"Father!" Ariel rushed to Lockheed's bedside, pushing past Akagi who found it amusing to see the Demon Princess in such an emotional state. "Are you alright?!? Father!" She barely held back the urge to hug him, knowing that in his weakened state, she may inadvertently injure him by doing so.

"Just... Fine..." Lockheed laughed, which made him cough violently. "Give me a few minutes, and I'll be doing a marathon. You know me... It'll keep more than a something this small... to keep me down."

"I like him." Akagi snickered at his ability to joke while in such a poor state.

"Father..." Ariel grabbed his hand, holding it between hers while tears welled in her eyes. "I never... I never thought I'd speak to you again... Once you fell unconscious the last time..."

{I thought your next words would be to Mother.} (Ariel)

"I never thought... That I'd wake up... Either..." Lockheed said, slowly smiling as he raised his other hand and put it on his Daughter's head, rubbing it softly. "Please... Forgive me for making you shoulder these burdens... I'm a failure of a Father... To make my Daughter cry..." He said as tears of his own spilled from his eyes as joy and sadness welled from within.

{I think this is the part where you leave and let them have their moment.} (Yumi)

{What?!? I had all sorts of fun plans though! I was gonna go cat and start dancing with a top hat and a cane! I was gonna sing an entire song in kitty speak too! Are you telling me to give up on my dream?!?} (Akagi)

{I hate that I can't tell if you're joking or not...} (Yumi)

{Aint it fun?} (Akagi)

"But the fun killer is right. Let's leave them alone for a bit." Akagi said to Silfana, who nodded before leaving the room with the Demon.

{I'm going to hit you on the head so hard with my fan! I'm not the fun killer!} (Yumi)

"You just killed my fun. Thus, you are the fun killer." Akagi chuckled as Yumi yelled at her for the less than flattering designation.

"You do know she's just saying these things to get a rise out of you, right?" Silfana rolled her eyes as Yumi kept yelling at Akagi while the Demon merely laughed, a sight that the Vampire had seen plenty of times since she'd 'joined' the Demon Lord's crew.

_____________________________________________________________________________

"It would seem in my absence, much has changed." Lockheed chuckled weakly as Ariel helped prop him up against the headboard. His muscles had deteriorated significantly, and the Demon Princess was shocked at how coherent he was despite being in a Coma for years. "In my prior state, I could hear bits and pieces of what was said around me, so I have a vague idea of what happened since I drifted into the darkness. It would seem... That the Gods really were responsible for what happened to me." He grimaced, angry at himself for his foolishness and at the Gods for betraying him. "And after everything, our people gave to them..."

{We turned out back on our creators, our own blood. We sided with the Gods to drive back the forces of the Hells, and yet we were never anything other than inconvenient existences to them. I always knew the Gods were slimy, but I never would've imagined they could look me in the eye and smile warmly as they discussed how proud they were of what our people had became, all while plotting our downfall. Am I a fool for missing it, or is it simply expecting too much for a mortal to understand a God?} (Lockheed)

"If you could hear some of what I talked to you about while you were unconscious, does that mean..." Ariel paused, not wanting to finish. She'd told her Father all sorts of personal things while he was in a vegetative state, opening up to him and even breaking down from the stress.

"I have... And I'm sorry you were forced to shoulder such a burden." Lockheed said as he slowly tightened his grip on her hand. "I am at fault for joining the war with the Spirits, but you were forced to prosecute the end of the conflict in my stead... We were used... Used to perform an act that makes the horrors our ancestors did for the Old Gods look tame in comparison..." Google seaʀᴄh ɴovelfire.net

{I knew something was wrong with that war from the start. Too many things didn't add up, but I still allowed myself to follow the Gods' commands believing it to be in our people's best interest. But in the end, I forced my Daughter to take on the role of not just conqueror but...} (Lockheed)

"I've made a terrible mistake, Father." Ariel said as she barely held back tears. "I led our people on a slaughter of innocent people, and then I commanded those same people to march to their deaths against a Demon Lord... I am unworthy as a ruler, and a failure as your Daughter."

"Neither of those things are true, Ariel." Lockheed slowly shook his head as he let out a dry cough. "Everyone makes mistakes, even Kings and Queens. From what I remember in your words to me your thought process was that marching the Army to fight the Demon Lord was necessary lest unrest among the Nobles spiral out of control. Had I not been incapacitated, or at least died you wouldn't have been forced into an unwinnable situation." He continued. “In the end, this whole chain of events can be traced back to me and my failings. If anyone should be begging forgiveness, its me.”

Ariel bit her lip in frustration. She knew that her Father was right but didn't want to admit it. Her choice to go to war was something that Akagi wanted and directed, largely because she knew from the infiltration of the Copy Boze how precarious the Princess-Regent's political situation was. Had Ariel declined to take any action against Akagi or even tried to work with

her it would've almost certainly result in a civil war with the hard line members of the Nobility rising up to declare Ariel a traitor and coward. The former Princess was well aware of this, and while there was a measure of pride on the line due to the misunderstanding of the Cult's involvement with Akagi, it was ultimately correct to say she'd been backed into a corner and had no good options. Which was exactly what Akagi wanted.

"What do we do now, Father?" Ariel asked, hoping for direction. "Our Kingdom has been usurped by a Demon Lord and its fate uncertain. Our people are almost certainly to be branded as traitors by the rest of the world, and it's only a matter of time until we're drawn into the conflict between Akagi and the Gods."

{Our people will likely be given the same treatment that we gave the Spirits...} (Ariel)

"I wish I could tell you that I'll handle things and make it all better..." Lockheed paused as he coughed heavily. "But not even I can say such a thing in jest at this point... I'm little more than a withered husk, and I feel as if I could die at any moment." His statement, while not entirely correct, was also not fully off the mark. The damage to his soul had left him in a nearly dead state, and while he would recover somewhat there was a low ceiling to how much better he would get. "Ariel... Gather the Elector-Kings and whatever Nobles you can from the Capital, I'll speak with them. Though... Whether or not they listen to me is another story..."

{They may even view my current state as more of an irritant than I was before. At least an unconscious man cannot speak.} (Lockheed)

"The Electors that went with me to the battlefield have already accepted Silfana as the new Demon King, and while a formal vote has yet to occur, the other three have already made their refusal abundantly clear. Narmund, and Vilich stormed away from the Capital after they learned what had happened, and I suspect that they'll conspire with Kelira and the other eastern Lords to rebel." Ariel had tried, and failed, to get the nobility that hadn't joined her at Simoea to submit peacefully. Most declared their intention to fight on, while others denounced her as a fraud, and proclaimed that she collaborated with the Demon Lord to deliver her people to damnation in exchange for 'favors.'

"Even still, I'll make a formal announcement to the people. Hearing it from me... It may help to calm the situation, and if what you've said before is true... We need the Demon Lord's help if our people are to survive." Lockheed said, noting that Akagi had promised to evacuate their people to Omara to avoid their destruction once Enoris collapsed. "The Gods... Do they truly intend to sacrifice the entire world to save themselves?"

"I've heard as such from L-" Ariel paused, correcting herself. She couldn't bare to use any formalities when it came to Gods after everything she'd learned. "Elariel herself. She explained it as a large-scale blood magic ritual that goes far beyond anything I can comprehend. The Gods cannot leave this world under normal circumstances, as they are bound to it, but apparently, if they sacrifice the population of Enoris they can break free of their binding to the world for just long enough to flee. It's truly a sickening idea. That they would kill everyone in this world to save themselves just..."

"Then our only hope for survival is to put our trust in the Demon Lord." Lockheed said with a wry smile, knowing how crazy those words sounded. "You said she offered our people transport to her world before this one collapses? If so we have no choice but work along side her Our duty requires that we do whatever possible to save our people. Even if they condemn us and revile us as traitors. Even if they turn our backs on us and curse our very names... I'd rather they be alive to do so." He laughed which caused him to start coughing again.

"You're a true King, Father." Ariel chuckled as her grip tightened on his hand. "No matter what you put our people's well being first and foremost. Even if that means sacrificing yourself in the process."

{Compared to him I'm...}

(Ariel)

"That is what a King's duty is, Ariel. The crown is not just a symbol of status and privilege, it also imparts a responsibility to our people. A responsibility that I will see it through to the end." Lockheed said with sharp determination in his eyes."Perhaps that's why we went along with the Gods' demands because we knew that the alternative would see our people condemned alongside them. It's not something I'm proud of, but if keeping our people alive required that sacrifice..." He didn't finish, Ariel understanding the rest without another word.

"From what I was told the survivors truly hate our people, not that I blame them." Ariel replied, looking away from him for a moment, embarrassed. "I suppose we'll have to do everything in our power to set things right when this is all over."

"If that's even possible at this point." Lockheed nodded. "Now, I would like to rest... I may have been unconscious, but I wasn't exactly asleep. It will take time for me to recover my strength. Once I'm able to move around on my own, we can begin trying to right the foundering ship that is the Demon Kingdom"

"Understood." Ariel said as she continued to hold his hand. "And I'll be right here while you do."

"Hah. Hah... You're just like your Mother... Always a worrier." Lockheed laughed as he put his hand on Ariel's cheek and smiled. "But that was part of why I loved her."

“And if she were here today, she'd probably yell at you for taking such a long nap.” Ariel chuckled.

“That she would. That she would.” Lockheed said with a warm smile.

______________________________________________________________________________

Shiva POV

“It would seem that the monsters have backed off. They must've realized that continuing to attack the main highway isn't going to work any longer.” Shiva said to Commander Bogram. She and Camilla had been busy dealing with Alice's summons and had effectively driven them back from their position. It had been several days since the last wave and the three were discussing the next steps in the command tent.

“My scouts are reporting that the creatures have pulled back into the caves further down. I'm not sure exactly what they're doing, but for now I believe we have chance to rest and regroup.” Bogram bowed to the two members of the Dawn Order. “Thank you. Had it not been for your timely intervention, I fear we would've been forced into an untenable position.”

“Yup.” Camilla smirked as she leaned back in her chair and slammed her feet on the table. “We really bailed your asses out. So much for the Dwarven military's power! I'd heard you were supposed to be the best, but you let such weak monsters walk all over you.”

“Camilla .” Shiva said with a harsh tone, scolding her. “Please excuse her attitude, she's got much to learn.”

“Its fine, the fact that we've failed to defend ourselves effectively is inexcusable and its a fact that we've struggled to stop these creatures.” Bogrum nodded. “What I'd like to know is where they came from and why they've attacked.”

“The information provided by your government states that these creatures appeared outside of Karakal Dekail a few months back. The going theory was that some miners broke through into a cave/layer where these creatures were living.” Shiva said as she pulled a report out of a bag at her waist. “But still, I've never seen creatures like these before. They're of a kind wholly foreign to me, and I've spent countless years fighting creatures of the Under.”

“I'm betting someone created them.” Camilla said nonchalantly. “Probably some wack job magic type that wanted to see what kind of wacky creations they could make by mixing and matching monsters.”

“I... I would like to write that off as completely absurd, but... It's not the first time something like that came out of the Under.” Shiva sighed as she recalled a certain Duck's monstrous creations.

“If I might ask, why have you come to our aid?” Bogram asked with a serious tone. “The Dawn Order... I was led to believe you were wiped out during the war? And even though the Dwarves did not directly take part in military operations, we still condemned you as traitors. So why help us now?” He figured that the Order wouldn't go out of its way to help the people of Enoris anymore and was shocked to see them acting like they had in the past.

“The Dawn Order exists to protect the people of this world. That mission has not changed just because the people of Enoris have turned their backs on us.” Shiva shook her head.

“Yeah, so you'd better be grateful!” Camilla laughed. “We were nice enough to turn the other cheek!”

“Can I impose on your kindness a bit more? I'd like to request your aid in crushing these creatures so that we can put an end to this slaughter.” Bogram paused. “Too many have died already, and I fear that I've run out of options.”

{The Council hasn't provided the resources I need to handle things properly, but even if the did there's no guarantee I can drive these creatures back without help. Imperial aid isn't coming, and getting adventurers to come down here to help is going to prove difficult without proper pay, something that I know won't be approved due to the extraordinary expense the kind of help we're going to need will demand.} (Bogram)

“I'm afraid that both of us can't stay. I'm needed elsewhere as part of larger operations, but Camilla is more than capable of dealing with this threat on her own.” Shiva said, glancing at the rabbit. “Can I count on you to represent us in my stead?”

“Don't worry, these monsters won't know what him em!” Camilla smirked.