Gran and Helsing slowed their run into a steady walk. The duo saw it a few feet away, a beautiful city not decorated in gold or silver or marble, but it was regally built to withstand the test of time. They dared to continue down the road to greet the mysterious city.

As they entered through the open gates Helsing realized what made the city beautiful. It was the architecture, simple and complex designs that treated the eye. The two were strolling around trying to take in all the sights, even if it meant bumping into a few people.

The people were of all kinds of races, most looked like students or scholars in their robes of different colors possibly to signify rank. They paraded around with books in their arms or writing on scrolls or some strange artifacts. Scholars weren’t the only ones crawling through the streets, there were merchants and business owners busily working in their stations and markets. As well as crows, and other corvid birds that hung around the city’s buildings and lamp posts.

The blacksmith and his Gran turned their heads to see a large magnificent building constructed of marble. Columns supporting the roof, gothic features weaving through the finer points of the building, and a beautiful fountain of a crow with a lantern in its beak that poured out water. Helsing’s very soul begged to go inside to see. To know what laid behind those doors, but a familiar voice froze him like the fountain statue.

“ Ah ye made it after all,” said Allen suddenly behind them.

“ Are you alright? Are they-”

“ They’re fine, blacksmith. I didn’t kill em. We should take a break here.”

The three exhausted travelers plopped on the marble rim of the fountain without argument, taking their time to eat some food, tending to their equipment and resting their aching feet.

“ Will we get in trouble for this?” Helsing questioned through his mouthfuls of bread and cheese.

“ Nah this is a safe space for travelers. Travelers come by with stories and artifacts that can be used here. At least that’s what I heard from pirates back in the day,” Gran responded as she cleaned her boots off.

“ Plus we’re waitin’ on an escort. While travelers are welcome here, Crow's grounds are sacred to them. Only the worthy are even allowed to enter. I normally wouldn’t care, but we need them as allies for the war.”

“ Shouldn’t they already be prepared? Ya know their kingdom is blessed by the god of knowledge himself,” Gran huffed as she scraped a stubborn piece of muk off.

Personally, I don’t see how they’d be useful in a fight…I haven’t seen a single guard stationed here, Helsing thought between bites.

“ Vita’s first move in her conquest plan was to isolate Crow. So she placed a curse on his mountain to keep him in and everyone else out,” Allen replied. An elf approached them, his long navy robe accented with white designs that flowed around his figure. His long chestnut hair was pulled away from his face by a ponytail. His eyes and energy seemed to be dulled by fatigue.

“ Lord of Nightmares, always good to see you,” the elf stated with a small bow. Allen stood up, and nodded.

“ Too thirsty to sleep, Malikai?”

“ The thirst for knowledge is never quenched. I can assume why you’re here..and I advise against it. You’re putting us in a very difficult position, my Lord. The spell is still active, and the angels are starting to leave us be. There’s still a small group here…please do us a favor and leave.”

“ We’ve traveled from the lands of Pestis to make it here. We’re going to see Crow,” Gran scowled with a huff.

“ Please, I beg of you, leave. We value our freedom, and we’re so close to getting it..just-”

“ Ye think you’ll be free by playin’ the middle ground'? Ye’ll just get pushed around until yah stand firm on a side, and I advise ye pick wisely,” Allen was in the scholar's face with that intimidating gaze that made anyone want to shrivel up back into their mother’s womb.

“ L-look-” Malikai’s voice squeaked. The elf coughed to cover it up, “ Look…we follow Crow wherever he may lead…but we can’t openly join your side…not with the spies around anyway,” He lowered his voice to a whisper.

“ How about I do it by force?” The nightmare Lord unsheathed his sword and gently pressed it against the scholar’s stomach.

“ Th-that’ll do,” Malikai led the way as Allen kept him at sword point. Helsing and Gran followed close behind, keeping an eye out for any followers.

Toward the outskirts of the peaceful city. There was a magnificent arch made of stone with various names carved into the stone. Beyond the arch there was a faint outline of a forest, but it was mostly blanketed in mist. Allen unsheathed his sword, but didn’t enter.

“ Allen?” Helsing questioned as he stared at the arch.

“ Flee, scholar,” he commanded, and Malikai dashed back to the city. The group turned around seeing a small flock of angels with owl-like wings armed with axe lances and armor that reflected their sunset surroundings. Norah and Gabriella were leading the charge with scowling faces.

Gran summoned a war hammer from the earth that was made of stone with glowing crystals jutting out from the hammer part.

Helsing unsheathed their weapons and swiftly used a small fire in his hands to ignite his sword. The two groups stood at a standstill on the pathway to arch that led into the misty forest. Each side waiting for the other to so much as breathe the wrong way.

Gabriella broke the standstill. She charged toward Allen, her dagger sizzling with malice.

“ Capture the Black Beast!” Gabriella ordered as the others followed Gabriella’s lead. Allen took the form of a humanoid wolf with two sets of black tentacles on each side of his body. His rapiers shifted with him into metal tusks that looked like blades of an axe that jutted out of the corners of his mouth. Allen tried to claw and bite the angel but she dodged every single one.

Helsing began slashing his fiery sword at the angels swarming toward Allen. Deep inside he could feel Hex claw at his soul roaring to come out, but Helsing focused on suppressing the feeling even though the dodgy and ambushing tactics of the angels were starting to get on his nerves.