Soul Merger

Rosalina sealed the wound on the young woman's side, focusing on the healing that needed to be done immediately while letting the bandages handle the rest. "There. You'll still need to avoid aggravating it, but since you're out of the tourney it should heal before your next fight."

The young woman wasn't happy, but she nodded. "Thank you."

At least the girl was polite. "I'd offer more, but I've been rather busy the last few days," Rosalina said. "And I'm going to be even busier today." The tournament was going to lead to a lot of injuries.

If they were lucky. The alternative was worse.

The first round had at least been merciful. Most of the pairings had been experienced fighters against the new arrivals. None of the battles had progressed to serious damage. Second round had led to two painful absences.

"Should I take the next one?" Raiel asked as the young woman walked to join the rest of the kids.

"We'll see. It'll depend on how hurt they are." Rosalina checked her staff again. She was terribly short on the best spells. All she could really throw out were flavors of direct healing and regeneration. Well and controlled lightning but she was keeping that under wraps.

"A final gift for the Emperor when we reach him," her dragon hissed.

The doors shuddered as the wind shifted. Rosalina briefly wondered what had caused that.

Then the demons in the room collapsed to the ground screaming in pain.

"Finally!" Rosalina wasn't sure what Akari how the others had pulled it off, but she recognized the eastern priestess' tricks. She crushed the neck of the spite demon who'd been looking over her shoulder then turned to the children. "Alright! It's time to break out! Let's get a nice orderly group together, and remember, if you kill something alive you'll get a merge, so don't murder the demons no matter how much you want to!"

Julia looked at her in shock. "Wh-what's happening?"

"Like she said, a breakout." Clara stomped another demon to paste before moving to kick open the doors of the weapon room. The lock snapped revealing a set of crude training weapons and several other demons thrashing on the ground. "Seems the demons are getting their just rewards, so get geared up and ready to run."

Fortunately the urge to grab a weapon got the kids moving. Even those who weren't good fighters liked the feeling of control being armed gave you.

"What about the others?" Julia asked having grabbed a spear.

"Who's missing?" Roslaina asked. She hadn't been here long enough to get info on all the kids.

Raiel moved over. "Six. Maria, Trevor, Luke, Alfred, Mio, and Bradley."

All of them blinked at the angel. Julia looked around. "Uh, yeah that sounds right."

"The angel is following her calling. Trust her," the voice in her head added.

"Right. Now what Clara?" Rosalina asked. The minotaur woman had been mentally mapping the place.

"Get everyone else out, grab our gear, and then go play hero of course," Clara replied. "Quickest way out should be through there and up the stairs."

Rosalina started moving. A few steps and she was able to burst through the doors. "Now onward to-"

The groans and horrid shrieks of the undead mob in front of her were an unwelcome greeting. Apparently someone had opened up the cages too. "Sorry, wrong way." She stepped back and pulled the doors shut before bolting them. "So what's plan B?"

The dragon in her head sniffed "Do you really think that will work?" Fortunately no one else heard the critique of her fine performance over the undead starting to pound on the doors.

Clara grimaced. "Should be stairs out the other way, but there's monster pens that direction too. We could also go out to the center arena, but will Akari's trick work out there? We may just have to hunker down and kill them all."

Julia motioned to the armor door. "We can fortify that place pretty well. But what about the other kids?"

"Hopefully they can get out, but..." Rosalina looked to her friends. "We should make sure."

Raiel nodded. "To the arena. Perhaps we can find a better way from there."

"Can you kill the demons on the way out?" one of the kids asked. Rosalina nodded and sent a bolt of chain lighting through the survivors on the ground. Best to handle matters promptly.

She looked over to see Clara moving a stack of beds in front of the door. The woman's strength was something else. Which was going to be important because there weren't any bows in the armory. Probably considered 'weak' weapons. "There. Should buy a bit more time. Let's go."

Raiel was first through the doors. Rosalina followed a moment later, taking a bit of time to scorch the demons on the ground. The annoying things would probably reform here, but it'd be a while.

They ascended up the ramp out into the open field. To her surprise there were five figures standing over a set of corpses. Four humans and one harpy. "Ah, cunning move." Rosalina hurried closer.

"Raiel!" As soon as the group noticed them Kotori fluttered over to give her friend a wing hug. "You got out! We were worried!"

"I'm fine little bird,' Raiel said, patting the harpy on the head. "And good work getting to us."

Rosalina checked the four kids in front of her. One was finishing the merge to a tiefling, suggesting Kotori hadn't managed to kill all of the spite demons. But they all looked unharmed. She tried to match names to faces. "Luke, Alfred, Mio, and Bradley. Correct?"

"Yeah," Luke said. "Trevor and Mary were up next, so they were taken to the audience chamber. How are the others doing?"

"Barricaded in the armory. Some dumbass let out the undead," Clara said. "Kotori, where were Alissa and the others headed?"

The harpy thought for a moment, turning her head to the side. "Uh, they were going to one of the possible armories before heading down. Think you can get there through that entrance?" She pointed a wing at one of the openings leading out of the arena. "If they followed the plan that is. I just flew over so I don't know how it went."

"We need to rescue the last two children," Raiel said. "Who knows what that 'Emperor' will do once he realizes the others are out of his control."

Rosalina considered the matter. They could wait it out down in the lower floors. But that would let the dragon take the two kids hostage, or set up a battlefield that their full group couldn't overcome. On the other hand they weren't exactly ready for a fight with a dragon. They'd at least need-

"Oi!"

Rosalina looked up to see Ibaraki running at them followed by a squad of undead. She raised her rod and blasted the closest, while Raiel threw holy light at the one behind it. As Ibaraki turned, Bradley decided to join in, conjuring up flame to roast a fast zombie.

Of course after that the matter was settled. Ibaraki clubbed the survivors and turned to hop over with a ground shaking leap. Akari was in rare form today it seemed. Or perhaps Ibaraki was angry. "There you are. Stupid succubus is apparently up out of incense range wasting my time with corpses. Other girls found an armory though. Have to go in the other way, but I bet you can get your gear back."

"Problem. The dragon's got two more kids," Rosalina said. "Clara, can you grab Alissa and Fili and bring them to us?"

"Can do better than that." Clara pointed at a large entrance. "That leads to a lobby. The front's boarded up, but it's shoddy work. The kids should be able to get out there. Figure you four can grab the crew and make your escape while we finish off 'Emperor' Valorous."

The kids nodded. "Sure thing. We saw the area before but there were usually too many demons to really consider a breakout."

Rosalina considered the plan. It seemed good, apart from the bit where Ibaraki and her faced off against a dragon with just two random kids for support. But she knew Akari's full power. Did they stand a chance?

"Are you hiding away? Hoarding safety?" The dragon rumbled within her. "That worm challenged us. Treated us as a healing battery. Will we accept this?"

No.

She motioned for Clara to head to the entrance. "It'll have to do. Get Alissa and Fili here as fast as possible. We'll bloody the dragon's nose to start."

Clara raised an eyebrow. "Don't push things too far. First priority is the kids."

"Of course," Rosalina said.

After all, the kids would be quite safe after she showed Valorous his place!

------

Trevor carefully deflected Maria's swing with his shield, but the woman moved back and cut at his ankles before he could press the advantage. This fight, like everything else today, was a fucking mess.

Valorous sat there watching, taunting them with the weak scale on his neck. Trevor had been plotting for years to get close enough to the beast without the demons getting in his way. To kill the wretched creature that had caused them all so much suffering.

And then he'd learned that was the dragons fucking plan from the start!

Should he go through with it anyway? It would save lives. And he probably could control the beast. But the creature was allies with demons and those things could alter souls and minds.

A kick to his shield sent him stumbling back. Stupid mistake. He thrust out with his sword to keep Maria at bay while resetting his stance. Maria was one of the better fighters. He couldn't spend his time daydreaming around her. No matter how close to Valorous' head he got.

He moved forwards again, cutting at Maria's arms while keeping his shield forward. The woman skipped back and to the right, making sure to avoid him getting inside her reach. In a fist fight he'd win for sure.

And then Maria turned and rushed Valorous.

He barely had time to watch the attack. Maria had always seemed like one of the dragon's actual supporters. At least she'd swallowed the whole 'might makes right' thing. But she was aiming for the top spot it seemed.

Her sword swept through the air, then stopped frozen as chains of wind wrapped around her. She screamed in rage as Valorous chuckled. "Ambitious. I was tempted to give you a chance. But you moved a little too early. I'm not quite ready to give up on my tournament plans."

The dragon's eyes narrowed as he turned to Trevor. "Though I might be willing to consider a different option. You've proven strong, boy. And a natural leader. Your sole weakness is your heart. I'd have already picked you as champion if not for that."

"Not sure how killing weak people makes you strong," Trevor replied.

"It doesn't. But lowering yourself to weakness makes you vulnerable." The dragon tapped Maria's head with a claw. "Let's see if you have the will to do what is necessary. Take her life, save the rest."

He looked at Maria. She was still struggling to move forwards, make the finishing blow. Even though it was impossible she was going to try. She'd probably have cut him down without a second thought before going for the dragon.

That wasn't his way though.

Trevor walked closer, carefully lining up his sword. It was helpful that the weak scale Valorous taunted them with was sitting close to the same height as Maria's neck. He was willing to make tough choices. But he wasn't going to give the dragon the satisfaction of one more life...

He nearly jumped out of his skin as the doors slammed open. "It's time to get usurped 'Emperor,'" the dragon cleric's voice rang out.

Valorous sighed, the wind washing over Trevor. "It's going to be one of those days isn't it?"

Trevor saw his chance. He lunged. The dragon looked pleased, but the smirk turned to rage as he shifted his blow.

The sword he was using was cheap steel. But it still was enough to piece the inner lid that flashed over the dragon's eye. The blade bit in, sending blood and ichor spraying. Valorous roared in rage.

Then he was flying. Trevor felt pain as the winds slapped him across the room, then the horrible impacts as he hit the floor and rolled. He managed to keep his shield and sword, but they were both battered.

He looked up to see the dragon seething, winds whipping around it, while one eye was sealed shut with blood leaking through. "You wretch!" the creature yelled. "You think this wound will let these miserable creatures slay me? You had your chance to win. Now know defeat!"

A lance of green magic began to spin and launched itself across the room. He tried to dodge, but his legs lacked the strength. He raised his shield, but that wouldn't do much. The priestess yelled out something, but no miracle manifested.

And then pure white wings eclipsed his sight.

There was the horrible tearing of flesh, and shimmering blood stained his face. The angel, Raiel sank down, a hole through her sternum. Behind the harpy screamed in horror. But all Trevor could see was the angels smile as she turned to look at him.

"Do you wish to protect the weak? To defend children? To be a shield where others cannot?"

He wasn't sure if the angel spoke, or if the voice went directly into his head. But he nodded all the same.

"Then take my life and power. Don't let that dragon win."

A shivering hand raised the blade. He forced himself to take a deep breath, steady the blow...

Then he drove his sword into the dying angel's heart.

Pain flushed through him. The light from the angel's blood faded, but his own soul seemed to rise. He felt his body twisting and morphing, but it invigorated him as much as it hurt. "Be not afraid," the voice rang in his head. "For I am with you. We will keep our vows."

He arose, Blessed, to face the dragon, allies moving to his side.