-Five weeks before the attack on Anna village.

  "Did you send for me, Seventh Cardinal?"

  A man of medium height, with blond hair and a scar over his left eye asked, bowing before an older man dressed in a brown clerical habit and holding a golden cross in his hand.

  "You've finally arrived, Commander Bork! As the leader of my Crusader division, I must entrust you with a mission of the utmost importance..."

  The old man replied, addressing Bork.

  "Certainly, Cardinal! I will do anything in the name of the Theocracy of Reia!"

  He declared with a determined look, seeing the Cardinal approaching him. He was a fierce believer in their religion, so much so that he had become the commander of one of the twelve divisions serving the Cardinals. They were the leaders of the Theocracy of Reia and there were twelve of them in total, like the Gods who had founded that glorious state.

  "This artifact is one of the Theocracy's most powerful weapons. Use it well, Bork!"

  The elder handed him the golden cross. As soon as Bork touched it, his eyes took on a hue similar to the object's. He felt its enormous power coursing through his veins.

  "S-Seventh Cardinal! With all due respect, do you really think I'm worthy of such a gift? These objects were left to the Theocracy by the Gods!"

  The Cardinal nodded and returned to his desk, covered with parchment and loose papers.

  "What you say is true, Bork. These artifacts were left to us by the Gods hundreds of years ago. Using them to hunt a human would be a waste, but our task is to keep the Nexia Empire and the Ashen Kingdom locked in constant war so we can control them and prevent our true enemies, the Twelve Archdemons, from gaining control of such a vast area!"

  Bork clutched the cross in his hands and began to contemplate it in amazement, while listening to the Cardinal continue his rant.

  "Your mission is to eliminate the Empire's most powerful soldier, the Captain of the Fearless Vanguard and the Emperor's trusted friend: Gareth Stronghold! With him out of the way, the Empire will have to reform its beliefs, increasing hatred and fear of an invasion by the Kingdom. This will only make the noble class hang on our every word even more than they already do!"

  The old man moved his index finger up and down, as if he were a teacher who wanted to keep his students' attention.

  "Remember, Commander! This is an order from the Twelfth Cardinal! We cannot fail!"

  Bork's jaw dropped at the mention of the Twelfth Cardinal. Of all the Cardinals, he was the most important and influential, considered by the population to be the cornerstone of the state. If he succeeded in this mission, he would surely be richly rewarded.

  Maybe I could become part of the Scriptures of Discord.

  He shook his head, trying to regain control of his emotions. The idea of joining the Theocracy's flagship was certainly a daydream, but now he had to swallow his ambition and focus on the mission at hand.

  "Don't be afraid, Cardinal! That man is already dead!"

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  "Here are some more!"

  A large man in armor commented as he lifted a beam of burnt wood. The smell of ash was still strong even hours after the assault.

  It's amazing how peace in the Empire was destroyed so easily.

  The sturdy man thought as he helped another man out of the remains of his home.

  "Captain Gareth! Captain Gareth!"

  He turned and noticed his second-in-command, Petty Officer Peterson Blerk, approaching him. Peterson was a good boy, loyal and generous, but still quite inexperienced. The reason he held such a high position was solely because of his father’s connections, the Duke Sanderson Blerk.

  "Sir! Soldiers from the Ashen Kingdom have been spotted near the northeastern border! They could be heading towards the outskirts of Pit, or they could be targeting another village, Anna's being the most likely if they continue this way...What we do now?"

  Gareth, Commander of the Fearless Vanguard and Imperial Captain, sighed. He turned to gaze at the charred remains of the village, lost in thought.

  How did we get to this point? When I was a child, battles were fought on the field, in an orderly and predetermined manner, allowing both sides to organize and have a chance of victory. There were no attempts to harm the opponent through subterfuge or bandit attacks on border villages!

  He sighed again. There was nothing else he could do to calm his pounding heart.

  Perhaps that's how I saw it, but the reality may have always been different, and I'm the one who doesn't want to accept it. Whatever the case, as the Imperial Captain, I cannot allow more lives of innocent subjects of the Empire to be taken when it's possible to prevent it!

  After some thought, Gareth turned to his subordinate, ready to give further orders.

  "Petty Officer Peterson! Take a twenty-man escort and bring the survivors to the city of Arel! It's fortified, too difficult of a target to besiege without proper preparation and the right number of troops!"

  The Captain watched Peterson as he helped a man up and onto a horse with a soldier. When he had finished helping the poor man, the deputy turned to Gareth, staring at him with a strange look, half shocked, half amazed.

  "B-But Captain Gareth! It should be clear by now that the target of all this is you!"

  Peterson's words didn't surprise him. After all, it was strange that the leader of the Fearless Vanguard, the Empire's strongest soldier, would be entrusted with such a "mundane" mission. Although, when a mission involved saving a life, it was anything but mundane for Gareth.

  Upon reflection, it made sense that the Emperor would choose him. The Realm’s knights were well-trained and stronger than the Empire's standard conscripts. Gareth's troops were among the finest in the Imperial armies; it was only logical to send them. However, sending only seventy soldiers against an enemy of unknown numbers remained pure madness.

  For several decades, the Empire had always been divided into two ruling classes: the Imperial and the Aristocratic. Unfortunately, for historical and political reasons, the first one had always relied on the latter to maintain peace within its borders. Recent events, as well as some betrayals by important nobles, had led to the strengthening of the Imperial class, the one supporting the Emperor and to which Captain Gareth Stronghold belonged. It was to be expected that some members of the Aristocratic class would be frightened and would seek to boycott their political opponents.

  If I were to perish here, the Imperial class would lose its flagship, its star soldier, its symbol, and much of its political influence.

  Gareth reasoned, sighing. The Empire's nobles were nothing but idiots blinded by their thirst for power. If he died on that mission, the Aristocratic faction would be strengthened, but at the same time, the state's power as a whole would be severely weakened, given the loss of its most valiant soldier.

  "Petty Officer Peterson! When I was given this mission, and when I accepted it, I knew exactly what I was getting myself into!"

  He smiled at Peterson, then turned toward the rubble. Gareth hadn't accepted the mission; it had been entrusted to him by the Emperor, his protégé and faithful friend. He pointed toward a collapsed house in front of him and continued talking to his subordinate.

  "You see this? I cannot in good conscience allow this to continue. It would be like reneging on the oath I took when I was elected Captain of the Fearless Vanguard by His Majesty! You understand, don't you?"

  Gareth couldn't see Peterson's face, but he heard the man's footsteps getting closer.

  Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

  "Captain Gareth, I understand! I've always been a great admirer of yours! I'm not telling you to return to the capital, but to accompany the survivors to the City of Arel! The rest of the platoon and I will take care of stopping these brigands! Many can replace me, but no one can replace you!"

  The petty officer begged, with tears in his eyes.

  Peterson. He may be of the noble class, but he has what it takes to become the next Captain of the Army. He has a heart and a dedication to honor that nobles normally only display to cover up cowardice.

  Gareth thought, proud of his subordinate.

  "Your concern for my safety touches me, Peterson. But consider this: if I were to hide in Arel under the pretext of escorting these men, how many more villages would be destroyed? How many more innocent people would lose their homes, or worse yet, their lives? I cannot in good conscience allow that! If I disappear, the villages will be destroyed one by one, and when those are gone, perhaps these shadowy brigands will move on to raid food carts bound for cities like Arel or other states, wreaking havoc throughout the Empire. With rampant corruption eating away at its foundations, this could be the time for the house of cards that holds the Capital up to crumble once and for all..."

  Peterson moved closer to the Captain, taking his time to respond, trying to understand the situation as a whole.

  "Captain Gareth, I will go to Arel with the survivors, but what will you do?"

  She turned to him and smiled. She had already guessed where the bandits would strike: they were following the border line from north to east.

  They want me to find them, so they can set a trap and kill me. I face a difficult decision: uphold my principles of honor and duty, or save my own life?

  He smiled. He already knew the answer to that question.

  "I'm going to Anna's village! It's a day's ride from here, and I'm sure it's our raiders' next target. You guys join us once we've finished with the survivors!"

  Peterson took a step back, surprised by the force in his Captain's words.

  If I had to choose between honor and life, I'd always choose honor! It's what sets us apart from ogres, goblins, and other beasts. A life without honor is a wasted life!

  "Captain...Are you sure about this choice?"

  Peterson asked, his gaze melancholy. He knew his Captain might not return alive from that expedition. Gareth would be lying if he said he wasn't afraid, and lying was one of the things he was worst at.

  He turned and mounted his horse, then looked down at his deputy and the other soldiers left on the ground. Despite the sadness of the moment, he gave them a hopeful smile.

  "I've never been surer!! Soldiers! We're going to Anna's village and defend it from the bandits! Mount your steeds and gallop like you've never done before!"

  The soldiers cheered proudly and mounted their horses. Gareth took the reins of his mount and rode off, followed closely by his platoon, which, excluding the forces remaining with Peterson, numbered about fifty men.

  Not many for a mission like this, but I'll make do!

  "Captain! Good luck..."

  That was all Peterson managed to say, despite opening and closing his mouth several times.

  "Thank you! We'll meet again after I've rescued the subjects!"

  He gave his mount another tug of the harness, galloping towards an uncertain future.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  I've been searching for hours now, but I can't find anything! I even spawned more crows to better cover the distance, but nothing! There seems to be nothing but vegetation for quite a few kilometers.

  Almodeus let out a sigh, slightly irritated.

  "Dad...I don't want to bore you, but I'm bored."

  His daughter Almodea commented, sitting on his right leg.

  She actually stayed next to me for hours. She's a teenager, I can't expect her to sit around doing nothing like a doll!

  He reasoned, turning to the demoness.

  "You have every right to be bored. In fact, I apologize for not being able to entertain you."

  At those words, she stared at him in confusion. The demoness stood up and approached the window behind her father, scanning the horizon, as if hoping something interesting would knock directly on their door.

  "You don't have to apologize, Dad. It's not your fault. Do you think we'll be able to get home?"

  "I don't know, little spot. But I think positive."

  I'm not sure of what I said. I hate giving false hope; it goes against my philosophy! But... I can't deny my duty as a father, which is to make my daughter happy! And if I have to go against my morals to do so, so be it!

  He sighed again and continued searching, scanning the horizon with his spy crows.

  "You're right, Dad. Shockwave is smart! He'll find a solution!"

  The girl replied, smiling with her usual absentminded air. It was typical of her to put on a carefree girlish facade, hiding her true thoughts.

  "Almodea, while I'm looking... I'd like to tell you something. I'd appreciate it if you'd listen very carefully, okay?"

  Almodeus's tone became more serious than usual. His daughter noticed immediately, and she turned to him, standing at attention like a toy soldier.

  "Sure, Dad!"

  Her playful tone let the demon know she understood the importance of what he was about to tell her. Almodea tended to hide her seriousness behind a smile, but beneath that happy face lurked a sadistic and vengeful side.

  -Worthy daughter of her father.

  "You and I, as material embodiments of the concept of Fear, are immortal. Even if our bodies are damaged, we can regenerate without any problems. But your mother is not. We must be careful, to avoid them harming those around us, and..."

  He looked at Almodea, who was listening with great interest, fully understanding that he wasn't joking.

  "...I want to avoid attracting attention for now. So if you have to use your powers, try to do it according to the situation. Do you understand?"

  Almodea nodded and moved closer to her father.

  "Yes, Dad! I understand everything!"

  Her smile is one of the most beautiful things in the world. I'm lucky to have a daughter like her.

  Almodeus thought, smiling at his beloved daughter. He would do anything for her. Anything.

  "Just...I have a question. Don't you think a tower taller than three hundred meters attracts too much attention?"

  Almodea's objection was all too valid. Fortunately, her father had already thought of a countermeasure.

  "Shockwave has shielded the tower with a holographic machine. From the outside, it looks like a hill full of trees, impassable by carts or cars, so we're safe even from careless merchants."

  Almodea nodded smiling and continued to observe the passage through the crows together with her father.

  "Listen, Dad. Can I go for a walk? Maybe I can find someone faster!"

  He shook his head at his daughter's suggestion. Sending her out alone was out of the question. Almodea was very powerful, but he would never allow her to be harmed. What kind of father would he be?

  "Absolutely not! We don't know if sacred magic exists in this world. You risk getting hurt..."

  Holy magic was the demons' weakness. If it were high enough, it could even damage Almodeus himself.

  "Come on! Please, Dad! I'll be careful! I promise!"

  Seeing the puppy dog eyes the girl was giving him, Almodeus sighed deeply. He couldn't say no to her.

  I already know I'll regret it. No, that's not necessarily true! Almodea is 18 and can be mature… Whenever she wants to be.

  "All right, little spot. You can leave. But if you're in danger, teleport back here immediately. Do you understand?"

  "Okay, Dad! Thanks, you're the best!"

  Almodea hugged her father tightly, then threw herself out the window behind him. As she fell, two large ink cocoons appeared on her back. In less than a minute, they took the form of a pair of dragon wings, which she used to soar in the sky.

  She was truly skilled, there was no denying it. Almodea wasn't one for training, but she loved using her dragon wings, even though she didn't necessarily need them for flight.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Left alone in the room, Almodeus stared for a few minutes as his daughter's figure grew smaller and smaller as the distance between them increased.

  The demon sighed heavily.

  He felt no anxiety, much less fear for his daughter. He knew what she was capable of and trusted her. Almodeus had always been good at controlling his emotions. Occasionally he would lose control or let himself go, but most of the time he managed not to let his desires dictate his actions. Being the embodiment of Absolute Fear, which culminates in the end of all things, he couldn't unleash himself whenever he wanted. Being a leader also meant being able to set limits on themselves, being willing to make sacrifices for others.

  After some minutes of silence, Almodeus returned to look at the spy crows. He didn't expect to find anything in the immediate future, however...

  "What is that? A cloud of smoke?"

  ...Almodeus landed the bird on a tree near the source of the dark column of air, witnessing a startling sight. Knights in iron armor were attacking a small village. At first, he had thought it was a village fair or a religious festival, but he hadn't imagined he would immediately encounter such a violent scene.

  "Violent" in a manner of speaking. Almodeus had watched entire universes die, many of them by his own hands. Therefore, a human war was merely a spectacle to him. People were like ants, to be observed for his own entertainment.

  "Bandits? Are they raiding the village?"

  The Absolute Lord muttered to himself. His tone was distant, like that of an old man watching a football match he didn't care about.

  "No. They look more like soldiers than bandits. Furthermore, it seems their sole intent is destruction. They're setting fire to houses without even looting them..."

  Almodeus corrected himself, in his usual dull tone. He was more curious to understand the why behind human actions, rather than judging whether they were right or wrong.

  I can't understand the logic behind this massacre. Pure sadism? Why attack a village and go to the trouble of making themselves visible by setting fires, when they could have simply killed them with swords? Something doesn't add up...

  Almodeus continued to observe the scene. His eyes fell on a young girl emerging from a burning house, carrying two smaller children. As fate would have it, the young woman was heading directly toward the tree where the spy crow was perched. He wasn't the only one who noticed her escape. One of the knights began swinging his sword in all directions, as if he were a child.

  What is he doing?

  While he was wondering what the man was doing, five members of the attackers began chasing the girl into the forest. Shortly afterward, a second team began circling, presumably in an attempt to block the escapee's path.

  "Judging by the armor and the village's composition, this world appears to be in a medieval era. I don't mean to tar everyone with the same brush, but I'm not sure I've found the only place with the least technological advancement. Almodea was right."

  Almodeus turned to where his daughter had flown away just some moments before.

  "That girl can be smart if she applies herself."

  He couldn't deny it. His daughter was an intelligent girl, held back only by her immaturity and laziness. Almodeus couldn't complain about these flaws, though. It was his fault; he'd spoiled her too much and now he struggled to teach her life lessons.

  Maybe I could use this situation to help her mature a little.

  Almodeus shifted his gaze to the projection produced by the spy crows. For a moment, he abandoned the question of his daughter and returned to the primary objective of the research: gathering information.

  "Maybe I can kill two birds with one stone..."