Morrigan's brush glided effortlessly across the canvas for she knew what she was going to paint before she even began. She saw it clearly—something that would suit this small town with its deceptively sinister inhabitants. Blue color dominated her canvas and she slowly felt her magic drain. But this creation wasn't anything as grand or difficult as painting the Glittering Cave. Just a memento that perhaps could help these imps attract more tourists.

"It is beautiful…" one of the imps said as slowly but surely a blue crystal flower bloomed in the center of the main street. Its crystal petals were translucent and emitted faint blue light just like the small bioluminescent flowers that adorned the dark corners of the city. It wasn't large, however it instantly drew the eye of everyone in the square.

The flower stood on a small stand at the bottom of which there was a writing "Gift from Princess Morrigan Nachtstern for the hospitality Hagmarg Town has shown her".

"Is this for us?" one of the imps asked as she admired the beautiful glassy sculpture. Morrigan nodded with a smile and then turned the canvas around for everyone to see the exact same flower drawn on it.

"It's a token of my gratitude for the good time shown to me and everyone else accompanying me," Morrigan explained. The imps clustered around the blue crystal flower, pushing each other out of the way to take a closer look. But all of them kept a safe distance from the fragile flower in fear of breaking it.

"It is the most beautiful gift we have ever received," one of the imps cried out, and then suddenly all of the imps were crying, the loud wails echoing in the Underworld night.

"Great, now they're all crying," Azrael said in annoyance.

"That is so beautiful! Morrigan, can you make something like that for me too? Only a miniature version. Like a little pendant or maybe earrings?" Deziara said excitedly.

"To think you'd make something like this for imps, but haven't even made anything for your sisters," Viana said, crossing her hands over her chest.

"I'll make something for you two as well," Morrigan chuckled heartily. Their festivities continued for a while longer, until finally, Viana announced that it was time for them to go rest to get ready for tomorrow's journey.

***

Morrigan was back in her room about to undress for the night when a gentle knock resounded on her door. She sighed, not really wanting to deal with anything else that day but reluctantly called, "Come in."

A female imp fluttered inside her room, appearing somewhat nervous, eyes constantly darting from one corner of the room to the next as if expecting something to jump out of the shadows at any moment.

"What is it?" Morrigan asked the imp, wondering if something bad had happened for her to be so nervous. The imp gave another look around the room, fluttered closer to Morrigan, and then whispered in a barely audible voice.

"The Princess should leave Hagmarg immediately."

"Leave? Why?" Morrigan cocked her head in confusion. It was the last thing she wanted to do right now. The bed was right there and she just wanted to lay down on it and sleep.

"You will be ambushed in the middle of the night," the imp whispered fearfully.

"What? Ambushed? Explain yourself!" Morrigan conjured a fireball and glared at the imp. She fluttered back and bowed her head profusely.

"I am sorry. A few days ago some strange demons came and said that a princess would come to visit us in a few days. They gave us money and said that we should make you feel as relaxed as possible," she explained.

"So the feast and everything was just a ploy to get us to relax?" Morrigan snarled.

"No! I mean… yes. We didn't want to take part in it, but these demons promised us lots of money. Our town is poor and since we are always eager to entertain guests, we agreed. But after that beautiful flower you created for us, I realize that it is wrong to allow them to attack you. We do not know exactly what they intend to do, only that it will happen once you're asleep," the imp explained.

"Azrael!" Morrigan summoned the demon mage and after a few moments, a very sleepy and slightly drunk Azrael appeared from a shadow.

"What? I hope you have a good reason for summoning me when I was about to go to sleep," he grumbled at her.

"Go tell everyone one by one that we are leaving. Make sure that everything remains quiet and that everyone leaves in small groups. Have them gather some distance away from the city with Haku and Galandir scouting ahead," Morrigan instructed.

"Wait, wait… Leave? Now?" he blinked with bleary eyes.

"Yes! There's an ambush waiting for us," she said to him, then turned back to the imp. "Tell us everything you know about these demons. What do they look like? What exactly are they planning?"

At the mention of the word 'ambush' all of Azrael's confusion disappeared and his focus instantly sharpened. His eyes went straight to the imp, boring into her with menacing intensity.

"They never told us what they're going to do. Only that they're going to do it at night and that we should stay out of their way then," the imp said fearfully.

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"What do they look like then?" Azrael demanded.

"Like you two?" the imp said, although she didn't sound very confident in her words.

"What do you mean like us? Me and the princess here look quite different. Were they male? Female? Any distinguishing features?" the white-haired demon demanded, making the imp tremble in fear.

"I-I don't know. All you pure-blooded demons look the same to us. I never really took notice of their hair or eyes or anything like it," she squealed out.

"Bah! Useless. I'm going to get everyone ready to leave. Princess, be very careful. I suggest you move around in your shadow form," Azrael said and then disappeared into the dark.

"You can go now… uhh… I never got your name," Morrigan said, looking at the still-trembling imp.

"I am Reimi, Your Highness," she said.

"Thank you for warning me, Reimi. Let's just hope that whoever decides to ambush us doesn't catch us leaving," Morrigan grumbled.

"I could warn other demons too," Reimi offered.

"No. Azrael will take care of that. He can move around unnoticed. Just go and carry on as if everything was normal," Morrigan said, and the imp nodded shakily, turning to leave. "Wait, are you imps going to be alright? Won't they attack you if we leave?"

"Do not worry about us, Princess. We imps know how to take care of ourselves," Reimi grinned, her sharp teeth showing. "I wish you a good journey."

With that note, Reimi left and Morrigan was left alone. She looked longingly at the bed and sighed. It was time to get moving. She quickly packed away her things and summoned her guards. Seon took her things and went to the wagon. Meanwhile she turned into her shadow form and together with Jin, sneaked their way to the town.

It was completely silent and very dark, most of the lights being extinguished. Morrigan assumed it was part of the attacker's plan to remain unseen. However, now it worked in their favor as they could slip out unnoticed. She and Jin moved fast with him running full speed and her following right next to him in her shadow form. Before long Morrigan could see her dragon companion with a few of the carriages already gathered around him.

Haku cooed happily when Morrigan appeared, nuzzling up to her affectionately.

"It's alright, Haku. Nothing has happened to me," she pacified her worried friend.

"What's exactly going on, Princess?" Galandir asked, his eyes occasionally darting into the darkness behind her.

"Apparently, somebody is looking to ambush us tonight," she whispered to him so as not to worry the servants. However, in the silence of the night, her whisper might as well have been music played in a loudspeaker. Everyone heard her and gasped. "It's alright. We'll get out of here in one piece."

"Who?" the elven boy asked, the air around him growing chilly as he tapped into his ice magic, ready to strike at any moment if necessary.

"I don't know. The imps said they were pureblooded demons but that doesn't really narrow it down," she sighed. If only there was something else they could distinguish these attackers with, then Morrigan could just report it to her father and have them captured within a few days. But with no features to go by…

"The imps? How do you know they're not leading us into an ambush right now," Galandir narrowed his eyes and the air grew even colder. The guards also grew tense, their hands poised on their weapons.

"I-I don't know. She seemed sincere…" Morrigan said weakly, realizing this oversight. Then again, Azrael hadn't said anything against it either. Surely if it was truly dangerous he wouldn't have just followed her orders blindly.

However, he was drunk and not thinking straight, so maybe I shouldn't put too much faith in Azrael.

"You realize that this blind belief in others might end you up in big trouble," Galandir grumbled.

"I don't want to doubt everyone I meet either," she retorted, then sighed. "But you're right. I should have been more careful. For now, all we can do is wait for everyone else to arrive and keep an eye out for anything suspicious."

"Good thing we have Haku. He should be able to tell if anyone approaches," Galandir said and patted the dragon on his leg. Haku cooed and overall seemed much calmer than everyone else. Much calmer than he was in the town at least.

Slowly but surely, one carriage after the next, the whole of Morrigan's retinue joined her. Everyone was on edge each time somebody new came, but when they turned out to be their traveling companions, they relaxed. Approximately an hour passed until everyone arrived. Everyone except for Deziara and Azrael.

"Did you see Deziara at any point?" Morrigan asked Viana once she arrived, dressed up as one of the maids.

"No, we were staying in different inns. Where's the mage?" she asked in return.

"I don't know."

Another hour passed without any sign of Deziara and Azrael appearing. Morrigan's eyelids were heavy, she was so, so tired. Everyone else also appeared tired, even the sturdy guards slowly beginning to lose their focus. The only one who remained vigilant was Haku, who was constantly scanning the dark. At one point he growled and pointed towards something in the darkness with his snout.

Morrigan looked in the direction he pointed, excited that Deziara and Azrael had finally arrived. However, it wasn't them that appeared in the dark. Instead, a small light floated there, coming closer and closer until finally it stopped before Morrigan.

"It's a message," Viana said, coming closer to look at the light. Morrigan extended her fingers towards it and opened the magical message. The light expanded outwards until it formed words in the dark of the Underworld.

"Do not wait for us. We will meet you in the next city. ~ Azrael and Deziara"

"Wait for us in the next city?" Morrigan echoed the message and then it disappeared into the darkness, leaving not a single trace behind. Her heart began to beat like crazy as she realized that something must have happened to them. "W-We need to go back and help them."

"Stop!" Viana said sharply, grabbing Morrigan by her shoulder.

"Let go. The enemy must have gotten to them. We have to have help!"

"Calm down. If they sent a message that means they are alright," Viana objected.

"If they were alright, they would have joined us here a long time ago," Morrigan said, her breath hitching in her throat. If anything would happen to Deziara and Azrael, it would be her fault. She was the one who decided it'd be best for them to leave one by one. Perhaps it would have been better to stay together and fight them head-on.

"Calm down, you are nothing thinking straight," Galandir put a hand on her shoulder and spoke in a soothing voice. "Think of who we are talking about here. It's Deziara and Azrael. Azrael is one of the strongest mages in the whole Demon Kingdom. And Deziara, well, she could outrun anything. Nobody is faster than her. If they've sent a message to meet them in the next city, then we should listen to them and go."

"The elf is right. Trust in your sister at least, if you don't trust, Azrael," Viana said, and Morrigan reluctantly nodded.

"Alright, but I'm going to inform Father of this," Morrigan said.

"Of course. I would have gotten angry if you didn't."