The Desolated Fortress

Located on the border between Malnor, Rostanta and Rostanta's southern neighbor, Stakew, was the Desolated Fortress.

In the beginning, the fortress was used as one of Rostanta's strongholds to defend itself against the invasions of their neighboring countries.

However, it soon got its new nickname because strong monsters took over the stronghold. And since then, their numbers only multiplied frightening off anyone who dared to even set foot in the vicinity.

"It's a wonder that we arrived unscathed..." Mika said astonished as he took in the view of the fortress.

Mika and the others finally arrived at their destination.

They were currently still far away from the entrance as they planned to observe the situation first.

In the midst of nothing but wasteland stood the stone-walled old and gigantic fortress.

From afar, it already appeared lifeless and uninhabited.

With dark clouds blocking off any sunlight and low-ranking monsters making their rounds around the fortress, it seemed grimmer.

"Yeah, it's pretty weird... I was expecting monster ambushes on our way here." Zack replied pensively.

"I barely sense the presence of any high-ranking monsters, too." Wendy added bewildered.

"We still have to stay cautious, nonetheless." Zack stated.

He turned to the others behind him.

"From now on, we will continue on foot!" he commanded.

Thus, they proceeded to head to the fortress' entrance with their guards up.

"!"

But as soon as they got a better look at it, they noticed something.

Mika was the first to see it.

"A-are they still alive...?" someone in the crowd wondered flabbergasted.

Open-mouthed, Mika stared blankly in the direction of the entrance.

Above the entrance, three people were hanging down with their arms tied behind their torsos.

They looked like worms used for fishing.

Zack glanced at Mika.

"Could they be- Hey, where are you going?!"

And without thinking, Mika rushed ahead of everyone else.

The monsters near the entrance sensed Mika and charged at him mindlessly.

Amongst them were wolf and scavenger-like monsters.

"That idiot!"

Wendy was about to come to his rescue, but Ophelia beat her to it as she stormed away with lightning speed.

"Out of my way!" Mika shouted vigorously.

He never felt as enraged as in that very moment.

While clenching his teeth, he put one hand on Excalibur's hilt, which was still in its rusty form.

"Just what..."

But before he could draw his sword, someone grabbed him from behind at such a high speed that the monsters ahead of him were tackled away.

"...are you doing?!"

It was Ophelia, who admonished him angrily while killing the monsters, who were in her way.

"Don't stop me, Ms. Ross! We have to help them!" he shouted back as he freed himself from her grip.

At that moment, the wind cut the ropes on the three people.

As a result, they were falling down, but the speed of their falls slowed down as wind breezes from beneath them stopped the three.

Thus, they were gently carried to the ground.

"Consider yourself lucky that Ophelia helped you!" Wendy scolded Mika, while she was floating above him and Ophelia.

"I-"

They forgot that they were surrounded by monsters, however, this thought disappeared when they let out a death scream.

From their original position, the other group members launched magic attacks at the enemies.

"Spare the talk for later. Just check on those for now." Zack said sternly after he leaped to them.

Mika turned around and ran to the three people.

"Gerard..." he muttered shockingly and relieved at the same time when he saw the bodies of his friends.

He was on his knees as he lifted Gerard's upper body gently up.

"And?" Ophelia asked.

"He's just unconscious."

"The same applies to them." Wendy said after checking on Adin and Ron.

Ophelia sighed.

"Good. Then, let's bring them to the carriages."

The others nodded once.

"What now, Zack? Will we wait for reinforcement to come?" Wendy asked.

"Yes. As of now, it would be still too dangerous and reckless to move on. We rescued the students. I don't see the need to rush this operation." he replied.

"Alright, then-"

"Wait a minute! Wait a minute!"

"!"

Everyone's faces turned shockingly to the direction of the fortress, where they heard someone calling them out.

"This played out way differently than I thought..." a woman stated disappointed.

Even from afar, Judi, who was still in the carriage, sensed the presence.

"I-it's them..!" she stuttered in fear.

Judi balled up again and made herself smaller by leaning her head against her knees.

Mika, Ophelia, Wendy and Zack just stood still and watched with big eyes how a woman and a boy descended from the top of the fortress.

"Just like Judi described..." Mika muttered in disbelief.

One look at their black wings was enough to make them realize who they were facing.

And on top of that, those two were emitting heavy pressure on them.

Mika and Ophelia instantly recognized them as foes equally dangerous to Zantar.

"Demons..."

Ophelia had a nervous smirk.

"So there were truly more than one..."

Wendy also could not believe her eyes.

"?"

Suddenly, rock pillars sprouted from the ground underneath the demons.

"I'll hold them back! Go and join the others!" Zack yelled as loud as he could.

But at the same time, the two evaded Zack's sneak attack with ease.

"Holding us back? Did you hear that, Martha?" he faced Martha while pointing at Zack like he was an object.

"I did, Barnt."

Martha crossed her arms as she looked down on Zack.

"What a foolish creature." she added pitifully.

Mika, Ophelia and Wendy were already running towards their comrades.

However, with Gerard on the others on their backs, it proved to be more difficult to run away fast.

"F-follow me! W-we have to help them!" one of those, who stayed behind with the group, declared despite being overcome with fear.

Everyone else gulped down their saliva before they stormed ahead.

They were simultaneously yelling from the depths of their lungs in order to distract themselves from their anxiety.

"Hey, what's wrong? Aren't you going to attack me?" Zack mocked them albeit feeling nervous.

"Heh, it doesn't matter if you join hands to attack us. You'll all die anyway." Barnt huffed arrogantly.

He spread his wings and was about to fly over to them, but Martha stopped him as she stretched her arm in front of him.

"Leave them be. It would be boring if we ended this so quickly, right?" she said with a sly smirk.

"Fine, if you say so~" he responded with a faint sigh.

"Did you hear that, human? You have five minutes. At that time, we won't move from our spot. Now go to your people and get ready." Martha ordered while still looking down on him and treating him like a plaything.

"Tch..." Zack clicked his tongue in shame.

Then, he headed to his troupe.

Mika, Wendy and Ophelia already met the others and handed the unconscious students over to them.

Ray and two other people carried them back to the carriages, where Judi was, and stayed there to watch over them.

"Zack? What did they do? why aren't they doing anything?" Ophelia asked.

"They gave us five minutes to prepare." he answered with a stern gaze.

He was clearly ticked off by them underestimating them.

"We won't have much time then..." Wendy added pensively.

"No, your time is up now." Martha announced.

"!"

They flinched for a moment when they sensed the two demons' presence above them.

"Did it even matter, how much time we would have given them? Any preparations against us would be in vain either way." Barnt asked.

The group led by Zack took up their fighting stances instantly.

"Everyone! Get into the formation!" Zack shouted hurriedly.

And just like that, the group spread out and surrounded the demons from all sides.

Unfazed by that, Martha and Barnt looked at the faces of their tensed-up opponents.

They were cautious as they still did not know what their demonic gifts were.

Then, Barnt raised his hand and pointed with a pistol-like gesture at the carriages.

"Maybe I will start with them..." he murmured playfully.

Darkness started to gather at his fingers and turned into a small dark sphere.

However, Martha suddenly smacked the back of his head.

"Ouch! What was that for?!"

He stopped his attack and turned to Martha while rubbing the spot where he was hit.

"That's what I should be asking you. Are you stupid or can't you sense it from here?"

"Huh?"

While he was concentrating, he squinted his eyes looking in the direction of the carriages.

But before he could realize it, Zack issued the next order.

"Ophelia! Wendy! With the support of a few members, you two will take on the boy!"

He turned to Mika and those standing behind him.

"We will take on the woman! Those, who feel ready can fight at the front with me! The rest will attack from afar!"

Everyone nodded once.

"Let's go then!"

Zack was the first to rush at the enemy.

The battle at the Desolated Fortress was now beginning.