The Goddess' Druid

(Chapter 25) Zaratras' Return

A/N: Sorry for not being on here for a hot minute, but I have ✨Zaratras content✨ for you guys this time.

Arcadia watched Elizabeth serve customers, smiling as she watched the girl practice the tips that she had given her. She looked upstairs as she saw Golgius walking down them. She then sighed when he freaked out, before catching his eye and motioning to the table near the bar. "Hello, old friend, how goes it?" she asked, causing him to scowl as she realized how much worse things had gotten lately. Arcadia then heard Elizabeth say that she would make him a meal, and told her she'd be upstairs in her room, before leaving and getting upstairs. She then locked the door and sat down on the bed, before closing her eyes as she rested for the time being.

Arcadia woke to the sound of Hawk screaming downstairs. She then sprinted downstairs and came face to face with Zaratras, sitting at the bar as he sipped some tea. Hawk turned to stare at her. "Arcadia, you worked with this guy?!" he squealed, causing Zaratras' blue eyes to follow the gaze of the pig as he looked over at her. "Arcadia?" he asked cautiously. "Zaratras?" she asked, before running to him and tackling him to the floor. "Oh!" Elizabeth exclaimed, as Arcadia laughed and hugged the Grandmaster tightly. "You idiot, how the hell did you get back here?" she asked, overjoyed and slightly confused. His face then grew serious as he looked at her. "It seems that you're doing well. How are those two?" he asked, causing her to smile. "Hendy's back to normal, but the one we have to save is..." he nodded. "Dreyfus, I know. What exactly happened to him, anyways?" he asked, getting up and sitting at the bar with Arcadia. She sighed and caught him up on all that had happened, before Zaratras yelped when he felt something crawl into his lap. He looked down and saw Molly, who promptly went up his arm and hugged him. "Yeah, I missed you too." he said, before picking the small dragon up and scratching under her chin. She then went to Arcadia's shoulder and perched there, hugging her as well. "So, Melascula's spell has reached you, too?" Arcadia asked Zaratras, causing him to nod. "If Midnight were here, she could keep that damn snake in line." she thought out loud. She then turned to Elizabeth. "We should head back to the others in Liones, Elizabeth. It's likely that the Commandments have advanced on the capital by now." she advised, causing the princess to nod as she called to Hawk's mom. "Ok, Hawk's mom, take us to Liones!" she yelled, as she felt the floor shake with the giant green pig unearthing herself and starting off at a fast trot toward Liones.

Once the group was in sight of Liones, they all walked outside as they watched the fighting from afar. "I'm gonna get closer and help. You three stay here. And Zaratras?" she looked back at her friend. "Keep them safe, all three of them." she told him, before flying as fast as she could to where several of the Commandments were.

Arcadia saw that a few demons were about to attack Gilthunder and Howzer, and swooped in before grabbing them and dragging them out of the way. "Let's keep the dying to a minimum, alright boys?" she asked, looking back at them as they both nodded. She cursed under her breath as the demons turned to attacking her. She thought of what her brothers would do, what Mael would do. She then used her magic to attack. "Arc. Be at peace, and may your souls be set free." she said, closing her fist as demons started disappearing. She saw the other knights and smiled when she saw Gustaf, waving. "So, where's your sister?" she questioned, causing him to shrug. "Last I heard, she's with Ban at the West gates of the kingdom." he said, causing her to nod. "We need to retreat," he said, causing her to shake her head. "Not without the others." she said, before seeing them approaching. The knights looked...different, and not in a good way. She then realized what happened to them, and grabbed Gilthunder before he could get stabbed. "You saved me." he said, looking at her. "Yeah, don't get used to it." she said, grabbing her sword and blocking the knights. "You guys get the hell out of here, I'll hold them off." she ordered, before the people present protested heavily. "I've fought entire armies of grown ass men. Let me do this. Hide in the castle while I figure something out." she advised, before Howzer stayed and helped her fight. "Thanks." she said, looking at the unconscious knights and townspeople. "Now then, to the castle." she said, going to the other side of the castle, before she saw a Commandment she loathed seeing in battle: Estarossa of Love.