Elincia's Point of View

Nearing the Eastern Continent

“Priestess?” Kheri said in a questioning manner as Arthur shot off.

“The port on the coast is under attack.” I explained, and she quickly spread her wings. “No.” She turned to me, surprised. “Should this be a distraction, I want you here with me.” Then I faintly motioned to the approaching Dwarf. “I also need help keeping the Queen calm.”

“Why did your Knight fly off?” Ventari inquired.

With a small frown, I answered. “There is no point lying to you. My magic sensed that the coastal city in the distance is under assault. Everything is in flames.” Her eyes widened at that as her fingers tightened into clenched fists. “Arthur should be able to get the situation under control.”

She glared at me. “Then why aren’t you helping him?” Her tone was rather cold.

Kheri gestured to me and quickly answered. “Should the enemy target us, the Priestess’s magic will be needed. This is an airship, your majesty.” My General explained. “Its defensive capabilities are limited against a larger assault.”

Raising my hands in a calming manner, I spoke evenly. “Sir Arthur will be enough.”

“How long until we reach the shoreline!?” The Queen shouted across the deck to Captain Allen Harlow.

He looked at me, and I gave a nod. “We should reach land within the hour!”

Walking off in a huff, the Queen moved back to the front, where she fidgeted in place. “I feel horrible.” Kheri whispered.

“Be prepared to restrain the Queen.” I whispered back.

“You think we might be turning around?” Kheri asked.

I nodded. “I think it is a very real possibility.”

She frowned. “Going into a war with a single airship isn’t exactly the best plan in the world.” Then she quirked a brow and looked at me. “What are you going to do if Arthur refuses to leave? Don’t he and the Dwarven Queen have some manner of deal?”

Typhon slowly made his way over to us in clean clothes. “Where is Arthur?” He inquired.

“Until we know the situation, I want you to stay below deck, Typhon.” I told him, and he looked at me confused. “Something has happened, and I know not if the situation is safe. Do as I say and return to your quarters.”

“I can help!” He replied earnestly.

“If you wish to help, seek to help down below.” The boy didn’t move. “Now, Typhon.” Turning from me, he did as I instructed, and I shifted my attention back to Kheri. “Hopefully, Arthur will be as reasonable as his student.”

Kheri gave me a skeptical look in response. “Do you really think he will be?”

I sighed. “No. No, I do not.”

We slowly made our approach to the city. The flames had died out, and whatever smoke there had been had dissipated. Water appeared to be soaking the buildings, streets, and even the people as Arthur stood in the town square with a few hundred dwarves. Black cloaked bodies lay scattered around the area as a haze from steam was still settling.

Giving the Captain a short signal, I took Ventari and Kheri down to the city below. “Hold here.”

“It’s the Queen!”

“Look!”

“Your majesty!”

“Thank the gods!”

Many of the Dwarves cried out for their Queen. When we landed, many surrounded her. Arthur watched from afar as he kept his gaze near the dead bodies. Kheri and I moved over to him. He noticed us but gave no greeting as he looked more focused than anything.

“What happened?” I inquired.

He gestured to the cloaked figures. “Look familiar?”

“So, the Demons are behind this then?”

“I tried to make a few of them talk, but most wanted their masks to cave in their skulls instead.” Arthur stated. “These are definitely from the Demon Horde, though. The attire and their hesitance to fight me prove that.”

“At least you saved the city.” Kheri offered.

Arthur became quiet at that. “What is wrong?” I pressed further.

A sigh escaped his lips. “They took the children and transported them somewhere else.” He then shook his head. “Given who was behind it, I have no way to track them.”

He then gestured over to all the Dwarves who were practically begging their Queen for help. “All of them?” Kheri whispered in shock.

“Demons like taking kids. For what purpose, I don’t rightly know, but given how we keep running into a mixed bag of races, it’s safe to say that they eventually turn on us.”

“Why can you not track them?” I inquired.

“Because it was a Demon of shadows. That means it was likely Tor. He portals in and out similar to how I do.” Arthur then shrugged. “He’s likely the one responsible for how the Demons came to be here at all.”

“Well, what do we do now, Priestess?” Kheri asked me.

I looked at Arthur. “Have you been able to gain any information on the Capital or the state of the Kingdom as a whole?”

He shook his head. “They were caught off guard, and it’s not like this is an overly large force. Two Ghouls were included that would be enough to dissuade any fighters from acting rashly.” Then he gestured to several dead Dwarves decorating the roads and debris. “It didn’t stop all of them, though. As such, there was no information to be had here. That is, except for what we are able to decipher on our own.”