Drakengard: Demonic Flower [Demons Souls X Drakengard 3 Crossover]

"Well, time to finish this while it's still easy. Close your eyes, it'll only hurt for a moment." Zero spoke, approaching Four while raising her sword.

The Intoner's eyes widened as she tried to escape her ropes, alternating between everyone present, especially her disciple who looked away ashamed.

However, the ropes shone a golden light, draining the Intoner's energy again. Zero closed the distance and raised her sword, ready to strike, but an armored hand grabbed her wrist, interrupting her attack.

"What do you want now?" Zero sighed frustrated, looking at the knight beside her.

"I won't allow you to kill her yet, I need answers." Edric replied, intensifying his grip.

Zero stared at the knight for a few seconds, clicking her tongue and slipping out of his grip as she grumbled angrily.

"You hate ruining my fun, don't you? Fine, ask whatever you want, but don't think I'll give up on cutting her head off."

"Hump! You act as if you have no interest in understanding what's happening to Midgard."

"A little, but I usually just kill what comes my way until I find the source of the problems, then I kill the source and let the others clean up the mess." Zero shrugged, scratching her head.

"You have a long history of causing chaos and destruction in Midgard." Edric replied, approaching Four.

"You have no idea, especially when I was younger, but I'm glad I didn't meet you back then." Zero laughed.

Edric extended a hand towards Four, making the Intoner flinch, as she remembered the knight, mostly from when he broke her back in the Land of the Mountains, and now he worked with Zero.

Any hope of salvation that Four felt immediately perished, replaced by hatred towards her sisters and traitorous disciple, as there was no way she could escape alive.

However, to the Intoner's confusion, Edric gently removed her gag. Four wasted no time in singing, but the knight raised his Talisman, conjuring Anti-Magic Field and temporarily deactivating all the magic in the area.

Four coughed immediately, feeling her power disappear. Eupherbia cried surprised as the magic that surrounded her and kept her in the air vanished, causing her to cling to Edric's shoulder to avoid falling to the ground.

Mikhail and the Black Dragon winced slightly, while Zero, Dito, and Decadus showed no reaction.

"I'd like you to answer some of my questions." Edric said to the bound Intoner.

"And why should I? You attacked my sisters and me, and now you are working with Zero! Do you have any idea of the crimes she has committed? The good and loyal people she has killed. And now you're destroying all the peace and stability we've built up with so much effort!" Four exclaimed angrily.

"You're no saint, you know that? Besides, it's easy to create peace and stability when you brainwash everyone around you." Zero teased.

"Just like you did with Five's disciple and mine?" Four replied in the same tone.

"No, I just showed them whose boss here and offered them something we both like in exchange for their help if you know what I mean." Zero spoke, dragging her hand across her hips as she smiled lustfully.

Four gritted her teeth, snarling as her face took on a bright red in a mixture of anger and shame. The Intoner opened her mouth to reply, but Edric stepped between the sisters before the situation got out of hand.

"If it means anything to you, I would like to apologize for my actions. I acted rashly because of a misunderstanding. My alliance with Zero is unstable and temporary, to say the least, I may not know much about her past, but what I saw during our travel painted a clear picture of the kind of person she is. Midgard's peace and stability perished the moment One and Three declared war on each other and you chose a side, but I'm willing to give you a chance because I made a promise to One." Edric spoke quickly, surprising Four.

"Did One and you speak at some point?" Four whispered.

"Yes, she invited me to the Cathedral City and asked me to give you a chance. I've only been disappointed so far, but I'd like to be proved wrong."

Four fell silent at the knight's words, shifting her gaze towards the ground as a thoughtful expression covered her face, and then the Intoner raised her head and sighed.

"Ask what you want to know."

"Thank you for your cooperation. Firstly, how did you end up in this situation? The defense of the Land of the Mountains seemed to work."

"Initially, yes, the airship formations kept the gargoyle swarms at bay while my men used the fortifications and rough terrain of the mountains to eliminate the red beings."

"Invaders." Edric corrected Four.

"Invaders, right, but it all went wrong when those who died in the fight came back to life. It is scary, you know. Encountering an enemy who will not stop advancing no matter how wounded, has no morale problems, and does not fear for their lives. There was no way to make them retreat or surrender, so we eliminated the first hordes easily, with Decadus, my soldiers, the knights One sent and I fighting together, but we began to tire from the incessant attacks, and my men joined the Undead, increasing their numbers."

"Thanks a lot for sending the knights after us, they were good exercise." Zero teased, making Four boil with rage again.

"The Blue-Eyed Knights, One gave them to you, right? Can you tell me how she got such warriors?" Edric asked, but Four shook her head.

"No, all I know is that they're a new type of elite warrior trained in Cathedral City and a bunch of traitors! I do not know why One sent them, but they were the ones who sabotaged the defenses of my fortress, letting the Undead in! As if that was not enough, they stabbed me in the back and turned Decadus into a monster with some kind of orb! When I woke up, they bound and gagged me in my airship, the rest you know!"

"Betrayal is always painful and comes from those you least expect, but you're wrong about one thing. The Blue-Eyed Knights are not trained, but possessed by demons, just like the Undead roaming the Land of the Mountains."

"Demons, do you think I'm an idiot? Five and Two might fall for that talk, but I'm not naive!" Four said offended.

"Believe me, I had the same reaction when he came to me with that weird talk, but I'm willing to believe it, considering what I saw so far." Zero spoke, interrupting the conversation and receiving a glare from the knight, although she did not notice due to his helmet.

"Believe it or not, that doesn't change the fact that she planned this. One wanted the knights to betray you." Edric replied, shocking the Intoner.

"But that's... She would never..." Four stammered, but then bit her tongue, interrupting her speech, remaining in silence and deep thought.

"Four, is there something you'd like to tell me?" Edric asked worriedly.

"Now that you mention it, One acted strangely recently. She disappeared and stopped contacting us for a while, only to suddenly return, declaring war on Three because of the cruel experiments she carried out on people. But One showed less emotion than usual, she seemed..." Four muttered, struggling to find the right word.

"What did she seem like?" Edric insisted as everyone listened intently.

"She seemed distant, never looking me in the eye, as if nothing existed around her. Even so, the sweet words she used, she said how proud she was of me, that I was an example of a proper leader for our sisters. She asked for my help in this war against Three, One never asked for my help!"

"And you were happy to help, weren't you? You wasted no time in kissing One's boots as soon as she whispered a few compliments in your ear." Zero teased, causing Four to lower her ashamed.

"Ignore Zero's words, she only wishes to annoy you, but I have one last question. Could you update me on this war and your sisters?" Edric asked.

"As far as I know, some of my airships spotted the gargoyles taking Five to the Land of the Forests, but there's something strange going on there. A fog prevents anyone from approaching Three's sanctuary by land and air. Simultaneously, Three has ordered the extraction of resources from hers land and the surrounding ones. I do not doubt that the fog serves to hide what she is building. The Land of the Seas has fallen, with armies of Invaders eliminating the population that failed to flee, with a few pockets of resistance here and there, Cathedral City is silent, while Two and hers disciple have returned unexpectedly, appearing to the public recently after days of disappearance, and they have announced their alliance with Three in this war, and that's all I know."

"Thank you for your collaboration, you've cleared up some of my doubts, but you gave me a lot to think about." Edric replied, placing a comforting hand on the Intoner's shoulder, receiving a grateful nod in return.

"Well, you already have your answers! Can I get on with what I was about to do before you interrupted me?" Zero asked, breaking the tense silence and stepping forward.

"Hey, I did what you asked! Let me go, please!" Four begged frightened, her gaze sweeping over everyone present in search of help.

"Nobody ever promised you anything; you said it because you wanted to!" Zero replied, smiling sadistically.

"Zero, she's your sister and she's scared! You should not be mean like that! Four said a lot of important things!" Mikhail exclaimed surprised, trying to stop his friend.

"Hump! Do what you want, because I do not care about the girl and her family's problems. I'm just searching for a good fight and some food." The Black Dragon commented angrily, turning his back on everyone and walking across the deck of the airship.

"Hey, Z, do you mind if I help? I'd like to know how much her regeneration can take." Dito commented, following Zero with a cruel glint in his eyes.

"If I may suggest, I'm against harming Miss Four and I think we should release her." Decadus spoke politely, raising a hesitant finger.

"SHUT UP, YOU BASTARD! HUMAN TRASH! YOU SON OF A BITCH! PIECE OF SHIT! TRAITOR! I'LL RIP YOUR HEART OUT WITH MY BARE HANDS!" Four exclaimed with all her might, trying to escape from her bonds with eyes red in fury.

"Oh, yes, please, keep insulting me~~~ To be attacked by such cruel words, it leaves me~~ AAAHHH~~" Decadus moaned, putting his legs together with his face red in masochistic pleasure.

"Zero, I'll be frank with you. I do not approve any of your actions; you are cruel, sadistic, lazy, impatient, violent, walks with bad company, and more. However, if what Four said is true, there are forces beyond our control and understanding at work in Midgard. I need her alive to offer me more answers, so I will face you if I have to. Don't force my hand, please, because, despite everything, I have a certain appreciation for Dito and you, no matter how annoying you are." Edric spoke, moving his hand towards his sword as he stared intensely at the Intoner.

Zero and Dito stopped in their tracks and stared back with the same intensity, their weapons raised and ready for combat.

A heavy silence gripped the deck, while everyone who remained outside the conflict watched in nervous anticipation. Except for the Black Dragon, who watched curiously.

Zero frowned and grimaced, frustrated by the complexity of the situation, especially as she could not see the expression of the knight in front of her.

Then the Intoner looked around, pondering her chances. Taking a deep breath, Zero let out a long, irritated sigh as if the words she was about to utter caused her physical pain.

"Okay, you win; I'll stop trying to kill Four for now. Consider it payment for the favor you did me in the Land of the Mountains. However, you will keep an eye on her from now on and deal with any bullshit she tries! I want that virgin away from me and I'll cut her head off if she gets too close or tries anything funny, do you understand?" Zero demanded seriously, to the dismay of Dito who stared at her revolted.

"Yes, thank you for your cooperation." Edric replied, removing his hand from his sword.

"Hump! You'll regret saying that!" Zero replied, walking towards a door that led inside the airship.

-XXXXXX-

"Your dinner is ready." Edric said to Four as he removed her gag and brought a spoonful of steaming stew to her mouth.

"You know, it would be easier if you untied me. I promise I won't cause any trouble, after all, I'm outnumbered here." Four replied, smiling sympathetically.

"Don't mistake my goodwill for naivety. I may not know the whole truth, but the stories of the non-humans I've heard during my travels have painted a different picture of you." Edric replied as Four frowned angrily.

"That's all they are, stories. You shouldn't believe rumors told by non-humans." Four said, trying to dispel the anger she felt, although her tone and forced smile did not help.

"Tell that to the elves. In addition, do you realize that I travel with a fairy and a dragon? I've had more than enough time to form my opinion of races other than humans." Edric replied, receiving a grimace in return.

As if by fate, Eupherbia chose that moment to leave Edric's bag while chewing on a fragment of a cookie, and stare at Four with a mixture of curiosity and amusement.

"Well, well, well, so this is the dreaded Intoner Four, Ruler of the Land of the Mountains and slayer of innocent elves." Eupherbia teased with a broad smile forming on her face.

"They were pirates!" Four exclaimed, her façade slowly disappearing.

"Of course, of course they were, hundreds of pirates traveling with women, children, and old people. I bet they did a great job of looting everything in sight." Eupherbia shrugged.

"I gave them the chance to surrender, but they refused!" Four replied, her face turning bright red.

"Really? That is not what I heard. You chased the retreating airships, bringing them to the ground while laughing wildly on the back of a dragon. It is not so funny when it happens to you, is it? Tied up and helpless, with no chance of fighting or escaping alive, the great Four transformed into a mere prisoner of her psychopathic sister!" Eupherbia laughed between bites, stuffing her cheeks with food.

"LISTEN HERE, YOU DAMNED PEST, I'LL TEAR YOUR WINGS OFF IF YOU SAY ANOTHER WORD!" Four exclaimed in fury, kicking and screaming as sweat poured down her face.

"HAHAHA!" Eupherbia, on the other hand, laughed with all her might, pointing at the Intoner as she ate.

"WHAT'S SO FUNNY, HUH? I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU LAUGH WHEN I BREAK YOUR ARMS AND LEG... AAAHHH!" Four shouted, interrupting her speech when she received a poke directly in her left eye, courtesy of Eupherbia.

Then the fairy and the Intoner got into an argument, with Eupherbia poking Four's eyes repeatedly while the Intoner tried, and failed, to bite the fairy.

"HAHAHA! Oh, no!" Eupherbia laughed again, only to take on a frightened face when an armored hand wrapped around her body, pinning her head with its thumb.

"You, get back in the bag, now." Edric spoke seriously, bringing Eupherbia towards his face as he placed a piece of cookie in her mouth, silencing the fairy.

Eupherbia nodded quickly with the little space she had left in Edric's grip, then the knight released the fairy and she quickly returned to the bag. Edric then retrieved the bowl of stew resting next to him on the floor and tried to feed Four again.

"You, eat." Edric said, repeating his previous attempt.

Four swallowed at the knight's irritated tone and opened her mouth, consuming the food straight away. The Intoner's eyes widened as she savored the delicious stew.

"This is great!" Four exclaimed surprised.

"I'm glad you liked my cooking. It's something I've worked hard to learn." Edric replied softly.

"Aren't you going to eat too?" Four asked confusedly, noticing the lack of a bowl for the knight.

"No, I don't need food or constant sleep like a normal person." The knight replied, confusing the Intoner even more.

"You talk as if you're not a normal person."

"I faced your sisters and you repeatedly and survived, I believe a normal person would be incapable of such a feat." Edric replied, making Four assume a thoughtful face for a few seconds before nodding in agreement.

"Tell me Edric, where are you from? You suddenly appeared in Cathedral City, and my sisters and I couldn't find any information about you, no matter how hard we searched." Four asked curiously but stopped as soon as she noticed the knight's silence.

"Sorry about that, you don't have to tell me if..." Four spoke nervously, thinking she had touched on a sensitive subject, but Edric spoke up, interrupting her.

"I'm a knight of the Kingdom of Boletaria, or used to be, since there's a possibility that the kingdom fell. Born to a minor noble family in the southern, more developed region, I traversed the fog surrounding the kingdom's capital after hearing stories that our king, Allant XII, had initiated something known as the Second Scourge, the awakening of a powerful demon and its army to devour all human souls and bring about the end of the world."

Four remained silent at this sudden explanation, pondering whether the knight told the truth, or whether he was just an extremely powerful lunatic.

"I'm sorry, but I find that hard to believe, my sisters and I would have noticed if something like that had happened. Especially One, she wouldn't have stood by and watched."

"Hm... You may not believe me now, but in time, you will realize that I speak the truth, because I have faced these beings before, the invaders, the gargoyles, the blue-eyed knights. Someone has brought my enemies back to life, especially the pieces of golden cloth that make up your bindings."

"What do you mean?" Four asked, staring at the object in question.

"I faced an Archdemon known as the Old Monk in the kingdom neighboring Boletaria, Latria. The monk wore long, majestic golden robes that granted him magical power to kill the kingdom's queen, but drained his strength to the point where he turned into dust and an invader soon after."

"WHAT? THEN WHY I STILL TIED UP? I DON'T WANT TO TURN TO DUST!" Four shouted desperately, trying to free herself.

"Don't worry, these are just fragments weakening you so you can't escape, but I wouldn't say the same about your sister, Three." Edric replied, hearing the Intoner sigh relieved.

"Explain, please."

"I didn't realize it at first, but Three wore a beautiful golden dress during Five's party. I believe that dress to be the robes of the Old Monk who had returned, further affecting your sister's troubled mind."

"So you mean Three did all this because the robes are controlling her?"

"I can't say, my job is to kill demons, not to understand them, but if it continues like this, Three will suffer the same fate as the Old Monk, discarded by the robes after losing her usefulness. I cannot say the same about One, because I do not know what happened to her. But in the end, if you have no dreams for the future, you might want to put your trust in the power of the golden garb."

The knight and the Intoner stared at each other in an uncomfortable silence after Edric finished his explanation, but that silence disappeared the moment Four laughed, a low laugh that soon turned into a loud, sarcastic one.

"HAHAHA! Congratulations, Three, you fucking weirdo, you had to mess with things beyond your understanding, and look where we ended up! In a bloody war with supposed demonic monsters and ghosts appearing everywhere, as if your disgusting experiments were not enough! This is your entire fault! You have ruined what we worked so hard to build! I'll tear your eyes out of that pretty face of yours when we meet again, that's if Zero doesn't kill me first!"

Four exclaimed, going into a long speech about how much she hated Three and how her unfortunate situation was Three's fault, describing the disgust and envy she felt about each of her features.

She made a point of using every creative insult she knew but stopped as soon as another spoonful of stew entered her mouth.

"Thanks, I needed that." Four mumbled between bites as she took a deep breath.

"Why do you do that? Hide your anger and frustrations behind an image of honor, kindness, and generosity while discounting your feelings on those unable to defend themselves?" Edric asked, watching Four cringe in shame at how right he was.

"I don't know. Why do you wear that armor all the time?!? I bet you must stink in there!" Four replied.

"I'm not confident in my appearance. I have certain characteristics that I prefer to hide." Edric said, silencing the Intoner.

"Well, I understand your pain." Four whispered, wiggling the fingers of her hands, and then Edric noticed her long, sharp nails.

"They're not that bad." Edric replied innocently, making Four blush as she stared at him in surprise.

"Could you repeat what you said, please?" Four stammered, doubting the knight's words.

"I said your nails aren't that bad. I am not a judge of beauty, but they do little to spoil your appearance, you are still a beautiful maiden, no matter how much you think otherwise, although your personality needs improvement. Besides, they're just nails, you can cut them, I, on the other hand, have a more permanent problem." Edric replied, oblivious to the effects of his words, as Four turned redder and redder with every sentence he uttered.

"Listen, it's not that I'm not enjoying our conversation, but why are you telling me all this? Aren't you supposed to be pleasuring Zero in bed or something?" Four asked, controlling the redness on her face.

"Zero and I don't have that kind of relationship, no matter how hard she tries. This may sound strange, but you are the first person I have met recently with whom I have been able to talk normally, without constant insults, teasing, or sexual double meanings. Therefore, you could say that I enjoy talking to you. Eupherbia and the Dragon have problems that are incomprehensible to a human. Besides, Zero has her disciples to keep her company."

Edric and Four fell silent shortly, exchanging an unspoken message after such heartfelt words, but that beautiful moment disappeared as soon as the sound of flesh hitting flesh echoed through the airship.

PLAP!

PLAP!

PLAP!

"YOU THREE BETTER NOT BE DOING IT IN MY BED!" Four shouted towards the floor, only for redness to return to her face when she heard a trio of moans.

"Tell me; is the room behind the extremely adorned double doors your bedroom?" Edric asked without emotion.

"Yes." Four replied, dreading the answer.

"Then they're using your room." The knight spoke apologetically, receiving a downcast look in return.

"Can we change the subject, please?" The Intoner asked, her voice cracking with sadness.

"Certainly, what would you like to talk about?"

"Hm... How about you tell me more about the kingdom of Boletaria before the scourge happened? It must have been a wonderful place!" Four suggested.

"Yes, superficially, but I won't ruin the story with the details."

"Good, but I have one last question." Four said hesitantly.

"Then ask away."

"Are you single?"

"Yes, why the curiosity?" Edric asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"Nothing, nothing! So, the kingdom of Boletaria..." The Intoner spoke quickly, looking away with a nervous smile on her face.

"Right, I believe we can start with the history of the kingdom's founding and..."

The airship flew smoothly through the clouds, with the majestic full moon shining in the background, illuminating everyone present with moonlight similar to a certain sword.

Then the knight and the Intoner chatted animatedly through the beautiful starry night, talking about fallen kingdoms, ancient spells, marvelous miracles, and powerful weapons until dawn.

-XXXXXX-

"Well, this place is worse than I thought." Zero spoke, observing what the Land of the Forests had become.

The verdant trees had turned black, rotten, twisted, and leafless, with their spiky branches stretching towards the gray, cloudy sky, hiding most of the sunlight.

Dry, cracked soil stretched between the trees, with purple, bubbling rivers releasing toxic fumes and the bones of people and animals resting on their banks.

Despite this terrifying landscape, the airship still headed towards Three's shrine, in the center of the Land of the Forests, but the wall of fog just ahead obscured its location.

"This place is becoming like the swamps of Latria. By the gods, why did this damned place have to return?" Edric exclaimed in a mixture of disgust and surprise, observing the landscape from the edge of the deck.

"What is happening?" Four asked while still tied up, yawning audibly and looking around in confusion after waking up from her sleep, dropping the pillow and blanket given to her by Edric.

"Nothing that interests you, we will move on." Zero replied, pointing at the mist.

"Zero, I'm not sure about that. There's something wrong with this fog." Mikhail spoke hesitantly.

"I agree with the crybaby dragon, Z. We'd better turn around." Dito spoke, sharing Mikhail's feelings, as the fog in front of him looked more like a gigantic, smooth, and immobile wall.

"Miss Zero, it would be best if we land and analyze the situation carefully." Decadus spoke, adjusting his glasses as he tried to hide his concern.

"Hm… It would be foolish to enter unknown territory unprepared. We should wait and plan." The Black Dragon suggested suspiciously, analyzing the fog with partially closed eyes.

"Hey, virgin knight, what do you think about this?" Zero asked Edric.

"Hm… If I am right, this wall of fog separates Three's sanctuary from the rest of the world. Not just physically, but within its dimension, to the point where it would take something powerful to tear it apart and create a path for us to cross."

"TSK! We don't have time for that!"

Then the airship remained on its course, despite the protests of most of those present, and entered the fog. Everyone let out surprised exclamations when they found themselves in a gray and dark void, but they soon stopped when they saw a light up ahead.

The light intensified to the point of becoming blinding, and when the airship passed through it, everyone found himself or herself in the same place they were before entering the fog.

Zero ordered Decadus to handle the helm and turn around. Unfortunately, the process repeated itself and everyone found themselves in their previous location.

It did not matter how hard they tried, the airship could not pass through the great gray wall in front of it, so everyone contented to circle the wall and watch as they discussed ways to cross it.

However, everyone caught something shining in the corner of his or her eyes. A bright spot appeared amidst the fog, and that spot intensified like a lighthouse.

An irritating high-pitched buzz echoed through the region, accompanying the increase in temperature. Everyone on the airship had a bad feeling and prepared to move away from the fog.

However, a gigantic blue and bright magical beam broke through the gray wall, shooting towards the airship and hitting its center, splitting the large flying machine in two.

The resulting explosion threw the crew in opposite directions, with Zero the disciples, and Mikhail landing in the bow, while Edric, Four, Eupherbia, and the Black Dragon landed in the stern.

Flaming debris flew everywhere, as wood and metal creaked, and the airship's two halves fell toward the wastelands below.

Zero and the disciples wasted no time in climbing onto Mikhail's back and flying away. Edric and Eupherbia did the same to the Black Dragon, despite his protests, but not before freeing Four who screamed for help before it were too late.

Soon both parties left the ruined wreckage of the airship behind and flew side by side, watching where the magic beam came from.

"What the fuck was that?!?" Zero exclaimed, observing the fog.

"Unfortunately I don't have an answer, as I never saw anything like that!" Edric responded, sharing the sentiment.

"And to think that we were almost shot down in mid-flight~~~ I wonder what a fall from that height would do to me~~~" Decadus spoke suggestively, receiving a series of insults and complaints, as this was not the right time, however, this only pleased the disciple even more.

Any further discussion immediately died down when the bright spot appeared in the fog again and the magic beam returned. Both dragons flew in opposite directions, dodging the shot, but soon found themselves bombarded by subsequent magical firing.

Deafening explosions filled the sky as different spells joined the magical beams, piercing rays, chasing orbs, flaming shots, and more.

Both dragons found themselves pressed to the point that there was no more room to dodge or retreat. The Black Dragon fell first, receiving a magical beam directly into his chest, generating a painful roar followed by a smoke cloud.

His dark form fell from the smoke towards the forest soon after, with his passengers on his back.

Mikhail became second, diving towards the Black Dragon, but remaining open to the magical orbs that struck his side, sending him crashing towards the ground as well.

Soon the bright spot disappeared into the fog again and silence fell over the Land of the Forests as those who dared attempt to invade Three's sanctuary met their end.

END OF CHAPTER