Kitsune of the Blue Sun

An hour before noon in the largest residence of the mountain city.

[Baron Orcly Orcalus Piggalus Swine POV]

I was sitting at my table, looking over the abundant feast in front of me and debating about what should be eaten first when I was so rudely interrupted by one of the peasant maids bursting into the room.

 

“Lord Baron-!”

 

Before the whelp could continue, I tossed one of the empty plates from my pre-lunch snack from the pile beside me at her.

 

“Address me correctly!” (Baron)

 

The peasant, now shaking and with a small trail of blood flowing from her head, spoke once more.

 

“O-oh graciously corpulent Lord Swine, a message has arrived from the guards at the city gate. The rebel army has arrived and is making its way through the forest as we speak.”

 

Hearing the sniveling whelp’s message, I relaxed further into my seat.

 

“Hmm.  I have heard the message.  Leave me and wait in my chambers. You will be my companion for the night. Rejoice to your heart’s content.” (Baron)

 

The cat eared toy then ran from the room while tears of joy fell from her eyes, leaving a small trail of stains in the carpet.

 

“So, the game for the throne has finally reached my doorstep. That young one is making surprisingly good use of his pawns. A shame his father has stationed those Soul Soldiers in the forest, though I guess his Majesty has been keening his scions from the throne for centuries at this point. I do wonder what it would be like serving a new king though.” (Baron)

 

In my mind I imagined a possible future under a new king before waving those thoughts to the back of my mind.

 

“More importantly, I think I will go with the pork.” (Baron)

 

As I stabbed my fork into the succulent meat, I felt an itch in the back of my mind as the halo above my head shone a small bit brighter.

 

{How annoying.  The lord of this city is an angel.  Take care of him quickly, my love.}

 

It was just barely a whisper but present all the same.

 

“Such strong telepathy. Wonder who it is, not that it matters.” (Baron)

[Keeno POV]

“Annoying angels. Why do they have to have that stupid ability?” (Keeno)

 

“Don’t ask me. Isn’t that something SHE should know?” (Pram)

 

“I’ve asked before and she told me that it was the Goddess of Creation that made living things, or at least the races that living things could be born as. Ama is just responsible for making sure they actually have Life.” (Keeno)

 

“…That…why don’t more people know that?  It’s the first I’m hearing this.” (Freya)

 

“Don’t know that, but we’ll ask later. “(Keeno)

 

We were standing in front of a large, closed gate. I could see the souls of a large number of people standing behind both the gate and above it. Every so often I saw the glint of metal through some of the small arrow holes lining the top of the gate as well.

 

“Hmmm.” (Sigurd)

 

While Sigurd was standing next to us, contemplating what to do, one of the soldiers stepped up.

 

“General, should we prepare some battering rams?  There are abundant resources to do so, and I get the feeling that those inside won’t make a move while we do.”

 

“No, that will take too long and while I trust the instincts of my men, I won’t take any chances and leave an opening like that.” (Sigurd)

 

“Sigurd, you know very well I can open us a way in. It will result in some damage to the gate and maybe a bit of the city, but I’m confident I can contain the damage to only that much.” (Keeno)

 

“With all due respect, my Lady, but I also don’t want to do that. You’ve already done us a great service today, and I feel like if I continue to make these requests of you, it will be like I’m asking you to do all the work while we sit back and watch.” (Sigurd)

 

“Sigurd, me and my companions are adventurers hired to help in this war.  As a general, you should use all the advantages and people you have to succeed. I don’t care how much you ask me to do as long as I get what I’m owed in the end. So, man up as a general and do your duty.” (Keeno)

 

“*Sigh*Lady Okami, destroy the gate and sound the start of the battle.” (Sigurd)

 

“Gladly.” (Keeno)

 

I lifted a hand in front of me with my palm facing the sky.  Just above my hand a small ball of cerulean flames formed, empowered by it being the hour before noon. I began pouring more mana into it while keeping it small.  While the size didn’t change, the heat around us began increasing. Grass around us and the leaves of the trees behind us began to singe and I heard the cries of a few people behind us whose facial hair became the first casualties of today’s battle. When I decided it was enough, I made the ball of magic fly toward the gate.

 

“COVER YOUR EARS AND EYES!” (Keeno)

 

I didn’t turn around to see if anyone listened to me as I covered my own ears and shut my eyes as tight as I could.  Not long after that, a still loud boom echoed all around followed shortly by a wave of heat that I found extremely pleasant but was extremely hot for normal people. When I opened my eyes, the gate was entirely gone as well as a small chunk of the side of the mountain. Inside through the smoke, I could sort of make out a lot of movement, like what happens when you kick an anthill.  Though I cracked the gate open like an egg, nobody on our side moved.

 

“Sigurd, give the order to charge.”  (Keeno)

 

Sigurd snapped out of the stupor he was in and looked at me.

 

“Are you alright?  Something of that magnitude should have taken too much mana.” (Sigurd)

 

“I’m fine, more than fine even since that didn’t take much. But that’s not important, if we’re attacking, give the order. We can’t always be distracted like this if we’re going to win this war.” (Keeno)

 

“You’re right.  We can’t be surprised by every little thing if we’re going to win and get more allies from outside. LISTEN UP ALL OF YOU, IT’S TIME WE GO ON THE OFFENSIVE. STORM THE CITY, SPARE ALL CIVILIANS AND KILL OR CAPTURE ANY SOLDIER!  WE TAKE THIS CITY FOR THE REBELLION!” (Sigurd)

 

Sigurd’s spirited yell had the effect that was intended and soon a war cry rang out from our side. We began to charge toward the gate of the city while the ones supposed to be guarding it were still shocked.  They only started to regain their senses once we crossed what used to be the still smoldering gate.

 

[3^rd person POV]

As the rebel forces flooded into the city, citizens fled to their homes or other places they deemed safe.  The soldiers who had run to the gate after its destruction were met in the streets by rebels in battle.  The clash was intense and both sides took losses.  Though the rebels were outnumbered, they were aided by the blessing of war, leading to a slow, but steady advance through the city, with more losses or captures of Falheim loyalists than rebels.

 

The further inside the city the rebels pushed, the more frenzied the loyalists became, some fighting tooth and nail, others giving up when realizing they were fighting a losing battle.  Many of the ones that went out fighting fell to Freya or Keeno, seeing as they were managing to overpower the rebels, though several also fell to Sigurd’s sword.  Emma had also raked up a good number of kills on the enemy by continuously finding ways to knock them down large numbers of stairs, ending in the deaths of many by ways of falling or being crushed.  By the time evening was nearing, the rebels managed to make it to the surroundings of the Lord’s residence.

[Baron Orcly Orcalus Piggalus Swine]

Just as I was about to go to my room to feast upon the maid from earlier, my entire residence shook.

 

*boom*

 

“Squeeeee!  What was that!?” (Baron)

 

Shortly after that loud noise, one of my soldiers burst into the room.

 

“Most opulent one, Lord Swine, the rebels have broken into the city and are surrounding the manor.”

 

“WHAT!?  What have you all been doing!?  Make those insignificant pests called peasants throw themselves at the swords of the rebels!  Don’t let them any closer to my wonderous home, you filthy beast!” (Baron)

 

For a brief second, some kind of emotion crossed over the face of the soldier before me before he turned and left the room.  I huffed and turned around to start making my way to my room again, but once again, I was interrupted.  The glass in the room shattered as a loud boom sounded.  I fell to the floor in a ball while covering my precious head to ensure my beauty would not be marred.  Another few moments later, and I heard the sound of doors bursting open once more, the soldier from earlier flying through it and sliding to my feet.  Through the now broken doors stepped several figures, though one especially caught my eye.  A tall kitsune with twin tails of the brightest silver, tipped with a glowing cerulean that matched her irises.  Said irises were surrounded by a sea of black darker than the darkest abyss.  Those eyes put a primal fear in this great me, like my very soul was being judged.  I was captivated by this kitsune that I didn’t notice the man stepping up to me.

 

“Lord of this city, relinquish your rule.  We have taken the rest of the city.” (???)

 

Turning my attention to the one speaking, I couldn’t help but scoff.  He looked like a rank-and-file peasant like the rest of them, the beautifully scary eyed one notwithstanding.  I stood and faced him while summoning my Soul Weapon behind my back.

 

“Relinquish my rule?  PAH!  You know NOTHING.  I will never relinquish my rule.  Doing so would be a sign of weakness, and weakness is not accepted here.  If I relinquish my rule, I will have no place in the future of this country.  Neither the current nor future ruler would allow one who gave up their rule to live, and I will not die.  BUHEEEEEEEE!!!!!!” (Baron)

 

I swung my Soul Weapon at the offensive mongrel, though before my blade struck true, my vision shook, and I started to feel a burning sensation in my arm.  I looked down and saw my hand laying on the floor, a light burning smell coming from the end of it and my arm.

 

“SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!” (Baron)

 

“It even sounds like a pig.” (???)

 

The scary-eyed kitsune stepped forward, a blade swinging from a chain having appeared in her hand.

 

“And, out of all the nobles in this country I’ve seen so far, all of them have been so Corrupted, it’s absolutely sickening.” (???)

 

“Corruption?  HAH!  I am not corrupt, all those that live in my city are mine to use as I see fit.  There is no such thing as corruption when I am one of the few chosen to as a real human and not one of those heathan peasants in the shape of people.” (Baron)

 

“*Sigh*It’s always like this.  Every single one of them is like this, my Lady.  And they all end the same.” (???)

 

The mongrel brandished his sword and swung, and everything went dark.

 

Chaos Realm:

Luna: That blessing of war is broken.

I wouldn’t say that.  It’s just Falheim being weak that makes it look broken.

Tamamo: There is being weak, then there is this.  How have they even survived this long?

No idea.  The world at large has found a sort of peace in complacency, though Odeen has taken over several small countries, making it basically an empire, not that it’s going to last much longer thanks to Keeno.  But enough of that.

Luna: Fine, but how is that grudge going?  Keeno seems to be getting angrier again.

She’ll manage a little longer, especially if she finds what I hope she finds soon, because I’m sensing some fun things in the future if she does.

Tamamo: Care to let us in on what you see?

Where’s the fun in spoiling it?

Luna: He’s right, Tamamo, let’s just wait and see.

Tamamo: Ufufufu.  Fine, but I really do hope as interesting as you are making it out to be.