Chapter 14: Recruiting in Kazdel

Ash was overseeing the operation of their humanitarian efforts in Leithanien, receiving reports that they were using up suppressant stims like it was going to go out of style.

The empresses were also increasing their clout and propaganda by throwing a banquet with Ash's money. Already being dutiful wives, spending their to be husband's money.

"Everything's going smoothly Ash, I have to return to Kjerag. I'll have to explain to the tri clan council and the grand elder that you're going to be the emperor consort of the black and white empress."

SilverAsh gave him a statistic report on how many infected were entering and moving to Paradiso. And how many they were treating exactly.

"I see, that is quite the concern after all. Maybe I should start in divide and conquer." Ash rubbed her ears and she purred. "Ah! Don't treat me like a child." She hissed.

"What? You were definitely enjoying that." Ash smirked at her and SilverAsh snorted. She then continued her work for now before returning to Kjerag.

"Hmmm, how should I divide my team?" It was high time that they would do things at several places at the same time. And he thought of what was the thing Deliverance needed the most.

"Soldiers... We need soldiers, I can't rely on Blacksteel and Penguin Logistics for mercs all the time. And it isn't enough anyway even if they're high quality." Ash furrowed his brows.

Texas, Franka, and the others are good operators for short missions. But they would still need to return to their organizations. He needs his own soldiers, quality beats quantity.

But quantity can be armed, trained, educated. Everyone starts somewhere, training civilians that enter Paradiso right now will take too much time.

"Let's see here, where can I find a lot of people for free that can fight by just giving them a home to live in." Ash opened up a map and was analyzing the countries.

And just after a few seconds, he already made a decision. "It's either Kazimierz or Kazdel. And it's a no brainer that Kazdel should be the one I pick." He smirked and called for Shining.

The Sarkaz arrived without a sound once again and she has a feeling that he'd be giving her a mission that would be valuable.

"Yes, Ash? What can I do for you?" He took out the map and pointed at her country. Making the Sarkaz raise a brow.

"Shining, your country is fractured. Fragmented, filled with strife and dreams that will never come true." He said wistfully and Shining frowned.

"Yes, that is correct..." She bit her lip and it is something that she wanted to change. Kazdel has been in civil war for centuries. It was a war torn country where Sarkaz children has no name. And they fight tooth and nail to survive.

"This is the only place where Penguin logistics or MountainDash are having trouble delivering goods for me. They basically drop it down to settlements and leave immediately." He sighed at the dangerousness of the country.

He was sure that if they were travelling with trucks and vans, then they would get ambushed and killed for the products they're shipping.

"Is there something you want to do in Kazdel?" Shining wanted to know. "Yes, we'll recruit your people as our soldiers. How do you think they'll react if they were offered to live in Paradiso?"

He chuckled at the irony of that, the demons being offered sanctuary in paradise. "They'll surely say yes to your offer. If they don't, then they're a fool. And if they value strength, I'll show them what strength is."

Shining squinted her eyes and would like to save as much of her kin even by force. "Good answer, we leave for Kazdel after this operation. We will recruit Sarkaz mercs in Kazdel itself. No better place than the source." He smiled.

Her jet black eyes shone and she was delighted at his decision. "Truly?" She pinched her cheek, thinking that she was dreaming.

"Of course, the Kazimierz major is still a few months away. I'll let Margaret and Degenbrecher train to the limit at that time frame. Then Paradiso will dock nearby Kazimierz. But now, it's imperative to get our own military." Ash smirked.

And the Sarkaz were just the perfect people to poach. They were stronger, hardier, typically more aggressive, and would do anything to have a life outside of endless conflict and civil war.

With a bow, Shining thanked him with delight. It is a huge step for her to start saving her kin. And even if her family spots her there. Then they will be able to escape quickly.

'Who can stop him? He spars with the last wendigo as his equal. And his insanely versatile arts that has a myriad of abilities will be unstoppable.' Shining was confident that even with just them, they'll succeed in their mission.

"Then prepare yourself Shining, this is an important operation." He patted her head and she smiled. "Yes!"

He called for a meeting again and he announced his trip to Kazdel. "Hmmm, are you going to get as much Sarkaz mercenaries there?" Margaret imagined his thought process.

"Yes, we can't have viable troops right now with the civvies that entered Paradiso. You know me well Margaret." He smiled at her and she nodded as if it was a given.

"Sarkaz mercs eh? You're definitely going with the high quality stuff." Degenbrecher grinned, Sarkaz were just built different. Though they suffer really badly from oripathy. But that detriment is cancelled with him there.

"A good choice of warriors, roaming mercenaries that aren't a part of the military commission of Kazdel would be easy pickings." SilverAsh nodded at his decision.

"Narcissa is stable enough to be left to Adele or other people she trusts. Me and Shining will be the operators of this mission." Ash laid down his plans and they agreed.

Margaret and Degenbrecher will get used extensively to their new strength and be the strongest knights that Kazimierz will ever see.

SilverAsh will go back to Kjerag and instate her sister Enya to be the saintess. Gnosis and Adele will continue to research about catastrophes for now because oripathy is in a deadlock.

And while the leaders, Ash and Enciades are gone. Gnosis will take over for the concerns of the city. SilverAsh will be one call away for problems anyways. Ash trusted her to solve any problem that comes up anyway.

They continued on in their work and Shining prepared for their trip. Ash also made his preparations and would station choppers just outside Kazdel for an extraction point.

With the preparations underway, Ash went to the spire of the empresses with Gertrude. "That was a splendid humanitarian effort if I do say so myself." Soleil was pleased in how it went.

"The masses are really positive about this change, it's an overwhelming success." Luna nodded in satisfaction.

"His evil plans were a success alright." Gertrude snorted, but she did have a smile on her face. "Yeah, yeah. You guys really used up a lot of money and food from me." He rolled his eyes.

"I'll be continuing to fortify my city, with an operator of mine, we'll be going to Kazdel." Ash informed them and the empresses were surprised.

"Are you going to interfere in their civil war?" They were of course worried that he might involve Leithanien in it. Kazdel might be a fragmented and shattered country. But its warriors are undoubtedly strong.

"Of course you'll be going to Kazdel for your evil plans." Gertrude sighed and he pouted at her. "Hater, admit it. You're going to miss me, my little Lupo." He pinched the base of her tail and she moaned.

"What are you doing in front of the Kaiserins!?" Gertrude bowed in apology, her face as red as a cooked lobster.

The empresses chuckled. "Be careful there, Kazdel is quite dangerous." The two advised him and he nodded.

"Don't you already know? I can escape from there easily." He floated in the air and the empresses remembered from their girls only talk that he had absurd arts.

"Right, in the words of SilverAsh and Margaret. You are a monster in human skin." The empresses laughed at his expression. "Really, I'll show them that I'm one after I return."

He said his goodbyes to them, but before he left. Gertrude pinched his sleeve. "Aren't you forgetting something?" She fidgeted around and he smiled at her cute attitude.

"You're a real pain in the ass that can't be honest aren't you?" Ash gave her a kiss and he walked up to the Empresses. "Hoh? Are you going to show affection to your empress?" Soleil smirked at him.

Ash hugged their waists and put them on his lap. He groped their chest and sucked on their neck. Giving them a little mark. "This is for spending a lot of my money and using my company to bolster your popularity."

They blushed a bit and he gave them a kiss. "I will be quite busy, have this for now to communicate with me. But I won't be able to answer because I'm in Kazdel." He gave them some phones.

"Ara, quite forward aren't you?" Luna smiled at him and Soleil pinched his butt. "Go now, we will plan accordingly for your return."

__

Boarding a chopper, Ash and Shining said their goodbyes to the others and they flew towards Kazdel in a quarter of the time expected. With Ash invalidating drag and air friction.

At the border of Kazdel, Ash and Shining looked at the country and it was simply a fucking mess. Destroyed buildings everywhere is the norm.

It looked like a city that you would find in mad max. The place looked like it was carpet bombed and the state of it was apt for its hundreds of years of war.

"How you feeling in seeing your homeland once again?" Ash looked towards Shining because she was quiet and brooding.

"It is the same as I left it, barely a country. It is basically a lawless land where Sarkaz fight against other Sarkaz for survival. Stealing, killing, and betrayals are the norm." Silence glared at the city.

"Anarchy reigns here. I guess the rulers can't do jack shit." He shrugged and they started their entrance into Kazdel.

Shining wasn't wearing her robe and was still hugging her sword on her bosom, looking like a defenseless lady that was walking around with Ash.

And Ash is wearing another kimono from Higashi, looking like a noble. Which of course the locals saw as an opportunity to be easy pickings.

"A noble and a woman walking around without any protection? You must be new here..." A group of Sarkaz with swords and crossbows appeared. They were eyeing Shining with unconcealed lust and he looked at her.

"You already know that they fail Shining. They already showed you what is their true personality and intentions." He gave his permission to move.

"Sarkaz scum, you have already fallen too low. Paradise will be tainted by your very presence." She took out her longsword from its sheath and she suddenly disappeared from her position.

A flash of light was all they could see and the Sarkaz thugs that were going to assault them all dropped on the ground.

Shining looked at their bodies coldly as sheathed her sword, slicing so fast that blood didn't stick to it. "Do better in your next life."

Ash nodded in satisfaction at her. Without any hesitation, no mercy for the enemy.

"Come on, let's go." Ash smiled at her and the ones who were watching them all collectively ran away from them.

While they were walking around to find settlements of Sarkaz, Ash asked Shining a question.

"Your arts, Shining. It has to do something about souls doesn't it?" He checked her energy whenever she would use her arts that has an ethereal glow to it.

Whenever it is used, a very strong energy source comes out of her body and returns after use. And when he tried to copy it because of curiosity.

He learned that it is like an extension of one's self. Casting arts from the energy of your soul for maximum effect.

Shining was shocked at his words. But she thought that it is to be expected of someone like him. Mysteries around him just need a matter of time before it's discovered.

"That's right... It's really specific to my family." She squinted her eyes and remembered their horrendous experiments with their arts.

Splicing souls, extracting it, stuffing it inside other people. Just like what happened with Liz. And it is something that she will despise until the end of time.

"You can affect others too with it, right. Just like how you can give shields of light to your targets." Ash dissected her arts.

"Yes, with my arts unit. I can affect one's soul." Shining raised her sword a bit and he was astonished.

She was the most effective fighter against filthy tanks with strong bodies.

"I see, but let us not get into your family for now. Liz's brain isn't completely healed yet. And that was our promise." He patted her head.

With a smile, Shining nodded at him. Admiring his values and him keeping his promise. Even though she was ready to spill more about the Kazdel spec ops.

After roaming around, they found a couple of groups of Sarkaz that weren't assholes and managed to recruit them by Ash healing any infected or just sending them to the nearby evac point which prepared food and medicine.

There is of course a famine in Kazdel because of all the infighting. They also tried to find as many children as they could. With Ash's flight, they can evacuate them in a heartbeat.

The days passed and the two were able to gain a lot of Sarkaz mercenaries.

Stories were spreading around that they were offering a place to call home where fighting everyday isn't common.

"Hey, Shining. We're getting a lot of attention, let's put up a temporary base so we can attract more of the Sarkaz." Ash had an idea.

With his telekinesis, he erected a massive sign that says recruitment to Paradiso. And he put bright lights on it so it could be seen for dozens of kilometers.

"Then I will take some of the recruited warriors and scatter throughout the city. Get as many people as we can." Shining suggested to him and he agreed.

They divided themselves and went to as many places as they could, using the beacon he set up so the new recruits will be able to see it.

Ash protected the beacon as it's guardian and there were many young Sarkaz there that are wolfing down food, getting medical treatment, and receiving some medicine.

It was a tactic by him to show that they're genuine in taking people in. And when malicious Sarkaz appear, which is a common occurrence sadly. He shows them why trying to harm them is a bad idea.

"Oi! Lots of kids you have there. Would be a shame if we aren't able to sell them! Get em boys!" A Sarkaz merc wanted to get the young Sarkaz so they could be sold as slaves to the military commission.

"Poor choice, Sarkaz scum." He spit on the ground and he raised his hands in the air.

Skyscraper sized rubble started to get lifted by his telekinesis. Reducing the gravitational energy on them so it would practically be weightless.

"N-no way." The leader of the band of dozens of mercs could only watch as his slitted eyes glowed.

"Children, this is what you should always do when you see someone that is trying to do great harm to yourselves. You kill them, is that understood?" He looked towards the young ones with a smile.

"Big brother Ash is so cool! So strong!" They nodded at him and admired his strength. As Sarkaz, they are firm believers of unrivaled strength.

"Repent in hell, trash!" He roared and increased the weight of the rubble he used to crush them.

A part of a skyscraper crashed right in front of them an earthquake made the children shake a bit.

He took a bite on an originite prime shard and crunched it in his mouth for an energy source. 'My stunt cost a lot of energy. But I guess they'll know I'm strong.'

He put up a show for the new generation as well. As their new lord, it was imperative for them to have a great view of him.

After a few minutes, Shining arrived after noticing the commotion. But what she saw is half of a building stuck to the ground and dead bodies around that combusted spontaneously with his energy manipulation.

"Another band of attackers?" Shining furrowed her brows and thought it's getting old.

"Yeah, don't worry about it. These bastards think the only one here to protect these kids is me. Not really contemplating that I'm the only one they need." He snorted.

"Big sis Shining! Did you find more brothers and sisters for us!?" The children affectionately called her and Shining had a warm smile on her face.

"Yes, they're arriving soon. Be good children and follow his lead okay?" She patted their heads with a pleasant attitude.

It almost made her emotional, seeing the next generation look so hopeful. When most of them wouldn't have survived the next day.

Filled with wounds, disease, oripathy, starving. She shed a tear and wiped it. Vowing vengeance on the incompetent Sarkaz government that cannot do anything. Allowing civil wars for hundreds of years.

"Have you found any good mercs, Shining?" He asked as she was the leader of the group who are trying to recruit.

"Yes, I actually found a decently large group of Sarkaz which is being led by a Gargoyle. They'll arrive here in a few hours because I went ahead to check the ruckus from earlier." Shining reported and he nodded.

"Good, any luck on any large groups?" Ash wanted to get a settlement as that would be ideal.

"There have been rumors of the banshees gaining interest on us. But according to one of the vampire Sarkaz we've recruited recently, they're decrepit and conformists." Shining reported.

"But why are they interested in us then?" He raised a brow. "They're famous for their perfumes that can enchant anyone with a single drop. And because your company is known even here, they most likely want to strike a deal to you."

Shining explained the banshees. They were known for their supreme oral arts. And with their arts units, they can even write it in the air. Specializing in cancelling arts with theirs.

"I see... Conformists and decrepit huh? So stubborn and conservative. Those typically require a show of power. I'll leave the camp to you. The gargoyle platoon that you recruited, I'll meet them later." Ash instructed her and got the location of the banshees.

With a leap, he flew to the general area where their settlement is located and saw a gloomy looking place.

He started walking inside the settlement and he knew he was being stared at. "Hello, I'm Asmodeus Naumann. Can I meet with your matriarch?"

The banshees were a female dominated race, and males among them is extremely scarce.

"Outsider, you dare to walk up here and demand a meeting with the matriarch?" A normal looking woman, though with horns and pointed ears shouted at him.

"Yes." He shrugged. The woman was obviously pissed and screeched at him. A supersonic shockwave being directed towards him.

Ash raised his hand and cancelled the energy of the arts. "That's not how you weaponize your voice woman, this is how."

Like blackbolt, he whispered and manipulated sound energy. A vibration that penetrated through her body shook the entire settlement.

The guard's insides shaking and multiple organs of hers rupturing from the devastating supersonic attack. And they couldn't even hear it due to the frequency.

He walked up to her and sighed, healing her up. Putting her arm to his shoulder.

After a few moments, tons of women arrived and they were all of course ready for combat.

And one of them stepped up. "Stranger, you dare walk up here and attack us!?" The woman glared at him.

"She attacked me first, I introduced myself politely and wanted to speak to the person in charge. It's not my fault that I had to retaliate." He shrugged and wasn't sorry at all.

"Vox!" The others yelled in concern for their comrade who's leaning on him.

"Speak then, what is your purpose here." The matriarch was still glaring at him.

'Vox is one of the top banshees in the village... Who is this man?' The matriarch furrowed her brows.

"I am Asmodeus Naumann, and I wanted to strike up a deal with your people. As you know, Kazdel is filled with strife and death. And I am offering the Sarkaz a haven to live in. Where fearing for your lives isn't necessary." He explained his intent.

They scoffed at him and their stubbornness started to show.

"Why would we? When the banshees are one of the most feared clans in Kazdel? Those proud vampires just cannot see our superiority." The matriarch smirked at him.

"I see, the vampire Sarkaz are correct. You're a conformist and stubborn." Ash knows a boomer when he sees one. "Buldrokkas'tee is much better than you guys."

"What did you say!? Comparing us to that traitor!? And the vampires are right!? You're out of the line! I, Sonus. The matriarch of the banshees will eradicate you until you're dust!" The woman started writing in the air with her arts unit. (pic)

"Interesting, so that's how they do it huh?" He threw the guard that was leaning on him back at them and they caught her.

The matriarch noticed it, but she was too angry to have reason. "Then let's show you how badly matched you are to me." Ash cracked his neck.

Raising his hand, Sonus flew to his palm at breakneck speeds and her neck was in his hands in an instant.

The g forces that acted on her body made her groan. He smirked at her, showing off his sharp teeth.

"Sonus, I have a theory you see. That I can gain traits and powers of others by eating them." He grinned and remembered the time he ate the demonic shards of the Emperor's blades.

Though he refuses to use their demonic energy that taints the lands.

The banshee matriarch widened her eyes and the tribe yelled out in anxiousness for the safety of their leader.

"How about we try that out now?" He bit her neck and started drinking her blood.

"Let go of me! You cretin!" She tried to use her arts and send a shockwave at him with a scream, but her voice disappeared as Ash manipulated the sound inside of her voice box to nothing.

'My voice!? I-it's gone!' Sonus could only thrash against his grip on her. But it was unbreakable, his hands like a vice.

"Pwah, let's see if I can get some traits out of you." Ash started to concentrate on his body and his special bloodline started to work.

His horns grew larger and the marks began showing up on his body like when he fought the emperor's blades.

He hissed and was having thoughts of bloodshed. So he focused on his mind and integrating the DNA of the banshees.

After a few moments, his vocal chords got stronger. He could feel it, and there was some kind of racial memory that popped up in his mind.

A Sarkaz king that wielded terrible arts that can lay waste to the lands. With a black crown on their head. Their title entered his mind, the lord of the fiends.

He cancelled his transformation quickly and sighed. Getting back the clarity of his mind.

"Banshees, submit." His voice carried the arts of their race and they were shocked.

"You use the arts of the banshees against my own tribe!?" Sonus glared at him and he smirked.

"Now, technically. I'm their leader now, you lost. And I can use your arts." Sonus had a bitter expression and she looked at her tribe.

They were all having doubts of her strength already. "I'll keep you as their matriarch. If you follow me. I promise I won't mistreat my people." Ash explained to her and gave her a moment to think.

"Why would we follow you?" She was still stubborn. "Because Kazdel won't give you anything but a hard life. Look at your tribe, is that the majority of your numbers? A few thousand at most? In my city, you'll thrive. Be a great clan."

He whispered like the devil in her ears and she thought of the vampire sanguinarch that is sucking up to the military commission.

The wendigos that are basically all dead. And Kazdel's infighting that has been going on since she was young.

"I... Promise me that my people will live fulfilling lives." She glared at him and he nodded. "See for yourself on what we have managed to do."

Ash called for a few choppers to get their important belongings and the Banshees of Kazdel decided to defect to Paradiso.

When they arrived at the camp, Shining was delighted that he convinced an entire clan of the Sarkaz to defect.

Sonus saw the numerous amounts of Sarkaz among them and the children too. Where the mercenaries and adults are relaxed due to their superior numbers and the abundant food they have.

"Ash, welcome back." Shining smiled at him and he reciprocated. "They're the banshees of Kazdel, they would be going to Paradiso too." He introduced them and Sonus went wide eyed.

"You..." She knew her from somewhere. As a being that has lived a long life already, she recognized the family and sword of Shining.

Shining gestured her to be quiet for now and Sonus looked at Ash with a complicated expression.

Because one of the most feared people in Kazdel was his follower. A member of the Confessarii. A secret society of Kazdel that support Kazdelian kings for thousands of years as their counselors.

"Good job Shining, where's the mercs you talked about." Ash looked around and she called for them.

A heavily armored Sarkaz walked up to them. "Yes, Shining?" The neutral voice under the armor mused.

"Ahh, Mudrock. This is Asmodeus, he's a Duke of Leithanien. And we'll be evacuating from here to his mobile city, Paradiso." Shining introduced them and he smiled, reaching for a handshake.

"Good to have you Mudrock." Ash nodded at the Sarkaz and the latter bowed at him.

"You're safe here you know? How about you take off the armor for now." He suggested and Mudrock nodded.

He raised a brow in surprise at what he saw though, because under the armor. Is a she, and Mudrock even looked like she couldn't swing the hammer she was hauling. (pic)

"Thank you for taking us in Ash." She gave a small smile to him. "Kazdel is a shit hole, that's why I'm taking as many as I can out of here."

Due to their numbers, nobody even dared to attack them now. And with his superior speed, Ash asked Shining to check anyone who joins and either accept or decline them based on her decision.

Ash roamed around Kazdel and he thought about the racial memory he received from devouring the blood of Sonus.

"Lord of the fiends... I guess that Sarkaz king would either bring disasters or peace to Terra. But it is not important right now. We will find that person soon if they do appear." He thought of killing them himself with Narcissa if the lord of the fiends is a loose cannon.

He cannot let the peace he is building be destroyed by a crazy fuck like how Kazdel lets civil war rage.

"Hah, too many things to worry about..." Ash sighed and he roamed around Kazdel.

Rallying up the children and sick, especially because Sarkaz are very susceptible to oripathy.

And while he's trying to find any stray Sarkaz to add to their ranks. He found a set of twins with special horns.

"They're about my age." He squinted his eyes as he watched the two fight tooth and nail with a rusty knife and sword against thugs.

"Go! Go sister!" One of them stood her ground and wanted the injured one to flee. "No! We stay together remember!? You're the only one I have left!"

He watched the mercenaries circle around them and would of course do horrendous things to the two.

One of them have thick horns that grew on their temples, while the other has antler like ones such as Patriot's.

"They feel special... I can smell it, their blood is purer?" He tilted his head and could notice something is different about them.

"Not that I won't save them anyway." He started walking towards them and he snapped his fingers before the mercenaries can even speak.

And like a certain alchemist, their bodies ignited instantly. Screaming bloody murder at being burned alive.

"Stand back!" The one with thicker horns pointed her rusty knife at him.

"You have names?" He smiled at them. He then saw that their oripathy is pretty severe.

"Young Sarkaz have no names." The one with antler horns stated to him.

"How about a home?" He raised a rock and sat down at it. "Home... What a pleasant word. But it does not exist here in Kazdel."

"Would you like to have one?" He raised his hand and healed their wounds by manually closing them. Using bioenergy and manipulating their own matter. Suturing their wounds together.

He sighed at the high energy required. But they started to soften up and look at him with confusion.

"Do you want to live a fulfilling life? Not try to survive every waking hour?" Ash offered them his hand and they started to walk up to him.

They just had a feeling he wasn't lying. And having no weapons on him helped.

"Come, I'll give you names. Your name will be Alastor." He thought of a name similar to his for the one with the thick horns.

"And you will be Astaroth." He pointed at the one with antler horns and they looked at him with confusion.

"Why are you naming us? Are you going to help us?" Alastor was still wary of him.

"I'm rallying the unfortunate people of Kazdel, victims of war like you two. We've already taken thousands of them. So they could live wonderful new lives at my city, Paradiso." He smiled at them.

They still squinted their eyes at him. So he baited them with other things after hearing their stomach growl.

"We have plenty of food and drinks there you know? Come on, follow me." He offered a hand again and they slowly grasped his hand.

"Hold tight, we're going to fly." Ash chuckled and they flew to the skies in order to go back to Shining.

The twins were terrified at first, but once they got used to it. They just looked around in awe. Even if all they could see is a war torn country.

Arriving at the camp, he looked for Shining. "Take care of them please. And any reports?" Ash asked of her.

"The military commission has heard of us, they're going to make a move." Shining heard from one of the refugees they accepted that the military is starting to make a move against them.

"Tch, that fast huh? Listen! We will go now, transportation will begin! Let's go!" Ash ordered to the refugees and they all began to go to the evac point.

Ash changed the cargo containers that they have and put some windows on them. He then hooked it to the chinooks with stabilizers so they could transport at least 50 people comfortably a trip.

And with its tare weight of just over a ton. One chopper can carry 250 people at once.

Carrying originite primes for his power source, Ash expedited the trips and one round trip took two hours at maximum speed.

At the end of the day, Ash managed to get all the people they got. A total of twenty thousand back to Paradiso.

And the majority of them are combat ready or just needed a little polishing.

When Ash was about to pick up Shining, he was surprised that the twins were there. "Why's Alastor and Astaroth with you Shining?"

"They refused to go without you Ash." Shining chuckled and the twins just waited for him.

"You promised..." They looked at him and he smiled. "Yeah, I did. Do you guys want to be a part of fulfilling my dream? Save people like you?" He patted their heads and they tilted their heads.

"They're a bit socially impaired due to growing up in Kazdel." Shining sighed.

"Come on, let's go. Adele must be worried by now." Ash flew with them back to Paradiso and the mission was a success.

With the military commission going to their previous camp. Confused as all hell on where they went. Disappearing in a flash.

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Thank you for reading everyone.

Sonus is a name I made up for Logos' mother that is the matriarch of the banshees. Alastor and Astaroth are OC's. I was about to recruit W and Ines to the team. But I found out it's been years since they were been with Theresa's Babel. So I went with Mudrock and the twins, anyways. Ciao.