On the throne sat the King himself, idly chatting away to another demon perched next to him. Sebastian’s attire was casual, wearing a simple but elegantly crafted leather shirt and trousers, with matching leather boots; not the outfit one would expect of a King. Their casual conversation was interrupted as Solomon and Iomor emerged into the room, Sebastian shot them a quizzical glance as Solomon ran up to him with Iomor trailing behind. The interruption was not appreciated, but he did not suspect their reasoning.
"You need to read this," Solomon panted, offering the letter before Sebastian had time to respond. He accepted it, settling down to read the presented letter.
Minutes passed like hours as they waited on their King to respond, his expression was unwavering as he picked through the writing. Eventually, he lowered the letter and passed it over to Iomor, exhaling a deep sigh.
"This is not welcome news," Sebastian said at length, watching Solomon sigh in agreement. "I will prepare a response to the letter, in the meantime Iomor, you ensure we have soldiers prepared for the possible implications of this," he directed at the armoured demon, pausing for breath before addressing Solomon. His instructions were clear, if difficult; find out more about the threat posed by the mysterious storm and to report back with his findings. They swiftly departed, leaving Sebastian alone with the third demon. Upon their leave, he walked up to Sebastian and patted him on the shoulder, drawing a sigh from the King.
"There's little we can do but sit and wait right now, unfortunately," he stated but Sebastian did not look up; the statement rang true, that was something he knew.
“Any guesses on how Uriel’s reacting to this, Ciel?” the King queried, scratching at his shortened hair while mulling over the information.
“You mean aside from probably pinning all the blame on us, or at least our race?”
Sebastian chuckled at the remark, shaking his head side to side. He knew the angel all too well, any major occurrences were swiftly blamed on them, that had been one thing that had remained consistent since he was old enough to understand it.
He thought for a moment, turning his head up towards his companion. With a swift movement, he stood up and embraced the other demon, revealing a more emotional side of his stern approach. He worried dearly for this demon, for he was his only child; the warm embrace was quickly returned with mutual affection. All they could do is hope the worse did not come to light in the wake of the storm.
* * *
Each recipient received the letter with mutual trepidation, creating suspicious thoughts as to the cause of the storm. The immediate thought being that it was demons, but the idea was hard to build on. They had three large settlements in close proximity to the Commons; it came over illogical for them to put their own kind into danger, without any obvious benefits. Regardless of the culprit, it was thought best to heed the warning and the call was sent out to muster what forces they could obtain. Communications between Thardosean, the Human King and Uriel, the Angel Monarch remained open, each bringing their own opinion on how to proceed. Uriel wished to push an accusation towards the demons and the demon lead northern continent, including Sebastian by relation. Thardosean disagreed, however. If the storm was truly unrelated to them, then actively blaming then would tear the rift between the races further apart. As much as the human would like to admit, the raw strength of the demons would be a great asset if the situation turned dire.
The King sat on his throne, nervously watching Uriel’s tirade as the angel paced around his chambers; normally having the Angel Monarch within his castle would be an honour. Uriel was not known for leaving his sanctuary of Eriden very often, but in this case, he was not keen on the angel’s anger. He was well aware that Uriel could easily dispatch him, the angel was much more powerful than the aged King and better armed; a long blade lay sheathed in an ornate white and gold scabbard, hanging from his belt. Thardosean also knew the angel’s keen mastery over the element of light; while it was most effective against demons, he had no doubts that it could easily deal him a fatal blow. He quietly scratched his fingers on the armrest; Uriel appeared to be running out of steam for now, or at least that was his hope.
“Can we at least agree to wait with the accusations until after the expedition?” Thardosean pleaded, obtaining a sharp glare from the angel’s pale blue eyes. He flinched; the glare remained for a few seconds before Uriel sighed and turned away, allowing the wary King to relax.
“Fine, just don’t regret it later if you find that I am indeed correct,” he replied snidely, annoyed at the human’s unwilling stance on the subject. Uriel had banked on his full agreement, an assault on Shadekeep would’ve required the element of surprise. Human settlements surround the demon communities; even if the humans stood little chance against the opponent, the shock of the sudden attack would turn them blind to the larger and more dangerous force bearing down on them. Or at least, that was his hope; the plan would fall flat otherwise, possibly even turn on them if the humans decided to take exception. It was not only the demon towns that were surrounded by human settlements; Aelburn was the greatest of the human cities and stood too close to Eriden for Uriel’s liking.
The angry angel decided to take his leave, pushing past the anxious guards that were positioned outside the door. They were unable to hear the conversation between the two in the chamber, but the volume of Uriel’s voice told them that it was not a pleasant one. Once he had visibly departed, they entered the chamber, cautiously walking up to the throne. Thardosean glanced up at them; taking deep breaths to calm himself before gesturing to them he was fine, although the slight shaking of his hand indicated otherwise.
“Get someone to bring me some wine, I’m going to need it.”
The soldiers scrambled off, desperately searching for the nearest servant to carry out the King’s desire.
* * *
Bright flames illuminated the aged wooden round table and those who sat around it, casting shadows into the wide room. All the participants were clad in thin furs and leather with hints of green and brown cloth peeking out from gaps in the armour, with bows and blades strapped on top. Scruffy hair and beards adorned the faces of the committee, except for one that sat at the centre of the table; her visage was clean and neat, the armour however still matched the rest. An expansive map lay on the table next to a letter; various pencils and markers were strewn around the edges of the map, with some having been used to mark off and annotate specific areas. With a sweep of her hand, a route was marked out on the map, drawing comments from others in the room. The majority agreed to what she had proposed but a few were sceptical; doubts which she hoped to quell before an expedition was sent out toward the moving storm front.
“The demons of Springhollow might have some information that would be useful to the cause,” she stated to the quibblers who were not keen on the idea of actively talking to the demons; the next half of her plan would upset them even more, there was more than just the one settlement on the planned route. It would also provide them with a good location to restock on food and water. “Also, I was planning to stop in at least Linlake, if not Valmeadow or Esterbrook for information and supplies, of course,” she added on, without any audible disagreement from the audience.
The lakes in the West were prime demon territory, but they were also the only major freshwater source. As such, the humans that settled there found themselves having to be humble to their less than desirable neighbours; the relationship fostered well however and firm trading routes been established between the two races. The swampland hosted many riches but its boggy ground proved too much of a hassle for the humans to consistently navigate. Demons, however, could easily avoid its sticky nature using their wings, utilising the trees as perches. An agreement was struck up, in exchange for the resources of the swamplands the demons would receive food and other fineries such as cloth and metal. Demons in this area tended to be more welcoming to humans, as long as their intentions were fair; a fact she intended to use fully to her advantage.
> “I will lead the expedition; a small group with some mages provided to us by the Council.” Such an expedition would usually take a sizable group, but a large expedition would also cause panic to civilians if it became known. “The rest of you, remain doing as you are now, dealing with any other problems that arise as normal,” the woman continued, nods of approval came from the remaining members. She beckoned for them to stand, initiating a chant which the other members soon joined in on. It was a pledge that all members held highly, repeating it at the end of the meeting was a long-held tradition within the Ranger’s Guild and a well-respected one. As the chant ended the members dismissed themselves, leaving the woman alone in the room. She set about penning a reply agreeing to help the council, as well as details of the route they would take.
Chapter 2: The Expedition
Low sunlight bathed the cool stone walls of the Magi academy, while impressive in stature it hid the truly grand interior; the dull grey stone walls paled in comparison to the iridescent, polished slabs inside. A small group clad in leathers stood before the wooden doors of the entrance, awaiting their promised mage companions at this early hour of the day. At the front stood the female ranger, impatiently checking an iron pocket watch. The doors eventually pushed open, a familiar face stood in the doorway, flanked by less than enthusiastic looking mages.
“Ah Ferdan, It has been a long time, thank you for the letter,” she smiled at the man stood before her. His height was average for a human and his short brown hair was kept neat and clean; as always he looked impressive in his silvery formal robes, contrasted only by his pale green eyes.
“Too long,” Ferdan returned the smile to the woman; they had been close once but commitments to their respective guilds separated them and he had not had the chance to see her regularly since then. “These few will serve as our investigative force, I would come along myself but unfortunately I am required to remain here.” A hint of sadness laced his voice, he wished to go with her again so badly, but it was not to be. “Don’t mind their expressions; mages are rarely required to be awake at this hour normally,” he remarked, resulting in a quiet chuckle from the group stood in front of him. “I will not hold you, just be careful Lauri,” his words trailed off and he looked away, trying to hide the blushing of his cheeks.
Lauri held back a grin; his embarrassment was sweet, but now was not the time. She ordered the group to start back down the passage that would bring them to their starting location. Pausing for a second behind the group, she swivelled around and blew him a kiss, before turning back around and running ahead to rejoin the front of the group. Ferdan stood dumbstruck for a second before walking back into the hall, closing the doors behind him, a grin spread across his face.
* * *
A few hours passed as they marched, successfully reaching the first stopping point in their journey. Sat at the base of the Skyrend Mountains they paused for a snack, ensuring everyone was fine. Once they entered the mountain passage that ran across the monumental peaks, they would have to continue walking until they got to the other side. Perilous was an understatement when it came to the passage; it was narrow and prone to debris slipping down from the cliffs above. Conveniently, it was only a short distance to cross, so it was hoped that they would get to the other side with no incident.
Once the break was finished, they packed their rations back up neatly while Lauri informed the mages about the hazard and how to deal with it if anything occurred. It was one of the times when travelling with mages was a benefit, opposed to them being a slight nuisance.
Towering cliffs rose up either side as the group pressed on carefully; half watching where they were walking, half watching the ominous peaks above them. Time passed slowly as they walked through the winding passage; an aura of silence hung over the group, as no one was willing to break it in case their voice covered up the sound of slipping rock.
The opening on the other side was eventually starting to emerge and Lauri blew a sigh of relief, beckoning them to continue. Her relief was short lived however as a loud rumbling noise abruptly started, attracting her attention to the sky. Boulders bounced off the cliff towards the group at high speed, the passage still too narrow to allow them to dodge. Before she could cry out, a strong blast of wind ripped past with enough force to send the rocks harmlessly into the clear opening ahead. A mage near the back of the group was bathed in a pale green light as the winds continued to rip past, only ending when it appeared safe. That was a close one, she thought, glad to be in the company of those who are competent with their magic; without them that would have ended up much differently.
On seeing that, the rest of the group needed little motivation to exit the passageway as quickly as possible, spilling out onto the grassy plain and as far away from the cliff as they could manage. A few of the rangers observed the rocks that had nearly crushed them littered on the floor; the mage responsible looked pleased with his work but said nothing, receiving a pat on the back from one of the other mages present. Lauri glanced north, her gaze revealed trees appearing in the distance, displaying the direction of their next location; Springhollow.
Springhollow resided near the top of the Cloud Forest, just below the foot of the mountains. It was the last settlement of any race before reaching the Isthmus; a stretch of land that connected the eastern isle to the western isle, yet despite this, few travellers stopped here, aside from their own race. Given their recent encounter, the party was happy to make haste towards the sheltered patch of green.
The air was moist and heavy as they entered the forest. Thick dew hung delicately from the lush vegetation, gathering the attention of the curious mages. Mages rarely went outside the academy at Aelburn; this phenomenon was rare within the city, nor did it ever look as beautiful as it did now. Lauri quietly noticed their fascination and smiled to herself, remembering the first time she ventured outside the protecting walls of the capital city; it had been frightening but it was an experience she would never forget. It drove her to want to protect it, leading her to join the Ranger’s Guild many years ago.
Focusing back on the task at hand, she casually glanced around; by now she’d expect their presence in the area to be known but no one was making themselves obvious, they were probably wary of the group’s intention. A single smaller, new blood demon would stand little chance against the group by themselves, preferring to remain hidden and observing as they pass. This village, however, was known to have multiple of the larger old blood demons; if they took a disliking to the new company then the situation could turn sour fast, the two groups working together were dangerously efficient at combat.
Nearby trees rustled and confirmed her thoughts, they were being watched. The onlooker was close by as well. She put a hand up for the group to stop, it would be for the best if she made contact now.
“We mean you no harm,” Lauri announced into the woods, pausing to check for a response. Nothing came initially, so she continued, “we come for information regarding the events in the West.” It remained quiet for a moment before more rustling was heard. The group looked around nervously but Lauri remained unfazed. Dropping in from her left a shadowy figure emerged and walked out towards the group, giving those with surprised expressions a strange look. Based on what she was seeing, it was a young woman stood in front of her, her facial features showing the tell-tale softness that demon females possessed; her body, however, was clad in loose cloth and leather, obscuring the more feminine body shape. Female or not, the demon still stood about half of Lauri’s height again, if not more. Height was a notable trait of demons; they stood even taller than angels, a trait that was not appreciated by the feathered race.
“Can you prove your claims?” the demon enquired, with a higher pitched tone of voice than the group was expecting, judging by their reactions. Lauri reached into her pack and produced a rolled up cloth, handing it over to the waiting demon. She readily accepted it and unrolled it; it greeted her with the standard of the Ranger’s Guild embroidered onto the clo
th, the needlework was so perfect that a fake was out of the question. As she ran her hand gently over the cloth mana warmed her fingers; the item had been enchanted to further prove its authenticity. Happy with what she had been presented with, she rolled it back up and handed it to Lauri and waved the waiting party on. “Follow me,” the demon stated simply and continued back in a northward direction, the quietly chattering party following behind.
The walk did not take long to Springhollow, although the ever increasing feeling of being watched made some of the less experienced members of the party jittery but Lauri was not bothered; the demons would be unwise to attack the group after what she had shown their escort, such backlash from an unprovoked attack would cause the downfall of the settlement.
Expansive houses built of wood and stone appeared ahead as the trees gave way to an opening, once again revealing the sky. Demons were numerous within the area, in all shapes and sizes, going about their normal tasks or just playing with each other. As the group entered they were regarded with interest but little worry; they were well aware that the female leading them would not have allowed them close if she thought they posed a threat. One of the younger demons watching scrambled off to inform someone of their arrival; the village chief, the demon who would be able to answer their questions.
“He will be out shortly,” she informed the group, obtaining an understanding nod from Lauri.
A door opened and a sparsely dressed male demon stepped out, his hair showing signs of turning pale and dull. She knew that he was of a respectable age, potentially with a wealth of experience as well. He approached the group and the female demon gestured towards Lauri, speaking in a tongue unintelligible to her. Lauri gave a small bow in respect to the chief; it was a gesture he appreciated, giving her a nod of recognition in return. From this distance she could understand his curious choice in clothing; scars decorated his body, some rather viscous looking. The overall effect worked, though, he certainly gave out an aura of strength.
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