Chapter 18: Star Crushers

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Overlord: Celestial Crusade

It was morning

The now expanded village of the united bafolk tribes was as lively as ever. Some bafolk men were training, others were smithing while many women and children were attending the fields and of course, there were the gate guards and sentries "Huh?" one of the bafolk sentries narrowed his eyes, trying to see better in the horizon.

"What's wrong?" asked another sentry that was looking at another direction.

"I think I see something approaching, something small!" he said with uncertainty in his voice.

"Anyway, guys, be careful!" said the other sentry to the guards below, with them readying their spears but then relaxed upon seeing a Snakeman child falling feet away from them.

"Helppppppp...." the Snakeman boy extended its hand before it collapsed.

"Hey, get a hold of yourself!" said one of the guards that rushed near it.

Meanwhile

Aethaion in his human form along with Mary Jane and Mimir were at the dining hall, with them being served a glorious feast of a breakfast that left them stupefied "I know you are shocked, but the dining hall is a result of the Create Mansion spell being used and merged it with the temple, so having this much food is a given, hehe." he explained while laughing nervously.

"Yes..so much food!" Mimir began to dig in as he ate, with Mary Jane raising a eyebrow.

"Ya acting like ya hadn't eaten, old man." Mimir shot a glare as he pointed a chicken leg at her.

"I hadn't eaten such good meals before since I arrived here over six hundred years ago, lemme enjoy this!" Mimir cried out before he stopped suddenly as he looked around as if confused. "Strange..." Mimir cryptically said as Mary Jane just looked at him confusely.

"Mimir? What's wrong? Your eye...is glowing!" said Aethaion confused and alerted.

"It is?" Mimir questioned as concentrated. "Ah so it is, the only time this happen is when a old friend, Heimdall used the Rain---" Mimir began to explain until an rainbow beam shot through the dining hall from the ceiling and causing Mimir to vanish with, being gone as quickly as it arrived. The sudden light had caused Mary Jane who was drinking and eating at the same to choke and spit the liquid from her mouth and onto Nike from the sudden jumpscare as Aethaion stood up in shock from the sudden event.

In the village where the two bafolk were helping the small lizardman child, Mimir appeared from the sky in an brilliant rinabow light as he appeared directly behind the Lizardman child, shocking and scaring the child as well the bafolk. "Bow... Bridge.." Mimir so callously finished as he found himself outside, in front of a lizardman child with two bafolk sentries. "Sentries, and a rather cute and adorable lizardman child!" Mimir cried out as he latched on the child. "What are you doing so far from home little one?"

"Lord Mimir, we just saw the child coming towards us and then you appeared." The sentry explained as Mimir raised a eyebrow on the side of the only eye before facing the child.

"Child, why did you run from your home village?" Mimir asked, he however wanted to know who and what generated the Rainbow Bridge, but his only theory was that the only one that can generate a Rainbow Bridge was an old friend that from his perspective, has not seen in well over six hundred years, causing more questions to pop into his head. However, shaking that off, it was clear something was amidst if the Snakeman child was here, far from its home village and very terrified as he could feel the child quivering.

An hour later

"It'sssss trueeeee,myyyyyy Lorddddd." the Snakeman child was at Elysium Fortress, completely healed and rested and was explaining now anything at Aethaion who was silent and cold as he was hearing its explanation.

"Thank you very much.I know you were scared, but it's ok now.I promise that everything will go back to the way they were, I swear it on my name!" he said with a warm voice while petting its head and then did a notion to Jasmine and Marie to take it away. "DAMN THEM!" he screamed in rage while tightening his fists, with the aura he was emanating scaring all the present NPC and damaging the floor "They plan to commit demi-human genocide!? These so called "Star Paladins"!?" he wondered furious "I won't let innocent lives being lost over stupid, human suprematist ideas!" he shouted furious and determined.

"You calling humans stupid?" Mary Jane smiled, with her tone not making it clear if it was a joke or a serious question directed at Aethaion.

Aethaion looked at her with his cold and angered eyes for a moment, only to focus his gaze at Mary and Jasmine that returned to the throne toom "Mary, Jasmine! I order you to mobilize Nike Draconis, Themis, Takara Kōun, Sophrosyne and Kratos! They are to leave immediately, seek and destroy those calling themselves "Star Paladins"!Also, they will take the Snakeman Boy along with them to guide them!Tell them that I expect their immediate defeat, but if they can avoid it, not kill them!" he ordered.

"As you wish, my Lord!" they said while bowing their heads and leaving the throne room, with Aethaion then sitting down on the marble throne with anger in his eyes.

Noon came

A gravely injured, arachnoid like being known as Spidan was dragging itself on the ground in order to escape, only for a sword thrust to kill it "Anddd that was the last one!" said a voice that proved to be Alain's, with him swiping his sword to remove the blood on it "To be honest, the plains are bigger than I thought. Hey, Captain, how many more tribes are near the wall?" he playfully asked his Captain who was sitting down with closed eyes.

"The only ones left are the Bafolk and Orc tribes. I expect us to be over at late afternoon." he said in a stoic voice, with Lorcan bumping his fists.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go!" he said eager while grinning, but his attention shifted elsewhere as he saw a female Spidan emerging and trying to run away.

"Tch, Tch, Tch, no survivors allowed!" said Alain while swinging his sword, unleashing a sphere of fire that was about to hit the Spidan that embraced herself for the inevitable.

"Huh?" she wondered as she saw that she was safe and on a better look, she saw someone that proved to be Kratos who received the flame without harm.

"Go away!" he demanded, with the female Spidan bowing her head and leaving.

"Hey, who the hell you are? How dare you mess with my kill?" asked Alain annoyed while pointing at Kratos.

"I'm Kratos, a Sacred Flame Bearer and Virtue Lord of Fortitude." he explained while calmly introducing himself, making Alain annoyed.

"Nice try, but your masquerade must stop." said the Captain while drawing his sword "A Sacred Flame Bearer is an advanced Angel class that is said to take care of Heaven's holy flames! If you turn off that illusion spells of yours, I promise you a painless death." said the Captain in a demanding tone.

"This is my true race, not an illusion." said Kratos a little offended "Anyway, you all have angered my Master with all this senseless carnage and so, punishment shall befall you all, so repent!" he said while pointing at them and then his fire wings flared up a little, with the paladin's narrowing their eyes.

"I don't know and care who your work for, but do you think a little pretender like you can face us alone?" asked Lorcan while pointing at him.

"He is not alone!" said a voice that proved to be Themis' as se then appeared along with Nike Draconis and Takara Kōun.

The paladins drew their swords upon their arrival and Nike stepped up "In accordance to our Lord's will, you five shall be beaten but not killed.As the strongest of my compatriots, I desire to fight your leader!" ended up Nike demanding.

"Stop the bull-!" tried Lorcan to say, but his Captain then stepped up to his confusion.

"Don't you dare say another word, Lorcan.I don't know who they are, but that dragon like woman is powerful, too powerful for any of us." he explained worried but his eyes were determined "I am the Captain of the Star Paladins, Theodore Lucious Maximinus! I accept your challenge!" he claimed, with Nike's eyes widening a little.

"Oh?You are scared of me and yet you accept to fight me, as expected of a paladin." she said with a smile and then jumped further away, with Theodore following her swiftly.As all that was happening, Ares' eyes began glowing red as he was grinding his teeth and gripping his sword tigher.

"GRAHHH!" he roared, unleashing a wave of air much to the happiness of Alain.

"Yes, crush them!" said an excited Alain, only for him to be shocked seconds later as Themis appeared before him.

"Greater Teleportatin." she said and both disappeared instantly in a flash of light, much to Alain's confusion as Kratos then approached him.

"I challenge you, fire user." he said in his calm voice, with Alain sweat dropping and having a cocky smile.

Takara Kōun then headed towards Alexander who was on guard while licking her lips "Oh, my, what a beautiful youngm man we have here!" she said in a seductive tone that made Alexander look away.

"Sorry, but I don't date foxes." he replied serious and scornful, with Takara Kōun putting her hand on her mouth visibly shocked.

"Oh, my, so cold and meannnn." said Takara Kōun with a sad voic, but her eyes were that of a predator having found a prey.

"EAGH!"

Theodore was swinging his sword hard for ten minutes now, only for Nike to simply brush it off each time calmly "*What's going on? No matter what beast she is and how powerful, she can't simply brush off Beast Slayer without any damage!*" he thought bewildered and then knelt from exhaustion.

"I can tell that you are strong and posses skill, but that sword will never affect me." claimed Nike with her serious, cold tone and penetrating gaze much to Theodore's shock.

"I see, however, my mission, my pride as paladin and warrior and her Majesty's trust are on the line, so forgive me for not surrendering.To compensate for your lost time..." he said while raising his sword up that then had a golden glow "...I will fight with everything I have and more!" he shouted, making Nike unleash a cold smile.

"I see, you truly are worthy," she said and then manifested her Ceremonial Sword whose momentary glow seemed to charm Theodore ",so I will try not to kill you per my orders and my own will." she said as she placed her sword horizontally and becoming surrounded in an aura.

"Here I come!" shouted Theodore as he rushed at Nike who was standing still, with each of his slashes making her twitch a little.

"A sword that inflicts damage no matter what, huh?" she wondered calmly and apathetically.

"This ends it!" he shouted as he struck Nike's neck, only for her to be fine and sighing.

"Impossible!" shouted Theodore bewildered as Nike raised her sword up.

"**Sword Counter!**" she said as she struck Theodore at his torso with her glowing sword, sending him fly and crush on a boulder "This is the weakest skill that I could use to defeat you as it unleashed half of the total damage inflicted on me.I'm a Dragonoid created with a lot of power in me and your attacks, unfortunately, didn't do any damage so in the end, you lost by your own power in a sense." she explained, with Theodore's eyes widening and he then fainted.

Meanwhile

Ares was swinging his sword blindly at Themis who was dodging them gracefully "I have used many illusionary spells and none work on you, this will be a problem." she ended up saying troubled, holding her chin while dodging with the least of movements and then her eyes widened "Oh, it must be this armor protcting you! **Boost Penetrate Maximize Magic: Shatter!**" she said and extended her hand, unleashing a shock that pushed Ares back and shattered his armor and sword, with him seeming to regain his senses.

"I..mpo...ssible..." Ares managed to say while his head was in pain, with Themis holding now a shining lance.

"I hope this won't kill you, **Psychic Lance!**" she shouted as she threw the lance that stabbed Ares at his right side, with him then screaming in pain as his mind felt like it would split open, with him fainting from too much pain.

"This can't be happening!"

Alain was unleashing slashes of fire at Kratos who wasn't doing anything, with Alain becoming more and more impatient "Did you have enough?" he asked with his calm and apathetic voice.

"As if!" shouted Alain cockily who rushed at him and unleashed a slash that unleashed a wave of fire "Hahahaha, di-!" Alain's face turned from one of cockiness to one of despair in an instant as Kratos was fine from both the sword at his torso and the fire wave.

"As a Sacred Flame Bearer, I'm unaffected by almost all fire spells and skills." he explained calmly and his right index finger began glowing "As a reward for your persistence, I won't defeat you with fire spells.**Boost Magic: Holy Ray!**" ended up Kratos shouting as he unleashed a ray of light that pierced Alain's stomach.

"Damn...you..." cursed him Alain as he held his stomach to stop the bleeding but ended up passing out from the pain.

A little further away

"Oh, my, that's a lot of destruction!"

Sophrosyne was intensely looking at a ruined house up and down, with her estimating the damage and as she was doing that, a fist struck her right cheek.

"Take that!" shouted Lorcan fired up, only for Sophrosyne to move to another house nearby and checking it out, with Larcan staying a statue in a punching position and then snapped out of it, with him being now being surrounded in yellow lightning and his armor glowing "I want you to..." he said as he lunged at her "...fight meee!" he shouted as he punched her, with Sophrosyne being unresponsive to the hit.

"Um, you're talking to me?" asked Sophrosyne confused as she brushed his fist aside, much to Lorcan's bewilderment.

He then snapped out of it and smiled cockily "I, Lorcan of the Star Paladins, wish to fight and crush you!" he said while pointing at her fired up, with her looking troubled.

"I know it's my mission to crush you, but can you wait? My Lord ordered me to restore all the demi-human settlements and I need to to an estimation first." she casually explained and resumed checking at the ruined houses, with Lorcan grinning his teeth.

"How *dare* you ignore me like this!?" he shouted furious as he began gathering electricity to his right fist, with Sophrosyne still ignoring him. Lorcan then had a crazy smile on his face "Take this!" he shouted as he unleashed by punching her a beam of electricity taking the form of a lion with open mouth that engulfed anything at Sophrosyne's direction "Hahahaha, I'm the strong-!" tried an excited Lorcan to say, but his face became that of shock and fear as he saw Sophrosyne being fine and only removing dust and pebbles from her rock, with her then looking at him with anger.

"Seems like you are one that understands through force. I told you to leave me alone, but you kept bothering me!" she said annoyed and her hands were now glowing "**Arcane Synthesis:Fuse Ghost Hand and Lightning Bolt!**" she said and then, an ethereal fist of electricity covered her hand and she punched him, with him being carried by the extended fist and then sent flying further with an electrified body, with Lorcan lying unconcious on the ground with a smoking body.

"Aouuh!"

A Raiju was pushed back near Takara Kōun exhausted "My, My, to think that a Raiju can't affect you...this armor gives you lightning resistance, yes?" she playfully asked.

"Indeed, but not only that," he said and disappeared suddenly, ", it also gives me the power and speed of the wind!" he said and barraged Takara Kōun and once he stopped, Takara Kōun was fine but her kimono, pelt and hair were full of dust.

"Grrrr" an ominous aura engulfed the growling Takara while she was gritting her teeth and removing the pins from her hair "You...how dare you ruin my precious appearance!? You...will... PAY!" she shouted and ended up saying in an echoing voice while changing, all that much to Alexander's rising shock and fear as before him was now a big, golden kitsune with white flames at the tips of her tails, paws and eyes.

"W-What in the world *is* that?" wondered Alexander in awe and dread as Takara tried to smash him with a stomp of her right foot which he avoided, with a wave of white fire being unleashed by it that caused a small explosion "Her physical attacks can unleash flames?" he exclaimed confused as he saw the result of her attack, only for him to turn at her who was gathering fire in her mouth.

"No, you don't!" he shouted as he did a palm strike, unleashing a repelling wall of wind that was blocking her ball of fire, but that was only for the first couple of seconds as it tore through it "Aghhhh!" Alexander was consumed in a pillar of white fire and then fell down, with his body spasming from pain and Takara Kōun reverted to her original form while dusting herself off.

"Oh my, I surely need to restrain myself better." she said troubled and looked at him "Thankfully, I managed to restrain myself even after I used **Inari's Beastly Incarnation** and unleashed a weak enough skill. Now, time to meet up with the others." she said while grabbing him by the back of his neck and dragging him with her.

Two hours passed

The five NPCs were in a bowing position before Aethaion who was sitting on his throne "I'm pleased with you beating these paladins and restoring the settlements of the villages they destroyed and resurrected all the demi-humans they killed.Excellent job, my Virtue Lords!" he ended up saying in an imposing tone while standing up.

"We are unworthy of such praise!" said all of them in unison and Aethaion held his chin in thought.

"Still, if all the demi-humans swore that they never attacked anyone, then how what's with the attacks the paladins said that occured within the year?" he wondered, with Kratos raising his hand.

"If I may, my Lord." he said and Aethaion did a notion for him to stand up "There were probably demi-humans brainwashed into commiting these acts." he said and Nike stood up.

"That can't be it.Due to their peaceful cooexistence with the Holy Kingdom, no demi-human tribe of the hills ever came close to the walls." she said and then her eyes widened "My Lord, I believe that it must be a job from inside." she said and Aethaion became curious.

"Like, someone staged these attacks to create conflict between the kingdom and the demi-humans?"

"Yes, I strongly believe that.If a war like that of a century ago were to break out,the kingdom would be damaged and weakened immensely..."

"...And it would be easy to be conquered by another force!" added Aethaion "Also, even without that scenario, a lost war of such magnitude could be a reason and way to depose the current regime." he said and his eyes widened.

"Themis!"

"Yes, my Lord!"

"There is a special mission I have for you...." he said with a smile.