E P I S O D E
45
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The loud explosions and the repeat of a trembling ground that was coming from the princesses' palace bothered Suisei and Otome to no end.
Everything was quiet in this side where the hall was connected to the main palace, the sounds of clicking and clacking of their heels was the only noise that reminded the walls of their existence.
"Would they be okay?" Otome worriedly asked the diamond princess. Suisei tightened her hold on Otome's hands.
"I'm not sure, whether we suffer here or not - what matters the most is that we safely get you to the other world." Suisei doesn't really know how to comfort the princess knowing fully well that Otome is someone that's emotionally intelligent - besides, Suisei is someone who needed reassurance the most. Despite her strong disposition and her power the strongest shield ever, it was rather a juxtaposition towards her personality.
Otome could only nod in silence, biting her lips to avoid saying unnecessary things - especially since they're rather in an urgent and critical moment where they should quickly get to the throne room.
Their way to the throne room however, will not be an easy mission as it seems.
"I wonder where you'll be going?" Something slithered beside Suisei's ear, immediately alerting her senses. Stopping on their heels, Suisei focused on her hearing ability to pinpoint where the culprit could be hiding.
But it proved to be difficult as numerous noises were blocking her senses to detect the enemy, straining her ears as she pushed her limits to the max. Her ears bled.
"Shinjou-sama! Your ears!" Otome panicked when she noticed the continuous flow of blood from both side of Suisei's ears.
"Shhh, i'm fine. Don't worry about me, Otome-sama."
"Awww, playing as a knight in shining armor now i see."
This time, the voice was awfully close - and when she finally realized where it was, it's already too late.
Whipping her head to her side, the supposedly princess was nowhere in sight anymore. The struck of realization made her blood ran cold.
"Otome-sama!"
......
It's over, her life is over the moment she encountered this monster. What made her think that she can fight anyone? He's way beyond her league, he has power that she could never fathom - it's the first time she had felt this amount of power combined with a lot of animosity. She could feel the depths of her stomach curl at the sheer amount of pressure.
She watched his hands raise upwards, his sword pointed at her figure - that maniacal smile proved to influence her fear even more.
Ahhh...am i gonna die...?
Am I even worthy of being called a princess of Slor Kingdom? I'm not as strong like the other princesses, and they put a lot of compassion and determination into being a princess of a kingdom - they're a role model she can look up to. They never back down even at the face of a stronger enemy.
Yet, look at her.
Surrendering at the face of someone of greater power without even trying. without seeing for herself what she can do even more.
It's simply impossible, this monster is impossible to go against to. How could she even try to?
She closed her eyes, ready for her demise at the hands of a monster - yet, there's nothing that came.
"It's too early to give up, little lady." An unfamiliar voice snapped her eyes open - and there infront of her, is a man dressed in a somewhat weird outfit with nothing but blue and white. Surprised by the sudden appearance of someone she doesn't know; her pathetic thoughts from earlier came to a stop.
Her entire system immediately went to defense mode and quickly, albeit painfully so, got up from her defeated posture. She'll refuse to remain pathetic, there's still so many things left for her to do.
Otome-sama needs to get to the other world safely, and to do that she needs to defeat this unknown force infront of her.
For now, an unfamiliar man is helping her. It's safe to consider him as an ally, although she's still wary of him.
The unfamiliar man silently curved his lips to a smirk, glad to see the princess getting back to her feet. His attention going back to the enemy infront, his eyes sharpening.
"Let me handle this, go after Suisei-sama and Otome-sama. They might need your help." He spoke, pertaining to the two princesses who ran away to go to the throne room.
She was quick to response, and without any hesitation she went to the direction where the two princesses went. Leaving the unfamiliar man and the enemy alone. Although she want to help the man fight off that monster, she doesn't have the confidence to defeat such a monstrous beast.
"You're not getting away—" before the enemy could go after Akari, the unfamiliar man attacked him - sword ready to strike his neck. Blocking it with his weapon, yet the force was too strong that he was blown away 50 meters away.
"I can't let you hinder the princess job, can i?"
Akari who was running not far from the unfamiliar man shouted her thanks, before speeding away. Earning a smile from the stranger who saved her. Whoever that man is, she'll surely pay him her gratitude after whatever chaos is happening in this castle is over. She managed to get to Sumire's unconscious body, she must've been knocked out by that monster from earlier.
"Sumire-sama, get a hold of yourself. We need to keep going!" She casted a small healing light on Sumire's forehead before shaking her body to wake her up.
The princess opened her eyes after a few shakes and wandered her eyes around the palace for a second before realizing that they were in danger.
She sat up from the ground, gritting her teeth from the throbbing pain from her head's injury caused by being knocked out harshly.
"I can't believe i was out of commission the entire time you were fighting for you life, this is a disgrace." Sumire muttered, getting up to her feet with the help of Akari.
"It can't be helped. The enemy this time is simply a monster in comparison to us. Right now, he is being held off by an unfamiliar man. We're not completely safe,"
A rather violent shook of the ground that caused them to loose balance was enough proof of the ongoing battle between two powerful individuals inside the palace walls.
"Otome-sama and Suisei-sam might be in trouble right now, there's no mistaking that we are currently under attack and there's a chance that they're aiming for Otome-sama. We need to assist Suisei-sama into getting Otome-sama to the throne room safely." Akari held Sumire's hand as they sprinted away from the West Palace to get the Main Palace where the throne room was located.
This attack is planned.
Akari was sure of it, there's just no coincidence that they suddenly attacked on the day Otome is going to other world. There might be a reason that they don't want to send Otome off. Then what could that be?
Is it because of fear that the princesses could go back to this world and the missing princesses might bring back the impeccable defense of all the princesses?
That might be also one of the reasons.
Akari bit her lip as she sunked deeper into her spiraling thoughts.
However, even the princesses get the missing princesses back to bring forth defense - the enemy had once broke in into Saotome's barrier. That might not be the case at all. It wouldn't matter for them to get the princesses back anyways if that's the case; then why the hell are they so hell bent into splitting all of them up?
If it's to weaken them then they're doing a great job - but the empress her troops could easily wipe them up. Not to mention, a spy inside the castle.
She has a lot of things to think of, but right now - she needs to focus on the matter on hand.
Sumire and Akari arrived on a battle between Suisei and a familiar demoness from Hetalia, but there's no Otome in sight.
"Suisei-sama!" Sumire called out; Suisei glanced at them for a second before focusing back on the enemy.
"I deeply apologize! Otome-sama went missing right after this woman appeared! Pardon my pathetic ability to protect Otome-sama!" She shouted with difficulty as she tried to fight off the enemy who laughed with mockery.
"Ara, you guys are late." The enemy sneered and blew Suisei a few meters away.
"Where did you take Otome?" Akari demanded an answer from the enemy to which they replied in a mocking laugh. "I didn't take her away," the demoness jeered.
"Don't lie to us! She wouldn't disappear if you didn't do anything!"
"...." The demoness simply stared at her with her arms crossed before shrugging. "Well, i don't care if you believe me or not anyways so i won't bother."
Sumire gathered her cards on her left hand and summoned a familiar. An intricate pattern that's covered in a glowing pink appeared on her hands and on the floor, "Summoning; Blue Serpent!"
An electrifying colored blue dragon like serpent with gold-like horns and a gigantic almost transparent wings emerged from the summoning circle, letting out an ear-piercing roar.
The demoness became alert from the amount of mana emanating from the serpent.
"Woah, you're not holding back against me huh." The demoness muttered.
"We won't be holding back until you bring Otome-sama back to us!" Sumire threatened; but to no avail - the demoness let out another one of her mocking laugh, this time a mixture of amusement laced under the heavy influence of her mockery.
"Woah there, such confidence! I wouldn't do that if i were you. Not when you guys are injured - especially because my back-up has arrived."
Three more demoness appeared of our nowhere, alerting both the princesses - and Suisei who had been struggling with a gaping wound on the left side of her waist.
This is bad, we are in great disadvantage in this battle. Akari thought - starting to formulate a plan. What can she do to atleast win this fight?
It'll be hard to fight them with these injuries, plus Suisei must've reached her limit now. They need to win this fight soon so they could search for Otome.
Now that there're four demoness now, and is in perfect state - it would be impossible to quickly end the fight.
"Leave this to me," Yume's voice snapped Akari from her thoughts, whipping her head behind - there stood the second princess in an almost perfect state if it weren't for the burns on her beautiful dress and the smudges of dirt on her face and dress.
"Yume-sama!" Sumire and Akari's eyes lightened up in hope, and relief to see Yume unscathed and alive.
"But what do you mean leave this to you? We can't leave you alone to fight off four demons!" Sumire seems to disagree with what Yume said, even Akari who had great confidence on the second princess powerful abilities wouldn't want to leave her alone. Especially since the enemies' seemingly powerful abilities that could rival the higher ranked princesses is still a mystery to them.
"Do not worry about me, the best plan right now is to accomplish our mission tonight. Because this is the only chance we got." Yume assured them.
"Then let me stay with you!" Akari remained stubborn. No matter what happens, she will keep the higher ranked princesses' safe; they are the hope of Slor Kingdom's people after all. Without them, they are good as gone.
Yume could only smile in defeat after she saw Akari's bright determined eyes. There's no helping it then.
"I understand. Then Sumire and Suisei should search for Otome."
Sumire nodded, and ran towards Suisei's direction.
"Ara, you guys are in great disadvantage if you let your two comrades run away y'know? Are you sure you're going to fight the four of us, with just the two of you alone?" The first demoness that they talked to earlier tilted her head in confusion and with clear amusement as well.
"Yes, we will let them. After all, we just the two of us could take the four of you all, alone." Yume said cheerfully, albeit with a sense of grace and confidence.
It was something she said out of truthfulness, yet one of the demoness seemed to get irked by what Yume had said.
"Then you are clearly underestimating us!" In the heat of the moment, the said demoness dashed towards Yume's direction - ready to attack her.
"You idiot—" the demoness that seems to be the head of the troop was caught off guard by the sudden spring of action by one of her group.
As one of the demoness reached Yume infront of her, the impending sharp claws that was about to make contact on her skin was blasted off by a flash of light. Temporarily blinding the group of demoness. Followed by a a series of shouts from confusion and surprise.
After the blinding light that had been casted upon the surrounding area, Yume's cunning smile could be seen.
"It's over."
𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚞𝚎𝚍
𝚞𝚗𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚍
Hi guys! I apologize i keep disappearing every chapter lmao. I guess it's safe to say i had been busy with life recently and couldn't find the spark for writing again after i've dealt with lots of problems and shits happening around me. But i'm doing my best to get back on my feet once again, although my writing has rusted - i still wanted to write and improve more. I won't promise anything now but hope that I get passed the phase of "losing the spark om writing."
Just wanna let you guys know that i'm alive, "although i feel dead inside."
Thank you so much guys for appreciating and liking my works, and supporting me as well. I'm really really grateful that i have you as my reader and my supporter. You're the reason i've kept on holding on to this story and decided to complete it and struggle along this journey of me completing it.
Well, there you guys have it! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!