Anastasia: “Ah yes. The Queen of Ruin. I’m happy to hear she’s been doing well.”

Anastasia had led Lona into a camp, and they had been sitting around a table inside the main tent. Inside the tent were two clergymen. Upon entering the tent, Anastasia had threatened to have them executed should they speak of what has been talked about within the tent. She had also sent some paladins to invite the rest of Lona’s group back to this camp.

Lona: “So, you say you know how to start the process of me recovering my memories?”

Anastasia nodded, although with a displeased look on her face.

Anastasia: “I do, however, it may not be the most favorable of options. It would mean to take you into the capitol for you to converse with the Holy Sage.”

Vese: “I see. It’s to no surprise that Adhara might be in the capitol.”

Anastasia looked up to her surprise, and kneeled down before Vese, to which she took a seat next to Lona. Anastasia got up and sat back down.

Anastasia: “It’s good to see you again Lady Vese.”

Vese: “Likewise, and I thank you for offering your care to our small group. Although I must ask, why are such holy forces out here?”

Anastasia: “It’s from the request of the guild master Diana. Normally, we’d ignore such requests, but this group of bandits have been stopping trades to the capitol quite often.”

Vese: “I see.”

She got up from her seat and paced in thought for a while before speaking.

Vese: “And if they sent you and your men, it must be a pretty big deal.”

Anastasia: “That it must be. I’ve heard from a spy I hired that when King Indolis spoke to Erris and Sophia, that this may be the start of a war between not only nations, but of some of your sisters.”

Vese: “Oh?”

After sending the clergymen to supply Lona and Vese with new garments, she went on to explain how the Kibunarg Empire had gone on to conspire with Marra, and how the works of these bandits are thought to be Astaroth’s doing.

Vese: “And what of conversing with Adhera?”

Anastasia: “It would mean for the two of you to come with us after we take care of these bandits. Naturally, Vese, your hair would need cut.”

Lona: “How come?”

Vese: “To minimize suspicions of me being the Queen of Ruin, of course. I do suspect that the king himself will recognize me. However, I know him to be clever enough not to try to apprehend me right on the spot.”

Anastasia: “Precisely. And you need not worry about Erris and Sophia, as the two had been given an audience with the King of the Kibunarg Empire as representatives of our country.”

Vese nodded with a smile. As they were about to wrap up the meeting, after Lona and Vese had changed, an unexpected visitor had appeared.

Vese: “It’s been a while, Adhara.”

Anastasia once again knelt down, and Lona had turned around to see a tall woman with platinum blonde hair. She wore a simple white robe with the hood up. Her eyes were a sharp blue.

Adhara: “It’s wonderful to see you again, Vese. However, it is odd to see you in the same nation that has accused you of mass genocide.”

Vese: “Yes, well, I find the living conditions comfortable in these parts.”

She turned to Lona and gave her a warm and welcoming smile.

Adhara: “You and I will have to chat about your situation later, but nonetheless, it’s good to see you in good health, Lona.”

She then turned her head towards Anastasia, with a serious look.

Adhara: “Prepare all the men in this camp. Tomorrow, we fight. The enemy are coming this way, and are expected to reach here by noon.”

Anastasia nodded and left the tent to warn the other men.

Adhara: “Now…”

She took a seat.

Adhara: “Let’s have a chat. Vese. Lona.”

That night Adhara told them the reason for her being there. According to reports, Astaroth had shown her face, destroying the guard posts nearby. The king had sent her to rendezvous with Anastasia for protection against her own sister. With everything out of the way, the group had rested up and the dawn of the next day approached.

Vese: “Lona, you’ll be fighting alongside Anastasia and Albree. If you are in trouble, retreat immediately. Adhara and I are going to try to find and fight Astaroth, if only to get her out of the way for a while. Understood?”

Lona: “Got it.”

She was nervous, as this was her first time in a battle, but she prepared herself. She readied her gun, and together, the entire camp of holy soldiers marched towards the group of bandits.

Adhara: “Get ready, men. They’re likely just over this hill.”

As expected, as soon as they reached the top of the hill, there could be seen a massive group of bandits. In the sky, Lona suspected, was Astaroth. She had white hair and tanned skin. She wore wings on her back, and wielded a large warhammer. Not long after spotting the witch, Vese and Adhara took off into the skies. While all the ground troops had entered combat.

Lona pointed the pistol and begun to fire. Miss, miss, hit. Miss, miss, miss, hit. Hit, hit, miss. A tall bandit had gotten close to Lona, to which was welcomed with a blow to the head with the pistol. Anastasia approached Lona and handed her a sword.

Anastasia: “Here. This way you’ll be better protected.”

She then ran off swinging her ax into the mass of bandits, and Lona had gone off and continued to fight. Each slice of the sword had met a target, as she danced around to evade enemy attacks. She slashed a man’s throat, before blocking a woman’s sword right before she kicked her, immediately following the kick with a stab to the stomach. She continued to piece and slice the flesh of the enemies at hand, being supported by a clergyman and a paladin. Slowly backing out of the battle due to exhaustion, she had taken out another two. The first by a lucky stab in the eye, running deep enough to the brain. The second presumably missed bone by a margin, stabbing the other man’s heart. She then looked up at the sky, which then showed the true fight.

Astaroth swung her warhammer with incredible force, barely missing both Vese and Adhara. Adhara had used a scythe she summoned to lock Astaroth in place, for her to be met with the sword wielded by Vese, but Astaroth anticipated this, using the scythe to swing Adhara into Vese. The two plummeted as Astaroth flew down at great speeds with her warhammer ready to meet them.

Astaroth: “Kh-!”

Vese had teleported to counterattack. She used a powerful blast of light to send her away, letting Adhara recover. Soon, they fell out of sight. Lona ran back in the battlefield, determined to witness the outcome of their fight. Weaving through the crowd and killing anyone who thought to have gotten in her way, she was able to see the three once more. Vese launched herself at Astaroth the same time Adhara had sprung back up into the air. Both after the same target, Astaroth let out an unsettling warcry, before going into a spinning frenzy in order to stop the attacks that the two had set out to do.

Lona was soon met with Albree and Anastasia. While it was apparent who won the battle between the kingdom and the bandits, Astaroth had still wished to fight.

Anastasia: “So that’s the power of the witches…”

The battlefield of the three had been shaping to the destruction. Craters were everywhere around Astaroth. However, before the fighting could continue any longer, Vese and Adhara had started retreating, as a short woman with unkempt brown hair entered the battlefield. It was at an alarming speed that the two appeared right in front of Lona, and at that moment, Vese used a spell, mass teleporting all of them to an unknown location.

Vese: “That was too close.”

Adhara: “Indeed. I never expected Beelzebub to show.”

Lona: “That was Beelzebub?”

Vese nodded. It was then that they became aware of their surroundings. Guards had rushed in, weapons drawn. It was a miracle that they had Adhara and Anastasia with them, as they were recognized immediately.

Guard 1: “Forgive us, Lady Adhara. You and your guests' sudden appearance came as a surprise.”

Adhara: “It’s fine. Right now, we have to see King Indolis, and inform him about the bandits to the west of the kingdom.”

Guard 1: “Understood.”

The capitol Caritrius was a beautiful city. Walking towards the castle, all the streets were masterfully laid, and all the buildings were all well maintained. Just ahead of the entrance they came from, there was a large open space with a fountain in the center. Beyond that was a straight path to the actual castle. As they walked towards the gate, two guards stopped them.

Guard 1: “Lady Adhara. Are these two with you and Anastasia?”

Adhara nodded.

Adhara: “These two along with Anastasia and I are the only survivors left from the campaign against the bandits. Therefore as the only ones left, it is our responsibility to inform the king as to what happened.”

The guard nodded solemnly. Adhara continued to explain to the guard about the situation that happened when the group engaged in battle against the bandits, along with coming up with a story for Vese and Lona. The guard then wrote something on some slips of paper and handed one to Vese, and one to Lona, explaining that since they don’t have their papers with them, that this is the only other way for them to get into the high class residential zone. After asking for their names, they were now under the aliases “ Maia and Alya”.

Continuing their venture, they now stood in front of the castle. The castle itself stood tall, and the architects took inspiration from church designs, as it looked more like a giant cathedral than a castle. In front of the castle stood a tall man that was well dressed. His well kept hair was brushed back, and he wore a short beard. His eyes were narrow, and his smile sent a chill down Lona’s spine. It didn’t take a genius to figure out who this man was.

Indolis: “Welcome, Adhara, Anastasia, honored guests.”

The four of them unanimously bowed in response, and had followed him into the castle.