Chapter 12 Maelith and Aegrith, the "Immortal" twins

As Kyuro stared down those who opposed her Jérome and Mikael entered the shrine of the twin fox maidens. They walked in to be welcomed by Maelith and Aegrith. They seemed to be in a rush as they quickly asked if Jérome and Mikael would follow them to the back room.

The men did trust them and so they followed the twins into the back room, in this back room candles were lit all around the wall and it smelled like fresh blood as a ritual circle was glowing in the middle of the room. As the walked further into the room, the twins took place at the other side of the ritual circle.

They asked if Mikael and Jérome wanted to sit on the other side so they could explain everything. The men curious yet trusting took their place.

As they sat down Maelith began explaining.

"We are the fox twins, as the late Counts Vaegir and Volgar knew, we originated from the second layer of Roquxestremia." she said "We are the daughters of the late "King of Madness" And Queen of the Yuki Onna.

So before you ask, yes Madness runs through our blood." Aegrith said.

"After the Crusade of Count Vaegir he took us in as a request made by our father, our mother accepted this. From the madness that eventually overflowed our magic capabilities we made this shrine." Maelith said.

"This shrine is infused with a ritual in which we used our blood, inside of it we are almost Immortal yet not untouchable" Aegrith said

Jérome started to interupt.

"I thought that the King of Madness was known as an unstoppable war machine, why do you say that he is dead? Surely news like this would already have had an impact on all of Roquxestremia."

"You are well aware of our father, yes that is his reputation. As a Le Darc we expected you to know a little about him as he fought alongside your ancestors." they said in unison.

"Yet every child of his no matter the mother was yesterday contacted by him through telepathy, in his final act he gave us a boost in magic so large we can not get rid of it. He also warned us that "The Dark Queen" has returned." Maelith said.

Mikael looked at them as he asked what this had to do with them.

"Well can not head out there, she will just forcefully fuse with us as such we want you to go in our place. That is why we made this ritual in here we can fuse with the two of you, our spirits will leave our body and in one year we will be able to re-enter our body." Aegrith said

"Do not worry, you can not get madness this way yet you can get the boost in magic that fusing gives you and no, even though we are kind of immortal even we can only fuse once."

Aegrith continued.

"With the imminent threat of "her" returning we ask of you to take our place and kill her for good." Maelith said.

Mikael had heard enough and accepted an thus Jérome accepted as well.

"So who is going to fuse with who?" Jérome asked.

Well we were thinking that I would fuse with Mikael so he could also have the choice of taking over my elements, yet this would lock his own last two elements. Maelith said.

"So I fuse with Aegrith? makes sense since we both have the earth element." Jérome said The twins nodded. "Okay then lets begin." Mikael said.

Mikael took place inside the ring as Maelith followed his example, when both stood in the circle they put their arms up. as Maelith's soul left her body, her body dissapeared just to apoear in the main room. Mikael's soul however was brought to Alexandrite. As he had the chance to get the elements of water and wind, this with his own lightning would make him a "Prince of the Storm" which made her to seek him out herself.

Once before the goddess she asked him if he indeed wanted those elements and thus a title to use with her blessing. As Mikael thougth how great it would be and how strong these elements would empower his existing moveset, he would also be blessed by this goddess. "Yes my goddess I Mikael of Dreadskull castle humbly accept your offer." Mikael said.

Happy to hear those words the goddess smiled, she came closer to the young noble and kissed him on the forehead, by doing so she safely locked his original two elements and opened channels for the elements of water and wind.

"Oh my" she said afterwards "you did have two great elements, they were those of "Light" and "Holy" that is a combination seen in people that care so much about others, that would eventually bring themself in agonizing or deadly cirumstances just to save those around him." Alexandrite said.

Alexandrite seemed to have hit a sensitive string as the young boy looked away.

"Oh my you have already been there, tell me what trouble you my "Prince." she said. Mikael smiled upon hearing those words and started talking about how his father got poison, how rage filled his eyes and how his former captain punched him back to safety.

"Well she was not wrong, as we speak your friends are pulling on my strings, trying to get you back so you are indeed not alone." she said.

"Lets not let them wait and do worry about anything, you seem to be back on track on the inside." she continued.

After those words the goddess smiled as Mikael's soul was sucked back into his body.

As Mikael woke up night had passed and his friend Jérome wad holding on to him, worried about his fate.

As Mikael got up more he explained what had happened during the fusion and Jérome explained what happened on their side, apparently he and Maelith had to hold onto his life during the fusion.

Why?? he asked to himself, was Alexandrite not the deity she said she was?

After those thougths he looked aroung him the twins were gone, sleeping in another room.

"I guess your fusion went without problems" Mikael said. "You know it" Jérome said with a joyfull laugh in his voice, while putting a thumb up.

"Well if you are rested enough it's time to go, I will leave everything here to Anya and Katherina untill we get back." Mikael said, as he send a crow towards the castle also asking for 50.000 troops to assemble at the main gate before noon. At noon an army of soldier led by Katherina came marching towards the main gate.

"You did not think you could leave me here while you two go to war right, I am going with you and no buts." Katherina said.

Mikael was not amused, "I ordered you to stay and help your sister rule the city untill I return, now go back immediately!" He said, raising his voice. "Now now calm down. If she wants to get beaten up, who are we to stand in her way" Jérome said while looking at a Katherina who started to blush.

"That is not why I want to go you idiot" Katherina said all high and mighty.

"You guys just do not understand women, have you even seen me in action yet." She said

"No you are right... we do not understand women, but if it is action you seek I can share a night with you when we return" Jérome said smiling. "You will lose that high and mighty tone in no time" he continued.

Katherina lost her cool, clenched her fist and screamed "In your dreams loser" as punched Jérome's jaw as hard as she could. Jérome just stood there as she hit him. After Katherina noticed her punch did not do anything Jérome stomp with his right foot once, tens of walls made of stone appeared behind him. He grabbed her fist and threw her through the walls, as she eventually stopped halfway through the last one. after the short fight Mikael and Jérome took control over their troops and left. As they passed the mountains a scout came in with terrible news, A "war demon" had apparently raged through the eternal war, every corpse had his intestines cut to shreds as they would spell out "War Demon." Those with intestines not long enough to spell it were layed so to write out "Unstoppable" with their corpse, as their weapons were soaking in a small crater filled with their own blood.

Jerome laughed, "Kyuro has probably lost it" Mikael looked at him asking how he knew it was her. Jérome told him that she once used the aforementioned title to make an escape for both off them, as he answered the story he asked Mikael "Who else could it be?"

Jérome was not wrong, as nobody had acknowledgd Kyuro when she appeared at eternal war, she now used her nickname as "War Demon" combined with her "Madness" and the powerup she got from her father to reek havoc on the eternal battlefield.

Wanting to end the eternal war with fear while making her way towards the Kingdom of the Frozen Pegasus. As she apparently had at least succeded in making a clear way towards the Kingdom of the Frozen Pegasus, she was apparently not content yet with the size of the still ongoing war.

As the day went on Mikael kept thinking about Kyuro and about Alexandrite. Wondering if Kyuro was okay while asking to himself if Alexandrite was really who she said she was.

Jérome noticed this as Mikael appeared less and less aware of his surrounding, Jérome put up a wall in front of Mikael. Before anyone could warn him he walked straight at it, bumping his head against it he took a breath as he whispered to Jérome thanking him.

"Just keep your head in the here and now before you lose it, next time it might not be a wall" he said smiling.

After that soldiers reported that Katherina was following them. "Ignore her" Mikael said.

"She is not part of the mission, we are going to "Hell" she will not keep following us to there." he continued yet he was wrong, as they made their way to "Hell" they would be ambushed by small remains of armies no longer able to really fight in the eternal war, yet every time they were ambushed Katherina would interfere just to get in the way of Mikael's lightning or Jérome's Sphinx.

Yet she did not give in she would heal herself and go after the army, as she only got stronger with every hit. eventually the army could look down on the eternal battlefield which had already reduced in size and thus was further away from Castle Dreadskull. Both Jérome and Mikael smiled as they knew for sure that Kyuro was behind it.

They looked at the war, the corpses the small crater of blood everything the scout talked about was there and more.

Kyuro was there, raging through the battlefield like and unstoppable bullet. She apparently did not notice or did not want to notice the army of her hometown led by her once Vice Captains.

Jérome thought she did notice them but did not attack them because they are her allies yet she is to busy to care, yet Mikael really thought she had lost it.

"She has already made a way through for us let use it" Mikael said.

"Lets join the party" Katherina said a she was suddenly next to Mikael. Before anyone could answer she charged at the eternal battlefield, giving away everyone's position doing so and just like that Mikael and Jérome ordered to attack..