Foxtails and Fairytales: Facades and Fables of the Phantom Prince

[Arc 17] Ch.3 Hero's Mission

Inari returned home after meeting with Stygia. It was a cottage in the mountains that his apprentice had suggested. It was far away from the battlefields and filled with all the most comfortable accommodations to match his mansion in the floating Spirit Kingdom he rarely visited, especially nowadays.

He took off the mask his disciple had made for him and stared in the mirror at this flushed face. "How is she so pretty?" Justice asked himself. He was really glad Zen had told him what a bad liar he was since his face would give it away and suggested a mask so he could interact with Stygia for part of their plan.

Inari reached into a basin to splash his face with cold water. Another thing Zen taught him, although he hadn't reasoned out its purpose, it did seem to calm his nerves even if it would wipe away the grin on his face.

Zen was right about him; he was in love with Stygia. And luckily with their crusade well underway he would have many chances to meet with her.

That was how it went Zen was reported as a hero, but he was actually an agent of Genocide. Meanwhile, Justice was acknowledged for his support in the war through Zen but was actually working together with Stygia to undermine the mortals. Yangyin was a made up figurehead and Justice posing as Inari was an elusive informant that got to socialize with Stygia right under the god's noses.

Justice was the first and only true Crusader God and brought both the mortals and immortals to their knees. And nobody understood until it was too late.

*

Stygia rubbed her temples and stared at a map of what was left of the world. The mortals were crippled to the point that they may never even recover. The technological marvels of the golden ages were long past repairable and the geniuses that made them were gone. Only a few mortal territories remained but they were like cockroaches and just wouldn't die and be exterminated. Even with Inari's help she was down to twenty five percent of her original fighting force.

Meanwhile the Mortal hero was at the doorsteps of Greed's castle. There wasn't enough time to go back, nor did she have enough forces to destroy the remainder of the mortals. It really seemed like all hope was lost. Although Greed was the greatest of the immortals only her personal royal guard remained by her side. She had sent her daughter away to preserve her race but there didn't seem to be any hope for her dear queen.

"You seem in dire straits, my dear." Inari seemed to meander into existence as he always did.

"Inari, are you here to laugh at me for failing?" Stygia asked, unable to look at him.

"It is true that the Hero has nearly won this war, but why let them have an easy victory. You and I both know who started this war."

"It was me, don't mock me!" Stygia slammed her fist on her table. It shattered and then reformed itself at a wave of Inari's hand.

"It was not, I know for a fact even the Justice god knows this war is not your fault. It was the other god's Jealousy that is truly to blame."

"What are you saying? The gods are untouchable! Hiding out in Nov'Lecaern the damned heavenly realm of castles." Stygia spat.

"What if I told you Yangyin wants Nov'Lecaern. And it needs to be removed of its current residents." Inari laid out a glorious painting that seemed to glow. It was the god of the arts painting of Nov'Lecaern. "What do you say? Since they destroyed your home, why not take theirs? But I have a condition for this information."

"What is it?" Stygia glared. She liked Inari well enough, but she wasn't a fan of the games that Yangyin played.

"Once it is taken, I'd like you to stay there with me for a while." Inari said.

"Fine, but know this: although I appreciate you help, my heart will only truly belong to the god of justice. I shall not compromise this. So once that time is over, I will go to him, and you will leave him be in the meantime."

"I'll concede to that." Inari said. "Now let us begin."

*

Justice's heart fluttered at the confession. After all this time she had openly admitted it to Inari. He hoped she would still feel the same when all this was over.

Leading the Immortals into heaven was the most grievous form of treason, but Justice was passed that. Governance, his old friend had also betrayed him. As the second in line to rule heaven Justice would rightfully claim his place as a new god. As the god Inari the trickster. The one who had deceived everyone, the god who stole heaven.

*

Zen had led his forces into Greed's castle and although all his forces were now gone, he seemed to have attained victory over the queen of the immortals. He stood over her bloodied body as his party cheered for him and told him to finish the battle and then something peculiar happened.

Zen looked the queen and winked.

At this point the young man had grown well into being an aged man thanks to the length of the war. He and the hero party fought for every inch as they marched to the Greed's castle and with systematically brutal at killing every immortal.

Greed was exhausted, her wings were clipped, and her magic spent. She wasn't mortally injured but she no longer had any strength left to defend herself. At this point when Zen the hero winked at her she could only watch in surprise.

"Finally, after all this time I can finally finish what Justice tasked me with." Zen said and with a blast of magic he killed the healer of the hero party. The princess who hated him nearly as much as he hated her. Since they were waiting for the hero to use the last of his strength and then heal each other so they could fight him while they were at full strength in their betrayal. But instead Zen had caught them in his trap.

The screams of pain as she burned alive were music to his ears. All of the hero party were scum, but the princess spent everyday year after year grumbling about this or that. At first, she tried to put on a kind face and win over the hero, but she eventually showed her true colors as a vile spoiled woman.

The party were surprised by his betrayal only because they had imagined him as the naive leader for so long. They were even waiting to strike him down after he slayed Queen Greed, but he then easily slaughtered them.

Soon only the Hero and Greed remained.

"You know, you and the other dragons were some tough enemies, and I never would have been able to make it this far without this sword that Justice gave me." Zen held up the brilliant sword stained in the blood of both the queen and his companions. "The Immortals are defeated, and Justice is now laying siege on heaven for starting this war in the first place. He will leave only the most honorable of spirits behind, but from what we gathered that will only be enough to count on three hands at most."

"Why are you telling me this Hero?" Greed asked.

"Justice decided this world needs to start over. Without any immortals, without the most wicked of the gods, and with a new generation of mortals free from grudges this may be the only way for the next era of peace. As the Crusader under Justice, I have but one question for you Daughter Greed follower of Justice, will you seek vengeance for what we have done?"

Zen stood over her not as a hero there to slay her but as the champion and crusader of Justice. The silence was heavy as Greed weighed her options. Her entire collection of Immortals was gone. Only Stygia and her meager army were left.

"What will happen to Stygia and hers?" Greed asked.

"They are with Justice and will siege Nov'Lecaern with him as Inari." Zen smiled wryly.

"Ha! So Justice is still shy but at least there is hope for them. If this is his will then I am satisfied with that much. Do what you will, Crusader, I am at peace." Greed smiled softly and closed her eyes waiting for her last moment.

But then she heard a snap and when she opened her eyes, she saw that Zen had snapped the Hero's dragonslayer blade in two.

"Then I have no more reason to raise this blade against your kind. And now none ever shall again." Zen threw away the broken blade and then offered the Queen a potion. "This will not fix everything but if you are available would you like to watch the heavens with me?"