Umbren followed Alsarie through a maze of tents. The tenebrage around them tended to their duties to great haste, but some stopped to stare at the two.

“How did it heal?” Alsarie asked apathetically

Umbren’s wound had completely healed, but had left a nasty scar. The Healer had so he could have done better, but he was rushed. He also warned that it might ache from time to time which wasn’t something Umbren was looking forward to.

“Best I could ask for. Can’t imagine it could have gone any better. I do think it could have been easily avoided though.”

Alsarie kept her eyes set forward, “You won’t be getting an apology. The Healer threatened our lord, and it was my duty to take action. You would have done the same if you were loyal.”

Umbren bit his lip at her words, “I am loyal.”

“I have yet to be convinced.”

They walked a bit further until Alsarie spoke lowly, “It is regrettable that it happened.”

“What did you say?”

Alsarie looked back her eyes seemed to regard him as a bug, “When I want to kill someone, I never fail. Remember that next time you think about doing something like that.”

Umbren silenced his protest and gave a stifled nod.

The two arrived in front of the palace.

“I don’t want any more violence Mortis, understand? When the luxcians arrive, there will be a ceasefire.” Taldry's voice echoed through the air.

“You have no say in our affairs. I will do as I wish.”

“Mortis! This is my city!”

“This is my war.”

When Umbren and Alsarie drew closer, Morta took her husband's arm, “We will not cause any trouble unless we are outright attacked. Isn’t that right?” she looked to Mortis sternly.

Mortis simply grunted and looked to Alsarie, “Your late.”

Alsarie gave a bow, “I apologize my lord.”

Mortis looked to say something else, but an argument from the tents reached his ears, “I will not stand for this! We are simply supposed to welcome luxcians into our graces!?” The woman voice sounded furious.

“That is not the case. We are welcoming them because of our respect for the fulgcere,” A desperate Faldrid tried to bargain.

“Why are the Bluecloaks supposed to respect the fulgcere? What have they done for us?”

Faldrid and a Bluecloack woman emerged from the tents. She seemed headstrong, carrying herself with purpose. Her cloak was disheveled, but came off as immaculate in a way.

Faldrid struggled to keep up with the woman, “This isn’t about debts, it’s about our duty.”

His words seemed lost on the woman, “Lord Mortis! Tell me it’s not true. You aren’t telling us to be complacent while the luxcians dwell among us.”

Mortis looked upon her with irritation, “Do what you want.”

Taldy face broke out in bewilderment, “What!? No! Bluecloack you must not attack the luxcians when they arrive.”

The woman furrowed her brow at the disciple. Morta moved towards the woman and place her hand on her shoulder, “If you need a reason, the fulgcere saved us. At least do it because of that.”

The woman blushed when she felt the arm on her shoulder, “Oh…um sure.”

“If you need help to convince the other Bluecloaks, the Hands will aid you.”

The woman’s expression immediately soured, “Of course, but that won’t be necessary.”

“Mortis! I heard we’re just going to let the luxcians come in here without doing anything…” Relam had stomped out of the line of tents, but froze when he saw the woman.

“Talquin!? What are you doing here!?”

Talquin’s expression went blank at his appearance, “We’re not going to interfere with the luxcians.”

“On who’s authority do you…”

“The disciples.”

Relam’s mouth dropped, “what?”

The two continued their back and forth, and Faldrid tried to calm them both down. Mortis rolled his eyes at the scene and turned his attention to Alsarise and Umbren, “The luxcians will arrive soon…”

A cry came up from the camp, but Mortis ignored it, “Alsarie I need you to make sure they don’t take advantage of the hospitality they were given. Umbren you need to…”

A cry came down from the sky, and before Umbren could blink, a giant metallic mass slammed into him.

He was dragged through the ground, his back burned like fire from the force of it. When he opened his eyes again, he came face to face with a demon. Its eyes were malevolent and clouded by fog. Its teeth were as sharp as knives and nails even more so. It was twice Umbren’s size and wore black armor stained with blood. It let out a guttural scream in Umbren’s face, then threw him across the plaza with such force that he slammed into Relam, Talquin, and Faldrid.

Mortis summoned Tenebrence and Morta brandished Night. Before they could act, another black mass slammed into the earth, “Uh! Well, isn’t it the disciples of DEATH! It has been so long.” The woman’s voice was harsh and vindictive.

She wore a smug grin, and her eyes were like her subordinates, foggy. When she stood up, she flaunted the massive and beautiful black wings on her back. Her armor was black but also sharper and inlased with silver. She stood with the least bit of concern, but with all the intention to fight.

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Morta’s eyes suddenly went wide at the woman’s appearance. She spun to where Alsarie was, “Alsarie! Go to Thestra! Make sure she does not come out!”

Alsarie gazed back in protest. Her spear was pointed at the demon that had sent Umbren flying. However, a glare from Morta sent her running into the line of tents.

“Oh? Who may that be? Should I be concerned?”

Tenebrence glew in Mortis’ hand, “Nilowin, you are going to regret coming here.”

Taldry raised his hands in the air. “WAIT! I will not have two battles between disciples in my city!”

Nilowin looked to Taldry with a smile, “Don’t worry Taldry I did not come here to fight. I only sent my Apostles to attack who they took as the strongest. I take it has a competition. Don’t you want to see how it play out Mortis?”

Mortis narrowed his eyes at her statement then let Tenebrence disappear into the void, “I accept your challenge.”

Morta grabbed his shoulder, “Are you insane! No one here can…”

A flash of light glew up from the middle of the camp, silencing Morta.

Nilowin looked to the light with a joyous grin, “A luxcian? That should make things interesting.”

Umbren stumbled up, his vision dazy from the impact; though, the others quickly recovered unsheathing their weapons. Faldrid readied his kukri, and Talquin a short sword. Relam on the other hand…” Talquin lend me your kukri!”

The woman simply rolled her eyes at him

A nerve bulged on Relam’s neck, “Why you…” He shook his head, “Umbren a weapon!”

Umbren was still dazy, but tossed him a Kukri.

“Maybe also a throwing knife just in case?”

Umbren tossed exactly one down.

The demon screeched again and flapped its wings. It barreled towards them at a high speed.

It raised its axe in the air and slashed at Talquin. She met the blow with her short sword, but the force from the strike sent her to the ground. Faldrid went in for a blow, but was swiped away by one of the creature's wings.

The thing lunged at Umbren, shrieking as it went.

Umbren leapt out of the way, throwing knives as he went.

The creature was unneeded and its scream gave Umbren enough time to unsheath Cronai.

Suddenly the creature's head recoiled from the impact. A knife stuck out of its head, scarlit seeping down into its eyes. The thing flicked the blade away and looked towards the source of the blow. Relam stood there with his feet shaking.

The creature seized Relam’s throat and flew into the air then slammed him back onto the ground with a violent ground, “Stay out of this.” It spoke in a gravelly voice.

It spun back to Umbren with a deadly smile. Umbren readied Cronai, but his head still felt like a animal was prying out his brain, and his legs felt like mush.

The creature flew over and swung down his axe. Umbren thought his legs would break. He locked blades with the demon, but he doubted he could keep it at bay for long.

The creature began to laugh like he was playing with a toy. Umbren went to his knees and the demon started to lick his lips.

A whistle. It was high-pitched and playful. It came from behind the demon.

I didn’t reach Umbren’s ears though. It felt like his head was going to burst from the effort of holding the thing off. In any moment he believed that his ears would pop and blood would come pouring out.

A rock bounced off the head of the demon, and Umbren felt the force behind the axe vanish, but he still had to hold it back.

The demon looked back with fury, “Who interferes!”

It found a luxcian with a nonchalant stance and an unreadable expression with a silver military coat, “Just a luxcian you blacked-winged demon.” Ritoro said curtly

Nilowin considered the luxcian with an irritated glee, “Helping the tenebrage, luxcian? Why is that?”

“I trust that you would also feel pity if a wolf pursued a mouse.”

Nilowin gave an oddly sweet laugh, “Who are you to call a Hound of Mortis a mouse, general?”

Ritoro unsheathed his sword, “Name’s Ritoro, and that’s all you’ll need to know,” Ritoro turned his attention to the demon, “Well caetum, you can keep playing with the mouse, or you can challenge me.” Ritoro’s eye took on a predatory glare.

The caetum gave a wide smile and kicked Umbren away.

Relief immediately washed over Umbren as his muscles got a chance to breathe, but it soon felt like his stomach had ruptured.

The caetum rushed at Ritoro and the swordsman parried all its strikes. The caetum would try to bash through his defense like a force of nature, but his sword was an impenetrable wall.

Umbren slowly looked up from his place on the ground, and found Mortis eyeing him with a cold stare. When their gazes met, the disciple gave a heavy nod.

Umbren fought to get up, his legs wobbling beneath him. He charged at the caetum, despite his best judgment.

With Umbren in the mix it was now a violent cluster of stikes, parries, and dodgies. THe caetum dealt with the two masterfully. It mainly focused its axe on Ritoro, but would use its wings to deal with Umbren. It would fly around the two to get a better position or dodge a blow, for its size it was surprisingly mobile.

Ritoro didn’t seem to be giving the duel his full attention however. He was constantly shouting remarks directed at Umbren:

“To slow.”

“To eager.”

“Sloppy.”

“Don’t just focus on the wings.”

“Who taught you to use a sword?”

Umbren was sent back by a strike from one of the wings, “What are you even doing! Are you waiting for something!? Because it sounds like you're focusing on me than the caetum!”

Ritoro continued to duel with the demon, “I am,” Ritoro gave another whistle, “And I was waiting on this.”

A sharp sibilance rang through the air and the caetum shrieked in pain.

Ritoro gave another whistle and a similar one came back in return.

The creature clutched its side as bood flowed down the jet-black armor.

Ritoro gave an approving nod, “It seems like Vale has improved.”

Nilowin brandished her teeth at the other disciples, “What trickery is this!”

Morta gave a self-satisfied smile, “You were so focused on the Hound that you forgot about the Hands of Morta.”

Nilowin slapped her words aside, “Impossible! Tenebrage don’t use bows and arrows.”

“That one does, so I suggest you call off your Apostle or mine will fill it with wholes.”

Nilowin called out to her Apostle in a deep and throaty language, but suddenly stopped and looked up to the sky with a grin, “It looks like your other guests have arrived Taldry.”

An animilistic cry came from the sky, and a Loinir Attokas silhouette came into view. The beast's golden fur shone in the sunlight.

Morta took a step back, “It can’t be him.”

The beast landed between the disciples and the others. With the beast followed another caetum similar to the other one.

On top of the beast sat an ornately dressed man, dressed in riches. He wore a permanetly set amused smile, and conceited eyes that looked down on all those around him, and in those eyes sat two golden star pupils.

He looked around wordlessly until he eyed Ritoro, “Ahhh, Ritoro were you having fun playing with the caetum? Was it worth more of your time than staying with the army and protecting me?”

Ritoro gave a bow, “I apologize Prince Aldaman, I desired to scout out the city before you arrived.”

Aldmon gave an amused laugh, he turned to the disciples, “I haven’t seen any of you in so long! I trust you all have been doing well.”

Taldry gave a awkward laugh and greeted him. Nilowin stood aloof. The Disciples of Tenebrage considered the prince with a hateful unease, and the prince rejoiced in that impression.