The Grand Catastrophe

…

The enemy was routed. Their king was dead. The day was saved, also something else came up that was more important.

Neia’s blush didn’t fade as they rode down the hill that they stood upon. In fact, it got worse as they went. First her cheeks heated up, then her neck and chest. She took a breath as she looked down at the earth. Shizu was looking at her the whole time she did so, and then placed another sticker on her cheek.

Neia just sighed, and shook her head as she then looked forward. Shizu did as well. Calvaria just trotted behind them atop her horse. She seemed strangely happy. Why, Neia didn’t really understand. Though, a voice at the back of her head kept saying she did.

Sooner rather than later, they got down to the bottom of the hill. There, at the bottom, was standing the holy queen and her two right hand women. Kelart seemed rather happy at the fact that the siege had been broken, as the demi-humans had run away from the battle as the king had died.

Remedios was pissed, to say the very least. Now, she was trying to hide it, and she did so well. Yet, Neia had better eyes than most, and she saw the strange twitching of the lip. She saw the idle anger in the gaze. It sent a shiver down her spine. So scared she was of the woman for that split second, that she didn’t realize she had forgotten to breath until Shizu patted her head.

She blinked, and looked at the girl. Her face was blank, but that blankness was tinged with the barest hint of worry. Neia felt the back of her mind flush again, like a warm breeze over one’s face.

“That was quite the shot,” was all Kelart said as Calca started speaking.

“Kelart is right, that was a rather impressive shot. I didn’t know that that bow was that good,” she said, and Calvaria nodded her head, as well as Shizu.

“Exactly, it was made using rune-craft. A rather old and powerful art from the dwarves,” Calvaria says in a deep and imposing voice, as if calling upon an ancient spell.

“Hm hm,” was all Shizu said.

Neia looked at the girl with a perplexed expression, not really understanding where she was getting at. In fact, she was getting somewhat tired of the day. The weight that she had on her shoulders now was stifling. Though, she was starting to understand why she had been picked for the role. She did get along with Shizu, and also Calvaria to a certain extent.

“Of course,” remedios continued, just as perplexed as her, now angry and perplexed, “Now we can fully enter the city. Surely, after a bit of rest, we can talk about other strategies?” she started, looking at her queen as she asked this.

“Yes let’s,” was all Holy Queen Calca said as she then whipped around and started briskly walking to the front gates as they opened.

Neia sighed as she then followed after Calvaria and Shizu as they went into the city itself. Now, she had seen what Lady Calvaria’s home was like. E-Rantel was much larger than this one. The walls were short for one. The gate opened from the side and retreated into the walls and ground in a strange arch pattern.

It was weird. She had only been here once, and that was when she was a kid. It was a strange place in all honesty. As she scanned the area beyond the gate that had yet to pass, she saw something, or someone with guards. Her mind stuttered for a second. It was the prince.

…

The Prince himself seemed to want to speak with the holy queen and the rest about rather important political matters. Neia was just glad she could sit down later. She had been riding a horse for the past three hours, and wanted off the animal.

She got her wish as they entered the inner city proper and were able to get to the manor. That was where several other squires took the horses from them after they got off, and took them to the stables. Neia sighed as she was led along with the rest of them up the stairs, and into the building proper.

Not even after the doors had closed the prince, Caspond was his name, turned around and spoke to them. Specifically, his sister. His voice was hearse, his frame thin-ish. He wasn't gaunt, yet he seemed stretched thin.

“Sister, we don’t have the materials to keep the army here. Even just a hundred more men could upset our entire food stores,” he said, and Calvaria and Calca sighed.

“I had predicted this,” Calvaria said, and rubbed her chin.

“Yes,” Calca said as she glanced over at the older woman, “yes you did. Now I’m just wondering where to get the food for the people from all the villages we need to take back will come from.”

“You could always buy them from Nazarick,” says Kelart, and Remedios looked utterly betrayed.

…

“Neia,” Shizu asks as they stand by the doors to the meeting room.

“Yes?” asks Neia as she stands guard, as she was asked to.

“What do you think about Lady Momonga?” the Automatan inquires, and Neia shifts on her feet.

Neia has never been the most pious woman. In fact, she had never even really thought about her faith for all that long. Yes, she believed in the four great gods, but with this war she may no longer.

After all, there was a goddess that had history that was coming. She had sent a champion to slay a demon that had declared war upon her home. Who was she to deny this? From what she had heard from the empire, she had power over death and life as well.

The more she lingered on it, the deeper into the abyss that was the religion and faith her thoughts lingered on. She looked at the girl besides her. She didn’t know what to say.

“I don’t know. I don’t really know what your faith says. I haven’t really read it. I probably should, knowing you are a creation of one of them and probably my only friend,” she said, and then she blinked.

“I didn’t mean to say that last part!” she yelled out, but not before Shizu smiled and placed yet a third sticker on her face; this one was on her forehead, if anyone was wondering.

“I like you too Neia,” was all the red-haired girl responded with before looking to the door as a loud bang resounded through the building.

…