“...So these are the graves, huh.” The small cloaked girl said in astonishment.

Contrary to her words though, it would be more truthful to say that it was simply a single mass grave. The two cloaked individuals stood closely together as they stared out at the coarse dirt in front of them. From the size of the grave it could be estimated that there were dozens of bodies hidden within, and a sour smell wafted through the air causes the small girl’s face to grimace.

“I beg for your forgiveness, miss Magister. We would have sent someone to the nearby cities to call for help but the roads are too dangerous for defenseless villagers like us. We also cannot take our time to dig graves out for all of them, the smell of blood could easily drag in the dangerous beasts that roam the countryside these days.” Elder Nichols said as sweat dripped off of his face.

Elder Nichols' words were completely truthful, yet that was not enough to dissipate the piercing gazes of the Magisterium agents. Ever since the rift beasts had broken through the disarrayed Knights protecting the frontier, villages far from cities like Wakeford experienced dangers daily. Although the interception of Imperial Forces and the Magisterium has stabilized the border completely there remained many remnants and lone rift beasts wandering the countryside.

There was also a sharp increase in the amount of bandit bands that roamed the countryside, as well as a sharp increase in their danger as well. Refugees from the frontier or broken Knights Knights from the southward turned to banditry for whatever reason.

“Hmm… I see.” The small cloaked girl said plainly as she looked out at the mass grave.

“So these are all of the Knights…” The girl muttered to herself.

Hearing that Elder Nichols quickly bowed his head slightly as he spoke.

“My apologies miss, but this grave is also filled with the bodies of the servants in the estate. It seems they were… Killed as well.” Elder Nichols said with shame in his eyes. He had some empathy for the servants as they suffered underneath the same abuse of the Knights, and it was unknown just how harsh treatment they were dealt with inside of the estate.

The cloaked agents looked towards each other in doubt. Although the Knights strength was relatively weak compared to the first class Knights the Imperial Army had, it was still doubtful that Viran would be able to cut through them all. He was only a boy with no blessing from God nor the Heavens.

“Something seems wrong here. The villagers gave a clear statement about the boy’s personality, and considering that he had no problems with the servants it’s strange he would cut them down as well. There is also him single-handedly killing every Knight present… He couldn’t have done that alone.” The taller cloaked individual spoke to themself in thought. Something was telling the Magisterium agent there was something missing.

The small girl’s eyes blinked as she thought before a small smile grew on her hair. She waved her partner to lend their ear as she whispered.

“There is a rumor going around about him being possessed by a Devil from another plane, maybe it just kicked in now?” She whispered in joy as though she was telling a secret.

“No… Were he possessed by a Devil there is no reason why he would leave the villagers here alive.” The cloaked agent shook their head.

However the small girl, who was technically their superior, nodded her head in joy. Her next words were not meant to be joyous, yet a jubilant glint could be seen in her eyes.

“It would be quite easy to do it ourselves. Then he’d be a true Devil.”

The cloaked agent’s mouth gawked in amazement at the insanity the small girl was spouting. However they couldn’t help but think more about it. The village itself was relatively small and disconnected from the surrounding communities, it would be an easy job for magic users like themselves. There was also profit to be seen from spreading the rumor about the boy’s ‘massacre’, were it known the boy had committed such an act even the criminal underworld beneath the Empire would be hesitant to work with the boy. There were many ways the boy could hide himself in the Empire, yet there were even more ways for the Magisterium to isolate him and finally end the boy.

“Yes… Let’s go with that. It had already been two weeks since the boy left and we don’t even know where the boy went. We’ll need to make sacrifices to make it easier on us due to the lack of resources we have at our disposal.” The cloaked individual affirmed with the little girl.

The duo nodded in affirmation to each other as they both looked directly at Elder Nichols.

“The Elder barely knew anything, and I doubt anyone else would as well. I suppose it’s time to clean up now.”

And with those final words, Wakeford would burn.

Along the side of a dirt trail there walked a man with messy black hair with a long sword strapped to his hip. By his side walked a young man carrying two different rucksacks as he looked around the flora and fauna in amazement as their feet brought them higher uphill.

“Wow…” Viran muttered to himself as he looked through the curving hills and trees in the distance.

Viran and Marcus were currently walking through the countryside with little protection besides the swords on their hips. Although Viran didn’t understand or know much about the roads in the Empire, from the sparse looks he had at the map Marcus held he could tell the strategy Marcus had employed thus far on his own travels. Viran couldn’t count the amount of times they’ve switched roads and routes, as though they were attempting to confuse anyone pursuing them. Viran felt that they weren’t trying to shake off any pursuers working for his Father, but rather pursuers following Marcus.

“We’re almost there…” Marcus muttered to himself as he finally closed the map before hiding it within his coat.

They’ve traveled with mercenaries, sat with traveling merchants, ate with refugees, and even sought the protection of Knights; the very people who would likely hunt Viran and Marcus once Lord Idicium realizes the Wakeford situation.

Viran’s shins felt sore from walking uphill for so long and that pressure was only finally relieved as they finally reached the top of the hill. Looking downward the distance shows sprawling farms and hamlets, all surrounding a single large city situated at the bottom of a great mountain that pierced the heavens. Along the river that swam through the city Viran could see ships filled to the brim with people as they all headed northward away from the frontier, even Viran knew they were refugees attempting to run away from the onslaught of rift beasts.

“How sad.” Viran couldn’t help sighing.

“At least they get a boat. Others aren’t so lucky.” Marcus responded as he urged Viran to look closer at the city in the distance.

Much to Viran’s surprise hundreds of figures were walking slowly as a group away from the city further northward. Besides the people leaving the city it was evident that the creation of slums around the city wall was currently in progress, the numerous tents and hastily made residences made that clear. Heading southward were tens of carts going forward in an orderly fashion, most likely traveling merchants and mercenaries looking to make a fine buck.

“So this is Creaton Falls… Though I don’t see any waterfalls anywhere.” Viran’s head suddenly turned towards Marcus. “Anyways, why are we even here anyways? It’s for a person right?”

“Mhm.” Marcus nodded in acknowledgement, however no emotion shone through his icy coolness that his visage showed. “If you’re ever bothered while following me on my journey, then leave or ignore it. We’re here for only one person. That person is named Drina.”

Viran never showed any bother during Marcus’ words, however he suddenly snapped as he realized something.

“Right Sava did say that!” Viran exclaimed. “Wait, but why did Sava know that?”

“Sava was the niece to the bit-” Marcus stopped suddenly before coughing slightly. “Ahem, to Drina.”

“Oh… So you never meant to save my life? You weren’t at Wakeford because you needed my help?” Viran asked as disappointment flourished in him.

Marcus only stayed silent for a moment before peering at the sun before looking towards the city.

“We better hurry if we want to snag a room at the inn, though even if we did get there before night falls it’s still unlikely.”

Viran suppressed the disappointment that welled up inside of him and instead focused on remembering the swordsmanship Marcus showed back then. The confident, arrogant, and heavy hitting swordsmanship that was pure art in his eyes- such a thing was something that the style-less Viran coveted. His own swordsmanship had no clear style and was merely made as things went on, except even that had its own limits. That much he knew clearly.

Within a few hours Viran and Marcus arrive in Creaton Falls, only for a certain rumor to reach their ears.

“Some old, shabby village down by Count De Met’s territory was reportedly destroyed by the Lord’s son… Seems like the Magisterium is spreading the word and spreading the kid’s face so they can capture him.” A drunkard spoke as he slammed down a mug of beer in a single gulp.

“My buddy in the Magisterium told me a little something more though, apparently they believe the kid’s been possessed by a Devil.” The drunkard continued talking to the shaken crowd.

As the crowd sturred in a frenzy due to the news, none of them knew that the purported young man was in the same inn as them all.

With a grim face Viran wore a heavy cloak over his body as he kept his head low, Marcus on the other hand simply looked as cool as ever as he lightly sipped his drink.

“We… We never did anything like that.” Viran whispered to himself as he rubbed his hands together. The figures of the old man, Elder Nichols, and the village girl all came to mind as Viran thought about their deaths.

“Didn’t know that your Dad wanted to kill you that much.” Marcus replied as he rubbed his mouth. “Having your name spread and rumors circulate would make you confined, and that would only make it much easier to catch you in the end.”

“Y-yeah I know that much!” Viran exclaimed in response before quieting down as he received weird looks from the other tenants in the inn.

Viran hated this feeling of emptiness, a feeling he was all too familiar with. He couldn’t even urge himself to be angry instead since he didn’t know who committed such acts. Viran never got emotionally close with the residents of Wakeford Village, but he knew he owed them so much more than he had ever offered them. To think he was the cause of their deaths as well…

Out of everything though, Viran was unsure just why the Empire was infested so thoroughly in the fear of Devils. Just like back in Verita he was made fun of by the rest of the Noble children as a Devil, and he could tell the servants and Knights always looked at him differently. Even before the Wakeford Village massacre rumors were intensifying about Viran being a Devil because he wasn’t chosen by Craynor, the previous rumors about his evil acts towards Gregory didn’t make things much easier on him either.

“Ry what even are Devils? Why is everyone so afraid of them?” Viran asked the Spirit in his mind.

“I can’t tell you that.” Ry said flatly, diminishing Viran’s hopes entirely.

“But.” Ry started. “I can tell you why the Empire is afraid of the Devils from another plane so much.”

Viran sat up as he listened intently to Ry’s next words. It would be useful knowledge in the future for sure, especially if Devils really were terrible creatures that he may meet in the future!

“It’s all irrational. Devils are usually just made to scare children into eating their vegetables or going to sleep, except in this case even adults are afraid of the Devils.” Ry said in a non-spectacular way.

“Then why is everyone afraid of them so much?” Viran asked as his mind was mired in doubt. He glanced towards the drunkards and inn tenants that still shivered in their boots at the thought of a Devil visiting Creaton Falls tonight. It all made no sense!

“One thing you can take away from this Viran, is that an irrational fear can be much more real than any realistic fear. Although the last Devil that possessed a body in the Empire was centuries ago, stories still circulated and the fear towards the Devils only grew as a result. Although the chances of a Devil possessing one of their children is extremely slim, the irrational fear still drives them much more than anything else. Choking on their beers and dying is a much bigger threat than any Devil at this moment.”

“But don’t get me wrong, boy. An irrational fear to be sure, however that means nothing. As long as it is perceived as real, does it matter if it’s fake?”

Viran nodded lightly in conjecture with Ry’s final words. It was something the boy felt like he would have to mull about to truly understand, but he knew he had gotten the gist of it.

Without warning Marcus stands up as his cup tilts forward and slips over the table. He ignored the angry calls of the waiters and waitresses, and only peered out through the window that showed towards the street.

Viran follows his eyesight, and what meets him is a convoy clad in Knights dressed in fine armors and weapons. Even their horses never seemed out of place amongst the Knights clad in silver and steel, in fact Viran could faintly see that the horses look bigger than the average horse. Even their hoofs were as big as Viran’s face, such a thing astounded the naive young man.

As Viran focused on the horses and the Knights themselves, he never knew the source of Marcus’ attention. Sitting atop the biggest horse, dressed in the finest silver armor Viran had ever seen, and on her back laid a spear almost twice her height. A scarred face was the most distinguishable part of her, it was a shame those very same scarred marred the beauty that was held underneath. Her hair was frighteningly short and had streaks of aged grey running through it, whether or not the grey hair was the result of aging or stress was unknown.

“Drina.”

Viran’s ears perked as Marcus whispered the single word, and again Viran could see an anger bubbling to the surface. A dark and murky anger held within.