Outskirts of Lyon
Ritsuka POV
[Man, I still can't believe Marie doesn't like pokemon journeys. ]
[Bro. Give it a rest! We just barely got out of that ethics argument by the skin of our teeth! Talk about something else! ]
[Gudao: Anyone here in chat while on the road for their gym challenge? ]
[RocksAPlenty: Four badge trainer here! I'm on the Hoenn Circuit. It's nighttime here rn, so I'm currently enjoying a nice dinner of baked beans from a can and beef jerky in a cave I took refuge in to avoid the downpour going on outside. ]
[Gudao: Let me guess, are you on that route after Fortree city? The one where Registeel's cave is located in-game? ]
[RocksAPlenty: Yup that's the one. It's route 120 btw. No registeel in sight, but there's definitely a lot of water here, too much if you ask me. Then again, that's why I chose this place as a training ground. ]
[BattleMANIAC: Four badges? Bro, what are you doing? You only have like… what less than two months until the conference? You should have like 6 or 7 by now. ]
[Calm your tits. No one, especially kids, should push themselves to rush through a Gym Circuit. ]
[RocksAPlenty: I'm glad you defended me, but I am a bit offended you would think I'm THAT young, so I'll nip that assumption in the bud before Twitch bans me. I started my journey at 16. Not everyone can be Red or Gold and beat the gym circuit in one year. My Graveler needs a bit more time to grow before I evolve him, and the rest of my team needs more experience dealing with their weaknesses before I can continue my circuit. So I am sitting out this year and focusing on training.]
[Who have you beaten so far? ]
[RocksAPlenty: Tate&Liza, Winona, Flannery, and Wattson. ]
[Sorry to assume but based on your username you seem like a rock type specialist. Are you? ]
[RocksAPlenty: Yup I am. ]
[Gudao: Nice. Rock types are pretty cool. You have a Tyranitar? ]
[RocksAPlenty: Hah! I wish. Those guys are a protected species with a LONG waitlist for anyone who wants to get one from the few breeders who have them.I do have a Minior though. It cost me an arm and a leg in the trading fees and tariffs, but I got one. That is why my diet subsists of nothing but beans and jerky.]
[GARcher: How horrifying. ]
[Gudao: Minior is that meteorite pokemon right? Can't really say much about them since my world hasn't released the game where they appear in yet. ]
[Weird how Minior can be found in many regions with high mountains except Hoenn. I would kill to have one on my team! ]
[Gudao: Well, iirc, Rayquaza eats meteors and meteorites like cereal. So it's possible that is the reason why no Minior appear over Hoenn since it's Rayquaza's home turf. ]
[If you had said this before the whole grand order thing happened, I would have laughed and said that legendaries don't exist. But… now that we know that the possibility exists… oh no… D: ]
[RocksAPlenty: @ Gudao huh… so that's why Twinkle was so terrified of coming out of its pokeball in the first few weeks I got them. Note to self: get a fairy type for protection. ]
[Junior_Researcher: If Rayquaza does exist, I doubt a freshly caught Fairy type would even be able to stop a super ancient dragon. Lol. ]
[Anyway, excluding the twins, why are you taking on the gyms your Pokémon are strong against first? Normally, most people do the opposite. ]
[RocksAPlenty: I could do that. But, then I'd just be like the other 90% of the gym challengers who think type advantages mean everything in a battle and save the "weaker" types for the higher badge levels. No thanks, I'd rather have my gym challenge be an actual challenge. ]
[CasCu: Well said Rocks guy, I'll drink to your success! ]
[Gudao: You're always drinking, tho. ]
[CasCu: I'll pour some of the good stuff for him should he come out on top. Heck, I'll even put it "On the Rocks" even though I usually prefer my drinks undiluted. ]
[RocksAPlenty: Thanks for the drink of confidence @ Cascu! I'll do my best! ]
A tap of the shoulder and a "psst" in his ear took Ritsuka's attention away from Chat.
His eyes landed on Elizabeth, who had walked so close into his own personal space that he could smell the perfume wafting from her body. She's wearing a serious look on her face, but her stare is uneasy and wary. As if what she would say next was a matter of life and death if overheard.
"Neh neh, Puppy, what are you going to do about… that?"
He furrowed his brows, wondering what the intention of her question could mean. "And what do you mean by 'that'?"
The super idol groaned and sharply pointed her finger at Kriemhild.
"That! Whatever the hell is going on between Siegfried and that Berserker wife of his! Are you really going to allow her to eliminate our best opportunity to defeat the Dragon Witch?
[Oh boy, She pointed out the Wailord in the room. ]
[She has a death wish asking those kinds of questions in hearing distance of Kream. ]
He was impressed that someone could hiss and yell while whispering. As expected of a super idol like Elizabeth.
Vocal abilities aside, now it makes sense why she would be nervous. She just asked a very dangerous question. If Kriemhild found out, he could realistically expect her to either glare at Elizabeth at best or stab her at worst.
"I'm just going to let her be. She has some beef that she needs to sort through on her own with Siegfried."
[Top-Hat-PSY: Good call on Gudao's part. There's too much history between those two and getting in the middle of that mess is only asking to get stabbed… or worse. ]
The look of disappointment she gave him didn't bother him.
"Look, I get it. I'm her Master. If I had command seals left, I could use one to make her not do it, but our contract is heavily reliant on my assisting her revenge. By using that command seal, I'm essentially betraying her and undoing all the goodwill we have built since she was summoned."
"What good does goodwill do for us if we all end up dead?" Elizabeth retorted, not happy with his answer.
[SerWikstromE4: That is an excellent point. However, by bringing her into the singularity, they are already past the point of no return. No matter what Gudao does, the situation will end in bloodshed. The only difference he can make now is whose blood is he going to shed, Lady Kriemhild's or Ser Siegfried's? The answer is rather obvious given that we came to know the former for weeks and we have not met the latter yet. ]
"I trust Kriemhild will do what needs to be done. We already came up with a plan on how to deal with Fafnir, but if the perceived shortcomings people have claimed about her are true, then I am positive Archer can back her up should she need help." He said with finality.
"Well said, Master." In that moment, any arguments Elizabeth had prepared vanished before she could express them.
"Y-you heard that?"
"Yes. I did. It wasn't that hard to notice. Controlling the pitch in one's voice is vital for talented singers, of which you are not." Kriemhild said calmly, yet the edge in her voice was sharp enough to cut through dragon scales.
Any fear Elizabeth had had flipped into anger as she processed the insult Kriemhild sent her.
"W-Who are you calling a bad singer, you crazy yandere?!" Elizabeth said, not so calmly; the edge in her tone, however, was as blunt as a hammer. Sadly for her, Kriemhild was a Newtonian fluid and thus was unaffected by the blow.
Kriemhild actually bothered to stop in her tracks, causing everyone behind her to do the same, and she sent a sideways glare at the Super Idol.
"Me? a yandere? Please, I am all 'Yan.' There is no 'dere' left in me to give to that man."
He should find it weird that she was more offended at being called a 'yandere' than crazy, but this was Kriemhild they were talking about. There's no way she would ever accept people telling her how she felt about her husband.
"So, what? We're just supposed to stand by and let you kill someone who could help us? Am I the only one who thinks this type of behavior is unnecessary and selfish?!" Elizabeth said, her voice nearly breaking into a yell.
"Elizabeth is right. Settling messy marital disputes should be a private affair, but it should not come at the cost of saving France or the world." The usually jovial Mozart spoke up in a rather serious tone.
Kriemhild fully turned to face the man until her eyes locked with his; however, her glare did not cow the man, as he stared into the eyes of the beast and did not flinch.
One of her eyes twitched in annoyance, and when she observed everyone else's faces, few met her gaze.
"Do you have to kill him? Why not just talk things out?" Jeanne tried to be the voice of reason; unfortunately for her, she was speaking to a Berserker.
"Oh, there will be talking alright. Make no mistake about it. However, no matter what he or anyone else says or does, by the end I WILL have my way with him!"
Jeanne didn't know how to respond to that. So she decided not to speak anymore.
[Kinky. ]
[Seriously, what the actual fuck did Siegfried do to deserve such hostility?!]
[IceCold-Melony361: Siegfried made his suicide look like a murder to prevent some conflict from happening and deliberately chose not to tell his wife. She found his dead corpse on their lawn one morning and swore vengeance against those who killed him. She later found out it was all a lie and swore vengeance against Siegfried himself. ]
[Geez, it sounds like a story straight out of a Paldean soap opera.]
[IceCold-Melony361: Yes. We are aware. And while we do not condone her murderous and violent intentions, many of us find them understandable. ]
The tension among the group thickened.
Kriemhild's words brought doubt and unease to all who heard. Archer, seeing the problem brewing, decided to try and cool down the situation before it spilled over.
"Well, if it puts your minds somewhat at ease, we don't technically NEED Siegfried."
All eyes turned to face him.
One set in particular, Elizabeth's, was in a half-lidded deadpan.
"Are you saying that just because you dislike self-sacrificing heroes?"
The red Archer hummed at that, "well yes, but there's more to it than that."
He stretched out his recently healed hand, his palm facing upwards, and said his usual chant.
"I am the bone of my sword."
The words shook the air.
Magical energy gathered in his hand.
The energy coalesced into the shape of a sword.
Aside from the golden handle, the sword looked rather plain compared to some of the blades his servants wielded, but the weight behind its presence was noticeable.
[Eon_Red: That sword…. Its scary…. ]
[He said the thing!! ]
[A beautiful blade. Simple, but there's something about it that has a bit of ooomph. ]
[Beaumains: Probably the anti dragon attribute. ]
[Dragon's-Iris: I'm sorry, the anti what now!? ]
[Beaumains: Anti dragon attribute. It's a passive ability that you would find in a weapon meant to slay dragons. ]
[How could you tell that on a single glance?! ]
[Beaumains: I knew a few people who had a blade with dragon slaying swords, so I know what to look for. ]
[Oh. ]
"A sword?" Mozart asked, the curiosity in his voice so potent it could kill a hundred cats.
"Yup. Here, catch." Archer lazily tossed the blade at Mozart, who surprisingly managed to catch it by the hilt and not its sharp edge.
The musician took a moment to observe the blade like an art connoisseur would a painting at the Louvre. He gave it a few test swings, and the blade sang as it cut through the air and tension like it wasn't even there.
Mozart let out a long whistle, "an impressive blade, but how exactly is this going to help us defeat Fafnir?" Mozart felt the gaze of Jeanne on him.
Seeing she was curious about the blade as well, he handed it over to Jeanne so she could get a better look. The saint gingerly took it in her hands and spent a moment basking in its glory.
Marie, who was next to her, also took a moment to admire the weapon.
"I don't really like showing off, but since we are in excruciating circumstances, I'll tell you. It's quite simple, really. That blade in your hand is no ordinary sword; it's the progenitor to Balmung, the sword of the sun that was wielded by Sigurd. Gram."
As soon as those words left his lips, the servants who they allied themselves with eyed the sword in shock and awe.
"Is this weapon truly a copy of the legendary dragon-slaying blade of Norse myth?" Jeanne looked impressed by Archer's power to replicate weapons. And to be fair, it is rather cool, but that only applied if you weren't his enemy.
"Not only that," Archer concentrated once more, and another identical blade appeared in his hands, much to the spectator's surprise.
"But I can also replicate this noble phantasm, and many others, as many times as I want."
[Woah! Look at that! A few more blades, and he'll be able to pull off a sword's dance. ]
[CasCu: "Normally I don't like to show off" My ASS. You're always showing off! ]
[Is that supposed to be an insult? Your ass is very nice. ]
[Cascu: Huh… that is a good point. Alright, I'll take it back then. But Archer is still a show-off. ]
"Normally, tracing multiple, strong noble phantasms is an expensive ability because it requires a proper source of magical energy for me to reliably pull off on the sheer volume that we are going to need; however, since I am supplied with magical energy from Chaldea, I should have little trouble using a decent amount of my arsenal against him."
[Again, I have to reiterate, It's really nice to have Archer on your side and willing to make it rain pointy things at your enemy. ]
[Evil Jeanne will rue the day she messed with France. She is no match for Archer and the Bone of his Sword. ]
[Red Boner Guy is gonna stab her so hard, King Arthur is going to get jealous lol. ]
"There's a catch, isn't there?" Mozart asked, already aware that this plan sounded too appealing to not have caveats.
"Unfortunately, these blades are copies, so they are a full rank below what the original is in terms of strength. This means that taking on Fafnir by ourselves, although feasible, will require us to put every bit of our will and being into the fight to achieve victory.
It's going to be a nearly insurmountable battle, even if we have dragon-slaying weapons. Many of us will die, but it's a sacrifice that our Master will have to accept."
He winced at that, but by this point, he knew that sacrificing his servants for "the greater good" was expected of him, regardless of how he felt about it. Which is why he had made sure to do his absolute best, that that scenario will never happen unless the shit REALLY hits the fan.
Unfortunately for him, the wall and ceilings were covered in shit before he set foot in France.
"Worst case scenario, we can just retreat to Jura Forest and have our master attempt to summon a different dragon slayer from a different legend using one of the swords I trace as a catalyst. Which could result in one of us having to take a step back and conserve magical energy to help sustain them."
That answer seemed to mollify both Mozart's and Jeanne's skepticism. With a hum of acknowledgement, Jeanne tried to pass it to Elizabeth, but she crossed her arms in an "X" position while shaking her head in refusal.
"Sorry, but that blade gives me the heebie-jeebies. I will trust Archer is telling the truth."
Jeanne gently handed the blade back to Archer, who then quickly transformed it into magical energy.
"Like who, Monsieur Archer?"
Archer shrugged at Marie's question, "Someone like Saint Georgios, Beowulf, Gawain, or heck, even Sigurd."
A loud, unladylike grunt of disapproval managed to escape Kriemhild's throat at the mere suggestion of the latter.
"I vehemently reject the idea of asking help from the man who shares a legend with my husband."
Hearing this, Archer just rolled his eyes, completely unbothered by the glare that Kriemhild was sending his way.
[How can Mozart and Archer just stand there and say those things near Kream and not even sweat a little? ]
[GARcher: Please, no matter what faces or noises Kriemhild makes, it pales in comparison to a smile from a certain twin tailed tsundere I used to know. ]
[She sounds… horrifying? ]
[GARcher: yes, yes she was. ]
[Gloria2Galar donated 100 bits]
["Dae ye guys have tae ficht the impossibly difficult boss battle? why no juist pop the edgy tart's head like a balloon an be done wi it?"]
Was that a Scottish accent? And Chat's text-to-speech actually managed to convey it?! What the actual heck?!!
Based on the looks of surprise and befuddlement everyone was giving Chat's flying camera, it wasn't just him who was surprised by it.
[CasCu:@ Gloria2Galar Well, spoken lass or lad. ]
[Gloria2Galar:Lass.A'm juist typin like ma mom taucht me tae speak. No a big deal. ]
[CasCu: And that is why you are my new favorite chatter. ]
[Gloria2Galar: Fuck aff. A'm no interestit i strippers. ]
However, Archer didn't really seem to care much for it as he answered the question.
"Quite simple, really. Just because we kill its rider doesn't mean it will vanish. Killing the evil Jeanne will only serve to relinquish control of the dragon to the holder of the holy grail, which could be the Dragon Witch herself, but we cannot be sure it's her. Which means we would still have to face it."
Archer shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. "Which brings us back to square one. Our plans on how to deal with a true dragon. And the answer remains the same: it's going to be a raid boss in real life."
[My word. Not recruiting Siegfried is going to make the fight go from easy to Extremely difficult. Is it too late to send Kriemhild back to Chaldea? ]
[Bunny_Aachan: It was too late the moment Master Gudao summoned her. ]
[... how many potshots do we have left? ]
[GudakoBot:
Free:
Splash = Unlimited.
500 Bits
Sand Attack = 1 PP
Swift = 2 PP
1000 Bits
Axe Kick = 0 PP
Sweet Kiss = 0 PP ]
[In hindsight, we should have let Marie and Mozart save Gudao earlier so that we could have saved Sweet Kiss for the final battle. But now? We can't do shit. ]
[Hey GudakoBot, can you give us Hyperbeam? I'll donate my life savings to Gudao if you do. ]
[GudakoBot: No. You only get those Four moves and you will like it.]
[Not even bothering to hide your sentience anymore, are ya? ]
Elizabeth let out a scoff, "Do what you want, then. But I'll be sure to tell you 'I told you so' when all your plans inevitably fail."
"Is that so? Well, in that case, I will enjoy seeing you eat those words of yours when I cut that lizard and his rider's heads off and parade them for all of France to see!"
And with that, the two marched ahead, putting the short unofficial walking break to an end.
An awkward silence fell after that.
The only sounds he could hear were their asynchronous footsteps on the dirt road.
Without anything left to do, he decided to do what he always did in these situations.
He was going to read Chat.
However, before he could, Kriemhild's voice cut through the awkward atmosphere.
"We're here."
He looked up from the screen, and what he saw made his stomach churn.
Yet again, another settlement burnt to the ground, or partially at least. He could see part of a castle that had escaped total collapse in the center of the town, but the rest of the town was made of blackened charcoal.
Which made the white speck in the distance stand out even more.
"There's a servant just ahead. Its class is berserker. Keep your guards up! We don't know its intentions. " Romani's voice put everyone on edge.
So far, the only berserker who was willing to become their ally was Kriemhild, and she was from outside the singularity. The likelihood this servant was a servant of the Dragon Witch was high.
The tension grew the closer they got.
After a certain distance, her features were much more noticeable.
Once he finally realized what he was staring at, his wariness gained a flavor of confusion.
The servant was a petite girl in a white Japanese kimono. Her mint green hair was so long that it nearly reached her knees. Her hair was adorned with what looked like white wing-shaped hair clips.
Her pale skin was flawless, like she was made of porcelain, but her most striking feature was her golden eyes. The last time he had seen someone with eyes of that intense color were from the Dragon Witch.
Those eyes, they clearly held surprise at seeing them. Her tense posture showed that she wasn't expecting so many people to show up.
[Is that a child? ]
[She looks around journey level age. That's Nine or Ten years old for the non-pokemon folks in chat. ]
[Oh wow, I love those reverse Dragonair hairpins on her hair! ]
[Something tells me those aren't hair pins. ]
[CasCu: My Crazy Bitch Meter is going crazy. Something ain't right about that kid. ]
[Your what now? ]
[CasCu: Crazy Bitch Meter. Something I developed after a few years of dealing with crazy bitches in my life. It's never led me astray. ]
The young girl took a moment to look at all of them, her eyes landing on each man and woman briefly, only stopping to stare at him and Madame Isabelle a few seconds longer than the others. Then, they landed on Kriemhild, and her eyes widened in recognition.
Kriemhild raised a brow at her facial expressions, but she, alongside all of them, was caught off guard by the petite girl giving them a friendly bow.
"Welcome travelers, my name is Kiyohime. I am the guardian of this town alongside another person."
Oh… oh shit.
It was a well-known fact that he sucked at history, and while that may be true, that didn't mean he wasn't aware of his own culture's history and myths. This was all thanks to the efforts of his mom and aunt, who were insistent that he not forget his culture while growing up in the States. One such story they had told him about was that of a young girl who became obsessed with a monk named Anchin. Anchin lied to Kiyohime and ran away. Kiyohime was devastated and sought revenge. She transformed into a dragon and hunted him until she found him inside a bell.
A bell that she used to roast him alive.
And now here she was, a living folk tale brought to life before his very eyes.
Kiyohime, unaware of his internal thoughts, raised her head. "May I have your names?"
And from there, everyone, despite their wariness, complied with her request and introduced themselves. Mash was the first, followed by Marie, Mozart, Elizabeth, Jeanne and her mother, and Archer. Finally, when Kriemhild's turn came, she didn't bother answering.
After a moment of both berserkers staring at each other in silence, Kiyohime broke the stalemate, "So by process of elimination, that must mean you are Kriemhild, correct?"
And with that single sentence, the tension, which had been melting like butter under the hot sun, coagulated back into a thick solid. Kriemhild narrowed her eyes, "how do you know my name?"
Kiyohime smiled sweetly at her. It was a smile that looked innocent at first glance, but he could tell that something bad was about to come out of her mouth, "your husband told me."
The air temperature suddenly dropped.
It was currently noon, with no clouds in sight if you ignored the massive ring in the sky.
Yet, it felt like winter had come early.
[Poor choice of words. RIP Kiyohime. We hardly knew ye. ]
[RIP ] x 345
"... Is that so?" Kriemhild asked the petite girl in a dangerously monotone voice.
Kiyohime seemed to not be bothered by the danger and kept making things worse. "Yes. He spoke very fondly of you and often refused to sleep in favor of looking in the direction you came from. Honestly, I was expecting only you or perhaps your master to arrive, I was certainly not expecting a whole group to show up at our doorstep."
Kriemhild's eyebrow twitched, "our?"
"Indeed, come, I will show you where we spend our nights." If there was any doubt that Kiyohime was deliberately making the situation worse, that is now gone after hearing her phrase her sentence that way.
"Yes, please, lead the way…" The sheer amount of anger emanating from Kriemhild was so intoxicating, neither a hazmat suit nor a spacesuit would be enough to stop it from seeping into his bones.
Kiyohime nodded and boldly turned her back to Kriemhild and began to walk in the castle's direction.
For a moment, he thought Kriemhild was going to cut her down, but she showed a surprising amount of self-restraint.
[Bro. Kiyohime knows that her words are pissing off Kream, and yet, she was still fearless enough to turn her back on her. ]
[I really do not wanna see a child get split in half…. ]
[So Siegfried, a grown ass man, is presumably living under the same roof with a little girl. That doesn't sound SUS at all. :Hypno Emote: ]
[My sympathy for Siegfried is dropping the more we find out about him. ]
A tense and awkward walk towards the place where Siegfried resided began.
The incoming drama that was about to explode was only made worse by the eerie environment they found themselves in.
He was trying really hard to find something to talk about to get everyone's minds out of the incoming drama bomb about to explode in their faces, but he realized that no matter what angle he would try to approach this, it would end in failure.
[It's hard to tell due to all the burned buildings but... this is Kiloude City is supposed to be isn't it? ]
[Yeah... it is... ]
[Fucking Dragon Witch. I hope she suffers for what she did to our sister region. ]
"So? How did you come to know that useless husband of mine?" Kriemhild initiated the conversation, and he gulped.
"Ah, yes, I manifested around a month ago with another heroic spirit from my homeland. We parted ways, and he went to the West with someone else while I came North. I arrived in Lyon shortly after it was burned to the ground and had run into a rather delusional and hideous assassin who tried to steal my love away from my beloved Anchin. Naturally, I incinerated him into dust, but that brought me close to the brink of death."
She sent a sideways glance at Kriemhild. "That is when your husband, YOUR Anchin, showed up and found me. He nursed me back to health by feeding me his own blood."
She focused back on the road and wasn't able to see Kriemhild gritting her teeth in anger, but based on how loudly she was grinding them, it was safe to say Kiyohime was aware she was not pleased by this.
"Ah, I see. Anchin was the monk you hunted down and roasted alive with your dragon breath after he hid in a bell, correct?" Mash asked, and Kiyohime nodded.
"You are correct, Mash-san. Anchin is someone I deeply love and deeply hate because he lied to me. Unfortunately, I do not have an Anchin at the moment, and so I am running on limited magical energy as we speak."
[(O∆O) ] x 354
[Poor Anchin. ]
[So Kiyohime is another dragon girl. Neat.]
[Dragon's-Iris: Wow, so much elegance, so much ferocity and violence. I like her already. ]
[Bro was cooked, literally. ]
[So who is Anchin? She used that name to refer to Siegfried as being Kream's Anchin, but Anchin is also a person, and she also used it to refer to her master. Which is it? ]
[PerfectlySaneHex: Anchin is Anchin. Don't think too hard about it, it's rather quite simple. ]
"For the record, Kriemhild-san, I should let you know that I cannot stand lies. Cheating on someone or seducing another person's lover is something I will NEVER do. So be at ease, I do not desire your husband in any romantic or sexual way."
"Are you sure you're not just saying that so that you can escape death?" The berserker in black asked the berserker in white.
The latter stopped dead in her tracks, turned around and glared into Kriemhild's eyes at the accusation, "Didn't I just tell you!? I HATE lies and I HATE being lied to!! This HATRED is engraved into my soul which is why I can ALWAYS tell when someone is lying!! I'd rather kill myself before I ever allow a lie to eacape my lips!!" A dark green aura leaked from her body for a brief moment, but it quickly went away.
The petite berserker let out a sigh, "Please excuse my slip in manners, I do not usually tolerate others accusing me of lies. However, I will make an exception for you Kriemhild, as you are a kindred soul who has suffered under a great lie. So please, do not worry about me. I fully support whatever it is you wish to do to exact your vengeance upon that man."
She then narrowed her eyes into slits, "but if you make the accusation again, make no mistake. I will burn you alive."
Kriemhild fell quiet at that statement.
[I never thought we would meet someone as scary as Kriemhild… I was wrong. Berserker women are scary man… ]
[I pity poor Anchin… it must suck to have a living lie detector as a girlfriend. ]
All the anger that she had been pointing at Kiyohime vanished and was replaced with… respect?
After that close call, Kiyohime continued to lead them towards the castle, until finally, they had arrived.
Kiyohime turned to face them once more.
"We have arrived, Siegfried-San is waiting inside. Not that you need me to tell you, since I am sure you are just as capable of sensing him as he is you."
Without saying another word, Kriemhild slowly walked past Kiyohime, but not without giving the girl a headpat. This sudden unexpected action caught the petite berserker off guard. "Thank you, once I kill my husband, I would very much like you to have tea with me if you so wish."
Kiyohime beamed at her offer, "I will be glad to."
[The whiplash from enemies to best girlfriends nearly snapped my neck. ]
[IceCold-Melony361: Take heed playboys and men of chat. Women scorned will always have allies to get back at you. ]
[Point taken. ]
Kriemhild disengaged the head pat and gave her a final nod before her focus drew her gaze towards the half-burnt building ahead of her. She climbed the short staircase until she reached the wooden doors. Then she took a deep breath and pushed them open.
They all watched her step into the dark room, and out of respect, they all remained outside.
[GudakoBot: Chat camera has been relinquished to Kream for plot and drama purposes. ]
Or so he thought.
✦✧✦
Kriemhild POV
The witnesses are following her. The everpresent camera that had become a part of her everyday life was now hovering next to her, capturing the moment she had been waiting for since Hagen's confession slipped from his lips all those years ago.
None of that matters to her.
Quite the opposite, in fact. She WANTS them to look. To see the final moments of the pathetic man who abandoned her as she drove his own blade into his body.
A public execution is still an execution at the end of the day, and such a display needed an audience.
[No wait!! Gudao!! Take us back!! I can't look!! ]
[Gloria2Galar: Oh shut yer trap ye crybaby! A'm bringin oot the popcorn, this shit's gonna be guid! ]
She didn't bother looking at the box, nor did she care what they said about her. All that she cared about was reaching her target.
He was close.
The connection they shared led her into an oak door.
His presence, unlike in the past, was weak. She had noticed it earlier, and the Saint they fought had confirmed it. Now that she was actually here, she had to admit that it was worse than she initially thought.
All the better for her.
The only thing that was left as an obstacle between her and her vengeance was this door. She could slam it open and attack Siegfried in the moment, but he was just as aware of her as she was of him.
So she elected to go for the graceful approach.
She grabbed the doorknob, and with a twist and a push, the door opened with a loud creak.
A warm orange glow revealed the interior of the room. It was a typical room of a noble, spacious with carpeted floors and tapestries that stunk of smoke due to the fires that permeated every corner of this town since they arrived.
At its center was a lit fireplace, which was being tended to by someone sitting in front of the fire.
That someone was her husband, Siegfried.
[So that's Siegfried huh? Yikes… look at all those cracks. ]
[Silver hair and has a toned back? Damn. Kriemhild had a nice man. ]
[Tall too. He's sitting down but if he stands up, I can easily see him towering over Kream. ]
Her eyes narrowed when she noticed that his back was facing her. She knew Siegfried, he never exposed himself like this to anyone.
Why would he leave himself vulnerable to her, the one who was about to kill him?
She didn't speak, and neither did he. All she did was stand and watch him as he moved the logs in the chimney with a fire poker.
In this silence, she decided to inspect his back. And to say she was disgusted was an understatement. The cracks in his armor, the curses oozing from every crevice… It was as if a clay pot had been broken in pieces and mended back with tar.
And most fitting of all, the curses had formed a shape around the major weak point in his back. The weak point that Hagen had tricked her into revealing.
How pitiful.
How foolish.
Anyone could just walk up to him and stab him through his weak point.
It would be so easy… too easy, in fact. She was going to make him suffer, a clean stab through his back would be too good for him.
She could not stand the silence any longer, and so she spoke up, "it's been a while… Siegfried."
Siegfried paused poking the fire and returned to a neutral sitting position, "yes, it has."
[Hold on, GARcher?!! Why does Siegfried sound like GARcher?!! ]
[It's the silver hair. They are secretly siblings. ]
[GARcher: It's a coincidence. But that would explain why Kream was wary of me when we first met. ]
His voice brought a sense of nostalgia to her. Nostalgia that came of better times, of times when they were still young and in love.
That nostalgia quickly soured once memories of his heroic deed came to her mind. The blank expression he made whenever he accepted a request was still fresh in her mind.
She bit her lip in anger, "I see that you continue to be the same reckless, heroic idiot as always."
How else would he obtain such injuries? He fought to protect a village from an army of servants and it was all in vain because he still lost.
"Yes. I am. There's no use in denying it. I saw people in danger, and I protected them… or tried to at least."
At least he's aware enough to understand how stupid his actions were. If only he were smarter, he could have run away and kept his strength, but she knows her dumb husband would have never done such a thing.
"And look where that got you. Weak, broken, helpless, and a shadow of the legend you once were."
[JennyPD-16528: Lay off the man! He was protecting innocent people!! ]
[Kream needs to take a chill pill. He did his best. ]
[Sadly, his best wasn't good enough. And now his deeds are going to be the end of him… again. ]
Truly a pathetic sight. She should be glad that Siegfried had been weakened so horribly in such a state. She should be, but part of her feels she was robbed.
And the thief was the Dragon Witch.
Still, beggars can't be choosers.
She has made up her mind.
She stretched out her hand, and her blade manifested in a crackle of opressive, black energy. The eye of the blade, now aware of the other occupant in the room, looked like it was glaring at him.
Yet, Siegfried did not flinch, nor draw his blade.
"... It's a shame, really. I was excited to fight you head-on before I killed you, but as you are? I won't even break a sweat."
Her husband actually let out a grunt of discomfort, "I'm sorry."
Hearing that phrase, all forms of decorum were thrown aside, and she snapped, "Sorry? Sorry!? Is that really the only thing you can say to me after all this time?! Do you have ANY idea what I went through just so I could reach you?!"
Siegfried remained quiet, but she didn't let up.
"I woke up to find the dead body of my husband in my front lawn! I spent years, YEARS, planning and plotting my revenge to avenge YOU!! My unrepentant drive to seek justice consumed my life after your death! I even went as far as to remarry, even though I hated the idea of being with another man or woman aside from you, but I kept my mouth shut because the alliance with the Huns was crucial in my plan to avenge you!!
And it worked!! I avenged you and killed your murderers… but it was all a farce!!"
Her eyes were burning. The stinging sensation of acid ran down her cheeks as she recalled the memory of her beloved older brother Giselher, whose head had been split open after he received a fatal blow from a man he had thought he had bested in battle.
This pointless death could have been avoided if not for this idiot kneeling in front of her!
The hilt of the sword she wielded would have snapped under her grip if it were any other blade, but this was Balmung. The blade that slayed Fafnir, Hagen, her treacherous brother, and now it will be used to slay one of its former wielders.
"All my efforts, all my suffering, the bloodshed, it was all in vain. Because I found out your murder was just a complicated form of suicide!!"
Siegfried's palms clenched into fists, not in anger but frustration. She knew him well enough that such emotions were not directed at her but at himself. "I have no excuses. I messed up. Badly. Nothing I say will make amends for my crimes and my negligence. I will accept whatever punishment you see fit."
She scoffed at his defeated attitude, "Get up and face me like a man, Siegfried. I want to see the light vanish from your eyes, but only after I have bested you in combat."
[Gloria2Galar: :Munchlax Eating Popcorn Emote :]
[ShortShorts_QUEEN: "I messed up. Badly." That is an understatement, Mr.I'm Gonna commit assisted suicide without consulting my wife First ]
[HO-Crap! The drama… It's so intense!! ]
[Paldean soap operas WISH they were this engaging!! ]
He let out a sigh and shakily stood up from his seating position. Then, he brought out his hand, and his Balmung appeared in its splendor.
It was the same sword she wielded, but it was thinner and bathed in a lighter, more benevolent energy than hers.
His massive stature dwarfed her, but size didn't matter.
Power is what mattered.
She was hooked up to a magical generator, while he was running on fumes.
His fate was sealed.
He then turned and faced her, just like she ordered him to. His eyes narrowed and were serious, but he could see the regret and sorrow in them.
"If that is what you wish, then so be it."
He pointed his blade at her.
"Come at me, Kriemhild!!"
[BattleMANIAC: Fight. Fight. Fight!!! ]
[Woah! Siegfried's sword looks so different! and more practical! ]
[CasCu: Time to put your money where your mouth is, Kream. You claim you can replace Siegfried in slaying the dragon, now SHOW US. ]
Her smile turned feral, the blood in her veins pumping with excitement.
"With pleasure!!~"
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New Chatters:
Gloria2Galar = Gloria, the female protagonist from Sword and Shield. She speaks and types in a southern Galarian accent, which is scottish in Gudao's world.
RocksAPlenty = A rock type specialist who is training his pokemon to become resistant to water types. Currently suffering under poverty so that he could get a star boi.