oh, i-it’s nothing, Geisty. Lia just needs a bit of a break, is all.” She said, the effort to feign her typical cheerfulness evident in that she didn’t even emulate half of her bubbly energy. “So, I’ll be taking over for a while. Which is fine by me now that I have Varney to visit.”

Her smile was empty, and her giggle was hollow. Surely, it was a performance that convinced nobody, least of all herself.

But she’s clearly not ready to talk about it… He thought, manifesting his greatsword. “Alright. Well, come at me then.” He said, ready to lose another impossible battle.