I had been traveling for days as I headed even further north inside Demon territory.

I was alone again and didn't want anyone to come with me. Petra begged and pleaded as well as some of the other Demons to join me but I refused them all. The Marquis told me of the grave situation that we were under and I left with that knowledge in mind. I was given a horse and some supplies by the Marquis. He had a good sense of mind to give me some thick wool clothing. The horse I rode on was special as it was raised in the cold harsh environment of the Demon territory.

My face peered through the hood I had on and felt as though it were being pricked by needles.

A quick glance around the area I was in would reveal an only barren rock of land. Frigid winds blew through the lands and the cold stole my body heat. By the Gods how cold it was and how barren the land seemed. The wind had blown across heaped piles of snow and brought the cold air down from the mountain slopes. Everything in the Demon territory was at a much higher elevation than the Southlands of the Human kingdoms.

  "Shut up Devil and leave me be," I said aloud to the black ring as I shivered.

This place was truly cold, desolate, and treacherous. I had once entertained the thought of letting go of everything and traveling the world. But, if the rest of the world was like this Demon territory I would never have thought of it. I didn't know how much further I would have to travel but I knew that the General had his fortress situated over a Great frozen lake.

The General Bartholomew was a Demon of old conventions and power. A great bloodline ran through his lineage that dated back to the days of the Demon Emperor. The General served the Demon Lord as his forefathers served Demon leaders before him. Lancaster, his son would not get the chance to serve anyone as I had put him down into the ground. I might've been too hasty but I killed his only son and ended his bloodline.

I would kill anyone who dared to harm my friends or especially Liz.

Liz was sent by the Marquis to parley with the General over the matter. She was not seen or heard from since she had left. Something must've happened to her for the Blackbirds to have tried and take her place. Human spies and scouts were already here in Demon territory. Plenty of Demons were jittery over the perceived threat. The North Mountains were supposed to be a deterrent to any human invasion but the dangerous thing that was housed there had disappeared. Due to my own stupid doing of course.

I would've believed that no one would have found out about Lancaster and his men but I was naïve. The Marquis even suspects that the General would have spies in his domain that he wouldn't have known about. Spies and the game of politics are not in my realm of understanding. Only Silvia played that game well and knew the situations of all the kingdoms including her own.

Sometimes I miss that crafty spy called Silvia.

It was a tumultuous affair as I heard from the Marquis. The lands in the west of the Demon Territory would only join our banner if the North would as well. The former Mistress of the Demon Lord would not join forces unless she was sure the lands to the north and south of her were together. To the east, the Demons had been relatively quiet with the leadership of the sister to the former Demon Lord. The Marquis had hoped with the North and West united that the East would fall in line.

A frozen tundra laid before me and I dismounted my horse.

Great frozen lakes were ahead of me and I knew I had reached the General's territory. I squinted my sight and narrowed my search to see a massive fortress. The General's fortress was in the middle of the many frozen lakes founded on top of sturdy land. The fortress having been built over a rocky island using Demon ingenuity with stone and metal. It was as much a city as it was a fortress that housed a great Demon army.

The information that was given to me by the Marquis was correct after all. 

I didn't have a good impression of the Marquis but he was a Demon of his word. The fortress had high walls that seemed to reach the skies. I was advised that the General kept a tight army so I knew that guards would always be on watch. Now I was thankful for the harsh snowy winds as they would prevent lookouts from viewing my approach.

After I stroked the mane of the horse, I gave him some food and set him free. The stable master told me he would be able to find his way home no matter how far I traveled. I was too scared to be on top of a horse to tread a treacherous frozen lake. Not only was the terrain dangerous but there were hidden monsters that swam in the waters below as I was warned.

I gathered up some courage and began crossing the frozen lake. 

As I had put my foot down to the icy sheet of the frozen lake an enormous shadow appeared under me. I was startled for a moment and looked up to see a group of Drakes. By instinct, I fell down to the floor and tried to make myself seem small. I noticed the color of the Drakes and immediately knew what they were. They traveled straight for the General's fortress and a feeling of worry overcame me.

The former Kingdom of Solace raised Drakes to be ridden in the air by messengers or people of interest. They were used to travel long distances in a short amount of time. I could see the black insignias marked on the Drakes and knew they belonged to the Blackbirds. From what I could tell, there weren't many riders enough for an attack sortie. What were these riders from the Blackbirds doing here? Why did they go to the Demon General's fortress? Then it became clear to me that the General might have solicited the help of the Unified Kingdoms.

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The Blackbirds were specialized spies from within the former Kingdom of Solace.

Now that the Kingdoms of Bareth and Solace had united they were under the command of Queen Helen. She was willing to wage war against the Demons with her new found power. With the General's help, this was how the Blackbirds would know to imitate Liz. Was this why they knew where to find me? It made much more sense but still the question was why? For revenge, the General was willing to betray his own kind?

I just wouldn't comprehend it any further as I resolved myself to save Liz.   

If the General had sold out his race and captured Liz then she was in great danger. I had to save her before the Blackbirds got to her and let what she knows become theirs. Their interrogation techniques are well known to everyone on the continent. With more conviction, I had continued forward onto the frozen lake. The sound of cracks underneath my feet wouldn't deter me as I hurried for the fortress.

A rumble sounded beneath me and I tried to keep my balance as the frozen lake erupted.

Cracks were occurring everywhere around me and didn't know what was happening. Then a ringing sound had come from the fortress. Flares lit up the sky and it seemed like an alarm was raised. Was this all for me? No, something was happening to the frozen lake and it was dangerous.

I tumbled over as something enormous sprouted from beneath the frozen lake.

A Frost Worm!

This was extremely bad! Frost Worms usually bury themselves beneath the ground but this one made its home in the cold waters of the Demon territory. It was a creature that lived in extremely cold environments. A perfect nest was inside the Great frozen lake. So this was the dangerous thing that prevented attacks to the General's fortress! This Frost Worm was gigantic and I could guess that it was very ancient.

The creature must have seen the Drakes flying high above and sought to get a meal. The monster penetrated the frozen surface and leaped from within the frozen lake. It tried to hurl itself at the Drakes but was still short as it plunged back down into the frozen lake. The surface of the frozen lake cracked and I tried to steady myself as the ice broke apart.

I became tense and ran as the frozen lake became alive with motion. More pieces of ice started to break apart and I jumped from ice to ice. I would freeze to death if I plunged down into the icy water below me. Adrenaline pumped wildly through my veins as I hurried across the broken sheets of ice. I didn't know when the Frost Worm would try again and I didn't want to be near it.

I didn't want to use the black ring to save me. I was incapacitated for months with the last use of the black ring. Who knows how long I could be asleep for after using it this time? A shrieking roar sounded from beneath the frozen lake which nearly paralyzed me in fear. The Frost Worm bursted forth in a long distance from me but it was all the same as it tore the frozen lake apart.

Again, the Frost Worm had missed the Drakes in the sky and landed back to the frozen lake. More of the surface to the Great Frozen Lakes had disappeared. Icy blue water had taken its place as sheets of the ice surface bobbed down into the lake. I inhaled the harsh cold air as I used my might to travel to the fortress with fervor.

I had to hurry before my path to the fortress was gone as it would be surrounded by icy water again.

  "No!" I shouted and ran across the bits of the frozen surface to the fortress.

Soon the Drakes had disappeared from the sky above to the General's fortress. I didn't know if this was a good thing or something terrible.  A red light began to surround the fortress and the ringing within intensified. The Frost Worm erupted again from the Great Lakes and tried to collide into the fortress. A thud sounded as the Frost Worm collided with the red light and was repelled back to the water.

The collision of the monster and the red light reverberated around and more of the ice cracked. Before that monster could come up again I had to make it to the fortress. Small amounts of frost covered my face as I used my energy to get to the fortress. I fell and slipped many times over the sheet of frost that covered the lakes. But I gathered myself up again and kept running toward my destination.

Finally, I had made it in time to the foot of the fortress but then I was repelled back by the red light. It was a powerful protective ward that covered the entirety of the fortress. I was in a panic as I started slamming my fists against the ward only to bounce back. I tried to catch my breath through the cold and icy winds. I looked around almost hesitant for the sight of the monster but it never came. A period of calm had occurred as the Frost Worm had stopped trying to attack the fortress.

I scanned the foot of the fortress and saw nothing but rocky cliffs beneath a towering wall.

Gods, how would I climb that in this cold weather? Then I noticed it a sewer drainage that was to the side close to me but it was beneath the frozen lake. The only way for me to get to it was to break the frozen surface and dive into the icy water below. I needed to find some other way into the fortress city but I didn't know how. I tried to calm myself as my body kept breathing in the harsh air.

The devil warned me as I turned around to see the enormous Frost Worm peering at me with half its body above the frozen lake. The monster had noticed me and decided that I was a good enough meal to devour. I unsheathed my sword and kept my breathing calm as I gazed up to the monster. I couldn't seem to sweat as my body was almost frozen over.

 I stared at the monster and waited for it to make its move.

The monster roared and dove at me as I tried to run away.

The Frost Worm crashed into the ward and then bounced onto the frozen surface.

The surface of the frozen lake beneath me collapsed and I fell into the icy water below.

The freezing water consumed my body but I paid no attention as I swam for the sewage drain. Using my sword, I picked at the drainage and hoped that it would break apart. I kept with all my might as I felt all the heat leaving my body completely. Soon I was able to break apart the edges of the gate with my sword. Then using my foot I bashed the drain gate in and it broke apart. Suddenly a wave of water surged behind me and I glanced to see the gigantic frost worm propelling towards me.

I slipped inside the sewage drain before the monster could crush me. The force of the monster rushing towards the sewage drain pushed me forward. I swam through the pipes in dire need.  A light shone at the end of the pipes and I felt relieved. As I swam to the other side of the pipe and rose to the surface.

I gasped wildly for a breath of air.

I looked around in a daze and noticed I was in the underground waterway of the fortress. Now I was inside the fortress and had to find my way around this city. This sewer system of the Demon fortress looked well made with stairwells and tunnels. I swam to an edge of rock and dragged myself on top. I would be crawling in the dark of the underground again.

The Devil in my mind laughed.

I laughed madly as well.

The freezing cold water could not stop the burning feeling in my heart and mind.

I would face death head on in my pursuit of saving Liz.

I would be willing to fight all monsters for the things I care about.