Once we're back at the grove, I call upon the Rumble Dragon as well, and we sit down to discuss the situation.
"So, a few rules to follow." I begin. The Dragons exchange worried looks. "First off: Leave Humanoids alone. Defend yourself if attacked, of course, but do not instigate trouble with them." I ignore an almost audible 'aw' from the Death Dragon.
"Second: Leave other Servants alone. You should be able to tell them apart from other monsters due to the Bond. Either way, I will know if you've attacked one of them, and punishment will be issued." Seeing a few worried looks from the Dragons, I specify: "All monsters that aren't my Servants are fair game, particularly Chimera."
Their faces light up again. "I think that's it?" I turn to Huldr, in case she remembers more rules I've applied to them that I haven't mentioned to the Dragons. She thinks for a moment, before shaking her head. "Now then, I look forward to our time together. Next, I'd like to ask if you know of any monsters that hold certain Skills and Spells I'm after."
The Death Dragon asks, their voice in my head bringing forth images of a sick and dying old man. "In order to reach my next Evolution, I need to obtain these Skills and Spells." I explain, before listing off the ones I still need.
Life Dragon says, before realization hits. "Call me Millibelle, and no, I just need to see it cast to learn the Lesser tier of the Spell." I calm them.
They become lost in though for a moment.
The Life Dragon looks to the others, who also think about it. The Air Dragon admits, before adding.
Egh, so I'd have to... no wait, couldn't I just steal a chick? It should have the Skill I need?
The Water Dragon sighs. The Lightning Dragon claims.
The Plant Dragon says, hanging their head slightly. The Heat and Fire Dragons shudder.
So even Dragons despise Undead? "Where would I be able to find one of these, uh, Flintermatches?" I ask. The Heat Dragon responds.
"...!"
"...!"
Ah? I just got a distress call from the Gasts... "I'm sorry, let's do the Spell lessons later, something's come up." I apologize to the Dragons. "Don't worry about letting me know where you're going, as long as you're within my Domain, I'll be able to find you." I tell them before flying off to the aid of the Lovers.
What in the World are they doing? ... They're at the mini-ocean, and both are in distress. I'm impressed that they've managed to get all the way from the opposite side of the marsh to the shores of it, but why?
I guess they were attracted to the ocean? But then why are they upset? I specifically told the Guild that they're my Servants... Thoughts like those swirl in my head as I speed towards the location.
I swoop down onto the scene, one of the Gasts is cradling the other, the hilt of several swords jutting out of their upper torso. Between my Servants and me, a group of humanoids huddle together, equally afraid of the Gasts and my sudden arrival.
I notice that their clothes are torn and ragged, and their hair is unkempt and dirty. A droning gargle is issuing from the Gasts. "What's that?!" one of the humanoids cry out, pointing at me. Only now do I see, they're a young child.
"Who are you? Why do you attack my Servants?" I ask them, keeping an eye on their movements. The female Gast is carrying the male into the water... I swish my tail and flap my wings in feigned annoyance, I have to keep the humanoids attention for now.
"It speaks!" One of them utters in astonishment. Ugh, always with this. "Answer me, or I'll make you." Shadow hisses to them, causing them to collectively flinch backwards. "W-we're fleeing the Kingdom! Damn the Queen and her Council! All she does is spend resources the Kingdom doesn't have on her war with Parshura!" An old man shouts in Harmekian.
"Grandpa!" A young woman hushes. Oh- so this is a family fleeing the kingdom... into the enemy kingdom that's about to be engaged in war? "You are aware that an Harmekian attack on Parshura is imminent? Why flee to the target of the Queens wrath?" I ask, genuinely curious.
"It's not like we're going to stay here! We're going to travel through Parshura into Yo'ud, start anew there!" The child that'd pointed at me earlier brashly exclaims. A man, older than the woman, speaks up next.
"We saw them standing there at the edge of the water, and they were obviously Undead, so I decided to put them out of their misery." He surely seems battered. "Who'd known their skin was so rubbery! Lost all my weapons as I couldn't get them back out once I got a good hit in." He looks behind him, noticing the Gasts are gone. "Wait, where-?"
*Servant Gast has Evolved into Saburomaru!*
*Servant Gast has Evolved into Jiromaru!*
Wh-
Before any of us can react, a massive monster leaps from the water. It looks like a slightly mishappen mantis-shrimp. The shell covering it looks like samurai armor, its color deep red and black. Its foremost set of claws are big and bulky, akin to the 'smasher' type of Earths mantis-shrimp, whilst a second pair behind the first are long, slender and sharp, like those of the 'spearer' type.
I-is this one of them? I inspect it as I leap over the group of humanoids in order to place myself between them and the monster.
Unnamed
Species: Ichiromaru (Eastern Spirit) EXRare
Status: Eternal Bond (True) Frenzied (Great)
*Ichiromaru*
*A colossal Eastern Spirit formed when a bonded Saburomaru and Jiromaru use their Skill 'Eternal Bond'. If the constituent monsters face a foe they cannot overcome when apart, they join their bodies together into Ichiromaru in order to obliterate their enemies. Ichiromaru will continue their Frenzied rampage until they run our of energy, even if the original threat is dealt with long before then. If killed, Ichiromaru splits apart into the defeated Saburomaru and Jiromaru, so no parts specific to Ichiromaru exist.*
*Rank: 6 Stars*
Oh dear. Seems that they Evolved specifically to do this. And they're Frenzied, none of my orders gets through to them. "By the Mother..." I hear behind me. "Now look what you've done! We're done for!" The young woman scolds the man.
'Gyugugugu'
The Ichiromaru roars as best a mantis-shrimp can, a warbling sound that makes my skin crawl as they raise their hammer-claws to give room to their spears. I quickly deactivate Jagged Scales and prepare to block the attack. Almost faster than I can see, one of the spear-like claws shoot out towards my chest. I manage to grab it just in time, using my strength to let it shove me backwards instead of the claw piercing my chest.
Of course, it still has one more claw. With me preoccupied with the first, the second passes right by me, piercing the chest of the battered man. F-fuck! This is your own fault! I'm not going to feel bad for your death! The Ichiromaru retracts both claws, the left one still carrying the now dead man.
"We can't fight here, not this close to the people!"
I agree. I take to the air and fly towards their head. Once I'm above it, I kick it lightly, making them drop their victim. I cast Lure on myself, and my entire body shimmers and glows in a strange way. The Ichiromaru reacts immediately, warbling its strange cry and following me as I fly away from the humanoids.
Once we're a decent distance away, I activate Manaphagy so that I can start to drain their energy. I know from experience that being out of MP is a tiring thing, especially if you try to cast Spells. I then summon the Tri-Ant Queen's Will as a shield to aid in blocking their attacks.
A strangely shaped shield appears in my hand. It's shaped as three circles put together in a triangular fashion. Each circle is made of a different material and have different markings.
*Tri-Ant Queen's Aegis - Undead - +230 Armor - +150 M.Armor - Special Effect: Queen's Anger/Loathing/Animosity - Only one Effect can be active at a time - Anger: Reflects 50% of blocked Damage as HP Damage. Loathing: Reflects 50% of blocked Damage as MP Damage. Animosity: Reflects 50% of blocked Damage as SP Damage.*
T-this is kind of broken, huh. I wonder what it looks like as other weapons. I activate Queen's Animosity, and the metal in the center of the shield takes on the same material and design as one of the circles. I'm so entranced by the shield that Shadow has to step in to block the next attack from the Ichiromaru.
"Focus!"
Sorry! Sorry! I get my head in the game, and quickly sidestep a hammer-claw attack. It punches a deep crater into the sand, battering me with the shockwave and deluge of sand upheaved from the attack. Okay, we do big steps when dodging that one.
As I reel from the first attack, a beam of high pressure water swipes me, shredding the skin on my flank. I focus on remaining calm, and reining in Shadow, whose instinctive anger threatens to make us lash out against the Ichiromaru.
I cast Barrier on myself, and Weaken on the Ichiromaru. Its next attack is a consecutive spear-claw strike. I barely manage to block both with the Aegis, though the severe pain I feel in my shoulders afterwards signify joint damage from receiving the attack head on.
'Gyugugugugu'
It warbles once again, and the water next to it bubble and surge, rising up into a huge wave.
*Spell learnt: Crashing Wave (Lesser) - Command water into a wall that will crash onto your enemies. Damage increases with higher tiers, the wave created becomes larger the higher the casters M.Attack.*
I hop into the air, and the wave passes harmlessly below me. But that was an useful event, for I suspect Crashing Wave is the precursor Spell to Tidal Wave. Out of nowhere, I'm slammed to the ground by a hammer-claw. I feel several bones break in my legs, wings and chest.
Crippled, and unable to move, I just barely manage to protect myself with the Aegis as I'm repeatedly slammed by the hammer-claws. Casting Miracure is all I can do, and wait for the Aegis to do its work.
Slowly, but surely, the intensity of the hits lessen. The Ichiromaru seems dazed as it readies one final blow before toppling over to its side and becoming enveloped in a thick haze.
I-Is it over? Did it run out of SP?
The haze clears, and the Ichiromaru is gone. What remains where it was is the unmoving forms of the newly Evolved Gasts. Seems they're fainted due to running out of SP. I give myself one final Miracure, praising it for painlessly putting my mangled body back together after that fall.
"It's as if they knew we'd go into the air to dodge that attack..."
Oh I'm sure that's specifically what they were going for. I stretch and bend, making sure nothing is out of place before hopping out of the sizable hole in the sand the Ichiromarus' barrage of supersonic attacks created.
I take a closer look at the unconscious Saburomaru and Jiromaru. They both carry mantis-shrimp features. The Saburomaru's face is mostly hidden behind their long, black hair, though peeking out from under it is the distinct bug-like eye-stalks of a mantis-shrimp.
Clothed in a white kimono-like dress, they have several sets of arms, though the topmost pair is a set of hammer-claws. The Jiromaru has a more human face, though their mouth is that of a crustacean. They have two pairs of arms, one is a set of spear-claws, and their lower body is more akin to that of a shrimp, with a tail and multitudes of legs.
*Saburomaru*
*A Rare Eastern Spirit formed of a humanoid that together with their lover committed suicide by drowning. Regardless of the gender of the drowned pair, one Saburomaru and one Jiromaru is always created, and Saburomarus are an all female species. It has a strong bond with its 'bonded' Jiromaru, and if they're ever separated, the Saburomaru flies into a rage and begins attacking nearby boats, convinced that her Jiromaru is aboard, smashing the hulls to pieces using her incredibly powerful claws and dragging any men aboard underwater to drown them.
Best left alone, particularly if accompanied by her bonded Jiromaru, as they're passive unless provoked, but will combine their bodies to create the fearsome Ichiromaru if threatened. Although harvesting parts of monsters that were originally humanoids is considered taboo, the fearsome claws of the Saburomaru is often used to make hammers and passed off as originating from Armoroid monsters.*
*Rank: 4 Stars*
*Jiromaru*
*A Rare Eastern Spirit formed of a humanoid that together with their lover committed suicide by drowning. Jiromarus are always male, and are almost always encountered together with a Saburomaru. If alone, it grows mild and timid, though frantically searching for their missing partner. The first pair of these Eastern Spirits were discovered shortly after the vanishing of the children of the leaders of the Eaglecrown and Argenfeather families, leading to the current problems between the clans. The parents on both sides disapproved of the relationship, and it seems the youngsters chose to be together in death, only to return as monsters. It is advisable to leave Jiromarus alone, particularly if accompanied by their partner Saburomaru, as they're almost entirely passive, but can combine their bodies together into the terrible Ichiromaru if threatened. Jiromaru produce few useful parts, especially considering the taboo regarding using parts from monsters that were once humanoids.*
*Rank: 4 Stars*
Hm... I wonder what these two's story is, then, if that's how these monsters are formed. I notice the humanoids warily approaching us. I guess since the sound of battle has died down they assumed it was safe? I stop using Manaphagy now that they're in range of it. Don't want to harm them needlessly.
"A-are they dead? D-did you avenge my husband?" The young woman's eyes are red and puffy, her voice a nearly inaudible whisper. "No, I ran them out of SP so they'd calm down. I have no intention of killing my own Servants to appease some foolish desire for revenge against them." I state coldly.
"B-But they killed him!" She begins before I interrupt. "He started it. My Servants are under strict orders to not harm humanoids, though if they're attacked first, they're allowed to defend themselves." I sigh, calming myself. "He'd still be alive if he left well enough alone and didn't attack them." I summarize.
A somber quiet overcomes the group of humanoids. "In fact, in this Domain of mine, all but the most powerful monsters will not harm you unless you strike first. So as long as you do not go starting trouble, the trek across it should be quite safe. In addition, to the North-East, beyond the marsh, there's a village." I say as I pick up the still unconscious Saburomaru and Jiromaru.
"You're just leaving us here to fend for ourselves? What of my husband?!" I understand her grief, but I'm honestly impressed at her inability to understand they still live because of my mercy. Let's drive the point home, then. Activating Royal Presence, the suppressing aura of power that now radiates off of me knocks the humanoids to their knees.
"Let me make one thing perfectly clear. You stand before the Great Monarch, ruler of monsters. You're still alive because I have a fondness for humanoids. I am sorry about your husband, but it was his own fault, and at the very least I spared your lives." I try my best to emulate the cold indifference that Shadow is so adept at, but I'm unsure if I succeeded.
"Y-Yes, Your Highness... Thank You, Your Highness..." The young woman whispers through trembling lips and gritted teeth. I cancel Royal Presence, and fly off with the Saburomaru and Jiromaru in the direction of the Lizardmen village.
"Wow, quite impressive. I'm proud!"
Ugh. I still feel bad for leaving them there, but honestly that's the best I could do for them. Who even goes around picking fights with something that barely even reacts to your presence?
"I'm more worried that we didn't spot them coming into our Domain."
I'm not. It's so big now, getting reports every time a humanoid ventures into it would drive me insane. Besides, the ocean's right at the border of it.
"I suppose that makes sense. Besides, we've been real busy these last few hours. I'm guessing we're picking up those eggs when we drop of our love-doves?"
That was the plan. I know they're more of a salt-water type monster, but at the moment I need them away from those humanoids.
I touch down near the village, and several Lizardmen come to greet me, along with the Dragonewt. "Master! What a stunning change has come over the marsh!" They pause for a moment as they notice the unconscious Eastern Spirits I'm carrying. "New Servants?"
"No, they're the Gasts. Somehow wandered over to the ocean that's west of here, got attacked by humanoids and Evolved." I leave out the bit about them attacking me as well, due to the particular brand of loyalty the Dragonewt follows. "They're just out of SP. I'll leave some meat for them once they wake up, and once they're recovered they should be allowed to leave if they want to." I instruct.
"Affirmative!" The Dragonewt salutes as I unload the Lovers from my back and retrieve some Tri-Ant carcasses. "Oh, and I'll be taking the rest of the eggs with me." I add, bringing out a basket that one of the Gyger have woven. It's not perfect, the weave is quite uneven, but the holes aren't so big that the eggs would fall out.
"Of course! How fares the first one?" "She's almost fully grown. I should bring her over to visit once she's able to fly." An icy cold runs through me as I remember that I haven't given her her midday food.
Quickly gathering up the eggs, safely securing them by covering the basket in web, I make my way back to the grove.