“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Penthe said before shaking her head. “You truly are the favorite child of the fates, aren’t you Arta?”

“I told you, I’m not Arta,” Joan said.

“As if you’d know,” Penthe said before turning to Korgron. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“Neither should you,” Korgron said. “I--” The rest of her words were drowned out as the titanslayer and elemental flew by behind her, crashing into a building and fighting in the rubble. Korgron turned back for a moment, staring at the massive beasts.

Penthe, unfortunately, didn’t hesitate to make her move. Joan tried to rush forward to stop her, but her captor refused to let her go.

“Chase, let me go!” Joan said.

“Chase? Who’s Chase? I’m not--”

“Oh don’t even try that!” Joan said. “I’ve met Dixon and you’re not him! I’ve also met Chase and I KNOW how obnoxious he can be! You can be!”

“Right, right,” Chase said before giving a sigh. His arm loosened around her neck a moment later, only to pull up and cover her mouth. “I forgot. She told me I definitely shouldn’t let you talk. You have a way of saying things that, apparently, cause a lot of trouble.”

Joan yelled into the arm, but it was hopeless. She could only watch helplessly as Penthe reached out for her sword…

Only for the ground to swallow it up and a pillar of flame to rise up where it had been. Penthe stumbled back, her armor singed but otherwise unharmed.

“I’ll admit, that? Is a good distraction,” Korgron said before turning back to look at Penthe. “But that thing is kiiiiind of the reason I’m here and I’d have to be really dumb to just let you get it back.”

“What?” Penthe asked before taking a few steps back.

“Are you bonded to it?” Korgron asked.

“Uhhhh…” Chase said. “I pictured this going differently.”

If Penthe answered it was too quiet for Joan to hear. Slowly a smile formed on the demon’s lips. “Oh? It’s not? Well, I can’t say I’m surprised,” Korgron said in a taunting tone.

Joan felt a wave of dread wash over her. She knew that tone. That was Korgron being way too arrogant and looking down on her opponent tone. Yes, usually it was fine and Korgron could handle anything and anyone, but Penthe was NOT the person to do that with. “Korgron, you have no idea what you’re doing,” Penthe said.

“Oh, I know exactly what I’m doing,” Korgron said, her tail flickering from side to side behind her. “Unlike last time I’m not exhausted or being ambushed. Care to try your luck again? Come on, I’ll let you have the first punch.”

“MMMMMMMPH!” Joan tried to yell, but the arm around her mouth stopped her words from forming. She swore she was going to kick Korgron for this later. If ever there was a fight she needed to take seriously, this was it.

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“Easy now,” Chase said with a chuckle.

“Give me back my sword,” Penthe said.

“It wouldn’t be much of a trap if I just gave it back now, would it?” Korgron asked before throwing her head back and laughing. “And you fell right into it!”

Joan blinked a few times. Wait, trap? What trap?

“Trap?” Penthe asked. “How is this a trap?”

“Oh? Is it that hard for you to tell?” Korgron asked. “The seventh Chosen finally shows his face and then all of a sudden a bunch of monsters start making their appearance? It wasn’t that hard to figure out that it was either you or the Demon Lord.” Another crash erupted from behind her and she glanced back. “HEY! Be quiet you two!” She then glanced back to Penthe. “I don’t know how you were stopping me from tracking you, but I knew there was one thing in particular you couldn’t resist.”

Joan gave a light groan. For the love of all that was divine. Korgron was monologuing. As much as Joan loved it when her enemies did it and ignored her, she only felt more frustrated knowing Penthe was probably trying to come up with a plan to get around the Chosen.

“Oh? And what was that?” Penthe asked.

“The brat, obviously,” Korgron said. “All it took was all of us Chosen being seen apart from her and then you went right for her, didn’t you? But, more importantly, you brought this.” She then flicked her wrist and Penthe’s sword rose up from the ground besides her, the blade lodged in a rock. “Its been driving me nuts, you know. Trying to figure out how to break that spell over her mind.” She slowly swirled a finger over it, but didn’t touch it. “How did anyone make it, to begin with? It allllll came together once Joan found that eye, though.”

“Eye?” Penthe asked.

“Oh yes,” Korgron said, the grin on her lips only growing. “The way you ran off once the sword was damaged, the fact you were looking for a certain other weapon when we ran into each other. Kidnapping the brat. That spell isn’t from you, is it? At least, not really. It all ties into this special little sword, doesn’t it?” She reached down and tapped it with her finger, only to pull her hand back. “Ew. Nasty little thing, isn’t it?”

“Korgron, you don’t know what that is,” Penthe said as softly as she could. “It’s a lot more dangerous than you realize.”

“I’m not wrong though, am I?” Korgron asked with a smirk.

Joan blinked a few times and felt the dread only grow. Oh no.

“This sword is the focus, isn’t it?” Korgron asked. “Does it affect you?” She held out her right hand and a burning red blade formed in her hand.

“Korgron, don’t,” Penthe said. “I know you think you know what you’re doing, but you don’t.”

“Oh, there was a time for that,” Korgron said. “Plenty of it, even. You could have talked with us. Tried to work it out. But now, here you are. You and Dixon. With your little pet. So I think the time for talking is over.” She lifted the flames up.

“WAIT!” Penthe yelled. “Wait, stop! Dixon! Snap her neck!”

Joan felt him tense up, but he didn’t make a move to do it. Not that he would. He was Chase. She couldn’t imagine him killing anyone he had helpless.

But Korgron didn’t know that. She could see the demon’s attention turn to her. Away from Penthe. Joan could have almost been proud. It was the kind of thing she’d have done. Get close enough, distract the demigod for a moment while she thought she had the upper hand. She wanted to scream for Korgron to focus on Penthe, but she couldn’t.

She watched helplessly as Penthe suddenly covered the distance between them. Saw the silver knife in her hand and had only a split second of hope that the weapon wouldn’t be able to hurt a Chosen.

Only to see it plunge into the demon’s stomach. She saw Korgron’s eyes go wide…

Then her hand coming down, the flame cleaving through Dynasty Devourer.

For a moment there was silence, as if even the elemental and titanslayer had been frozen in time.

Then the sword erupted, a dark gas shooting high into the air before bursting out, enveloping them all.