After a day of peaceful rest and respite, they continued their travel to find Sahia Antelberg. Rhynsa decided not to tell Ifrit, Anubis, and Sammael about the identity of the ‘Lycan’ keeper and whatever conversation they had the previous day, though he kept Arnulfe, the one who was as neutral as he was, in the loop, telling him about Crayle’s identity and their conversation the night before. Arnulfe acknowledged it before he and Ifrit guided Anubis to the car.

As they got into the car, Rhynsa, making sure he was out of earshot, said, “(The two princes have suffered because of the revolutionaries, especially the Jackal. They are not the generation that you suffered in, so don’t hold any grudges, alright? Don’t be like me).”

“(Yeah. I know),” said Crayle. “(Anyway, I suggest that you take roads less traveled. Your problem is not just the demons, but their hunters, too. You don’t want to get mixed up and be asked questions you don’t want to answer).”

“(I’ll keep that in mind. Say, you ever hear the name ‘Antelberg’?)”

“(Well, there is the mountain. But, if you are referring to name, it’s also the name of a surface noble family residing near their namesake).”

“(I don’t really follow surface nobles).”

“(Dusdolf is a constitutional monarchy with its own ruling government. The nobles and lords are still here, but they’re simply titles. They got a prime minister as the official leader while the royal family is the head of state, but with limited government involvement. Something like that).”

“(Yeah…still don’t follow. I’ve lived in Dusdolf for a while. Haven’t caught on their language, nor their culture. Also, I don’t like politics).”

“(Can’t escape from them, unfortunately).”

Crayle and Rhynsa then parted amicably, both hoping that they would meet again, preferably after things had settled. The fact that he met a hellhound who was once an enemy was proof enough for him be optimistic on the hellhounds turning their backs against their demonic slaves and do a proper revolution. He did not need to do this, given that he was a Fuzandre, but three years were enough time for him to realize that he was already involved with their problems, whether he liked it or not.

Their one day of rest in the inn proved beneficial for them, both in travelling condition and health. The snow stopped the previous night, and the day was clear, giving them good visibility to drive and to better anticipate anything thrown at them, now that they were aware that Dusdolf was not as safe as they initially thought.

But despite the night’s rest, Ifrit did not feel like he had a fulfilled rest. He still felt pain on his hands, even though the burn wounds had mostly gone. It did not heal properly and instead left a very visible scar. The fur around his hands were burned off and the skin cracked. In addition to being painful, it was also itchy, tempting Ifrit to just scratch off the itch of his cracked and calloused hand. Parts of his hand still sustained burned injuries that did not heal properly.

Sammael, who was sitting beside Ifrit after the lupine hellhound decided to sit at the passenger’s seats, noticed his distress and said, “(It doesn’t heal properly, does it?)”

“(No),” said Ifrit while shaking his head. “(It’s irritating, too).”

“(Hellfire burn is slow to heal for demons),” said Sammael. “(Which is why it is a very effective tool against demons, at least for Barghests like me).”

“(Is it going to ever heal?)”

“(It will),” said the Barghest. “(But I’m not sure how quick. The pain it causes linger, which can be torturous).”

“(Sounds like you have gone through this before).”

“(One to two times. It was a long time ago, so I’m not sure. I do know that we’ll die, and I don’t mean die and suffer in hell. When demons die, they die. There is no afterlife for us. It’s like we’ll cease to exist).”

“(I wonder. I have heard things about hell in the Underworld, but I have not heard it from a demon. Is it…is it really where all hellhounds will end up when they die? Are we all doomed to eternal damnation?)”

“(Do you believe of a different afterlife?)”

“(Lilac told me about the Hunting Grounds where Lycans can hunt freely with the goddess of the hunt. She didn’t believe it, either. She wished for something more…peaceful. Like an eternal rest).”

“(Well, to be fair, hell’s where souls that made pacts with demons end in. You sell your soul to any demon, you’ll either become their property or you become a demon yourself).”

“(Ever seen anyone turning into demons, Sam?)”

“(Oh yeah. Stay down there long enough and you might become one. That is if you can turn the tortures into something else or you’re just unrepentant).”

“(How about your case, then?)”

“(The one-sidedness does not apply only to demons. I got the short end of the stick, and thus I’m stuck with you. Not sure if I can regret it or not, but I might if I’m stuck with anyone other than you, Ifrit. Then again…I’m not even sure my voice’s my own).”

Ifrit could only sympathize with Sammael. He had experienced moments where he had no control over his body, losing himself to his own darker impulses that not only was dangerous, but also had no interest in preserving his own life. That impulse needed to be controlled, but with Ifrit still reluctant to accept that part of him, that would prove to be difficult. In fact, it might be harder to accept that part of him, knowing that it was demonic.

Anubis listened at their conversation and started thinking about his own role in the whole mess. He was a member of the House of Caropus who was supposed to be responsible for keeping the hell’s gate shut and prevent the Incursion from ever starting. While he had accepted that it was beyond his control, part of him still felt responsible, knowing that he bore the name ‘Caropus’. Ifrit’s and Sammael’s role had a risk of them lost to the demons, as Ifrit carried the blood of a dangerously violent demon in his vein and Sammael was a dream eater called a Barghest. Anubis wondered if him being convinced to travel despite of being blind was because of this role as a Caropus prince. Maybe he was supposed to do something that would tip the balance, but what? He could fight despite of being blind. He was armed with demon-killing silver cane sword. He could also sense demons and assess their danger. But beyond that, what? What was his role beyond those of the present?

He hoped he would know more about it, and hopefully by then, he was no longer alone. In fact, he knew he was not alone. He got Ifrit, Rhynsa, and Arnulfe with him. The darkness was not as terrifying or traumatizing as it was. No more hellhounds mocking him for his effeminate appearance or abusing him to tears. No more being tossed around and….

Anubis shook his head. He did not want to finish that thought. He felt lucky that he did not lose himself after everything that happened. He had been freed from it when he soaked in the hot spring, feeling relaxed and safe after two years of unforgiving slavery. He did not want to remember it. He did not want to return to it.

It was all in the past. A past he wished he could forget.

***

Their drive was 4 hours long, and along the way, they did not encounter any more demons or having to explain themselves to the Hunters. Once they were close to the Antelberg mountain range, they made more stops in the towns and the villages, most of which were either tourist towns, spa towns, or cultural villages, which revolved around the culture of Dusdolfian Lycans. Rhynsa felt that Sahia was smart in hiding herself among the Lycans, especially if she was a lupine hellhound.

It took then two additional days of moving from town to town and village to village trying to find relevant and crucial information of their target, deciding not to rest and waste any more time. They finally found it in the third village they stopped in, coincidentally when they also needed to refuel, after striking off at least six major settlements around the Antelberg region. The fuel station attendant knew who Rhynsa was talking about, though even the Fuzandre felt it could be a stretch at first.

“If you’re talking about peculiar female werewolves, I think I know someone,” said the fuel station attendant, in Dusdolfian. “There is a reclusive female werewolf who has been living in a hut near this village. I think it has been five…no, six months ever since she appeared in the market.”

“How did…uh, she look like?” said Rhynsa, with stuttered Dusdolfian. “She…draw attention?”

“Hmmm…ah, I think I know why. She doesn’t look like a wolf. She looks closer to a dog, like some of the city folks. She also had this terrifying glare, even if she was rather polite towards the market lady.”

“She…look at you?”

“I think she did, yeah. Sorry, but do you have a business with her?”

“We need to, uh, find her. Important business. Nothing bad, I assure.”

“Hopefully not. This village can’t handle the demonic situation out there. Folks here have no reliable protection, you see. There isn’t any Demon Hunters around to protect small villages like here.”

“Thank you…for the info. Here.”

Rhynsa paid him for the gas, plus the info he just gave. The Lycan smiled and wished him luck on his search. Rhynsa could only thank him, knowing that the info the Lycan gave him was a good enough info to start with.

A short trip to the market clarified the information and the location of the hut in the nearby forest, which was just outside the village. Rhynsa returned to the car after this and relayed what he gathered with the others.

“(The Lycan in the forest looked rather peculiar by the villagers),” stated Rhynsa. “(She resembles a dog).”

“(Are they really sure about that?)” asked Arnulfe. “(No horns or anything that are dead giveaways?)”

“(Do you think she’d show her horns like it’s nobody’s business)?” reasoned Sammael.

“(The Barghest’s right. Anyone would not mistake her horns for head ornaments).”

“(Or she could be one of the hornless ones),” said Anubis. “(Like me).”

“(As far as we’re concerned, only Jackals are hornless).” But then Arnulfe remembered something. “(You know what? Zaggy doesn’t have a horn, either. Did he file it down, Rhynsa?)”

“(Hmm…good point. So, what do you think? Is it worth pursuing?)”

Ifrit was the first to give his opinion. “(Better than nothing. It’s not like we have any other alternatives to pursue).”

Everyone nodded in approval, so did Rhynsa, who acknowledged their decision.

And so, after a short drive, they reached the place the villagers mentioned. It was a thick and dense forest with almost no natural light penetrating the dark, evergreen pine trees. They did not seem to grow larger than they were, but for Rhynsa, it was clear that the trees were old and mostly undisturbed except for the single path leading into the forest.

It would be strange to think that no one seemed to bother cutting down the forest for other purposes such as land or even firewood during a cold winter but considering the population of Lycans in the region of Dusdolf and their need to hunt, the forest became a necessity. Rhynsa was aware of protected forests to accommodate the nature and the Lycans, though these forests were established in areas that had no possible natural resources such as coal or any raw metals. With the industrial revolution of Dusdolf, it was almost impossible not to find any metal, gas, or even oil under a big patch of forest. As a result of establishing mines and plants, many forests were cut down. Only the rural regions still had the thick and dense forest like the one in front of them. The other regions of the continent, except An’ah, which utilized their uncanny giant trees as building structures, had many of their older forests cut down to accommodate the growing population of humans, Lycans, and possibly hellhounds, along with the need for open reserves for cattles.

A thick and dense forest with no natural light coming through would be difficult to traverse, even if there was a small dirt road among the trees and improvised torches leading the way. Only a small amount of light could penetrate the dense leaves. It was hard not to walk without torches or echo senses like the Fuzandres. The cloudy skies and the light snow that had been falling since the previous night made it even harder to traverse the path.

Arnulfe then offered his wing to Anubis. “(The blind can’t guide the blind),” he said, referring to Ifrit and Sammael, both requiring the lantern from the car to see the way. “(And besides, it’s better to stick together, right?)”

Anubis, who already had feelings with Arnulfe out of his kindness and cheerfulness, felt that this might be the time where he could start a more-or-less private conversation with the Fuzandre. So, he felt Arnulfe’s hand and said, “(Okay. I’ll trust your guidance).”

“(But stay sharp. My echolocation is not perfect. Between the two of us, your ears are much better).”

“(Thanks),” said Anubis with a smile on his canine face. “(You know, I haven’t got time to talk to you. You don’t seem bothered by me. In fact, I think you’re…interested, too. Also, your skin’s smooth and your wings are warm).”

“(Perks of having leathery wings),” said Arnulfe. “(My only problem’s that I can’t grasp things. Do you know how hard it is not having proper hands like Rhynsa’s, or even yours)?”

“(I wish I can see what you look like),” said Anubis. “(I’ve never seen a bat my whole life, let alone a Fuzandre. I don’t have a mental image of you).”

“(I can try describing myself, if you like).”

“(Please. Hearing your voice lifts my mood. Are you always this cheery, Arnulfe)?”

“(Better than the brooder over there),” said Arnulfe while pointing at Rhynsa, who only scoffed as he guided Ifrit and Sammael. “(But I can have quite a short temper if I’m riled up).”

“(Doesn’t look like it).”

“(I’m not riled up that easily, Ani. I’m the happy sunshine my brother needs).”

“(Will you stop that? And I’m not your brother),” said Rhynsa.

Arnulfe could only laugh, followed by Anubis, who was amused by their banter.

Arnulfe and Anubis soon talked about their lives and how they felt when realizing that they found that they were, in a way, different from the others. Anubis talked about his first crush. He was a Jackal around his age who taught him how to handle a sword. He could not see his face, but he could hear his gruff, deep tone. Unfortunately, to Anubis’s disappointment, he wasn’t interested. Arnulfe also talked about his own self-discovery, though he soon revealed that, unlike Anubis, he ‘swings both ways’, as he put it.

At first, the Jackal was not able to muster any courage to tell Arnulfe that he liked him, but as soon as Arnulfe telling him to be true to himself, Anubis shyly acknowledged that he had feelings for everyone, including Ifrit, who politely rejected him earlier, and Rhynsa, who had an aura of authority in his voice that attracted him. Arnulfe’s cheerfulness and sense of humor also made Anubis laugh and felt the burden in his heart getting lighter as he started to move on from his traumatic experiences.

Anubis and Arnulfe’s chat lightened the mood for the rest of the group, with Ifrit and Rhynsa, alongside Sammael, soon joining the conversation once Arnulfe pulled them in, despite of them not wanting to at first. Arnulfe had always had an effect on Rhynsa due to their differing personality. Sometimes, Rhynsa could get annoyed by how straightforward Arnulfe was and how much of a risk-taker he was compared to Rhynsa’s methodical way. He also had quite a boastful personality, often in expense of Rhynsa.

Ifrit listened, laughed at Arnulfe’s jokes about bats and their wings, while also feeling glad that he could distract himself from…himself. He silently gave Anubis the best, hoping that he and Arnulfe could hit it off. Anubis needed it, especially after he had been traumatized by years of torture and abuse, which Ifrit assumed was also sexual in nature. He also assumed that Anubis had a certain insecurity for not being able to see, even if that wasn’t the case. Arnulfe’s cheeriness felt like the only positive of the group’s rather brooding mood, with Rhynsa being a cynical loner, Ifrit having trouble with his darker impulses, and Sammael being a demon loyal to Ifrit. Arnulfe’s presence helped Anubis heal, and by extension, Ifrit.

“(I hope you know Arnulfe’s not like your previous lover, Ani),” thought Ifrit, who preferred to silently listen Arnulfe trying to make Anubis laugh, which succeeded. “(I hope you can hit it off).”

Ifrit reminisced about his first attempt at love, which ended rather sadly when his paranoia and worry got the best of him. He thought she was seducing him to lower his guard. He never even bothered asking her; he just left her. He felt like a jerk ever since then, especially after Sammael told him that she was heartbroken. He also silently admitted that she was attracted to Lilac initially because of her beauty, especially when she transformed for the final time under the full moon. It was a magical night, one where Ifrit and Lilac came forward with their feelings and started to realize that they cared for each other more than just appearances. Too bad Ifrit was also responsible for corrupting her body. Again, this added to the list of regrets the hellhound had.

Thus, he also felt a bit of jealously for Anubis and Arnulfe since both were clearly not demons and could love each other normally, hopefully without any risks. Anubis could finally find someone to protect and heal him. He was hoping for the best, knowing that his Jackal friend desperately needed it.

The sharp pain on his hands turned his attention to them. He became worried once he saw how his hands looked now. The charred area of his hands was still quite visible due to the hellfire burning the fur covering the top of his hands and half of his forearm, exposing the charred skin underneath. No one would notice anything changed since his fur was black, just like his charred skin, but it troubled him. It wasn’t natural like Eshdar’s scale-covered forearms. It looked diseased or damaged, like a burn victim. It added to his now less hellhound-y appearance, starting with his mismatched legs and plus-shaped pupils, something that even he knew was unnatural.

The fact that his body started to change made him concerned if by the end of it, he would end up more demon than hellhound. His darker personality kept telling him to just accept the fact. Maybe he had a point. Denying the fact could only cause him even more anguish, but accepting it wasn’t a great alternative either, because that would mean losing what he once was. He wanted things to stay just like before the bridge incident. He almost wished he never returned to life.

“(Hey),” said his other personality. Ifrit wondered if it was just his conscience talking to him or a separate personality. Either way, he knew he was hearing things, and he started to think that maybe he was losing his mind. He tried to ignore that voice.

“(I know you can hear me. You think it’s that easy to just off yourself? I know you don’t have the guts, Ifrit. Lilac is still a part of your mind, and damn, does it hard to let go of her).”

Ifrit did not answer, so his other personality continued.

“(I keep trying to tell you that it has been three years. She must’ve moved on. Even if she doesn’t, do you think she’ll understand what you did to her? Corrupting her with your demon seed is not a trivial matter, Ifrit. Oh, wait. I guess I was mistaken. You made her unable to move on because of that seed. By corrupting her, you turned her into your slave. Our slave).”

Those words stabbed Ifrit. It may be his demonic side talking to him, but it was still his conscience. Ifrit could try and deny it, but it was a possibility. Lilac’s mind might be influenced that night when they had sex under a full moon.

“(See what I mean?)”

But Ifrit chose to refuse that conclusion. It was an accident. Maybe Albert found a way to remove that influence. So, hoping that was the case, he convinced himself and said, “(No. I believe in her. I believe in Albert. That human must’ve found a way).”

“(Do you think you put a little too much faith for that human? Rather, do you not think that Lilac might’ve been far too gone to be saved)?”

“(She is stronger than that. You and I know that’s the truth).”

“(Oh, boy. That naivete clearly showed how much you really need me. You need to be edgier than a boring hound like you. Be more assertive and dominant for once, will you?!)”

“(You are me. We both have the same memories. It is just a conclusion you made, to represent my Infernal blood. I do not believe that).”

“(Well, suit yourself, then),” said the dark personality. “(But I wonder how long you’ll reject me. Sooner or later, you will find that I am always going to be a part of you, whether you like it or not. Accept me, and you will be whole. Sounds simple enough, no?)”

“(I am not you),” dismissed Ifrit. “(I am not a demon).”

“(Try to grow up, Ifrit. It might save you).”

That ominous, but rather strong, suggestion shook Ifrit. He could still hear his own voice laughing menacingly as it faded. The hellhound couldn’t believe how everything turned inevitably wrong the moment he returned to life. The dark voice in his mind only reminded him of it and he hated it. His personality was unstable, and he hated it. He started to consider avoiding Lilac, knowing that she might judge him too much to the point of hating him.

But Lilac’s judgement could wait. Just as he started pondering about what happened to him, he felt something strange and sickening. Then, he found himself gasping for air as if it was taken from him. He became weak and stopped on his track. Sammael noticed this and said, “(Ifrit, what’s wrong?)”

“(Air…poison),” said Ifrit with a struggle. “(Something’s…in the…).”

At this point, Rhynsa already turned around to see Ifrit slowly brought to his knees. Sammael also sensed something. His head perked up and became alert as he growled, but then the Barghest, like Ifrit, acted just like Ifrit was a moment ago. He started gasping for air and became incapacitated, but unlike Ifrit, the reaction to his body was much more severe. The Barghest’s furless body started to look like they had rashes on it, like an allergic reaction. Then, he coughed out black demonic blood before he fell to the side, suffering a seizure.

Arnulfe and Anubis, who were trailing behind them, stopped their talk and rushed towards Ifrit and Sammael. Anubis could hear them gagging and gasping for air. Something was preventing them to breathe.

“(Poison?!)” Arnulfe said. He looked around. “(Did we trigger something?)”

“(I don’t smell anything out of the ordinary),” said Anubis, sniffing the air. But then, he heard something. “(Wait! There’s someone in the forest!)”

Rhynsa and Arnulfe caught a movement just as Anubis said that. They managed to detect the echo. The person or creature was moving around, apparently trying to confuse them.

“(Ani, stay with them),” said Rhynsa. “(Arnulfe, with me!)”

Anubis stayed and focused his vision to the red demonic aura both Ifrit and Sammael had. He suddenly realized that Sammael’s aura behaved strangely. The aura flickered on and off, and this quickly alerted him.

“(Oh, no),” he said. “(The poison’s killing Sammael!)”

“(How the hell is that possible? Sammael’s a demon, he shouldn’t…oh).” There was a moment of realization where Rhynsa managed to find the answer to the situation. “(It’s not poison. Otherwise, we’ll also be affected. They were doused with a highly concentrated cleansing water. Both Ifrit and Sammael inhaled the vapor and for them, it’s as much of a poison as hydrogen cyanide is to humans and Lycans and sulfuric vapor to us Underworlders).”

“(Hydrogen what?)” said Arnulfe and Anubis at the same time.

“(Industrial chemicals. I’ll explain later).”

Rhynsa did not like doing this, but he had no other choice. While he did not like Ifrit and he clearly had a trouble with Sammael, he did not wish for them to die, especially not after he started warming up to them. Things could get interesting later, and the Fuzandre really hoped the past would really become the past and he could start actually accepting a Schelkz as a friend. He also did not wish for Ifrit to perish before he reunited with Lilac and his friends.

So, he threw his rifle away and raised his hands. “I know you’re there, Sahia Antelberg!” He declared. “We are not your enemies!”

“You walk with demons,” said a female voice. “That alone makes you mine.”

“Do I look like I’m their slave? I am surrendering myself to you, so please, just help them!”

Rhynsa hated begging, simply because his cynical self would laugh at a misfortune before he could consider giving up. But this time it was different. Three years of enduring Arnulfe’s antics, as well as the younger Fuzandre’s optimistic view of line, made Rhynsa convinced that he did not need to do everything alone, or that he was not the know-it-all he thought he was, despite all the experience he accumulated. He did not know how the cleansing water could be removed from their lungs, or even cleaned from their body, but he could at least try and appeal to Sahia before it was too late.

The situation became more concerning when Ifrit started coughing out blood and Sammael’s twitch became slower. Anubis and Arnulfe were also desperate, so Arnulfe raised both of his wings while guiding Anubis to do the same, saying, “We’re not trying to bait you or anything, miss! I have no secrets on me, see?”

“And I’m blind!” declared Anubis, just to try and convince them that they did not mean her harm.

It was clear from Ifrit’s cough and Sammael’s slower twitch that the water vapor was killing them much quicker than they assumed. Rhynsa started to worry that Anubis and Arnulfe were not enough for an appeal, especially if Sahia was too hardened to even care about two demons dying. In fact, if that was the case, she would simply walk to them and end their lives. Fearing this was the case, Rhynsa started talking again. Before he could utter a single word, a light turned on and pointed towards the group’s face. They couldn’t tell who was on the other end of the light, but it was clear that this person, Sahia, was approaching them. Worried that his fears were correct, he slowly approached her, intending to shield Ifrit and Sammael.

“No demon thrall does that, nor will they tolerate a blind person,” said Sahia, in Tragorian. She had a heavy accent, suggesting that Tragorian could be her third language, after Hordo and Dusdolfian.

“Isn’t it a bit premature to trust me?” asked Rhynsa, testing her sincerity. It could be another trap.

“I have watched all of you ever since you entered the forest,” she said. “I was just trying to make sure that they’re demons. You are lucky I don’t just douse you with highly concentrated cleansing water. There won’t even be any trace left of these two.”

“That’s reassuring,” said Rhynsa, sarcastically.

“Why are you trusting and caring these demons? Who are they to you?”

“My mistakes, but at the same time, my salvation. It’s a long story. But more importantly, can you…?”

Before he finished that sentence, Sahia said, “The vapor in their lungs no longer has anti-demonic properties. They are demons, so they will start healing.” Under her breath, she said, “I really hope it’s worth it.”

“Ifrit, maybe, but the Barghest…I don’t know. Sahia Antelberg, I don’t have time for pleasantries. My name is Rhynsa, the other Fuzandre’s Arnulfe, and that black-furred Jackal is Anubis. We are here on behalf of—”

“Save that for later. We are in no danger,” said Sahia. “You should take care of them first. We’ll go to my camp and talk.”

“A little advice. Don’t go around calling yourself the name of a major Dusdolfian mountain. Some of our enemies are bright enough to know how fake that name is.”

“I should, but only if I chose to permanently cut ties with my love and my children. I am unwilling to do both, and my love to him is still as strong as when we first met.”

Rhynsa quickly remembered what Crayle to him about nobility, and the fact that there was a family calling themselves Antelberg.

“Are you telling me that you, a former princess, married to surface world nobility?” concluded Rhynsa. “That’s one hell of a coincidence.”

“Strange how life goes, isn’t it? Come on.”

There was a lot of questions Rhynsa wanted to ask the hellhound, but like she said, it wasn’t a good place for it. Thus, he proceeded to help Ifrit up, who said, “(Get Sam. I…I can…manage).”

His voice was coarse, and he was wheezing like an asthmatic person, clearly caused by the extensive damage to his lungs. Rhynsa knew the remedy and pulled out a flare, giving it to Ifrit, hoping that it would be enough for him and not trigger his darker personality. Ifrit grabbed the flare and put it on his chest. It would normally burn anyone else, but instead, Ifrit was healed by it. His breathing started to normalize, and soon, he was back to his top shape.

With Sahia now as their guide, they continued their travel to her camp, deep in the dark forest.