A World With/Out Home

Chapter 35: A repeat. (Part 2)

"Oh that's not fair," Riftin complained the instant he saw Kyle walk on to the battlefield. "Why do you look a warrior princess while all I get is this?" He pulled at his black armour. "If anyone needs armour it's not you."

Lillia shoved him, "That thing looks practically the same as what you used to wear."

"Well yeah, but I'm a changed man. I could use a bit more colour in my life."

Arvel who was currently in the Hero's Armour looked down at the two, "If you want to swap we can go ahead." He rotated his arm, "I forgot how cumbersome this thing was."

"Then why did you use it in the first place?" Riften pointed out.

"Well it was one of my few memories of Estile, besides," he posed with his hands planted on his sword which was planted into the ground, "you have to admit it looks heroic."

Kyle laughed, "It really does suit the Hero image. Are we ready?"

"There about," Riften said easily. "The first wave is going to be taken by the artillery, though we're purposefully letting a few through in the east sector to help train the newbies. That's where you and Lillia will be stationed."

"Yeah I got the gist of it," Kyle nodded. Already behind him was a camera crew ready to roll. While they were professionals, they weren't combatants and it was Lillia's duty to make sure they weren't hurt as they followed him around. "I help ease the new members of the Guard in dealing with the demons, show off a little and when things kick off we'll end it together."

"Exactly," Arvel nodded. "Now all we have to do is wai-." Before he could finish a rumble shook the ground and the sky began to darken as if it were night. "Well... that came sooner than we expected."

"And it's a horde," Kyle frowned.

"Perfect," Riften grinned. "There'll be plenty of practice to go around and if things get dicey we'll shut it down." He crouched down and began to stretch completely nonchalant as a dark spew began to pool at the centre of incursion sight. Then the voices began and even he had to frown.

"You lied to us."

"Save me...."

"Please just stop."

"I can't! I won't!"

Kyle took a deep breath as his heart churned, "You can hear them as well right?"

Lillia nodded, "I can now.... These are the voices of our mistake. The people we failed to save."

"A reminder of what we lost and what we could lose again," Arvel stood steadfast and approached the centre as the demons began to form. He raised his sword high letting it set off a brilliant light and his voice boomed so all could hear. "We stand together for our world and our home!"

A roar of encouragement spread throughout the Guard and the first shells fell into the earth devastating the demons who had barely arrived.

Kyle took Lillia's hand and pressed it to his forehead, "Let's go... Lav."

She smiled softly, "Yes... Estile."

*

The battlefield was organised and clear. Despite the seemingly endless stream of demons the Guard was having a relatively easy time. In the open space away from civilisation there was plenty of room to set up artillery and make a defensive line. Kyle and Lillia stood together among the frontline combatants and as the demons that slipped past approached they assisted the Guard to slay them. Whenever a type S appeared Kyle would step forward and deal with it himself as Lillia carried the camera crew to follow. Like that several hours passed and as the sun returned to normal no one relaxed.

Like what had happened in Elmori a fog began to spread from the centre of the incursion sight and from its depths a wild being rose to the sky spreading out like a net of darkness. It was their time to shine and like planned the four from the Ever-Garden acted. The fog was sealed and for all to see they ended the Primarch with a flourishing might. By all means a Primarch was still a threat, but under their combined might the fight was simple and as Arvel ended it with a shining bright blade the incursion was truly over.

Riften heaved a sigh as he stretched his muscles, "Well that was both easier and harder than I expected."

"What makes you say that?" Lillia asked.

"Well that Primarch was tougher than the ones I fought before but at the same time I didn't expect the Guard to have improved so much to support us." He yawned, "The worst part is the Horde. They take forever to deal with."

"Hmm," Arvel scratched his helmet. "Indeed this took longer than I'd like. Maybe there's a way to speed up the incursion, or a way to end it sooner."

Kyle folded his arms and looked around the battle worn clearing, "I think you're right. If we keep spending our time and resources on incursions we'll never catch up to Philius. I bet he's counting on that."

Lillia squirmed, "Maybe it would have been better for me to-."

"Don't you dare finish that," Kyle frowned and took her hand. "No matter what, I won't regret brining you back to us."

"Ha ha, I guess you're right. Sorry," she smiled sheepishly.

"So now what?" Riften asked. Despite their casual conversation the surroundings were erupt with celebration. While the Hero's Guard had experienced it all before, majority of the forces on the expedition were first timers who had just lived through a seemingly perilous situation.

"We play our part and then prepare for the next," Arvel holstered his sword on his back.

"But what's that?" Kyle asked. "We still don't have a way to navigate the fog. Depending on his luck Philius could have already made it to the Sleeping Gods sanctuary."

Riften laughed spitefully, "I doubt it. As someone who spent years lost there, even with something like the sky fortress to guide him, that place is dangerous. Demons don't hunt monsters. Remember all those places we made sure never got out of whack? Well they did. He'll have to move carefully."

"Still, time isn't on our side here." He looked at Riften pleadingly, "Are you sure you don't have anything that will help? Maybe Mica can do something."

"Please don't look at me like that," the black haired man turned away. "Now that this is over I promise I'll check things out...."

"We all will together," Arvel smiled beneath his helmet. "But we're not just done yet. Remember what Karen used to say, it's not just our duty to save the world but to also give it hope." "Hey, I won't say no to an after battle party," Riften grinned and like that the incursion was closed with not one life lost.