Christina leaned against a tree some distance away from the city entrance, her first plan was to get into the fortress-city and find a place to get the other two treated. Unfortunately, neither Christina, Jessica, or Roland had a copper to their name. Trying to find room and board for free was almost impossible. Eventually, she found a back alley and laid the two down next to each other.

What a cute scene…if it wasn’t for the fact that one is seriously injured. She thought to herself.

Christina set them down for a moment and looked around her. Thankfully, she made the right decision to climb the walls with the two tied to her. Soon after she dropped down, the local militia closed the gate. Guards were deployed to the walls to figure out what caused the explosion.

Off in the distance a bit was a shack with two dark daggers intersecting. The place looked abandoned with cobwebs everywhere. Who knows how long it has been since the last time someone set foot in there.

This will have to be good enough. We don’t have a lot of options here.

Christina slowly picked Jessica up and limped over to the abandoned shack. She laid her down against the furthest corner inside and went back for Roland, eventually placing Roland next to Jessica. Roland was noticeably hot to the touch and was shaking, while Jessica was completely unconscious. She looked at the shaking Roland and completely still Jessica.

We need blankets, water, food and probably medicine. Roland’s body is probably in a low-grade shock from something in his head. I’ve heard that the mind can affect the body if serious trauma occurs. He seemed to remember us before he fainted… Jessica on the other hand is the one who needs medical attention right now. No one should use life force the way she did…wait! The church might be able to help. We are going to be in debt but we can work it off eventually, given that the Inquisition doesn’t find us first. This is such a fucking bad idea but I have no other choice. I’ll take a bad idea over no ideas at this point.

With a bad plan, Christina grabbed a nearby rag and covered the two with it.

“I’ll be back guys, just wait for me ok? I’m going to get help.” Christina softly spoke. Soon after she walked out of the shack and into the streets, one shaky step at a time. She exited the back alley and asked the nearest person where the church was. They pointed her to the building down the street where someone who looked like a nun was sweeping the front.

Christina limped up to her, but before she could even open her mouth, the nun stared at her wide eyed.

“ASHLEY! GET THE PRIEST NOW!” The nun screamed while running inside.

What the hell? I don’t look like a ghost, right? Christina thought to herself. “I don’t think I’m that bad looking…” She muttered.

Soon a priest hurried out of the building and looked at Christina with a stern gaze. He put his hand on her shoulder and she immediately collapsed. The priest caught her as if he knew this would happen.

“Get some bandages and medicine. Whatever happened to her will probably explain a few things that have been going on lately.” His words were cut off as he tried to leave after putting her on the bed.

Suddenly Christina tried to get out of the bed.

“Stay in bed! Your body is seriously injured and you still want to move around?!” He yelled.

“My…friends…back…alley…black daggers...” She looked at him listlessly.

The priest looked in her eyes and was shocked once again. She was able to resist his anesthesia magic on top of the horrific damage already done to her. In her eyes he could see a firm determination for her friends.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

After a moment, he sighed. “I’ll go find them, so just-”

Without even letting him finish his words, she passed out. He looked at her in silence. “Back alley twin daggers...?” He thought for a moment and an idea came to him. “Oh maybe Selene’s place. Better go get them quick then. It wouldn’t do for a priest to be hanging around the devil’s nest for long.” He sighed again.

“You owe me big for this girl…you and your friends.” He swore.

Allen was a simple priest in the town at the edge of the Costa principality. He has had his run-ins with the demon folk a long time ago and would prefer if it never happened again…

Fuck me. Altrah protect me from the evil…whatever, I guess. Nothing is fucking simple with Selene.

With those thoughts and more than a few internal curses, he left to go find the lady’s friends.

***

Selene was happy. Two very interesting things have happened in short order today. First a crusader of all people walked into her abode with two other people and left shortly after. Everyone knows that this entire shop is legally the demon realm, so she just got two little toys for free. Now, she has a priest tapping his foot with a not so subtle look of irritation.

“I’m here for those two.” He said.

“Sorry dear~ You know my policy on things in my domain~” Selene laughed. Her eyes shone with a cruel light. Things brought to this place are unable to leave without her permission as this is her domain. The two in the corner have some very interesting magic fluctuations going on, making her very curious about them.

“You and I both know that the lady had no idea where she was leaving those two.” He pointed at the two people sitting up in the corner with their eyes closed. The guy was shivering quite badly and was clearly flushed.

“Last I recall, your clauses only apply to those who knowingly leave things here or interact with this place. The lady is clearly innocent and as for those two, they are unconscious.” He growled. “Now. Hand. Them. Over.”

“…” She stared at him.

“…” He stared back.

This went on for a few minutes, a subtle psychological war was taking place between the two. Neither wanted to budge an inch as even the slightest hesitation would be mercilessly taken advantange of.

“Make me~” Selene smiled.

Immediately holy power surged out of the priest, which was just as quickly matched with dark energy from Selene. These two were simply testing each other and they knew it.

“Hmm~ You know that you can’t beat me darling. Maybe one of your cardinals would, but definitely not…”

She was immediately shut up after seeing the priest’s eyes slowly turning white in a clockwise pattern, a dull white aura travelled across his iris.

“Do. Not. Test. Me. Woman.” He said, obviously pissed. He really didn’t want to use his [Holy Descent] ability. The after effects would leave him much worse off than the girl back in his clinic.

“You wouldn’t use that ability. I don’t believe you.” She dared, followed by his irises becoming filled with a piercing white power. They went from a dull off white, to a piercing white. The aura in them obviously was itching to collide with the dark energy in the atmosphere.

“Okay, okay! Fine~ God, you’re no fun you know that?” She pouted. Selene snapped her fingers with seemingly nothing happening. “They are free Mr. No Fun. Now get out…oh and dear~?” She paused.

Her irises turned a vibrant bloody red. An ancient evil aura pressed down on everything in the room. “Never come back, or I’ll kill you regardless of the consequences.” She solemnly said.

The priest withdrew his power carefully and grabbed the two in the corner of the room. “I wouldn’t want to be here ever again either. Who in their right mind wants to come to the demon realm?” He sarcastically quipped. He picked the two up and left promptly, afraid that she would change her mind. After a few steps outside, his entire body was drenched with cold sweat.

Fuck, I'm not sure who would live if we really went at it. He looked at the two. These three definitely owe me big for saving their asses from her of all people.

He walked back to his clinic carrying his newly found employees...he just needs to heal them first.