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MATURE: Dawn of Courage (Chapter 221 Up)

Time for the next chapter of Dawn of Courage. (Warning: contains mild language, sexual suggestions)

The Night Market


It was the following morning after the party had vanquished General Galvinspine and his Undead Army platoon. The party was enjoying their breakfast with the Gordak Royal Family. It was clear that everyone in the capital was considerably more relaxed knowing that Galvinspine had been destroyed, all having a sense of security and tranquility.

King Rand turned to the party, “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, you seven have my eternal thanks. Now, with General Galvinspine destroyed, we can return to a sense of normalcy once again. This also means our famous Night Market will reopen. I highly suggest you check it out tonight. But this also means I can finally offer more support to the rebuilding of the Beastman Resistance. Although I do admit I was quite surprised to hear that you were once part of it, Zeeker.”

Zeeker replied, “Yeah, well, I thought it had been crushed to pieces after Vertebreak got his bony claws on it. So you can bet my surprise when I learned it had survived and was in the process of rebuilding itself. While they still call me ‘Captain Zeeker’ from my past days as one of them, I’m not really their Captain anymore. Not because I’m with this group but because when I thought the Beastman Resistance was gone I didn’t take the fight back up again right away, as my survivor’s guilt got the better of me for a while. It was Nova and the others who relit my fire. But I am quite happy to know that there were more survivors than I originally thought. I just hope we can give them enough help to get the resistance back on its feet.”

Sir Reginald replied, “We should be able to. Especially if we donate certain monster parts to sell like Gargathox tusks, since those can probably be sold here. Getting some extra funds for the Beastman Resistance would be a huge boon to them.”

King Rand nodded, “Indeed. We have a special place here in the capital where you can market such parts. It had been closed down for a bit due to the threat of General Galvinspine but it should be open again now that the threat has passed. In the meantime my intelligence network is gathering up intel on the locations of the remaining Undead Bases in this kingdom. The Beastman Resistance also has some of that information but they haven’t been able to get all of it due to Galvinspine’s presence. I am sorry to say this but you’ll have to go to the inn after we’re done with breakfast, as we’re expecting a meeting with some nobles soon and we need the guest rooms free. I hope you understand.”

Nina nodded, “It’s totally fine, Your Majesty. We’re enjoying the stay in the castle but we’re fine moving into the inn so you can get ready for some important guests. We’re just glad we could solve your Undead General issue before the meetings could take place; if Galvinspine was still knocking at your barrier it would make other nobles tense. Right, boys?”

Everyone else nodded in agreement, making King Rand smile.

“You have my thanks. I will have one of my staff give you the information on the locations of the Undead Bases in this kingdom, but it won’t be ready until this afternoon at best. He’ll meet you at the inn with the information. In the meantime, please, go and enjoy what our city can offer.”

Van asked, “Are your item shops fully stocked?”

“I’m aware it was you lot who recovered a sizable amount of stolen goods. Those have been distributed to their rightful owners and locations, so our shops should be fully stocked. While there’s still a few crates of stolen goods out there, what you’ve recovered has been a huge help in getting our shelves filled with items. Hopefully you can find what you need here in the capital.”

“Let’s hope, as we’ve been looking for certain things for a while now,” Angelo said. “Especially Nuts Oil, since it’s been surprisingly scarce lately.”

The queen replied, “There is a reason for that. One of the nuts used to make Nuts Oil has been in low supply, therefore most providers haven’t been able to harvest enough of those nuts to make Nuts Oil. It seems to be Muu’s doing. Rumor has it that one of his Undead Bases set up shop just shy of a nut plantation, thus its very presence has been enough of a threat to keep farmers from harvesting their crops. We don’t know for sure, but it does seem to suggest that Muu is responsible for the shortage.”

“Joy…” Nova said, deadpan. “When is that big bone boss not the cause of problems for Edyn?”

Kettu chuckled, “Fair point, Nova. But if it is Muu’s doing then that would explain the shortage. Hopefully we can remove whatever it is that’s causing the shortage and return things to a sense of normality.”

King Rand nodded, “If you can do that then I know many people would be grateful, as those nuts are also useful for other things outside of Nuts Oil. But, for now, enjoy your meal and enjoy what our city can offer. Especially now that everyone can feel more relaxed and secure.”

The party nodded and resumed eating. Before long the plates of food were gone. The party then gathered up their stuff and left the castle, entering the central hub of the city.

Sir Reginald said, “First thing’s first. Let’s see if we can grab a few items from the shops. Hopefully they’ll have at least some stock left of the items we’re looking for. After that we’ll head for the special place where we can market those more valuable monster parts. After that we’ll head for the inn to await the intelligence network staff member with the needed information on the various Undead Bases left in this kingdom. After that we’ll see what the Night Market has to offer.”

“Perhaps you should leave the Night Market to Nova and me, as the inn keepers might not like it if we all leave our rooms,” Nina suggested. “From what I’ve heard the inns tend to lock up the place at a certain time so if we all spend too much time in there we might accidentally get locked out. At least if Nova and I get locked out by accident I can just use Teleport to get us back into our rooms. And that way it’ll prevent our stuff from getting stolen.”

Kettu quirked an eyebrow, “Huh. Considering how famous the Night Market is I’m surprised that the inns here would have almost a strict curfew. You’d think they’d be more willing to keep the doors open at night due to the Night Market’s reputation, especially since it would promote business for everyone.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Both of you bring up fair points. Very well, we’ll leave the Night Market stuff to you two, Nova and Lady Nina. We’ll hold down the fort in the inn if it prevents us from losing our rooms or getting locked out by accident. Hopefully you two can find some good items.”

Nina smiled, “Oh, don’t worry. We’ll come back with a treasure trove of goodies. Now, let’s stop yapping and start taking care of business.”

The party nodded and started to make their way through the expansive city to take care of business. They stopped at every item shop to see what their supply of goods were, purchasing things as they went. After a while they went to the special monster part merchant to barter for good prices on the more valuable monster parts they had, netting a good amount of money. They then stopped at a local restaurant to have some lunch. They casually chatted a bit while they waited for their food, discussing various subjects. When the food came they eagerly tucked into it. After cleaning their plates and paying the bill, they made their way to the largest inn in the city.

Zeeker asked, “Is this the right inn that King Rand told us to meet his staff member at?”

Sir Reginald looked at the note he was holding before replying, “Yes, this is the place. And best of all the Night Market is just down the street from here, tucked into that corner by the northwest wall. That way Nova and Lady Nina won’t have too far to go when they decide to check out the Night Market, and it’ll make the return trip faster so they don’t get locked out. We’d better check with the inn keeper when they lock the front door and when the Night Market opens up. Now, let’s go inside, get our rooms, and wait for when the intelligence network staff member shows up.”

The party nodded and entered the inn. They paid the woman at the counter for two rooms and requested that someone alert them when the king’s staff member came. They then retreated to their designated rooms. Nova sat down on one of the beds. Nina then sat down on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and nuzzling her forehead against his.

“A little alone time for us, beloved,” she purred. “At least before dinner, anyway. Then it’s off to the Night Market.”

Nova chuckled, “You seem a bit lustful, Nina. Maybe the effects of your Lilith Wing Shaman form haven’t completely worn off yet?”

She blushed, “No, those side-effects have worn off, thankfully. But it doesn’t change how I feel about you, beloved. I just simply enjoy spending time with you. I’ve said it a good dozen times now and I’ll say it again: you’re the best thing to ever happen to me. If it wasn’t for you I would still be playing cat-and-mouse with my knights in my kingdom’s attempt to drag me back to them to be their money making scheme. My life has become soooooo much better thanks to you. Now I’m free to spread my wings and be myself. I’ll never be caged again. And I intend to take Earth by storm. Your people won’t know what hit them.”

“To say the least. You’ll definitely blindside them, that’s for sure. I also wonder what my family will think of you. And what they’ll think of me dating a woman from another species. Not that I’m trying to seek their approval, as I’ve long since given up on that endeavor due to constantly falling short of their expectation. But I do wonder what they’ll say about our relationship?”

“Hey, at least I’ve got all the right parts in all the right places. Just with a few bonuses like wings and hollow bones. And considering my kind reproduce the same way as humans it shouldn’t be an issue. And if it is, too bad for them, as nothing will stop me from becoming your wife and the mother of your children. That I promise.”

Nova gained a small blush, “You really are something, Nina. I could’ve never imagined hooking up with a woman of your caliber, not in my wildest dreams. And, believe me, I can have some pretty wild, crazy, and/or strange dreams. Like wresting a space squid on behalf of the president of my country. That type of strange. And yet here we sit. Not to change the subject but we do need to keep track of time, as the Night Market opens at 8 PM and the inn locks its doors at 10 PM. So we need to keep an eye on the clock to ensure we don’t get left out by accident. Yeah, sure, your Teleport spell can get us in safely but I’d rather not depend on that as our best method of returning to our room.”

Nina nuzzled closer to Nova, purring, “Don’t worry, beloved. We’ll make sure to leave both the inn and the Night Market with time to spare. You certainly are a punctual one. But I guess living with such perfectionists like your family might do that. Your parents won’t recognize you after this journey is over.”

Nova gained a serious look, “Yeah, and I’ve got some pretty choice words for them. They won’t know what hit them, either, once I’m done getting years of frustration and anger out of me. Though I wonder if they’ll even bother to listen to me or will just write it off as the black sheep complaining about unfair treatment. Because I wouldn’t be surprised if they do the latter, since that’s how it’s always been.” He shook his head, “I can’t sour the mood right now with that. I’ll cross that bridge when I get there. Assuming I don’t die on this world first. But let’s just say I intend to tear them a new one with my tranquil fury.”

Nina shivered in pleasure, “Ooh, Nova, you’re making me shiver. I can’t wait to see that happen. And considering your tranquil fury makes my berserk fury look tame it’ll be quite the event. But let’s not dwell on it for now. Like you said we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. For now, let’s just enjoy our time together and start mapping out some ideas for what we’re gonna buy at the Night Market.”

The duo nodded and began discussing what items they should get and how much they should buy. After a little while there was a knock at their door. Nova opened it to see Sir Reginald.

“Oh, Sir Reginald,” he said. “I take it we got our information?”

The knight nodded, “Yes, it just arrived a few minutes ago. We’ll go over it later, as there’s a decent amount to sift through. But I wanted to let you know that we’ve obtained the information from the intelligence network on what Undead Bases are left in this kingdom.”

Nina smiled, “Thank for telling us, Sir Reginald. Nova and I have been going over some possible ideas for what items to get from the Night Market. Hopefully they have bargain deals like random assortments and such, as those tend to be more valuable. Hopefully we can also find a few things that we couldn’t obtain in the regular item shops. We have a good idea of what we want but we’ll see what the Night Market has to offer. So expect us to return with bags of goodies. And since we made a fortune on those more valuable monster parts we can easily spurge a bit, as we might not get another chance like this for some time.”

“Just don’t go too crazy, Lady Nina. But considering you’ve got an eagle eye for deals and know the value of certain items compared to their general price you two should do fine. Now, we’ll see each other again at dinner. Hopefully you two won’t be too long at the Night Market, as I know it’s pretty expansive.”

Nova replied, “We intend to leave the inn for the Night Market before 8 PM and leave around 9:30 PM so we don’t have any issues. That should give us enough time to go through the goods and see if we can find any deals. But we’ll keep our budget in mind, don’t worry about that.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Good. Now, dinner will probably be starting soon so we’ll see you then.”

He left and returned to his room, allowing the duo to close their inn room door.

Nina smiled, “Okay, just a little longer before dinner and then we’ll go bargain hunting at the Night Market. Hopefully we can nab some good deals there like buy one, get one free offers and such. But I think we’ve gotten a good idea of what we want to find so let’s just enjoy some downtime and wait for dinner.”

Nova nodded and sat down next to Nina, who nuzzled up next to him. After a little while there was a knock at their door.

“Pardon me, but dinner will be served soon,” a female voice said.

“Thank you,” Nova replied. He turned to Nina, “Let’s go eat. Then it’s off to the Night Market.”

Nina fluttered her wings happily before the duo gathered up their stuff and went down into the dining room. They rejoined the party and started discussing what items they were going to keep their eyes open for. After getting their food they quickly dug into it, clearly enjoying the quality. By the time they had finished eating it was 7:45 PM.

Nina stood up, “Okay, beloved, time for us to get moving. We want to get to the Night Market just as they open so we’ll have the maximum amount of time needed to scope things out.” She turned to the party, “We’ll be back as soon as we can. Hopefully we can find some nice, rare items while we’re out.”

Van nodded, “Good luck and happy bargain hunting.”

Nova and Nina nodded before leaving the inn and heading toward the location of where the Night Market resided. They soon approached the building and already there was a few people waiting at the door. At precisely 8 PM the doors to the building unlocked, allowing the eager shoppers to enter. Inside the Night Market building were five large stands full of items, along with what looked like a fortune teller near the back and a stage in the center.

“So, this is the Night Market?” Nova observed. “Certainly looks the part. Come on, Nina, let’s see what we can find before other shoppers beat us to the goods.”

Nina nodded and followed Nova into the building. They soon stopped at one of the stands.

“Wait a second!” Nina sputtered. She turned to the merchant, “Is that a bottle of Nuts Oil?”

The merchant nodded, “Indeed, lovely lady. But it is the last one in stock, as the shortage has hit us as well. Are you interested in it?”

“We’ve been looking for that stuff for weeks. How much?”

“One silver.”

“Deal.”

Nina paid one silver coin in exchange for the Nuts Oil, making her smile.

“Nice eyes, Nina,” Nova said. “You spotted that Nuts Oil like a falcon spots a field mouse. Now we finally have some Nuts Oil.”

“It’s only one bottle, sadly.”

“That’s one more than we had before. Take what you can get. Now, let’s see what else we can find.”

Nova put the Nuts Oil in his Digi-Pack before the duo resumed examining the stands. After a good hour they had purchased several pouches worth of goods and items. They took a moment to catch their breath at the benches near the stage.

“We’ve done well so far,” Nova said. “We got several deals on various items. We bought several assortments of Elemental Coins, BOGO sets of various Eye Gems, a handful of assorted Beast Claws packages, some more Glacier Mana Water, a couple of different Goddess Statues, and even stuff like Black Honey Elixirs, Tonton Oils, and Scarlet Pumpkin Juice. And there’s still a half an hour before we should head back to the gang. Too bad we couldn’t get any more Nuts Oil but I’ll accept the fact we got found least one.”

Nina nodded, “You can say that again, beloved. We’ve done well and we’ve barely dented our planned budget due to all those deals. Hmm?”

Both of their attention was redirected to the stage. Soon four exotic dancers stepped up and began putting on a show. Nina gained a disapproving frown but it changed to a smile when Nova stood up and started to walk away. She quickly followed him over to one of the stands.

“Thank you,” she said sincerely to him. “Your loyalty is extremely pleasing, beloved.”

“I don’t deny those exotic dancers are gorgeous,” he replied. “But I’ve already have the best your Goddess can offer so I don’t need that. If I could resist nudist mermaids then I can resist exotic dancers. Although you’d probably look pretty good in those costumes. But, then again, you always look good so I guess it wouldn’t really matter. Now, let’s see if we can fish for any more deals before we have to head back.”

Nina smiled warmly, gaining a small blush as Nova said this statement, before the duo resumed bargain hunting. After a little while they decided it was time to head back.

Nina looked at the grandfather clock near one of the merchants, saying, “It’s 9:25 PM. A bit earlier than we had intended to leave but I think we’ve done enough shopping. Let’s head back to the inn and report to the gang about our finds.”

Nova nodded and the duo left the Night Market and made their way back to the inn. To their relief the door was still unlocked, allowing them to enter without issue. They walked up the stairs to where the rooms were and gently knocked on the door where the rest of the party was. Soon Sir Reginald opened the door.

“Ah, you’re back,” he said. “So, how’d it go?”

Nova smiled, “We managed to net a lot of good bargains, only lightly denting our planned budget. We even managed to get ahold of some very interesting things. Like… this.”

He presented the Nuts Oil, which made Van’s eyes widen.

“You found some Nuts Oil!?” the Centaur sputtered.

Nina nodded, “Yes, I spotted it. But it was the last bottle, as the shortage has also affected the Night Market’s stock of it. But here, Van, since you’ve been pretty determined to find it we’ll give it to you.”

Van trotted over and gently took the bottle of Nuts Oil, gaining a relieved smile.

“It’s only one bottle, and only a medium-sized one at that, but it’s better than nothing,” he said. “At least we finally got ahold of some. Hopefully we can solve the shortage issue soon so the supply of Nuts Oil will rebound. But thank you for finding it.”

Nova took out some jars of oil, saying, “We also found some Tonton Oil. We’ll give this to you as you’re the medical expert of the group.”

Van graciously took the Tonton Oil jars. He put both them and the Nuts Oil bottle into his backpack.

“Good work, you two,” he smiled. “Did you find any other goodies?”

“Other than getting great deals on Elemental Coins, Beast Claws, and Eye Gems, we also got some bottles of Scarlet Pumpkin Juice, more Glacier Mana Water, and Black Honey Elixirs,” Nova said. “Not to mention a handful of different Goddess Statues. We did pretty good. But it’s now time for bed. See you lot in the morning.”

The rest of the party nodded and Sir Reginald gently closed the door. Nova and Nina returned to their room and gently locked the door. Nina stripped out of her clothes, as usual, gave Nova a hug and a kiss before she curled up under the sheets of one of the beds. Nova chuckled lightly, kicked off his Hoverboots, placed his Digi-Pack full of goodies and archery equipment at the foot of his bed, and curled up under the covers. He blew out the candle that lit the room, allowing both of them to slowly drift off to sleep. They were satisfied with what they had acquired from the Night Market, knowing it would help them greatly in the fights ahead.

Next Chapter: Invasion of the Cursed Vines

That's all for today. A bit filler-ish but the events here do play a part in future chapters. Tune in next time to find out.
 
Time for the next chapter of Dawn of Courage. (Warning: contains mild language, mild violence, sexual suggestions)

Invasion of the Cursed Vines


It was the following morning after Nova and Nina checked out the Night Market. The party was having breakfast at the inn, discussing the duo’s finds and purchases, among other subjects.

Van turned to Nova, “Nova, Nina, thanks so much for finding the Nuts Oil. Even if it’s just one bottle that’s better than nothing. I highly suggest we all take a teaspoon of it, as we could all use the stress relief and energy.”

“I just hope that doesn’t empty the entire bottle in one shot,” Zeeker said apprehensively. “We looked hard for that stuff and it would be wise not to use it all up in one sitting.”

The Centaur nodded, “Yes, I agree. But even a bottle of this size can fill a good 30 teaspoons, so seven shouldn’t be too much of an issue.”

Nina replied, “That’s a fair point, as you can get a lot of mileage out of just one bottle of Nuts Oil. As long as you don’t chug it like a mug of beer it should be fine if we all take a teaspoon’s worth to give us some extra oomph. Nova should get the first dose as he’s probably the most stressed because he has to fight his greatest fear all the time. That’d make anyone tense.”

Nova nodded, “Okay, I will. I’ve been hearing so much good stuff about this Nuts Oil that I have been wanting to try it. And if one teaspoon is all I need then I’m all for it.”

Van replied, “Technically, you need to take one teaspoon a day, depending on your stress levels. But even just one teaspoon of the stuff can work wonders for the body and mind. Now, let’s all take some so we can be in our best form for our upcoming mission to help the Beastman Resistance.”

Everyone nodded as Van took out the bottle of Nuts Oil. Everyone held out a teaspoon for him to fill. Once all seven had a spoonful of Nuts Oil they quickly downed it.

“Mmm!” Nova purred. “That stuff really is good. This is a type of medicine I’d be more than happy to take. And I can already feel a chunk of stress and fatigue melting off me. Tracking this Nuts Oil down was very much worth it. Shame we can’t get any more as I’d love to have a supply of this stuff. But maybe if we remove the issue plaguing the supply shortage we can stock up on it. We’ll just have to wait and see. But, for now, this’ll do for a start. Hopefully we’ll find the source of the issue that’s causing the shortage and uproot it.”

Nina nodded, “I’ll say. Maybe Muu did place a base near a nut plantation. If that’s the case then we can kill two Gummies with one arrow.”

Kettu teased, “Not gonna say that expression, Nina?”

“Nope. Phoenix Clan members hate that other expression. No self-respecting Phoenix Clan member will utter that phrase and saying it in front of one of my kind is a surefire way to get hurt. Remember: we Phoenix Clan members are effectively birdmen, and we don’t like any expression or phrase that involves hurting birds because of our connection to phoenixes and birds in general. So I won’t utter a single statement like that. And I suggest you don’t either unless you want to be on the business end of an axe kick.”

“Duly noted,” Angelo said.

Nova said, “Well, either way, we’ll eventually find the problem and take care of it. Especially if it involves Muu and his army. Hopefully it won’t be long before we come across the issue plaguing the shortage.”

Sir Reginald then noticed something, “Gang, looks like one of King Rand’s knights just showed up.”

The party turned to see one of the knights walk up to them.

“My apologies for interrupting your meal but we received an urgent message from one of the villages nearby,” he said.

“Well, what is it?” Kettu asked.

“The village has been overrun with cursed vines led by a monstrous plant creature. The villagers were forced to evacuate the town and set up a shelter outside of the safety of their village walls. But the vines are overtaking the area as well. And because the vines are cursed, things like herbicide or fire won’t work on them. It seems that destroying the plant that controls the vines will kill it. But, obviously, no one has been able to get close enough to do such a task. King Rand requests that you seven deal with it, as he’s got his hands full with the meeting today.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “We understand. We’ll get to the bottom of it. Which village is in need of our help?”

“Thornwillow, just to the north of here. I was requested to use Teleport to get you to the shelter so the villagers can brief you on any other details.”

Nina replied, “I can do the teleporting. I know Teleport myself so you don’t have to go out of your way to escort us.”

The knight looked relieved, “That would be a huge help to me as I often get stuck with escorting people to certain locations because of Teleport. And I’m not exactly a strong knight. At least not yet, as I’m still only a Sargent in this army. So if you could take over the teleporting that would be a much-needed relief for me. His Majesty might not be too happy with me for leaving it to you but he’s got his plate full right now. Thank you for offering to do the teleporting yourself.”

“No problem. You’ve got enough on your plate right now so leave everything else to us.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Indeed. Now let’s finish our breakfast and be on our way. The Beastman Resistance will have to wait a bit longer for our help.”

The party nodded and resumed eating, allowing the knight to return to his post. After finishing off their meals they went outside. Nina did a stretch before turning to the group.

“Okay, here we go, boys,” she said. “Next stop: the shelter outside of Thornwillow. Ready?”

Everyone else nodded in agreement.

“Teleport!”

The party vanished in a flash of light. They soon reappeared outside of a shelter of tents surrounded by a wooden wall. They could see all the vines stretching out from the nearby village, covering the land and creeping toward the shelter.

“Gonna need more than a weedwhacker for this,” Nova said dryly.

Sir Reginald said, “Let’s check in with the villagers and see what we can learn.”

The party ventured to the front gates of the shelter where two guards were standing. Their eyes lit up as they saw the party.

“Oh, please tell us you’re the warriors who will deal with this issue?” one begged.

“Yep, that’s us,” Zeeker replied. “Care to let us in so we can get the full story on how this happened?”

The guards nodded and opened the gate, allowing the party inside the shelter. The various villagers looked up as they saw the warriors, their eyes lighting up. An older man who looked like the village elder stepped up to them.

“I take it you’re the Demon King’s champion party we requested to come help us?” he asked.

Sir Reginald nodded, “Yes. We got your message and came here as soon as we could. Can you fill us in on what happened?”

The village elder nodded, “Yes, that’s easy enough. We didn’t have the best harvest this season so a man named Dominic ventured into a shrine and retrieved what he said was a miracle seed.”

“Great,” Nova said dryly. “Only one sentence into the story and already we know it’s Dominic screwing up again. And looks like he survived the ocean and its inhabitants after we quite literally ejected him from the ship. Honestly, it’ll take nothing short of Muu to kill him. But at least we know who’s to blame. Again. Sorry for interrupting but we have a… ‘history’ with Dominic, so we’re very much aware of what a conman, a goon, and a traitor he is. He did betray Edyn for Muu in an attempt to make himself look like a big-shot hero.”

One of the elder’s aids sighed, “I thought his name sounded familiar. Boy, we really should’ve known that we’d be screwed over because we let him ‘help’ us.”

Kettu huffed, “I wouldn’t be surprised if he knew that seed was cursed so he could swoop in and save the day later on. He’s far from the sharpest knife in the drawer but he’s a good schemer. And nigh-unkillable, seeing how he’s survived a huge amount of punishment and several events that would’ve killed any other person. So we know that it’s Dominic’s doing. Whether he knew the seed was cursed or not we don’t know, although it is a possibility. But either way the result’s the same: he caused a catastrophe.”

The village elder sighed, “Then we were fools to trust him. I must be losing my better judgment abilities in my old age as I used to be able to see through goons like him as if they were made of glass. I’m sorry to ask but can you solve this issue for us?”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Leave it to us, sir. We’ll clean up Dominic’s mess since this isn’t the first time he’s caused such destruction in an attempt to make himself look big. Team, let’s go and deal with that cursed plant.”

The party gave resigned sighs, clearly not happy at the thought of cleaning up another one of Dominic’s messes. But they nodded and followed Sir Reginald toward the village. They could see the extent of the damage from outside, as the thickest vines were strangling the life out of the village. In the center was a large tree with what looked like an eyeball inside a flower with jaws. As they approached the village it was as if the vines knew the party was hostile and seemed to create plant monsters from the vines.

“Time to uproot this brute and pluck it like a daisy,” Nova said.

“Now’s not the time for puns, Nova!” Sir Reginald stated. “Let’s take down these plant creatures before the village takes anymore damage!”

The party approached the new “army” of plant monsters that the vines spawned. One of them looked like a demonic pitcher plant with tentacles and four eyes. It pointed its tentacles at the party and sprayed some purplish liquid at them. They hastily dodged the attack, revealing the liquid to be an acid as it started to melt part of the village wall.

Nova said, “I got an idea on how to deal with that!” He took out an Air Shield Gauntlet, equipped it to his arm, and stated, “Eagle Shields activate!”

Several Eagle Shields formed, protecting the party. The pitcher plant monster tried spraying the shields with its acid again but the shields endured the attack.

“Good thinking, Nova!” Zeeker said. “Now it’s my turn! Burning Claws!”

Zeeker slashed the pitcher plant monster with his claw weapons coated in fire. It easily ripped through the monster and cut it to pieces, burning away what was left. Another plant monster, which looked like a large flower with claws, spat more acid at the party. However, the Eagle Shields endured the attack.

“Flame Slash!” Angelo stated strongly.

He performed a downward flaming slash that bisected the plant monster, killing it and burning its remains. These actions seemed to make the center plant furious as it created more monsters for the party to fight.

“Keep the Eagle Shields in play, Nova!” Sir Reginald said. “You aim for the big boss flower! Try petrification!”

Nova nodded, nocked an arrow onto his bow, and said, “Ifrit Mode!”

The Demon King Ring adjusted itself, now set to Ifrit Mode.

“Petrify Shot!”

He fired the arrow at the main monster. Before the flower creature could respond, the arrow pierced it in the eye, making it roar in pain. It then started to turn to stone. The petrification traveled through the vines and caused the other plant monsters to turn to stone, allowing the party to easily smash them. Soon the entire plant was stone. It then started to crumble away. First only a bit then quite rapidly. After a few minutes all that was left of the cursed plant was the damage it had done to the village, as the rest of it had crumbled to dust. Everyone got into a more relaxed position as the battle ended.

Van said, “Smart thinking in using the Air Shield Gauntlet to protect us from the acid attacks, Nova. And it proved that the Eagle Shields can endure acid. That’s good information to keep filed away for later. But, for now, we need to find the seed that caused this and destroy it.”

Nina replied, “Already did. Here.”

She held out a seed. It looked like a glowing sunflower seed that was about the size of a child’s hand. It had been petrified from Nova’s attack.

“Van, would you do the honors of smashing this seed?”

The Centaur nodded, “I will. Put it on the ground.”

Nina gently put the petrified seed on the ground and backed up. Van trotted over, raised one of his legs up, and slammed it down upon the seed, smashing it to pieces. The party then heard cheering. They all turned to see the villagers approaching them, cheering and dancing happily.

The village elder shook Sir Reginald’s hand, “Thank you my honored friends. You saved our village from that terrible plant. Now if only we could replenish our food supply, as that killer weed destroyed what little crops we had. I don’t suppose you have a solution to that as well, do you?”

Nova replied, “We just might. Nina, it’s your turn to shine.”

Nina gained a look of dread, “Do I really have to, Nova? You know I don’t like that form.”

“I know Nina, but it’s for people in need. Dominic really made a mess of things here, as usual, so we need to do whatever we can to help them. And that includes using Nymph Wing to restore crops. You know as well as I do that your Nymph Wing form has the power to replenish and restore crops so we need to tap into that power to help these people.”

“Nymph Wing?” the village elder asked, quirking an eyebrow. “What’s that? And why does it fall upon that young maiden?”

“You’ll see in a moment.” Nova then gained an idea, “Nina, I know a way to motivate you.”

He walked over to her and whispered something in her ear, making her eyes widen.

“You’d really do that?” she asked.

“Yes, and you know I’m a man of my word.”

Nina gave a defeated sigh, “Okay, okay, you win, Nova. I just ask that none of the men here ogle me, as I’m really uncomfortable about the form’s ‘attire’. Let’s just get this over with.”

They all walked to the fields, which had been torn up by the cursed vines. Nina gave a resigned sigh as she held up her arm with the Shaman Magic Bracelet.

“As you would say: Here goes something. Wood, Wind. Elemental Energy Fusion activate.”

She was engulfed in swirling energy, much to the villagers’ surprise. Soon the energy dispersed and she was in her Nymph Wing form. She could immediately feel the eyes of the males, especially the young adults, drinking her body in.

“Hey! I said don’t ogle me! You either don’t ogle me or you don’t get crops! Pick your poison.”

The villagers instantly averted their eyes to not stare at her.

“That’s better. Now, time to get to work.”

She hovered over the fields, started to channel energy into her hands, and fired it at the ground. Pulsing waves of energy rippled through the earth. Before long the fields were full of fresh, healthy crops, much to the villagers’ delight. Nina floated back down to the ground.

“There. One full field of various crops. I also modified the soil to make it more fertile so it should prevent another bad harvest. Now, with the task complete… Cancel Fusion!”

She was engulfed in swirling energy and before long had returned to normal. She walked over to her party and gave a pout to Nova.

“You’d better keep your end of the bargain, Nova,” she said.

“Don’t worry, I will,” he replied. “Have I ever broken a promise to you before?”

“No, but I just want to make sure, as the nature of this promise makes me a tad skeptical that you’d do it. In any case we took care of business, destroyed the cursed seed and its vines, and restored the village’s crops. I think we’ve covered all our bases today.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Indeed we have. Good work, everyone.”

The village elder eagerly shook Sir Reginald’s hand, saying, “Thank you, our saviors. We are in your debt. I wish we could repay you somehow but we need what money we have to fix the damage that damn plant caused. And we’ll make sure to give that Dominic goon what for, as he nearly ruined our lives.”

“I’m all for that,” Kettu said. “Hey, Reggie, why don’t you use Warp to get us back to the capital? That way we can head for the Beastman Resistance, as it’s in the opposite direction of here, thereby cutting out some of our travel time.”

“That’s actually a good idea, Kettu,” Sir Reginald nodded. “And my name’s not ‘Reggie’!” He regained his composure before saying, “Anyway, team, let’s head back to the capital and work from there, as we have a Beastman Resistance to aid. If we’re all set I can get us back to the capital.”

The party nodded in agreement.

The village elder smiled, “Thank you once again. Now we can rebuild and have our lives restored thanks to you heroes. You’re the real deal compared to that Dominic goon. And if you run into him first… let him have it!”

“Be our pleasure,” Van said.

Sir Reginald nodded before saying, “Let’s go, team. Warp!”

The party vanished in a flash of light, leaving the villagers alone to repair the damage to their homes. They reappeared at the gates of the capital, much to the surprise of the soldiers stationed there. After explaining what had happened they entered the capital and made their way to the largest inn to rest. They knew the Beastman Resistance was next on their list of those who needed their aid. They wanted to be ready for it.

Next Chapter: The Beastman Resistance

That's all for today. Dominic screwed up. Again. Will he ever die? Tune in next time to find out.
 
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Time for the next chapter of Dawn of Courage. (Warning: contains mild language, mild violence, light blood, sexual suggestions)

The Beastman Resistance


It had been a few days since the party sorted out the cursed seed incident and freed the town of Thornwillow. They were back on the road, heading to their next destination. They could see a large, dense forest up ahead that seemed to be radiating powerful energies. Sir Reginald looked at the map before turning to the party.

“Okay, just up ahead of us is Silver Moon Forest,” he said. “If the information we got is true then the Beastman Resistance’s base should be near the center of it. Hopefully we can contribute to the cause, as having more allies to back us up will make fighting Muu and his army easier.”

Nova placed his hands behind his head, saying, “Considering that this forest is radiating Holy energies even I can feel must mean it’s monster-free, right?”

Nina nodded, “Yes, it is. No monster, even ones of the Light Element, can reside in it. So it makes for a perfect location for a resistance base as not even Muu’s army can go near this forest without suffering severe consequences, if not instant destruction. The Beastman Resistance picked their new base well as Silver Moon Forest is crammed to the gills with such powerful energies, allowing them to rebuild in peace and without fear of getting ambushed like last time.”

Zeeker nodded, “Aye, that’s true. I’ll give them props on this one. They definitely learned from their past mistakes and picked a location that’s both out-of-the-way and possesses instant Undead repellent. Hopefully we can offer some aid to them, as like Sir Reginald said: the more allies we have the better. I just wonder how many of the original resistance fighters survived? It must be much more than I thought, especially since I thought that at least half our previous resistance got wiped out. I guess the survivors outplayed Muu when they scattered. Makes me feel a bit more ashamed for bowing out of the fight for a bit because of my survivor’s guilt.”

Angelo replied cheerfully, “Don’t worry about it, Zeeker. If what Stu said is true then you simply showing up will greatly boost morale. So don’t feel bad about it, as it’s easy to see why you backed out for a bit. Such a devastating loss followed by having to play cat-and-mouse with Vertebreak’s minions would rattle anyone. But what matters is you did pick up the pieces again and got back into the fray.”

Zeeker smiled, “Yeah, I know. Thanks for saying that, as it does mean a lot. Now, enough chatter, let’s find the Beastman Resistance base and see what we can do.”

The party nodded and started to venture into Silver Moon Forest. The trees had silver leaves that seemed to glow and glimmer in the sunlight, giving the forest an almost cheerful, warm atmosphere. It didn’t take long before the party found their destination. Located in the center of the forest was a village with about five to six buildings. There they could see various Beastmen going about, doing various tasks and other manual labor. The party was stopped by a leopard-type Beastman who pointed his spear at them.

“Halt!” he said. “State you—” only to go wide eyed a moment later. “C-Captain Zeeker!? It really is you! You’ve returned to us, Captain!”

Zeeker gave a weak smile, “Hello, Joey, it’s good to see you again. This is the Demon King’s champion party. We’re here to help with the resistance.”

Joey looked like he was going to cry, “Oh, Captain! We’ve been worried sick about you! It’s so good to see you alive and well. We thought for sure that Muu…” he trailed off.

“It was a bit touch-and-go at times but I managed to escape safely. Although, to my regret, my survivor’s guilt got the better of me and I bowed out of the fight for a while. It was this party that relit the fire in me and got me back into the thick of things. Really, it’s because of them that I regained the drive to fight back. And I intend to take this fight to Muu’s throne room doors. This Beastman is planning to go buck wild on Muu and finally rid Edyn of him for good. Tell me, Joey, how many of our original troops survived?”

Joey replied, “It was more than we had expected. If our math is correct then we retained a good 53% of our original army. We did lose a lot of good men and women when Vertebreak broke us to pieces but we managed to retain more than half of our army. All things considered that’s not too bad. And we’ve gained more help and more Beastmen. Plus King Rand has been helping us, though he’s been keeping it under wraps because of General Galvinspine.”

Sir Reginald smiled, “Well, we took care of him, so King Rand can assist you more openly now. Which is a help as it’ll make rebuilding the resistance easier and faster. And we’re here to help as well.”

The leopard Beastman went wide eyed, “You lot took care of Galvinspine? That’ll alleviate a huge amount of pressure on both us and King Rand. Now we can work more openly with His Majesty and get our resources and funds built up faster. Excellent! Our remaining Captains and the handful of Majors we have left will be most pleased to know this. Including one certain Major you know very well, Captain Zeeker.”

Zeeker gained a rather embarrassed expression, “I know who you mean. Hopefully I can look her in the eye after running with my tail in between my legs for so long. But enough chin-wagging, please let us in so we can assist however we can.”

Joey saluted, “Yessir, Captain Zeeker! Please proceed.”

He moved aside, allowing the party into the fairly new village. It didn’t take long before various Beastmen ran up to them, happy to see Zeeker, who looked a bit sheepish. The Beastmen led the party into the largest building. Inside it had several tables, a large kitchen, a number of beds, and what looked like dozens of plans and tactics littered about. As soon as the Beastmen inside noticed Zeeker they all went silent.

“C-Captain Zeeker!” a rat-like one sputtered. “It’s really you! Stu was telling the truth!”

A female lynx-like one walked up to him, shaking his hand, “Welcome back, Captain Zeeker. Welcome back. We’ve been worried about you.”

Zeeker’s sheepish expression got more noticeable, replying, “Yeah, well, don’t be singing my praises just yet, as I am a bit ashamed of myself. I bowed out of the fight for a while due to my survivor’s guilt. I didn’t know that the resistance survived, much less with more than half of our original troops. I’m a bit embarrassed, to be honest, as it’s clear you all picked up the pieces of our resistance faster than I did and got back into the swing of things.”

A male fox Beastman smiled, “Hey, don’t worry about it. We didn’t rebuild as quickly as you think. It took a good four months for the survivors to regroup, and this base has only been here for about a month. As you can see we’re still working on building up the place. But with you here we can really get the ball rolling. And who are these people?”

Sir Reginald stepped up, “We’re the Demon King’s champion party. I’m Sir Reginald Ganner, General of the Galvatar Royal Knights, and the leader of this party. Zeeker joined our ranks to help us take down Muu once and for all and he’s been a valuable asset to us. It’s no surprise you speak highly of him as he’s certainly proven his salt.”

Zeeker blushed, “Sir Reginald, must you praise me like that? I’m not that spectacular.”

Nova replied, “Perhaps, but you’ve still been a vital cog in our operation, so that does warrant at least some praise. Everyone in this party has played at least one role or another in this uphill fight with Muu, even the weakest link: me. Any contribution to this several—millennia-old war is a welcome one. Remember my family motto: ‘Progress is progress, no matter how small’. Granted, recent generations of the Blitz family have warped that saying to fit their needs, but it’s original meaning still holds true.”

“Here, here,” Kettu nodded.

The lynx Beastman smiled, “That’s a very good motto to have. While I don’t know how it’s been warped by your family its core meaning still holds true. You’ve got a good mentality.”

Nova blushed, “Not exactly. I’m no paragon of positivity but I at least keep that motto close to heart, unlike the rest of my family who have strayed from the path our ancestors laid out. But I know that any form of progress is worth something, especially in situations like this, so I do try to do my best to keep my chin up during these hard times.”

“Hey, whatever works, right?” a koala-type Beastman said. “But still, it’s good to see you again, Captain Zeeker. Major Clair will be especially pleased to see you.”

Zeeker replied nervously, “If I can look her in the eye after running away for so long.”

“Old flame, perhaps?” Kettu grinned.

“Nope. Worse. You’ll see soon enough.”

Suddenly a large sabertooth tiger Beastman walked in, getting everyone’s attention.

“Captain Zeeker, it’s been too long,” the Beastman said.

“Likewise, Captain Ron,” Zeeker replied.

“I can see you’ve been doing well. That’s good, considering what happened that fateful day. And here I thought Stu was getting his information mixed up again. It’s good to see you again, Captain, as we’ve missed you.”

“Yeah, well, I’ve been working with the Demon King’s champion party. We’ve managed to uproot several Undead Bases and their occupants, freeing the entirety of the other continent. Now we hope to do the same here on this continent, since we know that Muu’s presence here is much stronger.”

Ron nodded, “Indeed. But I’ve heard you lot have done good work so far, including getting rid of General Galvinspine. That’s a huge relief to us, as now we can work more openly and King Rand can assist us more readily. Though I must admit your party is… unique.”

Zeeker gained a crooked grin, “Yeah, we are a cast of characters, to put it simply, but that hasn’t stopped us from doing our job. And doing it well, as countless Undead Captains and Generals have fallen to us. Vertebreak is still something of an issue for us but we’ve got a few new tricks up our sleeves since the last time we fought him. But, overall, we may be quite the assortment of allies: we’re able to work very well together, having accomplished a lot as a team.”

“So I’ve heard. And—” however, he stopped as he laid eyes on Nina.

It was as if his eyes had become hearts. He quickly grabbed her hands and held them in a rather romantic position, startling her.

“My, my, what a lovely woman you are,” he said eagerly. “I know that Phoenix Clan women are often cited as the most beautiful of all women but you’re especially gorgeous. Why don’t you become my wife?”

Nina pried her hands out of his grip, saying, “Sorry, tiger, but I’m already taken. Quite happily, I might add. So I’m off the market. And I highly suggest you don’t try to change my mind, as my man is perfect for me.”

Ron, obviously, was not giving up, saying, “Well he’ll just have to take a backseat as I’m running this show. Now, come with me, lovely Phoenix woman, and let us make beautiful music together.”

“NO!” Nina spat.

She quickly retreated behind Nova, making the Beastman’s eyes narrow.

“So, you’re her so-called ‘perfect man’?” he growled. “I’m afraid I’m not impressed. I can see the Demon King Ring on your finger, thus you’re the Demon King’s champion, but he certainly didn’t pick the best candidate for the job. You’re not worthy of a woman like her, so I suggest you back off and let me court her.”

Nova replied calmly, “I know I’m not worthy of Nina. And I know I’m not the best candidate for being the Demon King’s champion. But I’ll still defend Nina from other individuals who try to steal her from me. And I’m still fighting the good fight despite my distain for this mission and my fears. So I suggest that you back down and leave Nina alone, as she’s got enough men chasing after her. I worked hard to improve myself so I could become at least somewhat worthy of her and I’m not about to let anyone else stand in our way. So just back off and deal with it.”

Ron’s eyes flared, “You’ve got a lot of nerve, kid. She deserves a far better man than you. And I’m that man. So you either back off or I’ll make you with a fight.”

“Why should I bother fighting you when the result won’t change anything? It’d be a total waste of time and energy that you could be focusing on helping stomp out Muu. After all, defeating Muu is more important than a stupid cockfight over a great woman. And like I said regardless of the outcome it won’t change a thing. So you’re wasting your time by picking a fight with me.”

Ron grabbed Nova by the front of his tunic, growling, “I’ll prove to you that this isn’t a waste of time. You’re coming with me!”

He roughly dragged Nova outside and into the center of the village. Everyone else quickly gathered to see what was going on.

“Knock it off, Captain Ron!” Zeeker spat. “I know you’ve got a weakness for good-looking women but Nova and Nina are in a very well established relationship! This is not the time to pick a fight! Nothing you do will change anything regardless of the outcome! So just stop and back off!”

Ron replied, “You’re not my commanding officer anymore, Captain Zeeker. So I won’t back down. This is my fight and I intend to prove myself to this flimsy noodle of a champion!” He turned to face Nova, “You’re going down, pink boy!”

Nova merely crossed his arms and said calmly, “Like I said, fighting you is a complete waste of time. I won’t draw a single arrow or call forth a single spell as it won’t change anything.”

“You’re proving to be a coward, kid! I don’t like cowards! If you’re going to chicken out then back off and let me have the Phoenix girl!”

“No dice, furball.”

“Then TAKE THIS!”

Ron charged in, fists at the ready. He began attacking Nova, who refused to fight back despite the beating he was taking. Nina was horrified at what she was seeing while Zeeker was fuming. Ron continued to whale on Nova, though to his surprise the pink-haired man kept getting back up as if his injuries weren’t stopping him. Yet he still refused to fight back. This seemed to enrage Ron and he increased the fury of his punches. One final punch knocked Nova onto his back, causing his arrows to scatter, but, to everyone’s surprise, he simply stood back up.

“Is that the best you can do?” he said coldly. “If so then you’re not as strong as you think you are. I’ve taken worse damage from schoolyard bullies, which also helped me gain a huge threshold for pain. Your punches are like mosquito bites compared to what I’ve endured in the past. Honestly, you’re pretty weak for a captain of a resistance.”

This statement further enraged Ron. He started to run over to Nova, holding his fist up high, ready to punch in his face. However, before the blow could be delivered he was blindsided by a flaming punch, knocking him back. He turned to see the Burning Beast standing before him.

“That’s enough, Ron!” Zeeker growled in his Shaman form. “I won’t allow you to keep hurting my friend! Nova refuses to fight because he knows it’s a pointless endeavor! No matter if you win or lose it won’t change the fact that Nina loves him and only him! I may not be able to order you to stand down but I will make you stand down even if I have to use the power of this Shaman form to do it! So save us all some time, energy, and trouble and just back off!”

“Captain Zeeker!?” Ron sputtered. “What is this form?!” He then shook his head, “No matter. I won’t back down. I intend to prove to the lovely Nina that she’s wasting her time with this grunt of a champion. So you back off now! That’s an order!”

“Neither of us can order the other, ‘Captain’ Ron!” Zeeker countered. “I’ve always known you had a weakness for good-looking women but this time you’ve gone too far. I won’t allow it! If you don’t back off now I’ll make you back off!”

Ron swung a punch at Zeeker, who merely caught it and launched a flaming punch of his own, knocking the sabertooth tiger Beastman back. Ron shook the attack off despite it singeing part of his fur. He charged in, ready to go at it.

A strong, curt voice cut through the air, “That’s enough, Captain Ron! I order you to stand down now!”

Ron stopped, clearly surprised, while Zeeker gained a look of dread. Everyone turned to see a female hyena-type Beastman walk up. She had a strong, noble air to her, with piercing eyes, a stern face, and was clearly angry yet calm.

“Major Clair!” Ron sputtered.

Major Clair walked up to the fighters, “I’m gone for a few hours to run errands and you get into a fight over a pretty girl? I’m very disappointed in you, Captain Ron. Couldn’t you see that your opponent wasn’t going to fight back? It was clear he knew this fight was pointless, since it’s obvious that the Phoenix girl wouldn’t shift tracks if you had won. I’m deeply disappointed to see that your weakness for cute girls continues to cloud your judgment to the point you’re willing to start a cockfight with someone to ‘prove your superiority’ over that man. This isn’t the first time, either, Captain Ron, but this time it is the straw that breaks the camel’s back. I hereby demote you to Lieutenant for this unnecessary conflict. We’re trying to find allies, not make more enemies. This little fight could’ve cost us some powerful allies in our quest to stop Muu for good. If these folk are capable of dealing with Muu’s forces then they are allies we cannot afford to lose. You will back off and leave this issue alone or I’ll demote you further. Is that clear?”

Ron grumbled, “Yes, Major Clair.”

“Good. Now, return to your post and if I catch you giving this man or the Phoenix girl grief it will cost you.”

Ron reluctantly walked away, giving Nova a glare, who merely wiped the blood off his face. Nina quickly ran over to him and began flitting about, fussing over his injuries. Van galloped over to the duo, ready to do his job.

“Here, Nova, let me heal your injuries,” the Centaur said. He started to channel energy before saying, “Restore!”

Nova was bathed in healing energies that closed his wounds and healed his body. After a few seconds he was fully healed. Nina hugged him tightly, clearly worried about him.

“Nova!” she cried. “Are you okay? Can I get you anything, beloved?”

Nova gave a small smile, “Just your affection is all I need right now. Though I admit I feel a bit tenderized. But I’ve suffered worse injuries.”

“The fact you take injuries, no matter the severity, with such a casual response is almost… unnerving,” Kettu said. “Have you really been through the mill so much that such a beating is almost nothing to you?”

“Sadly, yes, though it did build up my threshold for pain; it’s a bit give and take. But I have suffered worse injuries than what that Beastman gave me. Now, let me gather up my arrows.”

“I’ll help,” Nina said, clearly worried.

Major Clair turned to Zeeker, who was trying to avoid eye contact. She gave a sigh and forced the Shamanized Beastman to look at her.

“Captain Zeeker, it’s good to see you again,” she said. “We’ve been worried about you. I apologize for Ron, as his weakness for good-looking women has always been a problem, as you’re aware. Though this time he took it too far. I’m glad to see you survived that fateful day. And you’re now sporting Shaman magic powers? I admit I’m a bit jealous of you. This form is quite formidable. But I’m glad to see you jumped back into the fight, even if it's with this new and oddly assembled squad.”

Zeeker replied gloomily, “Yeah, well, I didn’t jump back into the fight right away, Major Clair, as my survivor’s guilt got the better of me. It was this group that relit the fire in me. I’m a bit ashamed of myself that I didn’t take up the fight right away after the resistance was defeated by Vertebreak, unlike you and the others here. But I’m glad to see you’re doing as well as you always are, Major Clair.”

She replied, “I’d wish you’d refer to me with the name I prefer… Little Zee.”

“As you wish… Big Clara.”

Sir Reginald stepped up, “Zeeker, who is this woman? Is she a lover?”

Zeeker shook his head, “No. This is my older sister, Clair. We sometimes have a typical brother-sister relationship but at the same time we’re very close. We may bicker sometimes but we also don’t hesitate to protect each other. We both joined the original Beastman Resistance and became Captains, though it’s obvious Clair rose up a rank since then. Clair was always the stronger one, as I was a bit more meek when we were cubs. Obviously that’s changed, especially after we joined the Beastman Resistance, but we still have our brother-sister tendencies every now and then. I’m just glad you survived that fateful day, Big Clara. I was afraid you were among the casualties.”

Clair smiled, “I was worried about you for the same reason, Little Zee. It’s good to see you’re still going strong. And it looks like I owe Stu an apology, as I wasn’t sure if he was telling the truth or not. Considering he sometimes gets his information mixed up does warrant some doubt. I apologize for what Ron did, as I know you are here to help us. We cannot afford to lose such powerful allies like you. I just hope you can help us. Even if it's just giving us some money it’ll be a help. Although I do admit I’m impressed by this Shaman magic, Little Zee. I take it everyone in your party can use it.”

Kettu walked up, “Everyone except Nova, though he does have the excuse of being from another world. But yes, we all have quite the colorful collection of Shaman forms. Nina in particular is overflowing with Shaman powers, one of which she used recently to defeat Galvinspine.”

“So I’ve heard, as I met some of King Rand’s troops not too long ago,” Clair replied. “This is most fortunate as it means we can get help more readily now from both donors and King Rand. I hope that what Ron did won’t sour your opinion of our resistance, as we need all the help we can get.”

Sir Reginald said, “Nina might be a bit sore about what happened, as her love for Nova and desire to ensure his wellbeing is unrivaled. But we still intend to help however we can.”

“Thank you, that’s music to my ears. Even if you could just donate some money to our cause it would be a huge asset.”

Van replied, “We can do much more than that, Major Clair. Outside of lending our strength we also have valuable monster parts that you can sell for big profits. Stuff like Gargathox tusks and Basilisk horns and the like.”

Clair’s eyes widened, “If you’d be willing to donate such parts that we could sell back in the capital it would be a huge boon to our resistance. Thank you.” She then turned to Nova who had finished collecting his arrows, “Nova, was it? I do apologize for what Ron did. It was clear you knew that this was a lost cause he was pursuing, which is why you didn’t fight back. I commend you for not wasting your energy on a pointless endeavor. But I do feel bad about you getting such a beating. Can you forgive me for not keeping Ron on a shorter leash?”

Nova nodded, “Yes, I can, as it’s not your fault. Ron simply couldn’t let something so pointless go. And if his libido is a recurring issue then he needs to learn to control it himself or it’ll cost him more than just a demotion. Although I do admit I didn’t know that Zeeker had a sister. I can see the resemblance between you two.”

Clair smiled, “Thank you, noble Demon King champion. That means a lot to me. I’m surprised that Little Zee never told you about me, either, but I guess he thought I was dead so he didn’t feel the need to. But, obviously, I’m alive and well. And I appreciate that you’re going to help us--despite this unnecessary conflict you got dragged into. While I’m a bit surprised that a Phoenix Clan woman is interested in a human I can see your love for each other is strong.”

Nina gently embraced Nova, replying, “My clan are, frankly, idiots, due to their self-destructive tendencies. We’ve since smacked some sense into them but I left my kingdom and found my true life partner in the form of Nova. And I don’t regret any of it. I’m perfectly fine diluting my bloodline if it means I can have a loyal, loving husband, one who treats me with kindness and respect. Nova fits that bill quite nicely and I’m proud to be his woman.”

“I can see that. Now, since you’re all here you can start helping us out. If you give us those monster parts you mentioned then I can have some of my troops go and cash them in so we can get some much-needed funding. Afterward we’ll discuss our next plan of attack, as we intend to take down one of Muu’s Undead Bases not far from here.”

The party nodded in agreement. Nova took out some of the more valuable monster parts he had and gave them to some Beastmen, who immediately teleported away to sell them. Zeeker transformed back to normal and the party started to give assistance to the Beastmen however they could. They knew that a big battle would soon be upon them and they had to be ready for it.

Next Chapter: Operation Lighting Blitz

That's all for today. Tune in next time to see what our heroes face.
 
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Time for the next chapter of Dawn of Courage. (Warning: contains mild language, mild violence)

Operation Lightning Blitz


It was the following day after the party met up with the Beastman Resistance. They all had gathered in the main building discussing their battleplan for the upcoming fight with Muu’s forces. In front of them were several notes and documents that described various bits of information on the enemy.

Clair said, “Okay, we seem to have everything lined up. Our next opponent is General Skeletron, who is a pretty powerful member of Muu’s army. He’s also boasting a very large force behind him, totaling 150 Undead Soldiers. There are also Iron Gaias in the mix as well, bolstering those numbers. While that number does outpace our group we have proven capable of handling such amounts of enemies. Especially since we have the Demon King’s champion party assisting us. And thanks to their donation of those rare monster parts we’ve gained sufficient funds to finance this upcoming battle. We also received a shipment of goods from King Rand late yesterday containing various Elemental Coins for us to use, most of them being Torch and Glimmer Coins, fresh from the Night Market, thereby giving us some extra oomph. We’ll each carry a handful of them so we can be prepared to use them at any time, especially if things get dicey. Sir Reginald, do you have any other suggestions that might be helpful in our mission?”

Sir Reginald pondered for a moment before replying, “Yes, I do. Allow our group to use our Shaman magic forms, as they’ve proven effective against Muu’s forces time and time again. While Muu has been attempting to counter said forms we’ve managed to find a workaround in every situation. It’ll also bolster our offensive prowess, as they boast several useful AOE attacks.”

Clair nodded, “I approve of that suggestion. You possessing Shaman magic is a major game-changer. If they have such potent effects and powerful AOE attacks then we can really use those to our advantage. We will count on you to use your Shaman powers to the fullest extent. What forms will you use?”

Sir Reginald pondered for a moment again before replying, “Well, Nina should use Goddess of Phoenixes, as one of its special qualities is being extra potent on Undead. Zeeker should use Burning Beast, as both he and Nina can perform a devastating combo. Angelo should use Tsunami Knight, as Undead have some trouble with anything water-related, alongside the fact that he can use the Light element in that form. Kettu should use Fox Fyre, as its Will-O-Wisp is very potent and is capable of crushing the Iron Gaias even in their defensive form. Van should use Galactic Pegasus, as it’s a very powerful form with a devastating crowd-control attack. And I’ll become Terra Dark Knight, especially since Van and I can use a highly deadly combo attack, but also having the Dark element will make me immune to their attacks and it strengthens my barrier-producing abilities quite nicely in case we need to go on the defensive.”

Ron sneered, “Looks like the ‘champion’ is gonna have to sit this one out, as he’s got no Shaman powers that’ll be of any use.”

Nina responded to this remark with an energy ball to the face, knocking the sabertooth tiger Beastman back.

“You watch your mouth, you kitten!” she spat. “Nova doesn’t need Shaman powers to prove how effective he is. Considering he kept getting up even after the beating you gave him proves he’s tougher and stronger than you. And for the record I’m still mad at you for what you did to him yesterday. So don’t expect any sympathy from me if you get your furry behind whupped.”

Clair stated, “Lieutenant Ron, I advise you to not cause friction between us and our allies or another demotion may be in your future. This is a critical mission, as we know that Skeletron has a large supply of not only stolen goods but also several items that Muu shipped to him. We need to take those away from him, as they could provide his troops with more power or the ability to summon reinforcements. We need to uproot his base as soon as possible and confiscate everything in there so we can further our plans in stopping Muu.”

Nova then said, “I have another idea to incorporate into our plans. My Gorgon Viper, Elora, could give us an extra edge in this fight, as her species are Undead hunters.”

The fox Beastman went wide eyed, “You’ve got a Gorgon Viper as a familiar!? Boy, are you a brave one, as Gorgon Vipers are quite the handful to put it lightly.”

Kettu replied, “Actually, Elora’s pretty much the opposite of other Gorgon Vipers. You can count on her to follow Nova’s instructions to the letter and she is unquestionably loyal to him. She’s also a real sweetheart. Except in battle, then she lives up to her species ferocity. But she’ll still listen to Nova without question.”

Clair turned to Nova, “Is this true?”

Nova nodded, “Yes. Elora is something of an exception when it comes to the ‘rules’ of Gorgon Vipers. She will follow my instructions to the letter and won’t disobey me. The only exception to that is if a Zombie Drake is involved but considering that Muu’s familiar is a Zombie Drake I’m willing to let that slide. Especially if it gives us an advantage. So you can count on her to add some extra firepower to our operation.”

Clair nodded, “I see. That is a very welcome addition to our plans. Gorgon Vipers are normally wild cards at best but if yours is as loyal and obedient as you say she is then she’ll prove to be a fine element in our plans to topple Skeletron. With all this new information and additions, let’s begin our final strategy meeting. We’ll attack Skeletron’s base tomorrow at midday, as the sun should weaken him and his troops to make them much more manageable. Now, let’s get to work on ironing out our plans.”

The group nodded and began mapping out various battle strategies and ideas, trying to iron out their tactics and methods to defeat their powerful foe. After about two hours of planning it was time to eat. Nova made a large pot of stew, much to the resistance’s delight, allowing them to eat a filling meal. After the pot of stew was gone they all retired for the night, knowing that a big battle was soon upon them.

The sun rose over the horizon the following morning. The party and the Beastman Resistance were making final preparations for the battle with General Skeletron and his Undead Army. One of the Beastmen was distributing small pouches of assorted Elemental Coins to everyone from a fair-sized crate that had the Night Market’s emblem on it. After distributing all the Elemental Coins the party and the Beastman Resistance made their final checks to ensure they had everyone.

Clair stepped up to the front, “Okay, everyone. Today we’ll take down one of Muu’s Undead Generals and his Undead Army, sending a big message to Muu that the Beastman Resistance lives on. It’s time we paid back Muu’s army for what they’ve done to not just us but to the world as a whole. We will send a clear message to Muu and his army that we will not bow down to tyranny and terror. And with the help of the Demon King’s champion party, we will ensure that Muu gets the message loud and clear. Are you ready?”

“Yes ma’am!” the Beastmen said in unison.

“Then let’s send Skeletron and his Undead goons back to the cemetery where they belong. Operation Lighting Blitz is a-go! March!”

The resistance started to march forward, weapons and banners raised, ready to strike down Muu’s forces. The party followed them, knowing what challenge lay ahead of them. They marched for a good hour before one of the Undead Bases came into view. It was a very large one, nestled in a craggy pathway, with flags containing Muu’s emblem and what looked like eight Iron Gaias standing in front, acting as sentries. Everyone nodded, knowing what the next step was.

Sir Reginald turned to the party, “Let us take our Shaman forms now so we can fight at full force the moment we step into the battlefield.”

“Elemental Energy Fusion activate!” every party member except Nova said in unison.

They were engulfed in swirling energy, much to the amazement of the Beastmen, and soon they had become the Terra Dark Knight, Goddess of Phoenixes, Fox Fyre, Burning Beast, Galactic Pegasus, and Tsunami Knight.

Nova then placed a Summoning Sticker on the back of his right hand, saying, “Now it’s time to call forth my ever-faithful familiar. Elora, come forth!”

The Summoning sticker glowed, followed by a summoning circle appearing, then a burst of fire and smoke and before long Elora was standing next to Nova. She immediately noticed the Undead Base and hissed, igniting her tail blade with black flames. The Beastmen were in awe at the sight of the powerful familiar.

“Quite the impressive familiar, Nova,” Clair said. “I can see why you have such faith in her. Now, then, it’s time for battle. We will fight, and we will win. Let us send our message to Muu that we won’t be stomped out so easily. We will fight him and remove him from our world forever, starting with Skeletron. Begin the attack!”

Nova nocked an arrow onto his bow, saying, “I’ll get their attention. Ifrit Mode.”

The Demon King Ring adjusted itself, now set to Ifrit Mode.

“Dragon Strike!”

He fired the electrified dragon attack at the front of the Undead Base. It struck the front gates, blasting them open and stunning everyone. The leader stood up. General Skeletron looked like a large robotic skeleton, only his “mechanical” parts were more akin to a ship’s engine, complete with a Magna Crystal cube inside of him. His unholy eyes flickered as he saw the incoming resistance.

“Time to put some Beastmen skin on my walls,” he growled. “Undead Soldiers, Iron Gaias… ATTACK!”

The Undead Soldiers stormed out of the base, ready to fight, while the Iron Gaias prepared themselves for battle.

Kettu grinned, “I’ll shut those Iron Gaias down. Will-O-Wisp!”

He fired several will-o-wisps from around his body, causing them to fuse with the Iron Gaias, making them stagger, the will-o-wisps forming above their heads. They deactivated their defenses and slammed their hammers on the ground, creating the rippling shockwave attack. The party swiftly dodged the attack with some fancy footwork though the Beastman Resistance fighters got hit by the attack. However, they got right back up before the enemy could take advantage of the situation.

Nina turned to Zeeker, “Combo time, Zeeker?”

Zeeker smiled, “Indeed, Nina. Let’s fry these boneheads, extra-crispy style!”

“Flames of Judgment!”

“Firestorm Wrath!”

Both attacks combined into a massive maelstrom of fire and wind. It swept up several Undead Soldiers, trapping them in its fiery vortex.

Angelo primed his blade, saying, “Time to sink or swim! Waterspout Tempest!”

He swung his sword, causing a massive waterspout to form and sweep up several more Undead Soldiers.

Nova stated, “Elora, go bust some boneheads!”

Elora obeyed, opened her mouth, and spewed her hellfire at several more Undead Soldiers, burning them to ash near-instantly.

Van reared up on his hind legs, “Have a taste of this! Meteor Storm!”

There was a brief pause before a barrage of meteors rained down, smashing several Undead Soldiers to bits while also damaging the Iron Gaias, which looked like they were moments from keeling over due to the Will-O-Wisp attack eating away at them.

Sir Reginald managed to get up to General Skeletron, saying, “Let’s see you handle me, Skeletron! Seismic Shock Slash!”

He swung his sword, causing a seismic shockwave to form and ram into General Skeletron, knocking him off his feet. Just then Ron charged in and began punching the Undead Captain with a flurry of rapid strikes. However, Skeletron managed to force back the attack and delivered a strong uppercut that knocked Ron back.

Nova took aim at the Undead General, saying, “Time to show what a crack shot I am. Fire Shot!”

He fired the flaming arrow at General Skeletron. Sir Reginald saw it coming and quickly grabbed Ron and pulled him out of the way. Before Skeletron could respond the flaming arrow struck his Magna Crystal cube, causing it to start humming and shaking.

“Everyone get behind me, NOW!” Sir Reginald instructed.

Everyone quickly retreated behind the transformed knight.

“Barrier!”

A barrier formed around the entire resistance army as Skeletron charged toward them.

“Your barrier won’t stop me from taking you all out with me!” he screamed angrily.

He started to bash away at the barrier but to no avail, as it stood strong. The Magna Crystal cube glowed brightly, making him scream in anguish as it exploded, taking him with it. At that moment the other attacks had waned, leaving no trace of the Undead Army. Shortly afterward the Iron Gaias crumbled to dust, leaving only their hammers and helmets behind. After a few tense seconds Sir Reginald lowered the barrier, as the battle was over.

“We did it!” one Beastman cheered.

“Score one for the Beastman Resistance!” another said.

Clair stated strongly, “We all did well, but we cannot forget our trusted allies; the Demon King’s champion party, who valiantly aided us in this fight. They deserve credit for their impressive powers and abilities, as we couldn’t have won so cleanly without their help. Now, let us enter the base and take back what Muu stole, along with take anything of value for ourselves.”

The resistance fighters eagerly entered the base, the party following behind them. They located the crates of stolen goods near the back corner of the base. Van opened one of them to reveal the contents of the crate.

Clair nodded, “Yes, these are some of the stolen crates that various merchants had lost due to Muu’s interference. We’ll let the Demon King’s champion party take these with them, as they can return them to King Rand more easily that we can. Nova, if you’d be so kind to store these into that strange metal backpack of yours.”

Nova nodded and stashed the stolen crates into his Digi-Pack. Van opened up the crates that had Muu’s emblem on them, revealing various materials and other items.

The lynx Beastman said, “The Resistance could really use some of these items. Not only are there valuable crafting items, but also stuff like Beast Claws and Eye Gems.”

Clair nodded, “Right, we’ll take these back to our base and divide them up between us and the Demon King’s champion party, as they could also use these items, too. Especially if what Nina said is true that Nova is able to make magical accessories with such items, turning one-use items into multi-use ones. That’s something that hasn’t been done before. So they would know the best way to turn things like the Beast Claws into very useful items for future battles. Nova, please put these crates into your strange backpack as well so we can take them back to our base and start dividing them between us.”

Nova nodded and stored the other crates into his Digi-Pack. After salvaging anything else of worth from the Undead Base, including the Iron Gaia helmets and hammers, everyone walked outside and put some distance between them and the Undead Base.

Sir Reginald turned to Van, saying, “Let’s scrap this base with our combo attack.”

Van nodded, “I’m with you.”

“Dark Meteor Crash!”

“Asteroid Annihilation!”

A brief pause followed before two giant space rocks came rocketing down from above. They combined into one massive cosmic attack, causing everyone to brace themselves for impact. The colossal space rock came crashing down upon the Undead Base, engulfing it in a large blast, utterly destroying it, leaving a smoldering crater in its wake. Everyone gave a sigh of relief.

Clair stepped up, “Excellent work, everyone. Today we scored a major victory over Muu and his army. It showed that the Beastman Resistance still lives and that we won’t be beaten so easily. We stood and fought hard today, having earned our first major victory since the Beastman Resistance got crushed months ago. Let us return to base so we can celebrate our success. Beastman Resistance, move out!”

The Beastman cheered as they started to make their way back to their base. The party merely chuckled.

“They’re an enthusiastic bunch,” Van chuckled.

“Considering that this is their first major victory since the first Beastman Resistance fell I guess they feel they earned it,” Nina giggled.

Nova gently patted Elora on the neck, saying, “Thanks for your help today, Elora. You gave us some much-needed extra firepower. Take the rest of the day off. To the Spirit Plane.”

Elora gave a happy hiss at the praise before vanishing in a flurry of sparkles.

“I suggest we transform back to normal now,” Angelo said.

“Cancel Fusion!” every party member except Nova said in unison.

They were engulfed in swirling energy before returning to normal. They followed the Beastman Resistance back to their base. A few hours later a massive celebration was taking place, filled with food and joyous cheer. Nina made sure to hover close to Nova so no one would try to make a move on her, while Clair keep her eye on them, much to Ron’s annoyance. By the time the celebration had ended it was getting dark and the three moons were starting to rise. Everyone retired for the night. Except for one person.

Zeeker looked up at the night sky from the Beastman Resistance’s base, a sad smile on his face. He then heard something and turned, relaxing when it was revealed to be Clair.

“Little Zee…” she said tenderly. “Can’t sleep, little brother?”

“It’s not that, Big Clara,” he replied. “For starters I’m happy to see that the Beastman Resistance lives on even after such a crushing defeat at the bony claws of Vertebreak. And I’m glad to see the resistance still has enough fight in it to tackle a threat like Skeletron and his large Undead Army platoon. Good to know that our fellow Beastmen still have plenty of guts.”

Clair nodded, “Indeed, Little Zee.” She paused for a moment before saying, “I know you’ll be leaving us to stay with the Demon King’s champion party. Am I right?”

Zeeker nodded, “Yes, sis, I will be. I owe it to them that I stick with them. After all, they’re the ones who got me back into this fight with Muu. And because of them I regained my spark and courage that I had lost when Vertebreak stomped out our first resistance. While part of me wants to stay here I know my place is with Nova and the others. I promised them I’d help take the fight to Muu’s front doors and I intend to follow up on that. I hope you can forgive me for that, Big Clara.”

She smiled, “I understand completely, Little Zee. You always were a man of your word. I’m just grateful you’re still alive, as I feared I had lost you back then. I could never face our parents knowing that you died because of a mistake we all made that fateful day. At least I can hold my head up high knowing that my little brother has grown so much. You make the Cackle family proud for what you’ve been doing, fighting alongside the Demon King’s champion and his party. I’m proud to call you my brother. Just please, Zeeker, don’t die before this is all over. I want you to return to our hometown with me, our heads held high, knowing that we all played a part in destroying Muu for good.”

“Don’t worry, sis. With the group I’m with I won’t be dying anytime soon. I learned from my mistake and I’m doing everything I can to make things right. I’ll return home with you one day when this is all over. I promise.”

The two Cackle siblings exchanged a warm hug before they returned to their beds. They knew that they had more work to do but they also knew they were ready for it.

Next Chapter: Dominic’s Disastrous Return

That's all for today. Another day, another Undead Base destroyed, another foothold secured. Tune in next time to see what our heroes face.
 
Time for the next chapter of Dawn of Courage. (Warning: contains mild language, mild violence)

Dominic’s Disastrous Return


It had been a few days since the party helped the Beastman Resistance and defeated General Skeletron. They had since left the hidden village base and were back on the road, heading to their next destination. Sir Reginald was in the lead, as usual, guiding the party with his map and compass.

“Okay, we should be seeing the next village soon,” he said. “When we get there it’ll be a straight shot to the next Undead Base, as according to the information we got there’s one just north of the village. This village also houses one of the nut plantations that make Nuts Oil, along with other crops such as Gold Peppers, Sapphire Beets, and Scarlet Pumpkins, the latter of which is used to make Scarlet Pumpkin Juice. Not to mention this village is famous for its other pumpkin products like pies, cookies, soups, and cheesecakes.”

Nina licked her lips, “Yum, I’m looking forward to trying those goodies. Especially the cheesecake. Hey, Nova, do you make pumpkin cheesecake?”

Nova replied, “Sometimes, though I’m more famous for my double decker caramel pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. But every so often I’ll make a pumpkin cheesecake. I also make pumpkin pancakes and cream cheese-filled pumpkin cupcakes every so often, especially when it’s in season.”

“Nova, just hearing you say those various goodies is making my mouth water. I am so going to look forward to trying out your menagerie of baked goods when I go back to Earth with you. Just thinking about it makes me excited.”

Kettu chuckled, “Well, try to curb your excitement, Nina, as we’re not here to eat. I mean, sure, there’s nothing stopping us from trying out the local goods, but we’re mostly here to shut down the nearby Undead Base. This Undead Base may be one reason why the Nuts Oil supply has been so low lately, as it’s one of the larger nut plantations. So we’d better keep our mind on the mission and not on the goodies.”

“I know, I know. But I can’t help but salivate at the thought of at least trying some of the local treats after we’re finished dealing with Muu’s Undead Base.”

Angelo chuckled, “I’m with you, Nina, as there’s nothing wrong with wanting to sample the local cuisine. But Muu’s army does take priority, but after that there’s nothing stopping us from enjoying a tasty treat or two.”

“I just hope Muu’s army is the only thing we have to deal with,” Nova said grimly.

“Got one of those bad feelings again, Nova?” Van asked. “Like when you detected Cain a while back?”

“Yeah, and it feels a lot like the vibe that Dominic gives me whenever he’s nearby. We might have other issues to worry about if he’s in the mix somehow.”

Zeeker sighed, “Great, just what we need. Hopefully that’s not the case.”

Nina looked ahead, narrowing her eyes, saying, “Um… looks like it will be the case, as I can see what looks like a mob at the village entrance. We’d better check it out.”

The party gave resigned sighs as they rushed ahead to see what the commotion was. When they got close they could see what was going on. Dominic was trying to get into the village--only for the villagers to keep throwing him out. It was clear the villagers were angry at him while he tried to reason with them. The party collectively rolled their eyes and made their way over to the mob.

“Get lost, you punk!” a woman said.

“Yeah, you’re no hero!” a man spat.

“Beat it, you loser!” a young woman yelled.

“We don’t serve your kind around here!” an older man snapped.

Dominic sputtered, “B-B-But I’m a famous hero! You can’t kick me out!”

He then heard a familiar voice retort, “Yeah, some ‘hero’ you are, Domi. Causing problems for everyone again? Some things never change.”

Dominic whirled around to see Nova and the party. He narrowed his eyes as he saw the smug expression on the pink-haired man’s face.

“YOU!!!” he roared. “You little weasel! Do you know what it took me to get to this continent after you ejected me from the ship? And how I barely managed to avoid getting eaten by a Jelly? Everything is your fault! Because of you the worst kind of discrimination is at play here: the kind against ME!!! Get lost, you little pink-haired rat!”

“Says the slimy sewer rat who sold out Edyn in favor of Muu in order to make yourself look big!” Zeeker countered. “Nova has only done good things for the people of Edyn, including exposing you for a fraud and a traitor. If anything, the discrimination you’re getting is karma for all the horrible deeds you’ve done in your quest to make yourself look like a bigshot.”

Nina nodded, “That’s right. You just cannot accept the fact that your crimes are spreading like wildfire and it’s causing the people of Edyn to turn on you. You can’t handle the fact that things aren’t going your way and are throwing a temper tantrum like a spoiled child. This is but one of many reasons why I can’t stand you, Dominic. You’re nothing more than an immature child in a grown man’s body. And you’re willing to resort to any method, no matter how low or disgusting, to get your way. Well guess what? The world won’t accept that. And, for the record, we had to clean up another one of your messes not too long ago. That ‘miracle seed’ you gave the village of Thornwillow was a cursed item that spawned plant monsters and indestructible vines that nearly destroyed the village. Our party had to go and save the village from your actions. Again. So you’re no hero, Dominic. You’re nothing more than a spineless, cowardly rattlesnake who will sell out on those who won’t worship your overinflated ego and turn them into sacrificial lambs or martyrs. Just proves what a scumbag you are.”

Dominic replied, “B-Baby, don’t talk like that. You know I’m hot stuff. You really shouldn’t be listening to these lowlifes and instead join the winning team.”

Nina fired an energy ball from her hand directly into Dominic’s face, knocking him over.

“Don’t you DARE talk to me that way, Dominic!” she hissed venomously. “And why should I join you when I’m already on the winning team? As long as I have my trustworthy, strong, brave, and reliable friends and my beloved Nova I’m always on the winning team. I trust them with my life, especially Nova. I wouldn’t trust you to water my potted plants much less care for me. So don’t you dare call me ‘baby’ or call my friends such vile things or I’ll make sure you’re on the next boat to Hell!”

Sir Reginald turned to the villagers, “Would you care to explain what Dominic did that caused this incident?”

The village elder replied, “He promised to deal with Muu’s army just to the north of us; because his army is harassing us we cannot harvest our crops. Especially the nuts needed to make Nuts Oil, since we know there’s a shortage of it in most places. We’re one of the main makers of Nuts Oil, and our village is famous for both our high-quality Nuts Oil and Scarlet Pumpkin products. But he’s been putting it off in favor of goofing off with the women and trying to get free food out of us. We caught on pretty quickly that he had no intention of keeping his promise so we threw him out. But, obviously, he won’t leave. I hope you lot will be willing to deal with Muu’s army in favor of this cowardly windbag.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “That’s our job. We’re the Demon King’s champion party, so it is our mission to uproot any and all traces of Muu and his army from Edyn. We’ll gladly deal with Muu’s army on your behalf.”

The villagers all gained relieved expressions.

“Finally, a competent, courageous party has arrived to help us,” a young man sighed, relieved.

Dominic spat, “Not if I get to Muu first!”

He then bolted off, heading in the direction of where Muu’s Undead Base was located. The party all exchanged depressed sighs.

“He never learns,” Kettu shrugged.

“And he’ll only do things if it’s to one-up us,” Nova groaned.

Sir Reginald said, “Be as it may, we still have a job to do. Let’s go after Dominic and take down the Undead Base stationed there so these fine folk can return to their livelihoods.”

“Maybe Muu’s army will finally kill Dominic for us,” Nina said snidely.

“I doubt it,” Nova replied. “It may take Muu himself to finally dispose of Dominic. But one can hope. Come on, let’s get moving and save the day, as usual.”

The party nodded and pursued after Dominic, heading in the direction where Muu’s base was located. It didn’t take them long to reach it; it was in the outskirts of a large field of various types of nuts. They could already see Dominic, who was literally getting hammered by an Iron Gaia that was acting as a sentry. The party chuckled as they saw Dominic getting smashed into the ground and popping back up only for the process to repeat itself.

“It’s like a game of Whack-a-Mole or something out of Looney Tunes, only more cathartic,” Nova chuckled darkly.

Kettu chuckled, “Can’t say I don’t approve of what that Iron Gaia is doing. But I guess business before pleasure. Shall I scope things out to see what kind of Undead goon we’re dealing with? I see a barrier so we can’t use Phantom this time.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Please, do so, Kettu. Let us take cover so we can start our strategy meeting. Be careful, Kettu.”

“On it. Be back in three shakes of a fox tail.”

Kettu transformed into his black fox form and scurried off while the Iron Gaias were too busy dealing with Dominic to notice him. After about 15 minutes he returned, taking a brief moment to sneer at Dominic still getting pounded into a pulp by the Iron Gaias, before scampering back to the party.

“What’s the scoop, Kettu?” Zeeker asked.

Kettu transformed back and replied, “Standard number of Undead Soldiers, for starters. But the Undead Captain seems to be one powered by a fallen soul, as he not only had a distinct element to him, Fire in this case, but I could see a glowing orb underneath his armor. I also saw more crates with Muu’s emblem on them. Must be more goods like Beast Claws, Magna Crystal cubes, and the like. Safe to assume we’ll take those with us, correct?”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Indeed. Better us than Muu’s army. Now, with this information we can begin planning our attack.”

The party huddled around to begin mapping out their attack. All the while Dominic was still getting pummeled by the Iron Gaias that were acting as sentries, his plight and pain being completely ignored by both the party and Muu’s army. After about 15 minutes the party had agreed on a plan.

“Okay, if we’re all set we can begin,” Sir Reginald said. “Let’s give it one last review. Nina and Angelo will be our key fighters against this Undead Captain, as they both possess a Water element Shaman form. Kettu’s Fox Fyre form will deal with the Iron Gaias. The rest of us will handle the Undead Soldiers and jump in to help another fighter whenever needed. Got it?”

The party nodded in agreement.

“Okay, then, let’s begin. I suggest we transform into our Shaman forms now so we can jump into the battle immediately.”

Nina, Angelo, and Kettu tapped their respective Shaman Magic Bracelets, saying in unison, “Elemental Energy Fusion activate!”

They were engulfed in swirling energy and before long had become Sea Witch Siren, Tsunami Knight, and Fox Fyre. The party then started to make their way toward the Undead Base, where Dominic was still getting flattened like a pancake by the Iron Gaias. Nova nocked an arrow onto his bow and took aim.

“As always I’ll get their attention,” he said. “Ifrit Mode.”

The Demon King Ring adjusted itself, now set to Ifrit Mode.

“Dragon Strike!”

He fired the electrified dragon attack directly at the front gates of the base. The attack collided with the gates, exploding, blowing them open and sending Dominic flying from the blast. The Undead Soldiers glared at the party, with the Undead Captain standing up. He looked like a flaming corpse that seemed to be made of molten lava, wielding a large flaming hammer and equipped with burning armor. His eyes narrowed as he saw the party.

“So, you came on behalf of that village?” he growled. “It’s about time you lot showed up, as I was getting impatient. Now we’ll see if you can handle me: Captain Lavaton. Undead Soldiers, Iron Gaias… attack!”

The Undead Soldiers charged in; weapons held high, ready for battle. The Iron Gaias turned to face the party and prepared themselves for battle.

Kettu grinned, “Time to feel the burn! Will-O-Wisp!”

He fired several will-o-wisps from around his body at the Iron Gaias. The will-o-wisps fused with the monsters, making them stumble as the cursed flames formed over their heads. They lowered their defenses and slammed their hammers on the ground, creating the exploding shockwave attack. The party managed to dodge the attack with some fancy footwork while Dominic was struck by the attack, knocking him back further. Nina launched herself at Lavaton, using her gel-like body to stretch and weave through the Undead Soldiers. Angelo quickly followed her, bashing his way through the enemy forces. They both stopped just in front of Lavaton, ready for battle.

“Fine, I’ll kill you two first,” the Undead Captain said.

Nina smirked, “Not if we douse you first. Siren’s Song!”

She then started to sing. Her melodious melody reverberated all over the area. Her allies were fully restored and refreshed while Lavaton, the Undead Soldiers, the Iron Gaias, and Dominic all fell asleep. She soon stopped; the deed done.

“Shall we wash this goon out, Angelo?” she purred darkly.

Angelo smiled, “Let’s do it, my lady.”

“Wave Crash!”

“Waterspout Tempest!”

Nina summoned a massive tidal wave while Angelo called forth the waterspout. The two attacks combined into a massive aquatic twister that swept up Lavaton. The resulting winds also caused several Undead Soldiers to get caught up and swallowed by the vortex, along with Dominic. When the attack ended all that was left was a glowing sphere and a soggy, dizzy Dominic. At that time the will-o-wisps had killed the Iron Gaias, causing their bodies to crumble away, leaving on their helmets and hammers. The rest of the party had finished off the remaining Undead Soldiers and gathered around to see who the fallen soul belonged to. The glowing orb took shape and became a soldier.

“Are you one of soldiers of this kingdom?” Sir Reginald asked.

The soldier nodded, “Indeed. I was killed in the line of duty against General Galvinspine, my soul harvested and put into that accursed Undead Captain’s body. But now I’m free thanks to you. You have my eternal gratitude, as it felt like my soul was getting ripped apart by the energies of the Undead Captain. Now I can safely ascend and never have to worry about being a pawn of Muu ever again. Please, brave warriors, keep fighting and defeat Muu for good. For the lives of those who live here and of those who are still to come.”

Nina nodded, “You can count on us.”

The soldier smiled before becoming a sphere of light and ascending into the sky.

“Now, let’s see what’s in the crates,” Zeeker said.

The party walked over to the three crates nestled in the corner, completely ignoring Dominic, who was still recovering from what happened. Van opened them up, revealing various materials, Beast Claws, Eye Gems, and Magna Crystal cubes.

“As we thought,” Kettu said. “The usual stuff. Well, let’s take this with us, as better we use them than Muu does.”

Just before Nova could put all the items away Dominic regained his senses and lunged for the crates.

“They’re mine, mine, mine, mine!” he stated.

Nina rolled her eyes, “Not happening. Siren’s Song!”

She started singing again. Her song caused Dominic to fall asleep again, flopping on the ground, while simultaneously restoring her allies. She stopped singing and smiled.

“Sleep tight, lump head,” she purred darkly. “Come, let’s take these items before Dominic awakens.”

Nova nodded and quickly stashed them into his Digi-Pack. He was about to take the Magna Crystal cube in the barrier generator but was stopped by Van.

“No, Nova, leave that one so you can detonate it with Dragon Strike,” the Centaur said. “That way we can destroy the base.”

Nova nodded, “Right, good idea.”

The party exited the Undead Base, got a safe distance away, and turned to face it.

“Barrier!” Sir Reginald said.

He erected a barrier around the party. Nova then nocked an arrow onto his bow and took aim at the generator.

“Time to go out with a bang. Dragon Strike!”

He fired the electric dragon at the generator. It struck the machine, causing the Magna Crystal to start humming and shaking. Dominic was slowly coming to his senses but it was too late. The Magna Crystal cube exploded, completely destroying the base and engulfing Dominic in its blast. He screamed in pain and despair as he was launched into the sky and vanished. When the dust had settled the base was no more. Sir Reginald lowered his barrier, allowing the party to breathe a sigh of relief.

“Good work, everyone,” the knight said. “We took down another Undead Base and its occupants. Now the nearby village can be more at peace: knowing that they can freely harvest their crops. Job well done. Let us report back to the village and inform them of our success.”

Nina giggled, “And to cap it off we got rid of Dominic. For now, anyway, as he’ll be back to cause us more headaches in the future. Now, Angelo, Kettu, let us transform back to normal.”

Angelo nodded, “Indeed, Nina. Our task is complete.”

“Cancel Fusion!” the trio said in unison.

The three warriors were engulfed in swirling energy before returning to normal. The party returned to the village where the villagers were awaiting them.

The village elder stepped up, saying, “We saw the battle from here. I take it Muu’s base is no more?”

Sir Reginald nodded, “You’d be right. We’ve wiped out the Undead Army platoon and its Captain, destroyed the base, and got rid of Dominic for you. You can rest easy now and return to your livelihoods without fear of Muu’s army harassing you anymore.”

The villagers all gave relieved sighs.

“Thank you, noble warriors. You are true heroes, unlike that Dominic goon. Now we can freely harvest our crops and help get the supply of Nuts Oil back to normal. Please, enjoy your stay here at our village. It’s quaint but we like to think it’s a nice place to live. And please sample our local goods and treats, as we take great pride in them.”

“I was hoping you’d say that,” Nina said eagerly. “I’ve been wanting to try your baked goods since before we got here.” She grabbed Nova’s hand, “Come, beloved, let us sample their treats together.”

She eagerly dragged Nova into the village, to the amusement of the party and villagers. The party entered the village as well, chatting with the locals and sampling the famous goodies, while several villagers went into the fields and nearby area to harvest their crops. They knew another foothold against Muu had been secured, but bigger battles would soon follow.

Next Chapter: The Amorous Painter’s Cursed Ink

That's all for today. Dominic certainly got his just desserts. And Nina is going to enjoy her dessert now that the day is saved. Tune in next time to see what our heroes face.
 
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Time for the next chapter of Dawn of Courage. (Warning: contains mild language, graphic death)

The Amorous Painter’s Cursed Ink


It had been a few days since the party had defeated Captain Lavaton and his Undead Army platoon, freeing up a farming village from his harassment. They were heading to the next town, as they knew another Undead Base was not far from it. Sir Reginald was in the lead, guiding the party with his map and compass.

“Okay, our next stop will bring us near the border between this kingdom and Navaral Kingdom,” he said. “But before we cross we need to take care of the last Undead Base that resides in this territory. Said base is run by Captain Bonechimer, and according to the notes we got from King Rand’s intelligence network he’s got a pretty big platoon of Undead Soldiers.”

Nova quirked an eyebrow, “I wonder how Muu can keep his army so stocked up in troops? Especially given the fact we’re constantly mowing them down? The Undead Captains and Generals are hard to replace: how is he able to keep such a huge army of basic Undead Soldiers?”

Nina replied, “Muu can simply generate them by using Undead magic, basically the opposite of Demon magic. So as long as he stays alive he can constantly generate more troops. Although from what is known about it is that he can’t do it in one sitting. He has to summon clusters of Undead Soldiers at a time, as it’s rumored to take a lot of energy to keep generating more Undead Soldiers out of thin air. Once Muu himself is slain all his Undead Soldiers, Captains, and Generals will be destroyed with him, as they’re all linked to him. So that’s why taking out Muu himself is so critical; if he’s eliminated then his entire army will be destroyed. While it won’t remove the various Undead monsters he unintentionally created when he first came to Edyn it will get rid of his army as a whole, which is more crucial to Edyn’s survival than the ragtag Undead monsters that you find every now and then. At least those can be dealt with easily.”

“Huh. I see. So basically it’s like the old saying ‘if you cut off the head the body will die’. By ‘cutting off the head’ that is Muu the rest of his army will perish alongside him. Combine the fact that he’s a coward really puts into perspective why he’s been such a pain to deal with. Hopefully we’ll be able to take him out so Edyn, and all the other worlds in existence, can rest easy.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “That’s correct. And it’s why you are so crucial, as only the Demon King Ring’s magic can fully destroy Muu. Belzebuth himself is capable of the deed but because Muu won’t fight the Demon King directly and will flee the first chance he gets Belzebuth needs champions like you to be used as a workaround. That’s why you’re such a vital piece of this game of chess against Muu, as without you we wouldn’t have a chance at defeating the big bone daddy himself.”

“Joy…” the pink-haired man replied, deadpan.

Zeeker chuckled, “Don’t worry about it, pal. We’re all here to ensure that you’ll be able to destroy Muu for good. We intend to end this long, drawn-out war once and for all. One day we’ll be able to bask in the glory of victory after Muu’s final defeat. Just you wait.”

Angelo nodded, “That’s the spirit, Zeeker. When Muu is felled by our combined might Edyn will be able to relive it glory days once again. And we will be basking in that glory ourselves, just like you said. His evil will not prevail. Justice will be served.”

Kettu punched his fist into his palm, “And I’m looking forward to that. After everything he’s done, destroying countless lives over the years, he deserves to die a brutal and painful death. Karma will deliver, and we’ll be the delivery boys. And girl.”

Nina looked ahead, “I see the town just up ahead. Let’s get going and see what information we can get.”

The party nodded and made their way to the village. It was one of the larger ones, equipped with several homes, shops, and even a mansion. Children were playing in the streets, women were gossiping, and merchants were promoting their wares.

Sir Reginald checked the notes they had, saying, “Okay, according to the notes we need to meet up with Lord Z’arc, who lives in that large mansion. He has information we need. So let us go to the mansion pronto so we can find out what important information he has to offer us.”

The party nodded and made their way to the mansion. However, when they got there they saw what looked like a rather weaselly man standing before the guards carrying something under a drop cloth. Judging by the paint stains on his clothes he seemed to be a painter.

“Halt!” a guard said to him. “State your business.”

The man replied, “I’m a humble painter who wants to offer a beautiful painting of Lady Eve to her. May I please come in so I can give it to her?”

The guard replied, “Unfortunately, no. Lady Eve is currently being courted by Sir Thomas of the Lunarwing Family. She won’t be available for a meeting for quite some time, so, unfortunately, she will not be able to accept your painting.”

This information seemed to devastate the painter, who started to tremble a bit.

“T-The Lady is being courted by… someone else?” he barely managed to say.

“Uh-oh…” Nova thought grimly. “This situation could potentially blow up. If there’s one thing I’ve learned during my time on this world it’s that you should never underestimate anyone here and how they can turn a simple situation into a catastrophe. This doesn’t look good to me.”

The guard replied, “Yes, she is currently busy with Sir Thomas. And given your attire you are unfit to meet with her anyway. Please leave the grounds.”

“B-B-But…” the painter started to say before giving a depressed sigh.

He turned around and started to walk away, passing by the party as he did. Nova noticed that his eyes showed hatred and his fists were clenched tight. The rest of the party moved up to the guards.

“Busy day, we must be on the tour,” one guard said.

“State your business,” the other said.

Sir Reginald stepped up, “We are the Demon King’s champion party. His Lordship, Lord Z’arc is expecting us, as he has information we need on our enemy: Muu.”

The guard took a moment to look the party over before saying, “Quite the colorful assortment of allies. But Lord Z’arc informed us about you coming. You may proceed but be respectful.”

The second guard opened the doors and guided the party into the mansion. They soon met a well-dressed man with neatly groomed black hair and bright blue eyes. He turned to face the party.

“I take it this is the Demon King’s champion party, correct?” he asked the guard.

The guard nodded, “That is correct, Lord Z’arc.”

“I was informed they’d be a colorful group of various individuals. Very well, return to your post. I have important information to discuss with this party.”

The guard bowed and left, leaving the party alone with Lord Z’arc.

“Now, please follow me to my map room so we can discuss things more… privately. There have been rumors of Skeleton Crow familiars lurking around the area so I don’t want them to overhear what information I’m about to give you, as they may be working with Muu’s army. Please, follow me, but be quick about it.”

Lord Z’arc led the party to a more private room in the mansion, where there were no windows and only one door leading in and out. He gently closed the door and locked it before looking around the room to ensure that there were no unwanted eyes and ears listening in.

“I apologize for this rather concerning paranoia but I don’t want Muu’s forces learning what I’ve managed to acquire about them. Please, take a seat at the center table so I can begin going over the details I’ve uncovered.”

The party nodded and sat down at the center table. Lord Z’arc walked over to a chest and opened it, taking out a handful of documents. He brought them over to the table, sat down, and presented them to the party.

“Here is some very juicy information my intelligence network has managed to gather,” he said. “Please review it but don’t discuss it out loud, as I still cannot shake the feeling that something terrible will happen. I’m normally not this paranoid but considering the information I managed to obtain could potentially make or break the war with Muu warrants extra caution.”

The party nodded and took the notes, reviewing them.

“He’s not the only one who has a bad feeling something terrible will happen,” Nova said silently. “I, too, have that same feeling, although it’s not because of Muu.”

Meanwhile, in a small hut just outside of the village the painter was both enraged and devastated. He threw the painting he had made to the wall, causing it to break in half, revealing it to be very beautiful and elegantly designed.

“T-This can’t be!” he spat. “Lady Eve is MY woman! I saw her first! I worked hard on that painting so I could use it as a means of courting her! How dare that fancy-pants Sir Thomas get in my way! This won’t go unpunished.” He then eyed what looked like a blue crescent moon gemstone next to a jar of ink, making him smirk, “I know just how to do it. Justice will be served tonight. Just you wait.”

It was evening time that day. The party had since left the mansion and were now at the inn having dinner. They kept what they had learned from the notes quiet, instead chatting about other subjects. Nova was very quiet, something that didn’t go unnoticed by Nina.

“Beloved?” she asked. “Are you okay? You’re strangely quiet.”

Nova replied, “I’ve got a really bad feeling something terrible is going to happen tonight.”

“Don’t start sounding like Lord Z’arc,” Kettu said. “But given the fact that you’ve gained almost a sixth sense when it comes to possible problems it’s hard to deny you. Can you elaborate on what your ‘feeling’ is?”

“Well, remember that painter from earlier, who wanted to give a picture of Lady Eve to her? He seemed pretty devastated to learn that she’s being courted by someone else. It’s clear he has feelings for her and he now knows that Sir Thomas is in the process of courting her. That makes me worried. As we’ve seen with past individuals, when they’re blinded by jealousy and envy over a love interest they’ll resort to some pretty crazy schemes in order to claim ‘victory’ over their ‘rival’. Even if all it’ll do is make them look worse in the eyes of the person they love. I got a bad feeling that painter will try something dangerous in order to take out his ‘rival’ so he can claim Lady Eve for himself.”

Angelo nodded, “You’ve got a point there, Nova. An unrequited love story that could only lead to tragedy because of one person resorting to extremes to get their way. I noticed that the painter seems like the type who would be willing to go to such extremes in order to claim what he thinks is his. We’d best be on guard, as being blinded by love can make one do dangerous, dumb, and dangerously dumb things.”

Van quirked an eyebrow, “But… he’s just a painter. What harm could he do?”

“Maybe conjure up monsters with magical, cursed ink to kill Sir Thomas?” Nova suggested.

Just then a woman ran into the inn, crying out, “There are strange monsters that look like they’re paintings appearing!”

“…I hate it when that happens…” he said, deadpan.

Sir Reginald stood up, “Whatever the case may be, we need to stop it! Move out, team!”

The party quickly scampered outside. There they could see what looked like large, dangerous monsters made from black ink forming with what looked like a serpentine dragon leading the charge. They started to make a beeline for the mansion.

“What is this?” Nova said dryly. “An episode straight out of Inuyasha? This little adventure just gets weirder and weirder. And more uncanny and coincidental by the day.”

“Better save it for later, Nova, as those monsters are heading toward the mansion!” Sir Reginald said.

The party quickly made their way to the mansion in hopes of cutting off the ink monsters. However, the dragon leading the other ink monsters got there first. It smashed open a hole in the mansion, reached in, and pulled out Sir Thomas.

“W-W-What’s going on?!” Sir Thomas sputtered. “R-Release me at once!”

The painter, who was on the dragon’s head, replied sinisterly, “Not happening. You’re invading on my turf, Mr. Fancy-pants. Lady Eve is my woman, so you will butt out or my ink dragon will kill you!”

However, something fast moving swiftly raced in front of the ink dragon. In a second Sir Thomas was gone. It took both the painter and his creations a full minute to realize what had just happened. He looked around, then up, and noticed Nina carrying Sir Thomas.

“Thank you, young maiden,” the noble said sincerely.

“Don’t thank me just yet, as we’re not out of the woods yet,” she replied.

“How dare you interfere, Phoenix girl!” the painter spat. “Stay out of this!”

Just then Nova appeared and landed on the dragon’s head, his Hoverboots gently floating him above it, startling the painter.

“H-How’d you get up here?!”

“Hoverboots combined with some impressive acrobatics that even I didn’t know I could do,” Nova replied nonchalantly. He then pointed his bow and arrow at the painter, “Now, either you back off or you and your ‘creations’ are going down. Lady Eve isn’t ‘your’ woman, as she probably doesn’t even know you exist. As such you cannot allow your jealousy and envy control you. If you do and these ink monsters succeeded in killing Sir Thomas she’d probably only hate you. Can’t you see that? Your actions could horribly backfire and make your doomed feelings for her even worse, as there’s no way she or her family would allow you to live after performing a stunt like killing her suitor. I suggest you back down and accept that someone else beat you to the punch. If you love her you’ll step aside for her sake.”

“What do you know about love!?” the painter spat.

“Oh, I know more than you do, apparently. See that lovely Phoenix woman holding Sir Thomas? I was in love with her for a very long time. But one day a true prince charming came and started to court her. I knew he was out of my league so I was willing to step aside so Nina could have a better future with a husband who could take care of her. She ultimately chose me in the end after realizing her own feelings for me, but I was willing to sacrifice my own happiness for her sake. It wasn’t an easy thing for me to do but I was willing to gracefully step aside so then-Prince Falkner could court her.”

“Nova…” Nina said warmly.

“So apparently I know more about making a woman happy than you do. If you truly care for her you will stop this cowardly assault and allow her to be with her suitor.”

The painter cried out, “NO!!! Lady Eve is MINE and MINE ALONE!!! I won’t stop until she’s all mine! Ink monsters, attack that pink-haired goon!”

Nova took aim with his bow and fired an arrow at the painter. The arrow seemingly missing him.

“Hah! You missed!”

Nova smirked, “Did I? Or was I aiming for something else?”

The painter’s eyes widened as he checked his person before looking down. His ink jar was plummeting toward the ground, its chord that was holding it onto his belt having been sniped by Nova’s arrow.

“NOOOOO!!!” he cried, jumping off the dragon to try to catch the ink jar.

The ink dragon started to roar and shake, trying to get Nova off it.

“Petrify Shot!” Nova stated.

He fired an arrow directly on the dragon’s head. This shot caused the ink dragon to immediately turned to stone before crumbling away to dust. It also had the added effect of turning the other ink monsters into stone. Nova slowly hovered in the air with his Hoverboots, taking aim at the painter.

“I can’t let him get killed!” he said.

He fired another arrow directly at the painter. The arrow managed to snag him by the back of his tunic and pinned him to a wall just feet from the ground. The ink jar shattered as it hit the ground, spilling its contents and revealing the blue crescent moon gem inside it.

“That’s a Blue Moon Gem!” Nina stated. “It’s another gift from our destroyed moons. That explains how he was able to create those ink monsters, as the Blue Moon Gem can add magical properties to anything. But judging by the gem itself it looks like it’s been corrupted by the painter’s desires, making it quite dangerous.”

The painter wailed, “No! My magical ink!” He managed to pry himself off of the arrow and scrambled to try to gather up the ink, “No! No! I cannot lose now! No!”

However, the moment his hands touched the bubbling ink it was as if the ink sprung to life and started to consume him. He screamed in terror as the ink devoured his body, starting with his flesh. Everyone watching turned away in horror at what they were seeing. First the painter’s flesh and organs were melted away, leaving only his skeleton, before that was also melted by the ink, leaving a splattered mess on the ground. Everyone reluctantly looked at what remained of the painter and his cursed ink. Nova gently started to float down on his Hoverboots.

“Nova, don’t!” Nina cried out. “Don’t try to retrieve the Blue Moon Gem! You’ll be devoured as well!”

He turned to her, “Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.”

He started to channel energy into his right hand via the Demon King Ring. The ring glowed and engulfed his hand in a rippling light. He then reached down and touched the bubbling ink and the Blue Moon Gem. To everyone’s surprise a small glowing wave flowed through the ink, causing it to stop bubbling and returning to normal, while the same wave seemingly purified the Blue Moon Gem. Nova was able to safely pick it up and put it in his other hand to examine it, showing that the gem was now safe to hold. Nina gave a relieved sigh before flying back to the ground and gently depositing Sir Thomas on the dirt road.

“Thank you, Lady Nina,” he said sincerely. “I owe you and your lover my life. But are you really his lover? Is his story true?”

Nina nodded, “I am and it is. And I’m quite happy about this arrangement. But time for that later.”

A voice then cried out, “Sir Thomas!”

Lady Eve, who was a beautiful young woman, ran out of the mansion and hugged Sir Thomas, clearly relieved to see him alive. She then looked at the puddle of ink with a disturbed look.

“Why did that painter go this far?” she asked.

Nova gave a heavy sigh, “He was in love with you but he let his jealousy and envy blind him. He felt that you belonged to him and he didn’t take the news that Sir Thomas was courting you very well. So he resorted to using this Blue Moon Gem with his ink to create ink monsters in an attempt to kill Sir Thomas so he could claim you himself. I tried to reason with him but he was too far gone by that point, although I had hoped that I could’ve saved him instead of the horrible fate he suffered. Devoured by his own cursed ink in the most gruesome way possible. All he wanted was to court you, Lady Eve, but he couldn’t accept that someone else beat him to the punch. He even made a painting of you that was clearly his way of showing his affection but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s been destroyed because his jealousy got the better of him. All he wanted was the affections of a beautiful woman but he went off the deep end when it didn’t pan out like he had hoped. He failed to see that his actions could make his situation worse, not better, but by that point he was beyond reasoning.”

“How tragic…” Angelo said solemnly. “His love for the lady turned into jealousy and envy when he wasn’t granted the chance he was seeking. All he wanted was to experience his love with the lady only for it to take such a terrible turn, resulting in his death at the hands of his own creation. Sounds just like a tragic love novel.”

Van turned to Nova, “Nova, how were you able to purify the ink and Blue Moon Gem?”

“Like I said before I’ve been taking the time to try to learn about the Demon King Ring,” Nova replied. “The creation of mime magic wasn’t the only thing I learned about this ring. I learned that I could use it to purify corrupted energies, which is exactly what I did today to prevent the ink from continuing to be a deadly creation and cleansing the Blue Moon Gem of its negative energies. So now the ink is safe to touch and the Blue Moon Gem is purified. Now… what do we do with this Blue Moon Gem?”

Lady Eve replied, “You keep it. It’ll be safer in your hands and I don’t want anything to remind me of this horrible evening. But you all have my thanks. If it wasn’t for you Sir Thomas could’ve been killed by that lovelorn lunatic in a vain attempt to win me over. Sir Thomas and I have been dating for a little while now. It’s not like we only just met, which seems to be the mentality that painter had. I’m surprised he didn’t know that. But at least the threat is over with. But what a tragic affair. I can understand why he wanted to court me but he took it too far with this cursed ink situation. I thank you for resolving this issue, even if it took a very horrible turn in the end. Come, Sir Thomas, let’s return to the mansion, as I know our fathers must be concerned about you.”

Sir Thomas nodded, “Of course, Lady Eve.” He turned to the party, “Thank you once again. I owe you my life. Especially Sir Nova and Lady Nina. When tomorrow dawns I want to speak with all of you then.”

“As do I,” Lady Eve nodded. “Now, let us go, darling.”

The two nobles walked back to the mansion where the guards were waiting for them. The party took one last look at the ink puddle, which was all that remained of the painter. They all gained solemn expressions before returning to the inn to rest.

“Such a tragic situation…” Nova said silently. “All he wanted was the affections of a beautiful young woman but all he got was despair and death for going off the deep end. If only he could’ve been saved… maybe then he could’ve redeemed himself instead of suffering such a horrifying death. I just hope goons like Dominic, Eoleo, and Cain don’t resort to such methods in order to win Nina over.”

Next Chapter: Flight of the Valkyrie

That's all for today. Tune in next time to see the aftermath of this chapter.
 
Time for the next chapter of Dawn of Courage. (Warning: contains light sexual suggestions)

Flight of the Valkyrie


It was the following morning after the events involving the painter and his cursed ink creations. The party was having breakfast at the inn, still thinking about the tragic demise of the painter.

“I hope Lady Eve and Sir Thomas are all right after what happened yesterday evening,” Angelo said.

“Me too,” Zeeker said. “Considering that Sir Thomas was the target I hope he’s recovered by now. Although I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s still somewhat rattled, as getting attacked by a giant ink dragon would do that.”

“We’re supposed to meet up with them again today, right?” Nova asked.

Van nodded, “That’s correct. Something tells me we’re gonna be rewarded for our actions in stopping that painter.”

Nina sighed, “It’s a shame it turned out the way it did. The man just wanted to show his affections for a woman only to be crushed that someone beat him to the punch. He took his jealousy and envy way too far, resulting in a very painful death. Hopefully others will have learned from this experience and make sure they don’t go down the same path that painter did.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Indeed, Lady Nina. Now, let us finish breakfast and go see Lord Z’arc and the two lovebird nobles. Hopefully nothing else happened in the aftermath of that attack, like a thief trying to steal something by using the broken wall as an entry point or something.”

The party nodded and resumed eating. When their plates were clear they gathered up their stuff and walked outside. Everyone was still talking about what had happened yesterday evening, expressing shock and worry about how the situation blew up like it did. The party made their way to the mansion where the guards were waiting.

“We’ve been expecting you, brave warriors,” one guard said. “Lord Z’arc is waiting for you. Please, go on in.”

He opened the door, allowing the party to enter the mansion. Lord Z’arc was standing in the main entranceway, waiting for the party.

“I thank you for saving Sir Thomas and stopping that painter,” he said sincerely. “Sir Thomas is a bit rattled but otherwise he’s okay. Lady Eve is tending to him but both will be out here later to thank you personally. I wish I could reward you but we’re currently busy repairing the damage. But I also want to report that my paranoia was on the money, as two Skeleton Crows snuck into the mansion via the hole in the wall and tried to get into my map room. It was clear they were part of Muu’s army as they knew I had information that Muu didn’t want me to have. We’ve since chased them off, as Skeleton Crow familiars are very weak, but we know they’ll be back.”

“We understand, Lord Z’arc, as you’ve got enough on your plate already,” Sir Reginald nodded. “Hopefully when we deal with the Undead Base not far from here those Skeleton Crows will back off. But we’ll make sure that Muu’s forces don’t harass you or this village.”

Lord Z’arc smiled, “Thank you once again. I hope that taking out Muu’s base will get rid of the Skeleton Crows, since I’d rather not have those Undead goons hovering around. But either way you have my thanks.”

A gentle voice then said, “And you have my thanks, as well, brave warriors.”

Everyone turned to see Lady Eve walk up to them.

“Lady Eve, how is Sir Thomas?” Kettu asked.

“Recovering,” she replied. “He’s unharmed for the most part but he’s a bit rattled from the attack. He’ll be fine, though, as he’s a lot tougher than he looks. But you have my thanks for what you did yesterday evening. I just wish it could’ve ended better…” her eyes became dull at the thought of what transpired. She regained her composure, “Anyway, I have a gift for you. Well, technically it’s for Lady Nina, as it’s something that concerns her. Please follow me, Lady Nina, so I can present you something that I think you should have. The rest of you stay here for now.”

Curious, Nina followed Lady Eve deeper into the mansion while the rest of the party waited for them to return. They were all thinking the same thing, wondering what this ‘gift’ was. After about 20 minutes Lady Eve returned.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” she said. “Lady Nina will be here shortly; she just needs to finish equipping herself with her gift.”

“Wait, ‘equipping’?” Nova asked. “Does that mean this gift is some kind of equipment like armor or an accessory or whatnot?”

Lady Eve smiled, “You’re quite sharp. Yes, it is indeed something along those lines. You’ll see momentarily.”

Everyone waited patiently before they heard footsteps. Soon Nina emerged from behind a wall, making everyone’s eyes widen.

“Nina?” Nova asked. “Is that you?”

Nina nodded, smiling, “Yes it is, beloved. Like the new look I’m donning?”

Nina was wearing a new set of bikini armor. The breastplate was composed of two wing-like structures, blue and white in color, that didn’t meet at the middle, leaving a sizable amount of her breasts visible, with red metal wrapping around her sternum and connected in the middle of her back. The lower part of the armor was a bikini bottom, sky blue in color, with red hip guard shaped like feathers and two belts with pouches that overlapped, crossing over her hips. Her boots were dark blue and reached the middle of her calves, with silver wing structures in the front and several feather-like additions that connected to her ankles, giving the boots a sort of bird motif, ending in gold toes and high heels. She was sporting an extravagant choker with a ruby red gem and gold frills and two bands on her right thigh. On her head was a blue hairband with two large wing-like structures with feathers fanning out from behind her ears, complete with a large hexagonal cerulean gem in the middle of her forehead.

Nina performed a small twirl as she showed off her new look, “What do you boys think of this?”

Nova replies smoothly, “Sexy. Charming. Gorgeous. Beautiful. Graceful. And the armor isn’t half bad either.”

Nina giggled in response, a blush forming on her face.

Zeeker turned to Lady Eve, “If you don’t mind me asking but what is this armor and why is it so special for Nina?”

Lady Eve replied, “This is the legendary Valkyrie Armor worn by ancient Phoenix Clan warriors. The female warriors would don this armor, which is made of the rare material Windium, known for its light weight and ability to enhance magical energies, especially Wind energies, during the Great War. Combined with their Magic Fire Feathers they, along with their male counterparts, would be able to brave any danger. Sadly, the Phoenix Clan has since discontinued making this armor due to their change in… mentality, let’s say, so it’s very rare nowadays. This was a gift for my ancestor from his Phoenix Clan friend. It’s been sitting in our trophy room for centuries, persevered by a spell that keeps it from aging. I’m giving it to Lady Nina both because she’s a Phoenix Clan member but also as my thanks for her saving Sir Thomas from that painter.”

Nina looked the armor over, saying, “I very much appreciate this, Lady Eve. Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t this armor supposed to have two plates on my biceps?”

Lady Eve gained a sad smile, “So you noticed that did you? Yes. That’s true. Back when my grandparents were my age a thief broke in and tried to steal the armor. The guards stopped him but he got away with the two armor plates that attach themselves to the biceps. Because the armor has since been discontinued it’s very rare and any piece of it fetches a high price on the market, be it normal or black market. So while that thief didn’t make off with the entire armor, he did get away with the two bicep plates, so the armor set is incomplete. I hope that’s not a deal-breaker for you.”

Nina shook her head, “No, it’s not. I’m quite happy with it regardless. I just wanted to make sure my historical knowledge was correct. At least I feel like my ancient ancestors, flying into battle in this armor. Back when my clan was decent. Granted, they are turning over a new leaf but I’m still not fond of them, especially after everything they’ve done to me. But I thank you for this armor, as my old set was starting to get worn out.”

A butler walked out carrying her old armor before presenting it to Nova.

“Nova, please store my old outfit in your Digi-Pack so I have a spare just in case.”

Nova nodded, took the old armor from the butler, and placed it in his Digi-Pack for safekeeping.

Lord Z’arc said, “Thank you once again. I know that armor will be used better by you than collecting dust in this mansion. Plus it’ll be harder for thieves to steal it if it’s on your body, especially now that we have this gaping hole in the mansion. I’ll leave dealing with Muu’s forces to you, as his Undead Base is to the northwest of here. After you complete that mission I suggest you head to Navaral Kingdom, where you’ll face more of Muu’s army. Good luck and stay safe.”

“Same to you, Lord Z’arc,” Sir Reginald said. “Come on, team, we’ve got a fair hike to the next Undead Base, even though it’s technically not far from here. That’s because it’s in Toro Mountain, which is bit of a labyrinth. So let’s get going.”

The party nodded, bowed politely in thanks, and started to make their way out of the village. Nina’s new outfit caused some of the villagers to do a double take, both because of her beauty and because they knew where that armor came from. Soon the party was out in the open fields, heading toward a mountain to the northwest of the village.

Nina smiled, “I must say I’m really liking this Valkyrie Armor. Makes me feel like an authentic Phoenix Clan warrior. Back when my clan had morals, still possessed our signature powers, and lacked greed. And because the metal it’s made of is Windium it’s ultra-lightweight. It’s almost like I’m wearing feathers or bubbles due to how lightweight it is. And I feel so sexy and confident in it. It’s a shame it’s incomplete but at least I have the majority of it so that’s fine.”

“Maybe you can have someone make you the bicep armor?” Van suggested. “I mean, we did pick up some Windium in that last Undead Base that Muu had sent his soldiers. Maybe we can get a blacksmith to make you the missing pieces of that armor?”

Nina shook her head, “No, that’s not possible, as the only blacksmiths that would know how to make it would be Phoenix Clan ones. And since my clan discontinued this armor a good 100 years ago that knowledge has been lost for some time now. So we can’t have someone make the original armor plates, it would have to be a brand new set of their own design. I’m not against that, mind you, but there is also the issue that very few people know how to work with Windium due to its rarity. Because it’s so lightweight and flexible it requires a lot of care to mold into the shape you want it to be. While I’m not dismissing, any blacksmith worth their salt wouldn’t be able to work with Windium. It’s still a risky gamble, as Windium is decently fragile in its raw state, similar to Zulu. It becomes stronger with proper craftwork but this armor is designed for speed, not durability. If we could find a blacksmith that knew his way around Windium then I’d be all for it.”

Kettu chuckled, “Maybe Nova can make your new armor parts with his accessory crafting skills?”

Nova looked surprised, “Me? I’m no blacksmith.”

Zeeker nodded, “True, but you’ve been doing good working with various ores to make your magical accessories. It might not be a bad idea, as you’ve got a gentle enough touch that could potentially work with Windium. You have worked with Zulu, after all, and Windium is very similar. So it might be worth a stab.”

“I… I suppose I could give it a try. I’m not making any promises but I guess it couldn’t hurt to try.”

Angelo smiled, “That’s the spirit, Nova. I’m certain Nina would most appreciate it.”

Nina gave Nova a kiss, “While I won’t be upset if you can’t make me some new parts for this armor, I will definitely appreciate you at least trying to make me some replacement parts. As always, Nova, you’re the best.”

Nova blushed, “Like I said: I’m making no promises but I’ll see what I can do.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Either way I’m certain Lady Nina will appreciate anything you do. Now, let’s keep moving. We’ve got to reach the next magical campsite before it gets too late, as we won’t be able to reach Toro Mountain before nightfall.”

The party nodded and continued onward, battling monsters as they went. Nina’s new armor seemed to enhance her already potent magical abilities, making her even more powerful. Before long the party had found the magical campsite and settled down for the rest of the day. As the party set up the tent Nova started to work on the Windium ore they had gotten previously in an attempt to make replacement parts for Nina’s armor. Nina smiled as she watched her lover work attentively on his project, clearly happy at what he was doing. After a few hours Nova stopped his work and began making dinner for the hungry party. When the food was ready everyone sat down to enjoy it.

“Mmm!” Nina purred. “Another tasty meal. Your apple cider roasted duck with leek and rice is always a delight. And thanks for your effort in making me replacement parts for this armor. I really appreciate it.”

Nova nodded, still eating his meal. Soon the food was gone and he and Nina washed the dishes. The party piled into the tent for the night, knowing that a big battle would soon be upon them tomorrow.

Next Chapter: Lilith Wing Rises Again

That's all for today. This chapter acts as a class upgrade-type chapter, where the new armor Nina dons (which she'll wear for the rest of the adventure), enhances her magical powers. Including her Shaman forms. Tune in next time to see what our heroes face.
 
Time for the next chapter of Dawn of Courage. (Warning: contains mild language, mild violence, sexual suggestions)

Lilith Wing Rises Again


It was the following day after Nina was gifted the legendary Valkyrie Armor. The party had reached their destination: Toro Mountain. They could see the winding path that led up and through the mountain before them.

Sir Reginald looked at the notes he had before saying, “Okay, according to our notes the Undead Base is located in one of the caves in this mountain. Given the Toro Mountain’s labyrinth-like nature it’ll be rather difficult to find it. Plus we might not have a lot of space to work with. We’re gonna have to be a bit stealthier this time, as the nature of the caves here could give us some trouble.”

Van said, “Well, considering that there is an Undead Base here it’s safe to say that the place where it has been set up is probably one of the larger, if not the largest, cave in this mountain. After all, those bases need all the space they can get in order to be better stocked and protected.”

“Fair point, Van,” Zeeker nodded.

“What about our Undead Captain of the day?” Nova asked. “You mentioned his name was Captain Bonechimer? Do we have any dirt on him?”

Sir Reginald checked the notes before saying, “Not much. Judging by the notes it seems that he’s an Undead Captain powered by a fallen soul, but that’s not fully confirmed. If he is, expect him to be strong like all other past examples of Undead Captains powered by fallen souls. Now, enough talk, we need to get moving, as we’ve got quite the labyrinth to explore.”

The party nodded and started to make their way through the mountain. Along they way they fought various monsters, ranging from vicious bats to harpies to packs of egg-like warriors, collecting anything of worth as they went. After a bit they stopped for a break near a fresh water fountain inside one of the caves. As they drank the clear, clean water, it was almost as if the water had special properties, as they felt more rejuvenated the more they drank.

“I’m not sure why this water tastes so good, or why it feels like it’s restoring our energy and strength, but I’m glad it’s here,” Angelo said.

Nova nodded, “Indeed, which is welcoming, as we still probably have quite the climb before we reach our target. Especially after fighting all those Night Bats, Gust Harpies, and Egg Gangs. And I bet we’ll run into more of them as we go. So this fountain is providing us with a nice pick-me-up before we continue our trek.”

“You can say that again,” Nina replied.

“Hey, Lady Nina, how is the armor holding up?” Sir Reginald asked. “It is as old as the Great War so hopefully it’s holding up okay.”

She nodded, “It’s doing just fine. Thanks to the preservative spell that it’s under it cannot be affected by the flow of time. So the Valkyrie Armor is still in pretty much mint condition, sans the missing armor plates. But it’s doing fine, especially since it’s enhancing my magical powers. I wonder if that’ll translate into my Shaman forms, too?”

“That’s an interesting thought,” Zeeker said. “Even though your outfit changes to reflect your Shaman forms it might have an effect on them as well. Best keep that in mind for later and see if it has an effect on your Shaman powers. Who knows? Maybe the enhancing magical nature of your new armor will make your Shaman powers even more potent.”

Sir Reginald stood up, “We’ll test that theory later. Now, let us continue on our mission. We should be getting close to our target location so let’s press onward.”

The party gathered up their stuff and continued to travel in and out of the various caves, trying to find the Undead Base hidden within the mountain. After another hour of searching they soon found a large cavern and nestled inside it was the Undead Base. The party quickly ducked behind some rocks for cover, as they noticed that there were monster sentries in front of the base.

“Those are Red and Blue Skulls,” Van observed. “They’re Undead monsters. Red Skulls are of the Fire element while Blue Skulls are of the Ice element. It’s possible that this Undead Captain can summon Undead monsters; the Elemental Skulls as they’re called are not native to this kingdom, being located in Navaral Kingdom instead.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Yes, that’s a good theory, Van. We need to check out our enemies to see what we’re dealing with.”

Kettu said, “I’ll do it this time, as the cavern might not be suitable for Phantom. Be back in three shakes of a fox tail.”

He transformed into his black fox form and scurried away, using any rocks he could find as cover to avoid getting spotted by the Skull monster sentries. He then disappeared behind the base. The party waited patiently for his return. After about 20 minutes Kettu scampered back to them, taking extra care to not be detected. When he rejoined the party he transformed back to normal.

“I found a hole in the base’s rear wall that allowed me to sneak in,” he said. “Standard amount of Undead Soldiers, give or take. But it appears that Van’s theory may be on the money, as there were other Undead-type monsters in the base. Stuff like Liches, Specters, and more Red and Blue Skulls. Bonechimer seems to have control over those monsters, as all he has to do is wave his staff, which looks a lot like a fancy monk staff, and they do as he says. Bonechimer himself seems to be powered by a fallen soul, as I saw some light leaking out from his body. Speaking of light, it seems that Bonechimer is of the Light element, as he was giving off a rather radiant energy. Which means Dark element attacks will be useful against him. Also, some crates with Muu’s emblem are tucked in the corner. Probably more of the same like materials, one-use items, and so on. And to cap things off the base is powered by a Magna Crystal cube. That’s what I got from my infiltration.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Right. Excellent work, Kettu. Now we can begin mapping out a plan. Let’s begin. Quickly, before the Skull monsters detect us.”

The party huddled around and began mapping out their battleplan. They kept their ears peeled to ensure that the Skull monsters lurking outside the base didn’t detect them. After about 15 minutes they had settled on a plan.

“Okay, that should do the trick. Let’s give it one last review just to ensure we got it down. Nina and Kettu will use their respective Dark element Shaman forms, Lilith Wing and Fox Fyre, to help clear out the lower level threats like the Undead monsters. Especially since Nina has a useful AOE attack that vaporized the entire Undead Army platoon that Galvinspine had in one shot. The rest of us will focus on Bonechimer. Since we don’t know for sure if he can summon more Undead-type monsters we need to be prepared for that possibility. Now, is everyone in agreement?”

Everyone nodded their heads.

“Okay, let’s do this. Nova, you’ll be in charge of getting their attention like normally, as we need to get them out of the Undead Base in order to defeat them.”

Nova nodded, “I know. Leave it to me. Let’s rock.”

The party nodded and stepped out of their hiding spot. Nova nocked an arrow onto his bow and took aim at the front gates where the two types of Skull monsters were guarding.

“Time to make a really nice boom. Ifrit Mode.”

The Demon King Ring adjusted itself, now set to Ifrit Mode.

“Dragon Strike!”

He fired the electrified dragon attack directly at the front gates. The two types of Skull monsters started chattering their teeth before the attack struck the gates, creating a large explosion that blew the doors open and destroyed the Skull monsters in the process. The Undead Army and Captain Bonechimer glared at the part. Captain Bonechimer looked like a zombified monk or channeler, wearing tattered monk clothes and wielding a monk staff. His unholy eyes flickered angrily as he saw the party approach.

“You’re quite brave to venture all the way into this mountain just to track me down,” he said. “But this will be your grave. I, Captain Bonechimer, will ensure that you cause Master Muu no more problems! Minions, attack!”

The Undead Soldiers and various Undead monsters charged in.

Nina and Kettu tapped their respective Shaman Magic Bracelets, saying in unison, “Elemental Energy Fusion activate!”

They were engulfed in swirling energy, stopping the enemy force briefly in surprise. Soon the energy vanished and standing before them was Lilith Wing and Fox Fyre.

“Shall we send these boneheads back to the grave, Nina?” Kettu sneered.

“Indeed, Kettu, as it’s time to show that any boners these goons have will be fatal,” Nina purred darkly.

“Don’t just stand there!” Bonechimer stated. “Get them!”

The Undead Army and Undead monsters charged in again, having regained their focus. They seemed to be targeting Nova.

Nina floated up, “Not happening. Ominously Whispering Winds!”

A powerful gust of purplish-black winds bellowed through the cavern. The Undead Soldiers and the Undead monsters yelled in pain before they were disintegrated, stunning Bonechimer.

“Not bad, winged wench, but that won’t stop me!” he stated. “Summon Undead!”

He rattled his staff, which caused several more Undead monsters to emerge from the ground. However, as he did this the rest of the party had managed to get past his monsters and prepared to fight him directly.

Kettu stated, “Save some for me, Nina. Illusion Flames!”

He summoned cursed flames that burned the various Undead monsters to ash, leaving only Bonechimer again.

“This is getting annoying,” he growled. “Summon Great Undead!”

He slammed his staff down again. To everyone’s horror he summoned a Zombie Drake, which got in between him and the party. The Zombie Drake roared as it prepared to attack.

Nina raced over, stating, “Not on my watch, you overgrown iguana! Death’s Kiss!”

She blew a kiss at the Zombie Drake, creating a black heart with devil horns and wings. The heart struck the Zombie Drake, causing it to roar and writhe in pain, preventing it from attacking.

“Curse of Lust!”

She summoned a magical circle underneath the Zombie Drake. It then released powerful energies that ravaged the Zombie Drake, making it roar in agony.

“Save some for me, Nina!” Kettu said. “Kitsune Curse!”

More cursed energies appeared and started to strangle the life out of the Zombie Drake, preventing it from attacking or defending.

Nova nocked an arrow onto his bow, “Let me get a lick in. Petrify Shot!”

He fired the arrow at the Zombie Drake. The arrow imbedded itself into the Undead familiar’s neck, causing the body to start becoming stone. The Zombie Drake flailed about, trying to repel this triple assault but unable. Soon it turned to stone, shocking Bonechimer.

Nina floated up, “Time for the cleanup. Darkness Love!”

She used both her clawed hands to summon a magical circle, then used her right hand to inscribe a strange symbol in the center of it. She then blew another kiss, creating another black heart with devil horns and wings, which entered the magical circle, transforming into a powerful beam of energy. The energy beam smashed through the petrified Zombie Drake, shattering it to bits, before hammering away at Bonechimer, who screamed in pain as his body was ravaged by the attack. Within a minute he was destroyed, leaving only the glowing soul within him. The party became more relaxed as the battle ended. The soul then took shape, revealing itself to be a farmer.

“Thank you my strange yet wonderful friends,” he said. “I’m a nut plantation farmer who was slain by Captain Lavaton about a month ago. I know his base was built near the fields by my home. I hope you were the ones who destroyed him.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “You can rest assured he’s gone. We doused his flames and freed the soul that was powering him. Your hometown is now safe from his influence and threat.”

“Music to my ears. Thank you once again. Now I can rest in peace. Please, keep fighting. Don’t give up. If you can somehow end Muu’s reign of terror it would mean the world to the people of Edyn. Just be careful, as there are more powerful threats just beyond the border.”

Van nodded, “Rest assured that we will be careful. We intend to take this fight to Muu himself so you can rest easy knowing that we won’t be giving up any time soon.”

The farmer smiled, “Thank you. Time for me to go. Please, don’t give up, as you may be our best chance at stopping Muu. Farewell.”

The soul transformed into a sphere of light and shot out of the mountain and into the sky.

Nina then wrapped her arms around Nova, purring lustfully, “Now that the fight’s over we can celebrate, beloved. Shall we get down and dirty? I’m all for a little victory ‘dance’, one that involves both of us being naked. Let’s get busy, beloved.”

Nova grabbed her left arm with his right hand. The Demon King Ring glowed and forcefully transformed Nina back to normal, causing the Shaman Magic Bracelet to reset itself. Nina blinked a few times before gaining a sheepish expression.

“Sorry, Nova, it happened again. I had no control over my lust and love for you and was about to take you again. At least you canceled the fusion form before I could get any further.”

Nova gained a weak smile, “It’s okay, Nina. At least I know that your lust is driven by your love for me. It means a lot that a woman of your caliber would want anything to do with me, much less want to make love with me. While we still need to watch when you use Lilith Wing, as I worry that you could abandon the battle in favor of trying to seduce me, at least we know that you can be counted on to fight effectively in that form.”

Angelo added, “Plus, I noticed that your Lilith Wing form was even stronger than last time. Maybe your new Valkyrie Armor does enhance your Shaman powers, as it seemed like your attacks had a much bigger punch than normally. Which we welcome, obviously. And considering that Lilith Wing seems to be just as strong as Goddess of Phoenixes it makes me wonder just how powerful it and your other Shaman forms are now.”

Nina nodded, “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Considering that I haven’t heard of any other Phoenix Clan members use Shaman magic in the Great War while wearing the Valkyrie Armor, or its male counterpart, I wasn’t sure if the armor could enhance it. But it appears it can, which means that my getting this armor has more benefits than we thought. Now, enough of this. Let’s check out the crates and see what’s in them.”

Nodding, the party walked over to the crates tucked into the corner of the base. Van opened them up, revealing more materials and items.

“As we thought,” Kettu observed. “Materials and various items like Eye Gems and Elemental Coins. Although, strangely, no Magna Crystal cubes this time. Not like it matters, as we’ve got a whole bevy of Magna Crystal cubes. I take it we’re gonna help ourselves to this stuff, Reggie?”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Yes. Better us than Muu’s forces. And my name is not ‘Reggie’, Kettu!”

The rest of the party chuckled at the usual banter between Sir Reginald and Kettu before helping themselves to the various items, with most of them going into Nova’s Digi-Pack. They then walked out of the base, got a fair bit back, and turned to face it.

“Okay, Nova, you know the drill. Snipe the Magna Crystal cube so we can destroy the base. Barrier!”

Sir Reginald erected a barrier around the party.

Nova nocked an arrow onto his bow, stating, “Time to say adios to another Undead Base. Dragon Strike!”

He fired another electrified dragon at the generator holding the Magna Crystal cube. It struck the crystal, causing it to hum before exploding, taking the base with it. When the dust had settled the base was no more, allowing Sir Reginald to lower his barrier.

“Good work, everyone,” he said. “That’s the last Undead Base in this kingdom’s territory. Muu must be fuming knowing he’s lost another kingdom to us. But we’re still not done yet. Next stop: Navaral Kingdom, where even more Undead Bases reside.”

“Joy…” Nova said, completely deadpan.

Nina giggled, “Don’t be like that, Nova. You’ve been doing great so far. It’s only a matter of time before we take down Muu and his army so try to have some faith.”

Kettu chuckled, “Don’t expect any miracles, Nina, as this is Nova we’re talking about. But enough of that, time to transform back. Cancel Fusion!”

Kettu was engulfed in swirling energy before returning to normal.

“Now, allow me to get us out of this cave,” the Werefox said. “I know the spell Evacuate so we can get out of this cave and back to the base of the mountain. It’ll save us a lot of time and energy. Shall I go ahead and do that?”

Sir Reginald narrowed his eyes, saying, “Should I be surprised that a thief would know Evacuate? But you do have a point: it’ll get us out of this mountain and back to the fresh air in no time. You may proceed, Kettu.”

“Gladly… Reggie. Evacuate!”

The party vanished in a flash of light. They soon reappeared at the foot of the mountain, right where they had originally started.

“Okay, now it’s time to head to Navaral Kingdom, where our next fight with Muu’s army will take place,” the knight said. “Let’s head back to the previous magical campsite to rest, as we won’t make it to the checkpoint before nightfall. Let’s go, team, as we’ve got more work ahead of us.”

The party nodded and retraced their steps back in the direction of the magical campsite they had been to previously. They felt good knowing that another Undead Base was destroyed but they knew more battles lay ahead of them.

Next Chapter: Clock Blocker

That's all for today. Tune in next time to see what our heroes face in the very suggestive title.
 
Time for the next chapter of Dawn of Courage. (Warning: contains mild language, mild violence, suggestive title)

Clock Blocker


In his castle Muu fumed as he heard the news about what had transpired on Toro Mountain. His Undead Soldiers cowered in fear as they saw their master roar in a fury.

“That damn Demon King champion and his damn party!” he roared. “Again they’ve removed my army’s presence from another kingdom and are now in the process of going after my other bases in Navaral Kingdom! And worst of all they managed to take
with them the information that Z’arc had obtained! With that information they can potentially cause even MORE damage! I will not stand for it any longer! They must be destroyed NOW! Send in General Clockworst, as I’ve got a job for him.”

The Undead Soldiers scampered off to fetch the Undead General their master had demanded for. A shadowy figure emerged, with what sounded like the clicking of a clock and other mechanisms being heard.

“General Clockworst, I expect you to deal with those pests once and for all!” Muu roared.

The shadowy figure bowed, “Your wish is my command, Master Muu. Time has run out for those fools who dare oppose you. I will be sure to clean their clocks, rest assured.”

It had been a few days since the party vanquished Captain Bonechimer and his Undead Army platoon. They had since crossed into Navaral Kingdom’s territory and were on their way to the first town in the kingdom. Sir Reginald was in the lead, as usual, guiding the party with his map and compass.

“Okay, here’s the deal,” he said. “It’ll be at least two days before we reach the first town in this territory. Fortunately, there are a few magical campsites for us to use so we should be fine until then. Once we get to the first town we should stock up on supplies. We should be careful, though. Not only do we have Muu’s army to worry about, but this kingdom has bit of a… reputation.”

Nova quirked an eyebrow, “What kind of reputation? I’m guessing it’s not something flattering.”

Nina shook her head, “No, it isn’t. While I don’t know all the details what I do know is that the king of this kingdom is… well… he’s got a few screws loose, to put it nicely. He’s not like Fredric or anything, but he’s well-known for making… poor decisions, for the lack of a better term. And he’ll often try to sweep said poor decisions under the rug so it doesn’t attract the ire of other kingdoms. I don’t know exactly what these poor decisions are or how he tries to sweep it under the rug, but I do know that it doesn’t work as well as he’d like it to.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Yes. I can give you a few more details. Simply put, he tries to bribe the victims of his poor decisions. He’ll offer them something valuable and in exchange they keep quiet. Needless to say, from what King Hendrik has told me, the people still rat him out even after taking the bribe, as apparently what he does is heinous enough that they feel the need to still report it while getting a ‘bonus’ out of it. It’s not much better than what King Charles does himself but considering the fact that this happens a bit too often the other kingdoms get rightfully upset about it and are willing to let the victims keep the bribe in exchange for the information on what happened. I don’t know many more details but the fact that King Charles’ reputation at using bribery to get his victims to stay quiet has become well-known enough that I wouldn’t be surprised if other kingdoms are waiting for him to majorly screw up so they can finally strike him down. Try to keep that in mind while we’re here. I wouldn’t be surprised if somehow we ended up on the business end of that issue.”

Kettu huffed, “Hmph, and here people thought thieves like me were bad. The fact that this King Charles has such an infamous reputation for bribing people to cover up his failures makes me sick. I may revel in my sins sometimes but even I find that deplorable. Such incompetence. He shouldn’t be allowed to lead a country if he’s that problematic.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “For once I agree with you. His father was a much better ruler but he tragically died from an illness when Charles was still fairly young, and his wife had died a few years earlier, so the young prince had to take the throne. I’m not sure if it’s paranoia or straight-up incompetence that causes Charles to be such a terrible leader but his parents would be turning in their graves if they knew just how bad of a king he is. But we’d best not say stuff like that just in case, as, like I said before, it could possibly get us on the business end of his bad decision-making abilities.”

Angelo pondered for a moment before saying, “Doesn’t this kingdom have a special item in the castle? I think it’s the Spellstone.”

Nina nodded, “Yes, that’s correct. The Spellstone is a powerful magical artifact, said to contain untold properties. It was used during the Great War as part of a weapon but it now acts as the nation’s greatest treasure. I’ve heard that King Charles for whatever reason has an unusual obsession with the Spellstone to the point that the sheer thought of it being possibly stolen causes him to have a panic attack. Part of me feels like the Spellstone might be helpful in our journey but given how King Charles is known for freaking out if anyone outside of the kingdom even mentions the Spellstone I doubt we’ll be able to convince him to let us take it.”

Angelo then noticed something, “Hmm? Nova, are you wearing the Shaman Magic Bracelet you got?”

Everyone looked to see that Nova was, indeed, wearing his Shaman Magic Bracelet on his left arm.

Nina got excited, “Does this mean you’re now compatible with Shaman magic, beloved?!”

Nova gained a crooked smile, “Sorry to rain on your parade, Nina, but no, it’s not that. I’m still incompatible. I’m mostly wearing it to cover up the scar that Dominic inflicted on me when he cut my hand off, as I’m getting sick of showing off my ‘mementos’ from the various bullies in my life. While my new outfit does show off the previous scars on my biceps there isn’t much I can do about it. I’d wear one of my custom-made accessories instead but, for some reason, the Shaman Magic Bracelet felt more… attractive to me. I guess I still desire to be able to use it, as to this day I’m still worried about becoming dead weight to all of you. But I’m still not compatible with Shaman magic. I just wear it to cover another unwanted reminder of my trials and tribulations. Maybe someday it’ll become useful to me and allow me to use Shaman magic but, for now, it’s little better than costume jewelry on me.”

Nina’s wings drooped, making her sigh sadly, “That’s too bad. I got really excited at the thought of you being able to use Shaman magic, Nova. I still feel you’ll gain the ability to use it, as the Demon magic energies in the Demon King Ring are such an unknown variable that it could be causing you to evolve without any of us knowing it. I guess I got my hopes up a bit, as I want you to have access to Shaman magic as much as you do. So seeing the Shaman Magic Bracelet on your arm got me excited. Damn… I really wanted you to be able to use it right now, as you deserve it for all your hard work. Hopefully soon your wish will be granted.”

Nova gave a weak smile, “I know, Nina. I appreciate what you’re saying. I want more power so I can contribute to our battles more and not become dead weight, which is a long-standing fear I have. Given my backstory it’s not hard to see why. Maybe one day, but it’s clearly not today. For now, let’s keep moving, as we need to reach the next magical campsite before it gets too late.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “We all want you to have the chance to become stronger, Nova, as your fear is both rational and understandable. It’s a shame that you still can’t use the Shaman Magic Bracelet. But like Lady Nina we all feel that one day it’ll happen. But, for now, like you said, we need to keep going.”

The party nodded and continued onward. However, not long after they detected something.

Zeeker’s fur started to bristle, saying, “Something’s coming. Something powerful.”

Van nodded, “I can sense it, too, Zeeker. We’re about to be attacked by something. Something very strong.”

“Do you think it’s Vertebreak?” Nova asked, clearly on edge.

Kettu shook his head, “No, doesn’t feel like him. But it’s still strong enough to warrant caution. Be on your toes, as an unknown force is coming.”

Everyone waited patiently, trying to detect where the threat was coming from, their weapons drawn. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a spherical object crashed down in front of them before exploding, causing everyone to flinch in horror as they were engulfed in light.

There was silence afterward. Nova slowly opened his eyes.

“Are we dead?” he asked.

He fully opened his eyes and looked around. To his surprise it was as if time had stopped around him and his party. Everyone was frozen in place and the surrounding area seemed to be trapped in a bubble where time was stopped. Nova looked around, startled by this.

“W-What the hell is going on!?” he sputtered.

A voice huffed, “Looks like the Demon King Ring protected you, as you’re unaffected by my Time Bomb. I was hoping to freeze all of you in place so I, and my platoon, could finish you off without resistance. But it appears we’ll have to do things the hard way with you. No matter, as the Time Bomb’s effect will remain in place long enough for me to wipe you out before going after your party members.”

Nova noticed what looked like a strong being approach him. It was a skeleton seemingly fused with a time machine, albeit more crude, with bones acting as pistons on its back, a large clock
with spinning hands made from bones for a torso, armored biceps and thighs, metal gloves with matching boots, and a skull with what looked like a tuning fork for a helmet. There was also a small but significant amount of Undead Soldiers along with him.

Nova got into a defensive position, “Who are you?”

“My name is General Clockworst, one of Master Muu’s most specialized soldiers. Powered by three fallen souls I can control time with my signature power: Time Bomb. They can trap anyone inside their blast for an hour, allowing me to kill them and collect their souls for Master Muu. He sent me to personally deal with you and your party, as you’ve become a massive thorn in his side. Like I said the Demon King Ring protected you. But there’s only one of you and nearly 100 of me and my troops. You’re outclassed, Demon King puppet. So why don’t you make this as painless as possible and just surrender. I promise I’ll make your death quick.”

Nova was clearly nervous but replied as strongly as possible, “No, I won’t falter to the likes of you. I’ve come too far to give up now. Somehow, someway, I’ll protect my party from your attack and come out alive. I’ll clean your clock and free the three souls that power you.”

General Clockworst huffed, “Brave words, but I can see you’re frightened. Yet, at the same time, you aren’t backing down. Interesting. You might as well entertain me. It’ll make killing you and collecting your soul more worthwhile. Undead Soldiers, let’s have a bit of fun with our ‘brave’ Demon King champion.”

The Undead Soldiers started to cackle before slowly approaching Nova. The pink-haired man stood his ground even though he was nervous.

“I cannot back down,” he said silently. “I have to defend Nina and the others. I don’t know how but I’ll find a way to win.”

Suddenly, the Demon King Ring started to glow, stopping the Undead Soldiers in their tracks. Then, to Nova’s surprise, the Shaman Magic Bracelet started to glow. The gems began flickering randomly before settling on the Light and Dark gems. The Shaman Magic Bracelet then started to release energy that engulfed Nova, much to his shock. Clockworst’s eyes widened as he saw Nova start to transform and take a new shape. When the light subsided, standing before the Undead General was a new form.

The form was giant, easily bigger than Van, and seemed to be completely made out of black and white energy, as if the form was imperfect. However, it had a distinct knight-like shape, with a pair of glowing red eyes behind what looked like a knight’s visor. The form suddenly gave a loud roar that caused the Undead Soldiers to back up.

“Don’t back up!” Clockworst stated. “Show some backbone! Bah! Fine. I’ll handle this.” He summoned another spherical bomb, “Eat this! Time Bomb!”

He threw the bomb at the transformed Nova. However, to his horror, Nova caught the bomb and seemingly absorbed it, causing the already chaotic energy that composed his body to become more erratic. The figure then pointed his right arm out, with what looked like a crossbow made of energy forming. A large arrow was suddenly loaded up onto the crossbow and the transformed Nova took aim at Clockworst. The Undead General was frozen in fear as the glowing, ferocious red eyes of the chaotic form glared at him. The crossbow fired the arrow, which rocketed toward its target. Before Clockworst could respond the arrow pierced the clock that made up his torso. The arrow then released a massive chaotic energy explosion that engulfed the entire area, making Clockworst and his Undead Soldiers scream as they were vaporized. The explosion was large enough that it enveloped the transformed Nova, while also completely destroying the time bubble that everyone was in, sending the party flying and crashing hard, dazing them.

Kettu held his head, “W-What the hell just happened?”

Sir Reginald tried to shake the mental cobwebs out of his head, saying, “I’m not sure… But whatever it was, it was something fierce.”

Nina regained her senses only to see Nova, now in his normal form, laying flat on the ground, not moving, along with a large crater nearby. She also noticed three fallen souls that ascended into the sky. Her eyes widened in horror.

“Nova!” she cried out, quickly scampering to her feet.

The party regained their senses and ran over to check their ally. Nina tried to shake Nova awake, but she got no response.

“Nova! Please! Don’t be dead!”

Van gently pushed her aside and checked Nova out. His expression relaxed as he examined their fallen friend.

“You can rest easy, Nina, he’s merely unconscious,” he said. “But what caused that blast? And how did we survive? Did Nova somehow tank the attack and shielded us? Or did something else happen? And what were those fallen souls? Were they part of an Undead Captain who somehow ambushed us and Nova defeated it, saving them? There are so many questions to ask.”

Zeeker replied, “Your guess is as good as ours. I bet only Nova knows what happened. But with him out of commission we won’t get any answers for a bit. We need to get him checked to ensure he didn’t take any life-threatening damage or something like that.”

Angelo said, “Yes, that’s true. But we’re miles from the nearest town. It’ll take us days to reach it, and Nova might not be able to last that long.”

Nina stood up, her eyes showing strength, “Then I’ll get us to the next town.”

“With Teleport?” Sir Reginald asked.

“No. Whatever that blast was it’s disrupted my magical abilities. Teleporting would be too risky. Instead, I’ll fly us there. We might ruffle some feathers with my phoenix form but desperate times call for desperate measures. Give me a second to transform.”

She put some distance between her and the party and enveloped herself in her wings. She soon became a fireball which rapidly started growing. Before long she had transformed into her phoenix form. She lowered herself down and turned to the party.

“Hop on, quickly!” she said via telepathy.

The party nodded, with Van scooping up Nova, and quickly climbing onto Nina’s back. When everyone was secure Nina took flight, heading toward the next town. The party had many questions, knowing that only Nova had the answers to them. What they didn’t notice is that Nova’s Shaman Magic Bracelet was darkened, indicating it was recharging, while the Demon King Ring glowed lightly on his finger.

Next Chapter: The Firebolt Storm Knight Rises

That's all for today. Seems like Nova may soon get the power he seeks. Will it be worth it? Tune in to find out.
 
Time for the next chapter of Dawn of Courage. (Warning: contains mild language, mild violence)

The Firebolt Storm Knight Rises


It was the following evening after the battle with General Clockworst. The party had since made it to a village and were now at the inn. Nova was still unconscious, with Nina dutifully watching over him, ensuring he would recover.

There was a knock at the inn door. Nina reluctantly got up and walked over to it, revealing Sir Reginald.

“Sir Reginald,” she said.

“How’s Nova?” he asked.

“Still out cold. At least he wasn’t injured, or at least badly. According to the medic he’s just completely drained of his energy and is in sort of a recovery coma in order to regain his strength. We still don’t know what exactly happened. It’s clear only Nova does but, obviously, we can’t ask him about it right now. Were we attacked by an unknown Undead Captain or General and Nova somehow fended him off? And if so then why were we incapacitated and yet Nova wasn’t? There are so many questions we have with no answers to them. I just hope Nova recovers soon, as not only could he give us the answers we seek but I’ll just feel better knowing he’s awake.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Indeed. Whatever happened earlier today was unusual. Yet somehow we all got out of it alive thanks to Nova. Hopefully his recovery coma will pass quickly so we can have the whole team back in fighting form as soon as possible.”

“I just want my beloved awake, as whatever happened he had to take the brunt of it. I’m not sure what happened or who our enemy was but it was clear it took a lot out of Nova. I just wish we had some clues to what happened. But the only one who knows anything is Nova and he’s out of commission right now. So I guess we have no choice but to wait things out until Nova recovers.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Yes, that’s true. I’m certain Nova appreciates what you’re doing, Lady Nina, but don’t forget to take care of yourself, too. Nova wouldn’t want you to weaken yourself trying to tend to him. While it proves your devotion to him you shouldn’t wear yourself out in the process. But, in any case, at least we know Nova will recover, it’ll just take time. And on that note I’m going to bed. See you in the morning, Lady Nina. Don’t beat yourself up too much trying to help Nova recover, as he wouldn’t want that.”

Nina gave a weak smile, “I know. That’s Nova for you. And see you in the morning, Sir Reginald. Hopefully by then Nova will be awake again, but if what the medic said is true it may take a bit longer than that. Anyway, see you tomorrow.”

Sir Reginald returned to his room, allowing Nina to close the door and lock it. She walked back over to Nova’s bed, sat down next to him, and gently held his hand, her eyes showing concern and worry.

“Nova, please recover soon,” she pleaded silently. “Not just because we want to know what happened but because I can’t stand to see you like this. Especially since I can’t use my Magic Fire Feathers to revive you. Please, I beg of you, open your eyes soon so I can rest easy knowing you’ll be fine.”

As the night hours ticked on Nina remained by Nova’s side.

Morning soon came. Nina slowly stirred from her slumber. As she weakly opened her eyes, trying to regain her focus, she felt oddly comfortable.

“Why do I feel so comfortable…” she yawned.

She then noticed that she was laying on top of Nova in a rather intimate position. A blush formed on her face as the realization sank in.

“Oh… my… I guess I dozed off and ended up falling asleep on Nova.” She gently got off of him, still blushing, “I guess even my extra weight didn’t wake him up. He must really be drained. But what happened that he ended up this depleted? Was the fight longer than we thought? Did something happen that we don’t know? So many questions and no way to answer them until Nova comes to his senses. I just hope we don’t run into any problems,
like an Undead Captain attacking or something before Nova regains consciousness.”

Suddenly, she heard a knock at the door, making her give a small yelp in surprise. She walked over and opened the door, revealing Sir Reginald again.

“Good morning, Lady Nina,” he said. “How’s our boy?”

“Morning, Sir Reginald,” she replied. “And as you can see… still out cold. Whatever happened yesterday really took it out of him. We’ve got so many questions yet the only one who can answer them is practically in a coma. I just hope he’ll be okay, as seeing him like this makes me worried, especially since he’s got some pretty nasty enemies on this world.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Yes, in this state he’s rather defenseless. And given the fact that he’s got some recurring opponents nipping at his heels it’s no surprise you’re worried about one of them, or any foe, appearing while he’s in such a state. Looks like we’ll have to hang around for a while until he comes to his senses and awakens. But, in the meantime, you should come down at eat breakfast, Lady Nina, as you need your strength and energy, too.”

Nina hesitated, looking back at Nova, concern in her cerulean eyes, before she heaved a heavy sigh.

“I guess you’re right, Sir Reginald. I hate leaving him alone but…” at that moment her stomach growled, making her blush. “Well… as you can see… I am hungry. I guess I’ll come down and have something to eat. I’ll just lock the door with the inn room key so no one can get it… hopefully. I still don’t want to leave him but I can’t weaken myself in the process. He’d get upset if I were to do something like that. Fine, give me a minute to ensure that no one can harm him while he’s in this state and I’m not around.”

She fussed around the room for a minute or two, ensuring that there was no way Nova could be ambushed while resting. After a bit she took the inn key and locked the door, ensuring that it was solid, before following Sir Reginald down to the dining area, where the rest of the party was waiting.

“How’s Nova?” Angelo asked, concerned.

“Still out cold,” the winged woman sighed. “I don’t like leaving him alone, as he’s got a fair few enemies on this world, but I haven’t eaten anything since lunch yesterday. I’m hungry. I know Nova wouldn’t like it if I didn’t take care of myself so here I am. But the second I’m done I’m going back to his side to ensure that he doesn’t get ambushed or to see if he’s making any progress.”

Van smiled, “You’re quite the dutiful girlfriend, Nina. I’m certain Nova very much appreciates it. But like you said you need to take care of yourself as well. Otherwise Nova would get upset if you didn’t. Now, sit down and let us enjoy a nice breakfast. Then we can work out any other plans and issues afterward.”

Nina sat down. Not long after the waitress brought them big plates of food, making the winged woman drool slightly due to hunger. She quickly tucked into the food, her hunger on full display, much to the amusement of the rest of the party, who all ate slower. After the plates were clear Nina quickly darted back up to the room where Nova was, unlocking it and almost bursting into the room. To her relief nothing had been disturbed, including Nova, making her sigh contently. She closed the door and walked over to her lover, sitting down on the bed and gently holding his hand.

“Please, recover quickly, Nova,” she pleaded silently. “Not just to answer our questions but because I need you by my side. Please, open your eyes soon, beloved.”

Down in the dining area the rest of the party were discussing what had possibly happened the day before.

“It must’ve been an Undead Captain or even a General powered by fallen souls that attacked us,” Zeeker growled. “Considering we saw the three fallen souls before going to help Nova does indicate that it was a more powerful member of Muu’s army.”

Kettu nodded, “Aye, I’d be willing to bet on that one. But we don’t know if that Undead Captain or General is stationed around here or was a special operative that was sent out to get us. Both are equally possible.”

Sir Reginald pondered for a moment before saying, “Well, we should first find out if there are any Undead Captains or Generals that haunt this area. While there is a fair distance between here and the checkpoint, this village is still within range of the area we were attacked in. If we only knew who or what we were dealing with yesterday then maybe we could fill in the blanks.”

A waitress said, “You folk hunting Muu’s army?”

Van nodded, “Yes, as that’s our job. We’re the Demon King’s champion party. But our champion is currently out cold, as he somehow faced off against some opponent while we were seemingly frozen.”

“Sounds like you had a run-in with General Clockworst.”

Kettu quirked an eyebrow, “General Clockworst?”

The waitress nodded, “Aye, General Clockworst is one of Muu’s more specialized minions. He’s been causing all sort of trouble in this territory lately. He’s got the power to freeze time in a small location with his Time Bombs. In other words, he uses the forbidden Time magic to incapacitate his targets so they’ll be easy pickings. Not sure how you lot survived but it sounds like Clockworst attacked you. Hopefully your champion was able to destroy him, which would explain why he’s in such a state.”

Sir Reginald pondered again, “General Clockworst… Time magic… Now I get it. Clockworst used a Time Bomb on us that froze us in place. But I bet the Demon King Ring protected Nova, leaving him the only one who could fight back while we were helpless. That explains why we don’t remember anything in between the Time Bomb exploding and the aftermath of Nova’s battle, because we were frozen in a time bubble. Now it makes sense.”

Zeeker replied, “Yeah, seems that way. At least we got one or two questions answered. Looks like Nova saved our bacon by destroying Clockworst thanks to the Demon King Ring making him immune to Time magic. But what could’ve knocked Nova out so badly? According to the medic he wasn’t hurt but his body was completely drained of all his energy. It was like something sucked it right out of him. The battle couldn’t have been that rough… could it? Or did something happen that zapped all his strength in one shot? Those are the questions we need answered.”

The waitress replied, “So, sounds like your pink-haired champion destroyed Clockworst. That’ll put everyone’s minds at ease. But Clockworst did more than just terrorize our area. He also got some local monsters into a frenzy. Specifically Basilisks and Gargathoxes. I wouldn’t be surprised if they showed up here again, as they’ve been attacking us since Clockworst started causing trouble around these parts. If you’re tough enough to deal with Muu’s army then maybe you can help deal with those Basilisks and Gargathoxes, as we can’t take any more beatings from them. You may have not noticed but the village is sporting some damage. We’ve repaired most of it but given how often those packs of brutes attack us we can’t keep it up forever. If you can deal with them we’d be very grateful.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “We’ll take care of it. We’ve dealt with Basilisks and Gargathoxes before. And thanks to Nova we now know that both species possess a weak point that, when struck, will kill them instantly. So you can rest assured that we’ll deal with those brutes on your village’s behalf.”

“Spoken like a true knight, Sir Reginald,” Angelo chuckled.

“Well, it is our job to deal with such threats, especially if Muu is related to it somehow. So it’s only natural.”

Kettu sighed, “Well, at least we’re dealing with Basilisks and Gargathoxes, so that’s not too big of an issue. And like you said we know their weak points so we can exploit that with relative ease. Better let Nina know in case they show up soon. I’ll tell her. Be right back.”

He stood up and walked upstairs to where Nina was still tending to Nova. A few minutes later he returned and sat back down.

“Okay, she’s aware of the issue. She said she’ll help us when the brutes appear even if it means leaving Nova’s side. I also clued her in on the whole Clockworst thing that we discussed earlier. She feels it makes a lot of sense and would mostly explain what happened, though she still has some questions like the rest of us. But at least we’re all on the same page now so we can start piecing things together more.”

Van nodded, “Good work, Kettu. Hopefully Nova will awaken soon so we can get the last few details. But given how drained he is it might be a while. But at least we may have an idea of what happened.”

Suddenly everyone heard a man scream from outside, “The Gargathoxes and Basilisks are coming!”

Sir Reginald stood up, “Time for us to shine, warriors. Let’s deal with those beasts before they cause any more problems.”

The party nodded and quickly made their way outside. They could see the pack of Gargathoxes and Basilisks rapidly approaching. Nina soon appeared, hovering off the ground briefly before landing gracefully.

“Glad you’re gonna help us, Nina,” Angelo said.

She replied, “Well, I worry that those beasts will attack the inn and put Nova at risk so I’d rather fight and remove them from the equation before they can get to that point. I don’t like leaving Nova alone but I know it has to be done in order to protect him. Now, enough talk, as our unwanted friends are nearly upon us.”

The party nodded and got into a defensive position, ready to intercept the pack of powerful monsters. It wasn’t long before the monsters were glaring down at the party. There was a total of seven monsters: four Gargathoxes and three Basilisks. They all were extremely agitated and looked ready to kill. They glared at the party, who returned the glare equally, before they roared and began their attack.

Sir Reginald held out his arm with the Shaman Magic Bracelet, saying, “Time for me to get into a more appropriate form!”

However, just as he was about to activate the Shaman Magic Bracelet one of the Basilisks fired a glob of energy at his feet, knocking him back. This caused his hand to slip and activate three different Elemental Gems instead of his intended choice. He quickly got back up and looked at the bracelet.

“Not my intended choice but seeing how even accidental combos have worked before I’ll give it a shot. Elemental Energy Fusion activate!”

He was engulfed in swirling energy. Soon a new form emerged.

Sir Reginald was still a knight, although he was encased in flaming and electrified armor, with what appeared to be swirling wind for legs, a pair of wings made from wind and lightning, twin broadswords coated in flames, complete with flames for hair, and electric blue eyes. He looked himself over before getting into a battle-ready pose.

“This’ll do nicely,” he said. “Let’s see if these brutes can stand up to the power of the Firebolt Storm Knight!”

The three Basilisks turned to face Sir Reginald before firing globs of energy at him. He drew both swords and began slashing the globs with incredible speed, preventing them from touching him. They soon stopped their attack, as it was apparent to them that it wasn’t working.

Sir Reginald smirked, “My turn. Storm Slash!”

His swords were now coated in electricity and wind. In the blink of an eye he moved from his original spot to behind the three Basilisks. The three beasts seemed to be frozen in midair before suddenly being cut up into several pieces. They crashed to the ground, their flesh decaying and dissolving instantly, leaving only bones behind, much to the surprise of everyone else.

Sir Reginald smirked, “Three down, four more to go. Have a taste of this! Bolts of Judgment!”

He raised his swords up over his head and fired a bolt of lightning into the sky. A moment later the Gargathoxes were bombarded with powerful lightning, making them roar in pain. Nina instantly sprang into action.

“Mana Daggers!” she stated.

She summoned several magical daggers and fired them into the mouths of the Gargathoxes, striking the orbs in the back of their mouths. The Gargathoxes froze in midair before crashing to the ground in a pile. Their flesh decayed away, leaving only bones behind. The party got into a more relaxed position as the battle ended.

“Well, that wasn’t so bad, now was it?” Sir Reginald said with a smirk.

“Hey, Reggie, what elements did you accidentally get when you used the Shaman Magic Bracelet?” Kettu asked.

“Fire, Wind, and Lightning, three elements I rarely, if at all, use. So it was an interesting situation but ultimately we prevailed. And my name’s not ‘Reggie’, Kettu!” He regained his composure before saying, “Anyway, let us harvest the best parts from these beasts and squirrel them away for later. Cancel Fusion.”

Sir Reginald was engulfed in swirling energy before returning to normal. Before the party could move over to the piles of Basilisk and Gargathox bones, something emerged from them. To their surprise one Gargathox, clearly the largest one, was still alive. It glared at Sir Reginald before opening its mouth and preparing to bite him in half.

“Sir Reginald, look out!” Zeeker stated.

However, before the beast could strike the knight something fast zipped past him and struck the orb in the back of the Gargathox’s throat, making it freeze. It was revealed to be an arrow. The arrow then glowed and the orb turned to stone. This attack caused the Gargathox to crash to the ground, now truly dead, with its flesh practically melting off its bones, leaving them behind.

“That was a Petrify Shot!” Nina said. “Which means…”

Everyone turned to see Nova standing in a battle-ready pose behind them, his bow drawn. However, he didn’t have any of his other equipment, including his Hoverboots, much to their surprise.

“Nova! You’re awake!”

However, Nova’s eyes instantly grew dull and he started to crumple to the ground.

“Nova!” Nina cried.

A fast as the wind Nina raced over to Nova and caught him before he could hit the ground, resting his head on her breasts. Van quickly galloped over to check up on the young man.

“He’ll be fine,” the Centaur said. “He’s sleeping like a baby. I’m not sure how he was able to pull that off but it was good timing.”

Nina said, “Van, help me get him back into bed.”

Van scooped Nova up and the two of them returned to the inn to get Nova to rest.

Sir Reginald said, “Leave Nova to Nina and Van. Let us collect our bounty now that the threat is over.”

Kettu gave the one Gargathox skull a kick, growling, “This one was unusually smart. It actually faked its death in order to attack us when our guard was dropped. That was surprisingly clever.”

Zeeker nodded, “I’ll say. I know that Gargathoxes are said to be rather smart but that was really clever of it. We’d best keep that in mind in case we run into another pack of these flying beasts.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Yes, I agree. Now, let us collect the most valuable parts from these monsters. We’ll have to bring them back to the inn in shifts so no one else plucks some parts behind our backs. Nina can put them in the Digi-Pack, as Nova taught her how to use it. Zeeker, Angelo, you start the first run, then Kettu and I will go when you return, and rinse and repeat.”

The remaining party members nodded and began harvesting the more valuable parts from the downed monsters. They’d return to the inn in pairs, carrying the parts, and ensure that no opportunistic villagers would swipe their prize. After a while they had collected all the most valuable parts of the beasts before leaving the rest. They returned to the inn where Van and Nina were tending to a now-sleeping Nova.

“What’s his status?” Zeeker asked.

Van replied, “Well, he’ll recover, as he’s now asleep instead of being in a coma of sorts. But I noticed that he’s recovering slowly, which is because his stress levels have spiked again. I gave him some Nuts Oil, hoping it’ll lower his stress and fatigue enough to help him recover faster.”

Kettu crossed his arms, “I’m not surprised that Nova’s stress levels spiked again. Not only because he’s constantly fighting the very thing he’s afraid of, but he’s always struggling to keep up with us. We can get stronger more easily than him, as we’re used to fighting, especially once we gained Shaman magic. But he always has to do things the hard way and is constantly pushing himself to keep up. Every step we take he has to take five in order to not fall behind the rest of us. And considering falling behind and becoming dead weight to us is a recurring fear of his it’s clear how hard he’s pushing himself. Given his history that’s not exactly hard to see why.”

Nina nodded sadly, “Yes, that’s true. He craves power so he can keep contributing to our cause but he’s just not built for this. As a result he pushes himself way too hard to ensure he doesn’t slow us down. His only real advantage over us is that he knows a Goddess-tier skill, but since he doesn’t know how to call upon it on command it’s an unreliable advantage at best. I just wish there was a way to give him the power he seeks so he can stop fearing he’ll slow us down. But, like you said, given that this is a recurring issue for him ever since he was younger it’s not hard to see why he’s so worried about it.”

Sir Reginald crossed his arms, saying, “Yes, it’s rather problematic that Nova is struggling to keep up with everyone around him. And since this has been a lifelong issue it’s easy to see why it plagues his mind. I had hoped that this issue would lessen over time but it appears it may actually be getting worse.”

Angelo turned to him, “Hey, Sir Reginald, I’ve got a question for you. You made Nova the second-in-command of our little party. Why, exactly? Did you have some sort of plan for him? Or was it because he’s the Demon King’s champion?”

“Now that you mention it I’ve been wondering the same thing,” Zeeker said.

Sir Reginald replied, “I made Nova second-in-command in hopes of molding him like wet clay so he could become a stronger, better person. I had hoped that by allowing him to grow in my shadow he could become stronger, more confident, braver, and unlock his true potential. My father did the same thing with both me and my younger brother and we became some of Galvatar’s best knights. I could see he had the potential but his negative qualities were hampering it. So I hoped that he could learn from me while living in my shadow until those negative qualities were shed and he could start living up to his potential. I like to think it worked, at least for the most part, as we’ve all seen how much he’s grown.”

Nina gave a weak smile, “So, you were trying to act as a father figure to Nova in order to help him grow in your shadow. While I don’t think it was the best fit for him, as Nova has a very different mentality compared to you, I won’t deny it seems to have worked well enough. Considering I’ve been with Nova for 99% of this journey, having personally watched him grow from the weak-willed, cowardly lion he once was to a strong, brave, noble man, I can safely say that, while the method isn’t a perfect fit, it did do the job. And, if I’m being honest, you were probably acting as a better father figure for him than his real father. Remember, Nova’s father was fine in labeling him the black sheep of the family because he was an underachiever: failing to see him for what he could offer and instead only saw him for his failures. As someone who also didn’t have a good father I can say with confidence that you were probably a better example of a father figure to him than his real father.”

Kettu crossed his arms, “I see. You were hoping to mold him into a better form by allowing him to grow in your shadow. That’s why you made him second-in-command, so he could learn what he needed in order to shed his negative qualities and gain more positive ones. Interesting. Didn’t think you had that in you, Reggie. Especially since you’re still single.”

Sir Reginald replied, “Yes, well, I like to think my strategy worked well enough, even if it wasn’t a perfect fit for him. And he has grown a lot since I first met him. While it was obvious that his love for Nina was the catalyst that triggered his determination to become stronger and braver I like to think I helped guide him down the needed path by letting him grow in my shadow.”

Van said, “I’m willing to bet it did work. Not to the best degree, as Nova is still plagued by various forms of self-doubt and low self-esteem. But it does seem to have worked well enough that Nova’s growth is noticeable. Considering I’m going to be a father one day soon I admit it’s an admirable method. Now, enough talk. Let’s leave Nova so he can rest. Nina, we’ll leave putting the Gargathox and Basilisk parts away in Nova’s Digi-Pack to you. Keep us posted on Nova’s recovery. I’ll check back in a bit.”

Nina nodded, “Right, leave it to me.”

Angelo said, “We should take this opportunity to go get supplies, now that the danger has passed.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Yes, that’s a good idea, Angelo. Let’s go and take care of business while Lady Nina keeps an eye on Nova.”

The party nodded and split up to do their assigned tasks. Nina put the various monster parts into Nova’s Digi-Pack before sitting down next to him to watch over him. Sir Reginald and the rest of the party went out to take care of the necessary errands for their travels.

Next Chapter: Gentle Awakening

That's all for today. Another day, another Shaman power, another victory. Tune in next time to see if Nova recovers.
 
Time for the next chapter of Dawn of Courage.

Gentle Awakening


It had been a few hours since the party slayed the pack of Basilisks and Gargathoxes. The villagers were breathing a collective sigh of relief knowing that the threats in the area were gone. Nina was still with Nova, watching him sleep, concern in her cerulean eyes. She gently held one of his hands, hoping and praying for him to awaken from his slumber.

“Nova… I don’t know how you did it but you saved Sir Reginald today,” she said softly. “I just hope you wake up soon, as we still have some questions that need answering. More importantly, I want you awake so I can rest easy knowing you’ll be okay.”

Nova continued to sleep undisturbed, completely unaware of Nina’s wish. A knock was then heard at the door, making Nina jump a bit. She walked over to it and opened it, revealing Sir Reginald.

“Oh, Sir Reginald.”

“How is he?” the knight asked.

She turned to the sleeping man, saying, “Still asleep. I don’t know how he managed to get from here to the battlefield with so little energy just in time to save your life, but he did. But at least he’s just asleep and not in a recovery coma or anything serious. So I guess that means he’ll recover and awaken sooner rather than later. But Van’s worried about Nova’s stress levels having spiked again. Even with the Nuts Oil we do have he’s worried that if Nova’s stress keeps spiking it could push him past his breaking point. If what Van says is true he could be very close to that point already. I worry what might happen if Nova is pushed beyond his breaking point. I can’t blame him for being so stressed but I dread what could happen to him if we don’t find a way to deflate those levels soon. He’s already pushing himself to an insane degree just to keep up, but like Kettu said, for every one step we take he has to take five, as we get stronger faster than him. I just wish there was something we could do to help him both relax and get stronger. Nuts Oil is an excellent stress and fatigue nullifier but even that can’t keep up with how quickly Nova’s stress levels build.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Indeed, Lady Nina. And part of me worries that being in this kingdom, one that has a rather dubious reputation, could potentially push him too far. He’s already suffered through enough but I worry that this kingdom could be the final straw for him. After all, King Charles is an incompetent leader who could easily do something incredibly stupid that would push Nova over the edge. Especially since Nova is an outsider, and from what I’ve heard from King Hendrik… well… King Charles becomes extremely paranoid around outsiders. I can easily see him doing something ridiculously stupid that could easily push Nova into a dangerous state of mind. Nova’s already rather fragile in mind, mainly thanks to his various vices like low self-esteem and poor upbringing, and this journey hasn’t done that any favors in that regard. Sure, he’s become a stronger, braver, noble man, but it’s clear that he’s going to be mentally scarred for life after dealing with Muu and his hordes of Undead Soldiers. King Charles could very easily screw things over for Nova and potentially break him. And that’s not something I want to see.”

Nina gave a sad sigh, “Me neither. I just hope that doesn’t happen but given Nova’s luck it could very well be the case. His luck has always been horrible, both before and after he and I became an item. I doubt even eating some Gold Apples would improve his luck to more acceptable levels. And I can totally see King Charles making a mess of things for Nova and possibly pushing him over the edge. Especially since something tells me we’re gonna need the Spellstone his capital guards, and you already know how King Charles is about the Spellstone. I just hope that, for once, Nova isn’t struck down by some horrible turn of events and is able to make it out of the rest of the journey with everything intact, including his sanity. Now, enough of this kind of talk, as it’s making me more depressed. I’m going back to tending to Nova. Keep me posted on anything that might be of use to us.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “I will, Lady Nina. Let us know when Nova is finally back on his feet. But don’t neglect yourself, either, Lady Nina, as Nova wouldn’t want that.”

Nina nodded and gently closed the door. She heaved a heavy, sad sigh before returning to Nova’s side. She sat down on the end of his bed and gently clutched his hand, watching him rise and fall with each breath.

Morning came and Nina slowly stirred from her slumber. She felt unusually comfortable.

“Mm… why do I feel so comfortable…?” she asked, slowly coming out of her sleep.

She then noticed she was, once again, laying on top of Nova in a rather intimate position, making her blush. She also noticed that Nova’s hands were gently cradling her waist. It took her a minute before her eyes widened in excitement.

“Nova’s holding me!” she exclaimed silently. “Maybe it means he’s going to be back on his feet soon!”

She slowly stroked Nova’s face, trying to persuade him to awaken. Nova twitched a bit but remained asleep. Nina gently increased her “assault,” trying her best to see if her lover would respond to her actions. To her delight her actions were rewarded as he slowly stirred from his own slumber, mumbling slightly. Eventually, after another minute of this Nova opened his eyes. They were dull, having very little sheen in them, but he was awakening, nonetheless. His eyes slowly locked onto Nina, who gave him a warm smile, gently cradling his face.

“Nova… you have no idea how happy I am to see you awake at last,” she said with sincerity. “You had me worried, especially after you suddenly conked out after saving Sir Reginald yesterday. How do you feel, beloved? Can I get you anything?”

Nova gained a weak smile, “Nina… you continue to prove that I’m not worthy of you, as it’s obvious you’ve been by my side ever since. You’re quite the woman to want to fuss over me.”

She smiled, “Well, I know you’d do the same for me, Nova. You’ve always been willing to bend over backwards for my sake, even if it gets you into trouble. I can count on you for anything, so I want you to know that you can feel the same way about me. I’m just so happy to see you finally awake.”

She gently got off of him, removing his hands from her waist, before standing up. Nova slowly got into a sitting position before moving his legs out from under the covers and onto the floor. He still seemed rather weak, as his movements were sluggish, much to Phoenix woman’s concern. He remained in a sitting position for a while, slowly coming to his senses. After a few minutes he finally stood up. He stumbled a bit but managed to remain upright. Nina beamed as she saw him stand up, fluttering her wings happily.

“Nova, I’m so glad to see you up,” she smiled. “I can see you’re still pretty weak but getting some food in you will probably help fix that, as you haven’t eaten since breakfast at least two days ago. The gang will be happy to know you’re up and about again.”

Just then there was a knock at the door. Nina walked over and opened it, revealing Sir Reginald. His eyes lit up as he saw Nova standing.

“Nova!” he said. “You’re finally awake! What a relief. We’ve been worried about you. How do you feel?”

Nova replied, “Weak. Drained. And rather rocky. I’m still not totally there yet. But I can at least get up and move around again, so I’ll call that progress. Probably eating something will get me into better working order. I just hope I can make it to the dining room without falling flat on my face.”

Nina smiled, “That’s where I come in, beloved. Leave it to me.”

Sir Reginald smiled, “With Lady Nina in your corner you should be fine. The rest of the party will be happy to know you’re up and active.”

Nova replied dryly, “Up? Yes. Active? Not so sure about that. We’ll see how ‘active’ I am when I make it to the rest of the team. You’d better go on ahead, as it may take me a bit to get my systems running.”

The knight chuckled, “Sure. And thanks for what you did yesterday. That Gargathox playing dead so it could ambush me after I ended my Shaman form would’ve succeeded if it wasn’t for your good timing. I owe you my life.”

“…You don’t owe me anything, Sir Reginald. I was just repaying the favor for what you’ve done for me. Don’t think I’m not aware of what you’ve been trying to do for me ever since you made me second-in-command. I’ve known for a while what you were doing. It wasn’t the best fit… but it proved effective, nonetheless. So just consider it me repaying my debt to you. Now go on, we’ll meet you in the dining room… assuming I can get my legs to move fast enough before breakfast turns into lunch.”

Sir Reginald chuckled again, “As you wish, Nova. See you shortly.”

He walked down the hall and headed toward the dining room. Nova sat down, put his Hoverboots on, strapped his Digi-Pack and archery equipment onto his back, and slowly made his way down the hall with Nina by his side. Due to the weakness in his legs meant it took a few minutes but they eventually made it to the dining room, where the rest of the party was waiting.

“Nova!” Angelo said cheerfully. “It’s good to see you up and about again. You had us worried. How do you feel?”

“Weak,” the pink-haired man replied bluntly. “I feel like all the energy and vitality has been literally drained from my body. Hopefully getting some food in my belly will fix that, at least to some degree.”

The party nodded as Nova sat down, Nina taking her place next to him. After ordering the food they waited, while Nova was slowly trying to recuperate his strength. The food arrived and they dug in, with Nova being particularly eager. It wasn’t long before the food was gone and the plates were cleared.

Nina said gently, “Nova, I hate to bombard you with questions after you’ve just gotten back on your feet… but we need to know what happened that day. We may have pieced together some of the context of what happened but we need to know more. And, unfortunately, you’re the only one who knows what transpired that day. So… could you please tell us?”

The pink-haired man heaved a sigh, “I’ll do my best, as my memories are kinda hazy. Well, to start off with the obvious, we were attacked by an Undead General named General Clockworst. He threw a Time Bomb into the center of the field and froze all of you in time. I was spared because the Demon King Ring protected me. Clockworst was hoping to immobilize all of us so he could pick us off without any resistance, but he was forced to deal with me first. He, and roughly 100 Undead Soldiers, were ready to fight me, while I was willing to stand my ground despite being very nervous, as that was the first Undead Army platoon I’ve had to face by myself since Boneregard. I don’t know exactly what happened but the Demon King Ring activated, which seemed to forcefully activate the Shaman Magic Bracelet, selected two elements, and then I was engulfed in swirling energy. Everything else after that is rather hazy, but I know I was able to destroy Clockworst and his Undead Army platoon in one shot, but it also zapped me completely, leaving me in a comatose state.”

Nina’s eyes widened, “Wait! The Demon King Ring activated the Shaman Magic Bracelet? Does that mean you now have a Shaman form?!”

“I don’t know. I’m not sure if it was just a one-time wonder or… possibly a prototype of a Shaman form that I can potentially gain in the future.”

Zeeker quirked an eyebrow, “Proto… type? What’s that?”

“A prototype is basically the first stage or draft of something. It’s often used with machines, electronics, and other such technological fields. It basically is the rough stages of what will eventually become a final form. Probably the best non technology equivalent for it would be a primordial stage. Essentially the early stages of something that’ll eventually evolve and perfect itself until it reaches a final form. Again, I’m not sure if it was just a one-time wonder or if it was foreshadowing a power that I could soon obtain. Whatever it was, it packed a huge punch, and completely zapped me of my strength and energy. I can recall well enough that all it took was one attack from whatever that was to destroy Clockworst and his entire platoon, but I was completely drained as a result. It was either the Demon King Ring forcing the Shaman Magic Bracelet to cobble together a makeshift or stopgap form for me so I could have the power needed to save all of us… or it could be the early stages of an actual Shaman form that I may acquire later on. If it is the latter then it means that I am evolving because of the Demon King Ring, I just haven’t reached a good enough point yet to create a complete form. The only other thing I remember clearly enough is that it used the Light and Dark elements to forge the form. What the form is, what its powers are, and how strong it is I don’t know. That’s all I can say because that’s all I know.”

Kettu scratched his chin, “Hmm… interesting. If it wasn’t a one-time wonder and is, in fact, an early stage of a Shaman form you can take, a ‘prototype’ as you put it, then it does suggest that you’ve been slowly and subtly evolving due to being exposed to the Demon magic in the Demon King Ring. If so, then that’s a good sign, as it means sometime soon you’ll not only have access to the power you’ve been seeking, but if it could clean Clockworst’s clock and his platoon, even when it wasn’t a complete form then it may boast some insane power. As much I’d like you to test it again, as you remember which elements you, or rather the Demon King Ring, used, but it could potentially comatose you again. So we’ll just have to wait until you’ve reached a solid enough point in your ‘evolution’ before we can actually test anything.”

Nina looked elated, “I knew you would gain the ability to use Shaman magic, Nova! Even if it’s just an early stage form it does prove that you’ve been evolving to the point that you’ll eventually turn it into a completed form. I’m so happy to hear this, as I just knew the Demon magic in the ring would be the catalyst needed to help you gain the power you seek. I can’t wait to see what it might actually be. I know it’s pointless to ask but do you have any recollection of what it was like? Like its shape or abilities?”

Nova gained a sheepish expression, “Sorry to say, Nina, but I don’t have a clue. Everything after the Shaman Magic Bracelet activating is like a blur. I can’t make heads or tails out of it. The only thing I can somewhat make out is that it seemed to fire projectile attacks. Like it was equipped with a crossbow or an arm cannon or something. I… I don’t remember enough to give any sort of clear description. Sorry, but that’s all I can say right now.”

Van pondered for a moment, “Hmm… if it can fire projectiles then it seems to keep to your theme of being a ranged fighter. Makes me wonder if it has any close-quarter abilities, since you sorely lack that element. But, either way, if it is a primordial Shaman form then with a bit more time you’ll have evolved enough for it to stabilize and take a more defined form. That’s something to look forward to.”

“Indeed, my friend,” Angelo said with a smile. “And if it was this powerful when it wasn’t complete it might indicate that its ‘finalized’ state could be strong enough to topple foes like Vertebreak.”

“Woah, let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Nova said cautiously. “Anything regarding it is still up in the air, so we cannot make any assumptions just yet. It’ll be setting us up for disappointment if it does end up being a one-time wonder. While I want to hope that it is a Shaman form, just incomplete at the time, I’m going to be cautiously optimistic so I don’t get my hopes up too high before we know any concrete information on it.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Yes, you bring up a valid point, Nova. It’s promising, but we can’t get our hopes up just yet, as there are too many unknown variables to give it any sort of foundation. Getting too excited about something we have little-to-no knowledge can be a recipe for disaster. We do need to approach this situation cautiously. If it does end up being true: it is a ‘prototype’ of a Shaman form you’ll soon be able to take, then that’ll make the payoff much better. But being cautiously optimistic on the subject is wise, as it could swing in either direction because of the vast number of unknown variables. Still, it does inspire confidence that you’re undergoing an evolution of sorts and will soon gain full compatibility with Shaman magic. But like you said, let’s not get ahead of ourselves and set us up for disappointment.”

Nina said silently, “Well, I believe it’s the truth. That it’s an early stage of a Shaman form that Nova can take. I wonder what it’ll look like? What kind of powers will it have? What will it be called? It’s making me giddy at the thought of Nova finally gaining a Shaman form, as he richly deserves it. I hope we’ll soon get our answers and will know for sure if it’s just the rough stages of a Shaman form that’ll eventually perfect itself. I know a certain Werecat and two obnoxious punks will be jealous to hear that Nova may soon have the capacity to use Shaman magic. And I bet it’ll be glorious.”

Next Chapter: Familiar Bonding Lessons

That's all for today. At least Nova is finally back on his feet. Tune in next time to see what our heroes face.
 
Time for the next chapter of Dawn of Courage. (Warning: contains mild language, mild violence)

Familiar Bonding Lessons


It had been a few days since Nova recovered from his fight with General Clockworst. The party was on their way to the next village. Nova was looking better, although he still seemed to be a bit tired, to the concern of the party.

“Remember, Nova, if you need a break, let us know,” Sir Reginald said. “Don’t push yourself too hard now.”

Nova replied, “I know, don’t worry. I’m not forcing myself forward or anything. I may still be a bit tired but evil doesn’t sleep, so I can’t spend too much time resting. But don’t worry: I’m pacing myself to go at a certain rate so I don’t exhaust myself. I’ll be fine. We still have a mission to complete and it’s only a matter of time before Muu sends out another enemy after us, so we’d best keep at it so Muu can’t reclaim lost ground.”

“Sadly, he’s correct,” Van said. “We can’t lollygag, as we have yet to deal with the Undead Bases in this kingdom. So we need to make hay while there’s light in the day. While taking out Clockworst was a step in the right direction, he’s not officially stationed here, as he was a special unit. So we still need to find the Undead Bases in this kingdom in order to remove them before Muu tries to reclaim lost territory.”

Nina gave a sigh, “Yeah, unfortunately we are on bit of a timer. Getting rid of Clockworst was a good start, but if we leave the Undead Bases in this territory alone for too long they’ll start making moves to reclaim the areas we’ve already liberated. So, sadly, we do have to keep moving. Hopefully we can get some information in the next town.”

The party nodded and continued to make their way to the next settlement, fighting monsters along the way. They soon arrived at the town. It was a decent-sized town, with plenty of people bustling about. The party took a moment to examine their surroundings before deciding what to do.

“Okay, let’s market off some of the monster parts we got recently,” Sir Reginald said. “That way we’ll have some spending cash to purchase food, medicine, and anything else needed. Then we’ll ask around about Muu’s Undead Bases, such as where they’re stationed and such. Even just a rumor would help give us a clue on where to head next. But, for now, let’s go take care of the necessary shopping and marketing.”

The party nodded and split up to do the needed tasks. After about 30 minutes they had gathered in the center square.

“Okay, we got mostly everything,” Kettu said. “Except for more Nuts Oil. I guess it hasn’t gotten back into circulation just yet even after liberating one of the bigger nut plantations from Muu’s army.”

Van replied, “I suspect the capital would have a good amount, as they’ve got their own private nut plantation as part of the city. But we have a ways to go before we reach the capital so we’ll just have to wait until then. Hopefully we’ll
soon run into a shop or two that has some.”

Just then Nina noticed something. She walked over to a flier on a post. Curious, the party gathered around to see what it was.

“Check it out, gang,” she said. “They’re holding a familiar bonding course here in the town. Well, technically, it’s outside of town, but we need to meet with the man performing the course here first. While I know we need to learn more about Muu and his Undead Bases, why don’t we check it out? I mean, it can’t hurt, right? Maybe it’ll help us bond with our own familiars more.”

Nova nodded, “Yeah, I’m down for that. I may have had Elora for a little while now, and we both trust each other, but learning more about how to forge stronger trust with each other would be beneficial. Plus I can learn more about familiars as a whole since I find the concept of such magical beasts fascinating.”

Kettu scratched his chin, “It couldn’t hurt to check it out. I say we do it.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Very well. It couldn’t hurt. And it might be educational. And I think I know who this Rufus guy is who’s holding the session. Let’s check it out.”

The part exchanged nods and went to the location where the flier said the meeting spot for the course was. They quickly found it. There were several people already present, all of various shapes, sizes, and races. The one who seemed to be instructing them was a Beastman who looked like a husky.

Sir Reginald smiled, “I thought as much. I remember Rufus. He held this very same session a long time ago at Galvatar. Back when I first got Thundervolt. He helped me bond with my Thunderclap Stallion. He knows his stuff, so we’re in good hands.”

Rufus turned to the party, “Oh, hello. Are you here to—” but his eyes widened as he saw Sir Reginald. “Sir Reginald? Is that you? It’s been a while.”

“Hello, Rufus. Good to see you again. I see you’re still traveling the world, teaching people how to bond better with their familiars. You do good work. Thanks to your course Thundervolt and I get along like peas and carrots.”

Rufus smiled, “I’m glad to hear that. But who are—” It then dawned upon him, “Hold on. You’re the Demon King’s champion party, right? I had heard that you were its leader, Sir Reginald, but I wasn’t sure if I had my information right. So what I’ve heard is true. And your party wants to take my course?”

Nova stepped up, “Well, some of us. Only Nina, Kettu, and me, as we’re the only ones with familiars aside from Sir Reginald. Do you still have some openings in your class for us?”

Rufus nodded, “Indeed, the more the merrier. I’m actually quite curious to know what kind of familiars members of the Demon King’s champion party have. Guess I’ll find out shortly. Though it’s good you showed up when you did; we were about to head out to the fields to take the course in a few minutes. After all, we need space, as some familiars can be quite large. So good timing. Just hang around here for a few minutes and we’ll soon head out.”

The party nodded and started to make small talk with the other people participating in the course. After about ten minutes Rufus guided everyone out into the fieldlands so to begin the course. After everyone had gathered in a wide-open area, Rufus turned to face his students.

“Okay, it is time to begin the familiar bonding course,” he instructed. “Now, let’s first go over the basics. Familiars are magical beasts that forge blood contracts with their masters. However, the masters don’t have complete control over their familiars. Sometimes a familiar may disobey its master, and despite the blood contract, they are not punished for it. Therefore, it is wise for the master to better bond with their familiar so to limit how many times the familiar may disobey. Praising a familiar is beneficial, but discipline is also necessary. Love is both a carrot and a stick, and one must create a balance between both in order to make sure their familiar is as loyal as possible. This course is not only to improve your bond with your familiar but to also improve your familiar’s nature; some familiars can be more problematic than others. Now, let us begin. We will, one at a time, summon our familiars. This way we can both: show off the particular species of familiar fairly to the rest of the class and give everyone a chance to introduce themselves. But no fighting, as familiars brawling can cause a lot of damage and put others at risk. Now, I’ll start.” He bit his thumb, causing it to bleed, before saying, “Gex, come forth!”

A summoning circle formed, followed by a burst of smoke, and soon an Edan Gecko was sitting on Rufus’ shoulders. It happily nuzzled against Rufus’ cheek, making him smile and gently pet its head.

“This is my familiar: an Edan Gecko named Gex. Now…” he looked at his chart, “…let’s start with… Gordon Ramze.”

A large, burly warrior with a rather cocky expression stepped up, smirking, “You picked the right guy to open things up. I’ll show you all a real familiar.” He bit his thumb, producing blood, before saying, “Come forth, Crasher!”

A summoning circle appeared, followed by a geyser bursting, and before long a Galloping Merbeast was standing next to him.

Rufus nodded, “I see, I see. You have a Galloping Merbeast. A fine familiar.”

Gordan smirked, “He’s more than ‘fine’! He’s the mightiest and best of all familiars! I sincerely doubt the familiars of anyone else here could match Crasher, especially since he’s a Rank Six familiar!”

The party said silently, “He won’t be so cocky when Nova steps up to the plate.”

Rufus said, “Now, now, this isn’t a competition. This is a bonding course, so you need to be respectful to others and their familiars. Now… moving on…” He checked his chart again, “…Next up is Gloria Winn.”

An attractive young human woman stepped up, “As you wish.” She bit her thumb, producing blood, before saying in a strong yet gentle tone, “Emily, come forth!”

A summoning circle appeared, followed by a burst of sparkly powder, and soon a new familiar had appeared.

It looked like a large butterfly, easily the size of a bowling ball, with large wings that seemed to be studded with various jewels and crafted into a certain pattern, large, almost cute eyes, antenna ending in small rubies, and a thorax made from crystal. It fluttered around a bit before landing on Gloria’s shoulder.

“Ah, a Gimmer Papillon,” Rufus said. “And a lovely looking one. You’ve taken good care of it.”

Gloria smiled, “Yes. I’ve made sure to tend to her needs. But I hope I can learn more about her so I can be a better master for her.”

The Glimmer Papillon started making small warbling noises, as if agreeing with her master.

Rufus then said, looking at his chart, “Okay… next up is… Tommy Vince.”

A middle-aged man nodded, “Okay.” He bit his thumb, producing blood, before saying, “Quizzler, come forth!”

A summoning circle appeared, followed by a burst of what looked like question marks, and soon a new familiar had appeared.

It looked like an iguana, only it had purple skin with orange blotches scattered about, with chameleon-like eyes that kept shifting in all directions but never in the same direction, large, strong legs ending in big feet, and a tail that seemed to be permanently bent into a question mark shape. It tilted its head, curious to what was going on.

“Ah, you have an Enigma Iguana,” Rufus said. “Quite a rare find.”

Tommy replied, “Well, considering I’m something of an absent-minded teacher I guess it’s only natural I’d get an absent-minded familiar. But Quizzler has been a very helpful familiar to me despite both of our spaciness. He’s been very good at keeping my schedule together. And helps me find my pants in the morning so my wife Winnie doesn’t have to. But hopefully this course will help me get closer to him.”

“That’s the goal of this course. Now… next up… is Kris Kala.”

A woman who looked like a mage nodded, “Okay, here we go.” She bit her thumb, causing it to bleed, before saying, “Dazzle, come forth!”

A summoning circle appeared, followed by a splash of water and light, and soon a new familiar was present.

It looked like a moderate-sized cuttlefish, only its skin appeared to flash in rather psychedelic colors, with large, almost cute eyes, moderate length tentacles, and seemingly able to float in the air.

“I see, I see,” Rufus said. “A Befuddle Cuttlefish. Haven’t seen one of them in a while.”

Kris held out a finger, which prompted the Befuddle Cuttlefish to gently hold it with its tentacles, saying, “Yes, Dazzle and I have actually only known each other for a couple of weeks at best, as I just got him not too long ago. He’s very affectionate but I want to learn more about him and how to bond with him better, which is why I’m here in this course.”

“And that’s our goal in this course. Now, let’s move on.”

One by one the different participants summoned their familiars. Some were ones that the party had already seen, like a Demon Weasel, a Fiend Eye, and a Bite Piranha, while a couple were new ones. Eventually everyone except Nova had summoned their familiars.

“Ha!” Gordon laughed. “It’s clear that Crasher is the best familiar out of everyone one here! No one has a familiar that comes remotely close to his Rank Six status! Guess that means I’ve got the best familiar out of everyone!”

Rufus said, “Hey, I said this isn’t a competition. Besides, every familiar is different, thus it adds a lot of diversity to this class. Now… Nova Blitz, it’s time to summon your familiar.”

Nova nodded, “Okay.” He took out a Summoning Sticker, placed it on the back of his right hand, and said, “Elora, come forth!”

The Summoning Sticker glowed, followed by a summoning circle appearing, then a burst of smoke and fire, and soon Elora was standing next to Nova. Everyone except the party went wide-eyed as they saw the Gorgon Viper, while Gordon looked horrified at the magnificent familiar.

Rufus said, dumbfounded, “You have a Gorgon Viper as your familiar?! That’s the first time I’ve seen one. You’re quite brave to have such a dangerous and temperamental familiar.”

Nova replied sheepishly, “Actually, Elora isn’t like other Gorgon Vipers. She’s pretty much the opposite of the rest of her kind. She’s calm, friendly, unquestionably loyal, and will follow my instructions to the letter. And considering the fact that I’m the Demon King’s champion I’m quite glad for both that fact and that she’s an Undead hunter. Certainly makes the cruel irony that is my situation a bit better. Don’t ask what I mean, as I’m not getting into it. And just to make the oddity of our situation more unique she was actually a wild familiar that I bonded with. She was injured when Sir Reginald, Nina, and I found her. I nursed her back to health, earning me her trust and loyalty. But even though she and I get along like peanut butter and jelly I want to be a better master for her, as I’m very new to the concept of familiars. So hopefully these bonding exercises will help us get closer.”

Rufus looked surprised, “She was a wild familiar? And she’s pretty much the exact opposite of what Gorgon Vipers are normally like? Boy, you certainly hit the jackpot with her. Such an interesting development. Clearly she’s the most unique familiar here, especially given how extremely rare Gorgon Vipers are. Anyway, now that everyone has summoned their familiars we can begin our bonding lessons.”

Gordon and Crasher were giving Nova and Elora dirty looks, clearly unhappy about being one-upped by the Gorgon Viper. Elora noticed this but ignored them, even using one of her wings to conceal Nova from their view, as she was more interested in what was going on with the course. A minute later Rufus produced a crate of silver-colored apples.

“Okay, our first bonding exercise is a scavenger hunt. You and your familiars are tasked with tracking down one Silver Apple. There are 15 people participating and I have 30 Silver Apples. You only need to find one to complete the lesson, so don’t bother trying to find more, as it won’t improve your score or anything like that. I also marked them with a special sticker so they can be easily identified and not mixed up with normal Silver Apples, as I know they grow around here. The reason why I have 30 Silver Apples is in case something else, like a monster or animal, finds one of them first, so we have some spares. I will scatter them with magic and it’s your job to find one. Also, no fighting over a Silver Apple or trying to steal one from someone else. We want to keep this clean, as this course is about bonding and developing trust with each other. Now, if everyone is ready, we can begin.”

Everyone nodded in agreement. Rufus took the crate of Silver Apples and held his hand over them. His hand started to glow.

“Banish!”

The Silver Apples suddenly vanished in a burst of light, emptying the crate.

“Now… begin!”

The various participants and their familiars took off in different directions. Nina and Phantom took to the sky while everyone else scurried off on the ground. The rest of the party remained behind with Rufus. After a certain point Nova and Elora stopped.

“Now, where do we start looking for our Silver Apple…?” Nova pondered. He turned to Elora, “Hey, Elora, can you taste the air with your tongue? Maybe we can track a Silver Apple with that.”

Elora nodded and started to flick her snake tongue in and out of her mouth. After a couple of minutes she gestured Nova to follow her, and he complied. The duo made their way to a grove of trees. Elora stopped at a certain point and looked up, prompting Nova to do the same. They saw a Silver Apple nestled in between some branches.

Nova smiled, “Good work, Elora. Now, let’s get it down.”

Elora flattened her tail blade and gestured Nova to stand on it, which he complied. She then gently lifted him up until he could reach the Silver Apple. He plucked it from the tree and took a moment to look it over, smiling as he did.

“Yep, this is one of the Silver Apples Rufus sent out, as it has a sticker on it,” he said. “Good work, Elora.”

Elora smiled as she gently lowered Nova back down to the ground. She then looked in another direction and started to slither off.

“Elora? What’s up? Do you detect something?”

He followed her a short distance to another tree, which, to his surprise, was loaded with Silver Apples.

“Woah, an entire tree of Silver Apples!” he said. “He said that they grow around here. Since we only need to show Rufus the Silver Apple he sent us to find why don’t we collect these for ourselves. I’m sure the gang would like them.”

Elora nodded and slammed her tail into the tree, causing several Silver Apples to fall out of it. Nova stored them into his Digi-Pack.

“Hmm… I wonder if Silver Apples have some kind of special effect?” he pondered. “I mean, there must be a reason why they’re silver, right?”

Elora nodded, giving a few hisses in response.

“So, they do have some sort of special effect, Elora? That’s good to know. Maybe we can use the ones we have for ourselves. Anyway, we got our target with a bounty to go with it, so let’s head back.”

The duo started to make their way back to the meeting place when they noticed something. Charging at them was Gordon and his Galloping Merbeast, looking quite livid.

“GIVE ME THAT SILVER APPLE, YOU LITTLE PUNK!!!” Gordon roared.

Nova and Elora both exchanged sighs.

“I’ll get us out of here,” the pink-haired man said. “Demon Mode.”

The Demon King Ring adjusted itself, now set to Demon Mode.

“Teleport.”

Both he and Elora vanished in a flash of light moments before Gordon and Crasher could catch up to them. Both snorted angrily as their targets escaped.

“GET BACK HERE, YOU COWARD!!!” the punk warrior roared.

Nova and Elora soon reappeared at the meeting spot. Nina and Phantom were also there. She smiled as she saw them.

“Hey, Nova and Elora!” she said cheerfully. “Did you find a Silver Apple?”

Nova presented the one they found, “As you can see, we did. Elora was able to taste the air, allowing us to detect it. Then she helped elevate me up to pluck it from its hiding spot.”

Rufus smiled, “Well done. That’s just want I wanted to hear: master and familiar working side-by-side to complete the task. As you can see, you’re the second one to return with the Silver Apple, as Nina and Phantom were the first. Their eagle eyes and ability to fly made tracking their Silver Apple easy. Now, just hold onto that Silver Apple until the others arrive.”

Angelo smiled, “Good work, you two. I wonder how Kettu and Snowstalker are doing?”

A voice chuckled, “My fox ears are burning.”

Everyone turned to see Kettu and Snowstalker walk up to them.

“Kettu!” Nina smiled. “How’d it go?”

Kettu presented his Silver Apple, smirking, “Piece of cake. Snowstalker’s good nose sniffed it out. It was stuck under a pile of heavy rocks. So I turned into my Werebeast form to move the rocks so Snowstalker could collect the Silver Apple.”

Rufus smiled, “Excellent! Just how it should be. You three and your familiars certainly know what it means to be a team. Now, let’s wait for the others.”

Over the course of about 20 minutes the other participants and their familiars returned, each holding one of the marked Silver Apples. To his dismay Gordon and Crasher were the last ones to arrive. When everyone had gathered Rufus cleared his throat.

“Well done. I see you all managed to collect one of the Silver Apples I sent out. Your reward for completing this task is for you and your familiars to share the Silver Apples as a snack.”

Everyone nodded and split their Silver Apples with their familiars. It was clear the Silver Apples were tasty, as every participant was enjoying the snack. After they had finished off the Silver Apples Rufus cleared his throat again.

“Okay, now that everyone has had a little snack we can start the next bonding course. This one is a simple one but doing it wrong can lead to a familiar getting upset. You need to find the spot on their bodies that they like to have stroked the most. All familiars have a certain ‘sweet spot’ on their bodies that they like to have touched. However, they’ll only allow that spot to be stroked if they trust their masters. You need to find that spot and see if your familiar will allow you to touch it. And even among the same species of familiar their ‘sweet spot’ can be different. For example, my Edan Gecko, Gex, likes having the tip of his tail gently stroked, but another Edan Gecko may prefer their chin being stroked. So, you need to find that ‘sweet spot’ and see if your familiar will allow you to stroke it. Let’s begin.”

The various participants started to examine their familiars’ bodies, trying to locate the “sweet spot” on their bodies. Nina was the first to discover Phantom’s preferred spot, which was where his beak connected to his neck. She gently touched it and waited to see if Phantom would respond. The Stealth Falcon closed his eyes and gained a relaxed expression, allowing Nina to continue stroking the spot.

Nova was gently examining Elora’s body, pondering silently, “I wonder where Elora’s sweet spot is?”

He then stroked the underside of her left horn, causing her to give a happy hiss and shiver in pleasure.

“Is that your preferred spot, Elora?”

The Gorgon Viper gave a light nod and nudged her horn into him, telling him to keep stroking her. Nova complied, gently rubbing and stroking her desired spot, making her flutter her wings in pleasure.

“Good, very good,” Rufus said. “It appears Nina and Nova have found their familiar’s favorite spot. And best of all their familiars are letting them touch it. That’s a solid sign of trust, as some familiars won’t let even their masters touch those ‘sweet spots’.”

Suddenly Gordon gave a yelp in pain. Everyone turned to see that Crasher had stomped one of his hooves onto his master’s foot, clearly agitated.

“What was that for, Crasher!?” Gordon stated.

Rufus replied, “It’s clear you either found a bad spot or you found the right spot but Crasher doesn’t want you to touch it.” He turned to Crasher, “Which is it? Nod once for a bad spot or nod twice for finding the right spot but you won’t let him touch it.”

Crasher nodded once, indicating that Gordon found a bad spot.

“You could’ve just snorted or something, Crasher!” Gordon stated. “Now my foot feels broken!”

Nova turned to Van, “Hey, Van, would you mind checking out his foot? Those hooves look like they could crush diamonds so bones would be pretty easy to smash.”

Van nodded and trotted over, examined Gordon’s foot before standing upright.

“That stomp did fracture your foot,” he said. “Let me heal it up before you continue.” He started to channel energy before saying, “Rejuvenate!”

Gordon was bathed in healing energies. After a moment the glowing energy stopped, returning him to normal. Gordon stomped his foot down a few times to see if it was healed. He felt no pain, satisfying him, before he resumed examining Crasher’s body.

“You’re welcome,” the Centaur said dryly before walking back over to his party.

“Ingrate…” Nova muttered, still stroking Elora’s horn.

After a while everyone had found their familiar’s preferred spot, though only Crasher refused to let Gordon touch his, much to the punk warrior’s annoyance. Rufus cleared his throat again, getting the group’s attention.

“Okay, it appears that everyone has found their familiar’s preferred spot,” he said. “Though it appears only Crasher doesn’t want his spot touched, which is disappointing. It would appear that you and Crasher need more work in building trust, Gordon.”

Gordon huffed, turning away defiantly, clearly agitated at the remark.

“Now, then, let us take a lunch break before we resume our bonding exercises, as it is noon now. After we eat we’ll begin the third lesson.”

Everyone nodded and started to make their lunches. Some had premade sandwiches while others, such as Nova’s party, quickly made their lunch on the spot. Nova was making what looked like chicken quesadillas, much to the intrigue of the party and other around them. During the lunchbreak Gordon would give a small gesture, which would prompt his Galloping Merbeast to subtly squirt some water at Elora, clearly trying to goad her into retaliating while avoiding attention from Rufus. However, Elora knew this and ignored the attempt, merely wiping the water off with her tail, as she was clearly more interested in the quesadillas. Once they were finished the party dug into them, including Elora, Phantom, and Snowstalker.

“Mmm!” Zeeker said. “These… quesadillas are quite tasty. Another Earth-related food, I take it.”

Nova chuckled, “Yes. Sadly, they’re not ‘true’ quesadillas, as I don’t have any tortillas, which is what they’re made with. I used this world’s equivalent of the item, so they’re not quite the same, but close enough. At least this world has cheddar and Monterey jack cheese, which are used in quesadillas, so they have something in common with this version. They could use some sour cream for a bit of extra flavor but they’re still good on their own.”

Kettu smiled, “Well, they’re a hit with us, so that matters more. And even our familiars are enjoying them. Even after having a Silver Apple.”

“Speaking of which, I take it Silver Apples are some kind of magical fruit or something, right? I mean, they seem special so they must have some kind of special effect, right?”

Nina nodded, “Yep. Silver Apples increase one’s natural good luck levels. They only increase it by a certain amount but eating a Silver Apple will boost your good luck. Gold Apples pack an even bigger punch in that department but they’re very rare. Both are great in recipes that involve apples like apple pie, as when they get that caramelization it really brings out their great flavor.”

Nova sighed, “So, they increase one’s good luck? Won’t do me any good. I could eat a whole forest of Silver AND Gold Apples and my luck will only go from ‘abysmal’ to ‘terrible’ at best. I’m just too much of a magnet for misfortune for any sort of good luck boost to make a dent. Even after Nina broke my curse at being the universe’s butt-monkey my luck still isn’t anywhere near acceptable. Once in a while I’ll get lucky, but the universe would make sure to double up on my misfortune the following time or find a way to take that one bit of good luck away. I could give Jon Arbuckle a run for his money in terms of lucklessness and misfortune, and he’s a cartoon character.”

“Nova!” Nina scolded. “Don’t say such things! I know your life will turn around for the better when this is all over. After all, I know you’ve been building up good karma for a while. It just hasn’t had the right opportunity to reward you for it. Especially since you’ve done some very good deeds, both past and present. I remember you once told me you won a scratch-off lotto for one million dollars but you gave it to a family who had just lost their home, as you felt they needed it more. Not many would give up such a sum of money to complete strangers in need, not knowing if they’ll make use of the money wisely or screw it up somehow. I know you’ll get repaid for that act of kindness one of these days. It just needs a little more time before it can properly reward you.”

“Gotta give you props, Nova,” Kettu said. “Giving up that much money, something that you clearly needed, to a homeless family in hopes of them rebounding, is very generous. As someone who believes in karma I can agree with Nina that you’ll get your dues for such a selfless act. Now, enough of this, let’s finish lunch so we can resume our familiar bonding course.”

The rest of the party nodded and finished off the remaining chicken quesadillas. After quickly washing the dishes Nova, Nina, and Kettu got back into position, their familiars right next to them. Soon everyone else had finished and were ready to resume. Rufus took a moment to observe if everyone was set before clearing his throat.

“Okay, now that we’ve filled our stomachs it’s time to resume our bonding course,” he said. “Our third lesson will be coordination with your familiar’s powers and your own. While not all familiars are proficient in battle they still have the means to defend themselves, either with certain spells or other defensive qualities. This next lesson will test your coordination and effectiveness with your familiar.” He took out a special device, “This is a Monster Summoner. It’ll magically summon a monster depending on the skill level of you and your familiar. While this isn’t a competition you will be graded by how well you do alongside your familiar against your opponent. Now, be warned, this summons a real monster, so you need to be careful. Fortunately, we have Sir Reginald and his allies here, so they can jump in if things get hairy. Don’t forget that you and your familiar are linked, so try to avoid letting them get hurt. Your reward for this course will be keeping the most valuable parts of the monster you and your familiar killed. Now, let me set up a space so you can each have a go without any interference from others. Remember: this isn’t a competition, so no fighting or trying to deliberately sabotage another participant’s turn. Now, let’s get started.”

He created a space large enough for a participant and their familiar to have enough room to fight whatever monster the device summoned. One by one the various individuals and their familiars battled a summoned monster. All of the monsters were low-level ones like Wing Seeds, Drill Moles, and Blue Clams. Soon it was Gordon’s turn. He stood proud and smug, with Crasher standing next to him.

“Are you ready, Gordon?” Rufus asked.

“Bring it on!” he stated strongly. “We’ll crush any monster you summon!”

Rufus nodded and activated the device. It scanned Gordon and Crasher, made a few beeping noises, and soon a monster appeared. It was revealed to be a Thrasher. It took a moment to survey the situation before it charged at Gordon and Crasher.

“Crasher! Clash your mighty horn with its horn!” he stated.

Crasher lashed out his horn, striking against the Thrasher’s horn, knocking it off to the side. However, it recovered and slashed its horn against Crasher’s right fin, creating a gash and making the Galloping Merbeast cry in pain. This action caused Gordon to receive a gash on his arm. Now angry, Gordon drew his warhammer and gave it a swing. The Thrasher managed to dodge the attack at the last second before biting Gordon’s leg, making him howl in pain. Crasher swatted the monster with his tail, dazing it.

“Now you’ll pay!”

Gordon raised his warhammer up before slamming it down upon the Thrasher, crushing it underneath the hammer’s head. Everyone waited a moment before knowing the fight was finished.

Rufus nodded, “Good work, although both of you took a hit from that Thrasher. Not the best coordination there, as you allowed your familiar to get hurt which, in turn, caused you to get hurt. As a result your grade goes down. You both still need work, unfortunately. Now, collect your prize and move aside so the next participant can take their turn.”

Gordon huffed, broke the horn off the Thrasher’s head, and walked off to the side. Van cast a healing spell to heal the damage both took, and, once again, received no thanks for his efforts. Nina then stepped up, with Phantom hovering next to her.

“Are you ready, Nina?”

“We are ready,” she replied. “Please proceed.”

Rufus nodded and activated the device. It scanned Nina and Phantom before summoning a monster. This one looked like a flying bomb with a face, covered in black armor-like plating, with a pair of large insect wings.

“What’s that?” Nova asked.

“A Pipe Bomber Wing,” Sir Reginald explained. “They’re pretty tough, as that armor protects them, and they’re deceptively fast. But the real threat is, when they’re in a weakened state, they’ll self-destruct in an attempt to take the opponent with them. So Nina and Phantom need to take it out before it tries to blow itself up. Plus, you can only collect its more valuable parts if you kill it and not when it blows up, as the armor will be blown to unsalvageable bits while the wings will be incinerated.”

Zeeker smirked, “A Pipe Bomber Wing is certainly a step-up from that Thrasher Gordon fought. But our girl can handle it.”

The Pipe Bomber Wing started flitting about, trying to disorient Nina and Phantom. Both were unimpressed.

“Phantom, let’s clip this brute’s wings,” Nina said calmly.

Phantom nodded before turning invisible, much to the Pipe Bomber Wing’s surprise. It tried to detect the Stealth Falcon but was unable to. Suddenly its eyes were gorged out by strong, invisible talons, making it yelp in pain, blinding it. Phantom soon reappeared next to Nina, his nails covered in monster blood, but looked satisfied.

Nina smirked, “Good work, Phantom. I’ll clean your talons after we’re done with this monster. Now, time for me to take care of business.” She swiftly moved up close, while the Pipe Bomber Wing was trying to regain its bearings now that it was blind, before channeling magic into her rings, “Here, have a taste of my new Giga Boom skill!”

She fired a condensed energy sphere that released a powerful explosion, engulfing the Pipe Bomber Wing. It cried in pain as it was ravaged by the explosion. When the smoke cleared it was on the ground, clearly dead. Nina smirked while Phantom gave a triumphant screech.

“Well done, you two,” Rufus said. “You used your respective skills and abilities to defeat the Pipe Bomber Wing with style. Very good. You may now claim your prize.”

Nina nodded and collected the wings and managed to pry off the armor that covered the Pipe Bomber Wing’s body, disposing the rest of the body with the other monsters that had been summoned. After she had returned to her position Kettu and Snowstalker stepped up. Kettu cracked his knuckles, getting ready to fight, while Snowstalker got into a defensive position.

“Are you two ready?”

Kettu replied, “Ready, willing, and able. If you’d be so kind.”

Rufus activated the device, causing it to scan Kettu and Snowstalker, before producing a monster. It looked like an Iron Sheller only its shell seemed to be made of steel, had a slight purplish tint to it, and its eyes were a venomous green. Kettu drew his daggers while Snowstalker got into a battle-ready pose.

“I take it that’s another member of the Iron Sheller family?” Nova asked.

Angelo nodded, “Yup. That’s a Steel Sheller, the next level in the Iron Sheller family. They’re faster, tougher, and have enough power to level a house with one strike. Also a noticeable improvement from the Thrasher that Gordon faced. But our fine fox friend can handle it.”

The Steel Sheller made motions with its claws, indicating it was ready to charge, before rolling into a ball and barreling ahead.

“Snowstalker, give it the cold shoulder!” Kettu instructed.

Snowstalker whipped up a frigid blast of cold air that enveloped the Steel Sheller. It was soon encased in ice, unable to move. Kettu raced in, his daggers ready to strike.

“Cutthroat!”

His daggers were coated in ghastly energy. He swiftly slashed the frozen Steel Sheller with his glowing weapons. The slashes created a ghostly skull that swallowed up the Steel Sheller. The ice then shattered and the Steel Sheller fell to the side, dead. Kettu gave his daggers a spin before putting them back on his belt, then gave Snowstalker a scratch behind the ears.

“Well played, Snowstalker,” he said with a smile.

Rufus nodded, “Indeed. Excellent coordination between you and your familiar. Snowstalker set up the opponent so you could knock it down. Very good. Collect your prize.”

Kettu nodded and managed to peel off the steel plates that made the Steel Sheller’s armor before tossing the corpse with the rest of the monsters. He returned to his position. Nova and Elora stepped up, both ready to show what they could do. Nova checked his bowstring to ensure it was sturdy while Elora gave her tail blade a few practice swings before both looked ahead.

“Are you ready?” the husky Beastman asked.

“We are ready,” Nova nodded. “Proceed when you’re ready.”

Rufus nodded and activated the device. It scanned Nova and Elora before making some beeping noise. To everyone surprise it summoned a Gargathox, although Nova and Elora got in a battle-ready pose, clearly unfazed by it.

“Elora, you know the drill by now, my friend,” the pink-haired man said. “You set it up, I’ll knock it down. Let’s rock.”

Elora nodded and quickly coiled up the Gargathox, crushing it in her tight grip. The Gargathox roared as it struggled to break free of the Gorgon Viper’s tight coils. Nova nocked an arrow onto his bow and took aim while Elora managed to position the Gargathox into a desired stance, using her tail blade to cut its underbelly so it would open its mouth.

“Time to say goodnight. Petrify Shot!”

Nova fired the glowing arrow. It rocketed straight into the Gargathox’s mouth, striking the orb in the back of its throat. The beast froze in midair as the orb inside its mouth turned to stone. It then started to fall. Elora quickly untangled herself from it, allowing it to hit the ground. As soon as it landed its flesh decayed away to nothingness, leaving only bones. Everyone except the party were shocked at how easily the duo handled such a strong monster. Elora returned to Nova, who gently stroked her under the chin.

“Good work, Elora, though I’d expect nothing less from you,” the pink-haired man smiled.

Elora gave a happy hiss, clearly enjoying the praise.

Rufus said, dumbfounded, “My stars. You handled that Gargathox like it was child’s play. And you took it out with one shot to boot. Something tells me you have a fair bit of experience with such beasts. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, as you are the Demon King’s champion, so handling big threats like that should be pretty normal for you. Great work. Claim your prize.”

Just as Nova was about to collect the most valuable parts from the Gargathox Gordon rammed him while Crasher tackled Elora, knocking them both to the side.

“You little weasel!” Gordon spat. “How dare you! You cheated! You don’t deserve those monster parts! How could anyone take down a Gargathox in one hit? You clearly cheated! That’s it! I’ve had it with you always doing better than me! It’s time to brawl! We’ll see how tough you are when Crasher and I turn you into paste!”

“Knock it off, Gordon!” Rufus snapped. “I said no fighting! Just because you’re jealous that someone else did better than you doesn’t mean you can pick a fight with that person and their familiar! You’ve been blowing a gasket ever since Nova summoned Elora and it’s clear you’ve been trying to egg them on into launching the first attack: all because you weren’t the star of the class! That’s not what this class is all about! It’s about developing trust with your familiar and limiting problems that disobedience can cause! So back off, as I won’t allow you to start a fight just because you’re jealous about not being the ace of the class!”

Gordon spat, “Get lost, you mutt! Not like you and your familiar can stop me! I’m gonna turn this punk into paste and his Gorgon Viper into a new pair of boots! So stay out of this!”

However, suddenly, an arrow struck him in the hip, making him howl in pain. The arrow glowed and released energy, causing his lower body to become petrified, freezing him in place. He turned to see Nova pointing his bow at him, eyes showing contempt.

“There,” the pink-haired man said coldly. “That should keep you at bay. I didn’t want to use force against you; I’ve been very much aware of your jealousy, but in order to defend myself from a grown-up schoolyard bully like you I will fight back. Not like your familiar will be helping you, either.”

“Whattya mean!?”

Nova gestured to his side. Gordon turned to see that his Galloping Merbeast’s legs were also petrified. He then noticed Elora’s eyes glowing, quickly putting the situation together.

“You coward!” he spat. “You had your overgrown inchworm use Gorgon Glare to immobilize Crasher! You’ll pay for that!”

“You can call me a coward all you want, it doesn’t change a thing,” Nova said calmly and coldly. “You attacked us, we defended ourselves, it’s as simple as that. You’re no better than goons like Dominic or Eoleo, who think that they’re the kings of the world, yet are really insignificant specks with egos bigger than one of your moons. And just like them you can’t back up your talk with action, instead lashing out at the person who has managed to be one step ahead of you every step of the way. Now, to ensure that you and your familiar stop giving everyone grief, it’s time to close the lid on this box.”

Nova started making gestures like there was an invisible wall between him and Gordon, much to everyone’s confusion, except the party. He continued this until he had completely surrounded the man and his familiar.

He then said, “Now, to cure you of your petrification. Ifrit Mode.”

The Demon King Ring adjusted itself, now set to Ifrit Mode.

“Cure!”

Both Gordon and his Galloping Merbeast were bathed in healing energies, reversing the petrification. Nova then started to make taunting motions at Gordon.

“You’ll pay for that, runt!” Gordon spat.

However, just as he was about to strike Nova, his fist instead came into contact with something very hard and invisible.

“What the?”

He and his familiar felt all around themselves, detecting invisible walls that covered all around and above them, trapping them in an invisible box. Everyone went wide-eyed and checked the situation out, their eyes becoming as big as saucers as they felt the invisible box.

“T-There’s something here!” Gloria sputtered. “I can feel something, like a solid wall, yet I can’t see it.”

Nova casually leaned on the invisible wall, smirking, “As I told my party a while back I spent some time studying the Demon King Ring. And in the process I created a whole new brand of magic: mime magic. Before you ask, a mime is a type of entertainer who uses no words, instead making gestures that give off the illusion of invisible objects or forces. As I said to my party I took up a bit of pantomiming in summer camp as a kid. …Boy, I hated summer camp. I’ve since combined that ‘skill’ with the Demon King Ring’s magic to create a whole new type of magic. Now that goon and his familiar are trapped in an indestructible, invisible box. In order to get out he needs to think outside the box.”

Everyone else groaned except Nina, who giggled. Gordon and his Galloping Merbeast started ramming, punching, and kicking the invisible box, trying to get out, screaming at the top of their lungs, but no one could hear them. After thrashing around inside the box for a solid 15 minutes, going as far as to use various attacks, skills, and magic to no avail, the duo flopped on the ground, exhausted.

Nova said casually, “You need to use your brain to solve this puzzle, Gordon, assuming you have one. Brute force won’t cut it, as this requires intelligent thought to overcome, something that you clearly seem to lack. On the bright side, while you’re in there, no monsters can get you, as the barrier keeps them out and you in. So you’re stuck in there until you actually use the shriveled prune of an organ in between your ears to figure it out.” He turned to Rufus, “I’m sorry for causing a disturbance.”

Rufus waved it off, “It matters not. You were being victimized by Gordon, so you had to retaliate in order to defend yourself. Although this… mime magic certainly ended the conflict without any fuss. Anyway, I think this is a good spot to end the lessons. I have a couple more trust exercises, but after the chaos Gordon and his familiar caused I think we should pack it in early. Good work, all of you. Except Gordon, obviously. Hopefully you’re now much closer to your familiars than you were before. Remember: your contract with your familiar goes both ways, so you need to care for them as much as they care for you. Let’s head back to the village and call it a day.”

Everyone nodded, returned their respective familiars to the Spirit Plane, gathered up their stuff, and proceeded to head back to the village, leaving Gordon and his Galloping Merbeast trapped in the invisible box. The two tried screaming in protest but no one could hear them, not that anyone cared to listen even they could be heard. When the group got back to the village they returned to their previous activities. The party, satisfied with the lessons, resumed their errands. They knew that their bonds with their familiars were now stronger, making them quite pleased.

Next Chapter: When Worlds Collide

That's all for today. Tune in next time to see what our heroes face.
 
Time for the next chapter of Dawn of Courage. (Warning: contains mild violence, mild language)

When Worlds Collide


It had been a few days since Nova, Nina, and Kettu participated in the familiar bonding lessons. The party was back on the road, heading toward the next Undead Base.

Sir Reginald looked at the map before saying, “We were fortunate to get some information about the location of the next Undead Base in the last town. Now we’re back on track. Unfortunately, we don’t know who our enemy is, but that’s where Kettu and Phantom will come in, as they can use stealth to scout out the base. Then, like always, we’ll map out a counter-strategy and take the enemy, and their base, down. That’ll net us another foothold against Muu.”

Zeeker nodded, “I hear ya. We need to get back in the game so Muu can’t try to retake liberated territories. At least we now have a lead, and maybe we can get another one at the following village or town. We’ll be winging it for a bit but we’ve proven good at that so it shouldn’t be too much of an issue.”

Suddenly, Nova stopped dead in his tracks, seemingly frozen. This change didn’t go unnoticed by the party.

“Nova?” Nina asked, concerned. “Are you okay?”

The pink-haired man replied, “I… I got a really bad feeling. I… I can sense that… we’re going to have a major problem dogpile onto our mission today.”

Kettu’s eyes narrowed, “Are you sensing Dominic? Or is it Eoleo? Or maybe Cain?”

Nova replied grimly, “Worse. …I sense all three of them. We’re going to have an encounter… with all three of those lovelorn losers.”

Nina’s eyes widened in horror, her face going pale. The rest of the party looked shocked.

“Y-You’re kidding, right?” Van asked. “Are you telling me you’re detecting all THREE of those goons AT ONCE!?”

“This… is not good…” Zeeker said, his voice filled with dread.

“Speak for yourself,” Nina whimpered. “At least you’re not the target of those three moronic meatball heads. Just dealing with one is horrible enough, but we’re gonna deal with all THREE of them?! And at the same time?! This day is going to go down in history as one of the WORST days in Edyn. Three lovelorn goons… meeting at the same time… getting in the way of our mission… all so they can bed me… Can this day get any worse?”

“Don’t say that Nina…” Nova said grimly. “Because it could very well get worse.”

Suddenly, a bombastic voice stated, “I finally found you!”

The party groaned, turning to see Dominic approaching them. He looked livid and was sporting various bandages on his body. Nova got in between him and Nina, guarding her.

“I’ve had it up to here with you, pink rat!” Dominic spat. “You keep ruining everything for me! The worst kind of discrimination is at play: the kind against ME, is all because of you! I’m gonna rearrange your face, you little weasel, for all the problems you’ve caused me! Then I’ll prove that Nina deserves only the best, and that’s me!”

“Get a life, you chimpanzee,” Nova replied coldly. “While I don’t deny that Nina deserves the best, that is not you. …Nor is it me. But she loves me despite the fact she deserves better. So just butt out, you brainless baboon!”

Just as Dominic was about to strangle Nova a flying kick came out of nowhere and decked him in the side of the head. The attacker was revealed to be Eoleo, who looked livid at the sight of Dominic.

“Back off, you slimeball!” the Werecat spat. “I won’t let you lay a finger on Nina! She belongs to ME, not some cowardly rattlesnake like you! So don’t you dare think you’re better than anyone! Even Nova is better than you, and he’s pretty low on the food chain.”

“Was that supposed to be a compliment?” Kettu said dryly.

“It’s Eoleo…” Zeeker sighed. “That’s about as close to a compliment he’ll ever give Nova…”

“At least he finally called Nova by name instead of just calling him ‘human’ like he normally does,” Angelo pointed out.

“Well, that’s two moronic forces clashing…” Van said grimly. “Now we just need the third to show up and we’ll have a complete set.”

A third voice stated, “You both are wrong! I’m the only one who deserves Nina! You two are just trash on the side of the road!”

Everyone turned to see Cain walk up, his eyes flaring dangerously.

“Right on cue…” Nova said dryly.

Dominic brandished his sword, stating, “Hah! No one is better than Dominic the Daring! You little maggots are nothing compared to me!”

Eoleo equipped himself with his King Cobra Claws, retorting, “That’s what you think, you bloated windbag! You’re just full of hot air! Nina will become MY pack queen and there is nothing you can do about it! At least I’m not a traitor to Edyn! You sold out our world to Muu to make yourself look like a big-shot hero, after all! So Nina is destined to be my pack queen!”

Cain presented his spear, laughing, “Hah! You wish, Werecat! Don’t you know that Werecats and the Phoenix Clan are enemies? Clearly you don’t have a brain in your skull otherwise you’d know that! So Nina will never be your ‘pack queen’, as she’d be soiled just being around you! That goes for you, too, Dominic!”

Ian and Hunter walked over to the party, saying in unison, “Well… this was unexpected…”

Ian then said, “Never knew you had such a fan club, Nina.”

Nina replied bitterly, “Don’t rub salt on the wound, Ian. I know I’m a babe and all but this is taking it too far. I’ve got three weakling stalkers with overbearing, oversized egos who won’t stop chasing me. What will it take for them to leave me alone?”

“Nothing short of death, probably,” Hunter replied. “And even that might not be enough.”

“I’d cast Banish on them but that would only delay the inevitable, as they’re like a bad penny,” Nova sighed. “Besides, I’ve already done that a few times now and these goons still find a way to catch up to us, so it’s just a waste of magic.”

“Maybe we should slink away while they’re distracted,” Zeeker suggested. “We’ve got bigger fish to fry in the form of an Undead Base, so maybe we should just leave them be and move on.”

The party nodded and quickly slipped away while the three boisterous males continued arguing and brandishing their weapons at each other. Ian and Hunter merely sat down on a boulder to watch, not bothering to interfere or stop the party from sneaking away.

“Wish I had a snack…” Ian said as he watched the three males argue.

“Same…” Hunter nodded.

The bickering soon devolved into an outright brawl, with neither Dominic, Eoleo, nor Cain noticing that the party had since left. Ian and Hunter merely sat and watched, wondering how long it would take for the trio to realize that their targets had long since departed.

At the time the party was heading toward the Undead Base. Nina was still sulking, clearly not happy at what had just transpired. Nova gently held her hand as a means of comforting her, making her smile weakly.

“I know how you feel, Nina,” he said soothingly. “One of those goons is enough to cause a headache, but all three of them is a chronic migraine. They just can’t take a hint. But try to push them out of your mind, as we’ve got an Undead Base and its occupants to smash, which will require our complete focus.”

She nodded weakly, “Yeah, I know, Nova. I just wish they’d stop stalking me. I’ve already gotten the best man I could ever ask for, one who I can trust and love, yet they can’t take a hint and leave me alone. I know I’m a honey of a babe but the fact that they won’t stop chasing me yet have proven to be boisterous weaklings, thus proving I can’t count on them, only compounds the problem. I just wish they’d stop so I can enjoy being with the man I’ve chosen to be my future husband. But I guess that’s asking for a lot out of those goons. But you’re right, we need to focus on the task at hand, which is taking out one of the Undead Bases in this territory. So let’s push those good-for-nothing idiots out of our heads for now and resume our mission.”

The party nodded and continued heading in the direction of the Undead Base. After about an hour they found it. It was located in a rather craggy area inside a small canyon. The party ducked behind some boulders in order to start planning their strategy.

“Okay, we found the Undead Base,” Sir Reginald said. “Lady Nina, please summon Phantom so we can get a bird’s eye view of our enemies.”

Nina nodded, bit her thumb to produce blood, before saying, “Phantom, come forth!”

A summoning circle appeared, followed by a gust of wind, and soon Phantom was perched on Nina’s arm.

“Okay, Phantom, you know the drill by now. Scout out that Undead Base and report back with your findings.”

Phantom nodded, became invisible, and took off to scout the base. He first circled around the base, observing the Stone Gaias that were stationed outside, before landing on a flagpole to see the interior of the base. His eyes started to gleam, recording what he was seeing. After a few minutes he took off and flew back to Nina, becoming visible again and landing on her arm.

“What’s the scoop, Phantom?” Angelo asked.

Phantom projected what he saw from his eyes, allowing the party to see what they were up against.

“I see, I see,” Sir Reginald observed. “So the standard number of Undead Soldiers are in that base, alongside a handful of Stone Gaias. We know how to deal with those by now. That Undead Captain looks pretty tough, judging by the star ranking on him, though he appears to be somewhat mechanical, as evident by parts of his body made of metal.”

Zeeker’s eyes narrowed, “I think I know who he is. If my memory serves me correctly that’s Captain Spinalsnap. I’ve heard about him back during my days as part of the Beastman Resistance, but never actually fought him as, well, you should know what happened by now. But I have heard of him, including his weakness. As you said he’s partly mechanical, so he’s got a power source fueling his body: a piece of Flame Prism Ore. That’s because he was created long before Muu had perfected the art of refining Magna Crystals into more powerful cubes. However, just like Magna Crystals, the various types of Prism Ore aren’t very stable, and it burns out much faster than a Magna Crystal. So if we strike the Flame Prism Ore with an Ice attack that’ll cause it to explode just like if we were hitting a Magna Crystal. However, it only works with Ice attacks, as anything else won’t affect it, and Fire will, obviously, strengthen it.”

“Yes, that’s correct, Zeeker,” Nina nodded. “And I also noticed some crates tucked away in the back, with one of them being open, showing spare Prism Ore, which I’m guessing it’s used to replace Spinalsnap’s power source when he starts getting low. I’m guessing the other ones are the standard fare like materials and such.”

Sir Reginald replied, “Yes, that’s most likely the case. We’ve gotten everything we need. Thank you, Phantom, that’ll do.”

Phantom stopped projecting the image from his eyes. Nina gently stroked him on his preferred spot, making the Stealth Falcon close his eyes and give a light cooing noise.

“Thank you once again, Phantom,” Nina said with a smile. “Reliable, as always. I know three duncebuckets who could learn a thing or two about reliability from you. That’ll do for now. To the Spirit Plane.”

Phantom looked proud before vanishing in a flurry of sparkles.

“Okay, with that taken care of let’s begin our strategy meeting,” the knight said.

However, just as the party was about to start discussing their plan Eoleo suddenly appeared, with Dominic, Cain, Ian, and Hunter tailing after him. He tried to throw a punch at Nova only for the pink-haired man to catch it.

“How dare you sneak away like that, human!” he growled. “Just what I’d expect from a lowly creature like you.”

“Hello kettle, meet pot,” Zeeker said dryly.

Nova replied calmly, “We left because we have more important business to attend to than your cockfight, Eoleo. Aren’t you forgetting that we’re the Demon King’s champion party? It’s our job to deal with Muu’s forces, which is what we were attending to when you and the other lovelorn louts started giving us trouble. Now do the world a favor and leave us alone so we can do our job in liberating this world from Muu. We don’t need you causing problems. Again.”

Dominic, Cain, Ian, and Hunter had finally caught up with Eoleo. They then noticed the Undead Base and all gained smirks, except for Ian and Hunter, who gained looks of dread. The party realized what they were thinking.

“No… please no…” Van groaned. “Don’t go charging into another battle with Muu and ruin our plans…”

Eoleo equipped himself with his King Cobra Claws, smirking, “I’ll show you how it’s done.”

He raced ahead, ready for battle. Dominic and Cain followed, weapons drawn, ready to fight. Everyone else groaned defeatedly.

“Not again…” Kettu sighed, placing his face in his palm.

“This time we have all three of those idiots doing the same stupid thing instead of just one…” Nina groaned. “All so they can impress me.”

“And they’re gonna get killed unless we step in…” Nova sighed. “I’m starting to wonder if that’s a bad thing at this rate.”

Sir Reginald stood up, “Unfortunately, we need to save them. It’s our job so we have to abide by it. And since we don’t have a plan we’re gonna have to wing it this time, as those louts showed up before we could get our strategy ready. Let’s go before those three get slaughtered by the Stone Gaias, much less Muu’s soldiers.”

The party gave a collective, defeated sigh before charging after Eoleo, Dominic, and Cain. They could see a sad sight. The three were floundering pathetically against the Stone Gaias, trying in vain to do any sort of damage to the statue monsters. Their commotion hadn’t even attracted the attention of the Undead Army, as the gates were still closed and there was no signs of activity behind them. The party heaved another collective sigh before Nova primed an arrow.

“I’ll get the Undead Army’s attention, as always,” he said. “Ifrit Mode.”

The Demon King Ring adjusted itself, now set to Ifrit Mode.

“Dragon Strike.”

He fired the lightning dragon attack at the front gates. The attack exploded upon impact, ripping the doors off their hinges, the explosion knocking Dominic, Eoleo, and Cain off their feet, and revealing Muu’s army. Captain Spinalsnap stood up, his eyes flickering with unholy light.

“I was wondering what all the commotion was about,” he said. “So, the Demon King’s puppet party has arrived at last. And I see a few extra prey with you. At least you made my job easier by coming to me instead of making me look for you. Master Muu is not happy that you destroyed General Clockworst. But I, Captain Spinalsnap, will make him happy by collecting and presenting your souls to him. Undead Soldiers, Stone Gaias… attack!”

The Undead Soldiers charged in: weapons held high, ready for battle. The Stone Gaias adjusted themselves in preparation for battle. The party quickly got into a defensive position before launching their counterattack.

Nova nocked another arrow onto his bow, “This should do the trick. Celestial Shot!”

He fired the arrow, now overflowing with holy energies. The arrow plowed through several Undead Soldiers before it ran out, destroying them.

Sir Reginald and Angelo raised their bladed weapons up high, stating in unison, “Have a taste of our Miracle Slash!”

Both slashed their blades down upon two different Undead Soldiers, easily bisecting them.

Zeeker primed his claw weapons, stating, “Time to take you for a spin! Twister Claws!”

He gave a powerful slash, which created a mini tornado that swept up and shredded several Undead Soldiers. It also swept up Dominic, slashing him with its power before depositing him roughly. Dominic glared hatefully at Zeeker, who merely smirked in response.

Kettu smirked, “Time for a taste of my newest skill: Knife Toss!”

He summoned several magical daggers, juggled them for a bit before hurling all of them at various enemies. The magical daggers struck several Undead Soldiers, impaling them before detonating like bombs, tearing the Undead Soldiers to bits.

Van got up on his rear legs, brandishing his spear, stating, “Have a taste of my Cross Slash!”

He performed a quick double slash in a cross-shape that seemed to be full of holy energies. The attack effortlessly ripped through three Undead Soldiers at once.

Eoleo sneered, “You’re not the only one who has a skill to use! Eat my Burning Claws!”

His King Cobra Claws were coated in fire before he performed a powerful slash. However, the attack only charred one of the Undead Soldiers, leaving it fully intact and still functional.

Cain sneered at Eoleo, “You were saying, you mangy furball? I’ll show you how a real warrior does things! Meteor Throw!”

He hurled his flaming spear at the same Undead Soldier. The spear collided with the Undead Soldier, engulfing it in an explosion. Cain’s spear returned to him and when the smoke cleared the Undead Soldier was destroyed. Cain smirked while Eoleo looked furious.

“How’s that for power, Werecat?”

Eoleo countered, “You attacked a weakened target! MY target, for that matter! Just like a human to piggyback then steal someone else’s accomplishments.”

“Says the fleabag that couldn’t defeat a mouse, much less Muu!”

Nova said, deadpan, “I’ll give him points on that one. At least Cain actually defeated an Undead Soldier this time, even if it was weakened. That’s certainly a step-up from past performances. While Eoleo still can’t even dent them, or at least much.”

“Stay out of this, pink pansy boy!” Eoleo snapped. “No one asked for your input! Let me show you how a real man fights!”

Nina retorted, “Says the one who got whupped by Nova using figure skating techniques! I doubt your manhood has recovered after Nova showed off his gracefulness and completely made a monkey out of you!”

Eoleo gained a furious and embarrassed expression, clearly not wanting to be reminded of that incident. Cain started to laugh at the Werecat’s humiliation.

“You got whupped by Nova using figure skating moves?!” Cain howled. “While I don’t know what figure skating is the fact you got beaten by what sounds like a girly activity shows just how weak and pitiful you are! I bet your overblown manhood took a massive beating that day! I would’ve loved to see that! What a riot!”

Nova then said, “Hey, wait a minute. Where’s Dominic?”

Kettu causally pointed to his left. There Dominic was getting smashed by one of the Stone Gaias in the same vein as the last time he faced a Gaia monster.

“Ah. I should’ve figured. Back to work.”

Nina managed to weave her way through the enemies before hovering before Captain Spinalsnap.

“So, you want to die first, woman?” Spinalsnap growled. “Fine with me.”

Nina started channeling energy, saying, “Not if I put the freeze on you first! Hail!”

She summoned a massive ice storm that swept through the area. It froze Captain Spinalsnap in a block of ice, making his glowing eyes flicker in horror. The ice caused the Flame Prism Ore to start shaking violently from within. Nina quickly got out of range before the magical ore erupted in a decent-sized explosion, taking Spinalsnap with it and shattering the ice. At that point the party had finished dealing with the Undead Soldiers, leaving only the Stone Gaias left, with the one still hammering Dominic into the ground like a bent nail.

“Guess I should use my Shaman form to finish the job,” Kettu said.

Nova looked at the Demon King Ring and smirked, “No, I have another idea. Leave this to me.”

Eoleo and Cain stepped up, stating in unison, “No! I got this!”

They then started bickering again, completely distracted. Nova rolled his eyes before he started to focus energy from the Demon King Ring.

“This’ll be good,” he said, concentrating. “Transform!”

The Stone Gaias were engulfed in a flash of light. When the light subsided they had been transformed into what looked like golden eggs, confusing everyone.

“Umm… what?” Sir Reginald asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Dominic, who had managed to recover, quickly snatched all the golden eggs, saying, “They’re mine, mine, mine! I deserve them!”

“That you do, Dominic,” Nova said smugly. He then said in a more hushed tone, “Five… four… three… two… one…”

The golden eggs suddenly exploded, revealing themselves to be bombs in disguise. Dominic was hurled into the air, screaming in pain, before he crashed onto the ground, dazed and hurt.

“That’s the price of greed, Dominic,” Nina huffed. “Another reason why I hate you, as I was a victim of greed. I hate greedy people, and you’re as greedy as they come.”

Nova said in a sagely tone, “Just like the old saying. ‘All that glitters is not gold’. Though it looks like you got a blast of fool’s gold instead, Domi. It may have cost us some monster parts but it saves time and Shaman energy.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Yes, I think we can call that an acceptable trade. We may have not gotten any monster parts but it was an easy method in getting rid of the Stone Gaias. Now, with the enemy defeated we need to see what was contained in those crates. While we know there was more Flame Prism Ore, we don’t know for sure what was in the other crates. We have a pretty solid educated guess but let’s see what Muu gave his troop this time.”

The party entered the base. Cain and Eoleo tried to enter but got in each other’s way and began bickering again, while Dominic continued to smolder off to the side. Ian and Hunter merely peeked out of their hiding spot now that the fight was over. The party looked at the crate full of Flame Prism Ore.

“What should we do with the Flame Prism Ore?” Angelo asked.

“Well, we’ll take it with us, as always,” Van said. “While Nova can’t use it to craft anything they will sell for a fair price. While Magna Crystal cubes are considered more valuable, especially with most current-day machinery, Flame Prism Ore is often used in things like ovens, heaters, and other such items. You can even use one as a substitute for a campfire, such as during rainstorms or in snowy areas. So while they won’t be as valuable as Magna Crystal cubes they still have their uses. Nova, if you’d be so kind.”

Nova nodded and stored the Flame Prism Ore chunks into his Digi-Pack. They then proceeded to open up the other two crates, revealing more materials and a small batch of Magna Crystal cubes.

“As expected: materials and Magna Crystal cubes,” Zeeker said. “Well, we know what do to with these.”

Everyone nodded and Nova put all of the materials and Magna Crystal cubes into his Digi-Pack. They emerged from the Undead Base, seeing Cain and Eoleo still bickering, completely unaware of what just happened.

“Clear some space, you two, as we’ve got a base to blast,” Nova said bluntly.

The other two males ignored him, still bickering with each other. Van gave a snort of annoyance, trotted over, grabbed both of them by the backs of their vests, lifted them up with tremendous ease, and carried them out of the way, much to their protests.

Sir Reginald rolled his eyes, “Now that we got that straightened out, let’s resume. Barrier.”

He summoned a barrier that protected everyone except Dominic. Ian and Hunter quickly ducked behind a large boulder, realizing what was about to happen. Nova nocked an arrow onto his bow and took aim at the Magna Crystal cube-powered generator in the center of the base.

“Time for this base to go out with a bang,” he said. “Dragon Strike.”

He fired the lightning dragon attack directly at generator. It struck the generator, causing the Magna Crystal to start shaking and humming before blowing up, destroying the base in the process and engulfing Dominic as well. When the dust had settled all that was left of the Undead Base was a smoldering crater and some debris. Dominic was also somehow still alive, heavily charred and badly injured.

“What should we do with these two?” Van asked, still holding Cain and Eoleo.

Nova replied slyly, “Toss them with their fellow meatball head, Dominic. I know how to keep them out of our hair. At least for a while, anyway.”

Cain and Eoleo glared at Nova, who merely smirked. Van dragged the two to where Dominic was and roughly deposited them on top of the large man, making him yelp in pain. Nova quickly made gesturing motions until he had crafted another invisible box. Cain felt the invisible walls, shocked at what he was sensing, while Eoleo screamed in frustration and began bashing away at them.

Nova replied smoothly, “I said it before and I’ll say it again: brute force won’t help you escape my mime magic invisible box. You need to use your mind to get out. You need to think outside the box.”

Everyone else groaned except Nina, who giggled. She then gained a devious expression. She walked over to Nova and began making out with him, much to Eoleo’s and Cain’s horror. They started to try to force their way out in order to stop the two from making out. The party knew what Nina was doing and allowed it. After Nova and Nina had finished their make-out session the party started to walk away, leaving the three disgraced males, along with Ian and Hunter, behind.

“I’ll get you for this, human!” Eoleo spat. “I won’t fall for your human trickery anymore! I’ll rip your lips off for violating MY pack queen!”

“Oh, stow it, furball,” Cain huffed. “Nina is rightfully mine. Now… gotta figure out how to get out of this… thing… I feel like there was a clue laced in that statement Nova said… but what…?”

Eoleo continued to bash away at the invisible box while Cain sat down and started contemplating on how to get out. Dominic could only whimper in pain, while Ian and Hunter remained outside the invisible box, sighing defeatedly.

Next Chapter: Gold Apple Pie in the Sky

That's all for today. Talk about a three-for-one deal. Tune in next time to see what our heroes face.
 
Time for the next chapter of Dawn of Courage. (Warning: contains mild language, mild violence)

Gold Apple Pie in the Sky


It had been a few days since the party had crossed paths with Dominic, Eoleo, and Cain, along with having destroyed another Undead Base. They were at the next village, picking up supplies and gathering information, trying to get another lead on the next Undead Base. After a while they had gathered up in the center square to discuss things.

“No information on another Undead Base…” Van sighed.

“Well, outside of the one we destroyed a few days ago,” Zeeker said. “Too bad, but it looks like we’re gonna have to wing it for a bit until we get another lead. Not like we haven’t done that before but it’s hard to count on the capital this time due to King Charles being… well… King Charles.”

Sir Reginald sighed, “Yes, that’s true. His intelligence network is actually fairly good, if what King Hendrik told me is true, but his intelligence is not so good, obviously. We’ll just have to travel around until we get a lead. Like Zeeker said it’s not the first time but having some info would be helpful so we can limit when Muu might send his army into liberated areas. Well, it could be worse, I guess.”

Suddenly what looked like a maid walked up to the party, saying, “Excuse me, but you look like strong, experienced warriors. My master, Don Moule, has a special request for anyone who is capable enough to fulfill it. I was wondering if you’d be willing to fulfill his request?”

“We might as well hear what she has to say,” Nova said. “Not like we’ve got better plans right now. And who knows? Maybe we’ll pick up a lead along the way.”

Sir Reginald turned to the maid, “What does Don Moule need?”

“He wants someone to find him some Gold Apples,” the maid replied. “They’re rare, obviously, but we heard that there is a small tree that contains them in the northern area. Problem is, it’s full of rather strong monsters, and no one around here is tough enough to get them.”

Kettu said, “That’s all well and good but if he’s asking for something that rare in a dangerous location he has to offer a reward for it. Not everyone is going to risk life and limb for someone who won’t repay the favor.”

The maid nodded, “Yes, that’s true. He’s offering a monetary reward in exchange for at least three Gold Apples. He didn’t say how much but he said it would be worth the risk. Would you please take up his request?”

Sir Reginald stood up, “Might as well. Like Nova said we don’t have anything better to do so we might as well complete a request. We could use the spending cash. Where are these Gold Apples located, miss?”

“Follow Stonesplit Road into the mountains to reach the location where the Gold Apples are. They’re not actually in the mountains, as the tree is on a ledge just before entering the mountains. But the monsters make it hard for anyone to go near it. I’ll let Don Moule know that someone has taken up his request. Good luck and thank you.”

The maid scampered off to inform her master about the party taking up the request.

Angelo said cheerfully, “Well, let’s get going, team. Time to pick some Gold Apples.”

Nova narrowed his eyes, “I dunno. The fact that this Don Moule hasn’t specified what the reward amount is does raise a red flag or two. And the maid didn’t specify what types of monsters lurk in that area. For all we know we could be running headlong into a dragon or something.”

Nina nodded, “That’s a fair point, Nova. But we took up the request so we have to do it. And at least we’ll get some extra money by selling any monster parts we collect.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Indeed. Now, let’s go, team. The sooner we get this mission done the sooner we can figure out our next strategy.”

The party gathered up their stuff and started to make their way toward the northern area. It didn’t take long for them to reach Stonesplit Road. It was a rocky road filled with vegetation. There were also several monsters lurking around.

Van took a moment to observe the monsters, “Hmm… looks like we’re dealing with Bomber Wings, Condor Seeds, Honey Bombers, Elec Ogres, and a couple of Medusas. There are probably others further down, but these seem to be our main enemies. Well, I guess we should start our mission and see where these Gold Apples are located. Hopefully the Medusas are the worst of the enemies, though like Nova said I wouldn’t be surprised if we ran into something fiercer later on.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Right. Stay frosty, team, as we’ve got a fair few beasties to fight.”

The party began their trek through Stonesplit Road, fighting monsters as they went. The monsters attacked with sheer viciousness, clearly not wanting anyone in their territory. One by one the monsters fell to the party, who then proceeded to collect the most valuable parts of their fallen prey. After a while they made it to the foot of where the mountainous area started.

Kettu looked around, “Okay, that maid said the Gold Apples were around here. On a ledge, if memory serves. So let’s take a look around and see what we can find.”

Nina looked up and said, “I see the tree with the Gold Apples! There on that ledge above and to our left.”

Everyone looked up and to the left. They saw the tree, which was filled with gold-colored apples.

“Aye, that’s them,” Zeeker said. “Guess this next part is Nina’s turn, as she can fly up there and get them.”

The winged woman nodded, “Leave it to me.”

She opened her wings and started to fly up to the ledge.

Nova pondered, “I dunno… this mission seemed a bit too easy. The monsters were strong, yes, but not unbeatable. Even Muu’s basic Undead Soldiers are tougher than those monsters. No, I feel like there’s a detail we’re missing.”

Just then everyone heard the screech of what sounded like a large bird. They looked up and saw what looked like a phoenix circling above them. It locked onto Nina and spewed flames at her, forcing her to dodge and dive back down to the party. The phoenix then perched on the ledge, as if guarding the Gold Apples, looking down at the party with intense eyes.

“You okay, Nina?” Angelo asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine, nothing damaged or anything,” she panted in response. “But that phoenix sure took me by surprise.”

“I knew this was a bit too easy,” Nova said. “The phoenix was the missing detail in the job description. Now we know why no one has succeeded in getting those Gold Apples, as the monsters here aren’t exactly the toughest creatures we’ve faced.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Indeed. Now it all makes sense. Do you think the phoenix is guarding the Gold Apples?”

Nina shook her head, “No, at least not intentionally. I’d be willing to bet it has a nest up there, quite possibly with an egg, as we did pass the two week timeframe where phoenixes mate back when I molted. By now any phoenix that has mated must’ve laid an egg. No, I’m willing to bet it’s guarding its nest, and the Gold Apples just happen to be in the same vicinity, so they get guarded by proxy.”

“So now what?” Kettu asked, looking up at the phoenix guarding the ledge.

Nina replied, “I might be able to communicate with it. I am a Phoenix Clan member, after all. However, I can’t do it like this, in my normal form. I’ll have to transform into a phoenix and see if I can talk to it so we can collect a few Gold Apples. Phoenixes are intelligent, so if I can prove we’re no threat to it then it should allow us to pick a few Gold Apples. Shall I give it a try?”

“Do so, Lady Nina,” Sir Reginald nodded.

Nina nodded and took a few steps back to give herself some room. She then enveloped herself with her wings, which started producing heat, before being engulfed in a fireball. The fireball grew until it dispersed, revealing her phoenix form. The phoenix on the ledge did a double take, clearly not expecting another phoenix.

“Okay, I’ll see what I can do,” Nina said via telepathy.

“Good luck,” Van said.

She took off and started to fly up to the other phoenix. It got defensive and started to screech. However, Nina started talking in the same “language”, causing the other phoenix to stop and listen. The party waited down below, quite surprised at what they were seeing.

“I didn’t know Nina spoke fluent animal,” Nova said.

“I’m surprised she’s able to,” Zeeker admitted. “While we obviously don’t know what she’s saying the fact that she’s able to talk to the other phoenix is rather remarkable. I mean, after all, the Phoenix Clan lost all the information about the Power of the Phoenix when they lost the power itself. Considering she’s been basically learning on the job I admit I’m impressed she’s gotten such a good grip on her power as quickly as she has.”

The party continued to observe as Nina talked to the other phoenix, trying to reason with it. After a few tense minutes the other phoenix gave a gesture for her to approach. Nina flew up to the ledge and gently landed on it. She saw a nest with a single blue and red egg. She said something briefly to the other phoenix before walking over to the Gold Apple tree and bit off a branch with about five Gold Apples. She gave a polite bow before flying back down to her party. She landed and gently held the branch of Gold Apples out for Nova to take. He plucked the branch from her beak, then stepped back, allowing her to engulf herself in a fireball and return to normal.

She wiped her brow, “Whew… I’m glad I was able to reason with that phoenix. First time I’ve ever talked to a phoenix like that, so I admit I chose my cries and screeches carefully so not to create a bigger problem. But I was right: that phoenix is guarding an egg, which is why it was not letting anyone near the ledge. The Gold Apples just happened to be there as well so they were being protected by proxy. But I managed to convince that phoenix we’re not enemies and that we just wanted the Gold Apples nearby. Now, I suggest we return to the village, as I told the phoenix we’d leave as soon as we got the apples.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Right, good work, Lady Nina. Let us get going, especially since more monsters might appear.”

The party started to make their way back to the village, the phoenix watching carefully until they had gone a satisfying distance for it to relax. Along the way back the party fought more monsters that had shown up while they were distracted, collecting the valuable parts as they did. Eventually they reached the village.

“Okay, so we need to find this Don Moule guy and collect our reward for fetching the Gold Apples, right?” Zeeker asked.

Sir Reginald nodded, “That’s correct, Zeeker. It’s safe to assume he’s in that large mansion near the back of the village, so lets go and see what he has to say.”

Nova said, “I dunno. I’m still getting some bad vibes about this guy. I feel he might shortchange us, as he never mentioned the size of the reward he was going to give.”

Nina huffed, “Sounds like something my clan would do. And considering they had a reward for my return yet they didn’t actually post the reward amount, I can see why you’re suspicious, Nova. Wouldn’t put it past a rich guy to pull something like that. But let’s go see what he has to say.”

The party made their way to the mansion. Standing in front of the gate was a guard. His eyes widened as he saw the party carrying the Gold Apples.

“Oh!” he said. “You completed Don Moule’s request!” He unlocked the gate, “Please proceed.”

The party ventured into the grounds of the mansion. They noticed that the guards seemed a bit disgruntled, talking amongst themselves.

“My bad feeling is getting worse,” Nova growled. “Those guards don’t look like they’re being paid well. We’d best be ready to expect this Don Moule to try to sucker us.”

The party nodded and ventured up to the front doors. The guards there opened them and allowed the party in. After a short walk into the main hall they met a man wearing very expensive clothes, twirling his mustache and smiling as he saw the party.

“So, you succeeded in collecting the Gold Apples,” he said. “And you got five, no less. I was only expecting three but you took it a step further. Good, good, very good.” He clapped his hands, which caused a butler to appear, carrying a chest, “Your reward is in this chest. Give the Gold Apples to my manservant here. Then please leave, as I have other business to attend to.”

Sir Reginald gave the branch of Gold Apples to the manservant. The party then opened the chest and their eyes became hateful. Inside was a single copper coin. They then glared at Don Moule, who looked smug.

“Do you honestly think we’re gonna accept a reward of one copper for fetching something as valuable as Gold Apples?” Zeeker growled.

“I knew he’d try to cheat us,” Nova said acidly.

Sir Reginald’s eyes flared dangerously, “Indeed. We refuse to accept such a meager payment for something so valuable!”

“Oh?” Don Moule said smoothly. “Then I guess I’ll be keeping both the Gold Apples and the payment. Now leave. Donald, take those Gold Apples away.”

The manservant started to scamper off with the Gold Apples.

Sir Reginald glared, “Not happening.” He turned to Kettu, “Kettu… I never thought I’d say this… but put your skills to work.”

Kettu’s eyes widened before gaining a devious smirk, “I was hoping you’d say that.”

It the blink of an eye Ketu vanished from his spot. A moment later he was back with the party, carrying the Gold Apples. It took both Don Moule and his manservant a moment to realize what had just happened.

“You thief!” Don Moule spat.

Kettu grinned darkly, “It’s a family business. We’ll be taking these back. And you’re out of luck, which is deliciously ironic considering that Gold Apples boost good luck.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Indeed. Let us go, team, as we’re not wasting another minute in this place.”

The party turned around and began to leave, taking the Gold Apples with them.

Don Moule spat, “Give those back! I demand it!”

Nova turned and gave him a piercing, cold glare that made Don Moule flinch.

“No, we’ll be taking our prize,” he said coldly and calmly. “I knew you couldn’t be trusted. We’re not going to give up something so valuable for such a meager reward, so we’ll take the Gold Apples instead. If you want Gold Apples then fetch them yourself, as we’re not giving these up. We worked hard to get these and you have that gall to try to shortchange us? Not happening, you fat swine. And we’re gonna make sure the whole town knows that you tried to pull this stunt so that way no one else gets suckered by you. No, you’re on your own. If you want Gold Apples so badly then go pick them yourself. Don’t mind the monsters or the phoenix guarding them. We’re taking these and leaving you high and dry because we won’t tolerate such deceitfulness. And if you try anything… I’ll turn you into a garden statue.”

Don Moule started to cower in fear at Nova’s tranquil fury and threat. Satisfied, the party stormed out of the mansion, taking the Gold Apples with them. The guards saw the party leave, taking the Gold Apples with them, and started cheering, clearly knowing what had happened. The party made their way back to the heart of the village and quickly spread the news about what had happened. This caused the villagers to respond in outrage, taking the party’s side and talking amongst themselves about rebelling against Don Moule. The party merely went about their business, selling the newly obtained monster parts before heading to the inn.

At the inn’s dining room the party were discussing other subjects, the Gold Apples sitting in the middle of the table.

“I never thought I’d see the day Sir Reginald would allow Kettu to steal something,” Zeeker chuckled.

Sir Reginald replied calmly, “Well, as they say, every rule has an exception. Though this is the only time I’ll allow it, as it was clear it had to be done in order to ensure we got what we deserved. And that Don Moule got what he deserved. Now the whole village is in an uproar because of it. It was clear he wasn’t well liked to begin with, but now the villagers are tempted to overthrow him. Makes me wonder how many people he’s done such deceitful tactics to. But we not only cowed him into his place but got some very rare items in the process.”

“Here, here,” Van said.

Nina smiled, “And it gets better, boys. I got some juicy information from that phoenix. It told me where one of Muu’s Undead Bases is located. Before you ask, I just happened to mention Muu
to that phoenix during my explanation that we were not a threat and it told me where to find one of his Undead Bases.”

“Where is it?” Nova asked, surprised.

“If we go south from this village, heading toward the capital, we’ll reach another village. And from there we go east and we’ll find another Undead Base nestled in Dusk Marsh. I didn’t get who is the leader of the Undead Base, but now we know where to find our next target.”

Sir Reginald smiled, “Excellent work, Lady Nina. You not only provided us with some rare items but also helped solve our little dilemma. Now we know where to go: Dusk Marsh. Looks like taking up this request paid off in a different sense.”

The party nodded, clearly happy at Nina’s good work. They knew where they had to go, hoping to gain another foothold against Muu.

Next Chapter: Bone in the Mud

That's all for today. A bit filler-ish but it serves its purpose. Tune in next time to see what our heroes face.
 
Time for the next chapter in Dawn of Courage. (Warning: contains mild language, mild violence)

Bone in the Mud


It had been a few days since the party had performed the “request” from Don Moule. They had since made it to the next village and were on their way to Dusk Marsh where the next Undead Base was. Sir Reginald was in the lead, as usual, guiding the party. The area was very marshy, full of insects, and the occasional monster or animal scurrying about. With each step their feet made squelching sounds, as the soil was very moist.

Sir Reginald turned to the party, “Okay, here’s the deal. According to the village the Undead Base is stationed near a peat bog. Somehow the Undead Base hasn’t sunk into the ground despite the very saturated soil, which they find odd. The villagers heard a rumor that the Undead Captain himself is not only of the Wood element but is responsible for keeping the Undead Base from sinking in the muck. It possibly means that if we destroy him then the Undead Base will become unstable and sink in the mud itself. Hopefully that’s the case, as this area is considered a nature preserve for some rare species of animals, though I wouldn’t be surprised if Muu’s forces drove them out. We can’t cause too much damage to the surrounding area to ensure the marshland and its residents don’t suffer.”

Zeeker replied, “So I guess that means we need to do things the old-fashioned way, right? No Shaman powers, as many of them possess power AOE attacks, which could cause damage to the marshland. Am I right?”

“That’s correct, Zeeker. We have to limit the damage we cause in order to prevent this marshland from suffering the consequences of our battle. So Shaman forms are out of the question.”

“What about Water element forms like Tsunami Knight and Sea Witch Siren?” Nova asked. “Or maybe Wood element forms like Nymph Wing, Guardian of Edyn, and Shadow Fox? Can’t we use forms like that?”

“Possibly, as those forms would be more in their element here…” Sir Reginald pondered. “But I’m afraid we’re gonna have to do things the old fashioned way this time; even those forms might cause unintentional damage. Although I guess Nymph Wing could heal any damage done to the marsh.” He shook his head, “No, it’s best we don’t use our Shaman powers this time. We also need to limit Fire element attacks for good measures. Fire element skills like Burning Claws and Fire Shot should be okay, though, as they have a very small range of effect. But let’s try to keep any possible damage to a minimum, otherwise we could get in hot water with this kingdom.”

Nina shrugged, “Guess it can’t be helped. And we’d rather not start anything with King Charles, given how easily he can make bad snap decisions. It’s not ideal but we’re gonna have to be extra careful of our surroundings this time. Looks like
this time around I’ll have to rely more on my legs for battle over my magic, as my powerful spells could cause unwanted issues.”

“That’s right, you’ve got some powerful axe kicks under your belt, Nina,” Kettu said.

“I’ll say,” Zeeker chuckled. “I was nearly on the receiving end of one when my little ruse was exposed. Thank the Goddess Nova was so forgiving.”

Nova shrugged, “What can I say? It felt more like an elaborate April Fool’s prank over anything worth punishing you for. I can take a joke, so I was fine writing it off as such. Besides, it net us you in our ranks, Zeeker. You’ve been a big help since then so it was worth it.”

The Beastman smiled, “Thank you, Nova. That means a lot to me.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Indeed. Now. We should be seeing the Undead Base soon; it’s pretty easy to spot out here in this marshland. When we find it we’ll send Phantom to scout it so we can get an idea of what we’re up against.”

“I see it just up ahead!” Nina stated, looking forward. “I’ll summon Phantom now so we can start our preparations.” She bit her thumb, producing blood, before saying, “Phantom, come forth!”

A summoning circle appeared, followed by a burst of wind, and soon Phantom was perched on Nina’s arm.

“Okay, Phantom, you know the drill by now. Scout out that Undead Base and report back with your findings.”

Phantom nodded, turned invisible, and took off. He flew around the base a few times before landing on an overhanging branch. His eyes gleamed and he began recording what he was seeing. After a few minutes he took off and returned to Nina, becoming visible again.

“Let’s see it, Phantom,” Kettu said.

Phantom projected what he saw from his eyes, allowing the party to get a good look at their opponents.

“Okay, standard amount of Undead Soldiers,” Sir Reginald observed. “That’s good, as we have to play nice with the surrounding area, so having only the usual amount makes things easier. And our Undead Captain is, indeed, of the Wood element, as evident by his structure being partly made of thick vines.”

Zeeker took a closer look and said, “I think I know who that Undead Captain is. If my memory serves me correctly that’s Captain Rootrot. I heard of him back during my days as part of the Beastman Resistance but never fought him. But if I’m remembering this correctly, he’s actually not that strong. Sure, he’s got a good grip on plant life but in terms of actual strength he's only about equal to Zomboni, so he’s pretty low on the pecking order. That’s a good thing, as it’ll make this fight easier given the fact we need to be careful with the surrounding area. Since last time I heard about him he might’ve gotten stronger but judging by it he seems to be roughly the same as before.”

“That’s useful information, Zeeker. Your days as part of the Beastman Resistance certainly have proven useful to us. There also seems to be no crates tucked away inside the base. Probably because Muu himself is worried about losing valuable items in the muck if Rootrot is defeated. With this we can begin our strategizing. Thank you, Phantom, that’ll do for now.”

Phantom stopped projecting the image from his eyes. Nina gently stroked him on his “sweet spot”, making the Stealth Falcon flutter his wings happily.

“Reliable as always, Phantom,” she said with a smile. “Thanks again. To the Spirit Plane.”

Phantom looked proud before vanishing in a flurry of sparkles. The party then huddled together to begin planning their strategy. After about 20 minutes they had settled on a plan.

“Okay, we’ve got a solid strategy down,” Sir Reginald said. “Remember: no Fire element attacks or anything that could damage the marshland. We’re gonna have to do this the old-fashioned way. But if our enemy isn’t as strong as past foes then it shouldn’t be too much of an issue. Now, let us begin the operation.”

The party nodded and made their way toward the Undead Base. As they approached the front of it Nova nocked an arrow onto his bow.

“As usual, I’ll get their attention,” he said. “Ifrit Mode.”

The Demon King Ring adjusted itself, now set to Ifrit Mode.

“Dragon Strike!”

He fired the lightning dragon at the Undead Base. The attack collided with the front gates, blasting them open, revealing the Undead Army. Captain Rootrot stood up. He looked like a skeleton made from thick tree roots or vines, with wooden “armor” on him, teeth made from wood splinters, and glowing yellow eyes. His eyes flickered angrily as he saw the party.

“So, you actually found me,” he said in a wheezy voice. “I didn’t think you’d be willing to venture into here, as it is a nature preserve. Looks like I was wrong. But no matter. I’ll destroy you and present your souls to Master Muu. I, Captain Rootrot, shall uproot you like daisies. Undead Soldiers… attack!”

The Undead Soldiers charged in: weapons held high, ready for battle.

“Let’s do it!” Sir Reginald stated.

The party began their counterattack against the Undead Army. One by one the Undead Soldiers fell. Nina was able to make it to Rootrot first. The vines that made up his body seemed to quake as she approached him.

“Fine, I’ll take you down first, little birdie,” he said. “Eat this! Deadwood Strike!”

He sank his vines into the ground, followed by a brief pause, then dead tree roots emerged from the ground, ready to strike Nina.

Nina stated, “Not happening! Try some of this!”

She seemed to channel magical energy into her legs, much to Rootrot’s confusion. Her legs then seemed to be coated in Ice energy. She then started performing various roundhouse kicks. When her legs came into contact with the tree roots she not only broke through them but encased them in ice. The ice then traveled down through the tree roots before returning to Rootrot himself, making him cry out in pain as his body started to freeze.

“It’s a good thing I learned how to combine elemental magic with my legs, as it’ll help limit the damage to a surrounding area while still providing me with some much-needed power in my kicks. Now, it’s time to say goodbye, Rootrot!”

She jumped up into the air, did a few flips, channeling more Ice energy in her legs. She then got into a position to perform a massive axe kick before she came crashing down upon Rootrot. The Undead Captain could only look in horror as her energy-infused leg came down upon him. The strength of her axe kick combined with the Ice energy not only froze Rootrot in ice but effortlessly shattered him to pieces as her leg continued its downward assault. Nina stood proud as she watched Rootrot’s remains break apart and vanish.

Suddenly the Undead Base started to shake. She quickly ran outside and rejoined the party, who had just finished off the Undead Soldiers. They watched in surprise as the Undead Base immediately sank into the mud and marsh. Within the span of a few minutes the Undead Base was now fully submerged in the peat bog, with only some bubbles indicating where it once was before they stopped.

“Well, that saves us the trouble of destroying the Undead Base,” Nova said simply.

“Looks like Rootrot was the only thing keeping the base stable,” Van observed. “Once he was dealt with the base couldn’t sustain itself in this swampy area and sank. Makes you wonder why Muu even made a base here?”

“Probably because it’s a nature preserve,” Kettu said. “Not many would be willing to enter this area, much less fight here, out of fear of harming the environment. So setting up an Undead Base here meant he could have an operative ready without fear of them being attacked. The ground was unfit for such construction so he needed someone to keep it stable. Plus, again, this is Muu we’re talking about. He’ll gladly violate such a location if it means creating a world of death and decay.”

“Fair point, Kettu,” Angelo nodded. “But now everything is in the clear. And we gained another foothold against Muu.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Indeed, Angelo. And the nearby village can rest easy knowing they won’t be attacked by Muu’s army. We should return to that village and let them know. Plus it’ll give us a chance to rest, as we had to make haste when we learned of this base in order to stop any possible problems. But job well done, team. We dealt with another one of Muu’s forces and we didn’t even use any Shaman powers. And I dare say, Lady Nina, but your axe kicks are becoming quite terrifying. Especially since you figured out how to channel magical energy into them to give your kicks elemental properties.”

Nina showed off her legs flirtatiously, “Well, when you got strong legs and thick thighs like these they’re not just for show. They’re lethal weapons in their own right. But enough of this. Let’s get going, as we’ve completed our mission and we should leave before anyone gets antsy about us being in this nature preserve.”

Everyone nodded and started to make their way back out of the marshland. They felt satisfied that they had defeated another one of Muu’s platoons, securing a new foothold against the evil entity.

Next Chapter: The Rogue Knight

That's all for today. Another day, another Undead Base destroyed. Tune in next time to see what our heroes face.
 
Time for the next chapter of Dawn of Courage. (Warning: contains mild language, mild violence, slavery)

The Rogue Knight


It had been a couple of days since the party defeated Captain Rootrot and his Undead Army platoon. They were at the next village. Nova had set up his “shop” of custom magical accessories, with Nina working alongside him, while the rest of the party was busy tending to errands. It wasn’t long before he had attracted some attention.

A traveling party consisting of various individuals noticed his wares. Curious, they approached the duo to investigate what was for sale.

“You’re selling magical accessories?” a swordsman asked.

Nova nodded, “I am. Feel free to browse. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask. You won’t see magical accessories like these anywhere else so take this opportunity while you can.”

The group started examining Nova’s custom items, clearly interested. One, who looked like a female mage, picked up an item.

“What’s this?” she asked.

Nina replied, “That’s a Wind Aura Gauntlet. It uses the White Bat Claw inside it to generate Wind Auras around you and your party. And best of all, due to how it was constructed, you can use the accessory as many times as you want without fear of losing the White Bat Claw inside it.”

The party examining the accessories turned to the duo, eyes wide.

“Wait,” an archer said. “Are you telling me you figured out how to turn a one-time use item into a multi-use item?”

Nova chuckled lightly, “That we did. We managed to turn something that would only be usable once into a more durable item. Feel free to test it if you’d like. Just strap it to your arm and say ‘Wind Aura activate’ to summon the Wind Aura. And say ‘Wind Aura deactivate’ to turn it off. Give it a go if you want.”

The mage nodded, equipped it to her arm, and stated in a strong voice, “Wind Aura activate!”

The White Bat Claw glowed inside the gauntlet, which caused auras made of Wind energy to form around the party. The party checked out these Wind Auras before looking at the gauntlet and saw that the White Bat Claw was still intact.

“Wind Aura deactivate!”

The Wind Auras vanished, causing the gauntlet to stop glowing. The party looked at the gauntlet and saw that the White Bat Claw was still inside it. They exchanged surprised looks before turning to Nova.

“How much?” the female mage asked.

Nova flipped open his notebook before saying, “The Wind Aura Gauntlet comes to 45 silver.”

“Deal!”

The mage paid Nova 45 silver coins, which he pocketed. She examined it some more, clearly impressed.

The archer picked up another item, “What’s this? It looks like it has a Splash Coin in it. Is this another accessory that can turn a one-time use item into a multi-use item?”

Nova nodded, “Yes. That’s a Splash Armlet. It contains a Splash Coin, like you noticed. It can summon either Water Bomb, Geyser, or Tidal Wave, although I forget which one. And just like the Wind Aura Gauntlet it can do it as many times as you want. Simply state ‘Splash Coin activate’ and it’ll cast the spell. That one is 25 silver.”

“I’ll take it.”

The archer paid Nova 25 silver coins, which he also pocketed. The archer then strapped the Splash Armlet onto his wrist, taking a moment to examine it. It wasn’t long before other travelers and warriors took notice of Nova’s “shop” and his unique creations.

Nina smiled, “Brace yourself. Your shop is about to become very popular, beloved.”

Soon several travelers and warriors had gathered at Nova’s “shop” to examine and purchase some of his custom magical accessories. One by one customers walked away, each equipped with a new magical accessory, clearly satisfied. After a little while the last customer walked away, accessory in tow, allowing Nova and Nina to take a break.

A voice chuckled, “Looks like you two made off like bandits today.”

The duo turned to see the rest of the party approach them.

“I’d say we did pretty good, Kettu” Nova said simply.

Nina giggled, “Indeed. Guess it’s time to make more magical accessories, as your stuff proved to be quite popular. At least we have plenty of materials thanks to raiding Muu’s bases, so we should have enough to make more magical accessories for next time. And to think you took up this craft all so you could court me.” She gently touched the bracelet on her arm, smiling warmly, “I still love the bracelet you made for me, Nova. It may have been your first foray into the art of magical accessory crafting but you did a fantastic job. You’re quite good with your hands.”

Nova blushed, making the rest of the party chuckle.

Sir Reginald said, “Be as it may, it might be time to close up shop for now. We sold all the monster parts we collected recently and purchased all the needed items for the road. We also heard a rumor that might be problematic.”

Nova quirked an eyebrow, “Rumor? What kind of rumor?”

Van replied, “We heard that there is a rogue knight running around. He was kicked out of King Charles’ forces, as he apparently caused quite a ruckus with his warrior spirits. Rumor says he’s been attacking people like a bandit, using his warrior spirits to basically pound his ‘prey’ into the dirt so he can steal what he wants from them. They say he tends to lurk on Golden River Road, which is one of the main roads in this kingdom, so he has plenty of opportunities to ambush fresh prey.”

Zeeker added, “And considering we need to go down that road to reach our next destination we may have to deal with him.”

Nina sighed, “Never a dull moment, huh? But what kind of warrior spirits is he using?”

“For that matter, what are warrior spirits?” Nova asked.

Sir Reginald explained, “Warrior spirits are special creatures. They’re similar to familiars, as their ‘master’ needs to summon them. However, unlike familiars, they are not directly linked to their master, so any harm done to them doesn’t reflect on the master. On top of that, they have no will of their own. They’re basically powerful drones that can be summoned upon command. Using warrior spirits is somewhat frowned upon, as despite having no will of their own they’re still considered alive, and most who use warrior spirits treat them as disposable cannon fodder at best. This is especially true with knights, as knighthood values hard work and dedication to our craft. Using warrior spirits is basically a cheat, as they do all the fighting while their master does nothing other than boss them around. So if this rogue knight is using warrior spirits he’s not only dishonoring the way of the knight but the fact he’s using them for crimes only makes it worse.”

“So, basically, warrior spirits are like slaves with no will of their own? That’s horrible.”

Angelo nodded grimly, “Indeed, which is why using warrior spirits is often looked down upon. Most see them as just a means to an end and have no qualms in sacrificing them if it satisfies their agenda. And, unfortunately, the only real way to save a warrior spirit under such conditions is to euthanize it. The good thing is that warrior spirits reincarnate after death, so even if one has to euthanize it, it’ll get a second chance in a second life. But it doesn’t make the process any easier nor more humane. While using familiars is considered fine, as familiars have wills and minds of their own, using warrior spirits is no better than slavery; the warrior spirit in question cannot disobey its master nor do anything other than blindly follow orders. It’s a terrible affair.”

Nova gained a gloomy expression, “That’s horrible. Slavery on its own is already terrible, but to the point where said slave is treated no better than a mindless attack dog that can be discarded as easily as trash is just despicable. While I don’t like the idea of euthanizing something that is basically a slave if it helps save them from such a fiend then I guess it’ll be worth it.”

Nina pondered for a moment before saying, “Wait… I think I remember something about warrior spirits from my studies. There may be another way to save them without killing them. Now… what was it again…?” She took a moment to think it over before saying, “I believe it’s said that simply severing the ‘bond’ between the master and warrior spirit can save them from needing to be killed. How to sever that bond, however, I’m not sure. It’s not like a familiar contract where there’s a blood pact forging the bond. But there is said to be a way to disconnect the bond between master and warrior spirit.”

Kettu replied, “I heard something like that, too, a long time ago. But I don’t know what the ‘method’ needed to sever that bond is, either. Hopefully we can figure it out before we have to deal with that goon. But, for now, let’s head for the inn. We’re gonna need the energy if we’re to face that rogue knight and his warrior spirits, since we’ll be heading down Golden River Road tomorrow.”

The party nodded in agreement. Nova packed up his “shop” and they went to the inn to rest and have some food. They knew that they had a big challenge tomorrow.

The next day soon arrived. The party was on the road, heading toward their next destination. They were traveling down a road lined with gold-colored bricks, which ran next to a large river. The party was tense, as they knew that the rogue knight with his warrior spirits was lurking on this road.

“Stay frosty, team,” Sir Reginald said. “That rogue knight could be anywhere on this road. So we need to stay vigilant and make sure he doesn’t get the drop on us.”

Nina narrowed her eyes as she looked ahead, “No need for that, as he’s already attacking someone just up ahead!”

The party looked ahead and saw what looked like three regular knights at the mercy of three large floating suits of armor being directed by another, more aggressive knight. The party nodded and quickly raced up to help.

The rogue knight laughed diabolically, “You threw me out of the knights and you think you can drag me back to King Charles for a trial? Not happening! Time for my revenge! Fou, Stoik, Donqui, turn these three fools into paste for defying me!”

The three animated armors started to move forward, ready to kill the wounded knights. However, before the largest one could strike Sir Reginald got in between them and managed to shield the other knights with a Barrier spell.

“What the!?” a knight sputtered.

“It’s Sir Reginald!” another stated.

“Then that means…” the third said.

Sir Reginald said strongly, “I’ve got you covered! Team! Take care of these warrior spirits!”

The rest of the party got into a defensive position, angering the rogue knight.

“You dare defy me?” he spat. “Fine, I’ll turn you into paste first. Fou, you go first. Prove your worth to me!”

The smallest one turned to face the party. It was a light blue animated armor that had a distinct Chinese design to it, connected together by a lime green energy, glowing white eyes, and was wielding twin warhammers. It clanged its warhammers together before floating over to fight them.

“I really hope we don’t have to destroy it in order to save it,” Nova said tensely. “I don’t like the idea of euthanizing an innocent creature.”

Van readied his spear, saying, “We’ll probably have to at least weaken it in order for us to find a better solution.”

Kettu drew his daggers, saying, grimly, “I don’t like that idea but it may be the only way until we can figure something out.”

The rogue knight laughed, “Hah! You don’t stand a chance! As long as my warrior spirits are under my control curse, they are my pawns! So just give it up!”

“Control… curse…?” Nova pondered. His eyes then lit up, “Wait! I have an idea! Hope this works. But first… Ifrit Mode!”

The Demon King Ring adjusted itself, now set to Ifrit Mode.

“Here goes something! Curse Breaker!”

He fired the spell at the warrior spirit as it was ready to strike. The energy from the spell seemed to have an effect, as Fou stopped dead in its tracks. It then clutched its head with both hammers and what looked like a ring of ancient text could be seen orbiting it before shattering. The rogue knight’s eyes widened in horror as he saw this.

“Fou, you idiot!” he spat. “Donqui, Stoik, forget Sir Reginald and his barrier and go after those little rats! Knock some sense back into Fou right now!”

Donqui and Stoik turned around and started to float over to the party. Stoik was larger than Fou, with its armor being more Viking-like, with orange ethereal energy connecting the segments of armor together, glowing blue eyes, and was wielding twin battle axes. Donqui was the largest of the three, with a distinct medieval European design to its armor, ghostly white energy holding it together, glowing purple eyes, and was wielding a claymore and a large shield. Both clanged their equipment together and prepared to attack.

Nova turned to Van, “Van! Help me with another round of Curse Breaker!”

The Centaur nodded and both got into a battle-ready pose.

“Curse Breaker!” both said in unison.

The double spell struck all three warrior spirits. They flailed about as the energies took effect, with what looked like several rings of ancient text surrounding them breaking. All three went limp, seemingly breathing heavily. Everyone was tense at what would happen next. Donqui lifted its head up first, gave it a shake, and started to say something in an unknown language.

“Donqui just said ‘Thank you for freeing us’!?” Nina sputtered.

Zeeker replied, “I’m more shocked that we could understand it even though it spoke a completely unknown language. Guess this means that warrior spirits do have minds and wills of their own.”

Angelo nodded, “Indeed, and it appears that the control curses that they are put under is what robs them of their minds and wills. But as our good friend Nova figured out using Curse Breaker, well, breaks the curse on them.”

Nova replied sheepishly, “It was really a lucky guess. But considering that Curse Breaker removes curses, and that knight said the warrior spirits were under a control curse, I kinda figured that Curse Breaker might work. It was an educated guess that turned out to be correct. Now…” He turned to the warrior spirits, “I suggest you pay that goon back for what he did to you.”

The three warrior spirits exchanged looks before nodding in agreement. They turned around and began floating over to their former master, eyes flaring angrily. The rogue knight looked like he was about to soil himself.

“I-I-I command you to obey me and pound those fools into the dirt!” he said, trying to sound strong but his fear was very clearly heard.

The warrior spirits gave battle cries before jumping on the rogue knight and whaling at him, beating him to a pulp out of revenge for how he treated them. Everyone watched with rather bemused yet satisfied expressions as the rogue knight got his comeuppance at the hands of the very creatures he enslaved. After a few minutes the warrior spirits backed off, revealing the thoroughly beaten, bruised, battered, and bloody knight. The three of them gave a huff, clearly happy to have gotten revenge, before floating over to the Demon King’s champion party. They all went into a polite bow, saying something in their own language yet the party understood them.

Van smiled, “You’re quite welcome. No one deserves to be enslaved. I’m just glad we were able to resolve this conflict without actually hurting you.”

Nina smiled, “Indeed. I’m glad to know that what I heard about freeing warrior spirits from their masters was true, even if I didn’t know how it was possible. But, once again, Nova made a good educated guess that ended up saving the day. Now you three are free to live you lives to the fullest.”

The three warrior spirits nodded, giving another polite bow, saying words of gratitude in their own language. They then started to float away, clearly ready to enjoy their freedom. Fou, however, turned around one more time to face the party, saying something else, before following its fellow warrior spirits.

Sir Reginald lowered his barrier, saying, “And that solves two issues at once. We stopped this knight from attacking and robbing innocent people and freed the warrior spirits without hurting them. Looks like, despite being called ‘warrior spirits’, they’re actually very peaceful creatures. It’s a shame that some fiends would enslave them with control curses, robbing them of their minds and wills. They must be pretty vulnerable to control curses if that’s all it takes to get them to obey their master, as even familiars are immune to control curses. Especially since familiars respond to their master’s call willingly. Now…” he glared at the mauled mess that was the rogue knight, “…what are we going to do with you?”

One of the other knights said, “We were tasked by King Charles to bring him in for trial, as him attacking and robbing innocent people out of revenge for getting kicked out of our army has produced a warrant for his arrest. Thanks to you lot stepping in we are able to apprehend him and avoided becoming smears on the ground. Looks like the Demon King’s champion party is as skilled as the rumors say you are. Anyway, leave this goon to us. We’ll cart him back to the capital. Especially now that he’s been neutered of any threat, as he never took his training seriously, relying on his warrior spirits instead. But with the warrior spirits removed from his control he’s as harmless as a newborn kitten. Come on, men, let’s collect this loser and bring him back to the capital.”

The other knights nodded and managed to collected the mangled mess that was the rogue knight.

“We thank you once again, as you not only saved our skins but also ended this goon’s threat. Now, let’s get back to the capital, men. Are you ready?”

The other knights nodded, “Yessir!”

“Warp!”

The knights vanished in a flash of light, leaving the party alone.

“A job well done, team,” Sir Reginald said. “Now we can continue onward as planned.”

The party nodded and continued to make their way down the road. Little did they know that Fou was watching them, following them from the shadows.

Next Chapter: Soaring Storm Swordwing

That's all for today. Those warrior spirits will play a role later on. But what is Fou doing? Tune in next time to find out.
 
Time for the next chapter of Dawn of Courage. (Warning: contains mild language, mild violence)

Soaring Storm Swordwing


It had been a few days since the party had dealt with the rogue knight and freed his warrior spirits from his control. They were heading toward the direction of the next village. Sir Reginald was in the lead, as usual, guiding the party with his map and compass.

“Okay, here’s the deal,” he said. “Once we reach the next village it’ll be a straight shot to the capital. Hopefully we can get some things done there. And hopefully we don’t end up on the business end of King Charles’ bad decision-making, since that’s still a lingering threat to everyone, not just us.”

Kettu huffed, “Such incompetence. He really should be kicked off the throne: the lingering threat of him doing something rash and making a huge mistake will cause problems for everyone. It’d be doing everyone a favor, especially since the other kingdoms are already ticked off by his tendency to make more issues.”

“For once I agree with you. I’d rather not say much about King Charles but, unfortunately, he really isn’t the most reliable or competent king around. I especially worry that we’ll get into some trouble with him because we need his intelligence network to find where the remaining Undead Bases are, and because he’ll be distrusting toward Nova due to him being an outsider. Despite the fact that Nova’s the Demon King’s champion I wouldn’t put it past King Charles to let his paranoia get the better of him and give Nova grief over something petty. Sadly, we need to tread carefully so not to end up in that situation.”

Nina sighed, “And here I thought my parents were lousy rulers. King Charles really is a handful if he’s forcing us to pretty much dance around his paranoia in order to get what we want. Hmm?” She looked ahead and said, “Um… gang, we may have a problem. I see smoke rising from the village up ahead. Something must’ve happened.”

The party looked ahead and, indeed, saw smoke rising just up the road.

“Uh-oh…” Zeeker said grimly.

“I’d be willing to bet this is Muu’s doing,” Nova said. “Or, more accurately, one of his Undead Army platoons.”

“You’d win that bet, Nova,” Van nodded. “Come on, let’s go check it out and see what we can do.”

The party quickly made their way to the village. When they got there they saw quite the sight. The village was sporting a lot of damage, with blast marks, various holes in buildings, destroyed carts, and other damage. The villagers were busy trying to rebuild the damage but it was clear they knew it was pointless. Sir Reginald walked up to a young man who was carrying lumber.

“Excuse me, sir,” he said. “What happened here?”

The man replied, “Muu’s army, that’s what happened. This unusual Undead Captain and his platoon attacked us, blasting us with lightning and causing all sort of damage. We barely managed to weather the attack thanks to the combined effort of both our priest and priestess. Roland and May barely managed to repel the assault and force them back. But we know Muu’s army will return to finish what they started. Especially since Roland and May are completely drained from the fight. Hmm?” He looked at the party, “You’ve got quite the diverse group there, Mr. Knight. Maybe… Maybe you can help us deal with Muu’s army? You look strong.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “But of course. We’re the Demon King’s champion party, after all. It’s our job to deal with Muu’s forces.”

This statement caused everyone nearby to become dead silent, eyes widening. Soon a priest and priestess walked up to the party.

The priestess said, “If you’re the Demon King’s champion party then we beg of you to deal with Muu’s army, as they know we’re still licking our wounds after the fight. And Muu’s army never passes up a chance to kick someone while they’re down. But can you handle someone like Captain Voltgore? He’s pretty powerful.”

Van replied, “Not to toot our own horn but we’ve dealt with some pretty powerful foes. Including the likes of Juggerrot. And we know what kind of Undead Captain this Voltgore is, as we’ve seen his type before, so we can deal with him.”

The priest went wide eyed, “You’ve destroyed Juggerrot?! For real? Then this Voltgore shouldn’t be too much of an issue. We’ll leave it in your hands, as we cannot take any more punishment.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Yes, leave it to us. We’ll handle Voltgore and his platoon. If he’s the same breed as certain other Undead Captains we’ve faced then we know how to tackle such a threat. Team, let’s start making a strategy so we can prepare ourselves for this Voltgore and his Undead Army platoon. Quickly, as we don’t know when he’ll show up again.”

The party nodded and started discussing a plan. The priest and priestess listened in, curious how the party was going to deal with this new enemy, while the rest of the villagers resumed repairing the town. After about 30 minutes the party had settled on a plan.

“Okay, I think we’ve got our strategy down now,” Sir Reginald said. “In order to minimize any more damage to the village I’ll use my Terra Dark Knight form to erect a barrier around the town. That means Nova will take the reins for the battle. Meanwhile, Van will use his Guardian of Edyn form to give us a type advantage, as this Voltgore is clearly of the Lightning element. Lady Nina, you wanted to test a new Shaman form that you felt would work better against Voltgore than your Nymph Wing form, correct?”

Nina nodded, “Yes. Nymph Wing is probably my weakest form due to elemental compatibility issues. I’m more naturally associated with Fire over Wood, considering I’m a Phoenix Clan member. But since our foe is most likely a Lightning element, I plan to try using that same element against him. After all, when we don Shaman forms, we become immune to the elements that we used to create them. So I’ll fight fire with fire. Or lightning with lightning in this case. While I don’t know what form I’ll get I have an idea on what elements I’ll use alongside Lightning. But considering that when I experimented with Lilith Wing and it worked to our advantage, it’ll be a worthwhile gamble.”

“Right. Kettu will also use his Shadow Fox form to give us another elemental advantage. The rest of you will provide the necessary backup and assistance to whoever needs it. Nova…” Sir Reginald turned to the young man, “I’m counting on you to lead us to victory, as I’ll be occupied protecting the village. I know you can do it, as you’ve grown tremendously over time.”

Nova nodded solemnly, “I’ll do my best, Sir Reginald. I just hope I’ll prove worthy of your faith in me.”

Nina smiled, “You’ll do fine, Nova. Consider it work experience. But, for now, we should get ready before our unknown friends arrive. We’ve got our plan set, now we need the enemy to appear so we can put our strategy into motion. Hopefully we can limit any more damage, as this village has taken enough already.”

The priestess said, “Voltgore tends to announce his arrival with thunderclaps, so it isn’t exactly difficult to know when he’s coming.”

As if on cue a loud thunderclap could be heard, making all the villagers freeze in fear.

“Right on cue…” Nova said dryly. “No one seems to miss a cue on this world. That would make for good Broadway actors.”

Sir Reginald said, “Better save it for later, Nova, as we need to get into position. Van, Kettu, Lady Nina, it’s time for us to don our Shaman forms. We need to greet our enemy before they arrive. So let’s get into our appropriate forms and tackle this threat head-on.”

“Elemental Energy Fusion activate!” he, Van, and Kettu said in unison.

They were engulfed in swirling energy and before long they had become the Terra Dark Knight, Guardian of Edyn, and Shadow Fox, to the amazement of the villagers.

Nina tapped her Shaman Magic Bracelet, saying, “Here goes something. Lightning, Wind, Light! Elemental Energy Fusion activate!”

She was engulfed in swirling energy and out emerged a new form.

Nina’s new form was quite powerful-looking. Her body was now very athletic and seemed to be built for speed. She was dressed in what looked like a cross between a flight suit and bikini armor, mostly white and electric blue in color, and hugged her form very tightly. Her hair was now electric blue with static electricity crackling off of it, reaching her ankles; her eyes were bright yellow and seemed to glow. Her wings looked much stronger, charged with electrical energy, with her feathers having seemingly transformed into sword-like structures. Her legs looked very strong, being long and limber with thick thighs, ending in winged sandals. She took a moment to look herself over before clenching her fists, causing electricity to crackle around them.

“Not bad. Not bad at all. Let’s see this Voltgore handle my Storm Swordwing form.”

A villager then said, “Here they come! Just to the west of us!”

The party quickly made their way to the west side of the village. Sir Reginald stayed back a bit.

“Time to get to work,” he said. “Barrier!”

He erected a barrier that shielded the entire village, making the villagers hopeful. Soon the Undead Army platoon arrived. Leading them was a new figure. He looked like a skeleton made of electricity yet still solid, with glowing white armor, boots, gauntlets, a helmet, and was wielding a morningstar charged with energy. His eyes flickered as he saw the party.

“So, you’re the Demon King’s puppet party, I take it?” his voice crackled. “Master Muu had warned me about you and your Shaman powers. But I will make sure that you all become nothing more than a bad memory for my master. I, Captain Voltgore, will roast you with lightning and bring your souls to Master Muu! Undead Soldiers… attack!”

The Undead Soldiers charged toward the party.

Nova stated, “Okay, team, let’s do this! Van, Kettu, Nina, you handle the big boss! The rest of us will deal with the small fries. Quickly, as we don’t know just what Voltgore is capable of!”

The trio nodded and charged in. Van plowed through the Undead Soldiers, sending them flying like bowling pins, allowing Kettu to follow. Nina took to the air, seemingly not needing to flap her wings in order to get airborne. She did a loop in the air before rocketing down, her wings spread. She got close to the ground and flew over it, her body crackling with energy. She plowed through a handful of Undead Soldiers, seemingly slicing them in half with her electrified wings, not remotely slowing down before hovering off the ground in front of Captain Voltgore alongside Van and Kettu. The rest of the party charged in to deal with the remaining Undead Soldiers.

Captain Voltgore growled, “Fine, I’ll fry you three first. Eat this! Gigavolt!”

He summoned a massive thunderbolt that rocketed down toward the party. However, Nina simply flew up into it and took the blow, blocking it from touching the rest of the party. To Voltgore’s surprise Nina took no damage and instead seemed to get stronger.

“My turn!” she smirked. She started to summon what looked like a bolo made of two thunder balls, “Thunder Bolo!”

She hurled the attack at Voltgore. He tried to jump out of the way but to his surprise the Thunder Bolo changed course, seemingly acting like a heat-seeking missile, and struck him, knocking him off his feet.

“Your turn!”

Van and Kettu nodded and started to prime their attacks.

“Death Trap!” Kettu said.

“Thorn Spears!” Van shouted.

Voltgore was first pummeled by giant thorns that were fired from Van’s twin lances. Then what looked like a giant Venus flytrap burst out of the ground and snapped him up before dragging him back underground. Shortly afterward an explosion erupted from the ground, showing that Voltgore was still intact, but it was clear he was badly hurt.

“I’ll make you wretches pay for that!” he snarled. “Gigavolt!”

He summoned another giant thunderbolt down upon the party.

Kettu said, “Not happening! Leaf Shield!”

The party was surrounded by swirling leaves seemingly enhanced with energy. The Gigavolt struck these shields, which not only completely nullified the attack, but seemed to turn the damage it would’ve caused into restoring energy. The party looked refreshed after the attack, much to Voltgore’s shock.

Nina smirked, “Pretty fireworks, Voltgore. Let’s see you handle this! Feather Sword Missile!”

Several feathers detached from her wings, which were immediately replaced with new ones, floated around her body, then pointed directly at Voltgore. They were then launched like missiles at the Undead Captain. The cutting edges of the feathers effortlessly slashed the Undead Captain to bits, leaving only the glowing orb that was in his chest intact. At that time the party had finished off the rest of the Undead Soldiers, ending the battle. Sir Reginald lowered his barrier and the party gathered around the glowing orb. The soul took form, revealing itself to be a male cat-like Beastman. Zeeker’s eyes widened as he saw this Beastman.

“Caswell?” he said. “Is that you?”

The Beastman nodded, “It is, Captain Zeeker. It’s good to see you again. Thank you all for freeing me from that horrible situation. Now I safely ascend to the heavens. Know this, Captain Zeeker… I don’t hold what happened that day against you. We all made that critical mistake and paid the price for it. But it’s not too late to set things right. Muu must be stopped before other souls like me suffer at his hands. Please, keep fighting, Captain, alongside your friends, so that all the people of Edyn can live peacefully.”

Sir Reginald replied, “Don’t worry, we have every intention of doing so. At least with another soul freed from Muu’s grip we can hold our heads up high. We plan to take this fight to Muu’s throne room. And we’re not alone. The Beastman Resistance lives on, so we have your comrades aiding us.”

Caswell smiled, “That’s good to know. I’m glad to hear the Beastman Resistance is still fighting even after such a devastating loss. Please, don’t give up. Not until all of Edyn is freed from Muu’s evil. Stay strong and keep fighting. And thank you once again for freeing me. Farewell and good luck.”

The soul turned into an energy sphere and started to float upward. The party saluted until the soul was out of sight.

“Still no sign of him…” Kettu sighed.

Nova placed a hand on his shoulder, “Don’t worry, Kettu. We’ll get Felix back, just you wait. We’ll free him from Muu’s grip and help your family find peace.”

“Thank you, Nova, that means a lot to me.”

Sir Reginald said, “Well, with this we have secured another foothold against Muu. Now the villagers here can rebuild safely. I suggest we transform back to normal so we can rest and prepare for what lies ahead. Oh, and Nova… good work taking the reins today. Like I said you’ve grown tremendously over time. This was a good example of how much you’ve grown. You could be a capable leader in your own right one day.”

Nova blushed, “Thanks for the praise but I didn’t do that much. I just merely got the plan rolling and got everyone into position. I was simply following your plan and getting it in action, that’s all.”

The knight chuckled, “If you say so, Nova. But I feel that you did a good job getting the party into gear while I defended the village. And I’m certain the others feel the same way. But, anyway, time to transform back into our normal forms, as we’ve done enough for one day.”

“Cancel Fusion!” he, Nina, Van, and Kettu said in unison.

They were engulfed in swirling energy before returning to normal. The grateful villagers welcomed the party into their town, clearly happy that Captain Voltgore was gone. The party knew they had more battles ahead of them, as Muu wouldn’t take the loss of another Undead Captain lying down.

Next Chapter: Chaos at the Capital

Another day, another Shaman form, another Undead Captain and his platoon destroyed. That'll rub Muu the wrong way. Tune in next time to see what happens to our heroes.
 
Time for the next chapter of Dawn of Courage. (Warning: contains mild language, mild violence)

Chaos at the Capital


It had been a few days since the party had dealt with Captain Voltgore and his Undead Army platoon. They were just in the outskirts of the capital of Navaral Kingdom. They could see the city walls just up ahead, along with what looked like a private nut plantation tucked off to the left.

“So, we finally made it to the capital,” Zeeker observed. “About time, too, as we’ve been flying blind for a while now. Hopefully we can get some information on where Muu has set up his Undead Bases so we can take them out.”

Van nodded, “Indeed, Zeeker. But we need to remember one thing: King Charles isn’t the easiest person to deal with. Hopefully things don’t run afoul when we try to talk to him.”

Nova sighed, “Knowing my luck we will run afoul of him. I wouldn’t be surprised if something happens the second we step foot inside the city walls.”

“Try not to be a pessimist, Nova,” Kettu said nonchalantly. “While I do agree that King Charles isn’t the easiest person to deal with, I doubt something bad will happen the moment we step in the city walls.”

Just then guards surrounded the party, much to their surprise.

“Maybe, but what about before we enter the city?” Nova responded dryly.

A guard stated, “Hold it! Nova, was it? You are under arrest.”

Nina protested, “For what?! What could Nova have possibly done here when this is the first time we’ve been here?! And he’s been with us this whole time?! So what’s the big deal?”

Another guard said, “King Charles’ orders are to arrest Nova for theft of the Spellstone.”

Zeeker replied, “And how would Nova have stolen the Spellstone? He’s been with us this whole time. Are you sure someone isn’t framing him for a crime he didn’t commit? Because from where we stand he wouldn’t have had the time to come here, steal the Spellstone, then get back to us without us noticing.”

Kettu nodded, “Indeed, and considering thieving is my family business, not even I could’ve pulled that off without the rest of us knowing. So where’s your proof that Nova stole the Spellstone, hmm? Are you sure that this isn’t the work of some underhanded rat trying to tarnish Nova’s good name? If you’re so certain then show us your proof.”

A third guard said, “We don’t need to show any proof. King Charles wants Nova locked up and the Spellstone returned.”

Angelo gained a disapproving frown, “That’s a very flimsy excuse. It’s clear that Nova is innocent if you’re not willing to show any proof that he is a criminal. Sounds like King Charles is jumping to conclusions again and making bad decisions.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Indeed. You have no right to arrest him without showing proof of his involvement in this ‘crime’ that you claim he committed. And if you’re refusing to show proof it makes this even sketchier. And you fail to realize that if this is another one of King Charles’ false accusations on an innocent person it will backfire horribly considering who Nova is. Are you really willing to poke the Silver Honey Bomber hive that are the higher nations by arresting the Demon King’s champion? Is King Charles willing to risk getting put on the chopping block for another one of his false accusations?”

The knights hesitated, clearly unable to figure out a counter. This hesitation didn’t go unnoticed by the party.

“Clearly something is up if you’re actually hesitating,” Nina huffed. “You either know Nova is innocent or didn’t consider the consequences of King Charles’ actions against him. Either way you’re barking up the wrong tree, as we don’t have your precious Spellstone. We only just got here so there is no way in hell any of us, much less Nova, could steal it. Give it up, you goons, as doing this will only get you, and your kingdom, in deep, hot water with the higher nations. They’re already pretty angry with King Charles for his past false accusations and bribery to keep them quiet. Do you really want to provoke that hive by arresting the man who is trying to save this world? If you’re smart you’ll back off and rethink this whole theft of the Spellstone thing.”

The knights hesitated again before steeling their nerves and pointing their weapons at Nova.

“Orders are orders,” one knight said.

“Then we’re gonna have to have a little talk with King Charles,” Sir Reginald growled. “And if you know what’s good for you then you won’t arrest Nova. Otherwise… things might get… messy. If you catch my drift. And I’m not saying we’re gonna make any threats. Rather… the other kingdoms will, as this won’t go unpunished.”

The head knight said, “We’ll see about that. Teleport Nova to the dungeons so we don’t cause a disturbance in the city. Take the rest to His Majesty discretely.”

“So the fact that you want to sneak Nova into the dungeons and not ‘cause a disturbance’ to the public further makes this whole thing fishier,” Nina growled. “You clearly know something that we don’t, so I suggest you spill your guts before we spill them for you. Literally.”

The head knight became fearful of the glaring party, as it was clear they were dead serious. He mustered up his courage and cleared his throat.

“Orders are orders,” he replied. “Take the Spellstone thief to the dungeons via Teleport. Take the rest to His Majesty.”

Two guards grabbed Nova’s arms, with one saying, “Teleport!”

All three of them vanished, making Nina’s hateful glare become downright deadly. The other knights hesitated before walking up to the party.

“T-Teleport,” one said.

Everyone else vanished and reappeared outside of the throne room.

“Let’s get to the bottom of this,” Sir Reginald growled. “And prove Nova’s innocence.”

Meanwhile, Nova was being escorted to a dungeon cell. They had removed his Digi-Pack with his archery equipment and placed it off to the side. They came to a cell and threw him into it. Nova was angry but remained calm, trying to keep a level head. The guards locked the cell behind him.

“Now stay put, or else,” one guard said. He then turned to another, “Keep an eye on him or I’ll dock your pay.”

The other guard nodded, “Yessir!”

The first guard left, leaving Nova alone with the other guard. He simply sat down on the bed in the cell, taking a moment to keep his temper in check. After a few minutes he turned to the guard who was watching his cell.

“So, just to make things clear… how do you know it was ‘me’ who ‘stole’ the Spellstone?” he asked as nicely as possible.

“Why should I tell you anything?” the guard countered.

“That way I can be certain of specific details. So… how do you know it was ‘me’ who did it?”

The guard went quiet for a moment before saying, “You left a note that said ‘Nova was here!’. So that’s how we know.”

Nova’s eye twitched, his temper rising, but he remained calm. Taking a deep breath he turned to the guard again.

“Then maybe you should keep something like a Fiend Eye familiar in the area where the Spellstone is usually kept so you can confirm your information.”

The guard replied, “We do have a Fiend Eye familiar guarding the Spellstone.”

Now Nova was starting to get angry. He swallowed his anger down before turning to the guard again.

“Then… did you check the Fiend Eye familiar before jumping to conclusions? After all, what kind of thief would leave a note with their name at the scene of the crime? So… did you check with the Fiend Eye familiar or did you just take the note at face value?”

The guard went silent, eyes widening, before replying, “N-No… we didn’t check with the Fiend Eye familiar that guards the Spellstone.”

Nova’s temper was reaching boiling point but he said in a calm tone, “Then why didn’t you check with the Fiend Eye familiar to see who the culprit is before simply assuming that the note was from me and not someone framing me? Maybe you should do that before arresting someone on false charges, hmm?”

The guard was getting nervous, as it was clear Nova’s statements were cold, hard facts. The guard gulped as he tried to think of a response. However, his silence was all the information Nova needed.

Now entering his tranquil fury state, Nova said in a disturbingly calm yet cold tone, “Then maybe you should check with the Fiend Eye familiar. And I think I need to have a word with your incompetent king. So you either open the cell and let me out… or things will get… messy. Better yet, I’m just going to cut the Gordian’s Knot and take matters into my own hands.”

The guard stammered, “H-H-How!? I have all your stuff!”

Nova reached into his right Hoverboot and, to the guard’s horror, pulled out a Summoning Sticker, gaining a cold smirk as he did.

“What makes you think I don’t have a Plan B?” he replied with a calm smug. He placed the Summoning Sticker on the back of his right hand and said, “Elora, come forth!”

The Summoning Sticker glowed, followed by a summoning circle appearing, then a burst of fire and smoke and soon Elora was standing next to Nova. It took her a moment to process the fact that Nova was behind bars but she quickly became enraged. The guard looked terrified as he saw the Gorgon Viper.

“A G-G-G-Gorgon Viper?!” he sputtered. “This city is terrified of Gorgon Vipers!”

Nova replied in a calm tone, complete with a smirk, “Well, then, looks like I have everything I need to get the answers I seek. Elora, would you be a doll and bust these cell bars?”

Elora nodded, clearly enraged at the situation. She lashed out her tail blade, effortlessly slicing through the steel bars like they were matchsticks. Nova slowly walked out of the cell with Elora by his side. The guard was clearly terrified of the now enraged duo. Nova simply walked past the guard and picked up his Digi-Pack with his archery equipment, strapped it onto his back, and casually looked at the guard.

“I suggest you stay put, little man, and don’t try to stop me,” he said in an icy yet mockingly friendly tone. “I have to have a few words with your king. Elora, come with me, girl. It’s time we cleared things up with this incompetent king.”

Elora gave a threatening hiss at the guard, causing him to faint. Satisfied, the duo started to make their way out of the dungeons and into the main part of the castle. Guards tried to stop them only to be torched by Elora’s hellfire, forcing them to back off, allowing Nova and Elora to continue to the throne room unopposed. They soon found it. They could hear their party members arguing with someone inside the room. Nova gained a cold sneer.

“Elora, be a good girl and break this door down,” he said. “We need to make a good entrance.”

Elora nodded and slashed the door with her tail blade, hacking it to pieces, startling everyone in the room. The party went wide eyed as they saw Nova and Elora waltz into the room but were even more frightened as they could sense he was in his tranquil fury state.

“Nova…” Nina gulped.

Nova replied, “I’ll handle the negotiations from here, Nina. You all step back a bit.” He turned to King Charles, “Sorry, would’ve rung the doorbell but you didn’t have one. Now, ‘Your Majesty’, we need to have a little talk about something.”

King Charles gulped before shouting, “D-Don’t just stand there! Arrest him!”

The guards stepped up only to freeze in fear as Elora glared at them. She swatted them aside with her tail, sending them flying like bowling pins into an armor display.

“If you know what’s good for you you’ll stay down,” Nova said in a terrifyingly calm tone.

He and Elora marched up to King Charles, who ducked behind his throne. Elora grabbed the throne with her mouth and threw it aside before adjusting herself so to trap King Charles between her and the wall. She ignited her tail blade with black flames to further assert dominance. Nova, who was also in Elora’s coils with King Charles, gently but fiercely grabbed the front of his royal tunic and pulled him close to his face.

“Now, ‘Your Majesty’, it has come to my attention that you have a Fiend Eye familiar in the tower where the Spellstone is usually kept,” he said in a disturbingly calm tone. “And I learned you never thought to check with the Fiend Eye familiar that guards the Spellstone. I suggest someone brings that Fiend Eye familiar down here so we can all see what it saw the day of the theft.” He turned to a butler, “You there. Go fetch the Fiend Eye familiar that resides in the Spellstone’s tower and bring it here. And I want that familiar here five minutes ago, so chop-chop, or Elora’s tail will do exactly that to you.”

Elora gave a threatening roar that caused the butler to quickly run out of the room to fetch the Fiend Eye familiar. About three minutes later he returned with it.

“Now, please show us what you saw during the theft of the Spellstone, little familiar. And make it snappy.”

The Fiend Eye familiar lit up all three of its eyes and projected what it saw. The party’s eyes narrowed angrily as they saw who was the real culprit.

“Of course it would be Dominic!” Zeeker spat. “We should’ve known!”

King Charles gulped, “S-So then… you didn’t steal the Spellstone? It was this… Dominic guy?”

Nova replied calmly but coldly, “They say a picture’s worth a thousand words. I wonder how much a recording is worth? And as you can see he wrote the note framing me for the crime. And judging by what he said he has taken the Spellstone and hidden it in the cave by the river. Sir Reginald…”

Sir Reginald stiffened in fear, saying, “Y-Yes, Nova?”

“I may not be the leader of the party but could I request that you take Thundervolt and retrieve Dominic and the Spellstone before he runs away?”

“Y-Yes, of course, Nova,” Sir Reginald nodded. He bit his thumb and said, “Thundervolt, come forth!”

A summoning circle appeared, followed by a flash of lightning, and soon Thundervolt was standing next to Sir Reginald. The Thunderclap Stallion did a double take at the situation, clearly surprised at what he was seeing.

Sir Reginald jumped on his steed’s back, saying, “I’ll explain on the way, Thundervolt. Right now we need to chase down Dominic. You know him by now, right? Let’s go!”

Thundervolt nodded, gave a loud neigh, and charged out of the castle and soon out of the city. Nova redirected his attention back to King Charles, who was sweating bullets.

“We can trust Sir Reginald to retrieve the Spellstone and the true thief, Dominic,” he said in an icy and calm tone. “Until then… we need to have a little chat.”

King Charles turned to the party, sputtering, “C-Call him off!”

“And get in the middle of tranquil fury Nova?” Kettu asked. “Nooooo way. You dug your own grave on this one so you’ll have to figure this situation out yourself. Besides, not like this is the first time you’ve created a false accusation on someone only to learn said person was innocent. No, you’re on your own for this one, Charlie, because I wouldn’t be surprised if this incident is the final straw for the other nations. Especially considering who you falsely accused of a crime he didn’t commit. This won’t go over well with the other nations, as Nova is the Demon King’s champion. No way they’re gonna let you off the hook after this one.”

Nina nodded, “Kettu’s right, ‘Your Majesty’. This is one blunder too many. You’re about to pay a dear price for your incompetence and it’s all your fault. No, we’re not getting in the middle of an angry Nova and you, as you called the thunder on this one. Clearly you aren’t ready for the boom. Good luck trying to sweettalk your way out of this one, as Nova is not like other people. Once you’ve earned his hatred then you’d better wish you’re in the good graces with the Goddess. Otherwise… things won’t be pretty.”

King Charles gulped before facing a clearly furious Nova and Elora, who looked like they were ready to murder him on the spot. But both continued to keep the king in a trapped position, savoring his fear and terror.

About an hour later Sir Reginald returned with Thundervolt. Under his arm was the Spellstone and tied up behind Thundervolt was Dominic, who the Thunderclap Stallion was purposely kicking as he ran, much to the obnoxious man’s whines and complaints.

Sir Reginald presented the Spellstone, “Here’s the Spellstone, safe and sound. Now I suggest you correct this sin you caused, King Charles, because if you don’t it’ll cost you dearly.”

A voice than said, “It most certainly will, Sir Reginald.”

The knight’s eyes widened, “It can’t be!”

Everyone turned to see King Hendrik walk into the throne room, flanked by several guards.

“King Hendrik?!” Nina sputtered. “What are you doing here?!”

King Hendrik replied, “I had placed a few spies in this kingdom to keep an eye on King Charles. That way I would know if and when he’d falsely accuse someone of a crime they didn’t commit and step in. But this time he crossed the line. Accusing Nova, the Demon King’s champion, of a crime, and not willing to present proof of the crime, is a new low for you, King Charles. The other nations are being notified as we speak and I know they won’t be happy with you. I’ve seen incompetent rulers but you take the cake. And ate it, too. This time you’ve gone too far, King Charles. Punishment is about to be doled out, and justice is about to be served. After this you won’t be seeing your throne again. Nor the Spellstone.”

Kettu rubbed his hands together, “This is getting good. Looks like Charlie is about to get the boot.”

King Charles gulped, “C-Can’t we settle this in a… civilized manner, Your Majesty?”

King Hendrik snapped, “Not on your life! This has gone on long enough! The other nations are sick of this game you play! Time to put our collective foot down once and for all! When this is all over you won’t be king anymore. Nova… I know you have a beef with King Charles but I need him in good health so he can accept his punishment.”

Nova replied simply, “Fine with me. He’s all yours.”

“And for that matter I need your presence in order to end this constant game that this kingdom plays with its victims. Oh, and one of you take Dominic back to Galvatar Kingdom for punishment, as he’s been a thorn in everyone’s side for quite some time.”

One soldier took the rope that held Dominic before stating, “Teleport!”

He vanished, taking Dominic with him.

King Hendrik then said, “Nova, in order to end this ridiculous farce I need your help with something. It should finally put all this nonsense to bed and whip this kingdom into shape. Will you help me?”

Nova replied, “Fine with me. Let’s get to work.”

Next Chapter: Bullying the Dragon

That's all for today. Looks like King Charles dun goofed big time. Now Nova's out for blood and King Hendrik has something big planned. Tune in next time to see what happens.
 
Time for the next chapter of Dawn of Courage. (Warning: contains mild language, sexual suggestions, male and female nudity)

Bullying the Dragon


It had been roughly an hour since the incident at Navaral Kingdom’s capital had become public. The people of the capital were worried what this meant, as they knew this time King Charles had gone too far. The people had gathered near the castle, where King Hendrik was standing, alongside the Demon King’s champion party, and the disgraced King Charles.

King Hendrik stated, “I’m certain you are all aware of what transpired. Your ‘king’ committed the ultimate sin against our best bet against Muu and his army. Therefore, I and the other nations will not stand for this. Punishment is about to be doled out. First, the Spellstone will be given to the Demon King’s champion, Nova, as compensation for this accursed incident.”

King Charles was guarding the Spellstone, saying, “I won’t give it up!”

Nova turned to Elora, who was still with him, “Elora, be a good girl and fetch that Spellstone, please.”

Elora nodded and slithered over to King Charles, who looked ready to soil himself. She gave a threatening roar, swatted the disgraced king onto the ground with her tail blade, picked up the Spellstone in her mouth, and slithered back over to Nova, presenting it to him like a golden retriever presenting its catch. Nova graciously took the Spellstone from her.

“Thank you, Elora. Reliable as always.”

Nova put it away in his Digi-Pack. King Charles tried to charge him only to stop dead in his tracks when Elora got in front of him and gave another threatening hiss, brandishing her now-lit tail blade at him. He wisely backed off.

King Hendrik huffed, “I warned you earlier that you were going to lose the Spellstone, King Charles. This shouldn’t be a surprise; this time you took the ridiculous game way too far. Now, moving on, you will be kicked off the throne, as you have proven time and time again that you are an incompetent ruler. Your parents are probably turning in their graves knowing that their son has ruined their kingdom. And because you’re now being dethroned you will be kicked out of the castle. Next, this kingdom’s territory will be divided up by the neighboring kingdoms. It’s clear that you cannot be trusted to keep up an entire kingdom so your territory will be going to other leaders that can actually do the job correctly. And finally, this city will be cut off from all supplies and support as punishment for these continued acts. There is a way to reverse that last one: if you can get into Nova’s good graces then I will allow this city to continue receiving support and protection from the other nations.”

It took Nova a moment to process this statement before he exclaimed, “Waaaait a minute! I never agreed to that! What makes you think that I’m going to let this city off the hook for any reason!? I know what they’ll do: butter me up with bribes in an attempt to get out of trouble. If this incompetent king was willing to resort to bribes to get out of his messes then what’s stopping the people of this city from doing the same? No way. I’m not going to let that happen. Give me one good reason I shouldn’t just throw this city to the sharks, as this whole ordeal is already pushing me to my limit.”

King Hendrik said, “Because I know what type of person you are, Nova. You wouldn’t simply throw an entire civilization to the sharks. You’re a good man who does your job of being the Demon King’s champion well. You want to prevent unnecessary deaths and stop Muu’s forces despite hating this job with a passion. I know you have the heart in you to give these people a chance to earn their redemption. And besides, you need to stick around in order to get the information you seek from the intelligence network here. After all, you’re hunting down Muu’s Undead Bases, right? Well, you’ll need to stay here anyway until the intelligence network gathers up the needed information on Muu’s Undead Bases. So you might as well give the people a chance to redeem themselves. I know
Charles won’t be any help there, but at least give the civilians the chance they seek. I know you well enough that you won’t allow innocent people to die. So you’re going to have to allow the people to prove their worth at redemption.”

It was clear Nova was furious at this situation. He remained silent for a few minutes, mulling the whole ordeal over. After a few minutes he glared at King Hendrik.

“Fine. But they only get one chance. If even one of them screws things up then their fate is sealed. And by screws things up I mean do something against me, like, say, Charlie here trying to steal back the Spellstone, or a guard threatening me. I’m only granting this one chance, so they better not try anything, otherwise the entire city will pay the price.”

King Hendrik nodded, “Fine, that works for me. I knew I could appeal to your good nature.” He turned to the people, “There you have it. You have one chance to earn your redemption from Nova. Otherwise your city will slowly rot away. So make this chance count, as it’s clear Nova won’t grant you an additional one. That means no sucker punches, no schemes, and no attempts at his life. Play by his rules and you will get the salvation you seek. Now, with that taken care of, it is time for me to return to my kingdom.” He gestured several knights to approach him, which they did, “You lot stay here and monitor the situation. And make sure that the intelligence network gets the information this party needs to continue battling Muu’s forces. And make sure that no one, especially Charles, try anything. And to ensure that the Demon King’s champion party is well taken care of until everything is set they will be staying in the castle instead of Charles, and the guards, maids, and butlers will have to obey their commands.”

The guards nodded. Nova was muttering bitterly under his breath. His change in demeanor did not go unnoticed by the party.

“This is bad…” Van said. “Nova’s probably at his breaking point. And King Hendrik isn’t exactly helping the situation, either. His stress levels have probably gone through the roof, if not further. It’s clear he wants nothing to do with this whole plan of King Hendrik’s yet he has no choice but to abide by it. This is not going to be pretty, especially if Nova is pushed even further.”

Nina nodded, “I agree, Van. There must be something we can do to alleviate this situation for Nova, as King Hendrik is basically putting the responsibility of this entire city squarely on Nova’s shoulders. It’s only a matter of time before someone screws up, especially Charles, as there is no way this situation can be resolved without something happening that’ll jeopardize the people of this city. As much as I agree with King Hendrik, I also agree with Nova that these people will probably resort to bribery in order to appease him. I mean, that was Charles’ whole MO: bribe his victims so they don’t rat him out. I wouldn’t put it past the people of this city to follow that bad example and try to bribe Nova to spare them. I can totally see that happening. And we know that Nova’s not the type of person to accept bribes.”

Kettu nodded, “Agreed, Nina. They say every man has his price but given his past actions, I don’t think that applies to Nova himself. I mean, he’s done a lot of benevolent deeds, even sacrificing his own happiness, for the wellbeing of others. That whole lotto ticket scenario he mentioned was one such example. No, I can definitely see his point, as the whole bribery scheme of Charlie was his go-to method to get out of trouble. So I wouldn’t put it past the people of this city to follow that idea and try to grease Nova’s palms into sparing them. As much as I hate to say it… this plan of King Hendrik’s is doomed to fail.”

“As much as I want to have faith in King Hendrik… I can’t deny you both bring up good points,” Sir Reginald said. “There are too many elements that could crop up that’ll jeopardize this plan. And Nova is not one to allow such mistakes go free. But we have to play by these rules, at least for a little while. We still need the intelligence network’s help in finding our targets and eliminating them. But I cannot deny that this plan of King Hendrik’s isn’t foolproof. As a master strategist I can see that there are way too many unknown variables that could, pardon the pun, royally screw up this whole endeavor. Especially since former King Charles is one such element, given his obsession with the Spellstone. But we have to let it play out and see if the people will actually try to play nice--or if something happens and this city’s fate is sealed.”

It was later that day. The party was seated at the royal dining hall. Nova was still rather grumpy, clearly showing his distain for the situation he was thrust into. The party knew this and wanted to figure out a way to help their friend calm down. Soon the food was brought out by the maids, taking extra care to place what looked like the best meal in front of Nova, which was a steak with garlic mashed potatoes, honey glazed carrots, and a biscuit. Nova merely ate in silence, knowing what the reason behind the extra special meal was, while the others generally enjoyed their meal.

“Poor Nova,” Nina said silently. “He can’t even enjoy his meal knowing the situation he’s in. There’s gotta be something I can do that’ll make him happier. But what? It’s only a matter of time before someone does something stupid and ruins this city’s chance at not being cut off from the rest of the world. I hate to say it but I’m disappointed in King Hendrik for forcing this responsibility on Nova. My beloved is already shouldering a lot of responsibility, what with the war with Muu and everything. Yet he felt the need to tap into Nova’s good nature in order to force his hand into allowing this plan to take effect. That’s… kinda underhanded. It’s no wonder Nova is rather moody. Is… Is there anything I can do that’ll help him?”

The party resumed eating their meal. It was clear Nova was tense, which caused the maids to be nervous around him. After the food was gone, the party left the dining room and ventured around the castle for a bit, trying to get a feel for the place.

Kettu said, “Considering that Charlie kept bribing people to stay quiet because of his screw-ups, not that it did him any good, I’m surprised he still has a lot of nice things. Or, rather, had nice things, as he’s been kicked out of the castle. I can easily see something like the Syn Syndicate making a move on this castle now that the royal pain in the arse has been dethroned. All this stuff would fetch a pretty coin if they knew the castle was basically unoccupied.”

Sir Reginald turned to him, “Yeah, well, don’t get any ideas, Kettu. These items belong to this city now since former King Charles has been dethroned. So don’t try anything.”

“Relax, I won’t. Remember, I prefer to steal from those who deserve it, like other criminals and scumbags. I have standards and morals, too, you know. As tempting as it is I know to leave this stuff alone, even though Charlie does kinda deserve it after all the royal screw-ups he’s performed. So you can rest easy knowing I won’t pinch anything, Reggie.”

“My name’s NOT ‘Reggie’, Kettu!” the knight retorted.

Angelo said, “I wonder how long it’ll take the intelligence network to gather the information we need? Past intelligence networks have gotten us the info on Muu’s Undead Bases in a couple of days. Hopefully it doesn’t take too long, as we need to stop Muu’s forces before they cause problems. I wouldn’t put it past them to try to attack this city now that former King Charles has been removed from power and the city is basically a sitting duck.”

Zeeker nodded, “Aye, I can see that happening, too, Angelo. It’s only a matter of time before Muu’s forces try to attack this place. Once they get wind that this city is basically free real estate they will not hesitate to march right up to the gates and knock them down to collect more souls for Muu.”

“Let’s hope we can nip such a situation in the bud,” Van stated. “After all, we’re already in a rather precarious situation with King Hendrik’s ‘plan’, so it would make our lives, especially Nova’s, easier if we could get what we need. Like Zeeker said it’s only a matter of time
before the enemy learns of this city’s plight, and I’d be willing to bet time won’t be on our side.”

“You’d win that bet, Van,” Nina said. She then turned to Nova, “Nova? How do you feel? Can I do anything for you?”

Nova replied, “No, Nina, there isn’t anything you can do right now to help me. Damn King Hendrik for roping me into this situation. Looks like me being a man of my word backfired this time. I wouldn’t have agreed to this ridiculous plot of his even if it meant punishing Charles for falling for one of the stupidest tricks in the book. Too bad his knights took Dominic with them as I wouldn’t mind using him for target practice and vent my frustration. I just know the people here are going to try to bribe me in order to get into my good graces yet King Hendrik couldn’t see that possibility. Guess there’s no point in whining about it. I’m stuck in this situation so I guess I have to let it run its course. I know exactly how this is going to play out, it’s just a matter of when.”

“The fact you’re actually willing to give these people a chance despite knowing how it’ll play out does prove your good nature, Nova,” Sir Reginald said. “Granted, you’re not quite as willing as King Hendrik would like, but you’re actually going through with all this despite the numerous headaches it’s causing. That is a testament of your core nature and desire to help people, even though it’s clear you’d rather not. While, yes, it is pretty obvious that the civilians here will try to bribe you, as that was Charles’ entire MO. But you’re still giving them a chance, which might allow the people to see you’re different than past ‘victims’ of Charles’ stupidity and genuinely try to get into your good books. It’s a long-shot, but you’re an archer, who specializes in long shots, so I know you can make it work.”

“I highly doubt it, as I just know someone is going to screw this whole thing up. If it wasn’t for the fact we need the intelligence network to help us I wouldn’t bother with this whole mess. But, sadly, here I sit, waiting for the inevitable to occur. It’s not a matter of if, but when, and I foresee it’ll happen pretty soon.”

Later that evening the party had split up to go into the various bedrooms in the castle. Nova was in the royal bedchambers, looking at the massive bed before him. He heaved a heavy sigh.

“A bit too frilly and fluffy for my taste, especially since the guards, maids, and servants purposely gave me this room to butter me up, but I might as well make the most of it.”

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Curious, Nova walked over and opened it, revealing Nina.

“Nina? What are you doing here?”

Nina replied in a rather coy tone, “I… I wanted to sleep with you. I don’t like being alone nor separated from you. And I wanted to help support you during this stupid scenario. Will you allow it?”

Nova pondered for a moment before replying, “Fine. I could use the company and support, as I’m really at my wit’s end here.” He moved aside, “Come on in.”

Nina smiled and entered the room. She took a moment to observe the room before turning to her lover.

“Thank you, Nova. I know how you feel about all this. I feel the same way. But I want to offer you whatever support I can in order to help alleviate the burden you’re carrying. While I can kinda see King Hendrik’s point, as he clearly doesn’t want innocent lives to be lost, I can definitely see your perspective on this situation, too. But, for now, let me give you whatever support I can offer; I can’t stand to see you suffer like this because of the mess caused by Charles.”

Nova cracked a weak smile, “Thank you, Nina. It means a lot to me knowing I have you in my corner. Let’s get to bed, as today has been exhausting.”

Nova locked the door to allow the duo privacy. Nina smiled as she stripped naked before curling under the covers of the large, fancy bed. Nova kicked off his Hoverboots, placed his Digi-Pack and archery equipment at the foot of the bed, and joined her. Nina gently nuzzled up to Nova, making him blush at how close she was to him. He blew out the candle that lit the room, allowing darkness to cover it. Slowly the loving couple fell asleep, awaiting the next dawn and what it brought.

The following day arrived. Nova was with Nina, running errands in the city. It was clear his frustration was getting higher, as the townsfolk had been trying to butter him up the whole time he was out. Nina knew that Nova was reaching his boiling point again and tried her best to keep him calm despite the various attempts by the people of the city to bribe him into sparing them. After completing their errands they returned to the castle.

“Uh-oh…” Zeeker said. “Nova’s in a really bad mood. I’m guessing that the civilians did exactly what he predicted they would do in order to get into his good graces.”

“That was inevitable,” Kettu said bluntly. “You’d think they’d take this more seriously and realize that Nova’s not the type of person that can be bribed. Instead they’re basically poking a sleeping dragon, one that’s going to erupt in a fury soon. But it’s clear they’re following Charlie’s example of bribing someone to stay out of trouble. I hate to say it but King Hendrik’s ‘plan’ is going down the tubes because he failed to realize that the people would pull something like this which would, in turn, only further Nova’s fury. Not his usual standards when it comes to plans and strategies.”

Sir Reginald sighed, “For once I have to agree with you. I always admired King Hendrik and his ability to take charge of any situation. But I will admit this plan of his isn’t going to work. Not only is he failing to see that the people of this city will try to follow Charles’ mentality in order to get out of trouble but it’s only furthering Nova’s stress, anger, and distain for his mission.”

Van nodded, “Yes, and those stress levels are what concern me the most. Nova’s very much at his breaking point and if he’s pushed even slightly more he’s going to snap. And I really don’t want to see his health crumble because of the idiocy of this city’s former king and its people.”

Nova walked past the party, saying, “I’m going to take a hot bath. It might help me relieve some stress from this whole mess. Hold my calls.”

Angelo quirked an eyebrow, “What do you mean by ‘hold your calls’?”

“It’s just an expression. It means take care of things while I’m busy trying to unwind, as if I get wound up any further it’s not going to be pretty.”

He walked toward the royal bathroom. As he did Nina gained a gleam in her eyes before darting off. A few minutes later Nova had draw the bath full of hot water. He had since stripped naked and slowly submerged himself in the water. He inhaled deeply before settling in.

“Okay, this is helping,” he said wearily, closing his eyes. “I really didn’t need this nonsense yet I’m stuck in it. Hopefully I can get out of this situation soon, as I’ve reached my breaking point. I don’t know how much more stupidity I can take.”

A seductive voice then purred, “Then allow me to give you some much-needed TLC.”

Nova’s eyes snapped open and looked to see Nina, completely naked, and making her way toward the large tub. His face went beet red.

“N-N-Nina?!” he sputtered. “Y-You’re going to join me in here?!”

She smiled, “Not like we haven’t bathed together before, you know, Nova. I want to continue showing my support to you, and I know just how to give you some much-needed love and care. Now here I come.”

She slipped into the tub with Nova, showing that it had enough room for both of them, until she was submerged up to her chest. She gained a seductive smile, making Nova blush, before approaching him and embracing him, placing her body on top of his. She gave her wings a little flutter of pleasure before locking lips with Nova. Nova was lost in the bliss of the situation before he began returning the kiss. He grabbed her by her waist and gently held her like a priceless treasure, allowing the two to start kissing more passionately. It was clear their love was making Nova feel better as the two lovers made out with each other. After what seemed like an eternity they broke apart, though still in their very intimate position.

Nova cracked a small smile, “Nina… why do you love me so? I am clearly not worthy of a woman of your caliber yet you can’t get enough of me. And yet I’m forever grateful for your love. Not many women would go as far as you to make me happy. Thank you… I do feel better.”

Nina nuzzled her forehead against his, purring, “My pleasure. And considering how often you bend over backwards for me, loving you is the least I can do to return the favor. I will admit one thing… this is probably the most sexually intimate situation I’ve ever been in. I’d almost want you to take me here and now. But I’m still in a period where I could get pregnant easily, and since we have a lot more work ahead of us, I can’t bring a baby into existence while Muu is still alive. So… we’ll just have to settle for this.”

“Works for me,” the pink-haired man purred. “Although I won’t deny that the mood is very good right now. Almost too tempting to resist. But like you said we cannot even consider a child before Muu is dead so we’ll just have to settle for some more of this steamy goodness.”

Nina fluttered her wings in pleasure again, cooing, “Then shall we continue, beloved?”

Just as the two were about to close in for another passionate kiss Nina’s ears twitched, alerting her to something. Nova immediately became tense as he saw Nina’s change in demeanor.

“Whoever just ruined the mood is gonna die a slow and painful death,” he growled.

They both turned to see Charles creeping over toward Nova’s Digi-Pack.

“Don’t you DARE!” both shouted at the disgraced king.

Now knowing he was detected, Charles grabbed the Digi-Pack and fled. Nova and Nina quickly sprang out of the tub and put towels on. Nova grabbed the Summoning Sticker from his right Hoverboot before chasing after Charles, Nina following behind him.

“Oh, no you don’t, Charles!” Nova spat. He placed the Summoning Sticker on the back of his right hand and stated, “Elora, come forth!”

The Summoning Sticker glowed, followed by a summoning circle appearing, then a burst of fire and smoke and soon Elora was standing next to Nova. She did a brief double take at the sight of Nova in a towel.

“Forget me, Elora! Stop Charles from making off with my Digi-Pack!”

Elora nodded and rocketed ahead of Charles, cutting off his escape route. She gave a fierce roar before snatching the Digi-Pack via one of its straps with one of her nails on her upper wings, dangling it out of reach. The rest of the party, several guards, and a handful of maids all appeared, while Nova stormed up to Charles, stopping a few feet away. Nina quickly arrived on the scene as well, clearly agitated and upset.

“What happened?!” Zeeker sputtered.

“What happened? Charles happened! He tried to make off with my Digi-Pack because it contains the Spellstone!”

Charles, although intimidated, replied, “The Spellstone is mine!”

Sir Reginald crossed his arms, “Not anymore, Charles. King Hendrik gave it to Nova as compensation for your stupidity, and his word is superior to yours. So the Spellstone is no longer the property of you or this city, as it now belongs to Nova. The fact you have this obsession with the Spellstone baffles me, especially if you’re willing to go as far as to try to steal it while Nova’s bathing.” He then noticed Nina was also in a towel, saying in a surprised tone, “With Lady Nina having apparently joined him.”

The maids had now come to notice Nova’s current state. Some covered their eyes while others started to drool over his body, as he had developed some very noticeable muscle on his exposed torso and arms, while also noticing that he was wearing a larger-than-expected towel, making them whisper at the thought of what his “cargo” was like.

Nova took a deep breath before saying in an icy yet calm tone, “Well, congratulations, Charles. Your attempt to steal back the Spellstone when you were clearly ordered not to has just cost your city its salvation. Now I can say with confidence that this city doesn’t deserve to be saved. You just sealed your people’s fate and doomed this city to rot away, cut off from the rest of the world, and suffer a slow death. I hope you’re proud of yourself, as your stupid obsession with the Spellstone cost your people their only chance not to be thrown to the sharks. I had genuinely hoped that you and your people would be smarter than this. But it’s clear to me this city doesn’t deserve to be saved. You just doomed everyone here, Charles, all because you couldn’t bear to have the Spellstone taken away from you. You ruined the lives of all those you were supposed to help. If you had just kept your head down and not tried anything then your people might still have a shot at being allowed to continue getting support from the other nations. But no, you had to let your obsession get the better of you and now your people are going to pay the price. I knew this would happen sooner or later. It just goes to show that you are, or were, an incompetent ruler, because you just led your people to doom. I hope you’re proud of yourself: dooming this entire city because of your obsession over one magical item. Guards, take him away and make sure he’s locked up nice and tight.”

Two guards reluctantly obeyed Nova’s command, grabbed the former king, and dragged him off to the dungeons, kicking and screaming the whole way.

Nova turned to another guard, “Find one of King Hendrik’s soldiers that he left here and let them know what happened. It’s official: this city is doomed to die a slow and painful death because of their incompetent ruler. This city had its chance and it failed. I tried playing nice but I knew what would happen. You can tell your people that thanks to Charles their fates have been sealed. And I intend to have a word with King Hendrik for this ridiculous plan of his, since I knew it would fail despite genuinely giving the people here a chance. And nothing will change my mind about leaving this city to the whims of fate.”

Next Chapter: Brothers in Arms

That's all for today. It was a matter of time before Nova snapped. But what will happen next? Tune in to find out.
 
Time for the next chapter of Dawn of Courage. (Warning: contains mild language, mild violence)

Brothers in Arms


It had been an hour after former King Charles tried to steal back the Spellstone from Nova. The city residents were devastated by the news, knowing that their former ruler just ruined their chances of not getting cut off from the rest of the world. Some were even demanding his head for his actions against Nova.

In the royal dining hall the party had gathered for a meal. They were also waiting for the intelligence network’s report. Nova was clearly extremely angry and bitter, his arms and legs crossed, his eyes closed, and a scowl on his face.

Nina sighed silently, “Poor Nova. That idiot Charles pushed him over the edge. Now he’s more than fine with condemning this city to its fate. That’s not like him at all. But I guess everyone has a limit to how far they can be pushed before snapping, and Charles really took it too far with his actions and obsession with the Spellstone. What’s his deal with that, anyway? Well, I guess it doesn’t matter now; Nova’s made his final judgment. Damn King Hendrik, as this is his fault for pulling this gambit of a plan and using Nova like that. No wonder he’s so furious. I just wish I can do something to help, but even some sexy time in a tub together wasn’t enough to mitigate Nova’s anger and stress. This is King Hendrik’s fault for putting such a burden on Nova’s shoulders instead of just doing what a proper ruler should and do it himself. I hope he’s happy.”

Soon the maids arrived with the meals. One gingerly placed what was easily the best meal, a prime rib, in front of Nova, clearly fearing him after what happened earlier. Nova barely acknowledged her, still fuming and lost in his own head. When everyone had been served Nova uncrossed his arms and legs and began eating in silence. Shortly afterward a man approached Sir Reginald.

“P-Pardon me, Sir Reginald, but the intelligence network has completed its task,” he said. “Here are the locations of the remaining Undead Bases in this territory.”

Sir Reginald put down his wine glass to look the documents over.

“Hmm… I see,” he said. “It appears there’s an Undead Base not far from here, near the Gurela Ruins. That concerns me, as they might attack this city now that its fate has been sealed thanks to Charles. Nova, I hate to say this but we should tackle that Undead Base as soon as possible before this city is attacked. I know how you feel right now, especially about this city and its residents, but it’s still our job to protect the people of Edyn from Muu. I know you probably wouldn’t care if Muu destroyed
this city but we know that’s not something you’d do. I suggest after we eat we head on out to that Undead Base and deal with the threat.”

Nova finished a bite of prime rib before saying calmly yet icily, “You’re the leader of this party, Sir Reginald, not me. You make the calls. If you say we should go after that Undead Base before the Captain or General in it attacks this city, then fine. I don’t care one bit about this damn city after everything, but I know I can’t skirt my forced duty as the Demon King’s champion. Fine. We’ll finish our meal then head out to deal with that Undead Base. It’ll allow me to take out my frustration by shooting some boneheads into oblivion.”

“Works for me,” the knight replied.

The party resumed eating. After finishing their meal they gathered up their stuff and left the castle to head for the Undead Base. The civilians were pleading with Nova to change his mind as they went, but Nova gave them cold silence. Eventually the party had made it to the fieldlands that surrounded the area.

Sir Reginald looked at his map and the documents from earlier, “Okay, like I said, this Undead Base is near the Gurela Ruins. Those ruins are quite sacred, as they’re associated with the Goddess, so Muu setting up a base near them is him clearly spiting her. Especially since we know he wants her powers so he can become immortal and invincible. And according to the documents we got, the leader of the Undead Base is someone named Captain Abyssmal. Judging by the notes he seems to be an Undead Captain with an element: Water in this case. Which may also mean he’s an Undead Captain powered by a fallen soul.”

“I’d be willing to bet on that,” Zeeker nodded. “Sounds like it’s time to pull out some elemental advantages like Wood and Lightning so we can free the soul trapped inside.”

“Yes, that’s an ideal strategy. But we cannot forget the Undead Soldiers, either, as Abyssmal is but one enemy we need to take down. But armed with the knowledge that he possesses the Water element means we can most assuredly capitalize on his weaknesses. And we need to take them out fast before they either attack the city or go into the Gurela Ruins, as those are sacred ruins to the Goddess. In any case, we should be seeing the Undead Base soon, as it’s just beyond that next hill.”

Nina asked, “Should I send out Phantom and get a bird’s eye view of the area? That way he can get any additional information on our enemies before they come into view.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Yes, please do so, Lady Nina.”

Nina nodded, bit her thumb, which produced blood, and stated strongly, “Phantom, come forth!”

A summoning circle appeared, followed by a gust of wind, and soon Phantom was perched on Nina’s arm.

“Okay, Phantom, you know what comes next. Scope out the area for one of Muu’s Undead Bases and report your findings back to us.”

Phantom nodded and took flight. He circled the area for a bit before spotting the Undead Base. He became invisible and flew toward the location of the base. He perched on a flagpole and his eyes started to gleam, recording what he was seeing. After a few minutes he took flight again and returned to the group, becoming visible again. Nina held out her arm to allow him to land.

“What’s the scoop, Phantom?” Van asked.

Phantom released a projection from his eyes, showing the party what they were up against.

“Okay, standard number of Undead Soldiers,” Zeeker observed. “Nothing we can’t handle at this point.”

“Indeed, my friend,” Angelo nodded.

“Meanwhile, our Undead Captain looks decently powerful,” Nova said as he looked the recording over. “And I can see the light of a glowing orb leaking out from inside of him so he’s definitely one carrying a fallen soul. That soul is our top priority. And it seems he’s got a decent stash of items Muu delivered to him. I often wonder why they never actually make use of those items? Is it because we ambush them before they can actually put them to work? Or do they just forget about them in the heat of the moment?”

“An interesting question, Nova,” Sir Reginald said. “One that we’ll have to leave alone for now. I noticed there are also relics from the nearby ruins in the base. Dammit, they already went into the ruins and soiled the place. Looks like we’ll need to put those back after we’re done with those Undead fiends. But I think we’ve got the general gist of what we’re up against. Thank you, Phantom, that’ll do for now.”

Phantom stopped projecting the recording from his eyes, blinking a few times to clear his vision. Nina gently stroked him on his “sweet spot”, making him coo pleasurably.

“Good work, as always, Phantom,” she smiled. “That’ll do for now. To the Spirit Plane.”

Phantom gained a proud look before vanishing in a flurry of sparkles.

Sir Reginald said, “Okay, with this information we can now begin our strategy meeting. Let’s get started.”

The party discussed a plan on how to deal with this threat. After about 30 minutes they had settled on their strategy.

“Okay, I think we’ve got our plan down. Lady Nina, Kettu, and Van will use their Storm Swordwing, Shadow Fox, and Guardian of Edyn Shaman forms to tackle Abyssmal. The rest of us will deal with the bread and butter Undead Soldiers before jumping in to help Lady Nina’s group, as we cannot take Abyssmal lightly. Even if he’s a breed of Undead Captain we’re well accustomed to by now we cannot take unnecessary risks, as that’s asking for trouble.”

Zeeker nodded, “Aye, I hear ya. That’s exactly how the original Beastman Resistance got knocked off its high-horse. We’d best not make the same mistakes or we’ll regret it.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Indeed, which is exactly why we don’t want to set ourselves up for such a fate. And afterward we’ll return the relics to the Gurela Ruins, as they are important to both the people and the Goddess. But, in any case, we now know our plan so let us begin our mission. I suggest we transform into our respective Shaman forms now so we can be ready for battle immediately.”

“Elemental Energy Fusion activate!” Nina, Kettu, and Van said in unison.

They were engulfed in swirling energy and soon they had become the Storm Swordwing, Shadow Fox, and Guardian of Edyn. The party then made their way across the hill until the Undead Base was in sight.

Nova nocked an arrow and took aim, “I’ll get their attention, as usual. Ifrit Mode.”

The Demon King Ring adjusted itself, now set to Ifrit Mode.

“Dragon Strike!”

He fired the electrified dragon attack at the front of the Undead Base. The attack collided with the front gates, blowing them off their hinges, revealing the Undead Army platoon. Captain Abyssmal stood up, glaring at the party. He looked like a cross between various sea creatures and a pirate, having a head shaped like an octopus, a crab claw for his right arm, a clawed fin for a left arm, a strong, decaying shark body with light leaking out from the cracks, bony legs ending in flippers, and was wielding what looked like a pirate’s scimitar.

“You dare blow up the front of our base?” he snarled in a rather nasally tone.

“We would’ve called first but you were unlisted,” Nova replied snarkily. “So we had to knock on your door, as you also lacked a doorbell.”

“You’re a witty one, Demon King puppet, but that will result in your demise. But let’s see if you can actually strike us down.” He then pulled out something from his pirate coat, revealing itself to be a type of Beast Claw, “We’ll see if you can touch us after this. Snowbeast Claw, Ice Aura activate!”

He and his Undead Soldiers were surrounded by icy auras, shielding them. This caused the Snowbeast Claw to disintegrate to nothingness.

“Well, for once they actually used one of the ‘gifts’ Muu sent them,” Zeeker huffed. He then gained a devious sneer, “But that won’t stop us. Leave this to me, team!” He started to channel energy before stating, “Time to melt those auras! Inferno!”

A sea of flames erupted underneath the Undead Army, blasting them with intense Fire energies, causing the Ice Auras to vanish, much to Captain Abyssmal’s fury.

“Clever, quite clever,” he growled. “Guess we have to do this the old fashioned way. Undead Soldiers… attack!”

The Undead Soldiers charged in, ready for action. Van plowed through them, sending them flying like bowling pins, with Kettu racing after him. Nina took to the sky and flew over the Undead Soldiers, following Van and Kettu to confront Abyssmal. The rest of the party got into a defensive position and prepared to engage in battle. The trio got in front of Abyssmal, prompting him to draw his sword.

“Fine, I’ll wash you three up first.” He then turned to Kettu, “Werefox, I’ve got a little secret for you. The soul that powers my very being… is your brother’s soul.”

Kettu went wide eyed, freezing in place.

“Y-You’re powered by Felix’s soul!?” he sputtered.

“Indeed. Just listen.”

He seemed to produce a special energy and held it near his chest. Suddenly a voice could be heard.

“Kettu! Help me!”

Kettu froze in horror, “F-Felix!”

Abyssmal stopped projecting the voice, sneering, “That’s right, Werefox. Your brother’s soul is inside me. And Master Muu figured out a way to link the soul powering us special Undead Captains and Generals better. Now, if you strike me down your brother’s soul will also feel the pain.”

Kettu was frozen in fear, trying to process how to respond. Abyssmal took his hesitation and tried to attack him, only for Nina to defend Kettu with a kick.

Nova then called out, “Don’t listen to him, Kettu! It’s a lie! If Muu had figured that out he would’ve done it before now! He’s just using a scare tactic, just like how an animal will puff up its fur! And besides, you want to free your brother from Muu’s grip, right? This is your only chance! Do it for Felix!”

Kettu smacked himself across the face, being revitalized by Nova’s words. He glared hatefully at the Undead Captain.

“Nova’s right!” he snarled. “You’re just trying to intimidate me! Well that won’t work anymore! I’ll free my brother’s soul, no matter what it takes! So take this! Death Trap!”

A giant Venus flytrap emerged from underneath the Undead Captain, taking him by surprise, before snapping him up and dragging him underground. There was a brief pause before an explosion happened and the Undead Captain emerged, damaged but alive.

Nina summoned energy, “Try this on for size! Thunder Bolo!”

She fired her twin thunder ball attack. Before Abyssmal could recover from the previous attack he was blasted by the electric bolo, knocking him off his feet.

“Thorn Spears!” Van shouted.

He fired spear-sized thorns from his twin lances, pummeling the Undead Captain with a vengeance. Captain Abyssmal stood up, his eyes narrowing.

“You’ll pay for that!” he growled. “Tidal Wave!”

He summoned a massive tidal wave that raced toward the party. Nina got an idea and started to summon energy again.

“Thunder Bolo!” she shouted.

She hurled the attack at the tidal wave. The two attacks collided, creating an explosion and producing a lot of steam. When the steam cleared the tidal wave was gone, prompting Nina to clutch her fist triumphantly.

“Yes! The Thunder Bolo canceled out the Tidal Wave! It was a gamble but it paid off.”

Kettu nodded, “Good work, Nina! Now it’s my turn! Carnivines Chaos!”

Giant vines erupted from the ground, each equipped with a Venus flytrap for a mouth. They then launched themselves and began tearing the Undead Captain apart, devouring his body, making him scream in pain. After a few tense moments he had been completely torn apart, leaving only the glowing soul that powered him. At that point the rest of the party had finished off the Undead Soldiers and came to check on the soul. The glowing orb too shape, becoming a Werefox, who looked like a younger Kettu. Kettu’s eyes widened as he looked upon the soul.

“Felix…” he said softly. “It’s really you. My brother.”

Felix turned to Kettu, replying, “Kettu? Is that really you? You look… different.”

“This is Shaman magic. We have the ability to transform using Shaman magic. But yes, it is me, my little brother. I’ve been searching for you for quite some time.”

“I’ve heard, Kettu,” Felix replied. “You’ve done great work in freeing several souls from Muu’s grip and liberating entire areas from him. Muu is far from pleased, obviously. But thank you, Kettu, for tracking me down. Now I’m free from Muu’s bony grip and I get to see you one last time. Thank you, dear brother, for rescuing me. It was such a horrible feeling being a power source. But now I’m free. Please, dear brother, don’t give up. Keep fighting for everyone’s sake. You and your friends may be our best bet at finally ending this war. Please, Kettu, stay strong for everyone and free all of us from Muu’s suffocating presence. We’re counting on you all.”

Sir Reginald said, “Rest assured that we will finish off Muu for good. We took up this fight and we intend to take Muu down.”

“That makes me so happy to hear. Please, don’t give up and keep fighting. And Kettu…” he turned to his brother again, “Give my regards to mom, dad, and sis. And know that I’ll always be watching you.”

Kettu reached out his hand to try to touch Felix’s, who did the same. However, Felix’s hand fazed through Kettu’s, causing the two Werefox brothers to become crestfallen.

“Goodbye, Kettu…”

“Goodbye, Felix…” Kettu replied, trying to hold back his tears.

Felix became a sphere of light and flew up into the sky. The party watched with solemn expressions as the sphere of light vanished from view. Kettu was trying his best to hold back his tears, clearly both happy and sad. Nova placed a hand on his shoulder.

“You did the right thing, Kettu,” he said. “Now your brother is free from Muu’s grip and can rest in peace. Your family will be proud of you for ending Felix’s suffering. You will still continue to fight with us, right?”

Kettu wiped his tears away, replying, “Yes. My primary objective may have been completed, but I fully intend to take this fight to Muu’s throne room. At least I can hold my head up high knowing I made amends for my failure to protect Felix from Muu’s forces. Now he’s safe and can rest in peace. But I won’t stop until Muu is dead and Edyn is freed from his presence.”

Nina smiled, “We’re glad to hear that, Kettu. We need your help in this mission, after all, so we’re happy you’re going to continue working with us. But, for now, we should transform back, gather up everything in this base, destroy the base, and return the relics to the Gurela Ruins.”

Kettu nodded, “Right, let’s do it.”

“Cancel Fusion!” he, Nina, and Van said in unison.

They transformed back to normal. After raiding the base of the relics and anything of worth they all walked outside and put some distance between them and the base. Sir Reginald then erected a barrier to protect the party.

Nova nocked an arrow and pointed it at the Magna Crystal cube that was powering the base, “Time to end this. Dragon Strike!”

He fired another electrified dragon at the Magna Crystal cube. It struck the magical crystal, causing it to hum and shake. It then exploded, destroying the base and leaving only debris and a crater behind. Sir Reginald then lowered his barrier.

“Okay, now with that taken care of we need to return the relics to the ruins,” the knight said. “Let’s get going.”

Nodding, the party made their way to the nearby ruins. After exploring a bit they soon found where the relics originally were placed and returned them to their rightful locations.

Angelo dusted his hands off, “And that’s the last one. We did good. Now everything is where it should be.”

Zeeker nodded, “Indeed. Now let’s get the hell out of here.”

Suddenly, Nova’s eyes rolled up into his skull and he collapsed.

“Nova!” Nina cried out in fear.

Everyone gathered around him, clearly surprised. Van did a quick examination of him.

“This is bad,” the Centaur said. “Nova’s been pushed well beyond his breaking point. His stress levels are now orbital and his body has shut down. He’s basically in a recovery coma in order to heal. It’s clearly because of all the recent events pushing him too hard and stressing him out beyond his limit. But it’s more than just that. Because his stress, fatigue, and body have been pushed well beyond his limits it could cause permanent damage to him. We need to get him checked out by a specialist, and fast.”

“Yeah, but… where are we going to find someone like that?” Kettu asked.

Sir Reginald gained a grim expression, “We’re gonna have to go back to the former capital of this kingdom and talk to one of King Hendrik’s soldiers to fetch a healer from Galvatar. I know there is one there who specializes in fields like extreme stress levels. Nova won’t appreciate it but we don’t have a choice.”

Nina nodded, “Yeah, he won’t like it. But we have to do it. Van, you carry him. I’ll get us back to the former capital.”

Van nodded and scooped up Nova’s comatose body.

“Teleport!”

The party vanished from the ruins. They knew they had to help Nova before he got worse.

Next Chapter: Recovery

That's all for today. Kettu has achieved his primary goal. But now Nova's in bit of a pickle. What'll happen next? Tune in to find out.
 
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