After the gates were opened once again, the villagers from the village she dropped the priest off at, arrived at the gates. They said they wanted to help with the restoration once it was safe so Guinevere came to meet them at the gate.
The remaining Einherjar were standing behind Guinevere. She thanked them for their help but the two didn't return, their desires clearly being to stay by her side in case Suluvuk escapes. That barrier won't hold him forever since souls are just fuel for that powerful but cursed spell taught to the Gods by the Progenitor.
The people gathered around her when they saw her standing there. Their smiles were almost infectious as they swarmed her with hugs and handshakes.
"—Thank you, Red-Haired Goddess!!" the village chief knelt by Guinevere's feet, his villagers also bowing profusely while others in the background were loading the bodies in wagons.
"…You are most welcome…" Guinevere's solemn eyes watched as the people that she failed to protect were thrown onto wagons and covered by cloths.
"Is something wrong?" she glanced back at the village chief.
This man was the one who approached her about the town. She was busy investigating as usual and asking around many villages if they spotted anything that may help her. Fortunately for them, she was in the village near this town at the time of the report.
At first, he said he would pay her handsomely to report the news to the nobles but when she heard what happened, she came over here instead.
They were apparently from one of Duke Berkley's villages. Recently there had been a lot of similar groups appearing all over the continent. This interfered with Guinevere's investigations. She could simply ignore it since it's impossible for humans to open demon portals since the average human has enough common sense to know the dangers or isn't capable of opening them.
But Guinevere isn't someone who ignores humans killing other humans for the sole purpose of summoning demons.
It's the greatest sin a human can commit and even she thinks they are irredeemable.
Concern spread on the people's faces noticing how quiet she was. Easing their hearts is impossible right now so all she can do is give them advice to protect them.
"…If you are visited in your dreams by a shadowy figure promising to fulfill your deepest desires, do not be fooled by it. It is a demon. And if you are serious about protecting yourself and your family, devote yourself to any God, as this faith will be the barrier protecting you from demonic control."
Several gulps could be heard.
"I will continue to fight for you but my tolerance of others cooperating with demons stops when you take a human life for the demon's goals. Do that and I will not hesitate to kill you." She said it in the gentlest way possible but knowing how she just defeated an all-powerful God, even that sounded menacing.
"Y-Yes, we understand!"
"Uh, come to think of it, I remember being visited by someone like that." One of the villagers said.
"Me too. Strange how I didn't remember until now."
"—That is because they use a variety of brainwashing to control humans," a different voice answered, belonging to a man, "If the human is too stubborn, it plants suggestions in your brain, causing you to do things you otherwise wouldn't. Awareness tends to break this."
Guinevere and the villagers looked back at the opened gates.
A masked man, followed by several other masked individuals in hoods, stood there.
"Who might you be?" Guinevere asked, representative of the people.
"Lancelot Ulsian, captain of this Inquisitor Order." The man didn't take off his mask but Guinevere could feel his eyes on her pierce her. He was gauging her strength, "The mass of demon energy we heard about, was dispersed. And from the reports it covered this entire town. Only a very powerful divine magician could have done that in mere moments, unlike an entire temple of divine practitioners who would need upwards to a week."
"I dispersed the demon energy." She admitted, "And subdued the demon that was summoned—the whole reason for this tragedy."
"…I see. May we have the honor of knowing your name?" his tone turned polite.
"…Call me Gwyn."
Taking up an alias may be better for her fight against the demons. The element of surprise could give her an advantage if she uses it right. Not many of the demons would remember her since it's been centuries since she's been in battle and not many demons live that long, but the demon lords certainly do.
Plus no one knows Suluvuk since he was crowned a "Demon God" ten thousand years ago. His name is surely forgotten by now.
Anyway, she will then use that element of surprise to kill all three demon lords around the Demon King, and hopefully the Monarch Watcher as well. Until then, she waits for Promethius' successor to grow stronger so that the two can fight the Demon King together. Guinevere is done waiting for the Gods to help the humans fight.
She will fight with them this time around as the Angels won't come down again, just as they were absent from the first invasion.
"And your companions?" he gestured to the Einherjar.
"You can ignore them. They are merely attendants from my village so their names are not worth mentioning."
She apologized to them through her thoughts. She could feel their wry smiles even though they could not speak or change expression.
Einherjar is a spell only demigods and gods can use given their connection to Valhalla so Guinevere needs to make sure her title as a Valkyrie is only seen as a class, and not a race of demigod warriors.
"…I understand. Are you part of any group? We didn't encounter anyone connected to the church with armor like yours." he said, perhaps eyeing the mantle around her neck and her peculiar helmet.
"I am alone."
"…So, you appeared out of thin air? How is it that we haven't heard of someone like you before? You do not even have your church's insignia on your mantle or a cross on your chest plate."
How can she explain this…
But before she could think of how to explain, the man didn't push anymore:
"Forgive me. You saved these people and yet I am trying to interrogate you. With how rampant human betrayals are, I am a little on edge. Every morning when I wake up, I suspect even my comrades or myself because I assume a demon visited us in our dreams and is planting suggestions in our minds but hiding them well so that we fool ourselves into thinking what we do is for our benefit alone and not the Demon King's."
Demon magic is frightening indeed, she agreed inwardly.
Guinevere made a small smile, "You can rest assured that the most devoted followers of Melis can never be brainwashed by demons as her blessings reside in all our hearts. The men and women who fell prey to their influence are those with uncertainty in the Gods."
"You are certain of that?"
She nodded silently.
While she has lost all respect for the pantheon of Gods and despise how they manage human lives, she still believes faith is the most powerful weapon a human has to fight against demonic corruption. That said, it doesn't mean it will protect them if a demon wants to kill them but mind control is impossible if your faith is strong enough.
If this shield is not strong enough to protect them then she will be the wall that stands before that crumbling shield.
They can thank the Gods all they like even if she does not serve them anymore. She fights only for the weak. And until they can convince her they have changed, she will never fight for them.
"Lancelot, was it? I admit that this is no easy task alone so I would like to ask for your help."
◊◊
Ceru couldn't believe her eyes—
The Guinevere was walking among humans after being missing for centuries.
Yes, she knows exactly who Guinevere is.
She reigned as [High Valkyrie] during Ceru's previous reincarnation. She heard a lot about Guinevere's deeds, which made her loved by all in the divine realm.
But Ceru, just like some of her sisters, died shortly during the invasion by the gods from the Between Realms. She expended too much of her lifeforce to revive the fallen Gods and thus perished. She could not see Guinevere ascend and become the Goddess of War, Gederick's successor and leader of the War Council.
What happened during her thousands of years slumber before her next reincarnation for Guinevere to walk among humans? Did she fight with the other gods? Knowing how different a human's perception of gods are and how they actually are, infighting was inevitable between the good-natured Guinevere and Zephyros' pantheon. That said, she still had a good relationship with Goddess of Nature (Rafaela's predecessor), Fate Goddess, Destiny Goddess, etc…
'There's a weird seal on her.' Ceru could feel a weird power originating from Guinevere. It felt oddly similar to the Cardinal of Hecate that her Papa never takes off. Are they connected somehow? Did the two meet and Arnold cast some kind of stigma on himself to seal her power away?
Even she knows that Guinevere is way too strong for Arnold to handle. As such, using the Cardinal Artifacts to seal away her power makes the most sense, right?
But something is strange, the stigma she senses in Guinevere doesn't appear to be hostile, and didn't feel similar to what debuffs are supposed to feel like.
She has to ask either Arnold or Guinevere. But is it fine to reveal herself to the latter? Probably not yet.
Guinevere followed the inquisitors up to the destroyed morgue where all of this originated from. In the morgue, a red light glowed against the destroyed walls.
"The blood, it's thicker than tree sap." One of the inquisitors said after putting a finger on the jar of blood nearby, "It smells weird too. Not the kind of smell that comes from iron-rich blood."
"The demon energy from before most likely mixed with the blood. The blood was an offering to the summoning ritual. Any who sustained a cut would be subject to its touch."
"I thought dead bodies are all that's needed but they drain the victims' bodies as well? Sickening." Another remarked after Guinevere answered the man.
They then focused their attention on the twisting red portal in the middle of the debris.
Ceru couldn't recognize it. One thing is certain: it's not a demon portal since instead of dark purple or black energy, this one was red, as if it was a window into Hell itself.
"What kind of magic circle is this?" Lancelot knelt by the giant glowing magic circle that was the reason for this portal's existence in this world, "I might not be a magician but even I don't see familiar runic letters that are typically on magic circles. Even if I cannot read them, they still look very strange to me."
"There are over 200 runic letters so it is not surprising that you do know all of them." Guinevere also inspected the magic circle, "I have seen many of these sorts of magic circles before but I fear we have no way to destroy them even if we kill the entity the summoner brought to this world."
"A door that cannot be closed?" Lancelot asked, "What do you reckon is on the other side, Lady Gwyn?"
"I have one theory after my encounter with the summon. Do any of you know about the Layers of Hell?" leaning against the collapsed wall, she asked the inquisitors.
The inquisitors looked at each other, none speaking up. Even Lancelot seemed puzzled at the concept.
"It seems your ancestors did not find it necessary to teach it to you because they thought the knowledge would never contribute in any meaningful way of stopping what's to come."
"…What's to come? Lady Gwyn, please educate us."
"I'm sure you know what Ragnarok is at least?"
All nodded.
"The gates to this dimension, like the rifts in the sky, will open once Ragnarok befalls the Nine Realms. Ragnarok's destruction will reach beyond the realms, even into other dimensions. What lies beyond that portal is the home to many powerful beings sealed away by All-Father Zephyros that should never see the nine realms—but most important of all, it is the home of the Death God, the God who rows His boat through the River of Cocytus for all eternity in search of powerful souls He can use."
The Death God considers the Dragon God a rival—as such, he is constantly consuming souls in order to reach the magnitude of power the Dragon God was said to have the potential of. It is said the Dragon God has the essence of the Bifrost itself in its
"The River of Cocytus… That has to be the river that takes humans to the Death God upon our deaths?"
"Correct. When humans die, their souls are believed to ascend, to a place called Heaven or to the Divine Realm itself. However, this isn't entirely true. Only humans whose souls aren't consumed by the Death God get the chance to reincarnate or are sent to the afterlife, the actual Heaven. Our souls drift endlessly through the vast River of Cocytus that connects all nine layers of hell together until He decides to take you out of it. Only He is able to use a boat in this river. Anyone else who dares cross, even the walking calamities trapped in the other realms, sinks to the very bottom. At the bottom of the Layers of Hell is Hades—an Abyss where eternity triumphs time."
"…What lies there?"
"Not even the All-Father might be able to say. But if Cocytus drowns gods and devours calamities, imagine what waits at its ever-expanding bottom."
All of them gulped.
"…Y-You mentioned something came out of here, right? Where is it now?"
"And most importantly, what are we dealing with?" Lancelot asked as well. There was a noticeable shake in his voice but he was keeping his composure.
Maybe this is why humans don't need to learn about the Layers of Hell. All this knowledge brings is fear of the unknown.
"The demon that came through here is a Demon God who might have walked these lands hundreds of thousands of years ago. He spoke of our world as if it was familiar and expressed desires to rule it. That demon's name is Suluvuk, a demon that wants to dethrone the Demon King."
That name is familiar to Ceru. She was part of the force that fought Suluvuk. Zephyros, while strong, couldn't focus all his attention on Suluvuk's entire army so angels were recruited to fight alongside him while he dealt with the Demon God.
Suluvuk was almost Zephyros' equal back then. Even if the All-Father is over a million years old, and is slowly becoming weaker over the years, a demon god that could match him in strength was unprecedented. Deciding not to take the risk in fighting Suluvuk head-on at full strength, both as a safety measure for the realms and himself, Zephyros chose to use powerful magic.
The demon was sealed in the "Realms of Hell" and was afflicted with the most powerful curse known to man—Curse of Dante. It might be an immortality curse, but considering how he was in an environment where everything is out to kill him—and it did—it was more of a punishment, one that would last forever.
And yet, somehow, he escaped that torment he so rightfully deserved for the suffering he brought to all mortals, demigods and gods.
Ceru is glad Guinevere was here to subdue him.
While the strongest Valkyrie's presence is reassuring, she shivered at the thought of what could come through that portal next.
If only… she could grow faster and become Guinevere's equal. Not only will she be able to protect her new master—her Papa—she will be able to become a symbol of hope with this new freedom her reincarnation had given her.
Ceru is oblivious to the struggles of mankind but by observing Arnold, and during her time away from him while he was in the dungeon, a desire manifested to learn more about the struggles of humanity and help where she can.
"A demon that opposes its ruler!? Is it mad!?"
"The demon I speak of can shrug of the consequences of standing against his King."
"I've reread the scripture of the gods several times and that name never once came up." Lancelot pondered, "Could such an unknown threat allude to how there are similar threats we don't even know of? Threats humanity is not meant to know about?"
If humans knew the kind of calamities that used to walk the Nine Realms, they would never want to leave the comfort of their homes again.
Sometimes it's better to not get too curious. If too curious, you may want to dig deeper, which can put humanity in danger.
Though there was concern in the air, Guinevere just continued telling them what she knows.
"Suluvuk was able to fight the currents of the River of Lamentation, through willpower and desire alone. Even that vast river lost against the powers of a living thing's willpower alone. this either means the river is unstable or the Death God has died."
"!"
Though Guinevere, like Ceru, knows the latter is unlikely. Something much be occupying Him.
"I digress; we must find someone capable of destroying this runic gateway otherwise this world will be overrun by all manners of hell."
"…Can't we stop them from coming somehow to give us enough time?"
"I am not arrogant enough to believe us humans are enough to protect the world from what's beyond that gate. Regardless, I will remain here in the meantime while you find someone capable of destroying this gate."
"No way! We can't leave this up to you alone, Lady Gwyn! You must be exhausted after fighting that demon god!"
"Yeah! We'll send a transmission to the Theocracy right away!"
"I agree with them, Lady Gwyn," Lancelot said but then turned to his companions, "However, I shall be the one to stay behind. While not much, I am certain I can make a difference."
"…" the two looked at each other, "Then… should we bring Lady Oracle as well?"
"No." Guinevere shut that idea down, "More heads, regardless of how powerful, will not make a difference. What we need are people who can both destroy this runic formation and those that can subdue anything that comes out of it, regardless if they were immortal or not."
"Who are we looking for, Lady Gwyn…?" Lancelot's voice was shaking a bit but his demeanor remained unchanged—signs of a strong soldier who will protect his people no matter what.
"What we are looking for is a Rune Master."