The day returned to greet the land

The sun began to shine a great big smile at a country brewing in turmoil, with betrayal hiding in every nook and cranny, inbetween every twig of a bird's empty nest, and in the fruits and berries gathered by every animal trying to survive the long winter ahead.

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POV: Varr

It's so nice cuddling with my sweet. I wish we could stay like this forever. And then, I got betrayed, by the one I love the most.

"C'mon. We have to get up."

"Let me sleep woman."

"It's morning!"

"It's fucking bedtime!"

She began dragging me by my arms out the tent.

"Nooooooooooo-

She left me naked on the ground. I had a choice to make. Do I relinquish my current state of bliss and get to work, or do I return to dreamland?

"Varr, we're leaving soon. Please get ready."

Milder. How Dare you.

"Okay, okay." Well, at least I got time to cuddle Djarfr.

"Honey, don't forget your backpack!"

"I already got it!"

I buess I getter bet my clothes.

Saethwyr was looking at the tent with Kykvandi and Seicig. It's kinda weird Seicig would sleep with him after knowing him only a few days.

"Good morning, Seicig. Asshole, Wake up."

Milder put his hand on my shoulder. He looked a bit grumpy. "Please, be nice."

"Tell him that."

Milder walked over to the tent and nudged both of them calmly. Seicig crawled out, fully clothed in her flowery dress and walked up to Milder.

"Good morning. How is your arm faring?"

"I don't think I can fight just yet." she was unwrapping his arm and looking it all over. It looked kinda gnarly, but better than yesterday. Slightly.

"I'm sure we can handle most scuffles without you getting hurt."

Seicig walked over to her other tent. She closed the opening and somehow got dressed, and had a boiling kettle of water in her hands, all in a few moments.

Milder pulled out his arm and winced, even though Seicig hadn't even poured water on his bite mark yet. He squirmed and clenched his teeth but endured to the very end, and got his wound redressed.

"Kykvandi. We're getting r- DAMMIT!" He was standing right behind him.

"I'm already awake."

"Could you please not do that?"

"Do what?"

"Sneak up on people."

"All I did was walk to you."

"Try making more noise when you walk."

"That would leave me at a disadvantage."

"We're not in a battle. You don't need to be ready to kill at a moment's notice."

Kykvandi looked down and walked away. He slumped and walked with his toes on the ground first.

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POV: Seicig

"Shut the hell up." He wasn't far away enough for Milder to not hear.

"WHAT!?" now it was Milder's turn to be angry.

"Don't you talk like that to any of us." Kykvandi was getting visibly agitated at Milder's words. His skin started to distort the air around him

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I held on to the irate captain's shoulder and turned him around.

"I don't think he was talking to us." This was too big to ignore. If I let them fight, it could be really bad for us.

"There's no one else here." Milder was seething. I've never seen him this angry.

"I heard him talking to himself yesterday as well. Something is influencing his thoughts." He seemed to relax.

"What would want to control him?" Who would benefit from turning him against us?

"Kykvandi, could you help Varr with breakfast?" He nodded at me and went on his way.

He sat at the table, facing Djarfr and Varr and sat completely still.

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POV: Kykvandi

What was that just now?

-You're just thinking out loud.-

That's not happened before

-It happens more often than you think.-

"Why-" I closed my mouth before I could say anything else.

-See?.-

Do you know what could be causing this?

-I have absolutely no idea.-

"Hey, asshole. What's your problem?" Varr was snapping his fingers in front of my face. I grabbed them. I could feel his fingers rubbing hard against each other. Djarfr stabbed my left hand with her fork. "Let him go!" I let go.

"Maybe don't find new ways to annoy me." Seicig rushed over and tried to calm them down.

"Are your fingers hurt, Varr?" His fingers were pale. I must have cut the circulation.

"You need to stop defending him!" Varr Slammed his free hand down on the table with anger in his face.

"Djarfr, what did Varr do?" She looked like she was about to burst with anger.

"He was snapping his fingers in Kykvandi's face." The ranger turned his face to her in disgust.

"Don't start defending him too!" They were snarling at each other.

"ALRIGHT!" Seicig screamed and they both stopped instantly. They looked completely neutral.

Milder walked to the table, rolls of parchment in his hands. He was visibly angry as well. Why is everyone angry all of a sudden?

Seicig put her hands on my temples and Milder rolled out the documents. They were maps. "Kykvandi, Have i told you the plan?"

"No."

"You're aware of the angels and their blatant dislike of anything demonic?"

"Are you referring to these flar Seicig mentioned a few days ago?"

"No. That's for later. What I'm referring to is the angels' ban on demonic culture and worship. It was looked down upon a few years ago. Then, the island colony was suddenly wiped of all people. Most kingdoms and duchies suspected the demons to be the cause, as they were seen nearby a few days before."

I...If they find out, something terrible will happen.

"At least, that's the consensus. Because what most people didn't realize is that the colony openly embraced demonkind into the city. I think the Angels were responsible for this. If they blamed demons for this, demons could easily be swept away into their own parcel of land, the way it was before. That's where flar come in."

"Could you tell me what a flar is?"

"So far, no one knows, neither how they are born, nor the conditions of their birth. Suddenly, a few people began turning into monsters. So far, we've met a wrath flar, like the axe wielding maniac in the last town, and you, a grief-wrath demon. You. There are more types, like gluttony, cowardice, joy or pride."

"Am I your experiment?"

"No. You're a window into knowledge of flar."

"Since i am at your mercy, what do you wish to know?"

"How did you become a grief wrath demon?"

"I... I don't want to talk about it." Milder nodded, a bit deflated, but still determined.

"Then I'd better tell you the second reason. We need your help with the pyromancers. At first, we simply wished to study you, but Seicig told me you are from Zerura."

"...Yes. I am."

"We need you to translate for us, and perhaps protect us."

"You are perfectly well equipped to handle a few savages with spears."

"I wouldn't ask you unless I needed your help so much."

"Thanks."

"Will you do it, will you assist us in brining peace to Aldrfold?"

"And how will you do that?"

"If i can get signatures agreeing to a council from the surrounding human kingdoms and demon tribes, we can coerce the Angels to discuss peace. Like our ancestors did at the Holy circle in the Blackguard forest."

"No thanks." I got up from the table and got my things ready to leave.

"Why? Don't you want to stop this pointless bloodshed?" Milder was trailing me, the desperation in his voice was becoming more obvious by the second.

"No matter how much you plead and beg, you cannot bring peace to those monsters down south."

"Do you truly hate your own kind that much?"

"Yes." Milder looked at Seicig, and she nodded.

"I heard you had a tumultuous life before this. Don't you want to stop this, and start a family?" I lunged and grabbed his collar. Everyone had their weapon pointed at me. I couldn't stop my hands from burning. Seicig put her hands on mine. "Plea-"

I swatted her hands away. Milder looked me dead in the eyes. He put up his hand and everyone put down their weapon.

"No matter how you threaten me, I will not stop. I can't stop, not for any reason."

"That's the thing, they don't listen to reason. None of them do!"

"I do not fear your attempts at persuading me, because I know you won't kill me."

"But they will! They're monsters, and you're an idiot for thinking otherwise!"

"Do you know why I pursue this path of torment and ridicule? Do you? It's because I lost everything in my complacency. My home, my family, my life. The man you see before you is forged of a steel no mortal can bend or break. Certainly not any god or king, and certainly not you."

"If you want to forsake everything you hold dear for a glimpse of peace, go ahead! But do not for a second think you are roping me in." I let him go. He walked to the table and put all the food into a bag and handed it to me.

"This should last you for a few days. And here, a map."

I don't understand.

-I don't think he understands it either.-

But then why?

-I think you already know.-

I didn't know how to react after almost killing Milder, except to simply walk away. I felt nothing but shame as I passed through the barrier toawrds an uncertain future. I kept walking,

and walking,

and walking.

It was dark now. Where am I?