Mors stepped out of the Cathedral and looked up at the sky, dark clouds of smoke, bathed in an orange hue from the fires below gave the city around him a hellish, gruesome appearance.

Flexing his weary muscles, Mors let out a sigh -"I let that group of kids go thinking it was thanks to the commander of the Dark Hearts, but looking at the city, that old man is a welcome backup in case they get killed fleeing. Something tells me he won't die quickly."

A smiled grew on Mors' face as he looked down the Cathedral steps and spotted twenty or so guards, probably the ones that had been posted at the gates, frozen in place as they stared at him. -"I have time for one more false lead. You can't force someone to believe in something; you have to drop a few clues and let them come to the conclusion themselves..." Mors paused for a moment. "I guess letting that old man live wasn't the smartest idea until now they didn't know I was a demon."

Wondering why they were looking at him as if he was some kind of monster instead of just the normal terror, Mors looked down and noticed that he was covered in copious amounts of blood. Enough that, although he had been still for only a few moments, a puddle had already formed at his feet. -"I guess I went a little overboard in there, there wasn't even someone close to Marquess level, but I used my full strength."

Mors' plated boot clanked against the steps as he started his descent, causing all but one of the guards to flinch and back away to the sides.

The guard who stood his ground wore more ornate armour than the rest, and had and an impressive, blue cloak that fluttered in the slight breeze.

==== POV Guard Captain - Fithteen minutes earlier====

I watched in terror as the silver armoured man slaughtered Jane's group in no more than a split second and ascended the stairs of the Cathedral.

Taking a brief glance around, not willing to take my eyes off him for too long, I saw everyone watching him as they stared with open mouths and fearful expressions.

Just as the man reached the top and turned around, the young soldier standing next to me, Marvin whispered in my ear. "Captain... what should we do?"

Before I could reply, the man shouted out to the crowd behind us, telling them an unbelievable story of how this illness was some sort of conspiracy and that the City Lord held that antidote. His act was good, but my long career in the city guard enabled me to spot his lies a mile off.

-"No one is foolish enough to bel.." My thoughts were cut off by the crowd's cries for justice as they started to move in the direction of the City Lord. -"Shit the city is under attack by some mysterious force and this guy is about to incite a riot."

I try to get the attention of my men without drawing the man's gaze but to no avail. -"These idiots are just as caught up in the show, no better than a simple minded commoner."

The instant the man turned around and began walking to the Cathedral, I hit Marvin on the head, probably harder than I should have. "Gather the others; we need to stop him."

It took a good couple of minutes to collect everyone at the bottom of the stairs and for me to explain the situation. "OK, now everyone is on the same page, Jekn, Marvin and I will take the centre, the rest of you split up and take the sides. You know what he did to Jane and her team so take no chances. You see an opportunity; you go for the kill. Remember, the moment we get in there, secure as many healers as you can and get them to safety. Without them, this city is doomed."

I watch as everyone nods in agreement, a tinge of fear flashing in their eyes as a chill runs down my spine. I begin to question my own plan.

Jane was easily the strongest of the Holy Knights stationed here, being able to best three opponents without breaking a sweat and yet, she died a dog's death. What chance did we have? If only the other veterans hadn't been sent out to secure key points in the city, we might have had a fighting chance.

We start climbing the stairs. However, before we are even halfway up, the man's reappearance stops us dead in our tracks. His once silver armour covered in blood, and I swear I see a lump of flesh sticking to one of the spikes on his pauldrons.

My knees tremble as the air becomes dense, just like being submerged in water and I find myself holding my breath. -"Oh, mother of light..."

After gazing at the sky for a few seconds, the man covered in gore begins walking towards me with a devilish smile.

-"Fuck!"Quickly glancing at the others I see them drawback, unwilling to stand and fight, I silently curse. Not that I can blame them. If I still had control of my legs, I would have got out the way myself. -"What was I thinking, We can't defeat him. I have walked into my own grave."

With each step he takes, my fear almost doubles, the only think I can do is force myself to remain standing.

Eventually, after what seems like an eternity, he reaches me, then to my shock, passes without even looking, the only acknowledgement of my existence is a few words he spoke to himself before his footsteps gradually became faint.

"Impressive... I released my entire aura, and they are all still standing..."

When I finally have the courage to turn around, I spot him leaving the courtyard in the direction of the City Fortress, the small groups of people still in the street scattering out of his way as if leaves before a storm.

Shakily, I sit down on the step as I try to calm my breathing. One by one the others come and join me, each looking as shaken as I feel.

Ten minutes later, Jekn points to the floor at the bottom of the stairs and whispers in an unstable voice. "He dropped something."

Looking at the bottom of the stairs my eyes go wide. "Those fucking bastards. How did they manage to hire someone like that when they have been rotting in the fortress for the last two months?"

Laying on the ground at the bottom of the stairs is a crumpled, black tabard with a bleeding red heart in the centre.

==== Fortress Side Street ====

In a narrow street beside the city fortress, Mors was listening to the mob at the front entrance as they pounded on the doors, releasing anger filled shouts.

However, instead of showing a happy expression, he was actually frowning. -"Things are going too well, No plan survives the first contact, let alone having so many positive 'opportunities' to increase its effectiveness... I don't like this, not one bit; I am going to get Morrigan and get out of this city..."

Looking around and only seeing a few people occasionally running through the street as they looked for shelter, Mors sprinted at a building before kicking off, leaving a small crater and propelling himself into the wall on the other side. Quickly repeating the process a couple of times until he soared above the fortress wall.

Flipping as he fell, Mors landed gracefully on the floor and looked around the empty courtyard. -"Yep... too easy."