A6P7: The roar in the mountains (Part 1/2)

After the return of messenger pidgeon the Head of the state was devastated. Armies of Niah and Tur alongside the mighty warriors of Fortress city were completly wiped out and the city surendered to the Demon king.

At this point in time, another message came from Holy empire. The Demon King Zaru in snowy mountains defeated Hero of Starlight Asta and became a True demon lord.

Next a report came from messengers send to Glu. The city and its people were annihilated. Not even a pile of debris was left behind. All the mines were destroyed and the place became haunted by undead monster.

„Sir Dozan, if the reports are true, then we stepped on tigers tail! We have to end this war, even if we surrender! We have to protect people of our dominion!“ one of the ministers declared angrily.

„No rush movements sir Gallen. The Demon king is truely strong and no dwarf was given the title of hero in this generation. But the demon lord acording to our spies left the Fortress city to a Dragonewt. We now have to fortify our capital and prepare half of our army to strike. Lord Dozan, I would like to ask you to send message to Duke Durel with request for help.“

„What do you want?“

„The demon lord Zaru have dungeon, which means he also have a dungeon core. Tell them that he’s not inside and they will have easy way to destroy his unguarded heart.“

„And where you want duke to strike?“

„Near city named Dulinor is village at mountains side. There a group of adventurers found an entry, the original one.“

„I will send the message to duke this evening,“ Head of the state Dozan decided calmly, but his heart started beating fast with hope and excitement.

*

„Read this, Mr. Herren,“ duke Durell said to adventurer he was working with.

Herren was one of members of now officially disbanded adventurers team Black leaf. He was level 98 human swordsman and also the one who stabbed Zaru.

„Heh, so that guy become demon after we stabbed him… I should have cut his head off back then.“

„So it is the man you tried to kill and the reason you lost your licence of adventurer?“

„Yeah, that cursed Zaru. He even took the girl…“

„Ah, yes, the receptionist that almost killed you when you tried to grop her.“

„Are you provoking me duke?“

„What would you do about it? Kill me if I don’t stop? Then you would be known as killer of duke and you know what would happen to you if you did that. You can't go south to Wolfman Principality as you are wanted criminal over there. Still, I belive it would be best for my faction to gain control over the dungeon and destroy it. I will dispatch army to Dulitor and send them to the dungeon. I will also request help of adventurers“

„I will be acting as your bodyguard for the time being and I will send Gruben to watch over it, but I'm not so sure the adventurers will go. They will listen to Guildmaster Tongu, but not to kingdom officials.“

Gruben was another of former members of Black leaf a Half-elf archer of level 87, who also possesed apprisal skill.

Thus, in the next two weeks, an army formed inside the Dulinor city. Adventurers were asked to join, but the guildmaster refused to let her adventurers get hurt themselves. She even went so far as to proclaim that the arventurers guild will not buy any material that will came from that dungeon and will not support any adventurer who will go there.

That made the duke angry, but that was all he could do about it as the guildmasters of important towns, like Dulinor was, worked directly under the royal capitals guild. And the leader of that guild was someone who noone would want to make their enemy. The capitals guildmaster was former follower of Darkness Hero, Azzutah the Iron-blooded.

No need to say it, but Guildmaster Tongu already contacted Lizzie about the army.

*

Inside the dungeon, Lizzie, Hestia and other executives were discussing their strategy.

„So, we will do it like this?“

„Yes. That is the plan. I don’t want to use magic, as I’m pregnant now, so I will leave it to the class.“

„So, harpies will drop those explosive powder when last soldier enters the valley, while earth mages creates walls all around the place, locking the soldiers in place. After that we will use Magic beast army alongside vampire brigade to destroy them.“

„Sadly, we have to dispatch them. The gnolls went with Darling and the undead army is needed in the land of dwarves. But I want the vampires to lead the attack so we can dispatch them at latest possible time.“

„Aren’t you little cold to innocent dwarves miss Lizzie?“ one of the MB army executives asked. He was of Nagas, male counterpart to Lamias, esentialy they were same being and usualy called themselves the ‚Dragonsnake race.‘

„If you can’t recognize power when it stands before you, death is only mercy you deserve.“

„Isn’t that something only Demon would say?“ Hestia teased Lizzie.

„I have chosen my side. I have no regrets. Now let’s start the preparations,“ Lizzie said and her scleras turned black for a second.

*

The army of ten thousand men was lead from Dulitor four days after Zaru left the dungeon. As the place where they could enter the Snowy mountains was really slim, they had to split their army into ten groups of one thousand each.

Gruben was in last group with kitchen staff and general of Noble faction named Gregory.

Gregory was tall muscular man with giant broadsword on his back. The sword was inferior copy of legendary blade made for royal family by Angels. This sword was special also in same way the original was, it could do double damage to those with red karma. The more evil you were the stronger the blade was.

The army all of the sudden stopped when the last group entered Valley.

„What’s the meaning of this?“ Gruben barked at soldiers around them.

„Sir! The snow had created a barrier at the end of the valley. The first regiment is currently trying to remove it!“

„Send third and fourth regiment to help them, second and fifth regiments are on look out,“ Gregory given the order to the soldiers and get down from his horse.

In that moment an astonishing number of stone walls appeared all around them.

„Everyone get ready! It’s an ambush!“ Gruben shouted from his horse.

In that moment series of explosions started to vibrate through the valley. Gruben looked up and saw a flock of harpies flying in perfect synchronization. If Gruben could name this thing, it would be ‚Carpet bombing.‘

*

After the inicial bombing, Hestia let her army of lesser vampires (made from criminal slaves who were brought from ork kingdom) let loose.

The lesser vampires had simple instuctions: Kill foot soldiers and bring leader-like figures to Hestia.

There was no need to say that the bombing destroyed half of the army in one go.

The lesser vampires were almost undefeateble, but all of the sudden Hestia got feeling like some of the lesser vampires were purified.

„Oh, so this is the reason,“ Hestia smiled like predator looking at it’s pray.

Her eyes were glued to tall mascular man with broadsword that emited strong holy aura. Yet the sword was in her eyes weak. And the swordsman as well, after all, he was a Human.

„I wonder, if Zaru could make me a demonic blade from it~“ with that she flew towards the swordsman and lightly touched the earth filled with blood of human soldiers. The smell of iron filled her nostrills which in turn activated her predatory nature.

„So you came out already, measly vampire!“ man behind the muscular man shouted.

„I didn’t came here for weakling like you, punny archer without a bow. I came here for that sword. I will present it to my dear master after I murder you,“ Hestia smiled warmly.

„Only one who will die here is you vampire. I’m Gregory, weilder of replica of Holy sun!“

„Oh my~ introductions! Then I will give you mine as well. Take it as gift before your death. I’m Hestia Meara El Ultana, the progenitor of all vampires and General of Vampire brigade in Demon king Zaru’s first army, but please call me Hestia,“ she smiled with little polite bow.

„Hestia… like the Bloody queen Hestia?“ Gregory asked.

„Ah, yes. That’s how you from east call me.“

„Heheh, I get to kill such a monster,“ Gregory unleashed his sword full of magical energy at Hestia.

Yet she blocked it with a single fingernail.

„Do you have any more attacks? If not, then let me kill you. As an act of mercy I will make it painless,“ Hestia’s predatory smile appeared once again.

„T-that’s imposible! This sword can cut through evil people like knife through butter.“

„Ah, yes, the enchant on this sword is really good for human-made sword. But that’s all.“

„Sir Gregory! She isn’t evil! Her karma is solid blue!“ soldier with [Karma eye] shouted.

„That’s imposible! Bloody queen Hestia is biggest and evilest monster on this continent apart from demon lords!“

"That’s so rude for you to say," Hestia said uninterestedly, "You see, my current master, which you will soon meet, have skill that gives all under his rule his karma rating, among other things."

„You want me to belive that there is demon lord with blue karma?! Don’t make me laugh!“ Gregory shouted and delivered blow after blow, just to be blocked by Hestia’s fingernail again and again.

*

During Hestia’s confrontation with general, Gruben was running for his life. His trusted bow that came from his mother, the Crimson Longbow, was broken in half.

„Shit, shit, shiiiiiit! That wasn’t supposed to happen! His army was supposed to be in dwarven state! What the hell they are doing here!“

„Gruben,“ silent voice called out to Gruben.

„Huh?! Oh, Lizzie, what are you…doing… here… You’re pregnant?!“ Gruben shouted using his apprisal skill.

„Ah, yes, my and Zaru’s first child… oh, sorry, I got distracted. Now if you wouldn’t mind I will be taing you to our custody,“ Lizzie smiled warmly and patted her belly.

„What?!“

In that moment, shadow around Gruben’s legs enlarged and pair of swords moved out, piercing his legs.

„AAAHHrg!!!!“ Gruben shouted in pain.

„Yes, I was planning to slowly torture you myself, but my current state isn’t suited for that. So for what you did to Zaru, you will be used as experiment subject. Titania, Tetsua plese take him to Filona. Oh, and also, tell her to work with Fia on this one. We don’t want him to die before Zaru comes home.“

„„Yes, madam,““ the two assassin maids said and together with Gruben’s bleeding body they left for the torture chambers.

*

Gregory was in berserk mode. He didn’t see, he didn’t hear. Anything and anyone.

„Oh, my~ friendly fire,“ Hestia smiled predatorly when Gregory’s attack missed her and sliced crawling human soldier in half.

„Fighting someone who lost all his morals to gain little to none strenght goes against my style so I will end things here,“ with single swing of her arm, single attack, Gregory’s heart was crushed and ripped out.

The sword fell to the ground and Gregory’s dead body followed behind it.

„Fuu~ I need to get grip already… I didn’t drunk human blood in last twenty years… this almost got better of me… Right! Back to work. You two! Take this body and sword to the Freezing chamber. I want to see what kind of Homunculi our master can made from it. Also take the sword, it would be nice if we got another demonic blade from this dispute. The rest of you! Create lesser vampires from this army and make them march back to the duchy. There they will plunder the villages and cities along the mountains. Remember that we need those people alive!“

With that Hestia returned inside the dungeon and drink her favorite Uniwolf blood with bloody ice, celebrating her grand victory.