Ardent Exorcist

by Cvicel

Althea (a medicine student or perhaps a spy) enrolls into the True Cross Academy where she finds new friends and turns Mephisto's carefully-planned world upside down. ***Rated M because it contains some mature content, but the focus is on my own story - characters, relationships and fights. The story does have an ending and you have much to look forward to.***

28. Be very wary, she becomes legendary

Chapter 28 - Be very wary, she becomes legendary

"So, the imp merchant spoke the truth after all - there really is a town behind those blasted mountains. Thank God, 'cause I don't know how long we would have lasted in that freezing weather, Mr. Wooly… " Thea admitted silently to her plush companion. It was already late evening when she had arrived in the lively, exotic-looking town. After her four-day mountain hike, her feet could only carry her as far as to the nearest inn. And although she was exhausted and her cold reached its peak, she couldn't help but feel uncharacteristically content and excited. Those emotions, almost foreign to her after months spent in Gehenna, brought a smile to her lips. The wind carried surprisingly pleasant smells and enthusiastic chatter from the streets.

She leaned over the bar table, inspecting the exotic goods again. She had already gobbled down some grilled meat on a stick. Now was time for a dessert. "That one." with a bit too much enthusiasm, she pointed at a small cookie on the counter which looked like a flower. It would probably still taste like ashes, but hey, food in Gehenna was supposed to be more of a feast for the eyes. The imp bartender inclined his head and set it in front of her on a tray with a broad smile, then rushed to prepare Thea something to drink. It felt almost normal. "Yeah, toootally normal… Like from a travel agency prospect - exploring the natural treasures of Gehenna on an adventure hiking trip, then chilling at a charming local inn in an exotic demon village…" Thea shook her head at the ridiculous situation she had somehow got herself into.

But she had reached her next stop, at last! And it only took her one unfortunate 'toll-collecting' encounter in a settlement of Lizard demons and a good hike through snowy mountains topped by an avalanche till she finally crossed through and arrived at her destination. "The Merchant Mountain Town, huh?" she leaned on her hand, taking in her surroundings. The place was much bigger and had a far more orderly appearance than the Lizard settlement. Plenty of shady characters hiding behind veiled cowls there too, so it was not suspicious at all to wear her cape to hide the Executioner tattoo. She had also put some dirt on to mask it. She wasn't sure how effective it was, though it had worked for her in the Lizard settlement.

The fact that the housing didn't consist of a bunch of huge bones, hides and pelts clumped together might have contributed to the overall civil impression. The streets were buzzing with activity of hundreds, perhaps even thousands of citizens and visitors. Among the overwhelming variety of demons, she recognized mostly imps and those praying mantis demons who - as she learned - usually guarded the merchandise. The rest of them were completely unknown demon kinds to her. Caravans and coaches were positioned on every corner of the village, ready to head off with the most exotic goods – from foods and fabrics to weapons, crystals and things she couldn't even name or guess their purpose. Well, she would make sure to look around the place and learn more the next day.

She would resupply and listen to rumors, gather some intel from the townspeople. Demons. Sending another message to Mephisto was also on her to-do list, as well as trying to erase the remaining nineteen symbols of her Blood oath. Yes, she had made huge progress on the curse, and it was getting easier and easier to get rid of it - though not easy by far. With rest and some quiet, she was sure she could work much faster on it. The abundant mix of auras concentrated in one place would help her mask the tiny bits of the energy she would use to channel her healing waves.

For now, she just wanted a few hours for herself. Just to catch her breath and recover from her cold, which should be easy now that she did not need every speck of her power to just keep herself warm. And all the running, hiding, and fighting, of course, took their tax on her. Just to taste some of the interesting meals and drinks instead of her usual serving of random catches from Gehenna's wilderness (although her 'snake' steaks or 'goatelope' stew weren't shabby at all). Just to sleep under a roof on something soft instead of a cave or a ravine, worrying about some demon lurking in the dark or some crazy weather anomaly on the way. And fortunately, the town had many places where she could do just that. For the right price, of course. Still, after a long time, she had finally felt quite content.

Her musings were interrupted when the bartender came back with her tea. Even though she knew that what awaited her was an ashy-tasting beverage, she couldn't help but melt into that peach-like scent. Surprisingly, the taste wasn't all that bad either. "I wish you were here, Mephisto. The atmosphere is rather nice. I would count it as a date night…" she leaned on her hand dreamily. The night soon got cold, though, making the sneezing and shivers worse, so she decided to go to sleep early. "Well, let's go, Mr. Wooly." Thea tilted her head down where her plush companion was resting in the safety of her rucksack's side pocket. "Tonight, we are finally sleeping on a real bed. How very kind of Abaddon to treat us." she winked at him mischievously, then fished out a small ring she had obtained from the duke's caravan and handed it to the bartender, not forgetting to scowl at him threateningly, as good manners demanded.

OoO

"And where are you off to, now?" Ramil furrowed his eyebrows in thought. He has been following the human since early morning when she had left the inn. She looked much stronger and healthier now. The sneezing and coughing were still there, but much less of it. He couldn't help but rack his brain over the peculiar behavior - even Khan, with his flawless sense of smell didn't pick up any strange scent which could upset one's nose that much. Maybe it was something only humans could smell? Ramil scratched his horn while the girl stopped at a herbalist's store with her eyes practically sparkling. He covered his face with one hand and shook his head. "Satan's Flame's, girl, you just don't walk into a store with your heart on display like that. I swear they're going to rip you off…" a sigh escaped his lips.

The girl was obviously trying really hard to fit in and behave inconspicuously, but even among the various demon kinds from multiple realms, she still somehow stood out. At first, Ramil had a good time watching the perplexed expressions of merchants as they tried to figure her out and decide on the right selling strategy. They had trouble judging even the most basic traits, like whether she was a wealthy or a poor customer. She looked as pale and frail as if she had escaped from the Fields of Famine. Ramil made a mental note to increase her daily intake should they ever be fortunate enough and capture her. Her shoes were barely holding together, her shirt worn-out, her trousers loose and hastily sewn together. Her sack carried the unmistakable smell of dried locusts and amaranth root - both foods of the very lowest of classes. It really looked like she was carrying all of her possessions in that one dirty sack full of tiny holes from where the acid rain had pierced it. None of the merchants would ever consider her a serious buyer, had it not been for the nice and bright white silk cloak. Heh, if only they knew! The contrast was simply confusing. And then there was her demeanor - scarce on the usual abundant negotiation back and forth, yet unexpectedly cheerful and superior at the same time. He suspected the first was the human's own nature while the second an attempt at imitating the Poison-maker.

Ramil started to worry that the human might attract too much unwanted attention without even realizing it. It's been some time since he had cringed so much over the behavior of someone else than Khan. "Don't grin that much, they'll think you are scamming them, getting the better end of the deal." Ramil frowned. The human was darting from one tent to another with an attention span of a coal tar. And the amount of expressions she showed was simply overwhelming. Absolutely no demon grinned that much. It wasn't even a grin or a smirk, it looked way too… open? He couldn't quite put a name to it, but it sure was creeping out some of the demons. "Stop gawking. It's rude to stare at a demon's familiar like that." Ramil's head was shaking in disapproval when he saw the girl ogling the falcon sitting on the shoulder of one imp. Familiars were not the only ones she was eying inappropriately. In fact, she was showing interest in the most basic of trinkets and tools. She even traded some of them - a set of playing cards and notebooks with some writing tools among the rest of her peculiar purchases. She also managed to offend some of the merchants by offering a way too low price during bargaining while vastly overpaying the others.

"No, no, no. Don't touch those enchanted gems!" the brutish demon thought in dismay when he saw the girl reaching for the displayed gemstones. He had to 'bump into' a crate to create a little diversion. It fell to the ground with a loud crack, and fortunately, startled the human enough to keep her hands to herself. Ramil's stomach practically twisted at the sight. Had she succeeded, she would have absorbed the energy from the stones. Such an act amounted to stealing the merchant's property, and the last thing they needed was alerting the town's guards. It wasn't long before the enchantress came to delicately handle the situation and defend her merchandise. The girl left with a few empty gems to fill and yet another of those silly grins on her face, then decided to explore another part of the city. "Oh my, that's the Cloud district. I'd better stay close. With that appearance, they're bound to rebuke her at some point… The aristocracy wouldn't stand for having such a company in their presence."

Just as she entered the area, an arrogant demon of brownish skin snickered at her. "Do you get to the Cloud district very often?" he arched an eyebrow, causing a good deal of confusion in the girl. "Oh, what am I saying? Of course you don't." he smirked haughtily. The human looked perplexed and merely gave him another of those insane grins of hers and ignored him, not understanding a word he said. The gesture seemed to creep the demon out, so he was soon on his way, minding his own business. Ramil hastened behind the girl who has just entered the most expensive and prominent shoemaker's and tailor's shop in the town. The brutish demon knew he wouldn't pass for a customer, so he retreated to a secure position up one of the buildings and pulled out his spyglass to monitor the situation from afar. He was sure they would throw her out soon enough. But his eyebrows kept rising in disbelief as he was observing the events in the shop.

The human was greeted by perplexed looks of the shopkeepers and their customers. She didn't belong at first sight, of course, she was the only shopper without an attendant or two. Their reactions varied but since the sheer amusement and intrigue won over offense, an unspoken agreement was made in an instant to see the daring visit through. He could see the servants swarm around the girl, offering subtly mocking bows as they welcomed the 'esteemed demoness' in their shop, ready to tend to her 'each and every wish'. Yes, Ramil's lip-reading was still close to flawless, so he caught even those deceiving pleasantries. Some thought she was clearly out of her league, some that she was a mere servant to deliver a message or browse on behalf of her master. To be beaten for insolence if the first was true or to be shown some goods if the second was true. Either way, she did not merit their graces. They didn't even offer to take off her cloak and any baggage, so that she could shop in comfort.

Without giving her time to look at the goods properly, they lead her straight to a special section, showing off 'their best, exclusive goods' and 'the latest imports from lady Iblis' realm'. All lies, designed to mock her. Like she would know the difference - they were shoes to be repaired or finished, in fact, Ramil could tell by the lack of embroidery and gems. Anger boiled inside his veins and a malicious grin appeared on his face. "Satan's Flames, you haughty aristocracy wanna-bes with Cyclops' shit for brains. Her coat alone is worth more than all the goods this city sees in a span of a hundred years. That girl could obliterate you all from the face of Gehenna by a mere look… if only she knew… Picking on her like a flock of harpies, looking down on her, tsk…" Ramil clicked his tongue. After all, she wasn't just some random demon on the street to be picked on, she was their human. In that instant, Ramil's breath got caught in his throat and his eyes widened in disbelief. Did he just think of the human as 'their'?! Before he could process the realization any further, the movement in the shop caught his attention. One of the shop assistants brought in a set of customary refreshments and drinks, then 'slipped' and dropped the tray, sending the contents splashing straight towards the girl.

To everyone's astonishment, the girl moved to the side with an elegant swiftness and caught the falling servant's arm to steady him. Everyone gasped. As if the dodge wasn't impressive enough, she aided a servant! Ramil could see the human's annoyed expression and lip-read her "Tsk, useless." comment. "You waste my time…" she said when looking at the shoes with a deep frown. Then, she reached into her cloak pocket and pulled out a ring with a red diamond the size of his thumb. "I say, I want good clothes. Do not make me repeat myself." she held it in front of the shop owner. She was standing tall with an air of command around her, piercing him with her bright orange eyes. The company around her gaped - diamonds were mostly used by aristocracy from a marquise up, dukes mostly. A red diamond, now that was a not so small fortune right there.

Having done their quick social ladder check, the customers and shop workers bowed to the esteemed customer - truly, this time - offering deepest apologies, then they scurried away. In the meantime, the shop owner with his servants led her straight to the tailoring section to take her measures, offering apologies and bows along the way. "Satan's mercy be upon me… She knew! She played them, pulled out a bloody crimson diamond on them. And she did it so casually, too… No bargaining, no servant of her own bringing the ring in a locked and warded treasure box… She just pulled it straight out of her pocket as if it was a chip of jasper…" Ramil kept shaking his head in disbelief while grinning like a damned fool.

The whole shop was up and about, tending to her, working as quickly as demonically possible. They kept bringing her fine refreshments, too, and kept apologizing for whatever was upsetting her sensitive nose, since the girl was sneezing from time to time. When they were done and the clothes fit seamlessly, they bowed her out of the shop with waterfalls of praises and some complimentary gifts. Ramil ran his eyes over the human from top to bottom, nodding approvingly. "Hmmm, good, good. No useless dress, frills or a long robe that would get in the way… Truly practical and combat-worthy, yet in aristocratic fashion. They really didn't dare swindle you on the quality. Best materials, every element matches well." he was indeed impressed by the change. Her white silk coat was now resting over a fitting black uniform with silver and red embroidery, decently inlaid with precious gems in some places. Dark brown boots matched the color of her horns perfectly, and she even got a matching red bracelet on her left horn, as the latest fashion dictated. She didn't look just noble, she looked aristocratic and dangerous. Finally, clothes which did her justice. And one just had to appreciate such fine garments. Ramil silently admitted that he himself would fancy such fine boots with sturdy soles with a firm grip, and a soft vamp with lacing at the inner side. And perhaps a nice, layered cloak, too - he looked longingly at his own favorite, two-layered, embroidered, crimson captain's cloak, neatly rolled up under the girl's strange sack.

As Ramil was trailing the human, he could suddenly hear the voice of his snakish friend from the terrace of a nearby inn. It was a tad louder and shaky, with a strong accent. Even Ramil had trouble recognizing his well-disguised comrade under the false… beard? Ramil almost burst out in laughter. "A Snake with a beard! By my demon's heart, that sure is new…" the brutish demon grinned under his nose. Khan's long hair was hidden under a worn hat and his eyes turned blue due to the effects of a potion. "Well, what do you know, he really can pull a decent disguise." Ramil nodded approvingly. Khan looked like an ordinary and a rather drunk demon. "Playing drunk to get some rumors from the locals, I see." he nodded in approval, hoping that his comrade was indeed more playing than actually indulging in drinking. There were four tables at the terrace - one was occupied by Khan and other demons playing senet, another was full of excited and chatty merchants, the third one hosted loud, drinking mercenaries, and the last one a group of silent drinkers. And since the human went to explore a scribbler's tent right at the opposite side of the street, Ramil decided to lend Khan a hand with the rumor hunt. He leaned on the pole of the street lamp and stretched his ears to catch the conversation. "... wouldn't go that way if I were you. That's where the renegade was seen last, right?" one of the traveling merchants said, rubbing his beard. Ramil almost lost his balance when he heard that - rumors sure traveled fast!

"The renegade? What in Gehenna are you talking about, Jamal?" the demoness who was considering venturing out with her merchandise raised his eyebrows. "Flames, Khali, are ya' living under a rock or what? The renegade - you know - the Executioner. The one who's wanted posters are at every notice board and every checkpoint along roads. Bounty hunters are after him out in the wilderness. You know… THE RENEGADE." Jamal emphasized, spreading his hands all around. "Yes, yes, word's got out about this demon who turned his horns at none other than Abaddon. But I say, he's not real. Can't be. Just some made up aristocratic lies to excuse the more frequent searches and extra taxes." another demon supplied, raising his finger in a warning. "No, no, no. Must be real! There are reports of sightings from good sources all around the realm." came a counter argument from yet another demon. "Well, what a surprise, another demon who's fed up with our 'generous' duke's rule." a fifth voice joined in the conversation with an audible eye-roll - rolling eight eyes was simply not so silent as moving two. Sour grimaces and nods followed, finished by emptying the cups with liquor.

"Tsk, and what of it? What does that have to do with my business? So there's another rebel on the loose. Perhaps you're the one living under the rock, 'cause it happens all the time. That's why I've got four fast baphomets pulling my wagon and a contract with a group of mercenaries to protect the merchandise." the demoness folded her hands in front of her chest. And while some demons kept nodding in acknowledgement of such a fine security and speed, another group kept shaking their heads. "You cannot be that dense. A lord that rebels and wishes to overthrow Abaddon needs supplies, of course! He's been robbing caravans. If he could rob Abaddon's personal wagon, what chance do you have?" one of the more skeptical demons questioned. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. That's not possible. Abaddon's caravans have the best guards - mantis demons are killing machines." came a protest from another demon who was just passing by but couldn't resist joining the exciting conversation. Great, as if Ramil didn't already have trouble keeping up with how many demons were involved in the discussion. One thing was clear, though - it was already way too many.

"I'm telling you, my business partner's relative crossed the Wastelands a while ago, and saw Abaddon's caravan straight at the crossroads. Everyone was dead! And I'm talking a massacre here, blood and gore everywhere. And - you'd better sit down for this, Khali - the blood of the imp merchants was smeared all over the wagon's top cover, straight over Abaddon's crest." Jamal finished with an air of importance. The demons exchanged knowing looks. Everyone understood that kind of a message. "Well, they'll get his group eventually. It won't even take that long, Abaddon must be pissed. It will be a quick process." one of the demons finally broke the silence. "Na-ah, t'was not a group. Just the one, the renegade." Jamal raised his finger. An outburst of laughter followed such a bold, unrealistic claim. "Flames, you're drunk…" "Yeah, there's no way he could've single-handedly taken down the guards!" came an onslaught of doubting comments. "On my demon's heart, that's how the hear-say goes!" Jamal protested, trying to explain the situation again. "It's not just the caravans. Rumor has it that he also organized some riots, even assassinated some vassals and officers! And no, I'm not talking just Abaddon's, but Mammon's too." the demon said with an air of urgency.

"Assassinations, you say? Hmmm, come to think of it, a number of those had bitten the dust in the past months…" the spider demon said thoughtfully, taking another sip of his drink. "Oh, come now, not you too, Kam." the merchant Khali shook her head with displeasure. "What? Don't tell me that you believed the official announcement? Maybe that weakling Andromalius truly went down in flames along with his estates, But Orias? The great lion marquis went down in some petty skirmish at the borders? Bah! The King of Lies would punish the messenger for fabricating such a pitiful story." Kam threw his four hands up, all worked-up. "That's right!" Jamal took the opportunity, and pressed further. "This must be the assassin's doing, that's why Abaddon's own soldiers are after the demon, he made it to the top of the wanted list!"

And while the demons kept arguing about the validity of such exaggerated rumors, the group of mercenaries sitting at the table right next to them turned to join the conversation. "What's that? A wanted list you said, huh? So, how much?" the demon stood up, looking all tall and mighty in his sturdy plate armor. "How much what?" Jamal furrowed his eyebrows. "Dealing with a wanted demon comes at a price. So, how much did Abaddon promise for killing this renegade?" the mercenary questioned. "I… I don't know that…" Jamal stuttered nervously, scratching his head. "Tsk, some intel you've got…" came a grunt from the mercenary. "Hey, at least I know he's out there robbing caravans and killing demons!" Jamal crossed his arms in front of him, offended. "But if the Duke of the Abyss himself is searching, it must be big! I bet he's paying in diamonds." he added. "Tsk, as if… Come now, do you really believe these tales?" Khali interrupted. "A dangerous renegade who single-handedly took down Abaddon's caravan guards, now wandering around the realm causing riots and assassinating nobility? Bah, just another lord nobody emerged, causing a ruckus, I'll say!" the demoness rolled her eyes. "Good. If a small fry made it to the wanted list, it's gonna be even easier to take him down. I'll squash him like a coal tar between my fingers…" the mercenary gestured, squashing a piece of fruit in between his fingers for a demonstration. Ramil took a deep breath at that notion. This was not good. The last thing they needed was yet another group of demons trying to catch the human. The very human who was buying ink across the street, grinning - and paying - like a lunatic.

"Ah, surely you don't mean to go after the renegade?" a familiar voice joined the conversation. "And why in Gehenna not?" the mercenary crossed his muscular arms in front of his chest, looking two heads down at Khan. "While I have no doubts of the qualities of your mercenary group, this would be foolishness." "Maybe for you, skinny." the mercenary poked him in the chest, pushing him away, earning loud cheers and toasts from his party. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation, and I'm with Jamal here. The rumors are all true!" Khan confirmed vehemently, causing Ramil's eyes to almost pop out. "What in Gehenna is that fool doing? Why would he reinforce that rumor? The last thing we need are mercenary groups tracking the girl!" the brutish demon gritted his teeth. "And yet, they don't come even close to the real thing…" the snake demon continued, lowering his voice, speaking seriously. "What? Oh, Flames, what do you take us for?" Khali asked offhandedly. "I've been traveling a lot, too, you know? And the things I've heard and seen only confirm it." having gained everyone's attention, Khan proceeded in his story.

"Everyone knows of the great demon Zhee-Zhala of the Crescent Moon Valley, right?" he spread his arms, getting nods and 'of course' for an answer. "Well, this renegade killed it. Just like that." Khan snapped his fingers. "No way!" "That's a pile of Cyclops' shit!" "The valley's been its territory for millennia…" some of the demons rebuked that claim. "On my demon's heart, the rebel walked in and rained insults at the great serpent demon until it emerged from its slumber. Then, he massacred it at the spot, tearing it into pieces." Khan started gesturing with his hands around violently. "So, he took the famed treasure under the molten rocks?" one of the demons asked eagerly. "No." came a simple answer. "Did he claim the territory, asking for tributes and taxes for passing?" "Did he take its head as a trophy to present it as a tribute to his lord to advance his rank?" two more questions sounded almost simultaneously. "No and no." Khan said, then, with a slight delay, explained. "He only did it because he felt like feasting upon its flesh." the snake demon said louder, getting everyone excited and appalled at the same time.

"Impossible! How do you even know such a thing? No one would even dare venture in the valley!" one of the mercenaries asked, outrage strong in his voice. "Me and my business partner met Abaddon's patrol on the round-about of the valley. They were running away at a break-neck speed, lieutenants, shaking like fresh recruits on the initiation day. Said they've been chasing after the Executioner and couldn't believe their eyes when the fool took a direct route through the valley. They decided to pursue the rebel, but having seen such an overwhelming display of power, such ferocity… They tore the crests from their uniforms and went into hiding. As far away from Abaddon, and as far away from this renegade he is hunting, as possible." the snake demon said with an air of finality.

The conversation continued for a few more minutes, and Khan kept describing how the lunatic of a rebel single-handedly took down Abaddon's caravan and not killed, but in fact drove the imp merchants to a suicide, just for the fun of it, leaving only one imp alive to tell the story - and the very imp told the story to Khan. How the rebel survived the worst acid rain in a century and simply walked through the Valley of Winds, unfazed and unscratched. How the rebel's assassins took out a patrol in the Passage, and buried another one in an avalanche above it. How the Lizard Lair's tax collectors were sliced and diced for the insolence of not recognizing the renegade and asking him to pay a tribute to Abaddon. How the rebel had been at the duke's court by his side, then turned against him - and the guards were too afraid not to heed his command to open the gates, and did as they were ordered. How the renegade saved some Anubis demons. How powerful and crafty and deceitful the Executioner is, being on the run for over a hundred years with all Abaddon's might chasing after him - in vain. And most importantly, how the renegade hates Abaddon and intends to strike against him…

"Bah! Renegade this - Executioner that… You keep talking about that demon, yet nobody even knows his name." Khali threw her hands up in dismay. There was just no talking sense into those thick skulls of theirs. "That's because he ain't real." to Khali's surprise, one of the 'thick-skull-owners' actually agreed with her. "Just a ruse to squeeze more taxes out of the folks." he insisted, while one of the mercenaries shook his head. "No, I bet it's all his scheme. Gives the rebel a bit of mystery, eh?" he bumped with his elbow into his comrade. "Or maybeee, maybe his name may not be uttered. The shamans often play with dangerous curses, terrible omens - just saying one's name out loud could turn you into a salt pillar, could burn you to a crisp!" came another theory.

"Allegedly, they call him Executioner, because he killed everyone who stood in his way to usurp the realm. Only Abaddon escaped and is now hunting him down to save his name, to make an example out of demon lords who would dare oppose him…" Khan said, but received a few shakes of head in response. "No, no. I bet they call him Executioner because he needs to kill every day. That's how he gets his power." one of the mercenaries offered his theory, gesturing hauntingly with his hands. Soon, the demons were racing to guess the motivation behind the renegade's origin and deeds. "I'm with Khali on this - it can't be all just one demon! I'll say, it's a group of demons on a killing spree, to incite rebellions against Abaddon. And they all bear the same tattoo, that's why everyone thinks it's just one demon." said the spider demon. "You've got it all wrong, I heard that he's actually from Jinn al Jann's realm, who is trying to take over and make Abaddon look weak. A matter of highest politics, you see…" came another speculation from one of the silent drinkers. "Interesting, they could be trying to get Lord Samael's attention, executing and killing mercilessly all around his vassals' realms." another demon rubbed his chin in thought, earning himself both thoughtful nods and doubtful frowns.

The renegade cut his victims - both alive and dead - to study better ways to kill them, to perfect his skills. The renegade prayed only on those loyal to Abaddon, executing them one by one without mercy. The renegade lived in the mountains with Oni demons for some time, and they now saluted him. The renegade…

Ramil didn't hear the rest, for the girl left the scribbler's shop and walked further in the city. He was trailing behind her again, and this time he decided to watch her from a safe distance of a cloak shop. "What's gotten into that Snake's head? This doesn't make any sense. All this time, we've been trying to keep a low profile, keep her a secret. Now everyone will learn about a rebel, the mercenaries looked eager to venture out at that very moment to capture her and claim their prize… We didn't discuss this strategy. Flames…" Ramil let out an annoyed grunt.

"Is the material not to your liking?" a merchant's voice interrupted Ramil's musings. The brutish demon realized he was gripping a red cloak he randomly picked when inside. "Hmm, it's way too thin." he said simply and turned to leave. He could never wear something as fancy and utterly impractical as a silk cloak in the field. Unless it was satin silk, of course. But such fortune was the privilege of demon aristocracy. Or a demon lord's mate… Ramil shook his head - no matter how much of a keen eye the merchants had for quality goods, none of them blinked twice at the girl's snow-white cloak. And he didn't blame them, the mere thought was utterly ridiculous. "Wait, we have thicker fabrics, too. I shall bring you our best pieces from the storage at once. We have woven giant bison hair, why, even some scorpion-scale plated fabric. I'm sure we can strike a deal." the merchant hurried after him, but Ramil simply waved him off with a "Not interested." and followed the human carefully until finally, his comrade caught up with him.

"There you are… So, how's the watch duty going for you?" Khan inquired silently. "Better than your intel gathering." Ramil answered grumpily. "Hey, what's that supposed to mean? I was out all of this time, putting my neck on the line for even the tiniest specks of information…" came an offended answer. "Is that so? I've overheard your 'intel gathering' at the inn. You were supposed to gather the information, not spread it all around, Flames!" the brutish demon gritted through his teeth, adding. "As if Abaddon's patrols weren't enough, now there will be mercenaries after the girl…" "Damnation, you could really use a drink. A little bit of trust, Ramil." Khan put his hand on his shoulder. He was well aware that what he did wasn't exactly as per plan. "I know that this wasn't a strategy we discussed. But the situation has changed…" Khan said in a whisper, looking around carefully. Then, he slowly, inconspicuously pulled out a wrinkled piece of parchment from his bag. The wanted poster. Ramil almost skipped a step. "Yeah, rumors sure travel fast…" the snake demon nodded with a sour grimace on his face. "I noticed this when I was at the town's gates. A merchant arrived in a haste and was heading towards the guards' barracks, gripping the poster in his hand. Needless to say, I didn't let him deliver the message, which was that the Executioner is expected here." Khan said with an air of satisfaction.

Ramil just nodded carefully, processing the events. Khan could practically feel his brain pondering all the routes and options they had. "I see… So the intel you spilled… You're truly a master schemer, my snakish comrade. You wanted the rumors to be so bad that the mercenaries and bounty-hunters would drop that hunt." Ramil inclined his head in praise. "Precisely. And I also wanted to appear well-informed, knowing all the rumors and all the things there are to know. So, when the braver ones come to ask where the renegade is now, I could with a good amount of authority say that no one knows but towns get random dispatches to expect him there. You know, just to keep the guards sharp… And beat more taxes out of citizens during searches. And I did not, of course, bother to correct everyone's assumption that the Executioner is a male. The poster is not good enough to tell." Khan smirked smugly, then buried the piece of paper deep in his bag. "But time is running out. We must get her out of here somehow. Where is she, anyway?" the snake demon urged, looking around nervously, trying to pick up the white cloak and the scent of blood and silverleaf.

"Right over there." Ramil pointed with his head, causing Khan to gasp. "What in Gehenna… How did she… Are those dragon-scaled boots? And even the scarf covering her tattoo matches the design. Damnation, that must have cost a fortune!" he gaped in disbelief. "As a matter of fact, it did. She went straight for the Cloud district." an amused smirk settled on Ramil's face. Khan kept looking the girl up and down. That was a far cry from the black rag or her tattered, dirty clothes he's seen on her so far. And it fit her so well, too. The air of importance, power, yet also grace - somehow it looked like she was supposed to be wearing fine garments like that. "Now, now, don't you go all blushing, I don't think Lord Samael would approve…" Ramil weighed in, his eyes playing with amusement. "What? W-who's blushing, you Cyclops' brain. Let's just follow her already. Where did you say she was going to?" Khan inquired matter-of-factly. Before Ramil could answer, they saw the girl enter the huge tent right in front of them.

The captains stopped in their traces. She went straight into… "The Palace of Pleasures?!" their eyes almost popped out when they saw her walk into the famous harem so casually. "Well, would you look at that. Our little human takes a break from all the fighting and scheming. And after a nice warm meal and a day of shopping, she finishes the evening enjoying herself in a nice, not to mention alluring company.~" Khan rubbed his fake beard. Then, he elbowed Ramil in the ribs, grinning suggestively. "See? She gets it. Even she knows how to have some fun." he pumped his eyebrows twice. Ramil's eyebrows furrowed and he pursed his lips. "I don't think Lord Samael would approve that, either…" he cleared his throat as crimson red crept into his cheeks.

"Oh, I bet that with those looks, she could even get a night with Sha'ira!" Khan intoned longingly, letting the succubus' name roll through his lips. Ramil's jaw fell open in disbelief. "What? She's like the main attraction there. In a league of her own, get it?" the snake demon said firmly, then he started checking his pocket. Ramil immediately grabbed his arm. "No way in Gehenna are you going in!" he growled. "Why not? We agreed to stay close to the human, to watch over her." Khan reasoned. "You are not thinking with your head now. Besides, we were tight on time, remember? We're supposed to get her out of the town as quickly as possible." Ramil pressed. "W-well, yes, yes… That's exactly it. We can't very well just walk to her and warn her. But you see, when I slip in, I should be able to send her a secret message through one of the beauties there and…" Khan insisted, pulling out his best persuasion arguments. "Is that so? What if she decides to 'have some fun' in the common area?" Ramil arched an eyebrow, though couldn't keep up a firm enough facade because his cheeks grew red again at the idea.

Before Khan could protest again, the girl suddenly appeared back in front of the building. "Huh, that fast? No way!" the snake demon furrowed his eyebrows only to receive a bump on the head from his comrade. "Keep it in your pants, will you? It was obviously a mistake." he pointed at the human with a face as red as the setting suns. She pulled her cloak tighter around herself and walked off at a brisk pace, trying not to mind the two demons waving at her from the entrance door sultrily, inviting her back with coaxing voices. The human was so completely flustered, that she ran straight into metal bars of a slave's cage. And while Khan was doing his best to keep his laughter reigned in, Ramil could see the girl rub the bump on her head as she cast an angry look at the structure in front of her. The slaves instinctively backed away from the bars, retreating further to the center.

Suddenly, the girl's eyes widened and her mouth fell open as she inspected just what exactly stood in front of her. Ramil tilted his head to the side, observing the girl's reactions, which were, again way too plentiful. She took a step closer and looked at the slaves with a strange, displeased expression on her face. "Hmm, those look just pitiful. They're so scrawny, it would be a miracle if they could fetch the merchant an amethyst." Khan interrupted. Upon closer inspection, Ramil had to silently agree with Khan and the girl's disappointment - there was no special trait or skill associated with the demon kinds. They wouldn't be of much use to their masters except from performing the most basic, mundane tasks. But soon, the girl's hand reached towards the cage, almost close enough to touch the bars. The slaves stirred inside, backing even further away, probably scared off by the aristocratic clothes and the girl's intense stare. Fortunately, this time she pulled her hand back before the guards could take action and investigate her for her out-of-line behavior, especially for a nobility.

Khan's eyebrows furrowed in thought. "She seems upset. Must be the sight of the chains and bars, I guess…" he concluded, voicing Ramil's own thoughts. Their suspicion was confirmed when she absentmindedly reached for her wrists and rubbed them. The slaves must have reminded her of the time in the dungeons. "Hey, know your place, you scum!" an angry voice of one of the guards sounded as he cast a subduing spell on the slaves. The lot was getting really skittish in the cage, probably due to the prospect of their demise at the hand of this powerful-looking demoness. "You will be tamed, eventually. And if not, you know very well what is waiting for you out there… In the Stridulation Savannah…" the guard emphasized while the demons soon fell to the ground, twisting in agony. And the girl just stood there, completely petrified, watching intently. Her eyes were burning, her breathing deep, and her hands clenched into fists.

"I don't think it's their poor condition… It's more like… like she doesn't like the demons to be treated that way…" Ramil thought aloud with utmost astonishment, getting a surprised look from his comrade. He almost couldn't wrap his head around that logic. "That's impossible. I mean, everyone knows that if a demon is so weak as to get captured and made into a slave, it is a fate they deserve." Khan repeated the unwritten fact. Not that he agreed with it but such was the state of things in Gehenna. Or rather, in Abaddon's realm, among the many others. "Well, if she's indeed Lord Samael's mate, she might just share some of his unorthodox views on our society… He had condemned demon trafficking and slavery long ago, claiming that if a demon is turning to slavery, it is a sign of his incompetence to strike proper deals. That only the lowest of demons would resort to such means of servitude… I wonder if that's her view, too…" Ramil pondered. Khan looked at him, then massaged the bridge of his nose as he deeply exhaled. "You are one brutish philosopher, you know that?" he smirked, but before Ramil could go into defense, he added. "I guess you might just be right…"

After the encounter with the slaves, the human finally retreated to the inn she was staying at. She sat at the bar again with a thoughtful expression on her face, sipping some tea and munching on another of the lotus cookies. In the meantime, the captains were smoking some shisha on the balcony of a nearby tea house, overlooking the bar across the street. "Ramil…" Khan started but an outstretched palm of Ramil's hand was there to stop him. "No more of this, Khan. You agreed to watch over her while I take a nap. No brothels." he said firmly. "First of all, don't call such a fine establishment a 'brothel'. And second, look…" Khan tilted his head towards the girl. She was slouched over the bar table, unmoving. Ramil eyed the scene curiously - true, she must have been tired, but she would never drop her guard down like that. She hadn't before in the Wastelands wilderness, and she wouldn't now just because of the seeming civility of the town. "How many drinks has she had?" Ramil asked in a low, serious voice. "Only one. And I honestly don't think it was liquor." Khan answered without tearing his gaze from the human. In a few seconds, two armed demons emerged from inside of the inn. Their emblemed uniforms suggested they were the peacekeepers in employ of the innkeeper. One of them nodded and bowed towards the innkeeper, then flung the girl over his shoulder and they walked away, up the stairs towards the private rooms.

The captains had to muster their best self-control to not immediately jump down the balcony to intervene. They exchanged knowing looks, each of them already working on a strategy. Suddenly, three messenger birds flew out of the window, released by the innkeeper. "Damnation!" Khan swore in a whisper, pointing up for Ramil to notice as well. The brutish demon clicked his tongue. "Messengers! He must have recognized her." he said, gripping the pipe so strongly it broke under the pressure. "Let's move, we have to get to her before Abaddon's troops arrive in force." Khan urged, receiving a short confirmation. "Agreed. I'll create a diversion and try to keep the guards occupied, you take care of the human." As Ramil said that, the captains nodded to each other once and split out.

Khan passed through the crowded main road, then slipped inconspicuously to the back of the yard of the inn. "I must hurry, who knows how quickly Abaddon's minions will get here, especially if the unit was granted a wyvern… Satan's Flames, that would be a disaster!" he shivered at the possibility. "Well, it doesn't matter. What matters is that if we want to live, it must be us who bring the human back to Abaddon." the snake thought resolutely as he crept through the backyard. "And we've never been this close… She is nicely prepared and packed, ready for taking." the feeling of anticipation filled his chest. Her scent was coming from above but reaching the first floor window was no problem for the agile captain.

The captains had always kept their distance, waiting for the right moment to strike. Sadly, even if they managed to catch her, she could still activate her powers in an instant and obliterate them right on the spot. Humiliating as it was, they had to acknowledge that neither of them knew of any defense against her power. Killing and defeating her was one thing, subduing and keeping her was another. However, now that the innkeeper had rendered the human unconscious, she wouldn't be able to resist. Their only job from now on was simply keeping her in a deep sleep or drugged enough to remain unconscious - just like when she had been captured in Assiah months ago. Their mission was finally progressing and their goals finally seemed more realistic.

He could hear the staff and tenants rushing in and out of the various rooms. "So, where are they keeping you?" he was sticking out his split tongue to get a whiff of the human's scent. It was unmistakable, even though it had changed drastically after the Poison-maker's experiments. Had he not witnessed the change firsthand, he wouldn't have believed it was the same person. The previously pure, sweet and spicy scent he couldn't quite name turned into somewhat different and metallic. "There you are!" Khan's eyes narrowed when he pinpointed the human's location somewhere in the far right corner of what appeared to be a storage area on the first floor, with guards loosely hanging around nearby. The innkeeper obviously didn't share the importance of their new prisoner with the guards, otherwise they would be at their positions, sharp and alert as never in their lives. The snake demon navigated through the first empty room rather effortlessly.

But leaving this room and walking through the corridor unnoticed was beyond his skill. However, before the next section could become a problem, he heard voices from outside of the building and soon, the guards rushed towards the source of commotion as well - Ramil's diversion and a signal for Khan to get to work. The snake demon didn't let his guard down, though. Two guards were still standing in the hall to the storage room. Thanks to Ramil, Khan didn't need to be quiet now, nor did he need to be worried about random guards going upstairs. "Hmm… someone is preparing for a long trip… How very convenient." the snake demon thought, noticing the freshly stocked food, tents, and other necessities. He quickly transferred what he thought was useful into his pack.

Then, he took one bottle of strong spirit from the stock, took a sip of it, and jovially walked with the bottle in his hand through the now empty corridor towards the guards. He smirked, offering them a swing from the strong booze. The peacekeepers refused, but the bottle was not really important. Important was his hypnotic gaze. As he held the bottle up for the first guard, he immediately captured him in paralysis. Surprisingly, the second guard was more alert and noticed that something was off. However, he acted too slowly. The bottle shattered over his head and he fell down to the feet of his standing but uninterested colleague, unconscious. Soon, the colleague joined him. Khan quickly got both guards out of the way, covering traces of his presence. Slowly, silently, he made his way to the storage room, maneuvering around a protective ward and a tripwire skillfully. "So, they did not take chances here, but were not professional enough to wear helmets on duty. Heh, peacekeepers…" Khan snorted in bemusement.

The room was dominated by a huge table, which was surrounded by various crates, sacks, barrels and a cage at the far side of the room, holding the unconscious human. The table was loaded with various herbs, jars and parchments. One of the parchments was laid out on the table, revealing a sedative recipe. There was also a bottle with a tiny flask and a half-empty mug next to it. He leaned over it, smelling the contents of the flask. The scent betrayed a potent sedative, though it would be untraceable if mixed properly with something aromatic. "Hmmm, much like the kind our Poison-maker used to prepare and administer to misbehaving prisoners. Good, the human would be out for hours, perhaps days after drinking a potion this strong. That will surely come in handy on our way back to Abaddon. And what do we have here.~" the demon's eyes widened in a wave of excitement as he spotted the snow-white cloak along and her peculiar bag in the corner of the room. He quickly tucked the cloak inside of it, then practically flung the items of value of a half of Abaddon's realm casually over his shoulder. The strange bag was surprisingly comfortable to carry, but the stare of the weird cloth effigy was making him uneasy.

He slithered a bit further inside, towards a cage where merchants usually transported animals or slaves. He soon noticed the human's chained hands. A memory rushed to his mind - it was just a few hours ago that she had stood in front of the cage with slaves, rubbing her wrists subconsciously, taking pity on the lowest of the demons. "Stop this. Concentrate." Her luck really didn't last even a day but it seemed like their luck finally returned. He had a feeling that it was now or never. They would take her and present her to Abaddon, regaining their honor, perhaps even Leraje's realm. And the human will be back, crawling at Abaddon's feet, all tamed and ready to tend to his every wish and whim. Broken, soulless, yet another testimony to the duke's power over his subjects… A creaking sound interrupted his train of thoughts. Fortunately, it turned out to be only the wind blowing through the old crates. He relaxed the fists and his jaw he didn't realize was clenching so much. "Concentrate on the job, Flames!" he reminded himself again, shaking off the strange thoughts and the inexplicable anger that boiled inside of him.

Approaching the human, even in her unconscious state, was probably the most dangerous thing one could do. Upon a closer look, Khan couldn't help but roll his eyes at the innkeeper's stupidity and negligence. "Tsk, Cyclops brains! You don't just chain up the most wanted renegade in the realm with some basic, low-grade iron cuffs! Satan's Flames, she managed to shatter the special magic-induced ones specially prepared by Abaddon. What good could this do? And where are the wards, damnation?! You cast them over your goods but not over the cage?! Unbelievable…" he shook his head at the incompetence. The imps have gravely underestimated the most wanted enemy of the realm despite seeing the poster and hearing his exaggerated rumors spreading around the city like red spots in a harem. Without making a sound, the demon approached the cage, crouched and started lock-picking it, for the innkeeper probably had not entrusted his guards with the cage key. The lock came off rather easily, making a silent clicking sound.

Abruptly, all of his senses sprung to an alarm. His green eyes locked with a pair of angry orange ones. The human was emanating fury and danger, and despite her small figure, it actually felt like she was towering above him. Or perhaps it was because his legs gave out under him and he went from crouch straight to his knees? "She's up! But how?! She was supposed to stay unconscious for at least half a day! Damnation, she must have been up even before I started lock-picking her out of the cage… Satan's mercy be upon me… Think!" he urged himself to come up with a new strategy. All of his brain power seemed to evaporate, though, upon hearing 'You…' in a low, threatening growl. He gulped audibly, completely overcome by fear. This was it. He was done for, completely at her mercy. He knew the extent of the human's power, she could burn him out of existence, now and forever. She outmatched him by leaps and bounds. One wrong move, one wrong word, the slightest error, and he would be signing his own, permanent death warrant. The atmosphere grew gravely tense. Lord of Lies, he would die by the hand of a human! Even worse - Ramil was right all along, she did recognize him immediately up close and all that itching from the fake beard was for nothing!

Khan gulped, then laid his lock-picking equipment quietly on the ground. The girl in front of him jerked her head down, alternating between looking at the tools and at him. Her eyes darted to and fro, unknowingly betraying her train of thoughts to the demon - she must have realized that he hadn't been the one to lock her in the cage, because she had seen him lock-picking it in the first place. The girl nodded to herself in understanding. An insane, daring sense of hope sprung up in the snake demon's chest upon seeing that gesture. She had let him go once before… Would she show mercy again? Before he could try his luck, the girl's voice sounded again, carrying a surprisingly commanding quality. "Put this away." she raised her chained hands in front of him, motioning towards the tools with a simple movement of her head. The snake demon reached for them in slow, measured motion, then started working on the mechanism with utmost concentration while she watched his every move. "She didn't use her binding circle on me… Why is that? Could it be that she's too drained from the sedatives? If that's the case, I might subdue her with my paralyzing sight. But if she can cast it… the barrier blocks only demonic aura. However, tangible items can get through… Thrown knives, sabers… Perhaps even spells? And what about poisonous fumes?" he kept racking his brain about whether he could still turn the situation towards a success. However, he just couldn't bring himself to even try. Sure, there was her insane power and the prospect of his permanent death, but also something else… Did he… Did he perhaps wish for her to succeed against Abaddon? It was not like she had a chance of winning… did she?

Another soft click sounded, announcing the human's freedom. She twisted her wrists till they cracked pleasantly while holding eye contact with Khan for the whole time. Then, in a moment of pure genius, Khan cleared his throat carefully. "Here… Your things." he said in simple words and a hushed voice, well-trained from all the encounters with his choleric master. Then, he produced the girl's bag from under his cloak and gently laid it down in front of her. He also carefully added his own sack, slightly open to show its contents at first sight. "Supplies." he said and before he could ponder the strange idea, he added a bow. "Our compliments… There is even a cookie…" he said with a nervous smile." The girl looked at him with utmost confusion, though he heard her gulp audibly when her eyes fell on the lotus blossom cookies inside.

Suddenly, the voices outside grew even louder and the sound of the guards approaching carried closer to the second storage room. The human grew alert and pinned him with a firm look. "Abaddon knows?" she tilted her head. "Yes." Khan answered a tad grimly. "He is here?!" the human asked urgently, looking around. "No. But he will come…" he supplied, only for the human to inhale deeply and clench her hands into fists. Her eyes burned with resolve. Then, the unthinkable happened. The girl was looking at him intently, then exhaled and said simply "Run." Khan's jaw practically dropped in disbelief. He didn't have to be told twice, though. The snake demon backed away and bowed his head down till it touched the ground, then he dashed towards the closest way out - the only window in the next room from which he jumped out. The last thing he saw was the human making sure that strange fluffy thing in her bag was tucked inside the side-pocket properly, then she flung her cloak over her shoulders and slowly released the hold that had been suppressing her aura. Her eyes gained a strange glow - streaks of silver-white and ardent-red that did not mix but danced together.

As soon as he was out, Khan dashed towards the main street, where he could see Ramil, towering above the imps and even their guards, acting like the wonderful distraction he had promised. Some of the guards were already rushing back to the building, while the others were still dealing with the 'outraged customer who demanded his money back for the poor-quality, fake merchandise he had purchased from a local craftsman a week ago, thrashing things and people around'. Ramil's eyes widened as he felt the human's aura spring up to life inside the building. He started looking around in alarm, and an instant later he spotted Khan running out of the backyard towards the main street, motioning for Ramil to follow. Ramil actually stopped mid-sentence and dashed to the streets as well, catching up with his companion. "Run! Run! RUN!" Khan yelled urgently, and Ramil had to really pick up the pace in order to keep up with him. He had never seen Khan run so fast in his life! But he wasn't surprised in the slightest for his own skin crawled and senses screamed alarm. So, they sprinted together.

"Satan's Flames, what in Gehenna did you do?! She's been masking her aura all these months and now…" Ramil started curiously in between his rushed breaths as he motioned to the inn. "She… I… I did exactly what I told you I would do!" Khan answered pointedly, his dark face catching a surprising shade of red as he sped through the crowd. The demons were moving around in strange patterns, disturbed by the unfamiliar power surge. Ramil's eyebrows furrowed. "What?! But you said…" "I know what I said, damnation!" Khan cut in rudely as he hastened even more. "Hold on… in jest… You said… But it was in jest… So you just walked straight towards her?" Ramil asked in disbelief. "Yes." Khan answered. "And you bowed your head…" "Yes." "And offered her compliments?" Ramil quoted jokingly. "Yes. And cookies. Now drop it and run!" Khan bit off. Damn that Brute's flawless memory! "What?! You… Even… You brought her cookies?!" the brutish demon exclaimed, then tripped over his own foot from the sheer disbelief. "Just… Shut up and keep running, damnation!" Khan urged. "A tactical retreat it is, then." Ramil grinned at Khan, who was thankful for the beard - at least it would cover his embarrassed blush. "Tsk. Run or I swear on my Demon's heart, I'll give you 'the look' and carry you over my shoulder like the last time in the Valley of Winds!" came a silly threat from his serpent comrade, who - despite his threats - couldn't help but cover his face and chuckle at the whole situation.

The demon captains barely made it to their lookout point at the nearby mountain side when the human stepped out in front of the keep. A safe distance between them and the town, and the high ground offered them a good vantage point to observe the square. Instead of escaping the place as she had always preferred to do when a direct encounter could have been avoided, she now stood firmly, eyeing her captors challengingly. Apparently, she was done running. The innkeeper was well-known and wasted no time railing his guards, the town guards, the mercenaries and everyone within ear shot to help him subdue his escaped prisoner - the Executioner.

The town guards - most of them humanoid Idolomantis demons accompanied by their Preying mantis guardians - rushed off to subdue their prisoner while shouts of orders carried through the main street, urging the curious onlookers out of the warriors' way. The atmosphere of the crowd grew tense, but also excited - Gehenna's residents were used to constant fighting and brawling, but the merchant town was usually more sophisticated when it came to power play. As soon as the warden gave his order, the guards launched at the renegade without hesitation, though their cautious movements and weapons still sheathed suggested that they were merely trying to secure their opponent. She was wanted alive, preferably, and nobody dared risk Abaddon's fury. Ramil's quick estimate was that they outnumbered her fifty to one, with more reinforcements already on their way. "The poor bastards…" was the brutish demon's honest thought.

The Executioner stood calmly, preparing for the inevitable fight. She gently put her backpack to the corner of the inn. "Oh, that can't be good." Ramil said when he noticed her eyes. They started shining brightly and her presence grew even stronger, bursting all around in a powerful surge, even more prominently than before. Her aura was just magnificent. It danced around the girl in the most spectacular way - like pulsing flames and waves of silver and red light reaching in various directions, not just upwards. The air seemed to tremble with that foreign energy. The tingling sensation made Khan's hair stand up. "Maybe she didn't like the cookies…" the brutish demon cleared his throat and flashed a nervous grin towards Khan, caution strongly present in his voice despite the teasing tone. "Y-yeah… I'll just make sure to bring some high-quality treats next time. She sure liked my crackers… Or I'll rob some duke's vault or have them smuggled from Assiah… I'll just do that…" came an almost absent-minded answer from the snake captain, who was completely consumed by the sight in front of him. One mistake, one wrong move, and he would be still down there, facing… that.

He could see the guards pause at the unexpected development, some even backed away. They must have felt that tremendous power, too. To Khan's utmost astonishment, the girl started gesturing and speaking to the warden. Khan's eyes widened. "What is she doing?" "Looks like a negotiation to me." Ramil offered, his eye never leaving the spyglass. "What?! Don't tell me she's giving them the opportunity to yield?!" the snake demon gaped in disbelief, peering at the puzzling situation down below. "Or maybe she merely demands them to clear her way and let her go." the brutish captain kept guessing. "No. That's out of the question. After learning that Abaddon was informed and is already on his way here? There's no reason for her not to smite everyone right there. That's why I told you to retreat, I was sure she would blast us all to oblivion… She definitely can, I'm sure of it! And there's no reason for her not to… Why would she be so unreasonable, show her benevolence and weakness when it's the perfect opportunity to send a message, why would she even care and be so…" Khan trailed off, unable to find the right words.

"So generous with her captors?" Ramil raised an eyebrow in amusement, then continued. "You saw her with the slaves today, right? Also, as far as I know, you are the one who should appreciate that kind of generosity the most. She has already spared your life twice. Not to mention she did so even after you did whatever it was to make her use her powers. Because of you, she had to betray her position to the enemy, yet she still let you go." Upon hearing those words, Khan froze - Ramil was right, she let him go even after losing her most tactical advantage so far. That would be considered an unforgivable act, he was sure of it. There's no way she would let him go just like that. "No. There has to be another explanation for this. I swore not to underestimate her ever again. This must be a part of her plan somehow… Yes. She's offering them a deal. Or tricking them. Just as she must have tried to trick me. That's right. There are only a few things less dangerous than a false sense of security. I've been fooled by her today. All that innocent shopping, acting like a demoness,... She fooled us, Ramil. We must stay vigilant!" Khan said with resolve, pointedly ignoring his comrade's light chuckle and disapproving head shakes.

"Well, looks like the negotiations didn't go well, the warden must have undoubtedly provided the wrong answer." Ramil pointed out, noticing the commotion and displeased gestures. "No wonder there. They don't know just what exactly they are up against. The promise of such a generous reward must be clouding their sense of judgment. I mean, this is Leraje's realm and title we are talking about…" Khan exhaled. Normally, Ramil would have urged Khan to return and stay closer to the human to make sure she didn't fall to the hands of the warden. After all, it had to be him and Khan to present the human to Abaddon if they ever hoped to redeem themselves. He wouldn't allow some local town guards to beat them to it. However, he decided to heed Khan's best judgment and stay put and far away from the battle this time. His gut feeling agreed. The girl might have been outnumbered, but with her powers no longer restrained, there was no telling how powerful she would be. He dared believe that it was the guards who were outmatched. Unlike Khan, he had yet to witness the extent of the human's power, and to be perfectly honest, his curiosity and excitement were almost difficult to contain.

Soon, the soldiers came at the human from all sides. Before they could connect, though, the girl quickly pulled her aura back so it was no longer lemming her body. The captains exchanged puzzled looks, but didn't have time to ponder about it, they had to keep up with the battle. The human started dodging the guards' advances in a surprisingly agile manner. "Why, look at that… How is she moving around like that? Wasn't she fed sedatives not an hour ago?" Ramil asked, nudging Khan enthusiastically. "She was." the snake demon nodded with a sour grimace. "The imps must have gotten the dosage wrong. That or she's got some resistance built up from her time in the dungeons…" he said, getting a small nod in response before Ramil's full attention went back to the fight below.

The girl was treading among the town guards, alternating between a series of unfamiliar fighting stances and moves. She possessed neither a warrior's, nor an assassin's grace, but her moves were measured and effective. Ramil let out an impressed whistle. "They do not know her coat is practically impenetrable, and she's using its protection to intentionally offer them openings that would do her no harm. Not bad. Not bad at all. Oh, see that? The way she took down the guard to her right just now? I've never seen such a strange stance. Must be some kind of special Assiah close-combat fighting style." the brutish demon kept nodding to himself, completely consumed by the battle. And indeed. What the captains didn't know was that the Dragoon and the Doctor training had one thing in common - the emphasis on defense. The rules were simple. While you reload, you need to know how to dodge and deflect. While you are in danger, you can't help your teammates, so avoid and evade. It had not been Thea's strong suit, but Gehenna either killed you or brought out the best in you - and Thea was very much alive.

Ramil's enthusiasm was no surprise for Khan. He too was incredibly invested, let alone Ramil - a soldier to the core. Any new fighting style or strategy always got him intrigued, so Khan had already started mentally preparing himself for the rest of the night when Ramil would undoubtedly dive into all the fascinating details. Considering what was playing out in front of their eyes, though, he might actually enjoy it this time. "Indeed, but the guards would need to do more than that if they really want to capture her." Khan peered down, curious how the guards would fare against such an opponent.

And truly, the human's thrusts and cuts with her dagger enticed the guards to use openings she provided, only to be touched by her other unarmed hand briefly and then… go down. She gave them no other choice but to switch to a more forceful offense. Blades glistened in the light of the street lanterns as they launched another attack at the girl. She was keeping up, though, dodging and putting her satin-silk cloak to a good use to shield off the attacks. "Move it, human. Where's your spatial awareness? They'll get you cornered…" Ramil clicked his tongue in a displeased manner - the girl was agile, but the guards were much bigger and could use their superior body strength to their advantage. And indeed, the soldiers were soon circling around her like a flock of hungry ropens, cutting off her escape route completely. Then again, the human probably couldn't even notice. It was the specialty of mantis demonkind to blend well with their surroundings and creep up on somebody in that seemingly unmoving fashion, only to grab their prey from behind and immobilize them.

Immediately, two soldiers launched at her from behind and got hold of her shoulders from each side in a pacifying manner. One of them pushed her to her knees while the other took her dagger away, twisting it from her hands so forcefully that the captains were sure the girl's wrist must have broken in the process. She cried out in pain, but surprisingly, she didn't try to pry her way out or to get their hands off her. She merely lay her hands calmly on the arms of her attackers. A look of utmost concentration was the only sign she was doing something to resist. After a split second, both guards cried out in pain and crumbled to the ground next to her, clutching their chests and coughing out blood. "What in Gehenna…" Ramil's eyes widened. "What was that? Did you see her cutting them anywhere?" he asked Khan, but he was perplexed just the same. "No, I'm positive that they took the dagger."

The guards who were still standing looked stunned for a moment, exchanging confused looks. The girl stood up slowly and made a few circles with her wrist - it seemed to be healed already - while looking the warden meaningfully in the eye. However, his answer came in the form of loud, rushed orders. Another wave of soldiers came at her but the moment one of them was close enough, he found himself trapped in the peculiar circle trap of hers. Her attention turned to the rest. She didn't wait for them to come. Instead, she moved forward in a measured fashion and reached for one demoness' head. Their only contact seemed nothing more but a brief touch, a mere tapping of the human's fingers at her opponent's temple. Nevertheless, the whole left side of the demoness' body went strangely limp. She couldn't coordinate her movements well and her shout came off as a strange babbling sound. Then, she stumbled to the ground, disoriented. "Did you see that? Satan's Flames, she merely touched the guard!" Ramil gaped, eagerly awaiting his comrade's opinion on the strange technique. "I… I don't know, it happened too fast. She must have done something, used something. But I don't remember any such technique. Healing, permanent smiting, and the circle trap - those are the only techniques in her repertoire I'm aware of." Khan answered earnestly, racking his brain for an explanation.

In the meantime, the human turned quickly, pulling her cloak over her right side just in time to shield off a sword coming her way. That caused the attacking soldier to stumble, as he expected the sword to go through in a killing blow. The girl was pushed to the ground with a painful grunt. But she pushed through the pain. The half a second when the demon lost his footing gave the human enough time to pull out a very small knife and slit the demon's throat. "Quickly girl, your left side is wide open!" Ramil growled from behind the spyglass. Of course, she couldn't hear him, so she was left to her own devices to notice the attack coming from her left. She didn't. Or perhaps she simply couldn't dodge or parry it in time. A cry of pain escaped her lips as a spear found its way through her left thigh. Before she could act, yet another demon got close enough to backhand her, sending her to the ground, dazed. Two more were at her side in a blink of an eye and pinned her to the ground forcefully. "Not good." Ramil rumbled, his body tense. The captains exchanged concerned looks. It would be no better if the human died there.

Unexpectedly, one of the demons who crouched next to the human jolted and his limbs started twisting and spasming as if in a huge cramp. "Ramil, I think that a touch is all she needs to channel her powers and somehow injure the guards. She held his foot just now, I saw it." Khan said eagerly, nudging his comrade to pay closer attention to the human's hand movements. And indeed, another of her opponents soon fell down in the same fashion. More soldiers immediately rushed to aid their comrades, pushing their weight and weapons on the human, till she couldn't move a muscle. They must have pushed way too much though, because she cried out again. Abruptly, the rune circle dissolved, releasing the one demon it trapped, only to reappear again. But this time, it sprung to life around her. Agonized shrieks reverberated through the street as all the demons surrounding the girl started falling to the ground around her, their limbs and bodies badly burned by contact with the circle that had not been there a second ago. The smell of blood and burnt meat filled the street. Some demons managed to stand despite the terrible injuries and missing limbs, but backed away from the human who was lying in the middle of the shining circle. At this point, most onlookers and some combatants decided that Khan and Ramil had the right idea, and started running.

"By my Demon's heart…" Ramil let out a shaky exhale. "Is that…?" he trailed off, fuzzy memories rushing to his mind. "Yeah, that's how you went down when she had busted herself out of the prison. Just like I told you…" Khan nodded. "I know, I remember bits of it myself. And yet, seeing it with my own eyes… Satan's Flames, that's one nasty technique she's got there…" the brutish demon said, pulling at his collar uncomfortably, releasing some tension. His snakish companion just nodded slowly, his eyes focused on the fight. "But despite all of that, she's still holding back. She hasn't smitten any of her opponents yet. It doesn't make any sense…" Khan pondered. Her persistence must have riled the guards up, for their attacks became more and more forceful. They were no longer holding back as they advanced, making full use of their superior body strength. Soon, drops of blood spilled on the ground as the guards finally managed to land some slashes and cuts. But just like before, she proceeded with the same strategy and did her best to land incredibly precise hits. While one guard went down after the tendons above his ankles were cut, another clutched the place where one of his hearts must have been, and started coughing out blood.

"Khan… the spells." Ramil gasped suddenly. "They are chanting, throwing spells at her, and yet, she seems to be unaffected." the brutish demon pointed urgently at a group of spell casters positioned afar. They held staffs, wands, and scrolls. The captains could see them chanting, reciting spells, but none of them seemed to actually hit the human. "Impossible… She's immune to magic? But that's… No, the spells are hitting her, see?" Khan pointed, then continued. "It's her aura. She's still keeping it close to her and the spells are hitting her aura, which is dissolving them just as they are about to connect. See? That one mage throwing rocks at her - the rocks that she does not dodge actually hit, but he's hitting the guards more than her." the snake demon explained.

The human just kept showing them one incredible ability after another. And even though she was bleeding and breathing heavily, she still made her way through the ranks of soldiers, heading straight for the warden. She shot him another meaningful look, but the warden started laughing, then held up his hand. The human's eyes widened as she realized that there were archers and crossbow shooters positioned at the roofs of some buildings. The warden's hand fell down and the demons on the roofs opened fire. A cry pierced the night just as the arrows pierced the human. True, none of the arrows made it through the satin silk cloak, but they were so numerous that some of them simply found their way to parts of her body that were not covered. And even those which hit the cloak must have felt like a blow from a hammer. Not to mention that a number of them were afire. Ramil shot up in an instant, the smell of the girl's blood became more intense, hinting at serious injuries. "Ramil, no!" Khan gritted through his teeth, trying to keep the mass of muscles down. "I won't let her die there! And don't you even think of that stare of yours, I'm serious, Khan!" he grabbed the snake demon at his shirt threateningly. Khan nodded his head. "Alright. Let's go."

Against all reason and sense of self-preservation, both captains were rushing back to the town. At the same time, more guards started approaching and circling around the rebel on the ground. She couldn't even move properly from all the arrows piercing her body. She was barely able to keep herself up, she was trembling all over and tears were streaming down her face. As their hands reached to grab her, she quietly said to herself - "I'm sorry. I tried…" Then, she released her aura, no longer keeping it close to her.

A brilliant light sprung to life all around her, spreading far and wide, scorching everyone in the vicinity. Khan and Ramil immediately stopped in their tracks, covering before the immense amount of power. The girl let her aura flow freely around her, the magnitudes of which they had trouble comprehending. Abaddon relished flaunting his aura all around, crashing his subjects under its tremendous pressure, but this… This was absolutely insane. And that was from afar. Never in their lives have they felt an aura as strong as this from anyone but the demon lords. The sensation was just as Khan remembered. So crushing, so incredibly powerful, doom-promising. And yet, so strangely calming and peaceful that it was unsettling, against all of his demonic instincts and senses. The energy seemed to have no end, it kept coming in waves, directed by the human's hands, radiating more than suns at noon. Satan himself in the deepest pits of Gehenna must have felt that outburst.

They weren't sure how long it lasted, but when it passed, they found themselves still miraculously alive. However, the radius of that incredibly decimating blasts of power wasn't too far from them. When they finally overcame the stupor, they almost couldn't believe the sight in front of their eyes. The girl was crouching on the ground, breathing shakily, pulling out one arrow after another, yet somehow leaving no trace of the flesh being ever pierced. With the last cling of the arrow falling to join the pile on the ground, she stood up. Her eyes were shining in a bright silver and red entwined color and her aura was still dancing around her, only closer, pulled back to its original diameter. It felt controlled, contained, not weak or diminished by this feat.

The demon guards who surrounded her, the curious onlookers, the mercenaries who had tried to pry their way into the fight… everyone was simply gone. A quarter of the town blasted into oblivion. Fires were burning - not from her doing, but from mages panicking and from fire arrows missing their marks. Those lucky enough to be just injured laid on the ground, trying to subdue screams of pain, willing their regeneration abilities to work, but to no avail. Some were still running away, some were kneeling and bowing, and of course, some were already using the situation, looting. And she… She just stood there, surrounded by her ardent flames which were not really flames, like a living embodiment of doomsday, with her Executioner tattoo reflecting the colors menacingly.

Then, her head shot to her right. A demon was approaching - it was the shop owner from the Cloud district, Ramil remembered. He was accompanied by his other shop attendants and staff. Her fists clenched but she didn't move. Another group of demons approached from her left, then from the front and behind. They were coming from all sides, slowly, carefully, silently. The girl's shoulders slumped at the sight. The captains scrambled to their feet, ready to jump in and stop any further foolishness. However, they paused immediately. One by one, the demons went to their knees, then bent so that their heads were touching the ground. "Lady Executioner, we pledge our alliance and servitude to you in exchange for our lives and status we have, we offer to be your subjects." came from the shop owner, and soon, the pledge echoed through the whole town. An elbow to the ribs pulled Khan from his stupefied state. Apparently, Ramil recovered from the shock first. "Let's get out of here while we can… Regroup, rethink." he motioned for Khan to move, then added with a grin on his face. "Flames, if they did not believe the legends of the Executioner, now the whole of Gehenna will."

OoO

---

Disclaimer: Blue Exorcists belongs to Kazue Katō. Please, do not re-post or publish my story without my consent.

---

Author's note: Hello everyone!

I'm happy to share another chapter with you, surprisingly on the day I promised :) (There's a first time for everything I guess)

I'm glad that Thea got to enjoy at least one peaceful night, but we all know that Gehenna is all but merciful and her journey towards freedom continues. Many of you were wondering about Mephisto and when he finally makes his entrance. I can assure you that all will be unraveled - in time. Which - as you know - flows annoyingly different in both our 'time zones'.

How do you like Thea's journey through Gehenna so far? Is there anything you miss? I will be looking forward to your thoughts and feedback. Thank you so much for your support and for staying with this story ^^