The next morning, Xellie and Mattos had a lively discussion about how best to cross the desert to reach the Plains of Illr, and the supplies they would need.

Luckily for the group, Anshara traders made a lot of profit off people needing new supplies to traverse the desert back to their hometowns.

They headed into town, Mattos headed off toward the chapel to restock on holy water to help power his demon-proof barriers that they would need in the desert. Xellie gave money to Ary and sent her into the market to buy food, while Xellie went shopping for a tent and waterskins.

She knew exactly where to go, a quieter part of town, where the streets were lined by towering houses - rather than the overpriced marketplace that preyed on tourists.

Not many people travelled these streets, most of the houses were empty with the exceptions of their maids doing the day’s chores.

It would have been nice to have stayed in Anshara, she thought to herself. The affluent lifestyle, the weather, being able to become a hero fighter defending the city walls - all of these things would have been nice to have kept.

The move away had been sudden and mostly unplanned. One day Niko had announced that they had to leave, although he had said “for a while”, it had been nothing more than to pacify his sister.

With no more than the clothes on their backs, the children had set off into the world, moving between desert towns and sleeping rough until they managed to join a caravan of people headed north across the Demon’s Desert.

Thinking back on it, Niko must have had a reason for his actions. Xellie had always believed he had wanted to move up north to be closer to Grau so they could train together, but if that was the case then they wouldn’t have left in such a hurry, or spent so long sleeping rough.

Perhaps when this whole affair was over, she would move back to her parents’ villa and live in Anshara. Maybe join the demon hunting forces that cleared the desert from time to time, since a peaceful life wasn’t appealing.

She stopped walking and looked up at the cloudless sky wistfully. All this of course was assuming she survived to return.

She heard the crunch of footsteps in the sandy street behind her. Without turning to face whoever was following her, she gripped her sword. She realised she had made a huge mistake separating from Mattos in light of the previous day’s events.

“Looking for me?” She asked, her voice confidently hiding the fact that she didn’t want to turn to face who she suspected was behind her.

“Yeah.”

“Tane.”

She hesitantly turned to face him, hand still gripping her undrawn sword. Tane cut a smug figure and stood with his arms folded across his chest. There was no telling what Tane might do, or even be capable of. To Xellie’s knowledge, he had been studying sorcery years ago - and the problem with sorcerers was that they just invented their own spells and tricks.

Tane had never been the most physically capable person though, which meant she could probably put some distance between them and meet up with Mattos.

Not waiting for Tane to make any moves, she took off and sprinted down the street, weaving in and out of the alleyways between houses and out into the crowded marketplace. She looked around, spotting Tane in pursuit behind her.

Xellie didn’t waste any time, she dived into the crowds, which didn’t react. Fights and chases weren’t uncommon in Anshara, also home to various clans and gangs. For the most part, the citizens knew better than to get involved.

She stopped for a moment, trying to peer between the throngs of people. Tane was heading straight for her, apparently not having a problem finding her in the crowd.

Xellie began to run again, with a renewed sense of urgency. She barged through lines of people and ran northwards through the city. She knew she couldn’t run forever and would have to fight Tane at some point - so her plan was to reach her villa where Mattos would hopefully arrive soon and be able to intervene.

Tane was proving extremely difficult to shake off. Upon reaching the villa, Xellie ran around the back and through the tall gate, slammed it shut and bolted it behind her. She stopped for a moment to catch her breath, eyeing the gate warily.

Sure enough, the gate exploded. She covered her face with her arm to protect it from flying splinters.

“Are you done running?”

Tane was so condescending!

“I just didn’t want anyone getting caught in our crossfire,” Xellie replied with a huff.

“There was no need to worry about that.” Tane flicked his hand in Xellie’s direction. She felt a blunt force hitting her in the stomach, pushing her to the ground. Realising she couldn’t get up, she looked down, her thighs and hands were stuck to the ground by a stringy, sticky substance.

“Oh very good.” She said dryly, looking up at Tane. “Now release me so I can give some applause for catching me.”

Tane snorted a laugh in response and knelt down next to her, brushing her hair away from her face.

“You’re so angry!”

“What are you planning to do with me anyway? You can’t keep me stuck here forever.” Xellie asked, trying to sound indifferent to her situation. Tane loved taunting people, she couldn’t give him any satisfaction.

“Aaaactually, I could,” Tane said with a grin. “But no, I have to take you to the big guy.”

“Do you even know what he wants to do?” she asked flatly.

“It’s for your own good really.” Tane lifted her chin with his finger, cocking his head to one side. “Everyone knows you’re a soft touch really. You might be the little sister of a state-sponsored assassin, but you really don’t want to become one of those death seekers that lust for chaos and blood. It must be so uncomfortable for you to be drawn to that... that’s not you.”

“Thanks for the concern.” Xellie pulled her head away from Tane’s hand. “But I doubt your boss gives a damn about that.”

“He’s not all that bad...”

“He’s a freaking demon lord! He exists to be bad!” she spluttered.

Tane shook his head in denial before launching into an angry tirade.

“What would you even know? Niko and that stupid mother of yours fill your head with all kinds of nonsense. He reached out when nobody else could help!”

“He’s using you!”

“No!” Tane stepped back, stamping his foot angrily to each point he made. “HE resurrected Deena! HE is going to put an end to this nonsense so you don’t suffer! Why can’t you see that?”

If she had been able to move her hands, Xellie would have buried her face in them. Instead, she settled for screwing up her face in disdain.

“Tane... I.... don’t....” Finding herself grasping for the right words, Xellie looked at Tane with a pained expression. “Please listen to me. You must listen to me.”

“No! You don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“Oh yeah? Well, I know what Deena is like. And that mage that attacked me? Was a sorry pathetic shadow of what she once was. I don’t think she even has control over what she’s doing...”

“Don’t speak about her like that!” Tane screamed, hurling a fireball at the ground next to Xellie.

Xellie winced at the heat as the fireball dissipated into the ground.

“She would never work for a demon! TANE GET A GRIP! THIS IS INSANE!”

Tane stood up tall and brushed himself off, regaining his composure.

“You’re so far gone, you’ll say anything to get out of this.”

“Well excuse me if I don’t want to be used for some messed up demon breeding project.”

For a brief moment, Tane looked concerned.

“I don’t think that’s the goal here. We’ve talked a lot about it, you will not like what you’re going to become.”

“Demon Lords aren’t benevolent,” Xellie told Tane in an exasperated tone. “He’s just telling you what you want to hear to make you work for him.”

“He will offer you a choice, even if I have to drag you kicking and screaming before him.”

“It’s not happening! You might have pulled Deena’s soul into his clutches to be puppeteered forever, but I won’t do it Tane! I won’t do it!”

“Shut up!” Tane snapped.

Tane’s emotional state meant he had stopped paying attention to the spell that was restraining Xellie. With a little effort, she was able to free her hands. She jumped up and tried to tackle Tane to the ground, who stepped aside.

Tane took aim with his hand, and a string of the sticky stuff from before shot out. Xellie held up her arm to block it, the stringy substance wrapping itself around her arm. Tane held on to the end with both hands, pulling on it.

Xellie pulled back, knowing she was stronger than Tane and could overpower him if she could get close enough.

Tane let go of the sticky rope, Xellie fell backwards onto the floor, cursing under her breath.

One more Tane shot at her with the magical webbing, this time binding her feet together.

She grabbed her sword and started cutting at the web, with very little success.

“I could just wrap you up like a mummy.” Tane laughed, tracing a circle in the air with his finger, opening a portal to what looked like the interior of a dark and ruined castle. “You should have learned magic.”

“It’s really not my thing,” Xellie answered, glancing over at the portal whilst sawing through the webbing, thinking what to say next to keep him distracted. “You’re stronger now though? Training or did you sell your soul?”

“A little of both.” Tane casually waved his hand through the air, throwing more webbing at Xellie, this time it landed on her hands, binding them together and sending her sword flying across the yard.

Tane rubbed his hands together enjoying his victory, then walked over to Xellie and grabbed her by the arm.

“I am NOT going in there!” Xellie rammed her elbow into Tane’s ribs as he tried to pull her toward the portal. Tane stepped away rubbing his side after the attack, Xellie responded by barging into him with her shoulder, falling to the ground.

“I have had it with your crap,” Tane said, pinning her to the ground. “You are coming.”

Xellie looked over toward the portal, seeing the blackness seep out of it filled her with dread and nausea.

“Get a grip. It’s just demon energy messing with you....”

Tane grabbed Xellie by the feet and started to pull her along her back toward the portal. With each step, she started to find it harder and harder to breathe.

An idea crossed her mind.

“DEENA! NO!” She screamed.

Tane dropped her feet and turned around to see what this was about. Xellie took the chance to roll as far from the portal as she could.

“You really going to make me shut you up? I? Can think of plenty of ways.” Tane grumbled, grabbing the front of her tunic and lifting her to her knees.

“What in the hell is going on here?” Mattos stood at the gate, silver sword drawn. “Get off her.”

Xellie headbutted Tane in the nose and shook off the webbing as Tane clutched at his face.

“I have it under control!” she exclaimed, getting to her feet.

“Sure looks like it.” Mattos ran to her side and pointed his sword at Tane. “I don’t know who you are but get out of here before I slice you up.”

Still holding his bloodied nose, Tane gave a small wave.

“I’ll bring backup next time.” he sneered, walking through the portal and vanishing.

“Your friend I take it?” Mattos asked as he returned his sword to its sheath.

“Yeah...”

“Guess if he’s bringing backup next time, we’ll just have to be your backup to make it fair.”

She didn’t want to admit it, but hearing that from Mattos was a relief. Her battered pride was saved by not having to ask to be accompanied at all times!