The Devil God howls. Humanity makes its heroic stand—the flames burn bright.
We fear no enemy, make no retreat. We will not lose.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Did you see that? Did you see that shit? Demons? Hah!”
I’m astonished. Me, Odysson. That was some crazy magic. Not only was that giant spear blazing red, it shone as it flew through the air... I’d name it “Blazing Star” if it were up to me. The way it pierced the demon and then exploded was, simply put, amazing. Not even siege weapons have that much destructive power.
“All right. While it’s still burning, let’s launch a third blast.”
Kuroi, Apostle to the Devil God, guardian deity of humanity. You’ve always had a crazy, reckless fighting style. That demon, a monster that’s basically the end of the world, was destroying the palace, but you didn’t despair in the slightest. Instead, you challenged it head-on. We’ve gotta learn from your example. Humanity can’t accept absurdity anymore. If we get hit, we have to hit back. Don’t give up, even if it means death!
“Now! Fire!”
Controlling a thousand Fire Rays, I tighten them into a spiral and launch it skyward. It makes my brain feel like it’s gonna split, but someone’s gotta do this job, right? I’m the first human to use fire magic, damn it! My nose won’t stop bleeding... Hit! Yesss, it’s finally starting to burn nicely! The Bomber Knights are landing direct hits as well. The demon looks so stupid, getting knocked on its butt. It’s burning, writhing in pain... and howling.
Oh, screw you! Don’t cry so dramatically just because you’re huge. Stop making the world vibrate. Do you know how many screams there were when you ravaged the palace? None of their voices were heard, and I doubt they’d forgive you.
“Replace your charcoal wands! Fill them with mana!”
Humanity has been crying for eons and eons, longer than anyone can remember. Crying, raging, and dying en masse; that was our lot in life. But I’ll be damned if we’re going to take it lying down any longer.
“Don’t hold anything back! Draw out every last bit of mana you’ve got! Then pack your wands with it!”
This is all so we don’t have to be so pathetic in the future. So we can make a world where kids like Sira can live peacefully without having to fight.
Die. Die! Die by our hands! This is payback for years of torment. If you’re going to curse someone, curse your master for doing something as stupid as declaring a final battle.
There’s blood on my wand. The skin on my hands must have rubbed off. There’s blood in my mouth, too. Am I clenching my jaw too tightly? My head’s pounding. I’m nauseous. Everything’s cold. My vision’s blurry; I’m clearly using too much mana. The world is starting to turn red... But as long as I’ve got this burning feeling rising from the pit of my belly, it’s nothing I can’t handle.
Whoa! Was that Fire Swipe from Agias? The title “Acting Commander of the Frontier Army” isn’t enough anymore. I can’t believe he freaking cut through one of that demon’s tendons. That was dangerous. I can’t let him die, just like I can’t let Kuroi die.
Come on, give us the signal, make use of our flames. We can’t fight like you, but we still... Yes, the signal!
“Go! Release!”
Our fourth Flame Ray. It should be a spell a thousand men strong in total, but it’s not enough. It’s not nearly big or hot enough. Although I guess that should be expected; everyone has different amounts of stamina and mana. Even the things that sustain their will—long-held rage and sadness—obviously differ from person to person.
Nevertheless, our dreams are the same, and we all look up to Kuroi as our symbol of hope.
I won’t let a single ray be left behind. I won’t let even the tiniest glimmer of heat go to waste. I’ll collect them together; I’ll send them flying! I’ll twist them into a fiery screw, strong, sharp, and tight, then unleash it into the sky.
Fly! O flames of ours—a thousand burning emotions from a thousand different people. There’s your target; fly toward it without hesitation! The raven-haired Kuroi is there, staring down our enemy. We must defeat them, no matter the cost!
A cough is rising in my throat, together with the iron taste of blood. Stop distracting me, damn it! Yes! It hit! The full force of the flames is pouring over the demon.
“Heh... Heh heh... We did it, goddamn it!”
“Yes. Well done, Odysson.”
Son Peine. When did he get here? And why did he dismount from his horse?
“Sit. You need to rest.”
“Don’t be stupid, the demon’s still...”
“It’s defeated. That’s magic fire, remember? It’ll keep burning until there’s nothing left to burn.”
Hey, don’t push my shoulders. Ow! Don’t smack my butt! Damn, my knees are quaking just trying to stand. My hands are shaking, too.
“Just rest. We don’t even need the fire bombs now. Besides, Lady Kuroi and Agias have taken some distance and are simply watching now. If we leave it alone, the demon will burn to death.”
I’d tell him not to be so careless, but I don’t think it’s necessary. Despite his light tone, son Peine hasn’t smiled once yet. That’s good; the battle’s not over yet.
“But my, you sure have carved your name into history today, Odysson. The first demon killer in all of humanity. The Mage Company delivered the killing blow, after all.”
“It was on its last legs after Kuroi’s spell... cough, cough!”
“...You paid your price. Enjoy your spoils of war.”
“Heh... It’s just a bloody nose.”
There are still enemies to defeat. The demon may be down, but there are a thousand yellow eyes in the palace. I can hear battle cries, see rising clouds of dust and smoke. There’s going to be a lot of street fighting, which will be difficult for the Bomber Knights to handle. The fireproof soldiers are busy evacuating the citizens, too.
“Cough... None of the guys that went into the palace have come out.”
“Don’t worry. Zakkow is a man of the front lines who’s used to tough situations, and cleverness is Marius’ middle name. We couldn’t ask for better leaders. They’ll overcome any difficulties.” He sounds positive, but the bitter look on his face tells an entirely different story. “...Depending on Crumbling Mountain’s actions, that is.”
That’s true. The unexpected appearance of that monster, the demon, made me forget, but the yellow-eyed Apostle is still in the palace. If they choose to wade into battle, the outcome would be easy to predict.
“However, uh... a more pressing question comes to mind.” He swallows quite loudly. Is it fear, or nerves? Either way, it’s hardly manly... but I can’t laugh at him for it. What is it? I swallow, too. “As a sorcerer, I’d like to hear your opinion... What is this strange presence?”
I feel it, too. It’s hard to express, but there’s a sense of extreme evil in the air. The demon burns, but instead of feeling better, the foreboding just gets worse and worse. It’s hard to breathe, like I’m stuck between two raging storms. If I don’t focus on not doing it, I’m liable to piss myself.
“Could it... possibly be in the palace?” I ask.
“What is? The yellow-eyed Apostle? Maybe, but does that really explain this sense of dread?”
“No. No, of course not. Not even Golden gave off anything like this. Nor that demon...”
“Wait, you don’t think...”
“It is possible; Lady Kuroi has set a precedent for it.”
“The long-ears would be one thing, but the yellow eyes have an emperor... Whoa?!”
A thunderous noise comes from the palace again. You gotta be kidding me! Giant wings rise again, bat-like and membranous. There’s another one? Oh, my... Oh God! And another! Two at once? How many more are there? What the hell is going on?!
God! Guardian God of humanity! What the hell are we... What the hell is Kuroi supposed to do?!
✦ ✦ ✦
Uh, is that... No. No, you’re kidding.
(The wrath you control is quite strong. I have lost my pride.)
Two more demons? That’s just not possible. It’s crazy, even for DDR standards. No. No, no! This has to be a bug.
(Avarice will likely not beat you either. Thus I used it to summon demons.)
Is this some kind of event? A forced bad end that’s different from the Demon God appearing and laughing? That’s so shitty that I’m even getting a nose bleed.
(One will head towards wrath. The other will search for the treasure.)
Huh, one demon’s coming towards Kuroi. But the other... flew away? Where’s it flying to?
(By the way, “To hope is to contradict the future.”)
Aha ha ha... Oh, for God’s sake. From what I can see on the radar, that demon just landed near the rearguard—where the fat priest is.
(And “Existence is a fight against absurdity.”)
Hey, what?! The demon that didn’t fly off just casually tossed a piece of castle wall straight into my fire mages! Those were rare units!
(KartofStarch. If you are the counter to my invasion, then the resistance is...)
Yeah, no. Aha ha ha! Boy, if I ever see the dev team... Ha ha ha...
(If you are the true god that gives hope to this world...)
This game is so shitty, so masochistic, so impossible, so barf-inducing... I just... can’t. This has to be a joke. This can’t be the end. It just can’t.
(...then do something about this.)
Shut up, Romanian!
Pick up your sword, Kuroi. Fight until the end—no, fight so that this isn’t the end. You said there was hope, remember? You declared those words to the people of the Frontier with your own mouth. Can’t you remember the taste of that warm udon? So c’mon! Let’s do this, Kuroi! Destroy that demon! Kill as many—okay, maybe more than a few is impossible, b-but at least kill these two!