Somewhere in the forest, a group were panting while they marched on the cold ground. The leaves faintly rustled in the mildly blowing breeze. Igor turned around to face the group before he clapped in his hands. Then he stated, "Let's rest here for a while."

However, shortly after him, another clapping sounded behind. A man walked out of the shadow, quietly. Strangely, his plain white armour didn't clatter as he walked around with it. His steps were steady despite holding a heavy broadsword on bumpy ground. Calmly, he spoke, "I don't think it would be wise to do this now."

Igor pulled out his broadsword. His eyes squinted, "Who are you?"

He smiled gently back, "Shouldn't that be clear? Can't you see-! Huh? Did I lose it again? Sigh, annoying. My dear junior come out, don't be shy! We won't eat you! Maybe just me, but it doesn't matter! Be quick, my dear junior or they will start to believe that I am crazy!"

Soon following the thought, he was crazy, someone behind them had coughed. Everyone turned around as they realized he wasn't crazy. The newcomer had donned a similar plain white armour. In his raised hand was insignia. It depicted a poor man in ragged clothes. He was peacefully holding a bowl filled with Gold.

The newcomer showed the insignia around the group before his eyes focused on Libertas. Following he spoke, "We are the holy knights, the guardians of all life, and the punisher for the evils. We are the paladins of the holy church. We are here, tasked to protect you all from the devil's temptation."

The other man clapped in his hand, "Well said! Very well said. My dear junior, you have done a great job! I, myself, couldn't have said it better. Now, please move on!"

The newcomer shot a glance at his senior before he continued, "Turn around. Do you see that man with the broadsword? Do you see the two monkeys? The little boy beside them is the devil's incarnation! Beware of him. His words can't be trusted! Leave now! Or be slain for aiding the devil!"

The humans mumbled under themselves. The beast-men silently stared forward to the monkey-brothers. Igor frowned, as he firmly held his broadsword. Libertas suddenly spoke, "Ferus, Ferox."

The monkey-brothers turned puzzled around. Suddenly, Libertas pushed the little beast-girl to them. Due to this little beast-girl nearly fell against the ground. Then, without any care, Libertas ran away with all his might.

The senior shrugged his shoulders while the junior annoyingly clicked his tongue. Swiftly they nodded at each other and then chased after the devil's incarnation.

Dumbfounded, Igor reacted a moment later. He yelled once before he attempted to follow, "Your Excellency!"

One of the monkey-brothers saw Igor attempting to follow Libertas, immediately he placed his hand on Igor's shoulder to stop him from chasing. Irritated by it, Igor slapped the hand away while he shouted, "What are you doing?!"

The monkey-man ignored the shout as he placed his hand once again on Igor's shoulder. This time the grip was held more firmly, hurting Igor even a bit. The monkey-man said, "Calm down. If you are like this, you won't be of any help. I will come with you."

Even more annoyed, Igor shouted louder instead of calming down, "Then why the hell are you stopping me?"

The monkey-man pointed at his brother holding the little beast-girl, "He won't come with us. Where will we meet up again?"

Igor frowned but replied a bit calmer than before, "At the Obelisk by the side of the Frozen Lake."

"Which one?"

Igor frowned only more at this question. Didn't they already plan it at the inn in the city of slaves? His voice grew irritated, "North! Can we go now!"

"Yes!"

Immediately Igor rushed away, the monkey-man quickly followed. The later's brother shot a glance after them, then turned to the group. Some had already dispersed, the others had remained disoriented here. He spoke loudly, "You may be suspicious of me, but let me tell you, that little boy isn't the devil's incarnation! If he truly were, do you believe you could have lived until now? If you trust me, follow me! If not, go, do whatever you want! We need to hurry, as I don't believe they were the only…"

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

Libertas spat out blood as he smashed against a tree. His eyes glowed crimson with few dots of red. His broken arms were limply hanging from his body down. Blue veins squirmed under the skin, as the bones slowly reconnected. Soon the finger began to twitch again.

The senior clapped in his hand, "Truly impressive! If only I had such a recovery ability, then I would have definitely risen by one or two ranks by now."

While the junior stepped toward Libertas, he earnestly replied, "Don't joke around with this. I could have brought you to a trial only because of this, you know."

The senior waved his hand dismissively around, "It won't happen as long as no one sells me out! I do cam trust you, right, my dear junior?"

The junior raised his short sword, "Yes. At least for now."

"Hey, what do mean with 'at least for now'?"

"You don't need to know."

A mild white light surrounded the sword, but the junior's eyes didn't glow. The soft light faded. It revealed a white lucid crystal encasing the sword. Following the junior announced, "State your last wish. By Her Holy Grace, we will consider it."

Libertas wiped his mouth with his sleeve, tainting it red. Resigned, he smiled at the junior. However, his eyes were shining with defiance. After a short staring contest, Libertas then asked, "Why do you need to kill me?"

Puzzlement flashed by in the eyes of the junior, but just as fast, it turned to mockery. However, instead of mocking Libertas, the junior spoke composed, "As paladins of the holy church, it was long ago ordained by our Goddess for us to eliminate the evil. Evil like you!"

After the junior told Libertas the answer, he slashed down with his sword. Suddenly Libertas shouted, "Wait! Tell me, who decides that I am evil?"

The sword stopped a hair width away from killing him. Shortly after that, the junior slowly raised the sword again. Annoyed, the senior yelled at his junior, "Why are you bothering to tell him all this? Just kill him, and we are done. No one will know of it."

While ignoring his senior, the junior resumed to speak, "You are from the royalty of the vampires, a demon race. And demons are without a single doubt evil. Do you any other question to ask?"

Libertas' eyes widened, stunned. Since when was he a vampire? Yes, he was form royalty but not from the royalty of the vampires. He was from a human kingdom! Besides that, all demons were evil? An incubus was a demon, and Judas was an incubus. Was he evil?

After waiting a while, the junior said to himself, "It doesn't seem you have any other question. Then, die at peace now!"

Once more, the junior slashed down. Libertas recovered from his stun, but it was too late to do anything. However, on the contrary to his thoughts, a broadsword was thrown against that short sword. They collided, and due to it, Libertas escaped from the clutches of death.

Quickly Libertas lunged ahead to swiftly snatch the short sword out of the hand of the junior. Immediately after that, he tried to stab the junior. Unfortunately, he dodged. Suddenly the monkey-man appeared in the air. He was jumping on the junior. His hand was pressing forward, and swiftly the head of the junior was pressed down to the ground.

Igor picked up the thrown broadsword before he threw it to the monkey-man. He caught it with one hand, and promptly dark red crystals encased the broadsword. With a smooth movement, it pierced through a white crystal, stabbing through the heart of the junior.

The monkey-man panted heavily. Libertas saw his pale face as he raised himself up. Suddenly in the next moment, he coughed blood on the ground. Even as blood dripped from his mouth, he raised the broadsword, pointing at the senior. He spoke but stopped after each word to take a breath of fresh air. It was cold and burned his lungs.

"You should go now if you don't want to die!"

The senior clapped in his hand, "Good. Very Good! You have really done a fantastic surprise attack! I must say, I, myself, couldn't have done it better! However, could you really kill me with your current injuries? I truly doubt it! Please enlighten me."

The monkey-man steadied his broadsword, while Igor took the short sword from Libertas. As for Libertas, he could only look at the three frustrated. Too weak. Too little combat experience. In the end, he could only curse frustratedly at his helplessness.

The battle began. The senior rushed forward, his broadsword slashed out. A white crystal encased it. It crashed against the red crystals around the broadsword of the monkey-man. Instantly he coughed up blood. Igor immediately shot ahead to stab at the senior.

Blood splattered, but it wasn't from the senior. It was Igor's blood. During the clash, the senior jumped up on the short sword and stabbed downward. Igor bled from his shoulder. The short sword fell out of his hand. For a moment, he was defenceless.

Promptly, the senior knocked Igor out with the flat side of his broadsword. At the same, the monkey-man slashed down at him. Unfortunately, the senior had rolled smoothly away. After standing back up, he pushed his broadsword down the ground. While letting the sword stuck in there, he leaned against it. He smiled as he clapped in his hands.

"Can you really kill me like this? I really have my doubts. Have you really done your best? You know, your comrade is already lying down at the ground. Is this all a ploy for another surprise attack? Now, I really fear your hidden ploys!"

The senior rushed at the monkey-man, and the battle began anew.