(Asta's p.o.v.)
Liebe and I had packed up for our journey to Heart Kingdom's capital, and were waiting at the city gate for Leafa and Alice. While we were waiting, the two of us engaged in some small talk. "It hasn't even been a day yet, and you and Alice are already becoming the best of friends, huh?" I said to Liebe. He replied, "She's interesting for a human, there's actually something about her eyes that remind me of Licita." I was curious about this and asked, "They do?" "Yeah, I can't explain it, but I saw those eyes in Licita while she was still alive." We didn't get to continue as the girls had just arrived with their bags. "Hope we didn't keep you waiting?" Leafa said. I replied, "We got here ten minutes ago, so we weren't bored." "Hey Alice, was Leafa busy picking out good clothes for the trip? Preferably, ones that'll help her get Asta's attention?" Liebe asked slyly, which made Leafa blush and Alice said mischievously, "Now that you mention it, she was picking out her best clothes as well as her best Mado Tools. I would assume that plans on seducing him on this trip." Now this got me flustered, and Leafa frantically replied, "No, I'm not!" 'I have to admit her reactions are just adora- WHAT THE HELL AM I THINKING?!!!' I thought. Leafa quickly diffused the situation by saying, "Can we please just get going already?!" Liebe answered, "Yeah, she's right. We need to get going." The rest of us nodded and we left the city and began our journey to Heart Kingdom.
Timeskip - 1 month later
It took us a month, but we had finally arrived at the outskirts of the capital. Along the way, Alice and Liebe continuously teased me and Leafa for getting along so well, which irritated the two of us to no end. We were relieved when we reached our destination, because that meant it was time to get down to business and the future couple from hell would leave us alone for a time.
(Liebe's p.o.v.)
On the way to Heart Kingdom's capital, Alice and I had the time of our lives messing with Asta and Liebe. It never got old, teasing them like that, which was why me and Alice had so much fun. While we were traveling to Heart Kingdom's capital, I started to understand why Alice reminded me so much of Licita. It's because their personalities are so alike, while Licita was always the straightforward, happy-go-lucky type with the playfulness of a child, Alice can be appear to be dignified and mature when she takes things seriously, and can be as curious and mischievous as someone half her age when relaxed. The one thing they have in common, is that they both can be so immature when they are happy. This was enough to make me let out a hearty laugh for the first time in many years, it honestly made me feel like Licita had been reincarnated.
Speaking of, I had surprisingly became quite attached to Alice. Perhaps it was because Alice was so much like my foster mother, that she quickly became the first human girl, other than Licita, I don't hate. With this in mind, I hoped that we would continue being close friends.
That aside, we made our way to a mansion owned by a deceased lineage of Makai Knights to use as our base camp while we're in the capital. The Makai Order stations one Makai Knight at different cities in every country on every continent to extend it's reach. The reason why we were sent to the capital of Heart Kingdom is because the Makai Knight family in the city no longer exists, and is left unprotected until a suitable Knight is chosen to take over safeguarding this territory. This means that until a new guardian is selected, the Watch Dogs will have to dispatch Knights and Priests directly from the city to handle the Horrors that appear at long intervals of time. On that subject, Horrors have rarely appeared in Heart Kingdom in recent years, as they can't enter the Human World as freely here as the other nations.
As for the Makai Priests, there is no limit to how many of them are allowed to assist the Knights. As such, any number of Priests can inhabit the area the local Makai Knight lives. For example, if Asta gets stationed in the Heart Kingdom's capital, Leafa, and her friends would be free to live in the city as well.
We arrived at the mansion and we were surprised to see how big it was. We went inside and scoped the place out, and we found that it could fit 3 families of 4 at most. "Well, I say we each take a room and get ready for tonight. Because, open season on Horrors begins after dusk." Alice declared and we nodded before choosing a room.
Timeskip - nighttime
It was dark outside, and we were all set up to begin our mission. Asta and I wore black and white overcoats bearing the emblem of the Makai Order. "We'll split into two teams: one Knight, one Priestess. Asta and I will patrol the east side. Alice, you and Liebe patrol the west side. We'll meet back here at dawn." Leafa announced and we nodded before we paired off and began patrolling our assigned areas.
We wandered around with our guards up and Alice and I looked at our surroundings before I detected something. During our short time at the academy, Asta taught me how to sense Ki, since it would help us identify Horrors on our own without the need for a Mado Ring or Necklace like Iska had. Asta described the Ki of Horrors to me so that could recognize them on sight. The presence I detected was certainly what Asta described, and I told Alice that I detected a Horror and we rushed to where I was sensing it. As we got closer, I was able to make it out more clearly, and learned that there wasn't just one, but several Horrors together. What's more, I could tell that they were fighting a human, and the human was starting to lose ground to the man-eating creatures.
We arrived to see a man with black hair with a white patch above his forehead, blue eyes, and a large scar running from his left cheek down his neck, fighting a group of 8 Horrors with lightning magic.
(Alice's p.o.v.)
The man was doing his best to fight off the Horrors, but he was still unable to kill them. Knowing that he would last much longer, Liebe and I charged towards the group with our blades drawn. I cut one of the Horrors down from behind and so did Liebe, causing the two to disintegrate. That made the man and the other Horrors look towards us. "You fought well, but you should get out of here. Leave these bastards to us." Liebe said to the man, who replied, "I'm sorry, but I can't turn my back on these monsters. They dared to try and attack civilians, and as one Heart Kingdom's Spirit Guardians, I have a duty to protect the people." I responded, "I understand, but you don't have the means to defeat these creatures. We however, do. And you're too drained to continue fighting." I could tell he was almost out of mana and I knew that he was aware of that fact himself. He reluctantly nodded and left quickly. Liebe and I readied our weapons and and my friend said, "I'll take the three on the right, you handle the three on the left." "Understood." We then began to exterminate the rest of the Horrors.
I was surrounded by one half of the group and each of them attack one after another, and I blocked and countered their attacks. However, I haven't landed a killing blow yet. That was when I used my sword's power. My sword is a Mado Tool of my own design. It's known as the Osmanthus Blade. Once active, it's blade scatters into thousands of small, golden, flower petal-like blades that I can control at will. It's a weapon that can be used to fight at both close range and mid range.
I jumped back to get some distance from my foes, and channeled my mana into the blade to activate it's ability. The thousands of petals then swarmed the Horrors. The monsters covered their faces, and their muscle tendons in their arms and legs were slashed by my blizzard of golden blades, causing them to fall to the ground. Taking advantage of this opportunity, I returned my Osmanthus Blade to it's normal state and lunged forward, decapitated all three in one stroke. They quickly disintegrated and I was done on my end. I turned to see Liebe finishing off the last of his three opponents in his armor.
Flashback
(Liebe's p.o.v.)
As Alice was fighting one half of this group of Horrors, I took on the other half. I charged forward and attacked the one in the middle with a horizontal slash, but it blocked the initial strike with it's forearm and took a swipe at me with other arm, which I dodged. The other two came at me from behind, but I spun around, blocked one of them and kicked the other back before doing the same to the one I blocked. I sensed the first one coming at me from behind, and thrusted my sword behind me, stabbing it in the abdomen. Then, I pushed the blade out through its side, killing it. That was when I rose my over me with my one hand and drew a circle above me, forming a radiant magic circle. A second later, my brass colored, Hagane armor appeared on me.
(A/N: imagine it's copper instead of gold)
I then charged towards the remaining Horrors and attacked one with a downward diagonal slash which it dodged. I followed up by performing a rising vertical slash, it dodged again. Then, I kicked it back a ways before advancing to deliver a finishing downward vertical strike, killing it. I sensed the last Horror who was charging at me, and I spun around to deliver a horizontal slash to it's neck, beheading it. I then, looked to see how Alice was fairing and saw that she had already killed her opponents. I sheathed my sword and unsummoned my armor before asking, "You alright, Alice?" She smiled and replied, "I'm fine, you?" I answered, "Not even a scratch. Let's continue searching, we may find a Horror that can give us a challenge." Alice replied, "Don't get overconfident, my friend. Arrogance can topple giants." "Who said I overconfident, I'm just saying that I'm hoping for a challenge." She giggled at my statement and commented, "You're a fun one to be around, Liebe." I smirked and replied, "I could say the same about you, Goldy." She chuckled a reply, "Well, aren't you a smooth talker? You aren't trying to hit on me, are you?" I chuckled back and said, "No way, your way out of my league."
We continued our patrol through the western side of the city, and we wondered how things were going for the two lovebirds in denial.