Summinat and Avicelis were places that Albert felt safe, an opinion that his companions agreed with. Avicelis even more so, since Summinat was still vulnerable to attacks. He enjoyed the hot springs and the trees, which gave him a sense of tranquility and peace despite the raging incursion in Tragoria that could easily spill to Adaline and Dusdolf at any time.

But he knew that would only happen if things were under control, which clearly had not. In fact, recent developments made his plans be put at the lowest priority possible.

On the third day of their travel to Summinat, halfway through the Adaline region, there was an urgent wireless signal that Albert’s car, Liz, received. For the past two years, Liz had been modified by Albert and his Struttemberg friend, Marlene Schrader. It now had a compact wireless radiotelegraphy system with a dedicated receiver signal that anyone who knew the frequency could easily send a signal to. The rapid tone beeps had patterns that they could easily identify with a guide. Lilac was oftenthe one who received the message as she was sitting beside Albert and was operating the wireless system when they needed to send a message to Summinat. She did so earlier, reporting their mission’s success in finding Nergora and Sovarn.

Lilac received the most recent message, which simply read, “Call Tea Shop.” There was nothing else to tell, and they already understood what it meant. Albert soon found a rest stop with a public telephone and quickly got into one of the phone booths while the other waited near the car.

Albert entered the appropriate money into the slot as the switchboard operator connected the line to Summinat. After several minutes, someone answered the phone. Albert promptly asked for Anarim, so the person answering asked him to wait. A couple of minutes later, Anarim’s voice was on the other line.

“Hello, this is Anarim,” said the voice.

“Ah, Anarim. It’s Albert. I was just going to report to you about our mission when you sent us a wireless. You said it’s urgent. Is there something wrong?”

“Yeah, there is a very unusual development. Ifrit Schelkz is alive.”

It was one of the most unbelievable things he heard. Anarim was never one who made jokes, especially one that was very inappropriate. Albert wanted to think that he wasn’t kidding, but it was too good to be true.”

“Anarim, I appreciate the joke, but not this one,” said Albert, who lowered his tone to indicate that he did not appreciate whatever Anarim said.

“I know you’ll say that. Will his voice convince you, then? Ifrit?”

Ifrit came to the phone and said, “Albert? Is this Albert?”

Albert quickly became convinced that this was Ifrit’s voice. Anarim was right. Ifrit was alive. He was going to ask Ifrit to wait so he could call Lilac to the booth when Ifrit said, “Albert, I know Lilac is there. Tell her…tell her not to worry. I want to see her again, but…I’m sorry. I just happened to find out something about myself.”

“We already know,” said Albert. “You are a half-demon.”

Ifrit’s voice was silent. Albert knew he was surprised and was trying to process how his friend knew about it.

“But…but how?”

“Lilac,” said Albert short. “But don’t worry. She already got past that. If you want to hear her voice, I can—”

But Anarim voice was the one that answered next.

“He’s distraught,” said Anarim. “Albert, he’s not just any half-demon. He has the blood of Infernal in him.”

Wide-eyed from disbelief, Albert shook his head and said, “What did you say?! Infernal blood? How is that even possible?”

“As unbelievable as it is, it is the truth. He had a demonic side of him that was reawakened after he returned to life. It was…rather unpleasant, so to say.”

“Does anyone know?”

“No. If they know he is a half-Infernal, there might be a crisis of conscience and things will get ugly. They accepted that he’s a half-demon after much persuasion. They would not be as lenient if I’m being too honest. But he is fine, Albert. He just need time.”

“Should I tell the others?”

“There is no merit in keeping this for yourself, right? I’m sure Eshdar and Lilac can understand. Also, I believe your mission is completed as you reported earlier?”

“It’s a success. Nergora and Sovarn were in Idrisham, just as the clues led us. I did not expect him to be a half-demon, but then, I don’t expect Ifrit to be one, too. He gave us several key positions that we should retake if we could find a chance to strike back. We are making quite a progress.”

“Can you tell me the points?”

Albert then told Anarim about the strategic points while the hellhound took a paper and pen to write the towns and villages down. He was amazed by how important the information was, and he was also right in assuming that the two hellhounds had information that they could use.

However, Anarim was aware that the forward base could only defend instead of attack. He needed to consult the war council in Avicelis on the best way to proceed, though in his opinion, they could only choose one or two most strategic position to retake and defend. He must choose one soon, then discuss about the rest with the Council.

He then reminded himself about Albert, and he got an idea.

“Albert,” he said. “I want you to decide which of the towns and cities are the most strategically sound. The way we are now, the opposition is spread thin and preoccupied with too many situations at once. But, given how Nergora Schelkz could gather all these information, I suggest you ask his opinion on how to proceed. From there, we can start thinking about retaking Tragoria one at a time.”

“I’ll do that. But do you think this is going to work? Even if we are capable fighters, we are still five against an army of them.”

“If we don’t do anything, Adaline will be next. As of now, Albert, you are the closest to all of these points of interest. Also, how is the progress with the other Demon Hunter chapters?”

Albert sighed. “Just one. Like Struttemberg, they’re not exactly a well-respected chapter, so all they got are their skills.”

“It’s not enough being their commander, huh?”

“Central’s their commander, not me.”

Albert could hear Eshdar sighing on the other side of the call. The old vulpine hellhound, too, was frustrated by their lack of progress for the past three years.

“In any case…I’m sorry that you can’t go back just yet,” said Anarim. “It’s been a long road without a definite end.”

“It’s fine, Anarim,” said Albert. “Well, I’ll talk to Nergora and Sovarn about our plan.”

“No, wait. Let me speak with them. It’s better if they hear it directly from me.”

Albert agreed. He then called Nergora and Sovarn to the phone booth while putting in some more coins in case the conversation took a while. The ice hellhound walked to the booth with his wolfhound-like butler and received the phone while Albert walked out to meet with Eshdar and Lilac

The two were waiting near the car while talking to each other. Albert wasn’t sure how to break the news about Ifrit’s miraculous revival, but after thinking on how to deliver the news, he decided that the most straightforward answer would make them realize that he was serious.

So, as he approached them, and drew their attention to him, he took a deep breath, and said the four words that suddenly changed the mood.

“Ifrit is still alive.”

The words would sound like he was making a joke, but Lilac and Eshdar soon realize that Albert would not make a joke that was not funny or relevant, especially when they saw how serious his face was. If he said Ifrit was alive, then he was alive, and both instantly knew he wasn’t joking just by looking at his face.

“By the moon,” said Lilac, trying to hold back her excitement and tears. “He’s…really back?”

“Anarim told me so.”

“That’s great! Now, we can really start going home and throw a wild…”

“Not so fast, Eshdar. He’s alive and well, yes, but he’s…troubled.”

“Well, I mean, that makes a lot of sense. This is not exactly peacetime.”

“He’s troubled because he realized who he is.”

“Did he blame himself for what he did?” asked Lilac. “You need to tell him that it’s not his fault. He didn’t know.”

“I’m sure Sammael already told him about it,” said Albert, who shook his head and kept his serious expression. “The problem is…he’s not just any half-demon, Lilac. He has Infernal blood in him.”

“What’s an Infernal?” asked Eshdar.

“A demon that looked like a goat from the Fifth Circle of hell,” explained Albert. “Before this whole Incursion business, their image are the first to come up when the topic of demons are brought up. Even we Demon Hunters had certain protocols to ensure that Infernals cannot be summoned, even by demon worshippers. I am sure someone who’s insane enough would try to, but that would usually end with their deaths.”

“What’s so different about this demon?”

“This is a demon that revel in chaos and violence. They are beings born from hell itself. When they plant their seed, destruction will soon follow. The fact that Ifrit is an Infernal child made his existence that much improbable.”

“But if he is a child of an Infernal, then they might be subduable,” said Lilac. “Do they?”

“Even if that is the case, do you really want to be the child of that kind of demon? Nergora notwithstanding, Infernals don’t breed. They kill. If we ever meet one of them, we run. They are not like Gurlon or Sammael. They are bad news.”

“And you think Ifrit is this bad news,” said Lilac. “And I happened to have a part of that essence. I should not be out here. Is that what you’re thinking, Al?”

“You are closer to what Gurlon was than Ifrit is. Look, Lilac, my opinion towards you do not change. Despite everything, you are still you.”

“But you don’t think this is the same Ifrit.”

“What I’m saying, Lilac, is that you need to be cautious.” Albert then held her hands. “I want to think that Ifrit is still Ifrit. I really do. I just…I can’t believe he is the spawn of an Infernal.”

“Does it really matter?” interjected Eshdar. “Did you even got a chance to talk to him?’

“I did.”

“Does he sound like he wants to throttle you for abandoning him? Does he sound like he revels in chaos and violence?”

“He’s a half-demon. Sure, he fights in the most violent way, but he’s—”

“Exactly! Ifrit’s a hellhound, and that’s all that matters. What he needs is his friends. That’s what we’re going to do, right? We’ll go back home and make him know that we still think of him as good ol’ Ifrit Schelkz, who is reunited with Lilac after three years being gone. It’s like nothing’s changed!”

But then, Eshdar noticed that Albert’s expression did not change, nor did he say anything in the line of ‘you’re right’ or conversely, ‘you’re wrong’, along with the reason. The vulpine hellhound soon realized that there was a catch on their return plan.

“What’s wrong?” asked Eshdar.

“We’re being told to go to the border and follow with Nergora’s plan,” said Albert. “We’ll pick the best place to start…and we’ll start from there.”

This news was disappointing for both Eshdar and Lilac, but they could only sigh. The Incursion had become worse and worse, and they started to lose the initial advantage they had when the Circle demons became involved. They could not expect that there would be another in-fighting among the demons again. They would not expect themselves to be blessed with good fortune, not after it happened the first and possibly the only time.

“Well…can’t seem to rest these days,” said Eshdar with a shrug. “Or be given a chance to meet with an old friend.”

“Eshdar…”

“It’s not Al’s decision, Eshdar,” said Lilac. “I know you’re disappointed that we can’t meet with Ifrit just yet, but I have been thinking about him. Maybe…maybe it’s better if he’s left alone for now.”

“Wait, Lilac, are you—”

“I do not wish to push him away, not after I have hold on for so long. But there is time and place, and right now, we have work to do. When we are done, we will find Ifrit and tell him that we missed him. That, I think, would be more satisfying than now, don’t you think?”

Eshdar and Albert looked at Lilac’s mostly lupine face, who was smiling sincerely despite being clearly disappointed. She had matured ever since Albert met her, and ever since she accepted that her current snake-wolf appearance was her new identity. The fact that she was the one who accepted the situation made them agree with her. Ifrit’s situation was not their current situation, and they had a job to do.

After the excitement died down, Lilac and Eshdar turned serious upon the word ‘retaliation’.

“Isn’t it a bit premature?” said Eshdar as Nergora and Sovarn joined them. “We’re facing an army of demons that is currently being held back by the Demon Hunters. Given what you said about Infernals, along with all the other denizens of hell being thrown at us, we might as well hope for another miracle, and I don’t believe in a repeat.”

“Not as premature as you thought,” said Nergora. “Anarim Winsel, your grandfather, has already planned a retaliation plan ever since the hellish incursion was nothing more than words. His only problem is Dusdolf. While the main hellish incursion is brewing in Tragoria, there has been many smaller hellish incursions attempts that acts as diversion to the bigger, more centralized one from Sidve, which I believe is Lilac’s home village.”

Lilac was visibly distressed, and both Eshdar and Albert understood why. Sidve was attacked and decimated by hellhounds searching for Ifrit with only a few survivors. The others’ fates were unknown.

“I do not wish to cause distress,” said Nergora once he noticed her expression.

“It’s fine,” said Lilac after taking a deep breath. “But hearing the name of my village again and the fact that it’s gone is…distressing. But it’s fine. I know it happened. I saw it happened. But don’t worry about that. How is Dusdolf going to be a problem?”

“Anarim told us that Ifrit was found by a pair of Fuzandres named Rhynsa and Arnulfe in a small village called Aushagen along with the target they were trying to find. I never thought I’d hear Rhynsa’s name after everything that happened, but it’s good that he’s still okay with us after what the hellhounds did to Fuzandres during the Uprising,” said Sovarn.

“Not…really,” said Eshdar, remembering what happened in their first meeting.

“Arnulfe’s a better sport than he is,” said Lilac. “And he certainly won’t like associating with another Schelkz.”

“So, why is Dusdolf a problem? Does it have something to do with their mission?” asked Albert. “Weren’t they trying to follow a lead on the whereabouts of a member of the House of Caropus?”

“They found him. The target’s name is Anubis Caropus,” said Sovarn. “There, however, lies the problem.”

Lilac remembered what Anarim told them about Death’s Jackal and the importance of their royal family.

“Because Anubis is the key,” she surmised.

“Any member of the House of Caropus will do, though the best they could was Anubis,” said Sovarn. “By this point, Anarim is sure that the Aushagen blunder gave use the opportunity to retaliate, so he is sure that we can finally start fighting back and reduce the heat in Dusdolf.”

“I know why,” said Albert, realizing something. “Dusdolf is closer to An’ah than Tragoria. The hellhounds that are against us have already gained a foothold in Dusdolf, even if it was not as strong as Tragoria. However, once they finally gained a stronger foothold, they don’t need to go through Adaline. They can simply go directly to Avicelis. That village you said…Aushagen, was it?”

Albert promptly opened the scroll of map on a nearby picnic bench. After scanning the map as quick as humanly possible, he pointed at the village called ‘Aushagen’.

“Oh dear. That’s a little too close to comfort,” said Sovarn once he also found towns marked ‘Summinat’ and ‘Avicelis’. “It’s two…three days at most from both.”

“So, our job now is to find a way to stop the hellhounds and the demons from causing too much diversion in Dusdolf, while also trying to find a way to retaliate against them?” said Eshdar. “Damn. I’m usually the optimistic one, but at this point, it’s more of a struggle to think that way. This is not a beneficial situation.”

Everyone sighed. It was clear that they were struggling to defend themselves, with everyone being too occupied to even turn their attention towards Tragoria. The Demon Hunters were spread thin, and Central was still reluctant to ally themselves with the Council. The only allies they had that could fight against the demons were the smaller chapters that embraced modern ways to demon hunting, amateur demon hunters with basic knowledge of exorcism, and uncommon hunters like Rhynsa and Albert. It was not going to be as strong as an army that the Central could provide.

As everyone thought about where they should start, Nergora was the first to give an opinion on the matter by saying, “Arbal.”

“Who?”

“Not who. Where.” He then pointed towards a town called ‘Arbal’ on the map.

“You’re right,” said Albert with realization. “And not only is it close to Schweinhollen, which has a major Demon Hunter chapter, but it’s also built near the mountain range. Unlike the other towns in Tragoria, this town has no tunnel through the mountain, which means…”

“They need to go around and through Arbal if they want to get to Dusdolf,” said Eshdar. “How many tunnels between Dusdolf and Tragoria?”

Albert examined the map and checked each tunnel in the mountain range. After thoroughly checking them, he said, “One. The other’s still halfway done. The tunnel can be closed to prevent ambushes. I’ll send a wire to Anarim with the details.”

“But no matter how you look at it, Arbal is very strategic not only for us, but for them,” said Sovarn. “It is a decisive place to take, so it will make sense for them to open all the stops and attack this place with overwhelming advantage. What offensive capabilities we have?”

“Dusdolfian’s superior technology, demon hunting equipment, and us,” said Albert. “We’ll get there in no time, set a defense, and inform Schweinhollen of the situation. They may be able to spare some hunters to help, hopefully the unorthodox ones.”

“Why unorthodox?”

“Demon Hunters are traditionalists, so they want to be rid of the ones that did not conform to their teachings. They could’ve rid of me, but then, I am already too high-ranked to be rid of. I can say RHIP, but I don’t believe that.”

“RHIP?” asked Lilac.

“Rank Has Its Privilege,” replied Albert.

“Ah. I see.”

“So, everyone agreed that Arbal’s the best place to go next?” asked Albert. Everyone nodded.

“We got the place down,” said Eshdar. “Now, how do we convince the townspeople that they need our help?”

“They can stay to help or stay out of our way. Considering Arbal’s strategic position, we might need more people to help us, provided they understand what we’re dealing with and they are willing to help up. Just like Sovarn said, the might of the demonic army can be overwhelming, but we have no choice but to prevail. We must play it smart. Might is not everything.”

“Traps?” suggested Eshdar.

“Good idea,” said Albert.

“So, it’s a guerilla battle,” commented Sovarn. “We fight from the shadows. Confuse the enemies and keep the advantage to us.”

“But how about the other towns, then? They might turn their attention to the other towns we don’t choose to defend,” said Lilac.

“After you plant a tree, make sure the roots are deep enough to prevent uprooting during a storm,” said Albert. “We need a strong base before we start thinking about the other key points.”

“Then, it’s decided,” said Nergora. “How long is the trip to Arbal?”

“Based on the map, it’s…a full day by car. But with Liz, we might be there in under ten hours.”

“Then, we have no time to delay. We must make haste,” said Sovarn.

Everyone nodded. After eating a relatively modest lunch of tuna sandwich, they quickly get on the car while Albert started it. He quickly drove out of the station and fold the canvas roof in preparation of using the Overdrive Engine mode, which he promptly activated with a push of a button.

The usually creaky and loud machine became even louder as the engine revved up. Albert told the others to hold on as he stepped on the gas. The car’s speed gradually increased to the point where they were speeding on the paved road, much faster than what they were comfortable with. However, they could sacrifice comfort if it meant getting to Arbal as fast as possible.

As they drove on a paved road on the countryside so as to avoid general traffic, Lilac mentally prepared herself for a battle that she knew would be different from anything she had been involved in before. She tried to stay optimistic and believe in the skills she gained, but she was still worried that, even after all that, the situation would turn dire, and her experience would not be enough. Her mind, troubled and worried, soon turned to her short memories of Ifrit, and her elation upon hearing that he either never died or returned to life. Even if he was, as many claimed, a dangerous half-demon, she did not think of him as dangerous. Sure, she was aware that there would be a time where she might end up disillusioned by Ifrit, but at the moment, Ifrit represented her hope for the future.

Just like when her mind retreated into her own mindscape to protect herself from being purged from her own self, she found her strength from the memories and exploits of another person that she hoped she could meet and possibly turn things around when things went south. That person was her brother, Hans Rezmirn. Thinking about Hans made her realize that she, too, wanted to go travelling, but circumstances did not let her. It was only after a different circumstance with Ifrit that she was forced to leave her village and travel with Ifrit, later with Albert, Eshdar, and Sammael, and briefly with Rhynsa. At first, she thought she was forced by the circumstances, but in the end, she realized that it wasn’t necessarily the case.

She wanted to send him a message through the wire, hoping that this time, it would reach Hans. She wanted to meet her brother again, to know that she was not the only Rezmirn in the world. Rezmirn was an uncommon name, and to her knowledge, only she and her brother had that name.

So, she wrote a message on the car’s foldable table before they set off, then used the post office facility on the next town they stopped by to wire the message. She kept the message short, but meaningful: “I missed you. Please find me in Arbal. I need help. Lilac.”

She wasn’t sure what kind of help he could bring, so she added, “Don’t come unprepared. Dangerous” on a post-script. The grueling travel, as told in the newspaper, could have hardened him enough to bring more than just his claws and teeth, as Lilac hoped. Maybe he could even convince the dragon that he convinced to come and help. Even if he could come, it would take at least a week or so from the island to the mainland. He would then have to be wary of the hellhounds that had taken most of the Tragorian coastline.

But she knew she couldn’t rely on her brother for help. With or without his help, she would still be involved in a decisive and strategic battle that could decide their fate next month.

Their defense of Arbal would be the moment of great triumph…or devastating defeat.