“Who are they?” Derzina asked, sighting a dozen figures travelling two abreast in a column. They were still a considerable distance away, and she struggled to make out further detail. “Demons?”

“I assume so, though I don’t recognise their colours. They’re probably not from Mextraxia’s army.”

“What should we do? Attack before they notice us?”

The demons were still a long way off, but they were getting closer and it was only a matter of time before they spotted Derzina.

“As much as I’d like to put an end to a few more of the loathsome creatures, we’d best avoid them for now. There’s no sense alerting whatever lord they serve to our presence; our task is too important to take such a risk. I’m still recovering from my encounter with Meztraxia, I’d rather not deal with another Demon Lord and his forces.”

“Then should I hide?” Derzina asked, already searching for somewhere to conceal herself on the empty plain.

“Not yet, I’d like get to get a closer look at them.” Atasimon said, her shadowy veil appearing around Derzina.

“Whatever for?”

“To learn more of them. The world has changed much in my absence, and I wish to know more of our enemy.”

“Are you sure that’s wise? I thought you said we should avoid attracting any notice.”

“There’s nothing to worry about in that regard. So long as you have my veil to shield you, they haven’t the slightest chance of noticing you.”

Trusting in the goddess’ magic and her words, Derzina sought out the demons. They were travelling at a brisk pace for mortals, though lacking Atasimon’s divine energy and encumbered by their equipment rendered them much slower than Derzina.

More lightly equipped than the soldiers of Meztraxia’s army, Derzina at first thought they wore no armour at all. But as she drew closer, she noticed the cloth garments covering their upper bodies were unusually thick and covered in rivets, denoting some form of armour beneath. Judging from the fresh bloodstains on their clothing, they must have seen combat recently.

Walking with their long spears in hand, they passed within a few steps of Derzina without so much as glancing in her direction. She’d expected the goddess to be able to conceal them, but experiencing it now that she was so close was a different experience entirely.

Being almost within arm’s reach of them was both unsettling and thrilling, like she had the power to do anything. Not that the power belonged to her, of course, but it was still part of her.

Seeing the demons up close also reminded Derzina of what they’d done to her city, and her hand twitched toward the non-existent sword at her belt. No matter how much she’d like to take vengeance on them, the goddess was right that they shouldn’t draw attention to themselves.

With the self-control she’d cultivated over years of Paladin training, Derzina suppressed her anger. She reminded herself that the time for revenge would come soon enough, and they’d repay the demons for what they’d done to her city ten times over.

“Anything in particular you want to know?” Derzina asked, speaking within her mind.

“I’d like to know where they came from and where they’re going,” Atasimon said. “That would make for a good start, though someone I doubt they’ll be so good as to tell us even if we were to ask.”

Derzina looked out across the black plain in the direction the demons were travelling, only to find more of the same without the slightest hint of civilisation. And yet, the demons didn’t seem provisioned for a long journey. “I have no idea where they came from, but I don’t think they’ll be travelling much longer. Probably not more than a day or two.”

“What makes you say that?”

“They’re not carrying much in the way of supplies, and I doubt there’s much to eat out here.”

Though given that demons lived out here, she wasn’t sure what they ate in the first place. The thought drove home to Derzina how little either of them knew about the demons; Atasimon was right to seek out knowledge about them.

“I’m almost tempted to follow them, but maintaining my veil for that long would hardly be worth it. We’ll likely need all the power I can muster once we reach the Great Rift. Continue following them for now.”

“Perhaps we could—" Atasimon began, while Derzina kept pace with their quarry, only to trail off when one of the demons in the middle of column spoke.

“Do you think that creature is still following us?” the demon asked, a woman with yellow skin.

The comment startled Derzina and she was wondering how they could have noticed them through the goddess’ veil, when she realised they were talking about something else.

“I doubt it, we haven’t seen it for almost a whole day now,” the blue-skinned male demon walking beside the other replied.

“But why would it stop chasing us? It’s not as if we stand any chance of outrunning it.”

“Maybe one of the others managed to wound it.”

“None of them even saw it coming, it would be a miracle if they were able to defend themselves. And even if they did hurt it, it didn’t seem to slow it down when it tore them apart. If it truly gave up the hunt, it was likely only because it had eaten its fill.”

The man made a disparaging sound. “Or maybe it didn’t want to travel this far south. Have you ever seen anything like that this far from the rift?”

“No, and I hope never to see it or it’s like ever again.”

From there the demons lapsed into silence and Derzina parted ways with them, going to considerable effort to create distance between them quickly so that Atasimon could lower her veil.

Once they were free of them, the goddess sighed. “I loathe being unable to even spare the strength to destroy them and their master. Never before have I felt so helpless. I couldn’t even avenge my dear sister or save her city, and now I have little more power than a mortal.”

“I know exactly how you feel,” Derzina said, “I bear much the same terrible burden. All I could do was watch as I lost my family, my home; everything.”

“It’s not the same. I don’t mean to make light of what you suffered, but you’re not a god. You’re not expected to protect people like I am. I failed them all, even you. Perhaps you most of all.”

“You don’t need to apologise to me,” Derzina said, resolutely, “you did everything you could to save us and defeat Meztraxia.”

“But I didn’t, there was much I could have done differently. I was terribly reckless and it got the people I was supposed to safeguard killed; it nearly got me killed.”

“I know it must be hard, but we can’t afford to dwell on such things. It was a time of great chaos; I doubt anyone was thinking clearly.” Derzina certainly hadn’t been.

“I should have known better. I nearly defeated Meztraxia, even with his strange magic. Perhaps I could have finished him for good if I’d stayed.”

“Then why didn’t you?” Derzina asked. She knew the question wouldn’t help the goddess’ mood, yet if there was a chance they could have destroyed Meztraxia then and there, she had to know about it.

“I was terrified. When the mist touched me, I nearly unravelled entirely. I don’t quite know how to describe the feeling, but there was something truly terrible behind his power, I could sense it. Meztraxia seems of little concern next to whatever that being was.”

“You could have told me all this sooner.” Weren’t they in this together?

“I know, and I should have.” There was a pause, long enough that Derzina wondered if the goddess had abruptly ended the conversation until Atasimon’s voice returned, choked with sorrow. “I was ashamed, I didn’t want to admit my failure to myself let alone you. You must think me a truly pathetic excuse for a god. If only my sister had survived instead of me, she never would have made such a mess of things.”

“Given the circumstances you did the best that you could, I’m sure of it. And I don’t think you’re the least bit pathetic. Even after abruptly appearing in this world to find your sister dead, you still took charge and brought the battle to the enemy. While it may not have been the wisest move, it still took true determination.” Derzina would also have preferred that Ortesia survived, but she was never going to say that to Atasimon. True as it was, it was far too cruel to say aloud even if Atasimon surely knew it already.

“Thank you,” Atasimon said, sounding somewhat relieved. “Silly as it is for me to draw encouragement from the speech of a single mortal, your words and conviction have made things easier. While little else has gone my way, at least I have been gifted with an exceptional vessel.”

“You’re too kind. I am merely a servant. First of your sister, and now of you.”