Moving as a group of over twenty slowed them down. Not only could Bernard and his crew not keep pace with Demadara and her companions, but they were also forced to march exclusively during the night while avoiding the main roads.

This however did not mean that the travels were too arduous.

"It's quite wild, isn't it?" Bernard walked alongside Demadara at the front of their joined forces. Dark clouds hid the night sky from them. "Just some months ago you couldn't hope to jump one of these farmers without drawing the fury of every last justicar or the Sky Knights. Now the Guardians show up to establish order, and we are the ones thriving!"

He laughed and slapped his thigh. "I've not eaten this good in years!"

"Yes, it shows in how we still haven't reached Rean." Demadara kept her face covered by her hood. "This anarchy wont last. Once the Guardians have torn down everything they don't like they will build over the ruins, and in their world there will be even less of a place for us."

Parsae stepped out of line to overtake and walk beside Demadara and Bernard. "My bird has returned, girl. Very quaint town, maybe ten or so guards, most look very tired. One ship has docked, it looks to be a merchant vessel."

"Just wonderful." Demadara growled. "Fine. Make ready."

She rose her hand into the air and the convoy stopped still. The road curved to the right, the shadow of the trees around them hiding them from the town up ahead. Demadara turned to their crew.

"Alright, this is the fun part." She looked into a veritable sea of grins and drawn weapons. "Remember we are not mainly here to loot. We're here to stay alive. We need to hit them fast, and hard. No prisoners, no toying, just kill. Three people per house, Timae, Parsae, you each take one."

She pointed to Bernard and three others of his crew. "You lot come with me to the palace. Big place, should hold valuables we may need. After we're done, we get the ship and hurry out of here."

Her heart was beating faster and faster as they made their way through the trees, to extend their lead as much as they could. Demadara tightened the grip on the Heart as she saw the small town laid out before them. No walls, a few lightly armoured guards. She almost felt bad.

They did not let out a warcry. Without warning they burst out of the woods and ran towards the city. When they had reached half of the way the first of the guards looked at them and turned to run and alert his comrades. An arrow soared through the air and pierced his neck, he fell over forward, his chainmail rattling.

It was some warning, but it was much too late. They descended upon the town, a horde of starved jackals.

Demadara tried to ignore the yelling that followed, the clashing of weapons. With her group she ran straight toward the palace, and the two unfortunate guards in their way.

One made the mistake of looking into her glowing eyes. His body froze, he could not lift a finger as she slit his throat. Bernard was forcing the other one back. He was surrounded and stabbed over and over until he fell to the ground.

The gate of the manor broke under the force of one kick from Demadara, the main door following suit.

Her comrades spread out while she went straight down the hall, turning as she heard a door being slammed open.

"What in the name of the pantheon is going on!" She locked eyes with the tall man standing to her right, saw the glowing crystal in his hand. Demadara threw her blade and ran the other direction. His last cries of agony did not slow her down.

She was taking two steps of the stairs at once, arriving at the first floor. For a governor, this home was pitiful. She found hunting trophies, esoteric and erotic books and paintings, but no silver, no jewels, no gold. She hurried, hearing steps come up the stairs. She did not want to kill someone over loot, but she would if she absolutely needed to.

The bedroom she had left for last, and her eyes began to shine as she beheld it. A large dresser contained a wedding ring, as well as a heavy fur coat she put over her shoulders. The weather would turn eventually, after all. In an armoire she found several earrings and expensive perfumes she put in her bag as well.

Demadara had already turned to leave when she heard a muffled sneeze. Her body tensed and she spun around, towards the large wardrobe at the other side of the room.

She made no noise while approaching it, her breath going faster. Demadara grasped the handle, and pulled it open.

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Hidden in the corner was a young woman, holding onto a little girl. They stared up at her with terror written in their eyes.

Demadara looked down at them, her breathing going uneven.

"The boys found nothing good, you already snagged everything for yourself, Demadara?" Bernard´s voice echoed down the hallway.

The girl started to wimper, tears streaming down her face.

"You there? We need to start heading out, some runner tried to get to the ship already. Said it yourself, need to hurry."

Demadara put a finger on her lips. Her eyes ran down the woman´s face toward the heavy golden necklace she wore. Demadara pointed at it, and the woman quickly took it off, handing it to her with trembling hands.

Demadara took it and put it into her bag. Then she closed the door, leaving only a small slit open before wandering out and raising her voice. "Just took out the last one, nothing of value here."

"Wonderful, then let's head out, the Landsea awaits!"

She gritted her teeth and joined up with Bernard downstairs. He and his crew mates had large brown bags of food over their shoulders.

"Not much money, but we'll be eating well tonight!" He laughed and joined her on the way out.

Parsae was helping the crew´s efforts to lay waste. Fire streamed out of her hands, coating the lesser, wooden houses. Those who had finished their 'goals' hurried up the tower. Timae was among them, she joined Demadara´s side with a wide smile on her face. Blood ran down the corners of her mouth.

"Another feast like this and I may finally recover another tail, my lord!" She whispered as they took the stairs up to the sky ship. "I will become much more useful to you at last."

"That's lovely." Demadara rummaged through her bag and pulled out the golden necklace, staring at her own reflection in the ruby at it´s centre. Her hand was still shaking.

"Here, we'll hardly find a place to turn it to money. Have it." She pushed it into Timae´s face and looked away.

The fox woman´s face turned pure red, she put it on and looked at Demadara with wide eyes, overflowing with tears. "I will treasure it for the rest of my life, my lord. You are much too generous!"

"Yeah, I really am." Demadara muttered through her teeth as they reached the platform of the tower where their new ship was fastened.

Whoever had owned it previously valued their coin much over their own well being, or life. Demadara was in a state of disbelief. The planks were old, the sails had holes in them, and those of their crew who had made it onboard seemed just as reluctant to accept this death vessel as she was.

But they did not have a better choice. As the city burned under them, they did their best to man the ship. With their loot safely stored and the crystal fire burning they untied the rope and set sail for the north-east.

Demadara took to the front, dismissing Timae from following her with a wave and a quiet "hush", sitting down by herself. With the Heart resting in her lap she closed her eyes and leaned forward.

All these years, all this torment, and she was still soft and weak. Nobles of all people. She gritted her teeth, not even the surge of power from the heart could soothe her at this moment.

"I don't think I've seen you this upset before, girl." Parsae joined her, sitting down on the railing and letting her legs dangle over the edge. "What can disturb you so?"

"Nothing that concerns you." Demadara growled. "Who would be happy entrusting their life to flying on a damn death trap like this?"

"Well, nobody. So it does concern me, no?" Parsae leaned her head back to look at Demadara. "I'm not here to mock you. You looked to be taking to the bandit life, so I expected more joy, that is all."

It took her great effort, but Demadara managed to pull a hand from the Heart and to run it across her scarred face. "I let someone live. Girl and her mother."

Parsae shrugged. "Yes. And?"

Demadara gritted her teeth. "And what? I shouldn't be. They even heard that idiot Bernard yell my name and where we're headed!"

"And still you let them live." Parsae crossed her legs. "All have their own weaknesses. Was she pretty? I would probably struggle as well, there is no shame in that."

"I, don't understand." Demadara shook her head. "I don't understand why I am so incapable, of such an easy thing."

"What is easy to some is hard for others, girl. There are worse things to struggle with. Like lying." She leaned back enough to let her head hang upside-down. "You're not planning to stay with these idiots for long, right?" A wide smile grew across her face. "What is your plan?"

Demadara shrugged and lowered her voice. The crew were too busy manning the ship, but she wanted to make sure. "Simple, considering how rotten this ship is. Once we cross the border a good bit, we kill them in their sleep, set fire to this damn thing and leave."

Parsae let out a chuckle and looked past Demadara to the crew. Sailing relatively smooth a few had taken to share from the food they had looted, laughter and music reached over to them. "A bit drastic, no? After all this time and hardship spent together? I would've thought we just leave one night with a thank you note."

Demadara shook her head and looked back down into the light of the Heart. "I gave that idiot a full gold bar, and I've no intention of letting him keep it. He may only be worth five thousand, but he's a crew leader. I rather leave a corpse behind than an enemy for life."