Beneath the Dragoneye Moons

Chapter 499: Interlude - Nina - To Cut Off the Head of the Snake

A crippled body fell into the chapel, his spine broken. He looked young, a fresh recruit from the farm off to join the glorious Zhao armies.

He had a home. Friends, family, a fiancee waiting with bitten nails for him to come back home. To settle down and grow rice.

Nina took three quick steps forward, and with a sharp downward blow, caved his head in. Bronze and brain went flying as she got the kill notification.

Nina skipped backwards, returning her mace and round shield to the standard guard position, on the balls of her feet waiting for the next blow, the next attacker, the next thing she had to protect against.

Her eyes were locked on Ionas broad back, marveling at the tempest of destruction occurring right outside the door. How, no matter the blow, no matter the attack, Iona was there, seamlessly transitioning from stance to stance, move to move, flawlessly slaying all those who would come. Stacking bodies up like firewood.

Nina hesitated, and seeing a minor lull in the battle, rushed forward again. She ignored the gore as she pushed and pulled the body into position at the doorway, making a minor speedbump that anyone trying to break in would need to step over.

Why were we here? Nina wondered, but no, that wasnt the right question. She knew why they were there. The simplest answer was because Iona said so or Because the goddesses had asked, but it was deeper than that. More fundamental. They were protecting a life.

A searing pain cut through her ear and she jumped back, snout bared into a snarl.

Then the pain hit, and the snarl redoubled in volume as Nina refused to whimper, turning the pain into anger. A quick look around revealed the culprit, a broken arrowhead with a tuft of her fur sunk deep into the stone altar.

Nina paled.

That was almost Feng. If she hadnt insisted he hide behind the altar, that wouldve killed him, and that wouldve been that.

The [Squire] shot her shield up, intercepting a pair of slower arrows that Iona let through, then jumped forward and stomped on a small metal skill-bug. She didnt know what skills were attached to it or what it could do, but either way she wasnt going to let it get to the tiny [Emperor] and find out.

Another soldier - no, boy, the rusty-faced teenager looked younger than Nina - made it in. Iona had clearly chosen to let him through for Nina to handle, choosing to deal with other issues instead.

He stabbed poorly at her, but Nina was used to it now. It was no trap, no trick, no deception. She angled her shield, redirecting the force of the blow as she stepped in close. An underhand shot with her mace to the groin disabled the teenager, then a swift mace to the head made him collapse in a heap at the floor.

No notification though. The boy had a hard head.

Nina gritted her fanged teeth and smashed down, one, twice, thrice, before finally getting the notification that it was over. She stepped back into the guard position, a habit long drilled into her by Iona, and was rewarded when several razor-sharp leaves came spinning into the room. She intercepted one with her mace, a second with her shield, but the entire room shook with the force of an angry god as something hit them hard. Nina tripped and fell onto the leaf, impossibly cutting her leg down to the bone.

She hissed in pain. The kitsune limped over to the most recent body, tore a strip of cloth off, and wrapped it around her leg, trying to stem the flow of blood.

Why are we killing them? That wasnt the right question either. They were attacking, Iona and Nina were defending. They were trying to kill the two of them, defending themselves was only natural.

A grease fire erupted by the door, and Nina jumped back coughing, pulling her shirt up over her mouth. Shed already pulled the wood away from the door, and there wasnt much she could do about a magical, skill-empowered fire. Her Fire element was a [Warrior] one, it didnt include [Flame Manipulation] or [Fire Resistance].

Lightning and Ice roared down cataclysmically outside the door, removing all questions about how to handle the fire. After a few minutes of Fenrirs displeasure raining down on the Zhao, there was sudden silence, broken only by the falling of trees and some soft tears behind the altar.

Nina poked her head back, only to see Feng wiping away his tears. He sniffed, looked at her, and drew himself up to his full height. He blabbed something to her that she missed. Nina put her hand on his head and pushed him back down, ignoring the spluttered complaints.

Stay down! She hissed at him, wary of another stray attack killing the boy.

A blinding light blazed past the door, and Nina gasped in horror as Iona took the blow head-on. Blood dripped freely, and corpses littered the area, almost making a hill of bodies.

Nina tried to quickly count how many bodies there were, but utterly failed. A quick eyeballing with unfortunately experienced eyes told her over a thousand bodies were littered around the ground, and those were just the ones she could tell, who still had intact corpses.

Why is his life worth more? Nina asked herself.

That, at last, was the right question. Part of Nina wondered about it, while the rest of her marveled at an injured Iona fighting not one, but two[Great Generals] to a standstill, all while preventing anyone else from getting close to the door.

Why was the young [Emperors] life worth more than anyone elses? Oh, sure, on an individual basis it was easy to proclaim a protection for children. The royalty aspect didnt matter in the slightest to Nina.

But a dozen people? Were a dozen lives worth the young boys?

A hundred lives? All full and rich, many of the [Soldiers] involuntarily conscripted from their farms and villages? They didnt want to be here much more than Feng did. They arguably had far fewer options than the young [Emperor] did regarding their presence on the battlefield, them being forced into the blender of whirling metal and violence called Iona.

A thousand lives? How could one person be worth more than a thousand lives? If they were all old and with millions of heinous crimes under their belt, sure, a single innocent soul was worth more. But the souls outside, with a few exceptions of the leadership, were just as innocent as the boys. A different fate, different circumstances of their birth, but they were being harvested like rice.

Why were their lives worth less than a tiny fraction of the [Emperors]? How were the scales balanced there?

Nina knew she hadnt grown up with the most intact ethical compass. Her morals could most generously be described as loose, and she tried to put herself in various shoes, see what everyone thought.

The boy, of course, wanted to live. He was innocent.

The soldiers, too, wanted to live, to no longer be in the war. To go home, and live a peaceful life.

The generals were too far away, too esoteric for Nina to figure out. If anyone should die, they should. Them, and their own nobility and leaders, the ones pushing them to this cause of action.

Ninas thoughts drifted back to the [Emperor], arguably, possibly one of the ones driving the entire conflict. If not his orders now and today, then his simple presence and existence was causing the fighting. He was the head of the snake. Perhaps the jewel on the tip of the snakes nose.

With his death, the battle would be over.

Nina thought about what everyone else had been saying, what shed been told and seen.

No.

With his death, the entire war might be over. There were tens of millions of souls in the Han empire, suffering under the civil war.

How could the scales possibly balance?

What justification did Nina have to extend the battle, the war, when the safety and comfort of so many relied on a single thin thread?

The fact that the two of them would die for the prince did admittedly enter into Ninas thoughts. The survival instinct was engraved deep into the former street rats psyche, the fundamental underpinning to everything else built on top of her mind. To her great credit, she examined the idea, recognized its validity, and dismissed it, doing her level best to not factor it into her thinking and decision making. A near-impossible bias to avoid, but Nina did her best to put herself in Feng Tiazis shoes, and go over her thoughts once more.

She took a deep, shuddering breath.

The move would damn her. If the gods and goddesses didnt smite her, Iona would, and shed undoubtedly be thrown out of the Valkyries. Her future would be ruined, if she had one at all, and everyone would hate her.

Shed never go back home. Never see Elaine again. Never hear Auris bright chirps. Never get told to run laps, haul water, get scolded for a bad stance or warmly praised and hugged when she got something right. Her path terminated here.

Nina mentally added her life on the grand scales in her mind next to the princes, seeing if theyd tip at all. Praying, with tears in her eyes, that she could justify another route, another path.

The scales remained firmly tipped, and with a shuddering breath, Nina knew what she had to do.

The kitsune walked to the back of the tabernacle, and placed a hand on the altar, sending a quick prayer of forgiveness up. The gods could mess with the cycle of reincarnation, and in her last hours, Nina didnt want to piss them off more than she had to.

Sorry about this. She prayed, then leaned over to the [Emperor].

No, not Emperor. Think of him as he is, and dont cloak what Im doing in pretty words.

Her tear-filled eyes locked with Feng Tiazis, and she smiled sadly.

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Im so sorry. She apologized, and the mace came down.

Iona twirled her glaive like a quarterstaff, the two [Great Generals] wary enough of the invisible blade at the end. A quarterstaff was the perfect weapon for fighting off multiple powerful attackers, and the constant threat of a lethal blow coming from any direction was enough to keep them cautious and wary, working on wearing her down one hit at a time, instead of committing to finishing the fight.

A tearful Nina stepped out, gently cradling a body. Iona didnt let herself get distracted as Nina started shouting.

Its over! Hes dead! She yelled, the two generals backing off from the deadly Valkyrie. Softer, quietly, Nina spoke again.

Hes dead. She sobbed.

Ionas mind turned as she tried to work out what had happened. The goddesses had kept the building preserved. Nina was barely injured. She hadnt seen anyone slip in.

What had happened?

A few soldiers stepped forward to take the body, but Iona spun her glaive and pointed it at them. They backed off with a terse word from the [Great General], giving them space.

Nina stepped forward, gently putting the body in the middle of the clearing. Iona was coming to a horrified realization as the impossible pieces of the puzzle came together.

Caved-in skull. Fresh blood dripping from the mace. Nobody else had gone in.

Ionas vision started to go crimson in fury, but she barely, just barely, held herself together.

Not in front of hostiles. Not in front of outsiders. Investigate, discipline in private. Present a united front.

She didnt even remember the words she spoke, [Social Lubricant] doing all the heavy lifting for her. Iona trembled in barely-suppressed rage, impossible visions of treachery and backstabbing, cowardice and blasphemy dancing across her vision.

No. Not Nina. Its impossible.

The Zhao troops clearly sensed that there were about to be issues. They collected the poor boys body and vanished with barely a word, making sure to never turn their back on Iona. Serratrix and Sigrun from up high on the valley edge noticed what was going on, the massive spinosaurus taking a break from killing soldiers, and picking a few of the tastier morsels to start chowing down on.

Explain. Iona tersely ordered in a word, her knuckles going white as she gripped her glaive.

With halting, stumbling words, Nina did.

I did it. She sobbed. I killed him.

Iona went apoplectic. Her vision went entirely red, and with a flash of ozone Sigrun was in front of her, grabbing the fist she hadnt even realized shed pulled back.

The two fully fledged Valkyries stared at each other a moment before Iona wrenched her arm free.

Do not raise a hand against a fellow Valkyrie. Sigrun whispered softly, like an adder hissing. Iona stiffly nodded.

You. Sigrun whirled on the kitsune, dry-eyed only because she was cried out. Explain. Now.

Nina did. Her thinking, her thought process. The scales the lives were weighed on. The decision shed made.

You cant just do that! Iona exploded in rage the moment Ninas explanation was over. Our ideals have to mean something! You cant simply take the expedient route!

Nina sniffed, but the spark of anger was quick to spread. Shed spent time agonizing over her decision, and was prepared to defend it.

Really? REALLY? Youd slaughter a nation for one boy because the circumstances were right? You pick and choose almost as much as I did! Wheres defend the meek when youre cutting down people youve got 500 levels and an entire third class on, huh?!

He requested sanctuary! Protection! Is nothing sacred? Should nothing be protected? Well, its a few more lives if I let the raiders go is no way to live, let alone executing scared systemless children! Iona shot back.

She paused a moment, waiting, dreading the divine message. The signal from the goddesses to cut down one whod defiled a temple.

No such message came from Selene or Lunaris. They werent saying a peep.

Iona was secretly relieved. She couldnt do that, and the request would tear her apart. Perhaps the goddesses knew, and didnt want to lose their [Paladin] and the investment made over the issue.

Back and forth the two violently argued, neither giving an inch. All the while Sigrun stood with her arms crossed, silently refereeing the argument.

Fenrir landed behind Iona with a roar, sensing his bonded companions distress. The sheer presence and fear the wyvern exuded, the violence Nina had seen Fenrir commit now pointed in her direction, made her step back. Serratrix growled deep and low at the wyvern, and the two creatures stared at each other, sail flaring and haunches going up as the two postured.

Enough. Sigrun cut Iona off. Nina, theres no question that you utterly failed in your duties as a [Squire], regardless of your beliefs.

The kitsune finally dropped her defiant gaze, hands balled in a fist, as she stared at the ground.

This was it. This was the end. Theyre not going to execute me, no, worse, theyre going to leave me here. Abandon me, alone, on the wrong half of the world.

Dusk, youre too rigid. Sigruns next words had Ninas head snapping up, her mouth dropping open in shock. Iona blinked like she couldnt believe what she was hearing.

Excuse me? She asked, incredulously.

You heard me. Sigrun said. Youre an amazing Valkyrie. Your heart is as pure as any gem. You are the best of us in many ways, the ideal that we all strive towards, but you are too rigid. Have you ever wondered why I never told you where you were in the succession? Push come to shove, youd lead us right off a cliff to uphold your ideals. Sigrun didnt hold back any verbal punches. Dont get me wrong. Socially, you have no peer. In combat, Id be hard-pressed to leave a mark. You follow your heart, and you do more good than a dozen of us put together. Id hoped Nina would be following in your footsteps. Id take a thousand of you if I could. Thats not the case, and lets not pretend it is. It sounds like your squire takes a more pragmatic, outcome-oriented approach to things.

Sigrun punctuated each of her next words with a poke to Ionas chest.

That. Is. Not. Wrong. She said. It is different. Both of you have your own ideals and desires, how to best see things through. Ninas way is admittedly rare within the Order Valkyrie, but not unheard of. You all got along! You didnt have a problem with Voracious, who had a similar outlook. You hung onto her every word when she told you how she got rid of the Nime [Lord]! Same. Thing. Nina is brave and powerful enough to be her own woman, her own Valkyrie, and I think I know why none of the [Vows] shes tried have taken. Theyre wrong for her. She doesnt believe them in her heart. Nina, tell me true. What are the words that resonate with you? What lies in your heart?

Nina had thought long and hard on it, and thought she had the answer. The one Iona would hate, but apparently wasnt so incredibly wrong.

Ionas gaze was complicated. Sorrow and pain mixed with rage and betrayal.

You were my daughter. She whispered.

Nina took a minute to collect her thoughts, all while everyone watched. This wasnt the carefully planned [Vow] shed tried, it wasnt wordsmithed and checked over a dozen times to make sure it was done perfectly.

It came from the heart, as all [Vows] should.

With a thought, her morphic weapon turned into a longsword, the classical weapon for a [Knight]. Nina knelt to Iona, sticking the tip of the sword in the ground. Sigrun moved next to Iona, lending her weight to the moment.

Nina wet her lips, hesitated a moment, then began to speak.

This is my creed.

I will do what must be done.

I will cut off the head of the snake.

I will balance the scales.

I will never conflate the symptoms of injustice with its source.

I will never turn a blind eye.

I will strike the hands that wield people like knives.

I will not put loyalty before that which is right.

Though blood will stain my hands and fur, it will always be for the greater good.

I will gaze at the greys beyond the black and white.

I will remember that rules and laws do not make right, nor does might.

I will smite the wicked.

Nina hesitated at the very end.

Shed grown up with Iona. Been formed and molded by Ionas ideals, both stated and lived. Shed seen how life was, and Iona wasnt entirely wrong. The endless search, the endless belief towards the greater good was potentially a trap. A road to devastation, paved with good intentions. Moderation, to an extent, was required.

The atrocities shed commit couldnt be forgotten either, not unless she wanted to become a monster herself. One that would pit her against her very sisters-in-arms.

"Whenever possible, I will act in such ways to protect the weak, with temperance, valor, and integrity.

I will remember what was sacrificed and atone for what I can."

It was Ionas turn to cry at the end, her squires thoughts and ideals diverging so far from what Iona had tried to teach her.

At last, after years of trying and dozens of failed attempts, Nina got the notification shed been waiting for, hoping for, dying for.

[*ding!* You have sworn [Ninas Creed]. Would you like to accept this General Skill? WARNING: Creeds are binding.]

Without hesitation Nina accepted the skill, then she read what it did.

Ninas Creed: A solemn creed from Nina, in remembrance of Feng Tiazi. +2.5% speed, strength, dexterity, vitality, magic power, magic control, illusion strength, illusion durability, and illusion detail per level when striking at the root of the problem.

Her heart fell early on at the low bonus number displayed. 2.5%? Only 2.5%?

But the more Nina read, the more excited she got. It wasnt a large percentage over a few stats - the percentage applied to a frankly stunning array of abilities. Somehow, the System knew she was hellbent on taking Mirage for her second element.

Missing her illusions was like missing a limb for Nina, and she was more than ready to class up and regain her mastery.

Her delight at getting the [Creed] at last was clear. Sigrun had a weird look on her face, and cleared her throat.

In my capacity as the [Grandmaster] of the Order Valkyrie, I would like to formally acknowledge that Nina, squire of Iona, the Dusk, has successfully completed all elements required to be properly acknowledged as a full Valkyrie, one of us. Her acts of bravery are as endless as the stars in the sky, as unbound as the roiling stormcloud up above. One, before all others, is worth noting. In defiance of her Valkyrie and orders, in spite of deadly danger to her life, she navigated a treacherous situation with clear eyes and a calm heart, believing she was sacrificing everything she had for her beliefs. Such an act shows conviction and bravery of the likes rarely seen. Nina, you are a Valkyrie, through and through, and I name you, the Fox. Rise, and join us.

Nina rose in disbelief. Sigrun grinned at her.

Sorry I dont have a pair of wings handy.

Iona was still upset though. She knew the betrayal wasnt casual or directed at her, but Nina had violated her fundamental principles. She wanted to scream and rage at her, and was still confused why Sigrun seemed to be taking it all so casually. However, she had enough presence of mind and social graces not to say anything that couldnt be taken back. Not to say anything that would shatter the now-fragile bond between the two of them.

Sigrun was canny. The leader of the Valkyries, like any organization lasting beyond a single warlord-like leader, had to have a good head on her shoulders. Needed to know organizations, and more importantly, people. She knew what sort of blow her beloved Dusk Valkyrie had just taken, and that theyd all need time to heal and try to reform relations.

Now, I know this is all a bit sudden. Dusk, I believe sending you off to the School of Sorcery and Spellcraft was one of the best things that could happen to you, and Id like to continue the tradition, so to speak, with Fox, first of the newest generation of Valkyries.

Ninas ears went up then down.

Even if by some miracle Sigrun got her admittance to the School, she knew her formal schooling and education was so poor she couldnt even start an education there. She could read and write no problem, and knew her basic numbers. However, a true, formal education was both past her ability to learn, and Ionas ability to teach. It saddened the kitsune a bit, the door to wizardry like Elaine could perform forever closed to her, but it was what it was. There was no sense in crying over the impossible.

Now, I believe the School would be all wrong for you, but what do you say about going to Nippon-Koku for a spell? I have some friends in the Eventide Establishment, and I think your talents would grow by leaps and bounds there, on top of being close to home. What do you say?

Nina looked at Sigrun in confusion.

Wait. The Eventide Establishment exists!?

Nina woke up in the world of her soul, her head still spinning with how fast everything had happened. 24 hours ago shed been campaigning in the Han, learning from the fabled [Grandmaster] of the Order, prepared for however much longer theyd be staying in the war-torn country, grappling with her own [Oath].

How things had changed!

Nina gazed along the streets of an unknown Exterreri city, the population hustling around. Everyone had a pouch on their hips in various colors, and each person in the world of her soul was indicative of a potential outcome she could choose - if she could properly choose.

A [Baker] was right next to where Nina had stepped into her world, the woman humming merrily as she used phoenix flames to cook. A pair of foxfires hanging over her shoulders indicated a Fire or Inferno elemental choice. Her pouch was dark green, promising fantastical abilities as a [Baker] simply if Nina was able to rob her. The kitsunes short time with Auri baking had offered great things - if she wanted it.

A [Guard] with a solid sphere of Earth over one shoulder had a light green pouch, but they tended to move in patrols of multiples, just like in real life.

Why does my world have to be so annoying. Nina grumbled to herself. Why cant I just pray at an altar or pick a book or something easy?

Finding a mark was only half the challenge in Ninas world. The other part was actually managing to obtain the class. The bigger, richer, and more important a class she wanted was, the more guarded they were, the more effort Nina would have to put into getting it.

Grumbling to herself, Nina decided to stroll along for a few minutes, seeing what there was to see, before deciding on her class. A [Senator] in royal purple robes was bustled along on a palanquin, each of her guards with a subtly different [Bodyguard] class. In a twist Nina found hilarious, the [Senators] pouch was pink, while the [Bodyguards] were orange to green.

Ninas entire world fuzzed, the bustling streets replaced by a great feasting hall, dozens of Valkyries cheering and toasting with servants rustling around, an entire castle full of life and classes to pick. Almost immediately, her world fuzzed back to the cityscape.

Nina jumped and held a hand over her beating heart.

What was that!? She said.

Her guide popped out of a dark alley and shrugged.

Were changin. She said. On a deep level. Not quite all the way there yet, but were changin so hard the Systems recognizin it.

Nina was disturbed at the idea. She didnt mind the new soulscape, but the thought that something might go wrong in her soul while she was in it

Lets go to the Valkyries. She said, not needing to say anything more.

Her guide, herself, her other half grabbed her hand, and the two girls sprinted through the city streets, laughing at life, shouting obscenities at the guards, and making their way to a place only her guide knew.

Nina stared at the options, licking her lips in envy at the power of one of the options, a blue class with roiling thunderclouds over the shoulder and across the armor. A class inspired by Teruo, a powerful warrior without compare.

But no, that wasnt what she wanted. The two of them eyed a powerful Valkyrie, winged helmet and all, a gale trapped in a sphere over one shoulder, a dark green pouch on her belt. Storms rumbled across her shining plate armor, inspired by the Guardian, the phoenix, and the wyvern. Phoenix flames and foxfire occasionally danced around a well-used and loved mace.

She eyed up the place they were at, the seeds of an idea coming together.

Nina knew what she wanted. Now she had to earn it.

Alright, heres the plan She whispered to her guide.

Nina awoke as [The Fox Valkyrie - Storm] - [Sly Trickster - Mirage].