The tent's entrance opens and I look up from the bucket, seeing Morgana stride inside with her relaxed, firm step. The tiniest grins on her face once she lays eyes on me, quickly darting from toe to head, inspecting me all over.

"Oh my, Oh my...I am good" She says covering her mouth as she yawns "An you have skilled hands, cripple," She says glancing at Enon, who sits in his mobile chair, finished some time while I slept.

Morgana steps closer to me. Everyone is here, Nojus standing close to the entrance, bow in hand, rarely ever looking away from Dandrie who stands behind the siblings, fully armed. Lina stands the closest to me, spear in hand carefully watching Morgana's every movement.

"Relax, kitty. I just saved his life didn't I?" Morgana says looking at Lina, who doesn't move an inch "And you, puppy. I gotta say I didn't expect you to actually survive" She says looking at my horns and grabbing them "Neither did I expect you to have such a strong sleeping aid at hand...that was disappointing, I wanted to see if you would try to kill yourself or end up tearing your throat with all that screaming"

She examines my eyes and teeth before releasing my head and walking back near the entrance, where she snaps her fingers and the surviving hobgoblin under her command rushes inside the tent, grabbing a nearby stool and dragging it next to her.

"You left, why are you back?" I ask, securing the pelt mantle on my back better, so as to not let the freezing cold get to my weak frame.

"I had to inform the Mistress of your poor state, so she reconsiders her deal with you...but she was quite certain that you would survive, and here you are. I came to confirm her gut feeling, so our deal still stands firm" She replies sitting down and crossing her legs, her grin growing "But I suspect that is not what you want to ask"

"...What did you do to me? What was that thing I saw?"

"I saved your life. With those holes in you not even a healing potion could have saved you, let alone suffice for all those wounds. So I did a bit of my magic, with that Starblood of yours" Seeing my shock, she nods at Enon "And you should thank the cripple, I suspected he was quite knowledgeable, and he didn't disappoint"

I look aside at Enon, who gives me a quick wave of his hand, I nod in return, letting him know without words, that I'm thankful.

"Regarding what you saw...it was a demon "Her words seem to cause an effect on Nojus and Dandrie, who open their eyes wide.

"Isha' Nama Lakash!" The elf shouts and summons her spear, pointing it at Morgana, who doesn't even flinch. Nojus aims at her with his bow.

"Asha Um Alanashi" Morgana replies, doing a hand gesture as if giving her something "Don't act as if you were to do something...I know you won't"

Enon quickly reaches out to the Ahajlii, who exchanges some words with him on their tongue before slamming the butt of her spear on the ground, creating a loud booming sound as it cracks the earth and it vanishes in thin air. She then walks away, followed by the siblings, Indri pushing Enon.

"The Ahjahalnar are always so quick to react, so fixated in their old beliefs and traditions as if they were any better than us" Morgana remarks looking at her nails dismissively as if looking for any dirt.

"I know you witches deal with demons...but what does that mean to me? Is that what I'm now?" My words cause her to throw a loud and single HA.

"As if. You are closer to an impid, the lowest cast of devils, who are like ants compared to the might of the Demons of Sin. But is not like your horns and tail are permanent, if you calm yourself and keep a level head, they will disappear, give it a try"

I do as told and rest my head on my hand, squeezing my eyes shut and taking a deep breath. Calming down, and a few seconds later I can feel how the horns begin to retract together with the tail until they are gone and I take a good look at myself, still slightly taller, but with no horns or tail in sight.

"There will be a few things you will notice differently, more than just your looks, but I want to let you discover this on your own, it will be more fun," Morgana says with a mischievous smile.

"I've had enough of walking in the dark regarding the demons, and your magics. Tell me now, how does it all work"

"Oh, bossy aren't we? Did nobody teach you manners?" Morgana replies crossing her arms, but her grin does not disappear.

"...Please, I need to know"

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"I don't think that's all, or have you forgotten my words? Puppy?" I stare at her with raising anger, and I can feel the horns poke through my forehead "Oh, someone is not happy...call me by my title, if you wish anything more from me"

"Everyone out" I command, and soon it's only Morgana and me alone "Please, Mistress," I ask again, trying my best not to show my anger on my face, to deprive her of the pleasure, but I don't need to, she knows speaking those words fills me with hatred.

"I will allow it but know that so long as Scarlett stands above you, you, stand below me" With her words spoken she stands up.

Demons. From somewhere far away they affect this world with the witches they command, their minds a mystery except for their fervent desire for specific things that they demand from those that beg for their patronage. They are sought after by the weak and feeble, offering them power in exchange for whatever it is they desire the most.

We, Witches, borrow from the Demons of Sin, masters of depravity and mayhem. Their very essence pours into our veins every time we use their power, little by little tainting our bodies and turning us into warlocks, half-mortal, half-demon. But their power has a price, and the more we near the transformation into warlocks, the less we feel, the less we taste, and our bodies die but don't rot.

No one knows their plan, if there is any, for the mortals of this realm. No one knows their language, or where they come from...all we know is that compared to the Demons of Virtue, who seek out individuals to grant their power, the Demons of Sin await their prey to come to them...anyone who is willing to pay the price may reap the benefits.

"...We can curse, hurt, kill, and if proficient enough, summon devils, who are like malformed demons, with whom some may be able to form a pact and borrow power like demons, but it wouldn't allow those people to access the Flame," Morgana says opening her palm and summoning the magical circle of blue fire "This is the true power of the demons. Thanks to centuries of contact with them, a lengthy collection of spells has been put together, and witches like me can do all sorts of things, so long as it hurts my enemies" She snuffs the fire out with a movement of her hand "The goblin that gutted you must have done that. A pact with the devil he rode"

Dobby? It would certainly explain his appearance, as well as the creature having the ability to transform wolfs into wargs. But how did he manage to do so? I can't occupy my thoughts with matters that I have no answer to. No, I have a camp to watch over. So I shake my head and get on my feet.

"This power, your power. Would you lend it to me?" I ask looking straight at the witch's red eyes.

"I already saved your life didn't I?" She replies following my every step as I walk out of the tent, following behind me.

I cover my eyes from the sun's rays before I can get a good look at the camp. I see the palisade has indeed been erected, and the watchtowers finished. There is no way for anybody to man the walls, but they are five meters tall, enough to avoid wild beasts or horses jumping over. The infrastructure of some huts is also in place, but it is clear that it was either just recently put together or done so little by little, putting understandable priority on the palisades.

Unfortunately, I also notice much fewer men around the camp, my hobgoblins seem to once again have suffered losses, as I see a much larger amount of goblins around.

"I will need your power, Morgana. I remember the ease with which you attacked my men when we first meet, and if you had used this strength to aid me then the battle would have been much easier" I say as I watch my men stop whatever they are doing to look at me, some wave, others smile and go on with their tasks "There is no reason for animosity between us, the sooner I gain Scarlett's trust the sooner you can leave this place"

"You already owe me for saving your life...are you sure you want to owe me even more?" Morgana asks walking up to me, standing behind me I can feel her hungry gaze on my back "The speed at which you complete the construction of your camp is no business of mine. And although I miss the brothel...staying here is proving to get exponentially more entertaining as time goes on...what could you possibly have that interests me?"

I can't answer her. Besides whatever she decides to claim as payment for saving me, the only thing left I have to give is my life. And I won't ever give that away...not after fighting for it so hard for so long.

"Let me know when you are willing to give it all away, and I may just agree to make a deal with you" She speaks up after several seconds of silence, walking away with her personal guard next to her.

"Chief" Lina says appearing from somewhere next to the tent and walking up to me "Don't trust the witch. My people have always warned us of them, told us to never give in to their words of poisoned honey"

"Where is Jorr?"

"He left yesterday for the meeting place you marked on the map, said he would be back in a week or two" Lina replies, sticking out her tongue to catch the falling snow "He said he would be back in a week or two"

"Likely the latter if the snow doesn't stop falling," I say opening the palm of my hand and watching the snow gently fall on top of it...until I close it making a fist, there is work to be done "Have you continued the training of the goblins?"

"Ah, no...I guarded you all this time" Lina replies, looking away.

"I remember you...thank you, but I am fine now, so you may resume your duties now, go look for Nojus and tell him to meet me in my tent" I say turning around and walking back inside. Lina silently walks away.

Once inside I grab the corners of the table, pushed to a corner, and drag it back into the middle of the tent. Quickly going after the maps that Andrei made of the surrounding woods I begin spreading them on its surface and reach for a piece of coal. Glad we could acquire many papers in our raid.

I begin adding the changes on the camp in one of them, the palisades, the increased space surrounding us, and as I'm busy doing this I see Nojus walk inside.

"Good, I want to know everything that has happened while I was out. The state of the men, and anything worth mentioning "I say looking back at the map and taking out a small book containing information on how to better prepare palisades for an attack "The resources we possess, the needs we have to fill, I want it all"

After a few seconds of silence, I look up at him and see a proud smile on his face.

"Chief" He simply says, hitting his chest with his fist, before approaching the table.