Dead flora and barren earth gave way to lush greenery and fertile soil as Alistair's party finally exited the Badlands. They had encountered a few corrupted beasts, but they were not significantly slowed down. They had arrived at the border after a day and a half, just as Alistair predicted. The knight had informed Celestine about their newly acquired mounts and their new arrival time, so now they were to wait for the border patrol to meet up with them.

They unsaddled their horses, letting them graze at the edge of the forest for some fresh grass. Agro didn't stray too far from Alistair, the majestic mare always making sure the man was in sight. Said man leaned against a nearby tree, relaxed but ready to spring into action. Above him, Chloe lazed about the tree's branches, taking the moment to enjoy nature's beauty. Olga sat next to Alistair, a content smile on her face as her eyes closed in bliss.

"It has been too long," She said, "I had forgotten just how refreshing it is to feel such abundant natural energy. It reminds me of better, simpler times." She turned to Alistair, looking up to her warden with a nostalgic gaze, smiling warmly at him.

Alistair glanced down at Olga, catching her beaming in full. He felt heat rush to his cheeks, entranced by the Dark Elf's brilliant expression.

"Is that so?" He muttered.

Feeling the knight's gaze on her, Olga nodded. "I remember the times when Celestine, Alberich, and I would play in the Lucross Royal Gardens. We would always pretend to go on adventures, slaying great and legendary beasts: Celestine was an archbishop, I was a powerful sorceress, and Alberich was our knight in shining armor."

Alistair nodded along as he sifted through Alberich's memory of the event. "Hmm, according to Alberich's memories, you set King Oberon's lilies aflame after showing off your newly learned Firebolt spell."

"He remembers incorrectly." She denied almost instantly. "Such a thing never happened."

"Ah. I see," He said coolly. "Then I suppose him comforting you and taking the blame also never happened."

"… All right, so maybe it did happen."

Chloe tried to stifle her laughter in vain, small giggles escaping their eavesdropper from above. Both Alistair and Olga stared up at the blonde elf with amused looks.

"I'm sorry, milady," Chloe apologized, "But I could not help myself. I did not expect such a reaction from you."

"It's fine, Chloe." Olga replied. She turned to regard Alistair once more. "Speaking of magic, how is it that you were able to heal yourself, Alistair?"

"That's right," Chloe joined in. "We had thought you pegged for death back at the dungeon. Then, miraculously, you were healed by some sort of spell I've never seen before."

Alistair shifted slightly. "Miraculous… Yes, that was what he called it. A miracle called Great Heal."

The Dark Elves shared a look. "Who are you talking about?" Chloe asked.

"My ancestor, Albion," He answered them. "Through his memories, I was able to learn all of his spells: One of which included Great Heal."

"You've learned his entire spell arsenal!?" Olga asked, astonished by the claim.

Alistair nodded confirmation. "Not only his. I've also learned Alberich's and Alaric's as well."

"Their memories," Olga said in realization. "You've experienced their entire lifetimes, of course you would have knowledge of their spells!" Her eyes glinted with excitement. "Would you care to demonstrate some for me?"

Alistair contemplated her request for a moment, then nodded. "I suppose. It will be a good opportunity to test some of them, at the very least."

The brunette stood up, positively giddy as she pulled Alistair away from his resting spot; Chloe hopping down from her spot to join them. The knight allowed himself to be pulled into the open plains where the horses fed. Satisfied with their clearance space. Olga let Alistair go and turned to face him.

"Let's start off with a few simple ones. Alberich favored spells that improved his combat abilities rather than damaging ones. I believe he often used Sacred Oath and Blessed Weapon: The former improved his physical endurance and strength, while the latter imbued his weapon with holy energy; increasing its damaging capabilities and granting its wielder a small regeneration factor. Relatively easy spells, if I do say so myself. Surely if you can cast Great Heal, then you can cast those two."

"Is that so…" Alistair muttered quietly. He closed his eyes as he called upon the memories of his oldest ancestor. Various memories came to the fore of Alberich casting the miracles, often just before engaging in battle. Though the recollections were not his own, his body was tricked into believing they were. Muscle memory took over, and Alistair was soon mimicking his ancestor's movements; raising his poleaxe into the air as he began with Sacred Oath.

He felt something—he assumed it was mana—circulate throughout his body as a small runic circle appeared beneath him. Golden energy rose from the circle, twirling around him from the bottom up. The familiar weight of his armor disappeared, the knight feeling his muscles bulging slightly underneath the fabric of his garments.

An inquisitive "Hmm?" left him as Olga gently grabbed his raised arm and coiled herself around it. She gave him a teasing look, bordering on seductive as she then lifted herself off the ground, bearing her full weight down on the appendage. To Alistair's surprise, his arm barely budged: It was very much like a child was hanging off his arm, and not a fully-grown woman.

Content for now, Olga released him, dropping back down to the ground. She gave his arm a squeeze, smiling at the firmness she felt before letting go. "Very nice, Alistair. Very nice indeed." She looked over to her fellow elf. "Would you like to try, Chloe?"

The blonde flushed, averting her gaze as she nodded. Being significantly more dexterous than the royal, Chloe managed to balance herself atop his arm, standing to her full height. Again, his arm barely moved under her weight, and Alistair still felt comfortable holding her up for an extended period of time.

"Enjoying yourself?" He asked, looking up at her. Now that Chloe was so close, Alistair couldn't help but examine her body in-depth. She was lithe and lean, muscular but still supple. Her exposed navel revealed a slight six-pack. His eyes trailed up to her modest bust, barely covered by her strange and rather skimpy top. He wondered if they would be firmer and perter than Olga's, due to her more athletic build.

Chloe was going to respond but suddenly felt an urge to cover herself as a wave of self-consciousness washed over her. The Dark Elf looked down at the knight, seeing him stare up at her and quickly flustered. She wrapped her arms around her chest abruptly, the action throwing off her balance. She tried to correct herself to no avail, and soon began to fall. She closed her eyes, fully expecting to hit the ground.

Instead, she felt strong arms catch her in a bridal carry. Chloe opened her eyes and was met with the sight of Alistair's battered helm. She could feel his worried gaze on her, and she couldn't help but blush.

"Are you all right?" Alistair asked her. Chloe nodded silently, quickly scurrying away to Olga's side once the knight set her down; the brunette giggling softly at her servant's embarrassment. Alistair's confused gaze lingered on Chloe's retreating form for a moment before bringing it down to stare at his poleaxe. It was time for Blessed Weapon.

He ran his left hand down the length of the polearm, mana pooling at his palm. It coated the poleaxe in a bright white energy that lingered even after he pulled away his hand. Removing his gauntlet, he made a shallow cut against his exposed palm using the blade of his weapon. The wound bled slightly, but was slowly mended the by the magic within the polearm. He looked over to Olga, who nodded in satisfaction.

"Well done," She praised, "How are you feeling? Do you feel tired at all?"

The knight took a moment to appraise his current status before shaking his head. "No. I feel completely fine."

Olga raised a brow in surprise. "Really? I would have expected at least some minor drain after casting both spells, at least from a novice spellcaster such as yourself. I suppose you must have a large well of mana to draw from. Fitting, considering your heritage."

Chloe stared at the glowing polearm with fascination. "How long do these enhancement spells last?"

"I don't remember them lasting longer than an hour each," Olga replied

"Let's move on to a proper combat spell. One of Alaric's favorite spells was Lightning Spear: A spell that creates a bolt of lightning in the caster's hand that can then be hurled at the enemy. He held such a degree of mastery over the spell that he improved and strengthened it, creating the stronger Sunlight Spear. Let's try to keep it to the Lightning Spear, though, if you can."

The knight grunted, sifting through the memories of his ancestor for the miracle. His mind flashed white as one jumped out at him.

-]|[-

Alaric stared up at the towering drake, watching it take to the skies with a flap of its mighty wings. It roared tauntingly at him, seemingly untouchable in the air. Utilizing its aerial advantage, the drake let loose a torrent of fire down on the man. He stood unflinching against the flames, raising his enchanted shield to part the drake's fire breath to the sides. Unable to sustain its attack, the drake ceased its flame-spewing to take in more air, allowing him to retaliate.

He reared his arm back, electricity surging in his palm as his mana fed into the spell. The errant, chaotic branches of lightning coalesced into the shape of a javelin. The bolt of lightning grew hotter and brighter as he pumped more mana into the miracle, becoming a blinding gold as it reached its peak power. With a ferocious cry, he hurled his Sunlight Spear; the spell crossing the distance between him and the drake almost instantaneously.

The bolt of plasma melted through the drake's resilient scales and embedded itself into the creature's heart, cooking flesh and evaporating the blood within. The drake began careening down to earth once more, crashing down and causing small tremors on impact.

-]|[-

Before he knew it, Alistair was already copying Alaric's movements. Feeling the pull of mana into his palm, Alistair watched as a javelin of magical plasma formed in his hand. It crackled and sparked, his control over the spell not quite as refined as Alaric's. Unable to hold the bolt any longer, Alistair threw it into the sky. The spell parted the clouds it passed through as the smell of ozone spread throughout the area.

"Unbelievable…" Olga whispered in awe. "Sunlight Spear, on your first try…"

Chloe clapped excitedly, having very much enjoyed the spectacle. "That was amazing!"

"Incredibilis…" Alistair panted quietly, looking back and forth between the parted clouds and his hand. A sense of euphoria washed over him, the knight feeling galvanized despite the slight drain from the spell. 'So that's what casting magic is like,' he thought, 'I can see why magic casters always toss themselves into the study of arcane arts: Being able to hold such power at your beck and call is an addicting sensation.'

The fatigue he felt from casting the spell was some strange mix of physical and mental fatigue. He had experienced worse on both extremes, however, so for now it was nothing he couldn't handle. Still, he doubted he could withstand using Sunlight Spear more than a few more times without becoming completely exhausted.

He turned to Olga. "Is there anything else you'd like to see?"

His words snapped the Dark Elf Queen out of her star-struck stare. She took a moment to compose herself before replying, "Yes, one last spell; or, rather, bloodline ability: Lifehunt."

"Lifehunt… The ability that made the gods so weary of Crossbreed Priscilla?"

Olga nodded. "Only her direct descendants are able to wield that power. Albion went to great lengths to master the ability, becoming rather notorious for his use of it."

"What exactly does Lifehunt do that makes the ability so feared?"

"On mortal enemies, it curses them with hemophilia, causing wounds that will almost never stop bleeding. However, its most powerful and dreaded aspect is its ability to imbibe the life essence of its victims, sapping their strength and turning it into your own. One with the power of Lifehunt may very well be able to steal a god's divinity. Is that not a terrifying thought?"

"I suppose it is," He admitted with a nod, "Then, I shall have to take great care in using it."

Alistair dove into Albion's memories this time, quickly coming across several instances of Lifehunt's use. In a similar manner to how he cast Blessed Weapon, the knight ran his hand down the length of his poleaxe. The white light of Blessed Weapon was removed, his polearm becoming nearly transparent—almost spectral—while frost encased random spots of it. A cold mist began to leak off the weapon, chilling the air around it.

As soon as the effect began, Alistair collapsed on a knee, panting as if he just ran a marathon. Both Olga and Chloe rushed to his side with concern etched on their faces. Even Agro, who watched from afar, swiftly trotted up to her rider.

"Alistair!" Chloe shouted. "Are you all right? What happened?"

He felt like he was about to vomit, so he didn't verbally respond. The knight managed to shake his head, feeling sweat drip from his brow. His vision was spotted with black dots and his head throbbed fiercely. 'What's happening to me?'

Olga quickly recognized his symptoms, cursing under her breath. She turned to Chloe with a calm gaze. "He's suffering from mana exhaustion. Quickly, help me move him onto the horse. Alistair, make sure you don't let go of your weapon: Its imbuement will dispel, and you'll be stuck like this for the rest of the day."

Alistair managed a weak nod, weakly climbing onto Agro's back with the Dark Elves' assistance; wrapping his left arm around the mare's neck. Agro made sure not to jostle him too much as Olga directed them back to the tree-line.

Olga had them stop in front of one of the larger trees and had Chloe help the knight off his steed. Chloe had to stand behind Alistair to brace him, as he struggled to stay on his feet with his own power. Olga slapped her palm against the trunk of the tree, looking directly into Alistair's eyes.

"Strike this tree with your weapon," She commanded him, "Take its life essence for your own!"

Alistair grunted softly, shakily raising his poleaxe into the air. He let gravity swing it down for him, the bladed head of his weapon burying an inch into the tree's trunk. Sap began to leak out from the cut almost instantly, and, to Alistair's surprise, he began to feel much better. In fact, as more time passed, he began to feel even better than he had this morning.

His vision clear once more, he turned his eyes to the tree he struck. The bark around the cut he made was blackened, almost rotting, as copious amounts of sap poured out of the wound. The rot began to spread, soon decaying even the tree's extremities: The tree visibly began to wither, its leaves quickly losing their lush green color and turning a crisp brown, and easily detaching from the branches as a gentle breeze blew through them.

They all stared in grim fascination as the large tree that once stood proud and healthy wither and die in a matter of mere minutes. Now able to stand on his own power, Alistair stepped away from Chloe's hold; the blonde finding herself slightly missing the contact. The knight wrenched his poleaxe from the deadwood, finding that the residual sap was actually being absorbed into the frosted polearm. As the last of the sap was consumed, the weapon lost its spectral, chilling aura; becoming a normal weapon once more. He tentatively ran a finger along the bevel of the axe head, the appendage gliding smoothly across the metal and not feeling any residual cold and stickiness.

He turned to Olga with an inquisitive gaze. "That feeling of absolute exhaustion… I've not felt such a thing in years. What caused it?"

"Mana exhaustion," Olga explained," A very debilitating state caused by overdrawing from one's mana pool. Your body will begin to shut down and enter a comatose state to try and replenish its mana. I hadn't thought that casting Lifehunt would bring you to that point. I should have expected such a powerful ability to have an equally exorbitant cost."

"How did Albion make it look so easy?" Alistair muttered under his breath, thinking back to the countless memories he had of his ancestor.

Superior Elven hearing heard his words, Olga reassured the knight. "Albion's divine-draconic heritage flowed strongly within his veins; you merely have the lingering vestiges of it. Your blood is not as pure as his was, so it would make sense that your base abilities would not match his, even if you do have his memories."

"I see…" The knight was slightly disappointed but agreed with her logical reasoning: Even if he had the muscle memory of his ancestors, he did not possess their bodies; bodies that they spent years honing and training to perform powerful techniques far beyond his usual scope.

The Dark Elves' ears perked as they looked beyond the horizon, prompting Alistair to follow their gazes as well. In the distance, a platoon of men in silver armor rode towards the tree-line; the soft thumping of hooves and the slight clank of meta reaching a crescendo as they drew closer. The banner and sigil of the Seven Shield Alliance flew high above them.

Chloe's lips thinned, a pensive expression on her face. She had to fight the instinctive urge to draw her blade against the oncoming Alliance soldiers, her hands gripped tightly at her sides. Olga was better at hiding her grudges, merely narrowing her eyes, but otherwise maintaining a neutral look. Agro whinnied loudly, calling the other two horses back to their party in preparation for the newcomers. Alistair stepped forward to meet the troop, recognizing their lead rider.

"Hello, Knight-Commander Levantine," Alistair greeted with a slight bow of his head, "It is good to see you in good health."

Claudia looked down upon the knight's battered form and grimaced slightly. "I wish I could say the same, Sir Alistair. Your armor has seen better days."

"My armor is damaged, but I am not. I assure you." His tone became inquisitive. "I'm surprised to see you here. Are you here at Queen Lucross's personal request?"

The fair-skinned woman nodded. "That is part of the reason, yes. Our Queen wanted to ensure your safe return once you passed into our borders."

"And the other reason?"

She turned her gaze towards the Dark Elves with a tense expression. "Your prisoners are very high-value targets. I wanted to make sure they were taken into custody under my own supervision."

"Is that so?"

"Even if Queen Lucross has yet to decide a punishment for them, Olga Discordia is ultimately responsible for thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of human deaths; both civilian and military. If not punishment, then there must be some sort of reparations." Claudia's hardened stare locked with the Dark Elves behind him. "And I intend to collect."

Olga rolled her eyes, placing a hand on Chloe's shoulder to calm the blonde; who glowered at the Princess Knight. "Posture and threaten us all you want, but it is ultimately Celestine's decision to determine our fate. Honestly, I dread to think what would happen if such an aggressive, brutish race such as yours lived any longer than you already do."

Claudia grit her teeth, not rising to the bait. She turned back to Alistair. "Saddle your horses and follow us. If all goes well, we'll be back in Ken by tomorrow morning."

-]|[-

The journey back to the City Fortress of Ken was quick and uneventful, if not a bit intense. Alistair's companions were often the targets of scathing glares and hushed insults, even if the Dark Elves never acknowledged them beyond trivial annoyances: "It's as if a dozen babies were crying at once and their mothers did nothing to calm them," or so Olga told him.

Claudia had kept him abreast of the Black Dog situation. Celestine had passed along his warnings to the rest of the Princess Knights, who've agreed to hold a conference in Ken to discuss the betrayal in full detail. Olga and Chloe's fate would be determined there.

They finally arrived at their destination around noon, slightly behind schedule. The Dark Elves were given hooded cloaks to help mask their identities from the commonfolk, so as to prevent a potential mob from forming. Their retinue passed through the gates unchallenged, the guards instantly recognizing Claudia and allowing them easy entry. They continued on to the White Citadel, where the conference was being held.

The party stopped at the royal stables to drop off their horses before moving on the castle interior. Many of the stable boys' jaws dropped at the sight of Agro, for they had never seen such a beautiful horse before. Alistair dismounted the mare, affectionately petting her flank as he handed her reigns over to one of the stable boys. Agro snorted softly as she was led away from the knight.

Most of the retinue dispersed after dropping off their mounts, leaving only Alistair's party and Claudia left. She led them through the castle doors, navigating through the interior and eventually stopping in front of a set of white double-doors; flanked by two guards. They saluted their knight-commander, pushing open the doors for their entourage and revealing the room within.

Sat at a round table in the center of the room were Celestine and the rest of the Princess Knights. To Celestine's right sat a fair-skinned girl with waist-length blonde hair and blueish-purple eyes. She seemed to be in her late teens. Her hair was accessorized by a white hairband and hair clips. She wore plate armor that covered her limbs and hips, with a blue dress that covered her torso—though it left her navel exposed—and ended with a ruffled white skirt. She held an air of gallant ferocity, like a young warrior eager for a fight.

She was Alicia Arcturus, the Knight of Iris, and the only child of King Eos.

Next to her was a girl who looked to be of a similar age to the blonde, if not a few years her junior. Long, wavy, pink hair fell cascaded down her back; decorated with a golden ornament tied to her hair with red ribbons. Her pale-white skin brought out her big, blue eyes. Along with her round, cherub-like face; and elegant white dress, she very much looked the part of a princess.

Her name was Prim Fiorire, Alicia's younger cousin.

The next Princess Knight sat in stark contrast to Prim. The woman seemed to be in her early twenties, yet carried herself with the air of a seasoned veteran. She had short rose-red hair and angry amber eyes. She was dressed in a form-fitting red jacket with a furred collar—Alistair couldn't help but notice how her breasts strained against the fabric and threatened to spill out— and blue jeans with knee-high leather boots. Everything about the woman screamed 'rogue'.

The woman's name was Maia, the Queen of Mercenaries.

Beside her was the smallest of the Princess Knights, and the one most easily confused for the youngest based on her stature. In reality, she was among the oldest of the group, only beat out by Celestine and her elven longevity. This woman was a Halfling, an all-female race that only developed to the size of a human child. Orange hair fell no lower than her neck, all but her sidelocks and bangs being stylized into ringlets. Her outfit consisted of a two-piece set of leather armor with fur trim, white stockings and elbow-length gloves, a forest green mantle, and a large green hat—the last two garments each had twin fur puffballs dangling from red ribbons. Her vibrant maroon eyes belied an unspeakable amount of intellect.

Her name was Lulu, leader of the Halflings.

Finally, sat to Celestine's left, was the last of the Princess Knights. She was the most exotic of the humans, hailing from the Far Eastern lands of Eostia. Short black hair fell to the base of her neck, contrasting nicely with her pale skin and red eyes. She was dressed in a red kosode— tied just under her bust to expose her slim stomach—and a long pink skirt; with a coiled white cloth fastening it to her waist. The woman's head was topped with a large, regal ornament; and a long, translucent shawl was draped over her shoulders. She possessed an air of serenity and grace, matching the calm expression on her face.

She was the Shrine Maiden Kaguya.

These women, alongside Celestine and Claudia, made up the Princess Knights, the seven leaders of the Seven Shield Alliance.

"Ah, Claudia, Sir Alistair," Celestine greeted them with a smile, "I am glad that you have arrived back safely. And Queen Discordia, Chloe," The High Elf's gaze shifted to the Dark Elves, her smile taking on a nostalgic aspect as she looked upon Olga's form. "Let me be the first to welcome you to into the White Citadel." She gestured to an open chair at her left, between her and Kaguya. "Please, take a seat."

Chloe pulled out the chair for her liege, waiting until Olga was sat comfortably before pushing it in again. The roguish Dark Elf stood at her queen's right, returning the glares sent by some of the Princess Knights. Alistair walked past Chloe, subtly brushing his fingers against Chloe tightened fists as he moved to stand at Celestine's side. Chloe relaxed slightly, her hostile expression turning to one of stoicism to match Olga's.

Claudia took the open seat between Alicia and Celestine, her steely countenance softened somewhat by the familiar faces around her. Alistair himself received a few curious looks from the women at the table. He maintained a relaxed stance, though he was wary of the hostile looks sent at the Dark Elves.

Celestine clapped her hands together, gathering everyone's attention. "Now that we are all here, let me introduce you all to my newest knight: Sir Alistair Aquila."

Both Alicia and Prim let out a small gasp at his surname. "That hedge knight is an Aquila!?" Alicia shouted in surprise, her thoughts flowing directly from brain to mouth.

All eyes turned to her in shock, and in the case of the Elves—including even Celestine—scathing glares. Alicia's eyes widened horror, realizing what she just said before shrinking in on herself in embarrassment. "A-Ah, forgive my outburst, Sir Alistair. I-"

Alistair raised a hand to stop her. "It is fine. I admit, I do not particularly cut the most dashing figure in my current state."

His words eased the young woman slightly, Alicia sighing in relief for being let off so easily.

"As I was saying," Celestine continued, "Sir Alistair is a former member of the Black Dog Mercenaries, serving under them since the Battle of Ostagoth. He is the reason why Queen Discordia stands before us today. Sir Alistair, if you could give them a personal account of what happened since your knighting?"

Alistair nodded before giving them a summary of what happened. "Roughly three weeks ago, I was tasked with the capture of Olga Discordia, who was to be returned to the City Fortress of Ken unharmed. I traveled with the Black Dogs and laid siege to the Black Citadel, swiftly capturing the stronghold due to severely lacking garrison force. There, Queen Olga Discordia and her attendant Chloe surrendered themselves into my custody. We occupied the Black Citadel for a period of time, both to loot the fortress and to rest and allow our wounded to heal. However, during that time, Vult had begun to recruit whatever demons that they came across into the company."

A fist slammed into the table, cutting off Alistair and drawing attention to its owner. Maia scowled at the knight as she pointed an accusatory finger at him. "You're lying! Vult would never recruit demons into the Black Dogs!"

"Maia!" Claudia shouted. "Restrain yourself! Let Sir Alistair finish before you pass judgment!"

Growling slightly, Maia acquiesced to Claudia's order and lowered her arm. Alistair waited for Celestine to nod before continuing.

"When I had confronted Vult about our prolonged stay, he told me of his plans to form a new country, using the Black Citadel as his stronghold. He would bolster his forces with demonic might and wage war on the Seven Shield Alliance. He wanted to establish a Sex Empire, where men dominated the women and forced them to do whatever the men wished. Vult would plunge Eostia into an era of debauchery because he believes that men should be the sovereign authority, and not women.

"He had invited me to join him, and I accepted, though only because I intended to escape with Queen Discordia and Chloe afterwards. Vult tested my loyalty by having me beat into submission by an orc, hence the current state of my armor. Despite my injuries, I was still able to escape with the Dark Elves and meet up with Knight-Commander Levantine. We arrived back in Ken earlier this afternoon, and now we stand here before you."

"Are you finished?" Maia asked tersely, her arms crossed impatiently. "Because I won't listen to another word of your tripe. Do you even listen to yourself? Your bullshit story has you painted as the heroic victim while a true hero is demonized!"

"Because he is no better than a demon." Alistair replied simply.

Maia jumped out of her seat, absolutely livid at his words. "Say that again, you bastard! I dare you!"

"Vult is no better than a demon. None of the Black Dogs are."

Maia lunged at the knight from her spot at the table. Or, at least attempted to. Lulu quickly pinned the taller woman to the table, holding her arms behind her back.

"For such a seasoned warrior, you sure let your emotions get the best of you." Lulu said derisively. The smaller woman had no trouble restraining Maia despite their size difference: A testament to the Halfling's monstrous strength.

Maia struggled to escape Lulu's grip, attempting to squirm closer to Alistair. "Let me go Lulu! This bastard has it coming to him!"

Claudia stood from her seat, incensed by the redhead's attempted assault. "This is unacceptable behavior! We know that you once served under Vult as well, but do not let your nostalgia blind you!"

"Then what about Celestine?" Maia shouted. "She shows such favor to this man who just happens to share a name with a dead noble house! Do you not see the hypocrisy here? How can you all so easily trust his word when he is so obviously seeking to make a name for himself?"

Chloe slammed her hands on the table, glaring at the Queen of Mercenaries. "Alistair is a more honorable man than your precious Vult could ever hope to be! He tells nothing but the truth! You weren't there, you didn't see how close to death he was, the lengths he went through to protect Lady Olga and me!"

"Having you defend him does nothing for his credibility, Dark Elf!" Maia spat heatedly. "If anything, it only proves my point! Do you all not see how readily she defends him? Last time I checked, all Dark Elves hated humans with a passion! Does this not prove that he is not to be trusted? This is all some ploy to get us to turn on each other."

"That is enough." Celestine stated decisively, her visage adopting a cold demeanor. The High Elf's authoritative voice forced everyone's attention on her, all of them startled by the harshness of her tone. Lulu released Maia and returned to her seat. Celestine trained her eyes on the mercenary, the Princess Knight quailing under the High Queen's gaze.

"Maia, given your past history with Vult and the Black Dogs, I knew this news would be hard for you to accept. That's why I procured this in advance."

With a snap of her fingers, a hexagonal mirror floated away from the wall behind her, coming to a stop at the center of the table and revealing its double-sided nature. Celestine turned to Alistair and place a hand on his helmeted head.

"Sir Alistair, please try to remember everything that you've just told us. It will be projected on the mirror and allow us to experience what you experienced. This will prove the truth of your words."

Alistair did as she asked, recalling everything from the start of his knighthood, omitting only the parts that dealt with his power of recollection. Celestine's hand glowed softly, coming away from the knight's head with a small orb of ethereal energy. She placed the orb against the glass of the mirror, everyone watching in fascination as the mirror absorbed the orb greedily and began to glow with a similar energy. Then, images began to move across the glass, sound accompanying them as Alistair's memories were played for all to see.

Most of the audience was enthralled by events that danced across the screen, gaining a newfound respect for Alistair's combat prowess as they experienced the battles and fights he was a part of. When it came to Vult's confession, almost all the women gained furious and dark expressions. The sole exception Maia, who could only stare slack-jawed as her hero and love revealed his true colors. The beating that followed caused the Elves to grit their teeth as their hate for Vult turned into absolute loathing.

The images faded as Alistair's memories came to an end. Maia fell back into her seat, her face frozen in an expression of shock as she was forced to accept the truth: That her former commander was now their enemy. "I… No, but… Vult?"

Chloe took on a cruel smile. "Hmph, perhaps you should choose your heroes better."

Maia didn't reply, her mind racing with too many thoughts to even register the Dark Elf's words.

Celestine gathered everyone's attention once more. "Now that we have irrefutable proof of the Black Dogs' treason, we must prepare for battle once again."

"How horrible," Prim said sadly, "Another war, so soon after the last."

Alicia gave Prim's shoulder a comforting squeeze. "Don't worry Prim. We'll end this war swiftly. It won't take centuries like the last, I promise."

Lulu grinned with barely restrained excitement. "I can't wait! I barely got to do any fighting in the last war!"

"I believe there must be something that must be addressed before we think of battle plans." Kaguya said stoically. The shrine maiden stared at the Dark Elves present in the room with silent contempt. Olga remained nonplussed, meeting Kaguya's gaze with her own quiet disdain.

"She's right," Claudia agreed, "We cannot afford to leave any loose ends. Olga Discordia's punishment must be determined here and now."

"She should be burned at the stake, like the witch she is." Alicia stated heatedly.

"I know of pre-battle rituals that require a live sacrifice." Kaguya offered.

"Impale her on a spike for all I care." Maia said in a hollow voice.

Prim seemed more nauseous with each idea. "Can… Can we not just imprison her for life?"

Alicia turned to her cousin with a stern face. "Countless lives have been lost due to Discordia's grudge against humanity. She has to face the consequences, Prim. Surely you understand that?"

A sullen look fell over Prim's face. "I do, but… "

Celestine closed her eyes, unable to bear looking upon her childhood friend as her comrades discussed her execution. Chloe seemed distressed, wanting to say something in defense but knowing that her opinion would not matter. Olga, for her part, kept a neutral expression. She had figured that this would come to pass, but it was better than whatever fate she would experience at Vult's hands.

"Enlist her help."

All turned to the sole man in the room with looks of curiosity and incredulity. When no one responded to him, Alistair explained his reasoning.

"Queen Discordia would be of better use to us alive than dead. As the former ruler of the Badlands and the Black Citadel, her knowledge of the land and the Citadel's defenses would be an invaluable asset to any offensive excursion we may launch. Additionally, her knowledge of the demons that formerly served her would help us better prepare our troops for general conflict against Vult's forces."

"You can't possibly be serious!" Alicia shouted angrily. "This woman has caused humanity untold suffering for centuries! Where's the justice in letting her live?"

"Where's the justice for those endangered by this current threat?" Alistair countered smoothly. "We can't change what happened to those who have already perished. We cannot save them. Willingly reducing our ability to combat Vult's ambitions for the sake of past grudges is not only illogical, it is unfair for the people who stand to suffer now."

His argument silenced the blonde knight, who gritted her teeth in a seething rage. Prim took one of Alicia's hands into her own, attempting to soothe her cousin. It seemed to work, Alicia relaxing her tightened fists and jaw ever so slightly.

The Elves gave Alistair thankful looks and smiles, very glad that the knight had defended Olga so fiercely.

"… He has a point," Lulu said after a moment. "What's the point of not using every resource we have to our advantage? Sounds pretty stupid if you think about it."

Claudia hung her head as she too nodded, albeit reluctantly. "As loathe as I am to admit it, Sir Alistair is right. Our duty is to protect the people who live today and not those that lived in centuries past."

"Hmm… Fine." Kaguya relented, her stoic expression never once changing.

"Sure, whatever." Maia said non-committedly.

Celestine turned to the Dark Elves. "What say you, Olga? Will you aid us?"

Olga scoffed, flipping some stray hair behind her ear. "It's not as if I have much of a choice. If I refuse, I either die or wallow away in some prison." There was a vindictive glint in her eyes as she continued. "Though I would be glad to turn those filthy mercenaries into cinders and ash."

"Then we are all in agreement?" Celestine asked, scanning the room for opposition and finding none. She gave a satisfied nod. "Good. Then we can begin to strategize."

"We have the numerical advantage," Alicia stated, "I propose we march the armies of Feoh, Ur, and Rad to the Black Citadel and end this in one fell swoop."

"Swift, efficient, and brutal," Lulu grinned, "I like it."

"It will not be that easy." Alistair said, the Dark Elves nodding at his words.

The Princess Knights looked perplexed. "What do you mean, Sir Alistair?" Claudia asked.

"The only reason why the Black Citadel fell in the first place was because it was severely undermanned. Now that the largest mercenary company in all of Eostia occupies it, along with the might of Vult's newly acquired demonic horde, it will require the forces of at least five of the City Fortresses to have any hope of penetrating their defenses. It would be a prolonged siege, long enough for whatever hidden Black Dog cells they may have to strike at the undefended fortresses."

"More traitors…" Alicia seethed at the thought.

Claudia's brow furrowed in thought. "We'll need to do a complete sweep of our security detail and personnel for any double agents and spies."

"So what, we just wait for them to make the first move?" Lulu frowned.

Alistair nodded. "Exactly. As Claudia suggested, we must root out any spies and turncoats from our midst. Additionally, we'll need to bolster our own forces and defenses. We cannot afford to be caught unawares by Vult's scheming."

"But who would ever subscribe to such a heinous ideology?" Prim questioned. Her words gave Alistair pause.

"Cui bono… "Alistair muttered. He was silent for a moment. "… Men. Ambitious, lustful men. Maybe even women. Those who wish to increase their standing in society or lusts after any women of notable status and prestige. Perhaps even a combination of both."

"So, basically, suspect every straight male," Maia said sarcastically. "That's so very helpful, Sir Obvious."

"I'm glad you think so."

"That's not-! You know what? Forget it."

"Sir Alistair is correct," Celestine said, "Vult has proven that even our most vaunted heroes may be our enemies, so we must hold our most trusted advisors suspect as well."

All the Princess Knights nodded at their leader's words, taking them to heart with sullen expressions. Celestine gave them a moment to gather their thoughts before continuing.

"Since I received this information before this meeting, I've already taken steps to reinforce Ken's defenses. Additionally, I've ordered my people to begin construction of a 'Gate' that will link all the fortresses to one another. With it, we'll be able to easily transport troops and supplies in case one ever comes under siege."

Olga gave her counterpart an inquisitive look. "Making a permanent Gate spell is a massive undertaking in of itself, let alone making it large enough for entire convoys to travel to and fro. The mana consumption would be astronomical."

"That's why we'll be using the Sunlight Stones to power them."

The Dark Elf's eyes widened. "The Sunlight Stones, of course!"

"What are the Sunlight Stones?" Alistair asked.

"They are crystals that gather the energy of the sun and convert it into mana," Celestine explained, "They were the prized treasure of the fallen kingdom of Astora. I've managed to collect a large amount of them over the centuries. If all goes according to plan, there will be a Gate in every City Fortress in half a year's time. I have also authorized the production of several small Gates for all of you as well. The personal Gates will be completed in about a month."

"I can supply construction materials and workers for a discounted cost," Lulu offered. "We need to get those Gates up as soon as possible."

"Thank you, Lulu. That is everything I wished to share. If no one else wishes to say anything, then I will conclude this conference. You are all dismissed."

The rest of the Princess Knights bowed their heads and exited the room, leaving only the Elves and Alistair. Celestine breathed a sigh of relief, finally able to relax.

"Thank goodness everything was resolved peacefully." The High Elf turned to her knight. "You are truly a godsend Alistair. It is thanks to you that this was all possible."

"I'm glad to be of service, Your Highness."

Celestine frowned. "You do not need to address me so formally Alistair. When it is just us, I want you to call me Celestine, like you do Olga."

Olga smirked at the blonde. "Oh? Are you jealous of our familiarity?"

Celestine's cheeks flushed pink. "N-No! I-I merely feel like there is no need for such formalities between us. He has become more than a subordinate to me."

"Is that so?" Alistair queried in his usual way.

"Yes. It is just as old times, Alistair. When House Aquila stood at my side."

Olga harrumphed, crossing her arms. "You still haven't seen his face." She pointed out. "How can you claim such a thing when you don't even know what Alistair looks like?"

Her words caused Celestine to pout childishly. She stared up at Alistair, a pleading look in her eyes.

"… As you wish." Alistair sighed, obeying the silent order as he began to unstrap his helm. Celestine watched with bated breath as her knight's visage was finally unveiled to her. Her eyes widened and her breath stilled, completely shell-shocked as a familiar face stared back at her.

"Are you satisfied, Celestine?" He asked her.

The High Elf did not reply, instead reaching her hands up to cup his cheeks. She could not tear her gaze away, feeling her heart about to beat out her chest.

'It… It really can't be…'

She raised herself on her tiptoes to get a closer look.

'No, not close enough.'

Celestine gently pulled him down further…

'Alberich… I've missed you…'

And took his lips into hers.

-]|[-

Hey there guys! How's it going?

Kinda disappointed with this chapter, not gonna lie. I feel like nothing really happened besides a recap.

But hey, finally, some romance!

No Codex Entry this time, since no new ancestors were introduced.

Translations:

"Incredibilis." – "Incredible."

"Cui bono?" – "Who benefits?"

Just a reminder to follow the story if you want to be notified of an update! I don't update on a regular schedule, so I imagine it would be more convenient to get an email than to just check every day XD