Chapter 17
Throughout history, whenever humans or elves were asked about demons, their response would always be the same—they would describe them as malevolent creatures of pure evil. According to them, Demons were beings with a relentless desire for destruction and harboured a deep-seated hatred for all living creatures. It was a common thought to all people in Equidaeria who held the same belief about demons. However, it is worth remembering that the countries on that continent had a tumultuous history with the Demonic Kingdom, and historical records were easily manipulated to support a particular narrative. Painting demons as the antagonists in the story was easier because of the larger number of humans compared to the Demons. If any human nation had famine or suffered a horrible natural disaster, it was blamed on the evil demons who were clearly behind all of their suffering. If a beloved king died in an accident or sickness, it was obviously the fault of a demon. Over time, this belief has become ingrained in the culture and mythology of the continent, from legends to myths and folklore. It was easy to put fear in humans, specifically. After all, demons were incredibly powerful, making them the perfect bogeymen of humanity and also an easy scapegoat.
Yet, where did it all start? When and why did the demons become the evil ones in the story? Maybe demons were genuinely evil, but every tale has a beginning, so where did it all start?
“I still do not understand your fascination with the human tales of your people, Altazar.”
The sound of a woman’s voice interrupted Altazar’s train of thought, causing him to lazily set the book down on his lap with an audible sigh. As he looked up, he saw a mysterious figure in front of him, wholly veiled in a long cloak. The cloak was a dark shade of grey, enveloping the woman's entire body, making it impossible to discern any of her features. Even her hair was concealed, tucked away under the cloak’s hood. The only visible aspect of her appearance was the mask she wore, which was completely white and shaped like an owl.
Altazar shook his head in annoyance as the woman entered his chamber without announcing herself.
“What have I told you about entering my chambers without knocking?” Altazar questioned the woman. She simply tilted her head at him, appearing almost amused by his question.
“To not do it.”
“Yet, you still do it.”
“Yes. I love to annoy you, my king.”
Altazar sneered as he heard the taunting voice emanating from behind the white mask. “Why do I even bother? You’ve always done what you wanted,” Altazar sighed tiredly, but there was a slight smile on his face.
“I apologise for that.”
The woman, wearing a mask, let out a brief chuckle, and then absolute silence fell over the chamber. Altazar frowned at the sudden stiffness of his friends. She wasn’t someone who would easily be shocked by things, or at least not anymore. “What’s the matter?” he asked, genuinely concerned.
The masked woman slowly approached him, and Altazar could feel fear from her. “Altazar, we have news from New Altes. An obelisk had been activated.”
Altazar almost dropped the book on the floor. “There was an obelisk in New Altes?”
“That appears to be the case,” the woman replied, her voice filled with palpable anxiety. “The Wilhem royal family has guarded the secret for hundreds of years. I don’t know if I should applaud them for such secrecy or not.”
“I doubt their family even knew what it was,” Altazar whispered. “But if the obelisk was activated, then it means—”
“An Outlander has arrived in this world,” the masked woman said, and neither of them was thrilled to hear that. However, an Outlander’s presence in their world explained many things to them.
“If this Outlander was at Riverfork, it truly explains how Lazael died. No normal human would’ve been able to defeat him, especially after he stole the Oclura Stone,” said Altazar, who could not help but hiss in frustration.
“Don’t sell the Eight Holy Swords short, my king. They are powerful enough to compete against one of your demon lords,” the woman replied with a stern sound in her voice, perhaps even sounding insulted by her king’s statement.
“That wasn’t my intention, and you know it. However, do you truly believe a Holy Sword was the one responsible for killing Lazael?” Altazar asked, and the woman could not answer.
“No, I don’t think so,” the woman said. “The Holy Swords don’t move unless the Sacred Divine herself commands them. Besides, our Oriclium Orb detected a mass surge of magic near Riverfork before all of this happened. An Outlander arriving now just fills the gap in our suspicions.”
Altazar nodded, uncertain about how to process this newfound information. It had been centuries since an Outlander had set foot in their world, and the last time it happened was a group of them. One that would later be hailed as the heroes of Equidaeria—the same heroes who nearly wiped out Altazar’s people from the continent. It would be a colossal understatement to say Altazar harboured an intense hatred towards them or any Outlander. But that hatred and distrust were warranted.
After all, Outlanders had only brought chaos to their world time and time again.
“The Outlander must be capable of using high-tier magic. Perhaps tier 8 or, at worst, tier 9.” Altazar’s tone conveyed a clear sense of worry and unease, which the woman noticed quickly. “Do we know who this Outlander is?”
“From what my agents have told me. They call her the Alabastrine.”
“The Alabastrine?” He frowned at the strange nickname. “What a strange title.”
The woman appeared indifferent to the name itself; she showed no interest in the Outlander’s monikers or nicknames. What intrigued her more was what type of person the Outlander was. She knew that Altazar’s prejudice would prevent him from considering the Outlander as a potential ally, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t attempt to persuade the Outlander to join their cause.
“It seems she possesses an extraordinary beauty, almost divine in nature. Nevertheless, the specifics are not important, of course. What we do know is that an incident occurred during the night of the festivity to her name—an assault. Based on the limited information available, it appears that ghoulish creatures targeted the royal palace.”
“Ghoulish creatures?” Altazar questioned, frowning. “In New Altes?”
“Indeed, that’s what my spies reported to me. However, I find it difficult to believe that ghouls were responsible for such an attack. Commanding such a vast army of ghouls would require a highly skilled necromancer, and such an army would not be possible so close to the Holy Kingdom. There must be another explanation.”
“What about the Obelisk? How did the Outlander discover it?”
“The Obelisk was triggered amidst the turmoil. How exactly? I don’t know. But it had to be the Outlander. However, I don’t know why an explosion occurred.”
“How massive was the explosion?”
“Massive enough to destroy the entire palace. A lot of people died that night. Including the king, his son, and his daughter.”
“The Wilhem line is dead then.”
“It appears that’s the case. I don’t doubt that it will soon create a power struggle in New Altes. Many noble houses would like to sit on the throne, well, the new throne. However, one thing is worth mentioning. The Holy Kingdom responded very fast to such an attack, almost as if they were waiting for it."
Altazar rose to his feet, restlessly pacing around the chamber, his mind consumed with countless theories. “There’s something we’re overlooking. The Outlander discovering the Obelisk was not a mistake or accident. The sudden emergence of the Holy Kingdom during the attack. And these ghastly creatures you mentioned,” he mumbled just as the masked woman approached him.
“Altazar, it is still uncertain whether the activation of the Obelisk was intentional or not. Our knowledge about them and the true nature of the Beyond is limited. The Althos and the Elthien did not leave behind much information. So, if this Outlander was able to use it, perhaps she can assist us.”
Altazar now frowned at her, his red eyes glistering in fury. “You want me to trust an Outlander?!”
“You’re not in a position to be an enemy of the Outlander—not now, of all times. The clans still question your position as king. And let me remind you, not all of them follow you.”
“And to fix all that, you wish me to beg this outsider for help?” Altazar hissed as the masked woman began to feel frustrated by her king’s stubbornness.
“Or perhaps it’s for your own sake?” He questioned her, glaring at the masked woman, which made her scoff loudly.
“I am your ally. Perhaps your only true ally.”
Altazar didn’t doubt her words. He knew he could rely on her. But trust wasn’t easy for a demon like him. Altazar grew up knowing only the rule of the strongest, and his father, flawed as he was, was right about that. Demons valued strength above all else because war was their way of life. It was forced upon them to fight since, for this continent, their sole existence was a sin they must cleanse. If their kings or queens weren’t strong enough to protect them, they would get rid of him without hesitation. So far, the demon clans have respected Altazar’s strength and authority, but everything could change in an instant, especially if he shows weakness.
“I will continue with my plans. Nothing will change,” Altazar said, which only caused the masked woman to sigh. “Try to find out more about this Alabastrine. If she indeed activated the Obelisk and entered the Beyond, she could be anywhere. Let’s hope that’s all she used it for.”
“I understand,” the woman replied. “Where are you going?”
"I won’t stand idly by and wait. It’s evident that the Sacred Divine has her own plans in motion, but so do I," Altazar said as he glanced at the masked woman. “Are you coming with me?”
“Of course, my king.”
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In a distant and isolated place, far away from any signs of civilisation, the scenery was dominated by expansive fields of grass and never-ending rolling hills. Avnas and the rest of the group huddled around a simple bonfire. The biting cold wind sent shivers down their spines, prompting them to seek comfort in each other’s warmth. However, Avnas, seemingly unaffected by the cold, radiated a heat that seemed to provide more warmth to the group than the flickering flames of the bonfire itself.
Avnas used her long, dark wings to embrace the group and comfort them for the night. Meanwhile, they were figuring out what to do next.
Lynas asked Avnas, “What’s the plan then?” as she glanced at the demon sitting beside her. Avnas had just finished explaining everything she knew about Albarien, this mythical, almost alien-like race, and the Lodflesh to the group. The tale was so absurd that only a drunkard would have the imagination to create such a story. Yet, Avnas, an Outlander, brought them to the Beyond, to the Heavens, by accident. Lynas had seen with her own eyes the place where supposedly her gods resided and found nothing but darkness and corruption. Such experience had shattered Lynas’s core beliefs about her ancestors, the Elthien. And the fact that Avnas seemed clueless about exactly what happened to them added more validity to her tale.
“I honestly don’t know,” Avnas replied, taking care not to speak too loudly as Mariel slept in her arms. “I haven’t thought about it.”
“The fact that you don’t even know what to do makes it more believable,” Lynas mumbled, annoyed.
“I apologise,” Avnas replied, amused by the half-elf response.
“Shouldn’t we first focus on finding out where we are?” Alex asked, trying to get more space for himself and avoid being too close to Lynas, who had the bad habit of kicking while sleeping.
“That’s a good idea,” Avnas said. “Also, I want to make sure Mariel gets home soon.”
“I guess one step at a time, right?” Lynas said. “It’s not like the world is ending tomorrow at the hands of dark creatures from another world.”
“That’s one way to put it,” Alex muttered before the sound of a girl snoring drew everyone’s attention. It seemed that Elian was sleeping soundly, without a care in the world, while leaning into the comfort of Avnas’s wings.
“Well, at least she doesn’t worry about it,” Alex said, which caused Lynas and Avnas to chuckle.
“I need to sleep too; my mind is already exhausted as it is,” Lynas sighed as she began to cuddle Alex, who groaned loudly.
“Don’t!”
“Hey! We are a team, remember? Besides, if you don’t want to be my pillow, then use a spell to keep you warm and sleep on the grass.”
“I don’t want to waste Mana on that. We are in the open, and we could be attacked at any time.”
“Then shut up and deal with it.”
Avnas quietly chuckled as she watched them all doze off after a few hours, exhausted by the events they had experienced. Fatigue wasn’t just physical; mental exhaustion was also a real thing—even she experienced it, especially since her own mind appeared to have thoughts of its own from time to time. Nevertheless, Avnas closed her eyes and tried to take her time to reflect on everything that had happened so far.
Lynas’s inquiry regarding the next course of action left Avnas deep in thought. She found herself uncertain about what steps to take. The Lodflesh would not pose a threat to her as long as they remained confined within the Beyond. Or at least that was what Albarien told her, and Avnas still had reservations of her own about what to make of that being.
We are still in danger. We have to be prepared, regardless of who we can trust.
Avnas thought, knowing full well that it was only a matter of time before those creatures and whatever lay in the Beyond broke through to this world.
Albarien told us we can still level up. How? Does it work the same way it did in Antherion? Should we farm creatures somewhere? Does it even work like that?
Avnas had a lot on her mind, but a small whimper from the sleeping princess in her arms caught her attention. She couldn’t help but wonder why she felt such a strong sense of responsibility and attachment to the girl. Perhaps it was because she saw a kind of innocence in Mariel that Avnas had never truly experienced before. Maybe it was her way of holding onto her humanity before it gradually slipped away. Whatever it was, Avnas wanted to protect the girl.
It would be the only decent thing I’ve ever done.
Avnas gently closed her eyes, allowing her other senses to take over. As she did, she could feel the cool grass beneath her, a soft and comforting touch against her skin. Opening her eyes, she gazed up at the shimmering stars that adorned the night sky, their luminance captivating her. The two bright moons, casting a soft glow, painted the heavens with an ethereal beauty that was simply breathtaking. The air carried a hint of freshness, devoid of the suffocating pollution that had plagued her old world. For the first time, Avnas could genuinely appreciate the clarity of the sky.
It was a poetic perspective on things that may seem mundane to the people of this world. However, for Avnas, this beauty was a novel experience.
“It’s so beautiful.”
Avnas whispered, deciding to simply remain still and watch the night sky until dawn.
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“Fuu! Finally, we’ve found some fresh water!” Lynas exclaimed with relief as the group arrived at a river where they could attempt to wash themselves. It had been hours since morning had dawned, and they wasted no time embarking on their journey across the expansive plains. So far, they have found nothing at all—nothing but plain grass and a few hills. Not even a small town or village was in sight, which concerned them.
“I really want to take a bath,” Elian sighed, taking her time to wash her face and hair. “I stink even more than Lynas.”
“You’re hurting me, Elian. Your words hurt.”
“I believe we should take a short break just to freshen up and perhaps hunt something to eat,” suggested Alex, his perfect hair in disarray. His displeasure was evident. However, his words struck a chord with the group, and their empty stomachs grumbled in agreement.
“I am hungry,” Mariel whispered as she grasped Avnas’s hand.
“Don’t worry, little princess,” Lynas declared proudly, “I just need to find a suitable target, and then you’ll be dining like a queen!” However, Avnas was reluctant to keep the princess waiting for her meal.
“You won’t have to, Lynas,” Avnas assured her as she started to browse through her inventory.
“Master, what are you doing?” Elian asked.
Soon, the group gasped when Avnas pulled out a strange set of bags from her inventory. Her smug smirk was big as she glanced at the group. “Sandwiches.”
“Oh, sandwiches?!” Elian exclaimed with a joyful expression. Avnas tilted her head, caught off guard by Elian’s knowledge of sandwiches. However, upon careful consideration, she realised other players had arrived in this world before, and it wouldn’t be surprising if they had introduced various foods, like pizza or hamburgers, to the people of this world. It was definitely a possibility.
At least Avnas wouldn't need to explain to them how to eat them.
“You could’ve given us something to eat earlier, you know?” Lynas muttered.
“I forgot,” Avnas replied sheepishly.
“Yes, sure, you forgot. At least give us something to drink! Do you have water?!"
Taking a seat beside them, Avnas joined in on their meal. Despite no longer experiencing hunger in that body, she still found pleasure in savouring the delectable food, a thought that pleased her.
“Lynas, do you recognise where we are?” Alex asked as the half-elf girl mumbled something as she swallowed her food.
“Honestly? I’m not sure,” Lynas responded uncertainly. “I know Equidaeria like the palm of my hand. I’ve been travelling across the continent for decades, so I should be able to recognise certain landmarks, at the very least. But I can’t identify these fields in my mind. It’s too cold to be anywhere near Elbania. It’s definitely not the Southern Frontier. And the Holy Kingdom doesn’t have fields like this. The same goes for Aplacia.”
“That means we are not in Equidaeria anymore,” Alex replied. The chilly wind caused the princess to shiver, and she became terrified at the idea of not being anywhere near her home.
“It’s going to be alright, princess,” Elian quickly said, noticing Mariel’s fearful look. “As long as we can get a ship, we can always find our way back.”
Mariel glanced at Avnas for assurance, and the white-haired woman simply nodded at her.
“In any case, we should probably follow the river. It’s fresh water, so a town has to be nearby,” Lynas said as she gave her sandwich a last bite.
The group prepared themselves and, as per Lynas’s suggestion, began following the river for approximately an hour before they began to see smoke rise up to the sky.
“Well, look at that. Finally, there is some sign of civilisation,” Lynas joked. “I do hope they have a tavern. I really need some alcohol.”
“Of course you do,” Alex mumbled back.
However, as the group grew nearer, a sense of unease settled in. The atmosphere became unsettlingly quiet, difficult to dismiss, especially when a sudden odour wafted through the air. It was different from the scent Avnas and the others had encountered in the royal palace in New Altes. This was a more familiar smell—one of death.
“Mariel, stay with me,” said Avnas.
A small hill blocked their view, concealing the source of the putrid smell of death. Avnas’s skills and senses picked up nothing unusual. There was no lurking enemy awaiting them beyond, so she relaxed enough. However, as they arrived at the top of the hill, they were met with a scene that was quite hard to look at.
A small town, or rather, what little remained of it. The houses had been reduced to ashes, with charred bodies dangling from the trees, hanged by the neck as a sort of warning sign to anyone who looked at them. The roadways were drenched in blood, forming crimson pools. This was a scene of utter devastation, a merciless slaughter.
“Bandits,” Alex whispered, his hand covering his nose in a futile attempt to block the stench of the decaying corpses.
“Poor bastards,” Lynas whispered, her frown deepening. “Judging by the embers, it seems we arrived too late to offer any help.”
Mariel quickly turned away, covering her face behind Avnas’s wings. The white-haired woman simply hummed at the devastation before her.
“This looks far too brutal for it to be a simple bandit raid,” Avnas pointed out. "This is not a big town, from the looks of it."
“I agree,” Elian whispered. “Shouldn’t we look out for any survivors?” She asked as she turned to see Avnas, who had an expressionless face.
“No,” Avnas said, shaking his head. “I can’t detect any signs of life. Whoever launched this attack made sure to kill everyone. Moreover, let's consider the possible proximity of this town to a city, which seems highly likely; we run the risk of being held accountable if someone stumbles upon the scene.”
The group could only feel a bit uncomfortable with how coldly Avnas spoke those words, yet it truly made some sense to them.
“That’s harsh,” Elian whispered.
“But Master is correct,” Alex chimed in. “We are completely unaware of our current location. The last thing we want is to shoulder the blame for this situation.”
“Agreed,” sighed Lynas. Although Avnas’s words may seem cruel, the white-haired demon woman was right in that regard. “But now that I think about it, these houses appear rather peculiar. I don’t recognise them whatsoever.”
“They resemble huts rather than houses,” remarked Elian, her frown deepening as she recognised something familiar in the huts' architectural style and in the bodies lying on the ground. “Wait!”
The group saw Elian rushing to the destroyed town with haste.
“Hey, Elian!” Lynas yelled before groaning loudly. “There she goes.”
The group could only follow Elian into the decimated town, their minds filled with curiosity about what had compelled her to sprint towards it.
“Keep your eyes closed, Mariel,” Avnas whispered as the little princess nodded furiously. “Elian, what is it?” She asked, seeing Elian kneeling near a burned body on the floor.
“This is not a human body; this body belongs to an Etline,” Elian whispered. Avnas tilted her head and watched the features of the charred body on the floor and was able to recognise it.
“A cat girl,” Avnas whispered, heartbroken over the tragic demise of a woman with feline features. Nevertheless, her skills soon kicked in, alerting her to the presence of a group of individuals heading towards her location. “Someone is coming.”
“Shit, just what we needed,” Lynas muttered while getting ready to use her bow at any second.
“Wait,” said Alex. “We should not attack yet.”
“What do you mean?” Lynas questioned, frowning at him.
“Master Avnas, we are lost and do not know our current location. If we resort to violence against these individuals, it would not serve as strong evidence of our innocence if our actions are later questioned. Rather, it would be more prudent to try and explain our situation to these people and seek their help.”
Avnas acknowledged that Alex was a highly intelligent person. What he said made sense. It would be incredibly foolish for them to begin attacking randomly, especially if they were in a foreign nation. The last thing Avnas wanted was to start a war, and since she was not hiding her true nature, giving people more reasons to hate demons was not always good. Besides, she did not want to involve the princess in such a conflict. So, she would play nice for now.
“Fine, but if they are bandits or wish harm upon us, I will kill them,” Avnas said, which earned a nod from everyone.
The thunderous sound of horses galloping rapidly towards their location echoed in the air. Within minutes, a formidable assembly of riders clad in gleaming silver armour arrived at the scene, carrying out a large banner of a nation Avnas did not know. However, Elian seemed to know, and the way she glared at the riders was not a good sign of it.
“This is bad,” Elian mumbled before the riders encircled them.
“You say,” Alex hissed, his eyes darting around with a hint of worry.
“On a scale of one to ten, how bad is this?” Lynas muttered.
“Halt! In the name of the Great God Emperor of the Golden Divine Dynasty of Xenia!” One raider exclaimed as they pointed their lances towards them. “You’re intruding into our glorious empire! Explain yourself before we end you!”
“Like a ten,” Elian replied. “But at least we know where we are now. That’s a good thing, right?”
Avnas wasn’t sure if she could share Elian’s optimism. However, one thing was certain for her.
What a preposterous name for a ruler.