Dangan Rpg Part 72: Missing Knights.

**HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED SO FAR**

While on their way out of the city, Kotoko decides last minute to stay at Keterburg with Yumico. After saying their goodbyes, the party travels to Mount Roneal to find that the group of knights the mayor sent to wait for them aren't there.

SCENE START

Himiko looked around the pathway to the mountain’s entrance, confused on where the Kimlascan platoon that Yumico told them about should be.

Himiko: Nyeh…? Where are the knights?

Kaede: They’re supposed to be directly on this pathway. Where are they? Why aren’t they here…?

Shuichi: Something is…..weird. Would the knights move into the mountains without us to help them?

Tenko: Well, wasn’t there a fonon disturbance here caused by the Oracle Knights? Maybe they felt it getting worse and went inside to check it out!

Angie: Atua wishes for us not to worry. I can hear his voice calling down to reassure our minds.

Himiko: I thought some called him Lorelei, Angie.

Angie: Worldwide the name is Lorelei, but I was raised to call him Atua by my parents. Lorelei isn't a deity, but a manifestation of the Seventh Fonon.

Miu stepped away from the group and pulled out the communication device that she got from Yumico.

*Beep Beep!*

Miu: Yumi! Hey!

Yumico’s voice came through a bit garbled and static.

Yumico: *BZZRT* Miu? Is-*Bzzzrt!!*-everything o-*Bzzrrt!*-kay?*

Miu: Uggh, shit! This dumbass wind is messing up the signal! HEY, TENKO!

Tenko: Ah?! What is it?!

Miu: Try to stop the wind from blowing so hard, I can barely understand Yumico with all of this shit blowing around!

Tenko: Alright, I’m on it!

Tenko held her hands up towards the sky before glowing green.

Tenko: HooooAH!!!

*WOOOORRRRRRsssssssshhhhh…*

The wind around all of them slowed down to a far more reasonable speed.

Tenko: There you go! You’re all set, Miu!

Miu: Yumico? Can you hear me now?

Yumico: That’s much better now. What’s wrong?

Miu: Uhh, yeah I think the mayor might’ve fucked up with his directions because….that little platoon of knights is nowhere to be found.

Yumico: ? They’re not at the entrance to Mount Roneal?? You guys don’t see any footprints anywhere?

Miu looked around in the snow for a while, shaking her head.

Miu: I don’t see shit, Yumi. Did the mayor set us up?

Yumico: I’m sure he didn’t. He wouldn’t do something like that. 

Miu: Whatever. Alright, we’re going into the mountains. We might meet those knights on the way to stop the Oracle assholes, who knows.

Yumico: Good luck, Miu. Don’t hesitate to contact me if something else happens.

Miu: Alright, see you.

*Beep!*

Hiyoko: Uhg, let’s hurry up and go already! I’m tired of standing around in the cold waiting for those stupid knights! 

Kaede: Then let’s get moving! Are you all ready?!

Himiko: I-I am ready..!

Himiko’s hands were shaking, but she clenched them into fists to stop herself.

Himiko: W-We can…We can do this!!! 

Tenko: That’s the confidence I hoped to see! Let’s do this!

The party travels forward with one thing on all of their minds; The Oracle Knights at Mount Roneal MUST be stopped!

**NOW ENTERING DUNGEON: MOUNT RONEAL**

*Woooooooorrrrrrssssshhhh!!!!!!!!!!*

The huge mountain whined with powerful gusts of wind, blowing flakes off of the ground around everyone.

Miu: Holy shit, the wind here is much worse than I thought.

Angie: I did not hink it would be THIS bad. 

Himiko: Why would they want to manipulate Mount Roneal’s fonons???! Does anybody know??

Kaede: If someone messes with the fonons in Mount Roneal enough, it could trigger a massive avalanche. I read about a phenomenon like this in Keterburg’s library.

HImiko: A-An avalanche?!!!

Tenko held her hands up into the air again.

Tenko: Haahh…!!! Urrrggh…!!

Himiko: Nyeh?? What’s wrong, Tenko?!

Tenko: It’s like…the wind is fighting back against me! It’s way harder to control now!!!

*WOOOOAAAAARRRSSSSSHH!!!*

Tenko: Dhagh!!! D-Damn it..!

Kaede: It’s alright, Tenko. Let’s try to ascend up the mountainpath for now, at least until the wind calms down a bit more..! Shuichi, can you try to track some footprints along the snow??

Shuichi: Ah, right! Also, let’s try not to shout or speak too loudly. I had heard that strong monsters are attracted to sound here, and we don’t want to cause an avalanche while fighting too many of them.

With the group heading up the path of the mountain, Shuichi kept his eyes to the ground while a light blue glow emitted from them like a beam of light.

Shuichi: I see something. Marks in the snow, like someone was trying to cover them up.

Angie looks down and sees a light trail of glistening snow that looks like ice frozen along the pathway.

Angie: Ooh, this must be our clue! Let’s follow this path of ice, it could lead us to the Oracle Knights or the Kimlascan soldiers!

Miu: Talk about a coin flip of hell..

A chilling gust of wind blew past everyone’s bodies, with the wind itself sounding like it was screaming at them. In the middle of their walking, someone’s feet slip on hardened snow.

Tenko: Dahh! Wow, this path is way slipperier than I thought..! 

Kaede: Tenko! Are you okay?

Tenko: Y-Yeah, I’m alright!

Kaede: That was a nasty fall, let me help you uuuaaah!!!

Kaede follows Tenko in slipping as well.

Miu: What the hell? Come on you two, stop fucking around and keep your stance together! You gotta keep a calm stride like I doooo-OWAH! God dammit!

Miu slips on a patch of snow as well.

Hiyoko: SHHHH! Be quiet, you bungle of idiots! If you keep screaming like that, you’ll bring a whole planet’s worth of snow on our heads! Keep it down over theEERE!!

Hiyoko’s feet slip suddenly before she snatches onto the closest thing she can.

Himiko: Nyeh?!! H-Hiyoko, d-don’t hold onto me!! Whhaaaa, Shuichi heeeelp!!!!

Himiko grabs Shuichi’s cape while Hiyoko was using Himiko as a straightener.

Shuichi: Gyaaah! H-Hey, let go-aahhh!!

Himiko: Nweeaaaaaaaah!!!

*Thunk! Thunk!*

Himiko and Shuichi fell down atop each other, and Hiyoko was the only one left standing in the scuffle after sacrificing those two to the snow.

Hiyoko: *Ahem!* Himiko, watch your step! Don’t drag down other people when you trip.

Himiko: Uweegghhh, you’re the one that dragged meee…..@-@

Angie: Wow, what slippery feet you all have. 

Himiko looks at Angie and sees her lance stabbed into the ice, acting like a pick.

Himiko: N-No fair! You’re using your lance like a climbing pick!

 Angie: Mhm! Come now, let me help you all up so we can continue moving!

While Angie headed to help the slippery fallen party, Yumico was on the Tartarus with Kotoko. 

**PERSPECTIVE SWITCH: YUMICO**

Kotoko: WOAAH!! This ship is SOOOO cool! Yumico, you really BUILT this?!!

Yumico: I didn't do it all by myself. I had the help of Miu and a mechanic named Kazuichi helping me the whole time. This ship wouldn't have been built for another ten years if those two weren't helping me.

Kotoko: Wooooah, you were able to shave off ten whole years working together?!!! That's so COOL!!

Yumico smiled while looking at Kokoto's excited jumping.

Yumico: Hmhm, seeing you so excited like that reminds me of a friend of mine. Alright, I'm about to try and send a drone through the surrounding area for a moment.

Kotoko: Ooh....

Kotoko quieted down and inched closer. Yumico pulled out a device to control a flying fontech drone that she was using before the party had left.

Yumico: *Scan the field with the item “Magic Lens”. Reveal any living organisms in the field leading to or around the mountain.*

The drone flew over the pathway leading to Mount Roneal, scanning for organisms. She didn’t see the group, so she assumed that they were already inside the mountain to stop the Oracle Knights. 

*Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep beep beep beep beep beep!!!*

Yumico: Ah? These are…!!

Kotoko: Huah? Yumi, what’s wrong??

Yumico: These are…dozens of Oracle soldiers heading right towards the entrance of Mount Roneal! They’re moving slowly and approaching Miu’s tracker location from far behind!!!

Kotoko: H-Huh?!! I thought you didn’t put a tracker on Miu’s communication device!

Yumico: I didn’t want to tell her outright, she’d worry too much. Regardless, that mountain could be a setup! If an army of Oracle Knights is behind them, that means that they could get cornered from the front and behind! *Drone, scan the mountain’s interior if possible!*

The drone screen glitched a bit more as it tried to scan the interior of the mountain. 

*Bzzrrt! BRRRZRRTT!!!*

Yumico: Come on….! Come on!!! Wait...this isn't an Oracle Knight, they don't have the crest on their clothes..

Yumico only saw one pulse of life energy coming from inside the mountain. 

Yumico: *Try to use another Magic Lens! Try to scan this person’s face!*

*Bzzrrr…..Bzrrr….!*

The drone’s lens shined a bit and covered the person from afar. Deep inside the mountain waiting for the Sacred Flame and her friends, was **Tsumugi Shirogane, the Dark Mage who's currently after the Sacred Flame**. 

Yumico: Tsumugi?!!!! Dammit, they’re walking into a trap!! I have to warn Miu before it’s too late!

Yumico tries to contact Miu immediately, using her communicator to try and pick up a signal.

**PERSPECTIVE SWITCH: HIMIKO AND THE PARTY**

Angie: I’ve got you, Miu!

Miu: Ugh! Took you long enough, damn!

Miu stood up with Angie’s help, and the group was finally back on their feet.

Himiko: Ngh!!! Owww!!!!

Himiko’s body started to glow with an agonizing pain in her head.

Himiko: Urrgghh!! M-My head…!!!

Tenko: H-Himiko!!!!! 

Hiyoko: Dammit, is Tsumugi trying to mess with you again?!

Himiko heard her voice.

**Do you think you have what it takes to stop what’s happening at Mount Roneal?? I’d turn back if I were you, unless you all wish to die.**

Himiko: *Nrgghh..! H-How do you know we’re at Mount Roneal??!!*

**Heheh…how DO I know, I wonder….**

Himiko’s splitting headache had finally ended, and her eyes opened to see Kaede’s face staring at her.

Kaede: Himiko! Are you alright?!

Himiko: Y-Yeah, I’m okay now..! It stopped..

Hiyoko: Did she say something to you? What did Tsumugi tell you?!

Himiko: She said that….she doesn’t think we have what it takes to save Mount Roneal. Somehow, she knows we’re here!

Miu: You don’t think that she’s-

*Beep beep!! Beep beep!*

Miu: Dammit all, what now Yumico?!

Miu answers the communicator with a scoff.

Miu: Yumi, what the hell’s going on?!

Yumico’s voice tried to alert Miu.

Yumico: “Miu!! You have to get OUT of Mount Roneal!! The Oracle Knights aren’t there, the Dark Mage is! Tsumugi is at Mount Roneal!”

But on Miu’s end of the transmission, all she could hear was garbled static and a broken voice that was all intelligible.

Miu: Yumico, I can’t understand a damn thing..! 

Yumico: *Bzzrrt*-Ge-*Bzzwooo*-Rone-*BZZRRTTTT*-

Himiko: Why is the transmitter so buggy?? The wind shouldn’t be messing with the signal that much, right?

Miu: The thing must’ve gotten fucked up when I fell on my ass in the snow! Ugghh, dammit!!!! 

Miu ended the transmission with a frustrated growl as Angie called out to her.

Angie: Miu, could you scan ahead with your robot suit to make sure our coast is clear??

Miu: Yeah yeah, I’m on it!

Miu equipped her robot armor suit that was shrunken in a disk-shaped casing, covering her whole body.

*Whirrrsshh!!!!*

Miu: Hey Miss Karate, do you think you can control these winds now? It’s not blowing as hard as it was when we came in.

Tenko: I’m sure that it can be easier to control now!

Miu: There’s a cave entrance coming up, so I’ll scout in there before we go in! Keep the wind pressure down so I don't get blown out of the sky!

Kaede: Thank you, Miu!

*Vshrooooo!!!!!!*

Miu flew off into the entrance of a cave.

Himiko: Nnnh…

Angie went up to Himiko with a concerned look on her face, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Angie: How is your head? Is it hurting anymore??

Himiko: Nyehh….n-no, I don’t feel any pain in my head anymore. 

Angie: That is good news. Still, I am sorry that this ended up happening to you.

Tenko: Don’t feel sorry, Lieutenant! Around the time that happened, you were still dazed from when we rescued you in Tataroo Valley! We were all caught off guard when Himiko got bit, and we were too tired to be as effective in stopping it.

Tenko looked off towards a pile of snow that looked a bit dirty.

Tenko:....

Himiko: Nyeh? Tenko???

Tenko:..Hey, does that pile of snow look weird to you all?

Kaede: Huh? Pile of snow??

Kaede and the rest of the group look at the pile of snow that Tenko pointed out.

Kaede: It looks just like the other piles of snow here, doesn’t it?

Shuichi: At first glance, but look Kaede. There’s a hand print on this pile, like someone put it together themselves.

Tenko: Hey Himiko, can you light my sword on fire?

Himiko: Nyeh? Oh, okay!!

*Fwursh!!!*

A wave of fire covered Himiko’s hands before she lit Tenko’s sword on fire. 

Tenko: Alright! I’ll use the steaming wind to melt this pile of snow! HeeeeeeeeeeYAAAH!!!!!

*FWORSH!!!!*

The pile of snow lifts up and floats away, revealing……a haunting sight.

Kaede: Ah……h-hhaaahh….

Angie: Oh…………no…..

Tenko: I-Is that….the….

Shuichi: N-N-No……..we were……too l-late….

Hiyoko: W-What the…..fuck….?!

Himiko: Nhh……! Aaaahhhhh…! AHHHHHH!!!!

Himiko’s body shook with fear, seeing the **mangled, bloody, butchered corpses of every last one of the Kimlascan troops that the Governor had sent to assist them.** They had finally found the knights, but they were already dead.

SCENE END

*To be continued in part 73: Miserable Spectacle…*