by Virlyce
“Calm down,” Ross said. His hair had turned gray, and his black vest was tattered. Burn scars decorated his arms and fingers. He grabbed the steaming crab with his bare hands and snapped two legs off. “We’ve grown a lot despite the low number of missions.”
Zul nodded. His blue robe was frayed at the edges, and the color had faded into a light blue. “We’ve upgraded Aran’s armor and Ross obtained a new shield. Claire’s proficiency in white magic nearly doubled, and we’ve all leveled more than we would’ve if we stayed in Zuer. The longer we stay here, the stronger we’ll get.”
“He’s just bitter the demons showed him up,” Sophie said.
“Showed all of us up,” Zeke said and rolled his eyes. “You weren’t exactly that great compared to them either.”
Aran nodded. “We shouldn’t need to rely on them as much now that I have better equipment. I’ve also heard rumors that they’re getting recalled to Zuer. Both Tina’s and Chad’s parties have already left. Something seems to have come up.”
Sophie raised an eyebrow and asked, “Something that the adventurers over there can’t handle? What? Did the dragons invade?”
Zul shook his head. “If that happened, then we would’ve been called back too.”
“Lucky dogs,” Zeke grumbled.
“It gives us a chance to pass them,” Aran said as he refilled his flask. “You do want to surpass them, right?”
“I still feel cheated,” Zeke said. “The adventurers’ guild made Fuselage seem like a paradise. What part of this is paradise?”
“I mean,” Sophie said as she broke the shell on her plate, “if you liked crab…”
“Well I don’t,” Zeke said and made a face.
“Cheer up,” Claire said. “Three more years and we can go back. I can’t wait to see my family again.” She sighed. “I wonder how they’re doing.”
“I’m sure they’re doing fine,” Zul said and patted her shoulder. “Our families get special treatment even if we die here.”
Claire frowned. “Don’t say that. I’m rather addicted to living,” she said and poked her crab leg with a fork. She sighed. “But these things will probably be the death of me.”
***
Lindyss was meditating on her bed, surrounded by a ring of blue mana crystals. A breeze whipped her hair behind her ears, and she opened her eyes. A man with a blue conical hat and pink robes stood in the middle of her room.
“Charon,” Lindyss said and nodded her head. “I don’t have any water from the Fountain of Youth with me—if you were wondering.”
The man smiled, revealing yellow and black teeth. “I didn’t come here for that,” he said. “Can’t a lonely old man drop by just to say hi to his favorite elf?”
“No,” Lindyss said as she swept the mana crystals up into a box. “What are you here for?”
“I thought I’d come here to give you a warning,” he said and tapped his chin. “Since one of my descendants has taken a liking to this place.”
“Exzenter?”
Charon nodded.
“You two are similar,” Lindyss said and tied her hair up into a bun.
Charon smiled. “It’s good to hear that my greatness runs through the family.”
Lindyss chuckled. “So what’s the warning?”
Charon stopped smiling. “The demon lord recalled the two strongest demon parties from Fuselage.”
Lindyss’ forehead wrinkled as her brow creased together.
“This was shortly after he returned from your kingdom,” Charon continued. “I’m not sure what he’s planning on doing with them, but it’s definitely not to attack the humans. The sacred spirits won’t allow it. Your kingdom however…” He stopped speaking.
“Thank you,” Lindyss said and lowered her head.
Charon nodded. “Take care of yourself.”
Lindyss raised her head. The room was empty.
***
Mina and Tafel were standing outside of Dustin’s room. They had decided to move somewhere else lest they disturb Vur’s sleep. It was fine to let the fairies watch over him.
“What’s going on, Mina?” Dustin asked as he rubbed his eyes. “First you assault Zollstock in Konigreich, then you appear naked in my house a month later.”
“It’s Zollstock. He’s dangerous,” Mina said and bit her lower lip.
Dustin nodded. “Of course. He’s the demon lord. He has to be dangerous.”
Mina shook her head. “You don’t understand,” she said. “He’s dangerous to us.”
Dustin’s forehead wrinkled. “Elaborate.”
Mina took in a deep breath. “I think he killed the previous demon lord.”
Tafel stared at her mother with wide eyes. Dustin frowned.
Mina continued, “He seemed normal when we first met him that day. He even seemed normal after we had been married for a year. He was nice to me, gave me gifts, said sweet things to me, and supported my family with wealth. He tried to make me like him.”
“Are you going somewhere with this?” Dustin asked. He stared into Mina’s eyes with his hands clenching his blanket.
Mina exhaled. “He changed after he became the demon lord. He stopped paying attention to me and spent more time alone. He would disappear for hours at a time, leaving me to watch over the children. I looked through his room one day while he was gone.” She hesitated. “And I found a golden horn. A demon horn.”
Tafel’s face paled.
Dustin’s eyes widened. “Are you sure? It was a demon’s horn?”
Mina nodded.
“You didn’t tell anyone?”
Mina shook her head. “Would you? Who could I have told? I tried telling my mother, but she wasn’t having any of it.”
Dustin turned his head towards Tafel who was trembling. “Should she be here for this?”
“She deserves to hear it,” Mina said and sighed.
Tafel yanked her hand out of her mother’s grip and hugged her elbows while looking down.
“Tafel…,” Mina said and moved her hands towards her daughter.
“Stop it,” Tafel said, her voice shaking. “Why..?” She looked up at Mina with glistening eyes.
“I—”
The house shook and Dustin fell out of bed. Mina and Tafel dropped to their knees. Dust sprinkled down from the ceiling, and a low rumble echoed through the building. The house continued to shake for ten seconds before the trembling stopped. Dustin and Mina glanced at each other. Dustin rifled through his closet and pulled out three staves, two of which he gave to Mina and Tafel. Tafel admired the staff in her hands but remained sitting on the floor.
“C’mon,” Dustin said and held out his hand towards Tafel.
Tafel reached for his outstretched hand, but stopped midway and dropped her hand. She shook her head as tears dripped down her face.
Mina frowned. “Watch over her,” she said and proceeded to walk towards the stairs. Her horns were glowing red, and the staff pulsed with a blue light.
Dustin squatted next to Tafel and ruffled her hair as Mina disappeared from view. Tafel’s hands were white from gripping the staff.
Mina reappeared a few seconds later with a pale face. “Vur’s gone.”
24
A male and female demon dressed in black robes with golden embroidery meandered down the streets of Niffle. Both of them wore mithril medallions engraved with two interlocking horns. The male demon had three red horns protruding from his forehead in a straight line like a rhinoceros. The female demon had two silver horns sprouting from her temples that curved down then forward like hooks.
“Isn’t that Chad from The Black Hounds?”
“That’s Swirling Wind’s leader, Tina.”
Bystanders whispered and stepped back while lowering their heads as the two passed through. Children peered out their windows with their mouths gaping. A few shouted in excitement for their parents to come look.
The red-horned demon grinned and stuck his chest out. The female demon rolled her eyes and turned h
er head away. She furrowed her brow and frowned as she stopped midstride and peered down a dark alleyway. A pair of golden eyes glowed and glared back at her.
“Hmm?” The red-horned demon raised an eyebrow. “Why’d you stop?” he asked and followed her gaze. “Is that a human? Times are really changing if humans are allowed to wander around Niffle.” He frowned and stepped forward.
“Leave it,” the woman said. “He’s just a child. His horns probably haven’t grown out yet.”
Chad snorted and brushed past her, stopping in front of the alley’s entrance. “Hey, you a human or a demon?” he asked while hunching over and staring down at Vur, resting one arm against the brick wall. Demons tended to have darker shades of hair. This child’s was on the lighter side of brown. “Why’re you naked? Che, damn street urchins.” He straightened his back and snorted while turning around.
“I’m no filthy human,” Vur said as he stumbled forward and slurred his words. “You take that back right now.” He tipped over to the side and leaned his body against the wall.
Chad turned his head back around and burst out laughing. “Check it out,” he said while clutching his stomach and tugging on Tina’s arm. “He’s drunk.”
Tina frowned. “I fail to see how that’s amusing,” she said. She knelt next to Vur, meeting him face to face. “Where are your parents?”
Vur blinked at her and frowned. He tilted his head up and squinted at the sun.
“Can you unders—”
“That way,” Vur said and pointed towards the south.
Tina followed his finger and raised an eyebrow. “There’s only a few shops that way,” she said and pointed east towards the residential area. “Are you sure they aren’t that way?”
Vur nodded and fell over onto his face. “I said they’re that way. So they’re that way,” he said with a muffled voice.
“Just give up, Tina,” Chad said and laughed. “He’s too out of it.”
“I see him! He’s over there, next to the old hag and ugly-looking fellow.”
“Ssshhh, you’re too loud! They can hear you.”
Chad frowned and narrowed his eyes in the direction of the voices. A yellow orb of liquid splattered against his face, the surface of the liquid releasing thick steam. Chad screamed and clawed at his face.
“Stay away from him, you toad!” Yella shouted and threw another orb. The three fairies hovered twenty feet in the air diagonally above Vur.
Tina’s horns glowed green, and the yellow orb splattered against a wall of air, the liquid dropping to the ground. “You know him?” she asked, ignoring Chad’s cursing.
“That’s right!” Rella said and crossed her arms. “You better stay away from him.”
“I’ll kill you!” Chad yelled, tears streaming from his eyes. He clenched his teeth as a pillar of black fire erupted from his mouth towards the fairies.
“Eep!” The fairies cried out and flew back ten feet.
“Never mind!” Bella said. “You can have him. We’ll be going now!”
The fairies turned around and darted away.
“Don’t think you can get away that easily,” Chad said. He crouched and leapt into the air, launching himself towards the fairies. He flew three feet past Vur before his eyes widened, and he accelerated face first towards the ground. He crossed his arms, bracing for the impact, and slammed against the ground, causing a small cloud of dust to rise. “Don’t get in my way, Tina!” Chad glared at the woman. His face was flushed, and his horns glowed black as he struggled to stand with wide and unfocused eyes.
Tina shook her head. “That wasn’t me.”
Vur pushed his hand against the ground and raised his body off the floor. “Killing fairies is bad,” he said as his head lolled over to one side. “You’ll get bad luck.” His eyes shone as they focused on Chad. The demon shivered as cold sweat broke out on his back. Tina leapt backwards and raised her hands in front of her face. Her legs trembled as she clenched her teeth.
“Woah, there,” Chad said and lowered his voice. “Take it easy. I was just joking around.” He struggled to straighten his back under the increased gravity. His gaze shifted to Tina, and he mouthed out a word. Tina shook her head and kept her hands raised. The three fairies’ heads appeared from around the corner.
“He’s lying!”
“Kick his patootie!”
“Make him cry!”
Vur staggered to his feet and stumbled two steps towards Chad. A spear of ice flew through the air and pierced through Vur’s left shoulder, knocking him off balance. He took a step forward and steadied himself before turning around, glaring at the woman who fired the projectile.
Vur roared.
The ground trembled and shingles fell off the roofs as the walls around him shook. Tina paled and fell to her hands and knees. Cracks spread outwards from her palms, forming a circle in the ground around her body. The cracks grew wider and snapping sounds rang out from Tina’s body as she screamed, her body plastering itself to the floor.
Vur snorted and ripped the ice spear out of his shoulder while facing Chad who had also collapsed. He raised his foot and stomped forward. A cracking sound exploded outwards, and the ground next to Chad’s head splintered into fine slivers. Chad’s lower body trembled, and a yellow fluid spread out from around his crotch. Sweat dripped from his pale face.
Vur swayed and placed his right arm against the wall. “Don’t feel good,” he mumbled. His eyes stopped glowing and drool dripped out of the corner of his mouth.
Chad gulped as his eyes widened at the figure standing over him. A stream of brown slime flew out of Vur’s mouth and covered the demon’s face. Chad’s vision went black as he screamed.
Vur fell over backwards with his eyes closed. He grumbled and rolled over before starting to snore. The fairies glanced at each other and shrugged.
***
“You lost to a child?”
Tina was sitting up on a bed surrounding by five other women, her companions—members of Swirling Wind. She nodded. They were in one of the best inns in the capital. Luckily, she had been found by a patrol after her encounter with Vur, and her companions had picked her up. The room had a red carpet, and the bed was king-sized. A chandelier with glowing white crystals hung from the ceiling.
“I’m not sure if it was really a kid,” Tina said, biting her lower lip. “He used gravity magic.”
One of the women frowned. “Isn’t gravity magic limited to raid-classed monsters and above? Are you sure it wasn’t an advanced type of wind magic?”
“I’m sure,” Tina said with her head lowered. “You can ask Chad. If we wore our equipment instead of those fancy clothes, this wouldn’t have happened.” She raised her head and gazed into each of the women’s eyes. “No one is allowed to travel alone, and everyone has to wear their gear at all times.”
The members of Swirling Wind nodded.
“How strong would you say he was?” a blue-haired girl asked.
Tina narrowed her eyes. “About as strong as a reaper in the tombs.”
“That’s not too bad. We could beat him easily if we used potions and buffs.”
The women nodded, but Tina frowned. “He was drunk.”
***
Zollstock was sitting on his throne, looking down on the two demons standing before him. Chad and Tina were standing a foot away from each other, below the steps leading to the throne. The two wore their hunting equipment, and there was no sign of the mithril medallions they had the day before. The trinkets had disappeared after the scuffle with Vur, presumably taken by the fairies.
Chad’s armor was an amalgamation of various creatures’ exoskeletons and hides. His torso was encased in a gray crab shell with symmetric black runes spreading out from his chest. Scaled black leather with claws at the ends covered his arms and legs. Bone-plated guards covered his shins and forearms. He wore a giant, red bird’s skull as a helmet, his horns threading through holes at the top. The haft of his lance was made of orichalcum, the toughest metal kn
own to humans and demons, and a glistening, black scorpion tail acted as the lance head.
Tina wore an orange robe with blue embroidered flowers decorating the front and back. The robe’s threads were made of orichalcum and mithril. On her head, there was a blue tiara with shining rubies embedded along the edge. A silver metal staff was strapped to her back. Mounted on top of the staff was an eyeball with green irises that moved as if it was inspecting its surroundings.
“I heard you two were gravely injured yesterday while you were preparing to see me,” Zollstock said and frowned, folding his hands in his lap.
Chad clenched his lance, but didn’t say a word as he glared at Zollstock. Tina tilted her head downwards. “We were unprepared and let our guards down,” she said. “We didn’t expect a human child to be so strong.”
Zollstock nodded. “That is understandable. That boy is one of the reasons why I called your parties back.”
Chad ground his teeth together. “I’ll kill him,” he said and spat on the floor. “Then I’ll revive him and kill everyone he’s ever loved as he watches in despair.”
Zollstock gazed at the stained carpet and crinkled his nose. “No. The boy must not be harmed for now,” he said. “The dragons favor him, and they’ll invade us if misfortune befalls him.”
Tina wrinkled her brow and crossed her arms. “Then why are we here? And why would the dragons favor a human child?”
“There was a plan for your parties,” Zollstock said and stroked his chin, “but I’m not so sure about your effectiveness after yesterday’s … mishap.”
Chad’s nostrils flared. “Are you doubting our strength?” he asked, a low rumbling sound coming from his throat.
“Quite frankly, yes,” Zollstock said and nodded. “I am. The strongest warrior and mage lost to a child who didn’t even have a sub-class.”
Chad snorted. “I’ll show you weak,” he said and stepped forward with his left leg while raising his lance over his head with his right hand. He launched his weapon towards Zollstock. Tina raised an eyebrow and took two steps away from Chad.
