The hunters were too complacent.

Entirely reliant on the barrier set up by the revered saint. They stirred from their sleep as the sudden screams reached their camp.

The barrier had shattered like glass.

They were still well-trained, immediately reaching out for their weapons, already prepared for a battle. They ran through the pitiless cold, panic was evident on their tired faces.

Then what they saw was unforgettable.

Countless demons crawled out of the frozen lake, their forms twisted and mangled as they claw their way out of the icy depths. The guttural growls they emitted echoed through the air as their mouths opened to reveal jagged teeth and barbed tongues.

What were these demons?

They were entirely different from the ones they normally fought, in some cases, the demons retained some sort of personality and resemble a humanoid form.

But these demons were the entire opposite. They were savages that rely solely on the unsatiable need for destruction.

"Go to your positions! Mages make sure you are at the back!" The captain ordered as he exchanged glances with the other hunters.

"We have to find the Saint and his companion-"

His words were cut off when a gigantic serpent-like beast emerged from the shadows, immediately snapping its tail at them and instantly ruining their formation.

Their voices of shock and fear filled the air as they scrambled to regain some semblance of composure.

The bright golden light that sparked through the battlefield was a sudden beacon of hope, the divine energy was strong enough to push back the swarm of demons.

"Your Holiness!"

Sorin stood at the sidelines, blood coated the sleeves of his cloak but he looked safe. Sweat dripped from his forehead as he continued to cast his divine magic.

[Chains of the Seraphim]

A familiar spell that stemmed from divine magic as shackles materialized from light wrapped around the creatures. A sacred binding spell that can easily hinder demons.

The hunters regrouped amongst the chaos, not letting the Saint's sacrifice go to waste. With newfound determination, they fought against the demons.

The sharp sounds of their consecrated blades melded among the agonized cries of the demons. They cut through the waves of beasts, seemingly unending as more kept clawing their way out of the frozen lake.

Sorin's chains tightened around the beasts as they struggled and writhed from the divine magic that burned through their skins.

"Continue on, we have to survive." The Captain heaved a heavy breath as he severed the heads of one of the demons with his longsword. Each pant turned into mist in the icy air.

"Where's Felix?" One of the hunters asked.

Sorin's eyes widened at the sudden question, for a second his expression fell but it was replaced with resolve. He moved from his position, revealing the red-haired hunter crumpled down on the ground.

Golden chains surrounded his entire body as he continued to thrash and writhe from the bindings.

Their hearts sank at the sight.

Felix wasn't human.

Amongst his disheveled red hair was a pair of fox ears, revealing his lineage as a beastman. A rare breed at that. Behind him were multiple tails that were bound by Sorin's spell.

His gaze towards them was inhumane and feral as he growled.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Your Holiness! Get away from him!"

Sorin shook his head in response "No! I can't abandon him!"

The battle raged on around them like a storm, the cries of the demons Felix's screams echoed around the battlefield.

"Your Holiness! He's a beastman, a lowly being that had succumbed to his savage nature." One of the hunters ran to the Saint, trying to pull him away from Felix.

Sorin's expression was filled with rage at the words as he yelled "You dare?! He fought with you against the demons!"

The hunters' faces were filled with apprehension and uncertainty. They saw beastman similar to how humans view pests; a creature lower than them, they weren't even seen as equal to livestock.

Even in their battle, they still hold some prejudice.

"He was deceiving you, Your Holiness." The hunter grabbed him by his arm "Get away-"

Then the sound of flesh ripping filled their ears.

The hunter that stood beside Sorin fell to the ground, his entire head severed from his body.

Sorin's face went cold as he watched the blood splattered around him, staining the snow crimson.

"Huh?"

The golden chains that surrounded the demons turned into a dull red hue before they disappeared in a flash, Instantly freeing them.

The battlefield trembled with an unsettling silence.

As the hunters took a step back in fear at the overwhelming shift in the atmosphere. Pure demonic energy whipped through the air around them.

Sorin spoke first "I gave you a chance, hunters." he said in a honeyed tone, sickeningly sweet that it made their skin crawl "I would have saved you if it wasn't for your ignorance."

"Y-your Holiness?"

The serpent-like demon slithered its way beside Sorin, now free from the golden chains that bound it.

Sorin chuckled, ignoring the hunters around him "Did it hurt? My apologies, I got too caught up in my act." He gave the demon a quick pat on its scales before turning his head to Felix.

"You lied to us! A heretic! You're a heretic!" one of the hunters yelled in fear, pointing his staff toward Sorin.

Before the other hunters could even react, the hunter let out a shrill scream as a dagger went through his chest. Felix was gone from Sorin's side, only to reappear behind the hunters.

His presence loomed ominously as he flicked the blood away from his blade.

Shock and terror were evident on their faces as they stood frozen on the ground, unable to run away from their impending doom.

The realization that the Saint they trusted was deceiving them all along had left them vulnerable.

"Felix, Felix." Sorin clicked his tongue playfully, his eye gleamed with malice "Don't waste your time on them."

Felix's tails whipped behind him as he tilted his head, his eyes barely showing any emotions.

"Let them be."

Then, every single demonic beast was unleashed. The hunters watched in horror as they were consumed by the grotesque forms of the demons. Not even having the chance to fight back from the sheer difference in power.

It was the fragility of their own mortality.

Sorin watched the chaos unfold in front of his eyes, as each and every single hunter fell.

Before long, there was no one left alive.

Their lifeless bodies littered the snow, however, they would all disappear soon as the demons would feast on their remains to satiate their hunger.

Sorin's lips quivered as tears fell down his cheeks, a contrast to the previous expression he wore. The reality of what he had orchestrated seeped into his soul.

"...It hurts." He whispered as he fell to his knees. Sorin mourned for their lives, for everything that he had forsaken. The blood-soaked snow was ingrained deep into his memories.

He clutched his chest as he continue to cry.

He was still as pathetic as his previous self. Still attached to the memories that were already long gone– Sorin couldn't help but feel sick.

It was only for a moment but he felt a fragment of his older self screaming at him.

"Pathetic. Pathetic. Pathetic." he muttered in self-condemnation that swirled inside of him.

Felix remained silent, everything still felt like a blur around him. His gaze focused entirely on the Saint, the man that he had already bound himself to.

Through his tear-stained eyes, Sorin clasped his fingers around Felix "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I involved you in this." he choked out.

The beastman shook his head as he pulled Sorin from the ground, his heart aching at the sight of Sorin's vulnerability "I chose this, Sorin." he said.

Sorin's eyes were soft, filled with confusion and regret as he shakily took a deep breath in, processing the words that were said by Felix.

Sorin processed his thoughts and emotions before he covered his tearful face with both of his hands. He wiped the tears and hesitation off his face.

When he removed his hands, the only thing that remained was a twisted smile. As if he didn't mourn the deaths of everyone just mere seconds ago.

"Ah. Sorry." was the only thing that came out of his throat. His posture straightened as if he was just putting away a mask that he was wearing.

"How was the seal I placed on you?" Sorin asked nonchalantly as he smiled at Felix.

His eyes narrowed in disbelief but he answered nonetheless "It was pure suffering." he said, "...Thanks." he rolled his eyes

"Sorry."

"Stop that."

"I shared my powers with you, so you better be careful with it, Felix." Sorin said teasingly, a playful glimmer in his eyes.

Felix does not care who gets involved or no matter how much Sorin had changed. The only thing that mattered was his undying loyalty to Sorin.

If he wants to burn down the world, so be it.

Felix would do everything in his power to fulfill what Sorin desired.

After all, Sorin acts upon his own reason. And everything that Sorin does is what Felix had considered his absolute truth.

With a resigned sigh, Felix scratched the back of his neck "What's next, Sorin?"

The Saint gave him a bright, cheery smile "We'll deliver the news of their passing." he hummed.

Now, the only thing they have to do is act like the only survivors in a tragic event orchestrated by cruel demons.