Chapter 18: Final Stand at Invidia

The red-haired woman sat on the demon lord throne right before us. Her red eyes were intense, they had slit pupils like that of a dragon. She had horns above her head, they were proof that she was a demon. She wore a well embroidered black dress, almost as if it was a funeral garb.

“I had a feeling you would come here, to think you would bring the four brands straight to me. Efficient as always.”

“I wasn’t planning on seeing you here, I came here to find clues on how to undo demonization. I guess Gods’ has a wicked sense of humor letting me meet you here.”

Yato revealed his plan to the woman. Her hostility was unlike anything I ever felt. Even Luke and Bee were on guard. Belle was presently standing next to Lilia clutching her tome.

“Yato, that’s her?” Bee asked, drawing his golden chakrams.

“Nine hells, she’s a looker, no wonder you were tricked so easily, good taste,” Luke teased.

Yato shook his head in disbeliefs, they were in mortal danger yet they were still joking around.

“Those girls, they’re like me aren’t they, mere chicks who have drunk demon blood, I’ll take them off of you.”

Nia stood up from her throne, I took a step back at the comment, she was terrifying. Her menacing aura radiated throughout the ruined hall. Every fiber of my being was screaming at me to get away as far from here as possible. Just when the situation put us in enough peril, a voice resounded high in the sky.

“The Vermillion Testarossa, Haine the Scornful, and vagrant heroes. All in one place, we are truly the Gods’ play piece.”

The eight winged angel floated high in the pale red sky, by his side were Gabriel and Uriel.

“How did you know we were here?” Luke laughed nervously.

“It wasn’t particularly hard, you chased the Leviathan which was originally from here. Since your intention was to reverse those girls' demonization, it narrowed the list quite a bit.”

Michael scoffed at the hero's predictable movement. He turned to look at Nia, the woman glare at him. It looked like he had intruded on her reunion with Yato, she seemed displeased.

“The sapphire and agate brands, you killed Lady Charlotte and Lord Augusta then claimed the brands as your spoils. You will return them to us,” Michael demanded. He conjured numerous magic matrices across the sky, all with the spear pointing at Nia.

“Of course once we are done, we’ll execute Haine and retrieve the silver brand as well.”

Michael shot me a cold stare, I hid behind Luke as he covered for us.

“You interrupt the lover’s reunion, then start making demands, learn to read the room, Michael,” Luke mocked, drawing Arondight at his waist.

“Seraph Michael, this was a reunion between Yato and I, I request that you not interfere in our affairs,” Nia proclaimed, eyeing the brands in Luke and Bee’s hand.

“Very well, we’ll make this a bit more entertaining, this is a banquet of reunion after all.”

Nia conjured a red magic matrix, a shadow appeared next to her. He held a broad sword in hand, cladded in heavy armor. My jaw dropped at the man’s face, the complexion who I have not seen since that night.

“Father!”

The voice escaped my lips. However, something seemed off, his eyes were lifeless. He wasn’t the same man that protected me. He brandished his weapon and was getting ready to attack.

“He’s probably under her control,” Yato surmised.

“I’d say we divide and conquer Yato, we’re completely outnumbered like this.”

“Fighting while protecting the girls, it’s as if we’re on a tightrope balancing performance.”

“Knock it off with the performative analogy, you circus monkey!”

Luke and Bee exchanged witty remarks, Yato paid them no mind and focused squarely on Nia.

“You’ve always been a demon lord, why did you help me back then? I don’t understand your intentions, Nia.”

“Getting you to lower your guard, then take the brand when you were weakened, it’s how I have been doing it for years, your case isn’t special Yato.”

The former couple exchange their words. What Nia said wasn’t farfetched, in her possession were seven brands she accumulated across multiple realms. Many of which neither the hero or I have ventured. The real question that lingered in my mind was why was she collecting the brand, what was she trying to achieve?

“What are you trying to do, once you obtain all thirteen brands?” Yato asked. Reading the question off of my mind.

The entire crowd of angels and heroes turned to face the demon lord. The brands were forged by the Gods, but what significant do they hold once all thirteen are gathered in one spot. It was a question that only she knew. Hence why she was collecting them.

“Thirteen brands in hand, Sen witnessed the finale of divinity.” Nia took a deep breath before reciting a familiar line. It was from the book Marty had given me.

“My reason is simple. I’ll use the thirteen brands to kill the Gods. They took everything from me, cursed me in this form. So I’ll use the same instrument they forge to aid humanity, and kill them with it.”

Nia explained her resolve. Her voice trembled with anguish, she must've been through a lot to get to this point. She then summoned the agate brand and launched it into the sky, lines appeared in the skybox and formed an octagon shaped shell to block the angels from flying in.

“Lord Michael! We can’t intervene like this!” Uriel cried. Trying to smash the shell with her spear and magic.

“Let them kill themselves, once the timing is right, we’ll just finish everyone off.”

Michael explained coldly, Gabriel stood by his side not saying a word just observing the battle.

“I am so close, Yato, please hand them over to me, you don’t have to die meaninglessly again.”

She spoke softly, an alluring gentle voice that was familiar to the hero. Those honeyed words that once convinced him he was the top of the world. He gritted his teeth, then faced Nia head on with determination.

“Sorry, Nia, I can’t do that, unlike back then, my goal here is to save Hainé and Lilia. If you’re a barrier that stood between me and her, I’ll just have to bust you down.”

Yato declared bravely, then turned to me, he held out his hand to request something. He was unarmed, I knew what he was requesting even without him saying it. I nodded and closed my eyes, imagining the silver blade in my mind. Then appeared in Yato’s hand was an ornate silver blade, he brandished it and faced towards the demon lord.

“Bee, Luke, you take the servant. Belle, you keep the girls safe,” Yato ordered.

“I’m not a fighter, but I promise I’ll keep them out of harm's way,” Belle replied, forming a bubble shield covering me and Lilia. The serpent perched on the gothic girl's head, she strangely didn’t mind it on hers.

Nia summoned two additional brands and handed them Randolf. The swords made a sizzling sound in his hand, they were rejecting him. But he made no emotion, even as the holy fire burned his hand. He lunged forward like a seasoned warrior with batting an eye to the pain. Luke enchanted Arondight and swung at Randolf. Bee followed up and assisted Luke whenever there was an opening in Randolf defense.

As the three warriors locked in battle, Yato faced off against the demon lord with the silver sword in his hand. Nia summoned a third brand, a familiar blade caused Yato to stop in his step.

“The onyx brand, Benizakura, is reflective of the swords forged only in Sen. You were quite skillful with it, you must have a lot of experience even before coming to this world.”

“I did have kendo experience, but as an amateur at most, it’s only the combat experience from this world that made me better with the tachi.”

Yato was saying things that were completely not from this world. He really was the otherworldly warrior. The hero prepared his stance, channeled his mana into Durandal preparing to strike. Nia raised Benizakura up high, she slashed at Yato creating a wave of crater in its path. Yato dodged skillfully and close in the distance to the throne.

“Ars Arcanum: Reflective Flash!”

Yato yelled, then the same attack from Nia reflected to hit her, knocking the tachi out of her hand.

“What?!”

Nia yelped in surprise, then drew another brand from her arsenal, an obsidian looking sword. She launched another attack on Yato, the hero promptly reflected it back with Durandal with ease. He was skillfully utilizing the silver brand power without much effort.

Nia was getting agitated, she summoned her remaining brands and scattered them throughout the air. It was as if she was dancing with the swords in the air, zipping to each one instantly and attacking the hero in every direction. Yato however just stood one spot, observing her every movement and reflected her attacks whenever necessary. I had no idea that was how Durandal was meant to be used. Thinking back, every encounter I have come across whenever involving the silver sword, I always innately used the enemy attacks against them. The same with Falcie and the corrupted Arthur. Those times were mostly off of instinct. I didn’t think Yato was utilizing it to his fullest potential.

On the other side of the battle, Bee and Luke were locked in with Randolf. My father's movement looked identical as I saw him last. Though he wasn’t his own person, he was skillfully fighting off two against one. However as the battle lets on, clearly Randolf was being overwhelmed. Just then, Luke smashed Arondight into the two brands, creating an explosion that knocked both brands off his hand, then Bee used his chakrams to form a loop of chains and tied my father down. It looked like the battle had come to a halt there.

“The heroes are amazing,” Lilia gasped to herself. The whole view was a spectacle, never in my life would I be able to witness something incredible like this.

“So that’s how I would use Durandal, I still have a lot to learn.” I said softly.

“I wouldn’t unless you want to die,” Belle scoffed. She was sweating, clearly maintaining the barrier was having a toll on her.

Suddenly, an explosion rang in the hero's direction. I shifted my gaze, Yato was now being overwhelmed. The woman was skillfully utilizing four brands all at once. Zipping through the air at high speed. Durandal reflective abilities couldn’t keep up to keep the hero safe. Eventually, one sword grazed the hero’s forearm, it slowed his movement for a moment. Seeing the opening, Nia kicked the silver sword out of Yato’s hand. The silver sword flung straight at my direction, lodged straight into Belle’s barrier, instantly shattering it.

I looked straight ahead, Yato was now unarmed. With Durandal at my feet, there was no way I'd make it in time. I looked at Lilia, then shifted to Levi, the small serpent made a chirp. There was only one way. The little maid followed my gaze on the Leviathan, she immediately knew what I was thinking.

“Let’s do it, this time you won’t be alone.” Lilia held my hand.

“If we go, we go together, right?” I gripped onto Lilia. Then turned my gaze back at the serpent.

“Leviathan!”

Both Lilia and I called its name in unison, the serpent expanding its wings and cradling us like an egg. I felt myself losing my senses, however Lilia was beside me writhing in pain. I knew I can’t be the maiden that needs to be saved every time. I let myself be pulled into the Leviathan. Then the wings opened, revealing a dragon form where Lilia and I had fused together.

This feels kind of awesome! Let’s do this milady!

Focus Lilia, we need to help Yato!

I felt her in my mind, with Lilia help, the Leviathan won’t overtake us. I gazed at the silver brand, I grabbed it with my hand. I felt the holy flame burned at me, however, now was not the time to worry about the pain. I have to help the hero.

“I’m not stopping you, but don’t blame me if you get an earful from him!” Belle casted a magic, shifting my location to where the hero was.

“It’s over Yato, this time it’s for real,” Nia declared, swinging the onyx tachi down at Yato. As the hero braced for impact, the blade made a metallic sound. I had blocked the attack with my scales arm and thrown the demon lord backward.

“Hainé? Is that you? Why did you use that form?” Yato yelled in astonishment.

“This time, I’ll fight with you. And me too!”

The hero shook his head, he realized he just heard Lilia in the same sentence. I tossed the silver sword for the hero to catch it. Then we turned to the demon lord right before us.

“So you use demon power just to fight on equal ground with me?”

Nia called the brands to her, I put on a guard stance. Yato yelled to me to follow his lead as he led the charge. She danced all around us, with Yato deflecting every attack, I would swoop in and fight with my claws. This went on for several minutes. I felt my scale breaking apart every time the demon slashed at me. But it didn’t matter, so long as she didn't harm the hero. As the tango continued on, I noticed they both were smiling. In this fight of life and death, they were thoroughly enjoying themselves. Like old friends sparring against each other after a long time.

Eventually, the battle against the demon lord was coming to a stop. Nia was panting rapidly, nothing she did against Yato was working. I had shielded the hero from any fatal attacks with my dragon scales. The black-haired young man was catching his breath. He was nearing the end of his remaining mana. It had become a stalemate, it was a battle of attrition with the three of us. Yato had only fended off attacks as he tried to find an opening to break through Nia’s onslaught.

“You become so much better in just two years, I’m impressed, never thought the brand had that power,” Nia spoke as her breath wrung dry.

“You wielded four brands with such finesse, as expected of you, Nia.” Yato complimented.

They laughed it off, almost as if they were friends that had been united. Lilia and I felt like we were third wheeling in this whole exchange. After a moment, the air sat still, they both had their own goals. But deep down, they wanted to reconnect with each other.

“You really won’t let me save you?” Yato spoke softly at the demon lord.

“I can’t, it’s too late, I’m far too deep in this conquest to stop now,” Nia rose to her feet to meet evenly with Yato's eyes.

It was a sad sight to watch, the two people clearly had feelings for each other. But with their path diverged, they can only fight as their ideals clash. Suddenly the air cracked, the barrier above us had broken through. Michael had been carpet bombing countless spears onto the barrier, one of them immediately broke through and was now coming at Nia.

“Huh?”

Nia let out a sound, before she knew what was happening, Yato got in front of her and took the spear straight into his shoulder. He winced at the pain then cut off the spear with the silver sword. He fell to his knee then glared at the Seraph landing a few feet from him.

I roared at the Seraph and lunged at Michael, however, Gabriel immediately blocked me off and Uriel pinned me down with her spears.

“You would intentionally take on this form, I’m disappointed in you,” Gabriel said coldly.

“And you would aid Michael blindly, you’re no different Gabriel!” I yelled with all my might.

Then I saw Yato collapse to his knee, clutching his right shoulder. I knew immediately something was wrong.