"My Lady! I must implore you to stop! This is madness!"

Theodosius and Raiden, plus about two units of Elite Reavers and Swordsmen, were trying their best to stop both Sinon and Lisbeth from exiting the castle after hearing her reason.

"Then why won't you then simply come with me?" Asked Sinon as she looked down from her horse.

"Because it's a Dragons Hoarde! Two Elite units, an Archer, and a Blacksmith can't simply take on the dragon that is likely guarding that treasure with every fiber of its being!" Said Raiden.

"Are you two skeletons, being who are already dead and been risen up as what you are now," suddenly asked Lisbeth, "afraid of dying?"

"It's not exactly the most pleasant experience dying over and over." Said Theodosius gruffly.

"Well we need the money anyway, apparently... so I'm determined to help him!" Said Sinon. "Now please open the gates."

The two Commanders glanced at one another, which was weird as they were skeletons, but then both soon left and then returned on Skeleton horses as Earshaker Said, "Well, we can't let you go alone... don't want the Flower of the prince to die before she blooms."

"Besides, bringing units with us won't make us any faster and may even force a battle to happen." Said Raiden. "We'll just have to grab everything we can grab."

Sinon nodded and then as the gates opened wide, the four of them rode off at a gallop as Sinon said, "I managed to find where it's lair lies so hopefully we get there before dark."

The Dark did, unfortunately, soon cover the Forest of Dreams and while they had stopped at the hunting camp to put their horses there, they soon realized that unless someone had a bright idea to use to light their way through an idea alone, they would have to take lanterns or risk stumbling through the dark.

"Place always gave me the creeps.." Muttered Raiden as his skeleton bones clanked and clacked together with his armor.

"You always find something creepy... this life or the other, it's always something creepy.." Muttered Earthshaker back.

Hearing two NPCs like these two was quite informative for both Lisbeth and Sinon as they would have never expected the two commanders to have known one another in their living lives.

Although that was a mere guess.

But then Earthshaker Said, "I swear if we meet a Ghastly Stag again I'm going to scream..."

"It just threw you around and you had only chainmail that day." Said Raiden.

"Yeah but even with all this DarkSteel on I feel like they'll toss me around like a rag doll!" Said Earthshaker.

"Oh my goodness will you two be quiet for a moment so I can hear maybe what could be around us?" Said Lisbeth suddenly as they then shut up.

The surroundings were quiet except for the gurgling of a nearby river and the twisting of birds in trees and as the four of them kept low, or as low as a fully armored, 6-foot Skeleton could get with a group of normallyrl sized skeleton and Alfs could get, but while they got low, Sinon brought her portable map out and then said, "Alright follow me but we'll have to ditch the light just before the entrance otherwise we may wake the thing up."

And thus the party continued on towards the cave entrance.

The hill before them soon gave way to a more plain like area lined with what looked like rice paddies of some sort and was ringed on the opposite side of the hill and seemed decently dense.

Kirito watched as his and Eugene's army slowly begin marching straight for the village while Alicia was on the far right flank, a few kilometers away, taking on another village and also with the Guilds take another village a few kilometers to the left.

Which meant that if the Plague Prince came running, it was up to him and Eugene to fight him off with their armies and if the Prince Of Darkness was any proof, the battle will be hard fought.

Still, as he and Asuna watched their army with Eugene's marching through the rice paddies as the village suddenly seemed alive with the muster of its own militia as it seemed to simply be lesser Necromancy practitioners from what Kirito could tell as a small horde of Skeletons and Zombies began to be summoned and then brought out as a small horde before his army as he said to Eugene, "Why don't you continue past these spears and begin hitting the town?"

Eugene gave him a look that likely spoke how he was wondering if Kirito was joking or something but then he snapped his horses reigns as he galloped away while the Salamander army soon went after him as the red armored infantry ran by with their iconic armor and shields with swords at the ready.

Meanwhile, Kirito had his infantry begin advancing in a line while the archers pummeled the essentially militia units while the cavalry kept the flanks secure. Such a basic formation likely wasn't needed, heck, he could likely charge his forces in and slaughter these Bone Princes but there still was around 12 hordes of skeletons and undead before them following their summoners so he decided not to and simply pummel them from afar while himself and the others slowly trotted after the army on their horses with their Guardians around them and ready to protect them.

"Hmm.. the Prince of Plague hasn't arrived yet... perhaps the Prince of Darkness simply was a fluke or something?" Asked Silica as she looked around with Pina on her shoulder.

"I doubt it... he had too many good forces all at once with him and who roams with that sort of army? The Prince of Plague is likely on his way here." Said Asuna as she brought her white War horse around with its azure-colored armor.

The militia units were soon swept away when the Spirggan Swordsmen met them in a head-on clash and while the Bone Princes were tougher to put down, without overwhelming numbers of their summoned to defend them they were easily teamed up on by the Swordsmen from all sides.

Meaning, for all intents and purposes, the village was utterly conquered and likely wasn't going to be putting up anymore of a fight. This was also solidified when the only tower in the village came crashing down as Eugenes men immediately went to it and got rid of it anyway they could while they began to almost raze the place for loot and anything else. Kirito didn't want the town raised, not one bit, but he had this nearly suspicion that if they didn't raid it and raze it, it might come to bite them in the butt in the end.

Still, while the Spriggans and the Salamander Alf armies continued through the village, Klein, Shisho, and Silica all quickly galloped a small detachment of two Swords and an archer to watch the other side of the village while Asuna, Kirito, and Agil would be keeping the rest of the force in check. It was from here that they saw the Prince of Plagues army slowly marching towards them and did a quick headcount: 7 Skeleton Swordsmen, 4 Zombie Ghouls, 4 Skeleton Archers, 3 Skeleton Horsemen, and 1 Reaver unit escorting the Prince himself.

"Oh shoot! The Prince is coming! Silica, get Krito!" Said Klein as he and Shisho soon dismounted while they began to get the troops they had with them formed up into a basic formation.

Meanwhile, Silica was quick to gallop straight up to Kirito as she then said to him, "The Prince of Plague is here with an army! Shisho and Klein are getting their small force ready for a possible attack but we need to move now!"

Kirito immediately nodded and as he and Asuna looked to Agil, he then said to his friend, "Get everyone together! Get to Klein and hold the line while myself and Asuna get on the flanks with our cavalry! I'll see if I can Eugene and his own to help us out on the other flank!"

"Right!" Agil rode off as the entire army that was on foot ran after him, including the Guardians, while the 3 cavalry units that the group had brought with them stayed with Asuna and Kirito, whom said to Asuna, "Meet me about a hundred meters from the village on our left flank while I get Eugene and his group moving!"

Asuna nodded and while she went out with the Alf horsemen on their horses, Kirito galloped over to where Eugene was as Eugene saw him and said, "What's going on?"

"The Prince of Plague is here! I'm off to do a flanking with my cav and I would advise you do the same while our infantry hold the center." Said Kirito as he soon stopped.

"Finally a fight!" Eugene suddenly galloped away and as he did so, his army charged after him and Kirito had a feeling that Eugene was now in full on charge mode and unless Kirito did something fast, this battle was about to get very heated very fast.

And thus Kirito immediately galloped away as he shouted to Agil that was still nearby, "Move everything we have now! Eugene is charging the Prince and we need to keep him supported!" Said Kirito.

Agil, who had just joined up with Shisho and Klein, immediately shouted to everyone around him, "ALL UNITS! March forward and support Lord Eugene's forces against the Prince of Plagues forces!"

The Spriggan Swordsmen, Archers, and Guardians all immediately began to advance at a quick pace with Klein, Shisho, Silica, and Agil all running after them on foot after having dismounted from their forces while Kirito rejoined up with Asuna as he said to her, "Let's get moving! Knowing our luck, Eugenes going to do a full frontalassault against the front ranks of the Princes army."

"Well then let's go!" Asuna galloped her horse away and as Kirito followed her, their own Spriggan horsemen followed them as they ran along a ridge that extended along the villages left side, the ridge broken up by the blood-weeping trees of Helheim.

The Prince of Plague, aka Midnight996, watched as the red horde of Salamander Alf infantry cane charging in his direction while their archers tried to form up with the Spriggans but while he watched them, he then shouted, "Triangluar formation with the Ghouls and have them charge into those Salamander infantry.. have the archers counter theirs and have the Reavers spearpoint the skeletons to go in after the Ghouls. Cavalry is going to be on me and we're going to counter that other Cav."

While the army soon rushed away, the Prince summoned up his Undead mount and as he rode off with his 3 Skeleton Horsemen towards where Kirito and Asunas units were coming from. Which Kirito clearly saw and as he took out his one sword with the free hand he had that wasn't holding his horses reigns while Asuna did the same with her rapier and they leveled their weapons as heir Horsemen leveled their swords and a few spears straight against the spears and lances of the Princes own Horsemen while the Prince took out his sword and held it to slash across a horses legs.

And then the two sides clashed on the ridge as horses screamed, men flew off rides, and bodies slammed into the ground with such force and power that anyone nearby could hear bones and spines snapping and cracking. Kirito watched as one of his Horsemen was gutted by a lance and thrown off his horse and while Kirito tried to slash a Skeleton off its horse, it swerved away as he tried to ride back after it, the ridgeline full of pairs of Horsemen trying to run one another down.

Meanwhile, Eugene was leading his cavalry units in a spearhead formation headed straight against the Ghoul spearhead formation while his Salamander infantry ran after him with his Guardians and as he lowered his sword to slash at the Ghouls, the Ghouls suddenly surged forward in a huge rush that almost spooked Eugene's horse but Eugene forced the steed to keep charging forward as he finally slammed it into the ranks of the Ghouls-

-and promptly was dismounted in a huge explosion of rotten flesh and bones but he landed on his feet as soon his men were stuck into fierce combat with the enemy, the cavalry unfortunately dying quite easily to the Ghouls while many arose back as Ghouls.

"Shoot! Shisho! Use one of your fire spells! Ghost ups are weak to it!" Said Klein as he brought his blade out and slashed a few down just as the Spriggan troops began to try and envelope the Plague Princes army from all sides.

Shisho did a quick chant and then sent a Firewall spell and then a few Firebolt spells into the crowd of almost ever-growing Ghouls as though the Salamanders were taking a heavy hit, they were still putting up a good enough fight to keep the Ghouls occupied while the Spriggan could use some fire attacks against them.

Klein glanced over to where Kirito and Asuna were supposed to be flanking and saw that cavalry battle mess that was still unfolding all along the ridgeline and he almost cursed when Shisho then said, "Klein, I only have one more spell I can use and it's a high tier one!"

"Use it then! If we can rout these things, the better!" Already a few Salamander units were breaking from morale going so low.

Shisho then suddenly began shout out this loud enchantment and as Klein looked at her, the amount of enchanted words she was pricing together was getting longer and longer as then he decided maybe keeping her safe till she got the spell off would be best. Which meant that he was facing a considerable hoarde of Ghouls coming straight at her and he immediately used his Fire Magic to start slashing through them.

Meanwhile, Kirito narrowly avoided being skewered by a lance but while he slashed at the Rider, suddenly a huge blade came careening towards him and he immediately threw his blade out and managed to force the Greatsword away while the Prince of Plague soon was next to him, trying to kill him and cut him into two pieces.

"Picked a good time to finally show up!" Grunted Kirito as he kept himself alive.

"I should say the same!" Suddenly said the Prince as he then grabbed Kirito and dragged both of them off their horses to land on the hard ground while their horses spooked and bolted.

Kirito kicked then Prince away and while they both scrambled up, the Lrinces Greatsword had been tossed away nearby thanks to the horses but as Kirito took both of his Longsword's out, he watched as the Prince suddenly whip out these two curved dagger as that's when he saw chains connecting the daggers that flowed green to the Princes Gauntlets and also his belt with plenty of spare chains.

"Come on then... let's get the real battle on..." Said the Prince as he began to flash the blades before him while he dual-wielded them with precision.

It suddenly made Kirito wonder how many of the other enemies they'll face could dual wield with such ability as then Kirito decided to simply poke and slash from a distance as his Longsword's has longer reach then those daggers.

And then the two daggers came flying over and then proceeded to go straight into Kirito's chest. He gave a grunt as then the Prince proceeded to suck him in usin the chains as then Kirito soon was kicked off the blades while the Prince began to slash at him with blinding speed.

Kirito blocked and ducked the attacks but he knew that this Prince was no slouch as he seemed almost as fast as Yuuki or himself. He was kicked down by the Prince and while he tried to get back up, the Prince took that time for when he was trying to swipe his legs out from beneath him before slashing his back open with half a dozen slashed that brought his health dangerously low.

But then the Prince mistimed an attack and as thenPrince was Open, Kirito used his blades to hack a slash across the bosses chest and sides as he then kicked the Prince back enough for Asuna to then ride by and then stab her rapier into his shoulder.

The Boss yelped and was thrown back but while he soon backed up, a huge explosion happened nearby and they all turned to see Shisho finish her spell as then the skies above opened up to a red portal that then showed hundreds of fireballs and meteors come flying down to slam into the Princes units to send many flying all over as many were incinerated where they stood.

The Prince, Midnight, was in shock as he watched his army get annihilated till only shambles remained and he immediately shouted out, "All units! Fall back to the Keep!"

And then he grabbed his horse from nearby and as he rode off with whAt remained of his army, Kirito looked out to the dead they were leaving behind as he then he wondered just how bad of a battle they were in when they assaulted the Princes castle. He could see quite a few units were gone from both his army and Eugene's army and others were in shambles.

Still, it was another victory and that's what counted so all he hoped was the other villages had fallen a little bit more easily than this one.

Sinon lay with the others in the grass as all of their breathes were held in to keep the huge then wading through the trees and brush. She was so thankful now they had ditched the lanterns well before here.

The Lv. 150 Shadow Dragon towered above them as it walked by them with powerful strides that were slow while it advanced through the forest, the group did its best to stay as low as physically possible while keeping quiet.

About a few minutes later the dragon would go away and while the group was on the cold ground, laying there for a moment, Sinon soon stood up and glanced around before she said, "Alright... let's just retrace it's step and get to that hoarde..."

They all stood up, barely able to see one another in the darkness that surrounded them, before they then headed back onto the path the Dragon came from as though it was a bit difficult, they soon managed to stumble into the path as and then they went the opposite way the dragon had came from.

As they went along, Sinon kept an ear out in case trouble came abounding from any direction around them but while the group kept going, nothing came after them. Perhaps the dragons very presence of it hunting had scared them off?

Sinon didn't care because as they went along, she wondered when they would find the cave when Lisbeth said, "I think we need a light source.."

"I got one.." Raiden suddenly appeared with a small glass container of bioluminescent bugs and as they gave off a bright enough glow to light the way before them, they soon were running as they didn't want to waste this time anymore before the Dragon came back from its time out.

"How much further you think?" Asked Earthshaker.

And then a cave opening, a massive cave opening, appeared before them as they had followed the tracks and while they plunged into that darkness, it was a very deep darkness to their surprise.

Mainly cause the dragon hoarde seemed to spill out early from it and as the group stopped, the four then all nodded as they began to run around and take what they could from the dragons hoarde.

Lisbeth and Raiden produces sacks and while everyone was looting, suddenly they all heard hisses and they all froze and looked over.

And in the light of Raidens light, the eye of several smaller Shadow Dragons was seen. And then, just as the group decided it was time to take their leave, hopefully with enough money, the sound of a roar soon echoed from not too far away.

"RUN!!!!!!" Shouted Earthshaker as the group suddenly bolted out of the cave at high speeds while the dragonlings all chased after them, baying for blood.

And while the group ran through the woods while Sinon, discarding any thoughts of stealth at this point, immediately fired a Light arrow into the sky and as it lit up the air and surroundings, the Dragon herself was coming for blood.

"Anyone have anything to stop a dragon?" Asked Raiden.

"Nope. Fresh outta Dragon-slaying stuff." Said Lisbeth.

And then the dragon slammed into the ground nearby and when it did, the ground shook and buckled as its first move was to breathe a swathe of Darkness breath around it.

The group managed to duck the attack that caused the trees to be stained with black and have unmentionable things come crawling out of it but the group wouldn't even pause to do anything else while they ran for the camp to get back on their horses.

The dragon chased after them, it's large body and long strides able to run down the ground enough until Sinon fires a light arrow into its face and blinded it with the sudden light, using the arrow as a makeshift flash bang rather than a good light source.

But then they reached the river and as Earthshaker suddenly took Raiden and threw him, he grabbed Lisbeth next and tossed her over the river as well before he said to Sinon, "Grab my hand!"

Sinon grabbed his gauntlet and then felt free fall and air as he hurled her across the river before he ran at the Dragon. It roared at him and as Sinon, Raiden, and Lisbeth all ran as fast as they could, thyhave suddenly heard this loud, metallic thud echo into the air as Earthshaker then landed next to them with a dent in his shield and chestplate but he was still up and that's all that matter.

"There's the camp!" Shouted Raiden as he sheathed his sword and put his shield on his back as he began to untie the horses, the sounds of the dragon close behind them.

Sinon and Lisbeth threw themselves onto their horses and as Raiden and Earthshaker managed to get on theirs, the four galloped off at full speed as then the Dragon came crashing through the camp.

Sinon made sure the sack of gold she had was still with her and as the group kept their horses going, it was long before the Dragon soon fell behind them in the forest as it roared at them. Sinon then sighed a breath of relief and as she looked at Earthshaker, she asked him, "Are you Alright?"

"Never been better!" Grunted the towering skeleton as then he said, "Lets never do this again... I just hope we got enough gold.."

Kommando293 was sitting in his throne as he was looking over reports as he was a bit suspicious. He hadn't seen Sinon anywhere and Lisbeth wasn't in her shop as it was quiet and the maidens And Guards hadn't seen them either for sometime. He then got up as he also noticed his Generals Raiden and Earthshaker were missing and it was a bad thing as they were his most trusted and so, as he was about to head out to the village, then the doors suddenly opened and actually made him jump as Sinon, Lisbeth, Raiden, and Earthshaker with new dented equipment entered as they all stumbled in.

"Lisbeth! Raiden! Earthshaker! Sinon!!" Kommando ran over as the group saw him while the doors closed before Sinon stood up and said, "Hello, Prince."

Immediately he hugged her close and she gave a small blush again (man those were annnoying as freck!) but then he pulled away as he said, "Where have you all been!? You haven't been seen for ages!!"

"We... did a side job for you... though fair warning the Hunting Camp might be wrecked." Said Raiden.

"Wrecked?" Asked Kommando as then the group produced four sacks that seemed heavy and fully-laden with loot.

"Wait, you went to the Dragon Hoarde, didn't you? Do you know how-" Kommando almost went onto a rant but then he stopped himself as he said, "Well... let's see how much you got.."

The group poured the contents on the floor until a total appeared: +2000 gold. It wasn't much but it would do and as Kommando293 went to begin making something's, mainly units for Midnight, suddenly Sinon Said, "Can.. can I have 500 of that gold?"

"What do you need 500 gold for? That's enough for two full Reaver units!" Asked the Prince.

"There something I want to build in the city... of course I believe it's full.. so I'll be taking down a building for it.." Said Sinon as she seemed nervous.

"... which building?" Asked the Prince.

"The... The Brothel is being replaced.. with something better." Said Sinon. "It's... It's called a Tower of Peace..."

"Tower of Peace?" Asked Kommando and he immediately watched her show him its schematic and details as he then looked and asked her, "Is.. is this why you went to the lair? To replace the brothel?"

"Yeah... I hope you don't mind..." Said Sinon.

And then she felt him give her a small peck on her cheek and she gave a obvious blush as he then said to her, "Then as I said before... I'll be the first to throw the torch.."

And then as he left, he said to Raiden and Theodosius, "Get yourselves patched up.. you did well..."

And as then four watched him, Kommando293 opened the doors and then disappeared into a cloud of darkness that extended to Sinon before disappearing for good as he then appeared before the Brothel with Sinon next to him as people around them crowded around the Brothel.

"Alright... let's get his started.." Komando293 took a nearby torch from a pit and as he held it up, more people joined in till the crowd had dozens of torches.

And then he hurled it into the Brothel as the crowd threw their own torches at the building, setting ablaze almost instantly. And while it burned down, leaving an open space of rubble, Sinon brought up the Tower of Peace and placed its foundation down as soon builders began to walk to it and begin building it.

"And good riddance... never wanted it around long anyway.." Said Kommando293 as he smiled at Sinon.

"Consider it payment for the kiss." Said Sinon as she looked over at him.

"Hey, you're my bride and that is gonna happen... besides, that blush of yours makes you look even cuter." Said Kommando293 as he smiled behind his mask.

She blushed again as she she managed to answer, "Still, you can't just be doing that to make me blush! I have standards!"

"Oh I know I can make you blush in more ways but.." then Komamndo293 hooked his arm around her as he looked into her eyes again, "... I just like seeing you blush after I give you a kiss."

"You're an idiot.."

"I'm a lovable idiot then."

"In your dreams."

"You are my dream then."

"Stop it!"

"But your blush is coming out even more!"