by J. J. Pavlov
It's the very picture of a fantasy world's demonic lands, and it gives Asoko the feeling that they're heading toward the final boss in a roleplaying game. Only that this boss is her mother, and she's - hopefully - friendly.
Not so far behind them, the landscape was still green, and trees grew aplenty, but sometime around midnight, it made a rather abrupt change to this. That may be a result of the corruption that Queen Pelomyx is exuding, which affects the plants in a large area. At least that's a plausible explanation for this sudden change in terrain.
Even from the air, one can see the caravans and travelers going toward the city in the early morning. Most of them will be farmers and merchants, coming to sell their wares from nearby settlements with more fertile lands.
"Pretty cliché." Senka mutters, barely loud enough for Asoko to hear. That's the exact same sentiment she had when she thought about the connection between the castle of the demon queen and this landscape's appearance. It's as if somebody deliberately styled the scenery like this, though maybe it's just that fantasy games accidentally got it right.
"Should we land and walk the last stretch?" Asoko asks the doll girl in a low voice, but Ninlil's ears twitch at the sound, and her eyes snap open. She gets to her feet, causing Tamariki beside her to be startled awake.
"Huh, what's going on?" Unlike the catgirl, the horned demon is confused and looks around half-asleep.
"We're here." Since it seems like everybody is going to wake up in the next few minutes, she might as well do it now. The voice in her chest vibrates her entire body, which causes the others to snap awake from the tremors.
"So, this is Arkaim." Lenoly is the first to comment as she carefully gets up and supports herself with her staff. Her great-grandparents never came here during their lifetimes, so all she knows is what they heard in tales. Still, they made sure to pass those tales on to their children, which eventually reached her.
"Yeah, we should walk." Senka suggests when she peers down to see the stream of demons heading for the city. Unlike in Pontis Daemonis, Arkaim has a predominantly civilian population. They're high enough in the air for those on the ground to maybe mistake Asoko for a bird now. But when she approaches their destination, she will inadvertently descend; a dragon seemingly swooping down on the city would, without a doubt, cause a panic.
The others seem to agree with her sentiment, so Asoko lands behind one of the jagged rocks, out of view from the city and the dirt roads leading up to its gates. It would appear that the ground is packed dry dirt rather than sand so that even in her dragon form, her feet don't sink in. It's similar to the transition from the Nagirah desert to the more fertile lands of the Mineva Republic.
Once everybody is ready, they begin to walk. It's been a while since they last had to travel on their own two feet, but the city isn't too far away, so it won't take them long. But they visibly miss the comfort of sitting without having to lift a finger while the world rushes by.
Soon, they reach the wide paved road the merchants are traveling on. From the sky, it wasn't visible as it has nearly the same color as the dry soil around it. But it's a testament to Arkaim's influence that it can maintain a paved road even in a dusty landscape such as this wasteland. Considering it can't grow its own crop, it at least needs to make bringing in resources easier on those who make the journey.
The massive city walls continue to grow taller as they get closer; they must be at least thirty meters tall, looking well-maintained and sturdy. Her mother had said that the morning before her birth, a human army attacked the city. Seeing these walls, it's easy to see how she was able to defend it without the city beyond getting damaged. After all, when she had looked out the window, there had been no signs of a battle's aftermath.
The open gates give off an inviting feeling, and even though there are guards standing watch, caravans, lone carts, and travelers on foot are allowed access without inspection. It would seem that ever since Pontis Daemonis returned into demon hands, both citizens and soldiers of the Dominion have been feeling safer.
Asoko mentally prepares herself. She will finally come face to face with her mother in this world, whom she first and last saw nearly one year ago. While she's Kuroe Makoto, known as Chaos in this world, she shares that identity with her other half.
Only that this same other half was found after the teleportation accident and brought back here to live with their mother for a few more weeks before leaving. In everybody's eyes, Chaos is the real one, while Asoko would be nothing but an extra.
Furthermore, Chaos came back here while Asoko was accidentally teleported to the academy basement, so maybe the former already told Queen Pelomyx about the latter's existence. Hestia is with her, so at least she won't come across as a fake trying to impersonate the princess.
"I'll let the future me worry about this." Muttering to herself, Asoko looks ahead with anxious determination. First, they need to get into the castle, which might require her to pull the Crawling Chaos card again. Or maybe turning into her appearance from her previous life would work too since she transformed into that back then before being sent through the transportation circle.
"Spoken like a teenager about to do something stupid." Senka overhears her and gets in a snarky remark. But she's not so ignorant that she doesn't understand what Asoko was referring to.
"Possibly." Shrugging, the latter begins running the scenarios in her head for how she'll go and greet her mother.
Entering the city was easy enough. The soldiers at the gate didn't even pay them special attention, even though Hestia should be sticking out quite a bit. But just like in Pontis Daemonis, nobody noticed that she's a Fata with black wings. Then again, there was an incredible variation of demons back there, just as there are here.
They learned here that many demons aren't even humanoid. Earlier, Asoko saw a multi-legged being that has no perceivable head or arms. Anybody would have thought it to be a pack animal due to the immense load on its back. Then it suddenly talked to a humanoid male with an elongated neck in a distinctly female voice. There was also a blob of living mud constantly dousing itself in water as it left a trail of dirt while slithering across the ground, much to the chagrin of the guards.
Unlike a human town, the diversity of forms and colors is staggering. Even though the buildings are mostly in shades of gray or black, many featuring tinted windows, the bustling streets are filled with all kinds of beings.
Tamariki's eyes have been glittering since they approached the gates, but she's not the only one. Lenoly spotted some bakari soldiers patrolling the streets - the first of her kind that she saw other than her family.
Even Ninlil shows nostalgic melancholia on her face when she doubtlessly remembers the stores that were already around during her tenure as the maid leader. So far, nobody has recognized her yet, but she's also deliberately walking in the center of the group to hide herself. She's still afraid of being branded a deserter or even traitor for having fled the Dominion when Pelomyx came to power.
Suddenly, Asoko spots a demon in a maid outfit. It's the only person in the crowd with anachronistic clothes, as unlike Ninlil's plain dress and apron, this one is frilly and short-skirted. The person wearing it gives off a frog-like impression, with slightly oversized webbed hands that end in bulbous fingertips, a broad thin-lipped mouth, and large black eyes. Her skin has a green hue and a wet sheen.
It's the maid that served her in the morning when she had a meal with her mother. But she never learned her name, so it's a little difficult for her to call out to the girl.
"Chasing skirts again?" Lenoly remarks snidely, causing Asoko to nearly flinch in surprise. She expected Senka to employ that tone, but not the little bakari.
"She's just one of the maids in the castle." Feeling the need to justify herself, the Crawling Chaos turns to her with a flustered expression. Then she realizes what her own behavior is signaling and closes her mouth. Still, Lenoly's reaction suggests jealousy.
"What happened to their uniforms?" Nin
lil stares at the frog maid with an expression of disapproval.
"Oh, you didn't wear one of those?" Asoko takes the opportunity presented by the catgirl to change the topic. She grins at the latter, picturing her in a short-skirted and frilly outfit. Then she quickly turns away when the image in her mind turns out too vivid. Although Ninlil is as small as a child and has a youthful face, she's many centuries old. Somebody of such a venerable age wearing a cute maid outfit is too much for her.
"That must be something Queen Pelomyx introduced." Frowning, the catgirl replies with evident displeasure in her voice. Luckily, she didn't look at the Crawling Chaos while the latter had those thoughts.
"Well, that's our ticket into the castle." With these words, Asoko follows the frog maid, who seems to be on her way to do grocery shopping as she's carrying a basket under one arm. To think the castle isn't regularly supplied with fresh produce and requires the maids to go out hunting for bargains seems quite bizarre. In the Khurut Sultanate, large carts were coming in daily to provide plenty for the palace.
The maid walks at a brisk pace as she regards the stalls in passing. Many people greet her, and she waves back, but she never stops for anything as if having a target in mind. Not wanting to lose the others in the flow of people, Asoko doesn't run off on her own, which results in the entire group of eight seemingly stalking the lone maid. Others make way when they see Tamariki, but the streets are still too packed for them to catch up immediately.
Suddenly, the frog maid ducks into an alleyway, causing Asoko to exchange a glance with Hestia. She blinks her eyes in surprise, unsure what to do, so the former runs after the maid first while leaving behind the others after all.
However, when she enters the alleyway, there are no signs of the maid. Asoko has seen enough situations like this one in fiction; being a frog demon, she can most likely stick to walls or jump very high. And sure enough, the sound of cloth fluttering comes from above right when she looks up. The maid drops down toward her with one dagger in each hand, her empty black eyes reflecting her target.
"Wait-" Raising a hand to stop her, Asoko tries to speak. But the dagger performs an arc and cuts off her hand at the wrist. In the same motion, the other dagger slashes horizontally, aimed at the throat.
But at that point, her skin is already covered in dragon scales, which repel the blade. Asoko's expression grows calm as she bends down to pick up her severed hand and puts it against the stump of her wrist haphazardly. Tendrils reconnect the cut part seamlessly.
"Wha-?" The frog maid stares at her in shock. It seems that this is a rare feat even among the incredibly diverse range of demons in existence.
"Recognize your princess!" Asoko has been in her other half's form all this time, but she changes into the one she had when she first tried transforming into a shape from memory alone. It's what she looked like in her previous life, with short black hair and a distinctly Japanese face.
"Huh?" But the maid tilts her head for a moment before her big black eyes widen even more to be completely round like an actual frog's.
In the next moment, she drops to her knees and brings her head to the ground in a perfect Japanese prostration. Cadrienna also kneeled and even banged her head on the cobblestone courtyard when she realized who Asoko was, seemingly afraid of the repercussions of her mistake. Maybe her mother really is a ruthless dictator who severely punishes any transgressions toward her or her children.
"I am so sorry for attacking you, Chaos-sama!" She doesn't dare to raise her head and speaks in an almost hysterical voice. And right on cue, the others enter the alleyway after her just in time to witness Asoko making another girl kneel before her.
Even Lenoly is giving her a disdainful look now. Daica and Hestia appear to understand the situation at a single glance, so they merely shake their heads and sigh.
"As expected of the daughter of the demon queen." Senka remarks with a sarcastic smirk. "You're a brute."
"Maou-sama left on an inspection tour of the Dominion four days ago." The frog maid named Amerega explains on their way through the castle gate. She has abandoned her job to buy groceries to act as their guide. Evidently, she prefers to do this rather than having to carry a heavy basket up the hill.
Asoko exchanges a glance with the others. It would seem that Queen Pelomyx makes her rounds alone and without a predetermined route. She can be gone for several moons without anybody knowing where she is. For one part, she's relieved that she doesn't need to face her mother right away, but they came here to ask for help to retrieve Chaos from space.
"Welcome back, Your Highness." Suddenly, a muffled voice greets the Crawling Chaos, causing her to snap out of her thoughts.
"Mithra." She turns her face into a mask before looking at him, not betraying her thoughts. According to Lenoly, it was he who launched Chaos into space, so he's most likely a traitor.
"Are you back for good now?" He leans on his staff and bows before her while posing this question. Her other half came back to Arkaim twice before, each time for only a short while. It would seem to everybody else who doesn't know the truth behind her existence that she has now finally returned with the companions she gathered during her journey.
But Mithra does know the truth. He was the one who detected her in the basement of the academy and helped her other half get to Daica's store. Right now, he's hiding it from the Maid Corps that's hastily lining up to greet their returned princess. For what reason he's keeping it a secret, Asoko doesn't know.
"Rewera!" Tamariki shouts when the maid leader appears on the second floor of the entrance hall. The latter looks at the red-skinned demon with a hint of surprise in her gaze. Then her eyes widen slightly before she quickly descends the stairs.
"Welcome back, Chaos-sama." Rewera greets Asoko with a bow first before regarding the others. She already met Hestia, and she most likely knows Ninlil but doesn't let it show on her face. "Welcome to the castle of Arkaim."
Seemingly unable to hold herself back, Tamariki steps forward, but a raised hand and a sharp glance from the maid leader stops her. Rewera doesn't want to let anything blemish the return of the princess right now.
"Her Majesty left four days ago-" She then begins to explain, but Asoko lifts a hand to interrupt her.
"I already heard. I will wait for her return." The Crawling Chaos then gestures at her companions. "These are Lady Nightwane, Hestia, Dregana, Tamariki, Ninlil, Senka, and Lenoly."
At the mention of the last name, Hestia folds her black wings properly to reveal the little bakari. Her eyes are swimming, trying her best to avoid looking at Mithra. Maybe he doesn't even recognize her since it was dark, and she was lying in the grass, but whether or not he does can't be gleaned from his face as it's completely wrapped in bandages.
"I would like to talk to you, Mithra." Asoko takes the initiative into her own hands. She then shoots Senka, Daica, and Hestia a meaningful glance, telling them to stay by her side. "Can you please prepare rooms for the others?"
This is directed at Rewera while gesturing at Lenoly, Dregana, Ninlil, and Tamariki. They don't know that Asoko is another Chaos - even if they can tell that she's definitely related to her by blood. She wants to keep them in the dark for a while longer. Without awaiting an answer, she looks at Mithra with an imperial gaze.
"As you wish, Your Highness." He bows rather grandly and leads the way to a place nobody will eavesdrop on them. Glancing back one more time to see Lenoly's concerned expression, Asoko follows the court magician along with her entourage.
"You know who I am." Asoko gets right to the point the moment the door closes behind them in Mithra's tower. It's not big enough to call it a library, but it has all the makings of one, with shelves bending under the weight of books, loose sheets of paper, and scrolls stacked high. Similarly, piles of books and documents lie strewn across the ground, making it hard to step anywhere other than the single somewhat clean path leading to a desk.
The lamp crystals bask the windowless room in an orange glow, much lik
e that of candles. Under any other circumstances, this would have been an inviting atmosphere, and Kuroe Makoto would have loved to browse the books.
But now, the air feels tense, as the four girls glare at the court magician's back while he moves over to his desk, deliberately appearing frail by leaning on his staff. Asoko is obviously not convinced by his act and steps into the center of the room while Senka and Daica move to one corner, and Hestia to another. This way, he will hopefully not be able to teleport them all away at the same time.
"Indeed, I do." He finally turns around to answer the question. It's hard to make out the emotions in the court magician's voice as it's muffled by the bandages. Not being able to tell what he's thinking puts everybody else in the room on edge.
"I have questions for you." Asoko maintains an emotionless façade but readies herself for a battle. Mithra is the court magician, so he's most likely versed in all kinds of magic. There are many ways to silence her here that don't involve teleporting her away - after all, that's only a temporary measure.
"And I have a proposal for you." He suddenly counters in a distinctly cold tone. Letting go of his staff as if to signal his goodwill, he makes it stand as if propped up by a ghostly hand and walks forward a few steps. Although not by that much, he's taller than Asoko even though his back is slightly hunched forward. "I will keep your identity a secret. In return, you will not ask for an explanation as to why I sent your other half to the moon."
Everybody's jaws drop at this straightforward admittance of what he did, but Asoko maintains her emotionless expression. Rather than a proposal, this is a negotiation. And his condition is the exact opposite of what she came here for.
"I don't care if others know about me. I want to know your reasons." She demands but then shakes her head. There's actually a question that has been nagging at the back of her head more than anything else. "No, tell me this first: Were you the one who caused the faulty transportation that created me?"
"Yes and no." Mithra replies in a matter of fact tone. "All I can tell you is that you were not an accident."
