I Will Save the Villain

Asteria

“Well, that’s that,” said Uriel.

“Looks like it,” said Sariel.

Seraph had frozen the entire Eatuhean army in a giant ice crystal. He’d spent the last ninety days practicing how to immobilize thousands of people without harming them, and we had decided that this was the best way to do it. Of course, I had to help by using my chibis to keep the frozen people alive and unharmed by stabilizing their condition. My original spell merely kept them in good health until Uriel pointed out that it would be nightmarish for them to be conscious but unable to move, so now my spell also knocked them out.

Elsa and the others fanned out behind me in a semicircle as I stood up and triggered the spell that I had prepared.

First, I cast Empyrean Grace on my allies. Now they were in a temporary state of invulnerability. The downside of this skill was that they were basically in stasis so they were unable to do anything. I didn’t anticipate any problems, but it was better to be prepared.

Second, I triggered Harmony of the Spheres. A chorus of angelic voices burst forth from high above us. The people with me didn't pay much attention to it since they were used to this by now, but the unfrozen Eatuhean civilians screamed and cowered as they looked up at us in fear.

Third, my illusory “Lady Death” spell made me look ten feet high, with eyes of black flame and hair like molten silver. That was what the mythical angel of the Eatuhean apocalypse was supposed to look like. The screaming and panic among the onlookers increased.

Fourth, black mist began to rise from the ground everywhere in Eatuhea. This was a gaseous drug that would keep everyone calm and subject to suggestion. The people below us calmed down as the drug took hold.

Fifth, black void mouths appeared on every surface and started issuing commands that the hypnotized populace were unable to disobey. The Eatuheans started taking off their clothes and walking to the nearest street or open space. It’s not my fault that their eschatological literature specified that they would be transported into their new home as naked as the day they were born.

Sixth, nine enormous Arks dropped down from the clouds. These were the legendary ships that would take them to safety after the continent was destroyed. Now came the most anima-intensive part of this whole scheme. Hundreds of thousands of chibis picked up a naked Eatuhean and flew them up to the nearest flying Ark.

Seventh, the frozen army was thawed out, drugged, and likewise deposited into a flying ship.

Eighth, I put a shield over the hospitals and homes for the elderly where people were too sick to be moved. These will remain as tiny floating islands while the rest of the continent sank into the ocean. Magnus had already prepared several ships filled with medical personnel and equipment to evacuate them. I’d gone through a lot of trouble to make sure that they would have uninterrupted electricity during the End of Days. Once all of the patients had been moved out, the land that the buildings stood on would also be destroyed.

Ninth, I flew us all back up the Bone Ship we’d arrived in, and I cast Paradisiacal Rain once everyone was safe. It’s the same skill that the hero Hjalmar lost control of when he used it on his enemies. His use of Paradisiacal Rain already had destroyed most of the Eatuhean continent. All I was doing was finishing his work and setting his descendants free.

The heavens erupted in a fiery display of reds and golds as fire and brimstone rained down on the doomed land. I hastily erected an additional shield to filter out the smell of sulfur and most of the sound that Paradisiacal Rain produced.

The others kept up a running commentary throughout the whole process.

“Is this real? Even though I can see what’s happening, I still can’t believe it. Maybe we’ve all been hypnotized…” said the Sariel from this world. He was staring down at the devastation with wide eyes.

“How can one girl do so much damage? There goes one continent!” said Uriel’s double from this world. He seemed pretty happy about it.

“…” It was extremely weird to see someone with Seraphiel’s features staring at something with a dumbfounded expression on his face. I was tempted to reach over and close his mouth for him.

When the spell was done, we all watched in silence as the Arks sailed off into the sunset. They would land in the Svaneke islands where Magnus had, at my request, prepared basic accommodations for the Eatuheans. Of course, this had cost an astronomical sum which I had paid for with a huge hoard of artifacts.

“Poor guys,” I said.

“I feel sorry for them,” said Uriel.

My three EL companions all looked glum, while the three ELs from this world looked stunned and disbelieving.

“Sariel, why is Uriel looking at me as though I'm some sort of terrible person?” I complained.

“Now, now! Don’t give her a hard time. If she is correct that the continent was going to sink in a few more decades, my analysts predict that it would have resulted in a massive loss of life,” said Magnus.

“The Eatuheans are addicted to heroic last stands,” said this world’s Sariel. “They would definitely have fought even harder to conquer the rest of the world if they thought it was their last chance.”

“I know,” said Uriel. “But it must be hard for them to lose everything and start from nothing.”

“Well, it’s not all bad. I let them keep their artifacts so they won’t be defenseless,” I said. “Besides, the upcoming plague would have decimated their population, same as everyone else. This way, Elsa can work her magic without interference.”

“Now?” asked Elsa.

“Now,” I said.

Elsa and Magnus embraced and said their goodbyes.

“Work hard!” I said as I used my special skill, In the Goddess’ Arms, to send her soul to the spiritual plane. Golden light enveloped her body as she was pulled up into the sky by an unseen force. “See you in three days.”

Elsa had asked why I hadn’t just used this skill instead of trying to train her through meditation. I explained that although it’s possible to send a person by force to the spiritual plane, if they were not familiar with the place, they would be in shock for a long time. Without prior training, they would possibly be unable to return.

“You’re sure she’ll be back?” Magnus gazed up at her rapidly disappearing form, his expression awed and solemn.

“I’m sure,” I said. They were lucky that this world’s anima pool was so large, which was probably because they had a lot of shamans here, unlike in our world. “Don’t worry. I won’t leave until the Iah virus has been eradicated. I have complete confidence that Elsa will be able to do it. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have let her go.”

“I hope so…” said Magnus.

I looked down at the last remnants of the Eatuhean continent that were rapidly sinking. In a few more days, nothing would be left. “Let’s go back to the lake house to wait for her.”

***

Despite his worry about Elsa, Magnus had to leave immediately after we arrived at the lake compound since he was going to be very busy supervising the Eatuhean exodus.

I personally didn’t expect much trouble from the Eatuheans since the sinking of the continent would have shown them quite clearly that they were no longer masters of this world.

Still, there were bound to be a few malcontents who would need to be reined in by Magnus and his ELs.

“I’ll be glad when we return,” said Uriel. “I miss my family.”

“I miss my bed,” said Sariel.

“I miss my plants, and I was right in the middle of reading a new novel,” said Seraphiel.

“None of you want to stay here longer to explore? This is a whole new world!” I said.

“Nah…” said Sariel.

The others nodded.

“Alright, let’s leave when Elsa returns,” I said.

Damn, our other world adventure was coming to an end without me even visiting an Adventurer’s Guild or forming an adoring harem of platonic girl friends! At least I got some chocolate.

Overpowered Chronicles End