Authors note: Ahahahahha, this chapter was quiet enjoyable to write, and I hope you all enjoy it as I did writing it.

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The village at the outskirts of the Ardennes forest, unimaginatively named the Ardennes village, was not a large village, but it was large enough that fighting in it was a hazard. With access to old growth trees of very large proportions and ample pace outside the forest its buildings were larger than most villages homes would be and were made of heavy timbers of solid hardwood. Even the ceilings and roofs were made of solid wood instead of thatch or tile, so common in many villages. The homes were built in a pair of loose circles around the village's large and central well, creating alleyways between each home that connected the two main roads. For an out of the way village of close knit families of hunters and gatherers, it was perfectly designed to promote reliance and friendship with those they lived with.

In regards to combat it was a nightmare.

The high solidly built homes provided the agile elves vantage points and avenues of escape, while the alleyways and numerous trees' in and around the yards of the buildings made ambush a clear danger that became evident within seconds of Agnes De Milan entering the village with her two best musketeers at her side.

immediately to her left upon entering were a pair of soldiers, their necks slashed cleanly open, and to their side was blood on the wall around a small depression in the wood of a home, the blood running in drops down the street a bit before disappearing. Agnes looked back at the two soldiers and swore when she noticed that the one soldier's rifle was missing, yet his pouch of powder and shot was not.

"Some elves may have rifles on them, stay ready," Agnes commanded as she crept to the edge of the building and looked around it, seeing the battle in full swing despite not having given orders for it.

Dozens of Tristainian soldiers were in the street being held back by barely a third as many elves. Their soldiers wore chain, plate, scale and leather depending on their preferences, while all the elves were mostly covered in sand coloured cloaks that made it impossible to easily tell if they were armoured or where. The soldiers were fighting in groups of two or three, covering each other's sides and only attacking one or two at a time. But the elves with their far greater experience in fighting against superior numbers seemed to be holding them back perfectly fine. A simple flick of a blade here, a back step there, a parry or redirection, with simple movements they were holding the soldiers back, while a number of Elves up on buildings further down the street where kneeling with bows in hand, waiting for any moment to safety impale the soldiers who were against their comrades.

The plan had been to surround the village and attack from three sides so that no elf could come to any others defence. She, Lady Valliere, and the queen would lead the three forces, with the queens attacking a moment later to catch one flank unawares as it tried to reinforce the other two. It was clear when Agnes looked down the streets other side however that one group had attacked not just prematurely, but likely without reporting it. As such the group in front of her was in the thick of combat, while another looked to have been held back in the alleyways, making themselves even less effective against the deft and skilled elves.

"Captain, what is the plan?"

"We will help them, right?"

Agnes looked to her two subordinates and could see the worry on their faces, the desire to get into the thick of it and help their people. She knew the feeling well, but also knew that a skilled blade at the right position in any situation could make more difference than one ill placed. " The two of you will come out here and go left, take the group of elves holing that other flank back in surprise from behind and then take control of that force to follow the original plan as close as you feel proper. I will break the stalemate on this group. Understood?"

"YES!"

"Of course!"

"Good. Remember to watch the rooftops and be wary of elven magic. Good hunting," Agnes said, triggering both women to nod before carefully rushing out of the alleyway and toward the one group. Agnes scowled at herself as she pulled her own rifle off her back and carefully rested it against her shoulder, aiming at a nearby rooftop where she had seen an elf prepared to assist the one group from above. She hadn't told her subordinates about that elf as he was in a mostly hidden dark spot on a roof behind a chimney. She waited until she saw the elf stand up and draw his bow, aiming at her subordinates as they approached a group of elves who were unaware of their approach, focused on some soldiers in an alleyway, and pulled the trigger.

Her rifle let out a loud crack as the powder ignited and sent the musket round across the street at the unaware elf. Rifles were more accurate than a pistol, but they still had a degree of inaccuracy to them that had not yet been fixed. While she had aimed at the elf's torso, the bullet instead slammed into the back of her hand that was holding their bow, blowing through it and ruining both of them and making the elf scream out in sudden pain and shock.

The elves by the alleyway risked a chance look at their screaming ally, allowing Agnes's own subordinates to strike them from behind. One was slashed across the back and then across the neck, while the other was struck upside the back of the head by a pommel, then stabbed from behind as they fell. The kills were gruesome and would be considered unfair in honourable combat such as training or a duel. But elves held no honour, and Agnes had trained her musketeers that victory against their nations enemies was more important that fighting honourable. Honour was for the court, whereas violence and skill were all that mattered on the field of battle.

Having given her subordinates a bit of help Agnes took a minute to reload her rifle. It was a hassle, and she did have her pistol, but he increased range could make or break an encounter at times, so she needed to be ready. Luckily the act of releasing a rifle was as second nature to her as keeping a sword clean, and she did not need to look at her rifle to do it, allowing her to watch the fight in the street.

The elves, as skilled as they were, had not killed anyone in that group, and for a moment she believed it might be due to the training the soldiers had, and their orders to fight in groups. It was certainly helping, but as she watched she noticed that the elves where not trying to kill the soldiers on their own, and instead were simply holding them back and allowing their archers to take shots at them. They were not fighting to win; they were fighting to buy time.

The question was for who?

Agnes shook her head as she finished loading her rifle and slung it back over her back and drew her sword while walking out of the alleyway toward the fight. As she approached some of the elves saw her and tried to react, but couldn't as the soldiers were still pressing them. Seeing this Agnes dashed forward toward an elf that had not yet noticed her, and slipped in between some of the soldiers. Her sword flashed at an opening one had made when a mace knocked aside the elf's sword, and her blade found its place through the elves throat.

Yanking the blade out she then flicked it to the side, sending the blood at the face of another elf who had watched her kill their comrade. The blood landed perfectly over their vision, blinding them, and allowing a soldiers sword to slash across the elf's chest and stagger them. They lasted barely another second before another soldier landed a mace into the side of the elves head.

"My orders where that no one was supposed to attack the elves or approach the village until I gave the word! This group of yours is the deepest in the village, so it is clear that one of you had the foolish notion of ignoring my orders!" Agnes called out loudly, visibly startling both her own soldiers and the elves as they tried to regroup. She did not allow them to as she leapt forward and crossed swords with the closest elf.

"Curse you and your demon god human!" The elf said with a growl as they tried to break away from Agnes, placing both hands on their sword in surprise at Agnes's strength. "It didn't have to be this way!"

"You are right, it did not," Agnes replied as she noticed an archer on the nearby roof aim at her, and then noted that the elf on front of her sounded young. Very young. "If your kind simply had stayed in your desert you would not die!"

"You bitch you wouldn't understand!" the elf replied angrily as he pushed forward, allowing Agnes to take a half step back with one foot, and hook her foot around the elf's leg. With a yank of her leg the elf fell forward and over extended, his ally's arrow then slamming into his side, instead of into Agnes's.

"Neither would you," Agnes stated coldly as she swung her blade across the elf's throat with one hand, while the other pulled out one of her two pistols and aimed at the elf on the roof. They saw her pistol and tried to move, but her bullet found its mark, tearing a chunk out of the elf's face and sending them falling backwards onto the roof.

"The musketeer captain! We can win this!" one of the soldiers suddenly cried, finally realizing who it was that had come to their aid, the last few elves braking away and rushing down the street away and ducking into an alleyway to head deeper into the village.

Agnes turned to the soldiers and scowled. "Which of you is responsible for attacking before the order was made?"

The soldiers all were very quiet and glanced at each other nervously.

"Well?" who is responsible for you endangering this entire mission? For getting the two soldiers that alleyway over there killed? Who is responsible?"

"I- I am,"

Agnes looked at the one who stepped forward. His armour was made of leather but he had plate braces and a shield and mace. He was no simple conscript. The mark of an officer on the left of his breastplate said as such. "Why?"

"I, I saw the elves and, and the bodies of the villagers. It was taking too long and they had to be made to pay, Ma'am,"

Agnes wanted to punch the man at the very least, but as an officer it meant he was a part of the nobility. No matter how low born his family or how weak in age he was, she could not strike him. Not yet. "What is your name, officer?"

"Uh, I am Alexander Du Stringen, ma'am." The officer responded.

"Noted. You will be court martialed for your actions and, likely stripped of your nobility for ignoring orders on the middle of a mission. If you survive this mission."

"What?! You can't do that, I am a noble of Tristain and you are just-"Alexander was cut off when a massive blast of air went through the whole village, shaking tree's and carrying the cries of shock an fear along with it.

"Perhaps not, but I wonder if Captain Valliere of the Manticore knights would take your sedition as lightly as I am willing to?" Agnes asked, the man blanching in fear at the prospect of having to face the fabled heavy wind. "Of course, that is only if you survive. You have two choices. Take a chance doing as I say and be court-martialled if you survive this, or we tell Captain Valliere that you are responsible for this, right, now."

"Yes Ma'am, I look forward to continuing the mission!" He exclaimed, right before Agnes suddenly took a step forward pushed past him, and knocked an arrow out of the air with her sword that would have struck another soldier.

"Focus ,the enemy is still not dead! For Tristain" Agnes yelled, galvanizing the soldiers around her.

The battle had just begun after all.

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Karin Valliere was not happy. The situation with her 'daughter' was ridiculous, and the fact that The queen seemed to believe it was unbelievable. Then there were the Elves, a slightly more primary problem that was quickly becoming less of a problem and more of an annoyance.

The first Elf she encountered when entering the village fired an arrow at her and had left themselves open. The arrow was flung back at them and embedded in their head. The second elf was fighting a trio of soldiers, and with a blast of her wind had been blown away in literal pieces due to the dozens upon dozens of wind blades in the gale she had summoned. It was then that, looking at the elfs remains Karin came to a very quick, and worrisome, revelation. These elves were young. These were warriors, but so young they likely were not even forty years old. Hardly skilled compared to a true elf warrior, and only good enough to hold back their soldiers.

Which was exactly what they were doing. The elves were not actively trying to kill them, but just slow them down. And not only was that insulting to her, Karin was not in the mod to deal with it.

"Why are you here, Elf?" Karin demanded as she walked up to an elf on the ground she had just cut the legs off of with a wind blade. He had not been fast enough to dodge even one wind blade. It was a miracle they were lasting as they did. The only reason their own soldiers were struggling against the elves was probably due to some in born fear or nervousness of fighting them. It was something that would need to be dealt with in the future. But first she needed information.

"Ah, my, my legs, you monster, you-" the elf blithered in shock.

Kari walked right up to the elf, despite the clear worry that some of the soldiers now following her showed, and kicked him in the side. "I asked you what your kind were doing here, elf. Tristan has done nothing to your kind in many hundreds of years, so why do you attack us?"

"No, not attack we, we were just supposed to find someone, then the villagers attacked so we defended ourselves. This isn't our fault; it wasn't supposed to go this way! It wasn't-"

"Enough," Kari said as she conjured a wind blade and severed the elves head. "We continue forward to the village's center. Do not fall behind!" Karin commanded.

No one responded to her, but she knew the soldiers were following her. Some even took the initiative and charged the few elves that got in her way on the ground. Those on rooftops found themselves sliced apart by the winds, as if not a single elf in the village was capable of combating magic or using their own. Elven warriors were known for being masterful with their spirit magic, as well as dangerously fast and dexterous in melee combat, yet none used magic, and only a bare few were faster than their own soldiers.

It was strange. Very strange.

"Captain, look," one of the soldiers who had moved ahead a bit further said as he pointed to the side, just out of Karin's view as she walked between a pair of houses. As she came out into the centre of the village she could see what the soldier was pointing at. The village leader's home, that was larger than the others and likely also served as a sort of meeting place for the villagers, was surrounded by elves. Almost a dozen were spread out with five of them on the ground with swords drawn, while the rest were on the roof with bows, and a couple rifles, in hand. None of them were attacking, but they were aiming the bows and rifles and looked tense. Some of them even looked afraid.

"Captain Valliere,"

Karin turned to see Agnes coming out of the other street across from the one she did, a number of soldiers following her, and blood on her clothing. "Captain Milan. I believe the plan was to attack as one, not prematurely engage these elves."

"I know that, and did not order as such. Some of our soldiers who got a little too skittish acted without orders. They have been, and will be, punished accordingly," Agnes said formally as she took a step forward and then spoke a little more quietly. "I have stationed some soldiers with my best musketeers behind the mayors home."

"Very good. I expected no less," Karin said as she looked at the mayor's home, noting a cloaked elf whose head was hidden come out of the main doorway. "Did you have any chances to learn the elves intentions here?"

"I did not. I was more, preoccupied, with stopping our soldiers from dying due to a few imbeciles actions," Agnes admitted, her tone clearly annoyed.

"Understandable. Shall we see what this elf wants?" Karin asked, noting that the elf had walked out just a meter away from the other elves, and was not visibly armed.

"Would it not be best to wait for the queen if she has questions for them?"

"I am surprised you would consider such a thing. Would you not insist she stay away from hem for safety?"

"I would, but he queen can be insistent and I notice she is not with you."

"Yes, she insisted on following those foreigner girls posing as goddesses to investigate something in the forest."

"Ah. I take it she ordered you here then?"

"She did."

"Then I shall accept whatever you deem best for this operation Lady Valliere,´Agnes said simply.

Karin let the barest hint of a smile of respect show on her lips. "Thank you captain. Then let us step forward and see what foolishness these elves will try to spill into our ears."

Agnes simply nodded as she followed Karin as she began walking closer to the home.

"That is far enough humans!" the elf declared as she held up a hand, her gender made clear by her voice. "Enough have died already, do you not agree? Step no further and no more need to die."

"Do you truly believe that, elf?" Karin asked seriously. "Your voice reeks of arrogance, and it was your actions that have caused these deaths. Your kind come into our land, take one of our villages, and kill its people and you-"

"This was all a mistake, a simple, accident," the elf suddenly said, making Agnes Growl with anger at the use of such a word.

Karin too was angry, but did not show it to the same extent and simply held her hand out, silently telling Agnes that she knew how to respond. Agnes took a step back in understanding. "A Servant tripping on carpet and splashing someone with drink, is an accident. A horse being spooked by an animal and rushing off and damaging things is an accident. The taking of hostages and of killing innocents, is not an accident. Why are you here elf? What made your kind decide to strike us now of all times?"

"You unenlightened humans would not understand," the elf spat out. "Your beliefs in a demon blind you to the truth, so there is little point in telling you, but I shall in the vain hopes you can understand! Our objective was one person. They were sighted near this village, in the forest, but these people refused to tell us of their location. They attacked us, so I made them regret it! Their deaths are their fault, not mine, and as soon as we find the person we are looking for, we will leave. Simply let us find them, and there needs to be no more deaths."

" . . . . . . Elf. Who is the person you are looking for?" Karin asked very carefully.

"I cannot tell you that."

"Why are you looking for them?"

"I cannot tell you that."

"So you are looking for a person in our country, but cannot say who they are, or why they are being looked for. Correct?" Karin asked.

"That is correct," the elf said, sounding suddenly very pleased with themselves. "Since you understand, you will back away and let us find them, yes?"

"No. if your kind were looking for a criminal from your lands or something similar, our queen would have been willing to assist under the pretence of repairing relations I am sure. However your people come here, kill our people, and then act like you have done nothing wrong. That is a crime no matter what land you hail from, so I will give you one offer instead. Surrender now, and I will, upon my queen's name, spare your lives."

"What?! Surrender? As if I would believe you humans! Your idea of surrender likely has us rotting in cells for the rest of your miserably short lives!" the elf exclaimed in anger and horror, not noticing Agnes taking a few steps back behind Karin and slipping her rifle off her back.

"I am giving you a chance to not die. Because I will kill you otherwise. You have killed innocents of Tristain, and her soldiers, and must pay for that. If you surrender, and spill everything about your being here, the queen will likely consider that equal and let you go afterword's," Karin said, her expression then twisting into one of pure hatred. "I would prefer to just kill you right now, but I am offering this to you as it is what our queen would prefer. Less deaths. So what will it be, elf?"

"Absolutely not!" the elf shrieked as she pulled out a pair of short and curved blades from underneath her cloak. "Listen here you unintelligent insects, I am an elven warrior, and you will die by my hands if you even take a step further! You have no idea what is going on, could never understand it, so slink back to your churches and pray to your heathen god to save you from your own stupidity, or I will flay your skin right in this moment, do you understand that?!"

Karin stared at the elf for many seconds before she turned her head and looked behind her, winking at Agnes as he spoke. " Everyone, take a few steps backwards. Now." The soldiers all did as ordered, Karin turning to look back at the elf and shifting her posture a bit, placing her hands on her hips. "Very well, we shall back off. There is no need to fight you."

"Perfect! It is good you humans understand your place finally!" the elf woman said as she sheathed her blade and turned around to go back inside the building.

"Oh, I never said we wouldn't fight, just that I saw no need to fight you," Karin said as she stepped to the side, revealing Agnes kneeling on the grass, rifle in hand.

The elf had turned just her head when Karin had spoken again, and tried to turn to redraw a sword. But the crack of Agnes's rifle was faster, and a red patch appeared on the elfs cloak, growing in size as she fell to a knee.

She opened her mouth to speak, only for Karin to mutter under her breath and swing her wand, conjuring a wind blade that decapitated her. She then pointed the wand at the building. "Surrender, or you die like your leader did."

A pair of arrows were let loose in response, getting pushed aside by Karin's winds with a wave of her wand.

"Very well. Kill every Elf! Now!" Karin ordered grimly.

The soldiers all screamed as some fired rifles and others rushed forward with weapons raised high. The elves on the rooftops tried to fire upon those below, only for a wind to send them all flying backwards in pieces

"Captain Milan. The battle should not last long now. I ask you to continue with the village's safety for a time."

"You wish to go after her majesty correct?" Agnes asked as she finished reloading her rifle, and then aimed it at an elven soldier on the ground, catching him in the shoulder and allowing one of their soldiers to bash him with a shield, making him easy prey while on the ground.

"That is correct," Karin said.

Right before a chain of very loud explosion echoed out across the village from the direction of the forest. A bright blue light piercing up into the sky. "More so now."

"Then please do. Protect her from her own naiveté," Agnes requested, earning a nod from Karin as other blasts of different coloured light burst forth from the forest.

"Of course."

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The Ardennes forest was, as Nepgear, Uni and Brave discovered, far different than any forest in Gameindustri. Instead of large trees with vibrant leaves and sounds, the forest was dark and dull with only the sounds of insects. Instead of clear pathways to tread on there was only dry leaves, brambles and moss without a clear path to walk. And where there would normally be animals and monsters everywhere in equal measure, there was nothing, not even the sight of a bird.

"This is, kind of creepy. Why is this forest so . . . . . dull?" Uni asked as the trio walked through the first, following their objective marker around trees and bushes.

"Maybe it has to do with there not being any monsters maybe?" Nepgear suggested as she stepped over a large tree root.

"That is possible. As problematic they can be some monsters do serve purposes in Gameindustri's ecology," Brave stated as she almost tripped over a root.

"Doesn't make this place any less creepy. I keep hearing animals in the distance but don't see them. It's weird," Uni complained as they came around a large tree, and could see a break in the tree's ahead of them. "Hey, how close are we?"

"Um . . . twenty meters," Nepgear answered as she looked at her map, and then looked at the clearing ahead of them. "The objective is ahead."

"Okay, so is there anything we should know about her then?" Uni asked as she stopped walking and turned to Nepgear.

"Um, other than she was a goddess a long time ago in the other dimension, she's very uh. Self-depreciating," Nepgear said, sounding like she hadn't rally been able to decide what word to use. "But her HDD's personality change is greater than my sisters, or Louise's."

"Oh, really? That bad?"

"That bad. She's very violent in her HDD too. So we'll need to be ready to fight," Nepgear admitted.

"Great," Uni deadpanned with a sigh before pulling out her rifle.

"I shall be ready if they prove violent," Brave added as she pulled out her sword and let it rest over her shoulder.

"Alright," Nepgear said with a nod as she led the way into the clearing.

And what a clearing it was, as it was far from natural. Shattered remains of trees and brush were scattered across the ground in circles, and the very shallow remains of stumps littered the area. In the centre of the open area sat Rei ryghts, her almost uniform like outfit of black, blue and white tarnished with dirt as well as a heavy iron belt that was clasped around her waist like an oversized ring. She was sitting on a stump of a tree with her face in her hands looking like she was possibly crying, and the iron ring on her waist glowed a bright yellow, contrasting her color palate harshly.

"She, does not look well," Brave commented quietly upon seeing her.

"Yeah, she looks kind of, dead inside," Uni responded, finding it kind of odd that someone that Nepgear sounded wary of looked so weak and apathetic.

Nepgear did not say anything, but instead walked closer, intentionally stepping on some branches as she did to try to make her presence known. Rei did not seem to hear her regardless though, so she did the next obvious thing. She spoke up. "Rei, are you, alright?"

"Who- how do you know my-" Rei stopped in mid-sentence as she looked up and saw Nepgear, Recoiling a bit as she did. "You, why? How? Are you here to punish me?"

"Um, no, and I'm sorry for before. We just, were looking for what is happening here," Nepgear said, trying to choose her words carefully to not set Rei off like she knew was a possibility. "Can I ask you how you came to be here?"

"Here, I - because I suck," Was Rei's immediate answer. "I can't run a nation properly, I can't control myself or my power, I can't even get revenge and I get beaten by a bunch of CPU's of all things! Waking up in this land almost was a gift, but since I don't deserve anything, it couldn't last."

"What do you mean?"

"I, I wandered in this place, after I was beaten and found myself here. These people found me, took me in. They betrayed me. They make me serve their whims. Damn pointed eared monsters! I know I deserve little, but why can I not just sulk in my own solitude at my failings!"

"Pointed, you men the elves?" Nepgear asked.

Rei looked up, her eyes strange as one was glowing while the other was not. The odd belt she was wearing around her waist looking like it was beginning to glow brighter, almost orange. "the elves? Yes, that is, what they are called. They force me to kill for them, to act as a distraction for something, looking for someone. They, told me to kill everyone I met, for a week."

"Um, to be a distraction? Doesn't that seem a bit mean?" Nepgear said, not realizing what was about to happen.

"Yes, but, I can't resist the urge. This thing!" Rei tugged at the belt on her waist, it sparking and causing her pain as she did. "It makes me want to let loose, to accept my failings and kill and, and . . . . . . . .i never did get my revenge on you, did i?"

"Ah well, I don't want to fight. We can help you, right?" Nepgear asked, feeling a bit nervous as Rei stared at her, both eyes glowing.

"You can help me, by dying!" Rei screamed her tone shifting as she spoke before her form exploded with blue light that blinded all around and sent a tower of azure into the sky above them.

When the light subsided Rei was in her HDD. It was like her regular clothing had shifter and tuned into her armour and outfit. A tight lower bodysuit, piece that came up to cup her chest, a second horn that, like the first, was now large and ominous looking, and eye cover that looked like it had come out of an animation, and wings of nothing but pure metal, larger than any other CPU's. In her hand was a large staff with a curled end in the same color as her armour, and overtop all of it was the same belt, wrapped around her waist and glowing vibrantly orange, and now red as well.

Everything began exploding barely a second later.

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"Louise, how are you managing to walk so briskly?" Henrietta asked as she followed Louise and 5PB through the forest, doing her best to keep up, yet still being sure that the two for them were slowing themselves for her sake.

Louise let out a sigh as she seemed to slow down even more, 5Pb doing the same in response. "I am not really walking that fast. At least, not for someone from Gameindustri."

"Um, if I may be so bold, your long skirt may be the cause," 5PB said as she looked to Henrietta. "It does look to be rather heavy.

"I, do not believe what I am wearing would be considered much less than what any other noble woman would wear into combat," Henrietta stated. She had after all changed into her garb that had been prepared for her to enter the field of battle. Underneath the cloth of her clothing were layers of plate and chain, padded for comfort, and even her dress had lines of wire within it to protect her legs from blows. "Isn't it the two of you under protected for the possibility of combat?"

"Not even close," Louise said with a chuckle as she made her spear appear, twirled it a bit then made it disappear. "I don't think most Halkeginian weapons could actually hurt us, considering how little those wind blades did to that Killachine."

"I agree, I'm not the toughest but, I don't think you need to worry about us getting hurt here, your majesty," 5PB agreed, avoiding directly looking at Henrietta.

"I see. Fighting that monster was very impressive to witness. It was, a stronger beast, no?"

"It was, but not the strongest. Or the biggest."

Henrietta let a gasp of surprise leave her lips as she looked at Louise. "You mean to say you have fought mightier, and larger creatures than that thing?!"

"Would you be more surprised if I said the whole bunch of us have fought minions of a dark god aiming to destroy the world?" Louise asked with a knowing smile.

"What you . . . you are teasing me now!" Henrietta exclaimed in a slight huff when it occurred to her.

Louise smiled. "Only partly. We have fought stronger enemies than that, and I wasn't lying about the minions of a dark god at all."

"Truly?" Henrietta asked, both curious, and flabbergasted by the idea.

Louise simply nodded.

It made Henrietta think and realized how little she now knew. She hadn't realized how hard things had been for her friend until it was explicitly told to her. She hasn't realized how badly that her mother had treated her until he had seen it. And now she realized that she knew even less of what her find had done in her new life. In a life without the suffering she never realized she had dealt with in the first place. Could she even be a friend when she missed so much?

"I'm sorry," Henrietta said suddenly, stopping as she spoke and looked at the dark forest floor that all looked the same to her.

5Pb stopped immediately, while Louise too a few more steps forward before she stopped and turned around to look at Henrietta. "You don't have anything to apologize for Anne. I never asked for help, and I kept everything bottled up."

"But I was supposed to be your friend! I'm supposed to notice things like that!" Henrietta stated, looking right up at Louise, and allowing her and 5PB to see the tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

"How can you notice things when you were stuck in the capitol, and I at the academy? How can you notice what my mother," Louise spat the word with disdain, "made sure than nothing we spoke about would leave the family? You and Cattaleya are the only ones that cared about it. It is not your fault."

"but-"

"But nothing," Louise cut her off. "It is not your fault, so stop trying to make it your fault. It seems like you have been through enough already. You don't need me on your conscience as well."

Henrietta looked at Louse for a moment then smiled. "You have changed,"

"I hope I have," Louise said simply as she summoned a spear and then swung it up, tearing apart the canopy above her so that the sky could peer down on them. "When I woke up in this life it was, hard. I was so confused, nothing made sense, and I had to learn so much that I sort of knew, but didn't at the same time. I gave up the rules my mother force on me. If I hadn't changed some after all of that, I think I would not be here."

"Running Leanbox for those two years probably helped you too," 5PB said with a smile, making Louise rpely with one in turn.

"Wait, that, was the name of the land you said you hailed from now, right? I thought you said that your, uh, elder sister, ran the land?" Henrietta asked, trying to recall the conversation they had had at the castle.

"Yes but, our sisters got captured by the minion of that dark god I mentioned. So for a couple years I was running the country," Louise explained. "Not alone of course, I had help. And it took all of us to save our sisters and beat those minions."

"Oh, that is still very impressive," Henrietta said before looking around nervously before stepping right up to Louise and whispering. "Um, if we have time at a later date, could you perhaps tell me about your country and how you ran things?"

"If we have time at some point, I guess," Louise replied, unsure of why Henrietta was asking her such a thing.

"Thank you," Henrietta said with a bow as she took a step back and hen looked around again. "I must ask, are you sure you know where we are going? Everything looks the same here."

"I've got a map, see," Louise said as she brought it up, a screen of holographic light showing where tree's, their own selves and their objective was, just a bit out of the way into the fog that the map could not yet quiet see.

"This. . . .I know I saw something similar when you showed us that strange image of the monster, but how it this formed?" Henrietta asked as she tried to poke the hologram, her finger passing right through it. "Is it some form of magic perhaps?"

"No, its technology," Louise said as she closed the map. "I, probably would not be able to explain it to you in any that you could understand it. It took me months to understand how some technology works even with the knowledge already in my head."

"You could try, no?"

"Not now," Louise aid with a shake of her head as she pointed into the forest. "We're almost there, so let's hurry and figure out what the elves are after."

"Yes of course. Please let us," Henrietta agreed as she followed Louise and 5Pb, allowing them to move ahead of her as they continued.

As they continued Henrietta could hear voices ahead of them, but when she opened her mouth to speak Louise looked back at her and shook her head, motioning for her to be quiet. She understood why, but considering that some of the voices she could hear sounded like women, and children, she instantly became worried.

Her worries were well founded, as when they arrived at their destination, the situation was unclear, but also tenuous.

A very large building made of wooden trunks and beams sat in a clearing that looked to be barely able to contain it. It was a single story, but had two chimneys coming off of it that looked to be formed of solid stone. The building looked by no means flimsy, but those outside of it were far more interesting. Huddled against the building were almost twenty children looking to span the ages between three and twelve. In front of them were two women. One in a very wide brimmed hat and green dress who was kneeling on font of them with her arms out as if to protect the children, and another who was wearing a mix of a cloth dress that looked somewhat familiar, and pieced of leather armour strapped across it covering her torso, shoulders and thighs. In one hand she held a wand, while in the other she was holding an aged but serviceable metal buckler.

Across from them, stood six elves. Five of them wore heavy dull green cloaks that hid their identities, two with bows, and three with thin elven swords in hand. The last elf seemed to be their leader and had the air of one. He had no hair making his ears seem even more pronounced despite the scars on them. He was wearing garb that was for combat, leather with some scale on spots, and a pair of swords sat on his belt alongside a strange slightly glowing metal plate with a yellow symbol etched on it. His eyes were hard and serious, like he had just said something that could not be taken back and knew it.

Seeing that they had not yet been noticed Louise turned her head a bit to 5PB and Henrietta. "Lyrica, please protect the princess no matter what happens."

"Right," 5PB responded with a nod.

"What are you planning?" Henrietta asked as she noticed that the elves with bow were silently knocking arrows, and then realising that Louise had called 5PB something different.

"Probably something stupid and badly thought out," Louise admitted with a smile before turning back to the two groups, and then stepped forward and loudly spoke up. "Well this is quiet the sight to see!"

The effect was immediate, both groups turning to look at the three newcomers. The two women with the children looked surprised and unsure, while the elves looked simply conflicted. The elven leader however simply scowled and looked to the two women.

"Damn you and your demon god, if you had simply accepted and not drawn out this farce no more would have to die!" He exclaimed before looking at Louise. "I do not know why you are here, girl, but I am giving you a singular chance to leave and live. There is nothing here you need to meddle in!"

"No, there is," Louise said simply, her expression turning from friendly to cold so quickly it made some of the Elves recoil for reasons they did not understand. "After all, you appear to be threatening children. So you should explain the situation before I start making more assumptions."

"Do you not realise what I am girl? I am an elven Blademaster, I could kill you with the barest of intentions, and you think to make demands of me?!" The elven leader asked incredulously, tone dripping with pride and arrogance.

"She can because I am here!" Henrietta suddenly spoke up as she stepped forward. "I am the Queen of Tristain, Henrietta De Tristain, and if you do not wish this situation to escalate even further you will explain your reasons for being here Sir Elf!"

"You, are this lands, queen?" he elven Blademaster asked, looking curiously calm and almost relived. When Henrietta simply nodded, he then did look relived, his shoulders slackening and his body seeming far less tense. "I see. Then perhaps there is a way to stop this from falling apart further than it already has."

"Sir, shouldn't we just-"one of the elves began to say, till he cut them off.

"Enough, I am leading this, and less death is preferable," The Blademaster said as he took a step forward toward Louise and Henrietta. "I will first apologize to you that this mission of ours has gone as it has. Our intention was never to cause any death, but the situation escalated due to one of my lieutenants being far to, aggressive, for her own good," he began, his tone cordial and a little bit twisted, as if he was manipulating his own words. "All we have come here for, is to take back what is ours. That woman," He then added, gesturing to the hatted woman.

"And how is one who lives in our land, yours?" Henrietta asked, not allowing her emotions, and the fact that the elf was referring to a person as property, to show on her face.

"Show them girl, show them what you are," the elf demanded as he looked at the woman.

"Don't, you do not have to do what he says," the woman with the buckler and wand said as she stepped in front of her kneeling friend.

"No, its fine," She said quietly as she reached up and pulled her hat off, revealing a head of long golden hair, and a pair of pointed elf ears.

"You see, she is not of your kind, so she is not yours. There should be no problem with us taking her away!"

"You will not take her, elf!" the woman with the bucker said seriously, pointing her wand at the ground, the tip blowing faintly.

"Something, is wrong here," Louise said simply, only Henrietta and 5Pb hearing her.

"Yes. Elves are supposed to all be lithe and thin, their women difficult to tell from the men at a distance," Henrietta said just before remembering an old rumour she had once heard. One that had been squelched as soon as it began. "Miss, may I ask your name?"

"What?! There's no need, why would you-"

"Shut up!" Louise ordered, cutting off the elven leader as her spear appeared in her hand. "You were not being spoken to!"

"It, it is Tiffania," the elf woman said nervously.

"Ah, sorry, let me ask again, my I know your whole name? You are a half elf after all, no?" Henrietta asked, surprising the elven leader, and the woman with the buckler with her quick realization.

"Tiffania, Westwood."

"Enough, her name does not matter! She is ours and as soon as we have her we will leave, that should be enough for you insolent humans!" The elven leader suddenly declared angrily.

"No, her name does matter, just as everyone's names matter because everyone's parents matter," Henrietta said as she took a few small steps closer to the building. "When I was very young I recall a rumour that the duke of Westwood had taken in an elven mistress and had a child. The rumour did not last long I admit, and was rather old, but I liked the idea personally. The duke of Westwood was related to the royal family of Albion, which is related to my own family," Henrietta said, causing the woman with the buckler to gape at her and what Henrietta was insinuating. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Tiffania, my distant cousin!"

Everyone was dead silent for many moments. The only noise that could be heard was that of the wind in the forest against the leaves.

"No, enough of this stupidity!" the elven leader called out, breaking the silence as he took a step forward, his leg coming down hard as his muscles tensed. "She has elven blood, so she is coming with us. And if the other will not allow it, then they both shall come with us. You should have no issue with this as we are taking your enemy out of your lands!"

"Protecting people is not stupidity," Henrietta said as she turned to the elf. "You are here, in my country, invading my land, and hurting and killing my people, attempting to kidnap a woman from her family and those she cares for. And while you do this you claim it was not your intention, and that if I let you walk away it would simply be done with. Well, it is not how this will happen, sir elf. I do not enjoy violence, so I will give you this option now. Surrender and tell me everything about what your real intention here is, and I will swear that you and those of yours that still live will not be harmed!"

"You, you ignorant ape!" the elven leader roared in anger as he pulled one of his swords out, revealing its heavily serrated edge. "No human could understand what we do, and I will not waste time trying to explain it to your feeble mind! Either you hand those women over to us, or I will kill you and leave your pathetic ignorant nation to burn in the flames of its own foolishness and stupidity!" He screamed. "Now what say you!?"

Henrietta opened her mouth to speak, but stopped when a massive explosion sounded from elsehwere in the forest accompanied by a bright, blue light. The elf then began chuckling.

"It seems your ignorance has stopped you from stopping more loss of life, queen. The demon we enchained has been unleashed. Likely by your soldiers attacking her pet. Your nation is doomed now, and you will not be able to stop us from leaving!"

"Are you an idiot?" Louise asked as she stepped forward, her spear twilling between fingers as she walked. "Her Killachine has already been destroyed, and that light is only from her going into her HDD form," Louise stated as moments later a Blackish burst of light erupted from the first as well, followed by one that was a bright purple. "Now the fight has truly begun, but tell me. What exactly did you do to make her do as you told?"

"What?"

"I said, how did you make her do as you told her," Louise repeated. "A CPU is not so weak as to let themselves be controlled, and while I have not met her, I have been told she was powerful. So how are you controlling her?"

The elven leader stared at Louise, unsure of what was going on. The girl's demeanour was, odd. Strange, powerful. It made his stomach curl in on itself, and made his muscles tense. Was he, afraid? No, that was impossible. Yet somehow he found himself explaining it to her. "An ancient artefact of ours that imparts perfect control; or is supposed to. It barely worked on her, but was enough to give simple orders. We put it on her when we found her wandering the wastes."

"Why did you decide to collar her?"

"It's a belt, not a collar. We, it was decide by the elders when they heard her story, her madness about claiming to be some kind of godlike being. It was clear she was a demon, so they decided to use her against you humans. So her existence could have some meaning. So that we could reclaim what was ours."

"I see," Louise said so before pointing her spear at the elves. "Will you leave, or will you die here?" She then asked in an almost hopeful voice that negated the terror her previous tone has imparted upon them.

"What!? As if we would die to you ignorant apes! The only ones who will die are you if you do not hand over those women, so what say you?"

"What do I say?" Louise asked as she turned and looked at 5PB, giving a small nod before looking back at the elf. She then swung her spear and struck the ground, a blinding green flash emanating from her and then dissipating to reveal her heavily armoured HDD. To Henrietta who had only seen Nepgear's it was like the difference between the sky and the earth. While Nepgears transformation had been beautiful and unearthly elegant, Louise's was rough and hard looking. While Nepgears showed off a lot of skin, Louise's showed nothing. While Nepgears made her seem divine, Louise's made her look like an avatar of war. The elves reaction was even worse. Surprise and shock, mixed with fear and horror. They clearly recognized what it meant, that she was similar to the demon they had chained. A second spear shot out of her gauntlet, caught flawlessly in her hands before she swung it to the side, her voice now colder and with less emotion in it. "I say, I am done accepting your existence as being allowed."

"She's a demon, kill her!" the elven Blademaster ordered instantly, fear coating his voice.

The archers fired their arrows, gasping in shock as they simply bounced off of Green sister's armour. The one with swords stepped forward to interpose themselves between their leader and her, one rushing straight at her and swinging their sword horizontally at her stomach.

Green sister simply blocked it with her armoured forearm, then swung her other spear in a wide arc. The elf, instead of being knocked aside or simply cut, was sent flying meters away into a tree with a heavy crack, his body limp to the ground and bleeding all over.

"Weak," Green sister said coldly as she flip one of her spears in the air, caught it, and then swung it again, creating a blast of energy that struck, and bifurcated, one of the elven archers in a messy scream. "Too weak!" She added as she began stepping toward the elves. "I was told that elves were strong, warriors and mages as one, powerful enough to make even the greatest noble mage of Halkeginia fear encountering them. Where is your vaunted strength? Where is your skill?" She asked as another rushed at her with their sword. They thrust their blade, being parried, but managed to dodge Green sister's first strike, only to get smacked upside the head by her offhand spear, the elf's neck breaking with a sick crack. "Will you simply let your men die, elf?"

"Run, now! Return to the elders!" the leader said as he drew his second sword and glowered at Green sister. "Tell them that these apes consort with demons actively now!"

His men nodded and turned, rushing for the tree's.

"Explosive Barrage!" Green sister called out as she swung a spear high in the air, then towards the elves. In that same moment a dozen barely noticeable clear spheres of energy formed in the air, and then were sent flying at the fleeing elves. A chain of explosions blew apart the area around the two of them, and when the dust settled their weapons and bits of cloth were present on the ground, but they were not. "Fool. Did you think I would let them escape? After you invaded a land not yours and killed innocents?"

"Demon!" The elf roared as he lunged at Green sister, swords flashing with quick swings and thrusts one after another. Elven Blademasters were said to be some of the best, and to any human the swords would be near impossible to see, yet each blow was blocked by green sisters spears, and after a few seconds the elf suddenly leapt backwards, breathing heavily as he looked at his hands in shock from how they were shaking. "You, you demon! No one should be able to block my blows so solidly! Your weapons haft should be in pieces!

"They were not that hard to see. Fast yes, but not as fast as I have dealt with before. As to my weapons, it is not just the blades that are composite metals. Now, elf, what is your name?" Green sister demanded.

"I will tell you nothing demon! You will tell me your name so that you might be sealed away. I command it by the spirits!" the Blademaster responded as he crossed his swords in front of him in preparation to defend himself.

Green sister stared at the elf for a moment before her wings lifted up, causing her entire body to lift off the ground. Then in an instant she was in front of the elf, her spear swinging down toward him. His instinct were well honed and told him to dodge instead of trying to block the blow, but the spear still struck one of his blades as he threw himself backwards, snapping it in half from the blow. "You will answer my questions. What is your name, and why are you after the half elf?" Green sister demanded, her tone cold, not allowing anything else.

"You, you demon! Your existence is an insult to the spirits, when our power is restore you will be quelled and sundered and remove from this existence!"

Green sister bust forward and swung a spear. The elf ties to parry it, only for his arm and blade to be pushed up away from his body by the force of the blow. Her other spear then was thrust into his upper leg; drawing blood and making him stumble back with a cry. "Continue."

"What?"

"I said continue," Green sister repeated as he swung both her spears, forcing the elf to throw himself to the ground to survive, now understanding that he could not block the force of her blows. "What did you mean by powers being restored?"

The elf paled and tried to push himself away while on his back on the grass. "No, I will tell you nothing demon!" he yelled, pointing his remaining blade at Green sister.

"Then why are you not fighting back?" Green sister asked, a small shred of a smile forming n her lips. "Why don't you use your vaunted elven magic?"

"Demon, it is, too good for the likes of you!" the elf cried as he got back up to his feet and pointed his sword at her, free hand slowly reaching for his belt.

Green sister's lips formed a smile that was worrisomely dark. "You can't, can you?"

The elf tensed and struck out with his sword, then back stepped and pulled out a knife, throwing it at Green sister's face. "Die Demon!"

Green Sister simply tilted her head, the blade passing her head harmlessly. She then began to chuckle. "You can't use magic can you? None of you did, and now that I think about it, Elves are supposed to be able to use magic to make themselves unnoticeable, no? None of you can use magic, can you?"

"Shut up demon!" the elf yelled as he pressed he attack, blade flashing as he swung it repeatedly at her.

Each swing was blocked by the shaft of one spear, the other hanging loosely in her off hand, unneeded. "Is that why you want the half elf? To try to figure out how they have magic still when you have lost yours?"

"Be silent beast, I will not hear your-"

The elf was cut off as Green sister struck, slicing his sword hand right off at the wrist with one spear, while the other stabbed into his lower unwounded leg. "Tell me, do you want her to research her, to interrogate her, or something else?"

"Gah, I won't tell, ugh, you a thing!" the elf spat, clearly in pain but trying to hold it back.

Green sister looked at him for a moment and nodded. "Fine. Then we are done here," she declared before raising a spear and beheading the elf. His head hit the ground before his body fell over, and after a second of looking it over green sister tuned around to find the queen, the half elf, and the other women all looking at her in shock for very different reason. The half elf and her friend seemed surprised and confused, while Henrietta looked shocked, horrified even. "The elves are dealt with. They were after her for some reason related to their seeming inability to use magic."

"That, uh. It is you, right Louise?" Henrietta asked nervously. The fact that she looked so different was startling, and the way she was acting was. . . .cold. Dark. It felt so much more dangerous, serious, and colder than Lady Valliere ever did with her emotionless mask. And it scared her.

"In this form I am Called Green Sister," she replied simply as she began walling back over, flicking blood of her spears before allowing them to disappear.

"But, it is you, right?"

"Um, if I may?" 5PB spoke up suddenly, bringing Henrietta's gaze upon her. "Some CPU's when thy access HDD have a personality change. Louise is one of them. It is still her; just her personality is a bit different while in her HDD form." She then looked to Green sister. "Turning back might be best for now though, right?"

"Hmm, very well," Green sister said before flashing with light, and returning to being Louise, who promptly stretched her arms. "Ah, I figured an elf would be more difficult, but at least it was good exercise."

"Exercise? That was an elf, and you just toyed with and killed them like it was nothing!" the woman with the wand and buckler said, interposing herself between Louise and the half elf, the grip on her wand tightening.

"It was nothing. They had no magic. Sounded like the reason they were after your friend. "what is your name anyway?" Louise asked casually.

"She is the thief known as Fouquet," Henrietta suddenly said. "Though that is but one moniker she holds I suppose.

"What?! How, how did you?" the woman gasped in surprise.

"We did speak at the castle in length Miss Fouquet, and while at the time I did not truly understand what your intentions were, I believe I now do. Everything you have done was to get money to keep up this place. An orphanage, no?" Fouquet was flabbergasted, staring at shock at the queen. "May I know your real name this time?"

Fouquet stared at the queen for a second more, then looked at Louise, then 5PB , and back to the queen. " Mathilda. Mathilda of Saxon-Gotha."

"Ah, a town pat of the Westwood duchy if I recall correctly," The queen said with a nod. "Now things truly make sense to me." She finished before stepping closer and looking to Tiffania. "Tiffania, May I ask if you know why the elves would come for you in force like this?"

"Six elves is not much of a force," Mathilda muttered, making Louise chuckle.

"Clearly you didn't know that they took the village outside this forest hostage."

"The village! Is anyone hurt?" Tiffania asked, her voice high and motherly sounding, full of fear and worry.

"I hope none have, but gunshots were heard, so it is possible," Henrietta admitted solemnly.

"No, I, I need to help them!"

"Tiffa, no," Mathilda said as she grabbed Tiffania shoulder as she got u[ off the ground.

"But I can help them!"

"What is more important, those villagers or your own life?" Mathilda asked seriously.

"But I can heal them!"

"You don't need to worry. My musketeer captain is there, as is one of our most powerful Mages. They both are knowledgeable in how to bandage and clean wounds."

"No I mean I can heal them with magic! I should be helping them!" Tiffania said.

"Tiffa, no, you need to protect yourself and the children. You can't do that if the village knows your face!"

"Her hat did do a very god job of hiding her ears," 5PB offered. "Would helping people really be that bad of a thing?"

"My, my magic is not water. It is elven spirit magic. Only healing though," Tiffania admitted quickly, making Mathilda look at her in Shock. "TIFFA! Are you trying to get yourself hunted by the church again?! That is not something you admit to anyone, much less a regent!"

"Lady Mathilda, I know why you would say such a thing, but please believe me when I say I wish nothing ill to befall Tiffania. As she said, her name is Westwood, which makes her a relative of mine. And I would never harm family!"

Tiffania looked extremely happy. Mathilda on the other hand just stared at Henrietta. "How can we trust what you are saying?"

"You trusted me before and I did not break my promise?" Henrietta replied making Mathilda flinch back a bit. "But if that still is not enough, then I swear upon my name as regent of Tristain that I shall not harm or allow harm to come to you from any member of my country's peoples. This you have my word!"

"Your word doesn't matter because you won't see us again," Mathilda said seriously. "Just leave us to our business of moving our home."

"The elves will come back," Louise spoke up with a smile. "They're after you because you can use their magic despite being a half breed, right?"

Tiffanaia shook her head. "That isn't quite accurate."

"Tiffa, do not even think of telling them!" Mathilda warned her.

"What else can we do? If they come back we won't be able to stop them, and the children will be in more danger. They already saved us; maybe they can help us more!"

"No, I am not letting their church chain you up as a piece of property!" Mathilda responded darkly.

"But she promised she would protect us, so they wouldn't be able to!" Tiffania said, just before 5PB spoke up.

"Why would their church do anything to you?" he asked before looking at Louise and Henrietta.

"The church despises the elven people due to the Founder supposedly stating their land was holy and fit only for human hands to claim. The church has led many wars against the elves, though the last one was over a thousand years ago," Henrietta explained. "Though I am curious as to why you think the church would act differently to you."

"Because-"

"Don't Tiffa, if you tell them you can't go back from it!" Mathilda warned.

"Because I can't use just Elven Spirit magic for healing. I can also use void magic."