Year 2: Prelude to War - Chapter 5

Hi everyone, TheGrompFather here.

If you've noticed some odd things in regards to do with the releases of the Year 2 Arc, please allow me to explain them briefly below.

In real life, I am incredibly busy right now. I am writing 3 separate projects at once for Honeyfeed, working a part-time job and busy preparing for a full-time job that starts in July, meaning that I've had less and less time to write. As a result, chapters are late, missing sections or, most embarrassingly of all, have my chapter notes written in them (I didn't realise I missed out Hajime's description in the last chapter until writing this one).

Don't worry - I do not plan to stop writing this arc at any point and am 100% dedicated to making The Children of Eris a story you guys love, and one that I can be proud off. It'll be much easier when my real life situation starts to calm down which, truthfully speaking, will do within the next few weeks, giving me more time to write. I'll be posting my Honeyfeed x MAL 2023 Contest novel quite late this time, perhaps sometime mid July or as late as August, but it'll release a lot faster than Third and Final Time did, but not as fast as The Children of Eris did back in 2021.

Thank you for reading and now, please, enjoy the next chapter of The Children of Eris.


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Thirteen metres didn’t sound like a lot to Ari until he saw the giant up close.

A colossus of meat, muscles and anger, with a scruffy white-beard and hide armour, the giant roared and stamped its massive feat at them, crushing the snow and rocks beneath it like paste.

We’re going to die!

The giant pulled its leg back, ready to kick Ari, when a golden barrier appeared before him; it broke under the weight of the attack, but the giant stumbled backwards after losing its balance.

“What are you doing, Ari?” Zuzu swung her golden robes behind her as yellow coloured energy flowed into her crown. “If you don’t fight, you’ll die! Remember how you got here in the first place, you idiot?!”f

Ari swallowed hard and awkwardly began casting his spells though his shaking limbs made it much more difficult for him to focus.

Sayeh, brandishing a kris in each hand, appeared behind the giant and slashed at the tendons in its foot, breaking the skin and drawing blood. The giant howled in pain and threw its fists repeatedly at Sayeh, though Sayeh was nimble enough to avoid its heavy blows. Once the giant stopped attacking, Sayeh leapt onto its fist and ran along its arm, digging Mpu Gandring into its arm as she climbed towards it shoulder.

The giant swatted at her and shook its arm, trying to force Sayeh off. Sayeh ripped Mpu Gandring free and jumped off the giant, landing clumsily in the snow. Then, once she’d stood back up, she brandished Mpu Gandring before her and mumbled, “Arok.”

Suddenly, black vine-like marks appeared across the giant’s arm, before its blood started to boil, burning the tall creature from the inside-out. The giant was screaming and shouting in pain, and went into a frenzy, attacking everything and anything in sight. It swept its arm and destroyed lines of skeletons, then stamped and kicked its right foot, shattering the rockface of the mountains.

“I don’t know if your attacks have really helped us, Sayeh.”

Sayeh shrugged and then went up to Ari. “Ari, are you okay?”

“Y-y-y-yeah, I’m…fine.” Ari conjured a lance made out of water and launched it at the giant’s eye. It missed by many metres. “D-d-damn thing, won’t stand…still.”

“Don’t worry.” Sayeh wrapped both her hands around Ari’s. “No matter what happens, I’ll protect you.”

“…Why?”

Sayeh titled her head. “Because that’s what mother told me to do?”

Ari laughed bitterly as he glared at the giant before them, its attention still solely fixated on the immense pain in its right arm. “All I did was-”

“Doesn’t matter.” Sayeh shut him down. “For Ari, I can do anything.” She wiped the blood off Mpu Gandring in the snow. “Zuzu, support me.”

“…I’ll do my best, but-hey!”

Sayeh charged back at the giant and immediately went for its thigh, digging both kris deep into its flesh.

“Ari!” Zuzu roughly grabbed the man beside her, shaking him viciously. “I don’t know what you’re worrying about right now, but try to focus instead on the task in front of you! If you don’t help us kill that thing, we die. Okay?!” When he didn’t show any signs of acknowledging her, she shook him again. “Okay?!”

“…R-right!”

***

Adrenaline.

Fear.

Pressure.

All three of these things kept Hajime on the battlefield fighting alongside his friends.

If any one of them grew too heavy a burden for him to shoulder, he would collapse and he knew it.

When Hajime had leapt from the battlements, leading the charge of the Free People’s armies against the undead and the giant, he had been petrified.

It took all of his strength to take that first step forward and he’d refused to stop running ever since, never daring to rest for even a second out of fear.

If Akane or Amen had noticed, they kept it to themselves, but Hajime was scared they’d see how weak he truly was.

The Bloody Knight of the Beast Woods was a formidable foe, more so than the monster they’d slain weeks ago on their assignments and far more intimidating than Lord Akechi.

Lord Akechi was strong, no doubt stronger than the Bloody Knight, but he was not trying to kill them.

With every swing of the Bloody Knight’s absurdly large sword, he meant to kill.

Hajime dodged and ducked out of the way of each sweep, his face mere millimetres at times from the blade’s edge. Akane’s speed was greater than his, so she would often already be dodging long before the sword could reach her.

Together, Akane and Hajime struck at the Bloody Knight, attacking him with the same tactic they’d used unsuccessfully on Lord Akechi.

She would hit him from the right and he the left, all in aid of keeping him off balance and for the chance of creating an opening. This time, however, they were much closer together, able to cover one another should they need to.

Behind them, Amen ran around the sides, looking for an opportunity to launch his chains at the Bloody Knight’s back, hoping to bind him tightly.

The Bloody Knight, however, was smart.

Every time they got too close for comfort, he would retreat a few metres, luring them deeper into the mountains, away from their allies, and stopping Amen from catching him in a pincer.

“I must admit.” The Bloody Knight blocked the tip of Tonbokiri with his tower shield. “You’re stronger than I expected you to be. But.” He lunged at Hajime, lightly cutting the boy’s shoulder. “You’re not worthy enemies of me, let alone his majesty!”

The Bloody Knight threw three slashes at Hajime, each cutting through the boy’s armour and drawing blood. Hajime swept his spear at the knight’s feet, but the knight blocked it with his shield. Akane roared and leapt into the air, hammer drawn back, lightning crackling from its head, at the knight’s exposed right.

The blow landed, shattering the armour and burning the skin beneath, eliciting an angry growl from the Bloody Knight. The knight swiped at Akane, who rolled beneath the attack, before stabbing at her. Akane narrowly shifted her body out of the way, though the blade did slice along her chest, cutting through her armour. The Bloody Knight kicked her in the face, sending her flying backwards onto her back, before blocking Hajime’s next lunge.

Amen’s chains flew at the knight, grabbing onto its right arm, before pulling it towards him. The chains drew the heavy tower shield towards Amen, but the knight started to fight back, trying to pull his trapped arm free.

Hajime jumped at the opportunity to attack.

However, in that moment, he froze.

If…if I do this, won’t I…kill someone?

The perfect opportunity to end the battle had come, yet Hajime hesitated.

If he were to strike now, he would kill the Bloody Knight.

But that would mean taking the life of another human being.

If the Bloody Knight even is human. But…but, I haven’t ever killed…someone.

Oh.

This…is why they wanted us to get that experience first.

Shit.

I’m scared.

In a blind rage, with tears in his eyes, Hajime struck four times.

Two connected and stabbed into the knight’s chest quite deep, yet the Bloody Knight did not fall.

Hajime had missed his vital organs.

He released his shield, an action that caused Amen to fall just before the iron slab smashed into him, pinning him beneath it. Then, the knight punched Hajime twice in the face, smashing his gauntlet into Hajime’s temple, discombobulating the hero.

The Bloody Knight then tried to stab Hajime in the heart, but Amen’s chains wrapped themselves around the knight’s left arm and sword.

“Undead hordes!” The Bloody Knight’s shout echoed for a few second. “Kill the one with the chains!”

Instantly, dozens of nearby undead soldiers charged at Amen, brandishing a variety of weapons at him.

“Amen!”

“Focus, Hajime!” Amen shouted back, desperately trying to force the tower shield from off his body. “I’ll be fine, you just pay attention to the enemy before you!”

Amen had no choice but to release his chains, before using them to pull the tower shield off his chest. He then swung it around his head a few times, using the chains to give the shield great momentum, before cracking it like a whip into the nearby undead, shattering them instantly.

“Hmm, this might work better than I thought,” Amen mumbled, before turning to face the next wave of undead.

Panting heavily, Hajime stared down the Bloody Knight on shaking feet.

The Bloody Knight, despite bleeding profusely, stood boldly across from him, his claymore dug into the snow beside him.

Slowly, Akane was rising back onto her feet, but the Bloody Knight’s kick had done more damage than she’d expected it to.

“Thirty heroes have been sent to Aangapea to slay the Demon Emperor,” the Bloody Knight said. “Thirty.” The knight chuckled. “His majesty told me not to worry, but I’m surprised just how weak you truly are.”

“Heh, says the guy…bleeding everywhere,” Hajime spat back.

“That’s might point, hero.” The Bloody Knight touched his heart and then his lungs. “You had a chance to take my life back then, but you hesitated and turned your blade away just before you struck. You.” The Bloody Knight smiled beneath his helmet. “You’ve never killed someone, have you?”

When Hajime stiffened, the knight laughed. “Pathetic. Weak. Useless. How can you ever expect to stand on the field of battle if you’ve never taken a life or have the resolve to take one? If this is what you’re all like, then we truly have nothing to worry about.”

Akane tightened her grip on Ukonvasara, before taking a deep breath. “I didn’t want to have to use this today,” she muttered, before reaching for her bracelet.

“I don’t think so!”

The Bloody Knight shot across the battlefield and ripped Akane’s bracelet off, throwing it into the heart of the undead horde, before delivering a kick to the side of her head. Akane narrowly managed to block it with her war-hammer, but the impact still sent her flying into the snow.

“Akane!”

Hajime tried to run forwards but stumbled over his own feet.

Nervously, he glanced down and saw just how badly his legs were shaking.

No, it wasn’t just his legs.

All of his limbs shook uncontrollably.

The Bloody Knight paid him no mind as he went to battle Akane.

As the two fought, all Hajime could do was watch on, powerless, cursing his own weaknesses.

Get up!

Fight!

Stand up!

Come on, I can do this!

Aren’t I Hajime Sakamoto, the man who will save the world?!

Come on!

Flashes of his old life emerged in his mind.

Of the days he spent sat silently in a classroom with no one he called friend.

Of the evenings and weekends he spent in dimly lit rooms, his eyes glued to screens, a controller in his hands.

Of the graffiti.

Of the comments beneath peoples’ breathes about him.

Of the rooftop.

Of the disgusting crack.

Of the dream he’d always had.

Of meeting Harmonia.

Of becoming a hero summoned to another world.

Get up!

He dug his fists into the ground, grinding his teeth tightly together.

Get up!

Akane was knocked onto the floor again, wounds open across her body.

Amen was being assaulted on all sides by the undead, the tower shield long since discarded and his breaths getting shorter.

Hajime could stand.

He could still fight.

No, he had to fight.

I’m the man who will save the world!

He got up onto his feet and started to walk towards the Bloody Knight.

I’m going to marry a princess.

He started to run.

And I’m going to live happily ever after!

The Bloody Knight drew its claymore back and swung at Akane’s neck.

A mere second before the blade struck, a spear blocked the blow.

Then, that same spear stabbed the Bloody Knight in the chest, deep into the knight’s stomach.

“W…hat?” The confused knight stared down at his body, before ripping himself free of Hajime’s spear. Then, he stumbled backwards, blood gushing from his stomach. “How is a coward like you-?”

“You’re right.” Hajime stood between the Bloody Knight and Akane, trembling. “I’m scared.”

“I knew it, weakling,” the Bloody Knight mocked. “You-”

“I’m scared of fighting. I’m scared of trying and failing, I’m scared of getting hurt and I’m fucking scared of dying again. But!” He gripped Tonbokiri tightly and pointed it at the Bloody Knight’s head. “I’m far more scared of being unable to protect the ones I love!

“This is my second life and I’m going to live it without a single damn regret, and I’ll defeat anything that tries to stop me!”

“A weakling like you…dares to talk such bravado?” The Bloody Knight charged forward. “Die!”

“What did I just say?!” Hajime blocked the claymore with Tonbokiri again, pushing the great sword to one side and then stabbing the knight’s chest.

The Bloody Knight screamed and threw its free hand at Hajime’s chest, but Hajime managed to dodge the attack. However, the Bloody Knight turned its hand back and caught Hajime in the ribs, breaking two of them. Hajime coughed blood, but he kept standing and drove his spear into the Bloody Knight’s neck, piercing his throat.

With a great, final bellow, Hajime withdrew Tonbokiri and stabbed the knight in the heart, before stumbling back a few paces. He released his Divine Artifact and nearly collapsed on the spot.

But.

I can’t fall now!

Sheer willpower alone kept him standing, through the pain, through the fear, through everything.

“This…” The Bloody Knight struggled to speak through the blood gathering in his mouth and his damaged throat. “Can’t…be.” He collapsed onto his knees, his palms pushing back the tidal wave of crimson from his throat. “I’m…his majesty’s…chosen…to do…great…things.”

The Bloody Knight of the Beast Woods collapsed onto his back and moved no more.

Hajime’s ears were ringing.

His vision was painted red.

Each breath he took was suffocating.

He did not know that the battle around him was quietening down and that their victory was all but imminent.

I’m…exhausted.

Just before he collapsed, he felt a hand press against his back.

“Good work.”

Akane’s warmth transferred itself into Hajime through his armour.

With a hearty smile, Amen walked up to Hajime, handing him Tonbokiri, still painted with his foes blood.

“Everyone’s waiting for you, leader.”

With Akane’s help, Hajime turned around and saw thousands of eyes upon him.

The soldiers of the Free People’s Alliance, battered and bruised, some carrying their wounded comrades or the bodies of the fallen.

There were the other three members of his team, Zuzu, Sayeh and Ari, stood around the corpse of a giant, winded and injured, but alive and well. Playfully, Zuzu shot Hajime a grin and a peace sign.

Relieved, Hajime smiled back and stood up right, with Akane subtly supporting him though no one before them could see her hands holding him up.

Then, with a great cry, Hajime lifted Tonbokiri into the air and screamed, “Victory!”

“Victory!”

“Victory!”

“Victory!”

“Victory!”

Tens of thousands of chants, bellowing across the battlefield and down the mountain pass, each louder than the next.

The day had been won, though not without cost.

The walls of the Dragon’s Mouth had been damaged and many were dead, but many more were alive, ready to fight another day.

Their spirits were invigorated, their morale high; all because of six young heroes, leading the charge.

“Well done, Hajime.”

“Why Japanese?”

“Why not?” Akane smiled, her cheeks slightly pink as she giggled. “I never expected you to be so bold.”

“Huh?”

She turned to him and said, “I am young and inexperienced when it comes to romance, so please treat me kindly.” She bowed lightly to him, before standing back up right. “Please treat me kindly from here on out, my fiancé.”

“Huh?!”

Akane laughed. “To think you would fight with such passion for the ones you love. Truly, in all my years, I have never heard such wonderful things.”

“A-a-a-a-akane?!”

She wrapped her arms around Hajime’s side and smiled sweetly into his eyes. “What, Hajime?”

“Y-y-y-y-you…” He glared at her. “You’re messing with me, aren’t you?”

“Oh, I’ve been found out?”

“Don’t joke around like that.”

“Well, I might have been half joking.”

“…Huh?”

“Or was I?”

“Akane!”

“…Um, I imagine this might not have been your intentions, but I feel rather excluded whilst you two speak Japanese.”

***

“…I’ll admit it.”

“Admit what, Sayeh?”

She frowned a little at Ari. “I…spoke too soon, about Hajime.”

“So, he’s finally earnt your respect?” Zuzu asked.

“…For now.”

“He’ll keep earning it, I know he will.”

“Right now, it’s only the potential to lead us,” Sayeh clarified. “For now, he’ll need to rely on us, Akane especially, but I do think he could stand on his own and lead us one day.”

“Didn’t he do that this time?”

Sayeh shook her head. “She’s still supporting him now.”

***

“You were right,” Princess Hiiragi muttered, glancing over at Kella. “The Bloody Knight of the Beast Woods, was it?” She scoffed. “How could anyone be stupid enough to fall for such obvious provocations?”

“The Holy Empire did. Count Barthlow did, and so did a few of the border lords.” Kella looked down at the names and portraits of the five Counts and Viscounts who’d wanted permission to cross the border. “It’s what the Demon Emperor does.”

“So we’ve seen, multiple times now. Truly, you and Dante are our foremost experts when it comes to the Tyrant of the East.” Princess Hiiragi deployed her fan across her lips. “Even though I had warned my fellow monarchs of these sorts of moves, I’m grateful for the warning nonetheless, Kella.”

“…You’re welcome.”

After Kella left, Princess Hiiragi turned to her open window and scowled. Even this still benefits the Demon Emperor.

We can tell the commonfolk the truth, about his plans and his intentions, but whether or not they believe us remains to be seen, especially once stories start spreading about what the Summoned Heroes have achieved on the battlefield.

Either way, the Demon Emperor gains something, whether we assault the east or not.

However. Princess Hiiragi smiled slyly. We’re not going to fight you where you have the advantage, Demon Emperor.

Not yet, at least.

***

“Those are your Summoned Heroes?”

Eris lightly giggled as she floated down and wrapped her arms around David’s neck, lying down beside him. “So? What do you think? Did I do a good job?”

David huffed a little, leaning back on the Goddess’s body pressed against his back. “They’re alright.”

Along the southern border of Aangapea, atop a tall mountain cliff that no one else could climb, David and Eris watched two teams of heroes fight alongside the Free People’s Alliance against the encroaching undead horde.

For this month alone, David had decided to twenty-thousand skeletons at each border armed with siege machines, curious to see what the Free People’s Alliance would do. Further, he’d also sent a giant and an Awoken to the Dragon’s Mouth as part of another plan he was formulating, though, looking at the attack in the south, he was less confident in that plan succeeding.

“A shame, isn’t it?”

“…What is?”

Eris brought her lips beside David’s left ear, lightly brushing it with her breath. “That your bait won’t work.”

“That’s fine, I never truly expected it to. If that’s all it took to lure the Free People’s armies into the east, then it wouldn’t make for an interesting game.”

Eris laughed and pecked David’s ear. “Since when did you start calling it a game?”

He lightly brushed her arms off and stood up. “I’ve merely chosen to accept that that’s all this is to you.” Angrily, David turned to look at her, rubbing the lipstick stain off his ear. “Why are you being like this?”

“What?” Eris slowly crawled towards him seductively, even as the sounds of battle raged below them. “Are you shy to have such a beautiful woman approach you? I thought you’d have been used to it by now.”

“…Because of Kella?” David sighed and lay down on his back. “Is there anywhere in this world that I can go to escape you?”

Suddenly, Eris was above him, her hands pressed to the ground either side of his face, essentially pinning him to the floor.

With a flash of her usual, cruel, smile, she leant in close to his face and purred, “There’s nowhere you can run to.”

Giggling, Eris leant her head against his chest and rubbed her cheek against it. “Ah, truly, you are the greatest Demon Emperor I could ever have asked for, David Athelward. No matter what you do, no matter what I do, I can always rely on you to squirm just the way I want you to.”

“…Tell me something, Eris.”

“What?”

“Why didn’t you stop time? Why didn’t you turn the world a mute grey and prevent anyone from seeing you?”

“Don’t worry,” Eris said, leaning up so that they could look into each other’s eyes. “I’ve blocked this world’s ability to perceive me, so anyone watching us would simply see you lying alone, talking to yourself.”

“I guess Goddesses can do whatever they please.”

“But of course. We are Gods, we are not bound by any rules. You, however.” She poked his heart gently. “Are forever bound by me.”

“…There’s more to it than this, isn’t there?”

“Oh?”

David pushed her off him again and stood, looking down at the heroes as they destroyed the last of his soldiers. “There’s something you wanted me to see here, isn’t there?”

Eris laughed as her wings flapped happily behind her. “Isn’t it possible that I just wanted to spend some time with my lovely Demon Emperor?” When David’s expression remained unchanged, Eris spoke again. “Believe it or not, David Athelward, all I wanted to do was see your reaction to your executioners. The pitiful look on your face as you realise how you can’t touch them for the rest of the year, but they can come and kill you whenever they’re ready.

“I wanted to see the look of despair in your eyes as you came face to face with the reality that you’re about to face. That my summoned heroes are here, they’re real and they can kill you. That everything you’ve done, everyone you’ve killed and all the millions you’ve caused to suffer will all have been for nothing if you die.”

Unable to contain herself anymore, Eris cackled with laughter, showing a much viler smile to David, one that he had never seen before.

Chills shot down David’s spine.

“Ah, there it is.” She reached over and cupped his cheek in her hand. “That look I love most in this world.”

Without another word, Eris turned into feathers and vanished from Aangapea again.

David didn’t realise he was on the ground until he looked down and saw his knees shaking uncontrollably.

“I’m used to this, and yet!” He smashed his unarmoured fists hard against his knees. “Why?!”

How does this keep happening?!

I’m used to Eris’s shit! I know I am, I know, but still-that vile grin!

David ground his teeth together, before collecting himself.

Remember, you are the Demon Emperor.

You fear no one, you bow to no one and, one day, you won’t ever cower before Eris again.

It’ll…just take time.

David stood back up and sighed, sparing one last glance at the battlefield behind him, before conjuring a portal and heading back to the Dread Keep.

***

“What was that?”

“Stephanie?”

“I just felt-” The young hero looked up to the mountain tops just as a magical circle disappeared. “What was that? Observation magic? No, that was-”

“I saw…someone, up there.”

“Who did you see, Hailey?”

She shook her head. “I…don’t know, but they had hair as black as night.”