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To Lord Arwin of Toryehelm,
I write to you in these dark times to implore your aid in the defense of Arenhein. Our soldiers cannot answer the call for they are occupied with the defense of both the Northern Passes and Rowick's Pass with the forces of Lady Madiea and Lord Ildwin. I know not how long can my city hold itself, but the letters of my trusted associates and adviser implore me to ride at full haste if I do not wish to see another name on the long list of Arluc's ruined cities. But even if I rode through the night, the soonest I can arrive at Arenhein will be noon. All I ask is for you to come to our home's aid in its time of need.
From your brother-in-arms,
Terius of Aren
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The letter was hastily written, and terrible in etiquette. I sighed as I waved my hand to dismiss the servant that read the letter befitted a commander in a field than a proper Lord while I ordered the maid that stood by my study's door to tend to the messenger that rode the cold night. I looked at the maps laid out in front of me as a frigid wind blew into the room. Outside my windows, I heard the stirring of horses and riders. I am terribly sorry.
Even from my palace and my city, the light of a great fire can be seen like a beacon in the darkness. The people of Toryehelm stared in horror as the pillar of smoke rose up like a great column that lifted the heavens. I shuddered. A thousand men and 300 horses, a meager force but the only one I can spare at the moment. But it will be enough to destroy this accursed raid upon my cousin's lands.
Arenhein will not fall under my watch.
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Like statues, they stared at them with an unrelenting bloodlust. Held back only by the winged Demon that glared at the adventurers and at the inner chambers of the keep. A cultist muttered something, then a hush. The winged Demon stepped aside as a man walked forward from their ranks. He wore a black coat with holes and tears along its edges and a tattered sleeve. He said nothing as he looked at them with cold eyes.
"Such a pity that this had to happen..."
The man sighed as he turned to face Katherine and Jared.
"I offer freedom and life to those who wish to leave."
"That is not part of the-"
"The bargain is that you will help me with my mission and in return, I shall help you with yours..."
The winged Demon scowled at the man but quickly retracted the foul display of its feelings as the man's yellow eyes glowed.
"Do not amuse yourself with the power lent to you, Ilfris."
The man scoffed and waved his hand. Demons and men parted and opened a path for the adventurers.
They were wary of the man's promise, but they did not have to wait for long to see if the man was true to his word. Two adventurers dashed at the opening and left weapons and a boot behind as they ran through the crowd of Demons. Katherine and Jared held their breath. The two would be ripped apart any moment now and everyone would see the lies being spouted by this damned heretic. A Demon's jaw unhinged, and one of the adventurers slipped out of fear. This was it, the moment where the man's lies will be exposed.
"Oof! Watch your step now..."
The man caught the adventurer by the collar and patted the dirt off from his shoulder.
Beside him stood a Demon, it's head now gone and its body slowly turning into gray dust. The man smiled and gently ushered the adventurer to go while the winged Demon stared at the remains of its companion. After a moment of stunned silence, the adventurer thanked the strange man softly and ran after his fellow adventurer. The man smiled and turned his attention back to her and the rest of the adventurers as they stared at him in disbelief.
"See? Ilfris isn't so bad towards those who have been put into a bind such as this."
The man paused for a moment, then shook his head.
"Ilf- I am offering those who wish for peace, peace. All those who wish to die, then stay and fight."
This time, there was no hesitation from the others.
Droves of adventurers ran. Katherine stayed silent as she watched her numbers dwindle as more and more adventurers and guardsmen leapt at the opportunity of living another day. They avoided Ilfris and his followers, yet the man cared little of what they thought of him. His gaze fell on those that remained. On those who faced doom. A handful of those that stood with Katherine and Jared were Bronze Ranks, but most of them were Silver Ranks and hotheaded and young Guardsmen.
Ilfris scoffed and shook his head. She raised her weapon as the last of the adventurers passed him by with a grim expression on her face. There was a disappointed look on his face as he approached them with his Demons. One of the thugs lunged at one of the Guardsmen, only to be cut down by a dagger wielded by a Thief. The Thief, whom she did not know by name, was mercilessly dragged by her feet and hacked to death by Ilfris' thugs. Yet the man did not scream. Instead, he clutched a fang of a wolf even in death and uttered a prayer to the gods of the Beastmen as they watched the Demons gnawed on his feline tail.
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But the Demon's feast stopped abruptly. Ilfris dodged the attacks nimbly, but those around him were not as nimble nor lucky. Katherine's thrust tore through men and Demon and Jared's spear tore through Demons like a lightning bolt. Their attacks cost him lives too many to ignore, but it was done. The winged Demon lunged at the two of them and with a thundering blow, crashed its fists against their chests. The winged Demon sent the two of them flying and they both crashed against the stone walls. The Demon hissed and dashed towards them with a magical glow that covered its claws and it aimed for the adventurers' hearts.
"Not on my watch!"
A hammer fell upon the Demon, but it missed its mark. Still, the Demon's shoulder cracked under the blow of Rolf's hammer and the Dwarf pulled the two of them away under his arms.
"What the hell are you waiting for?! Attack!"
Rolf tossed the unconscious Jared and Katherine as he turned around to face the onslaught of Demons. He let out a roar as he swung his hammer at a Demon.
In front of the Demons stood a Dwarf and seven adventurers. Behind them were the five Guardsmen that chose to remain and the adventurers that used bows and Holy Magic. Ilfris stared at the three adventurers that stood beside Katherine and Jared. Dead. Their innards now hung between the jaws of his Demons and on the shoulders of his followers. The mark has now consumed their minds but he did not care. This was their purpose, their pledge to the devil that he called upon on that faithful night so long ago.
The winged Demon hissed at the Dwarf. A moment later, the Demon's spell activated and magical circles glowed from underneath his feet. [Unhallowed Binding], it was a costly spell but it did its job. From the magical circles formed from Demonic blood erupted chains that lashed and wrapped around Rolf. The Dwarf cussed, and then swung his hammer. The chains did not break, and he stared at the winged Demon as it rushed towards him.
He woke to the sounds of death cries and desperate shouts. The Goblin stared as the woman he saved clutched her staff and defended him and three other girls from a Demon. The doors that they barred the Demons from was torn asunder, and behind it was the main hall of the great keep. There was a chill from within, but he did not care about that. The girl he saved was covered in cuts and blood, but she did not falter. Around her were three Guardsmen and five adventurers while the rest wrestled men and Demon in a futile attempt to stop them. Among them was Elair, who slashed at cultists and Demons alike with her hunting knife.
Beside her was a Druid and another Archer, both of them familiar to him. The two girls swung staff and bow at the hands of the cultists that tried to reach at them with their claws and weapons. Their bodies struggled to keep itself together as their visage became more monstrous with each passing second. The girl he saved, the Healer, lost her focus for a moment. In that lapse of focus, a Demon grabbed her and pulled her to the ground.
"Not on my watch!"
Wood pierced the Demon's head as the Druid came to the aid of her friend.
"Falter not in the clutches of darkness and cling unto Humanity's hope. [Hallowed Ground]!"
Demons pulled back as the area around them was filled by Holy Magic. Their brief respite was short-lived, for not even the female Priest's magic could stop whatever came out of the door behind them.
A chill, one that made even Demons shudder, came from the inner chambers of the keep. He turned to see the interior of the keep, where the main hall was supposed to be. He saw only a tall ceiling and a pit where a floor should've been. Along the walls of the pit were stairs, and from its bottom came the scent of foulness. Then he saw the shape that slowly climbed those stairs. Gone was Ilfris, the man who used thugs and petty criminals as tools for his damned mission. There was only Ilfris, a man possessed.
He was still a man, for there was a will behind his yellow eyes. But his body has changed. His left arm ended with a hand tipped with sharp claws that dripped with boiling blood. His right arm was now a profane fusion of flesh and metal, and the sword stared at all those who saw it. Yes, the sword stared at him with its numerous eyes and its edge salivated at the sight of fresh meat. The sword writhed and throbbed as if there was a heart within its guard, but it quickly settled down as the man who wielded it crossed the threshold of the doors.
"The sword, Idaljavoth. I have fulfilled my end of our bargain, now fulfil yours."
Ilfris spoke with a regal air around him as the winged Demon walked towards him. It reached for his arm, the sword's tendrils reached out in turn.
BANG
Flesh was torn apart by steel and at that moment, he felt chills all over his body. It was a Skill, he was sure of it, but there was something about it that made him shudder. It was that glimpse of silver steel that cut through a dozen necks in a span of a single blink. Even Ilfris stared in shock and awe as another glimpse of steel snaked towards him, but it was met by the winged Demon's claws. Still, there was enough force behind the blade to send the Demon back, but the Demon was still able to stop it.
"Skill... Unique Skill: [Grass Cutter], User... Stefan Hendrickson."
The Demon's eyes snarled as Stefan adjusted his stance. He was surrounded, yet there was fear in the eyes of some of Ilfris' men.
"And... others as well."
Arrows pierced the winged Demon's body while bullets shred and tore through flesh and leather. Then, there was chaos at the doors.
The Goblin saw only a chance. It was his chance to live and escape this damned place. Pain assailed him, but he forced himself to stand and hold his dagger. He let out a cry as he rushed at an unsuspecting thug and with the weight of his small body behind it, drove his dagger deep into the man's chest. He let out a blood-curdling cry and tried to grab him, but his claws tore out the man's throat quickly enough that he was able to get away.
There, there it was! As he threw off the man in front of him, he saw his way out. He was about to dash towards Semilia when he felt something all Goblins are familiar with. His heart raced, and his instincts kicked in as he felt it. It was fear. Pure, primal fear that gripped at all those who are within its vicinity. He did not dare to turn his head as he heard the whispers of something unholy and the sound of metal and bone as it shifted and locked in place.
"A good merchant..."
Ilfris voice was distorted, yet it was still perfectly clear and loud enough for him to tell that it was still human.
"Demonstrates a product before selling it!"
"Fuck! Stefan!"
He heard only an old man's voice and the sound of a loud bang and steel as it cut through flesh.
Then, something rolled towards him. He could feel Miu stiffen up within his boot as he felt hair brush against his leg. He gulped. As he did so, his eyes wandered towards the thing beside his feet. There, on the floor, it stared back at him. His yellow eyes met with eyes that aren't as yellow as his. He took a step back. Then he looked at the neck where the head used to be. Like a stack of loose stones, Ilfris' body fell in bloody pieces as the winged Demon held Ilfris' arm.
"Your mission is done, and ours as well..."