Chapter 66 - Off To Tarm

Back on the wall with Kilgon and the others. Kaitlyn was filling him in on the situation.

"So, the lad has gone off to train with the dragons." Kilgon said. "Maybe he will finally learn how to fight! Ha!"

"Zell can fight!" Kaitlyn said.

"Lass, he just punches things really hard, that is not fighting." Kilgon explained. "A real fight is when two opponents are locked in a struggle for life and death, and they must outsmart, out maneuver, and out last the other. The lad doesn't do that, he just punches it. Tell me I am wrong."

"Well!" Kaitlyn said.

"Exactly you cannot." Kilgon said. "So, we are to go and free Tarm from the clutches of the evil queen? It's not like they had any ideological differences, I fail to see how anything short of killing the royals and the nobility would change anything."

"We can't just go murder other kingdoms!" Samantha protested. "We need to bring them over to our side through a peaceful resolution, not violence."

"Because that would work." Kilgon laughed. "Look I know you have your idealistic views princess, but here in the real world we nonhumans are no more than trash to most of the human nations. We are looked upon as monsters and nothing else. If we want the humans of Tarm to come to our side, we are going to have to do something drastic."

"Do you have anything in mind?" Kaitlyn asked.

"Tell me princess, do you have any scout reports from your kingdom pertaining to the movements of Tarm's forces. Are they currently engaging any of the demon lord's army?"

"We will have to ask the captain of the scouts, but I am fairly certain we would have that data." Samantha replied.

"Alright." Kilgon said. "Humans respond best to might, which is why they follow that evil queen so blindly. If we go to the battlefield and wipe out the demon forces with ease the humans will have more respect for us. Maybe even some fear of us. We can use that as leverage to get them to cut ties with the evil queen. We can give them a choice, side with us or be destroyed."

"What if they pick to be destroyed?!" Samantha asked. "Afterall my kingdom is prepared to die for what we believe, what makes you so sure that they would not do the same?"

"I doubt they have your strength of conviction." Kilgon said. "But if they do, we will cross that bridge when we get there."

"So, you plan to attack our forces near Tarm!" The defeated succubus yelled out. "I must inform my lord at once!" Her body burned in purple flame, disappearing from sight.

"The hell?" Kilgon said. "I was sure cutting her in half would have killed her."

"I guess we know too little about demons to know when they are truly dead." Samantha said.

"So, it would seem." Kilgon said. "I need to go back to my dear flower's house and retrieve my armor, after that we can head out. We will need to complete our plan before the demon lord can send reinforcements."

"I am going to come with you." Isabel said. "I will help you defeat the army and stop the evil queen."

"You don't have to, my flower." Kilgon said.

"Fear not, I am an Oni, those fools will stand no chance against me." Isabel replied.

"Welcome aboard then." Kaitlyn said.

"Yes, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Samantha said. "I must apologize when I first saw your Oni form, I was stricken with fear. I prejudged you before I met you and for that I am terribly sorry."

"It is okay." Isabel said. "I am used to that kind of treatment. That is why I learned this camouflage spell, so that I could pass as a human."

"I am back." Kilgon said in his full armor. "Are you ladies prepared to leave?"

"When did you even leave?!" Kaitlyn asked, surprised.

"While you were talking." Kilgon said. "I did say there was no time to waste."

"Still, that was not enough time…" Kaitlyn said.

"I am faster than you know, beast girl." Kilgon said.

"I am happy this speed does not translate to the bedroom." Isabel laughed.

"That's right my flower, a real man never finishes first no matter what his speed." Kilgon laughed. "Now let us go to the scout captain and get the location of the battle. Let's make the lad proud when he returns all powered up and trained."

So, the group followed Samantha to the scout captain, and he explained all he knew, giving them a map of the location of the battle. With the map in hand, Samantha led them to the stables and got each of them a horse. They rode from the gates as fast as the animals could take them leaving a trail of dirt and dust in their wake.

Back at the demon lord's castle the succubus reformed in a puff of purple fire, taking the demon lord by surprise.

"What!" He said moving in his throne.

"It is just me my lord." Sarilla said. "I have grave and terrible news. A dwarf lord has appeared, he thwarted my plans and bested me in combat. He Is a force unlike any I have ever seen. A raging beast fighting only in his undergarments, covered in blood. If it not for my nature as a demon of dreams, He would have killed me."

"First a human lord and now a dwarf lord." Maximus said with worry. "Just what do the gods expect to happen creating all of these different lords at once."

The demon lord leaned back in his throne as he rubbed his chin thinking of what he had just heard.

"There is more." Sarilla said. "The dwarf lord is on his way to the battle lines. He means to destroy the forces we have engaged with Tarm."

"Sire the front lines are just lowly goblins." Maximus said. "It will not hurt our forces to lose those weak creatures."

The demon lord sat there and continued to think. Finally deciding he raised his head and spoke. "Send in our secret weapon. I wish to evaluate them on a dwarf lord as you call it."

"But what if the dwarf lord kills them?" Maximus asked.

"Do not question my orders." The demon lord replied. "Just do what I say."

"Yes, my lord, I am sorry." Maximus said. He bowed to the demon lord and walked out of the room.

"My lord." Sarilla said. "The hero is no longer with his party."

"I know, a scout saw him leave on the back of a massive blue dragon." The demon lord said. "No doubt he is on his way to pick up yet another power up. I really need to find a way to stop him before he gets too powerful. I was really hoping your honeytrap plan would have worked."

"Maybe he has someone close to him?" Sarilla said. "Like a mother? We could use that to force him to surrender."

"That is a marvelous plan." The demon lord said.. "Yes, if we take a hostage he cares about, he will have no choice but to surrender. Isekai protagonists always have this weakness! I can't believe I didn't think about it before!"