The bitter cold of night gnawed at D as he drug himself through the forest, and exhaustion set in. Carrying an unconscious child didn’t make things any better.

She certainly works hard to earn her nickname though…

Bloodstained clothes, driving herself to extreme dehydration, and everyone around her having suffered terrible wounds. Is she actually an omen of misfortune? And if so, why would Almalexia have been so interested in saving her life?

D glanced back over his shoulder, observing the silent forest. After that last bout, he was damn sure that monster would have come to chase them down. He also wanted to find some water to give to Diane, but his canteen was empty, and he didn’t know the area well enough to even dare to find a stream. Getting back to the city alive was all that mattered.

Is she still toying with us?

The thought plagued him, as thankful as he was that he hadn’t seen a hint of that nightmare since she bombed the whole damn area.

D grimaced, trying to bury the all-but-certain knowledge that if she, or really any other demons chased after them, there would be nothing more he could do. They would die with barely another whimper.

*kra-koooooom*

A sound almost-like thunder reverberated again in the distance. D’s eyes darted around once more, on edge. Perhaps… are they fighting each other?

That nightmare tore apart the Bauther the moment she arrived… so it wouldn’t be that unimaginable.

“No… seriously?!” He muttered in honest surprise. It was actually obvious, when he really thought about it. He was supposed to help find the other Demon Lord around here, and to drive it out when the rest of the Empire’s knights arrived. And he owed his life to infighting between two Demon Lords.

A sudden cold shudder ran through D’s spine, causing his hair to stand on end all over again.

Whirling around to each direction, he couldn’t see a damn thing. He just felt… something was watching him. A cold, malevolent wind howled from the north, laden with the scent of death. It was a different something. It almost feels like that storm…!

If that monster got hold of them… death would be the least of their worries. At least the adrenaline boost helped pump him along faster, as he tore recklessly through thorny brush and vine.

Everyone knew the northern wilds were harsh and unforgiving. But this went far beyond anything most anyone had imagined.

A loud commotion and heated shouting greeted D’s ears as he finally neared Njord’s gates.

His hope to finally catch a break was roundly dashed as he scraped himself out of the wood line, beaten and battered, and covered from head to toe in scrapes, bruises, thorns and forest clutter. His catatonic charge looked much the same, if not slightly worse for wear.

The guard squads for day and night shift were angrily staring each other down and jeering at each other, with their respective captains practically at each other’s throats. Captain Ross’s nostrils flared and his temple’s throbbed under his straw hair, while his hand never strayed from the hilt of his sheathed sword.

Captain Brunhilde’s veins appeared ready to leap from her neck, her eyes stretched wide with righteous indignation! She wasn’t even slightly inclined to be intimidated by Ross’s formidable height and stature, and was all too willing to match his hostility, keeping her hand tightly wrapped around the hilt of her sword.

Ever the professional, it looked almost like a platoon of disciplined soldiers were having a showdown with a band of brigands led by a Knight.

D’s timely arrival just so happened to bring the tension to a near boil.

“You there! You are in violation of the emergency city ordinance issued under the Authority of Baron Halfgaar and the city Council, and illegal exit during a quarantine! Surrender yourself for arrest at once!” Captain immediately turned to apprehend D, his mail armor clinking with each step.

Brunhilde jumped to intercept him. “This is another attempted abuse of Authority! We need information on what just happened out there! You think we can just overlook fighting of that magnitude so close to our city walls?!”

“And any issues shall be addressed by decision of the council! The order must be respected, and you will be held accountable for the risks you already let through!” Ross snarled back, drawing his sword.

He was joined by a chorus of blades, prompting Brunhilde and her retinue to respond in kind, whisking out their blades and the rear archers readied their bows.

“Calm down, calm down! This is no time to be fighting amongst ourselves!” D haggardly tried to reduce the palpable tension. His intervention earned him a spiteful glare from Captain Ross.

“We barely escaped from a squad of demons with our lives, and we would all be fools if we didn’t want to prepare against their threat! The city is in danger!” D continued, reluctant to use his last trump card.

“Demons? Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, knows that they are stuck in Ebenheim! What other pathetic excuse will you try? How do we know you weren’t actually infected out there, and are just trying to cover it up?” Ross shot back accusatorily.

“Because… I am here under the authority of the King and the Church, and in good conduct with their mission to investigate the now confirmed presence of demons here!” D pulled out a letter from his coat, marked by the royal seal.

Ross’s spite twisted into open hate the moment D pulled out the seal. “Tell that to the jailors! You have just added falsifying royal documents to your crimes! You are under arrest!”

He tried to blow past Brunhilde to get to D and Diane, however she held firm as a boulder. Before another word could be shouted, though, they were all interrupted by a series of shrieks from within the ranks of their respective troops, followed immediately by sheer chaos.

“DEFEND YOURSELVES!”

“TRAITORS!”

“MURDERERS!”

“Hurry, get your report to the Chief!” Brunhilde shouted to D, blocking a series of blows from Ross, as he started spitting out curses towards her. She danced carefully around Captain Ross, keeping her back towards D as he nodded, then quickly skirted around the fighting, watching carefully for stray arrows or magic bolts.

Running behind the shield-wall of Brunhilde’s guards made for a much safer route around the chaos, although the clear lines between the groups were rapidly falling apart. He leapt over a fallen soldier, a large arrow piercing his shoulder, before sprinting once more into the town.

He passed a quick glance back in concern to check on Brunhilde, and to his trained eye something felt… odd? Guards were getting hurt all over, yet… where was the body he just leapt over?

“Hey, don’t just stand there! Keep moving, dumbass!” He’d leapt back a step, taken completely by surprise. Just what the hell was he doing here?