King POV:

Fighting through a horde of monsters we finally arrived at the church.

As I remembered, the building was intact from the forces of the mold.

In a ten-meter radius around the building was a glowing line, which actively burned the mold, in such a way that it didn’t release smoke or anything.

Next to the walls of the church were raggedly made tents that were occupied by guards and refugees.

When we stepped over the barrier, I felt a warm feeling pass through my body, easing the constant pain I felt in my arm.

I pushed the heavy doors open and let the people enter.

The inside was filled with refugees.

Families torn apart by the events.

“There is some space in the back. You can put your things there and the sisters will give you food…Probably.”

The refugees walked past us, mixing with the others.

As I was watching it, Patrick took out a piece of bread and stuffed it into its mouth, eating the whole thing in two bites.

“You should also rest. You have been fighting all day, it would be bad for our king to collapse from exhaustion.”

“You’re the one to talk to. Weren’t you the one who told me that using your power drains you quite much?”

“That was before… I mean, with me using it all the time, I am starting to get that hang on it.”

“…If you say so.”

The king walked deeper into the church going to the elevated platform which was floating above the ground.

On it, several sisters and priests were kneeling before an altar on which a statue of a woman was seen.

As they prayed, the statue was shining faintly, maintaining the barrier.

“Sigh, at least this thing won't change. These guys will keep praying even when the world ends.”

I sat down in the corner where there was no one and took the book into my hands.

The thing gave me a warm feeling as it was welcoming me.

This thing has been with me since the catastrophe. I took it near the cocoons which I had no time to destroy before I could escape.

Somehow it has been bringing me warmth.

I hugged the book close to my chest and closed my eyes, prepared for what was going to happen.

Ever since the attack, I had the same dream, each time, getting a little more detail from it.

Yet, again, when the dream started, I was laying on the ground, the sky above my head dotted with stars that were shining brightly.

My body moving on its own, sitting up looking at the scene before me.

I was on a cliff, atop of a mountain covered with snow.

The scenery was beautiful, with the clouds slowly flying a few meters under me as if it was water.

Before me, like an island, a mountain was piercing the sky.

I saw things many times, but this piece of giant rock took my breath each time.

It gave me a familiar feeling as if it were important to me.

As if it was my home.

My legs took a step then another, standing at the edge of the cliff.

My body was leaning forward about to fall over, plunging into the clouds-

Boom!

In the distance, I could hear something exploding waking me up from my sleep.

I rushed out of the church, an uncontrollable scream escaping my mouth.

Monsters of many sizes and shapes surrounded us and scratched the barrier with their claws as they tried to get in.

“What the hell is this?”

Patrick ran next to me, looking as confused as I.

“We need to evacuate!”

“Evacuate? WHERE?! We are surrounded!”

“KING!”

The flood of monsters parted away allowing another monster to stand before the barrier.

It looked like those black knights, but it was more… alive?

The armor covering its body now looked like chitin that covered its body, its head was smooth, and shiny, with only three holes on it, each located where its eyes and mouth should be, shining in bright green light.

“What the hell? Appraisal!”

I concentrated my power into my eyes looking straight at the monster.

There were a few seconds of delay, but its status screen appeared before his head.

[

Name: Erste

Race: Sentient Wild General LV: 1/100 (0/100)

Main Class: [Guardian]

Sub Class: [Moldy General]

HP(Health Points): 60 000/6 000

SP(Stamina Points): 10 000/10 000

MP(Magic Points): 600/600

Active Skills: [Swordsmanship] [Troop Command] [Mold Manipulations] [Mold Berserker] [Decaying Touch] [Mold Weapon Creation] [Telepathy Through Mold]

Passive Skills: [Commanding Voice] [Trop Enchantment] [Trop Synchronization]

Titles: [First Born] [Named by Father] [The First Guardian] [Leader of Wilds] [Green Handed Executioner]

]

“King, In the name of our Great Father, I am allowed to offer you a deal. In exchange for your life and the book, we shall allow the refugees to leave the city without any harm. We will even provide them medical care and provision enough for a week's travel. We will give you an hour to think. And to motivate you.”

The monster snapped his hands, making the monsters move. They started to attack each other, tearing and slashing at their comrades, the pieces sticking onto their bodies.

“One hour. After that, this church will be a mass grave covered in flowers.”

The black knight walked away into the torrent of black blood and flying flesh, disappearing from sight.

“…Gather the people. Make them pack their bags.”

“Are you seriously considering their offer?! They are going to kill you!”

“I told them to pack! That’s an order!”

I looked at the bloodshed happening before me since the monster was becoming bigger and bigger.

The book in my head somehow became heavier, as if it were telling me something.

Slowly, I looked at it, as I was holding it in both of my hands.

I never opened this.

I never needed to, and now that I knew that that guy wanted it, this thing must have been an extremely dangerous weapon.

A weapon… that I need right now.

Slowly I opened the book

Immediately I was absorbed by its snow-white pages, written in languages that I couldn’t possibly comprehend.

The letters danced before my eyes, forming new ones, till a text that I could possibly comprehend appeared.

Enchanted by this text, I started to read it, my voice becoming layered with a deeper, more powerful voice.

“ Give me your hand in love. Give me your hand in hate. Give me your hand in life. Give me your hand in death. Give me your hand in grief. Give me your hand in grace. Bring me to my home. Bring me to my haven. Manifest, my feelings. Manifest, domain of my gentle past. Appear, Sacred Ground of my soul.”

A circle of light started to spread out around my feet, washing through the monsters and the city.

Ruins of buildings floated into the air and gathered, returning our environment to what it used to look like before the catastrophe.

The monsters screamed, the light burning them into crisps, leaving nothing behind.

After only five heartbeats, the city, which was nothing, but a wasteland now laid my old city.

The house was in perfect state, the sky was clear with sunshine, and there were transparent people walking around, chatting, and laughing.

“This- This is amazing.”

After such a long time, seeing my home returned to me, it gave me a feeling that I just couldn’t describe. The warm feeling in my chest was painful, but it didn’t bother me, as tears started to gather in my life.

“My home. It’s-Ugh!”

I clasped at my bare arm, with a dozen more flowers growing out of it while the infection spread further, now reaching my shoulders.

“Damn it! Is this some sort of withdrawal? But if it’s just this much, then I can use it more. Enough times to reach the edge of the city and save everyone!”

Filled with determination, I walked back into the church to tell my people that there was still hope.

****

“So, you chose a slaughter.”

“What shall we do, brother?”

My brothers were standing atop one of the tallest buildings, giving us a good advantage point, and allowing us to see what just happened.

No wonder father wants that book. That power is too great for a fool such as that woman. It is only fitting in the hands of our Father!

“We continue as planned. Zuerst and Vierte came with me. The others stay behind to protest our base until it's fully operational. The only thing that changes is the movements of troops. A and B team will stay behind while C team will advance now, to test their defenses.”

“At your command, Brother!”

As they left, I looked at the crowd at the foot of the building.

“WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR! THE ENEMY HAS RISEN THE FLAG OF WAR! KILL THEM! SHOW THEM THE GREATEST OF OUR FATHER!”

The monsters shrieked as they sprang into action.

With the sound of wings clapping, the smallest amongst them took flight and flew towards the church as a cloud.

“ Let’s see how you will handle this, fool of a king.”

*

*

*

Patrick States:

[

Name: Unknown.

Race: Baby Giant Cockroach LV: 1/50 (0/50)

Main Class: [Journeyman]

Sub Class: [Apprentice]

HP(Health Points): 50/50

SP(Stamina Points): 60/60

MP(Magic Points): 20/20

Active Skills: [Basic Cleaving] [Basic Crawling]

Passive Skills: [Amplified Studying] [Basic Sponge Mind] [Mana Compatibility] [Trash Belly] [Poison Resistance] [Putrefaction Resistance]

Titles: [Outworlder] [Unlucky Soul]

]

King POV:

[

Name: Elizabeth Morgum ‘The She King’

Race: [Royal High Amphibian] LV: 345/ 100,000 (66,587/ 100,000)

Main Class: [Monster King]

Sub Class: [Magic Weapon Master] [Master Magician]

HP(Health Points): 57,345/ 57,345

SP(Stamina Points): 57,000/ 57,000

MP(Magic Points): 75, 000/ 75, 000

Blessings: [Blessing of Artemis] [Blessing of Anubis] [Blessing of Hephaistos] [ Blessing of Freya] [Blessing of the Devil] [Blessing of Macha] [Blessing of Poseidon] [Blessing of Echidna] [Blessing of Osiris]

Curses: [Curse of Aphrodite] [ Curse of Buddha] [ Curse of Athena]

Unique Skills: [Ultimate Survivor] [EXP Share]

Active Skills: [Universal Advanced Magic] [Skill Fusion] [Demonic Weapon Summon] [ Demonic Armor Summon] [Perfect Appraisal] [Status Display] [Dimensional Magic] [Inbreeding] [Gender Bending] [Weaponry Morphing] [Architectural Design] [Berserker Rage] [Basic Life Creation] [EXP Siphon] [Evolution Control] [Domination Magic] [Alchemical Knowledge]

Passive Skills: [Water Breathing] [Enhanced Swimming] [Dark Vision] [Bottomless Stomach]

Affinities: [Cursed Weapon Affinity] [Death Affinity] [Fire Affinity] [Archery Affinity] [War Affinity] [Riding Affinity]

Titles: [Possessor of Otherworldly Memories][Blessing Stealer] [Unique Skill Stealer] [Kin Eater] [Bloody King] [Enemy of Humanity] [Parent of Calamities]

]