A year ago on this day, I decided to upload my first chapter, adding my story to other great stories that have inspired me to start this new hobby. A whole year to look back and see how far I've gone and the people who wanted to follow me and my stories. To everyone who has read, commented, and reviewed my stories, I wish to say "Thank You!"

I have been working on these stories in the back of my mind whenever I'm not or unable to type them down but also working on new stories. Stories I feel like that can be ready for all to see even given enough time. I'll think them over more but for now, Dark Interference and Rise of the Gears take priority.

Here is to another year of good storytelling and anticipation!

Chapter 11 Reports

Mia has taken Gin to the hidden village that was also hosting a large mamono army so there were to be plenty of healers. As they get closer to the center of the town, Gin sees a large crowd with all eyes looking at the two. They go down to the opening the crowd has left open for them and already a few healers were there waiting. As soon they touched the ground, Gin was quickly approached by a pair of Dark Mages.

One of them speaks to Gin, "Don't worry we'll make you better and heal your backbones." She was about to feel Gin's spine but Gin intercept her hand with her left hand and looks to that healer.

Gin asks in concern, "Where is Peach, Cherry, and my baby?"

"Those three are in one of our inns where they are getting something to eat and rest." Gin lets go of her hand and the duo starts healing her back. After a few minutes of the Dark Mages pouring some of their demonic energy into Gin's lower shattered spine to piece it back together but after a few minutes.

"Something is wrong!? Her spine isn't healing at all!" Said the other Dark Mage.

"Let's be more aggressive here, pour more energy into her."

"Alright." The two focus more and more of their energy, evident by the pinkish light growing even brighter around Gin's lower back. A few more minutes have passed and the second mage speaks up again, "I don't understand, why isn't she being healed? There should be some sign of progress with the amount of energy we have given her." At this point, Gin's breathing was becoming more like she is panting from exhaustion.

"Ok, let's stop right here." The first mage ceases her magic followed by the other mage. She ponders for a bit until she says, "I'm going to examine the injured area more closely and see what is going on." She places her right hand on the broken spine and uses her magic to scan for anything anomalous. While she was doing that, the second mage sees Gin's face and her breathing then speaks up loud enough for all to hear, "Can someone please give this werewolf a mug of ale or something to drink! Please!"

Someone in the crowd shouts out, "I'll get her something!"

"What do you see Beth?" the second mage asks the first.

Beth replies, "The mana to heal her isn't wrapping around her spine but is instead being blocked off by…... What!?" Beth has a troubled expression to which the second asks, "What is it?! What's stopping us?!"

Beth looks at Gin and asks, "Your Gin, right?" The werewolf nods at her, then Beth furthermore asks, "What was the aggressor's race that did this to you Gin?"

Gin looks at her confusingly and replies, "A human female."

Beth shakes her head and says, "A human female couldn't inflict this kind of damage only a fellow mamono can." Gasps and murmurs could be heard throughout the crowd at that revelation. Gin is now really confused and before she can say anything, the other mage butts in asking, "A mamono attacking and killing other mamonos along with their husbands is unheard of! You sure this was caused by our kind instead of some kind of magic the human female may have cast?"

Gin speaks up, "Carla Johnson."

"What?" asks the mage.

"Her name is Carla Johnson and she didn't cast any spell on me or my pack when she brutally murdered them." Gin corrects the mage and her anger starts to show again.

Beth asks her question, "Was Johnson a Hero?"

"No, I didn't feel any holy magic from her or her party." Beth is surprised to hear this since only Heroes and Valkyries can do this kind of damage but needed to know more. "What about the others that were with this Johnson?"

Gin just chuckles then fell silent and looks at Beth to say, "There were four of them and if Carla wasn't with them, then not only my pack would still be ALIVE but we could have gotten bigger with them joining us. And one last thing is that they were terrified of Carla, more so than us so they listen to her every command."

The other mage in disbelief at what she is hearing, speaks out her confusion, "So a normal human female, this Johnson pretty much single handily took down an entire pack by herself? At least those three kids manage to hide from her."

"She found them but she chose to spare them instead of killing them." Gin corrected the mage who was visibly getting a headache.

Beth speaks up, "Karen, let's take Gin to Scarlet, maybe she can heal her injuries as well as listen to her tale." Karen just signs without saying another word bends down with Beth to pick up Gin by lifting her up by her shoulders around theirs and walks to the main tent.

Inside the tent stood a familiar succubus for it was the one who escape from the town guards after her brief fight with Lizzy. She is currently talking to a mirror but instead of her reflection, she was talking to the fourth daughter of the Demon Lord, Lady Druella. "After that, I flew away and I thought you would want to hear about this interesting encounter with this newcomer."

Lady Druella listens to the full verbal report from one of her lieutenants' replies, "Hmm, that is indeed an interesting encounter with that person. What of the other two? What can you tell me about them?"

"Well, the easiest one would be the other female who was them and from the way she walked and her body language, she seemed to be very active, very energetic to the point I think she is very adventurist or is a challenge seeker. Along with her large black mace-looking weapon probably very blunt too." Lady Druella nods her head and slightly waves her hand as a cue to continue. "And the last person seemed to be your typical smarty pants adventurer, the kind to think before acting or getting into a fight without devising a plan."

Once she finished speaking, Lady Druella asks, "So what is your plan now Scarlet? Will you be going back or will you send someone else to learn more about these three?"

Scarlet answers, "Both actually for I'll have someone watch the carefree girl while I'll eye the guy and- "Excuse me, Ma'am, your powers are needed immediately! There is someone here who survived an attack!" Scarlet quickly turns around to see a Dullahan hastily enter the tent and in turn, the guard sees Lady Druella in the mirror. The guard stands at full attention and quickly says in a worrisome tone, "Please forgive me Lady Druella, I didn't mean to interrupt your meeting!" The guard then kneels and quickly bows before the mirror.

Lady Druella smiles slightly at the guard's apology and says, "Have no fear for you are doing your duty but enough of this. Now rise, you said someone was attacked, yes?"

The guard quickly stands up and reports, "Yes, a pack of werewolves was attacked by a group of adventurers but supposedly a single individual; a female in black clothing wielding a slightly large black mace had killed most of them."

When the guard mentioned a black mace, Lady Druella raised an eyebrow, looks at Scarlet, and asks, "The one you mentioned who you think is very outgoing, what was she wearing?"

Scarlet thinking the same thing replies, "Black clothing from head to toe. Guard, bring in the survivor in now." The guard leaves just to quickly enter back in with Beth and Karen escorting Gin into the tent and gently placing her in the middle of the tent.

Beth looks at Scarlet and quickly speaks, "We tried to heal her but some unusual magic around the inflicted area is stopping us." Beth then sees the mirror and was to stand at attention but Lady Druella quickly says, "Skip the formalities for now and tell us what's going on." Karen was surprised to hear Lady Druella was here and present and having heard what she just said speaks up, "An owl mage found her along with three children which she carried them here to be cared for."

Lady Druella wants to hear the werewolf so she speaks loudly, "I wish to see this werewolf and hear her tale now." Scarlet sees that she is in the way, moves aside, and walks over to the werewolf to heal her. Now both Lady Druella and Gin have a clear line of sight with each other, Lady Druella asks, "Tell me what has happened."

Gin tells her story from the beginning at the excitement of her pack gaining new members and husbands, to Gin getting the injury, next was Gin watching her pack getting slaughtered by Carla then her saying all the things she said. The final parts Gin revealed were her pleas to Carla and the four adventurers, next after they have left, and finally her weeping over her loss until the owl mage Mia and the reappearances of the three children, who were thoughted to have died as well. Gin's story came to an end when Mia drop off her at this village.

Lady Druella and Scarlet listen closely to Gin and when she finished, they were both disturbed by Carla's actions and words. There was silence for a moment until Lady Druella says, "Scarlet I want you to send your best assassin after this Carla Johnson and bring her before me, for I have a great many words to say to her." Scarlet nods and Lady Druella adds, "Find out all you can about these three and see if you can 'acquire them."

Scarlet again nods and faces the werewolf's spine and makes an irritated face to which Lady Druella notices and asks, "What's wrong?"

Scarlet answers, "I'm having trouble mending her lower back and this magic is preventing mine from entering the area."

Beth joins in and says, "Doesn't that strange magic look awfully similar to ours?"

Scarlet answers, "Yes, it does and now I'm thinking about it, it feels kind of the same when that one girl I fought at the library hit me with that dark orb."

Lady Druella speaks, "Can you help you her Scarlet?" Scarlet looks back at Gin's spine and tries again but still couldn't start the healing process. Scarlet looks back at the mirror and says, "No."

"Very well, Scarlet I'll be coming over once I've gotten things ready on my end. Summon me again of any new developments." Scarlet and the rest of the attendees (except the werewolf) bow and say, "We'll await your arrival, my Lady." After that, the image of Lady Druella rips and fades away leaving only a reflection of all those inside the tent.

Scarlet looks at Gin and says, "We may not treat your injury until Lady Druella arrives but we can still numb the pain for you once we reunite you with your children." Gin nods and offers her thanks after that Scarlet had a pair of guards carry Gin to the inn the children were being sheltered.

Once they were gone, Beth speaks, "Do you think this Johnson may be a heretical mamono or an abnormal?"

Scarlet thinks for a moment then replies, "That is a possibility but I personally don't think so. I think she can somehow manage to twist demonic energy into something more destructive, something unnatural." Beth and Karen look at each other then back to Scarlet and more or less shrugged. Without any more clues to formulate a theory, the three decide to hold out on any more speculation. Thus, Beth and Karen left the tent, leaving Scarlet alone until she calls out a guard.

Another Dullahan comes in, "Yes Ma'am!"

"Go and bring Violet here, I have an important assignment for her." The guard nods and leaves. Scarlet thinks to herself, 'Just what are you, Carla Johnson?"

Back at the city inn, Mary, Lizzy, and Michael discussed what has happened today.

"So, they too had someone inside as well," Michael says after hearing Lizzy's encounter with a non-human combatant.

"Yes, but unfortunately she broke from the guards and flew off. They say she was a succubus."

"And now the whole city is on high alert and now are starting a more thorough examination of people coming in and out. This is going to make things more difficult for us."

"I don't think so." Mary jumps in and adds, "Not after what I have done and I think I left a very big impression." Mary smiles and leans back on her bed.

Michael counters, "Disposing a single pack of werewolves hardly gives us immunity or ease of movement throughout the city."

"Oh, I disagree, for I had four witnesses watch me take care of them in an extreme way which will show them that we are definitely not on their side."

Lizzy intervenes, "Maybe we should wait and see if Mary's actions do provide us with some sort of advantage or not."

"Oh, dear Lizzy, the ever-faithful diplomat, your words are so true and purely logical just like you." Mary teases to which Lizzy does a small head bow and smiles.

"Fine then, I'll give the commander our today's report then we'll wait for tomorrow." Lizzy and Mary nod and appear to be getting ready for bed though they don't actually need to sleep it's just for show. Michael's eyes light up in their true color as he reports the recent developments.

Back at the hidden village to Scarlet's tent, Scarlet talks to Violet who is a Kunoichi or simply called a Mamono ninja, "That's who you'll be facing so except a strange and dangerous fight with her. Do you want some guards or people you know with you?"

Violet replies, "No, anyone who isn't a Kunoichi will more likely be in my way." Scarlet nods and dismisses her after wishing her good luck. An idea came to mind Scarlet calls out to one of the guards, "Please find Miss Lucy and bring her to me. I have a special task for her." The guard salutes and goes to find Lucy, Scarlet smiles as her new idea will give her much inside information about the trio and possibly make them her allies.