Chapter Seventeen: Out-Smarted and Out-Numbered

The sun was setting.

"We should rest," Grimm grabbed Arya's shoulder.

"Yes, but they said that they would attack if we didn't show," she bit her lower lip.

"C'mon, those three seem smart enough to wait for us, right?"

At that note, Arya collapsed and just lied on the ground, "Then it's your turn to set up camp."

"You'll hunt?"

Arya sighed, "Fine," she got back up, and walked off.

As she disappeared, Grimm begun. Cutting off branches from the trees with his Sycthe, he used the leaves, twigs and branches to make a tent. After making the open tent, he walked around to gather as much rocks and pebbles, twigs and dry bark he could get to start a fire. Pile and stacking it altogether, he just needed to light it, which it would be best to leave for Arya to do.

With bow at her ready, she sat in a bush. Infront of her emerged an areites, or to what the humans say, deer. Leaning it's head over to feed, Arya drew her bow back, holding the arrow tightly, and released. Piercing the head of the areites, the light arrow evaporated in the air afterwards. Going to claim her winnings, Arya mounted the areites onto her shoulder, and started to walk back.

With the sun setting, Arya and Grimm sat around the campfire, with the deer roasting above it.

"Nice catch," Grimm said, tearing off one of the limbs of the deer to feast on.

"Th-thanks," she blushed, grabbing her own limb from the deer.

"You can express other feelings than just anger and stupidity?"

"Hey!"

"Just pointing out," Grimm rolled his eyes.

The demons came to the cell door, "C'mon prisoners, we've got to move you."

Treyala and the others stood and followed. Going up the stairs, she looked around, scanned around, tried to see if anything could help them escape, but nothing. Reaching the top, the three stood in the churches main room. Father Escobar stood infront of them.

"Hello my three little spies," he smirked. Extended out his hands, he put his right palm on Puer's cheek, "You'll be a perfect spy."

"LEAVE HIM ALONE," Jack fought to free himself. Trying to smash the locks, he proved useless, but he didn't care.

The demons glanced at Jack.

All of a sudden, Jack couldn't move or breathe or anything anymore. It's as if he were frozen.

The demons laughed and weezed while Jack slowly suffocated, not capable of doing anything. "Puppet Magic-Puppetiers Game," on chuckles. The other hit his friends back and spout, "Dude you're the worst," his friend stared, then they continued to laugh.

Father Escobar signaled the two to let Jack go.

They sighed, the one setting him free.

Jack gasped for breathe frantically.

Puer was horrified to see what magic one of the two demons had, for when they fought, they used pure strength, scary.

Treyala on the other hand, just stared emotionless, her face blank like a white slate.

Grabbing his chin, applying much force with his palm, Father pulled Jack's face in close, "I will not let you think you vermin, have a chance in this world," he spat every word onto his face.

Breaking the chain that bond the three together, the demons grabbed Treyala and Jack's arms, leaving Puer.

"What's you're name," Father said softly.

Puer didn't know if he could use words anymore, he didn't know if he could do anything, anymore. Now he wept.

Father sighed, "I gave you a chance-" he walked over and kicked Puer in the side, knocking him over, "I tried to make a deal with you-" he grabbed him by the throat and raised him, "But I guess vermin need to suffer first before I get what I want," Father tossed him aside and approached the Demons who had the other two. "Holy Magic-Holy Sword," a blade made of light, that oozed a dark aura, accumulated in his right palm. "Actually, we'll continue this tomorrow," at that, the demons started chanting.

A bunch of unknown words were spoken,and before the others eyes, blood spouted from within the three and crystalized once it made contact with the air, lastly the demons said, "Blood Magic-Blood Prison."

Father Escobar had the demons leave, "Tell your lord I appreciate his help, and I'll come deliver his share in two days."

The two demons nodded, leaving the church, extending their wings, and they flew off.

Puer, Jack and Treyala were now suspended mid air by their own blood, it wasn't life threatening, but painful it was.

It's been about an hour past nine, Grimm and Arya are once more on the move.

"How much further you say?"

Arya used her light magic to create a map, "Should be at the rendezvous pppoooiinnt now!"

They looked up. The three's camp was there, but in ruins. Going up to it, they looked for clues.

"Oh no, you don't think they're dead? This was probably a bear that scared them off? Right," Arya grabbed Grimm's chest.

"Let's look some more," he avoided looking her in the eyes, going back to searching the destroyed camp. In the a like of trash, Grimm found a letter. It explained how Father Escobar liberated his friends and wanted to confront both Grimm and Arya. "Bad news, those idiots are relying on us."

Arya glanced at the letter, "It says we'll have to fight him in town."

Grimm took his cloak and pit it on Arya, "looks better on you," he smiled.

Traveling to the front gate, the guards had let the two in. Escorting them through each checkpoint, Arya and Grimm held eachothers hands.

I won't lose you again, Arya thought.

I'll protect you with my dying breathes, Grimm thought.

They were walking through the city. All the humans stared.

Grimm, tall and slender, completed with his white messy hair. His eyes shimmered a red under the sun, like a ruby. With an updated wardrobe, he now wore a one piece outfit, his top was a long sleeve black shirt that went down into baggy pants.

Beside him, Arya let her dirty blonde hair rest onto her back, and unlike Grimm, her eyes were a baby blue, holding pure innocence ripped from her. Also with wardrobe change, Arya was wearing the hide of the boar as an arm protector, combined with the leaf outfit Treyala made, repurposed as an skirt. Her shirt was clothe she sewed as a shirt when at the cabin, held together by the boars hide. Hiding her skin, she now wore and kept Grimm's cloak.

They were stopped. Father Escobar stood infront of the two. Both sides of them, buildings, shops and homes both filled the street. People peered through windows, doors, barrels, whatever they could use to watch from safety. Behind Father, was a public hanging contraption. The two elves have never seen such technology used publicly. From behind it, three people were being brought up, potatoe sacks on their heads. Held by three greatly built men, the wouldn't have flinched so easily. Also dressed as executioners with the churches holy cross tattooed on them. Father raised his hand upwards, the sacks were taking off.

Arya and Grimm held eachothers hand tightly.

The sacks were off. Jack's face was brutalized. The gas mask he once wore, smashed, his mouth was cut and bleeding. His forehead was cut as well. Treyala seemed fine, but her eyes had told another story.

Looking at Puer, his arm was completely torn off. It was wrapped up, plus those of the Grass Folk Clan had great regenerative abilities, but his expression was also pained.

The three had all looked broken.

Father Escobar had begun to laugh. "You vermin just won't ever understand! You may win some fights, but never the war!"

"We'll stop you here," Arya had a flare in her eye.

"No you won't," Father grasped Treyala'a chin tightly now.

Treyala struggled to move away, "No, back away you monster!"

Arya had felt crushed."What did you do to her!" Arya looked at the broken Treyala. She always seemed cool, calm and would always assess everything, was now a mess. "I will....," clenched her right face, "I will stop your madness!"

Grimm hadn't spoken yet, it was as if he were in another plan of existence than the rest.

"Now I know how you'll act, but you won't attack me because if you do," Father moved his right hand slightly and the man holding Jack shoved his fist in his gut, and smacked his head. "Retaliate and they all die."

"What do you want from us," Grimm finally spoke.

Arya didn't want to listen to him, but she knew they had no other choice.

"Elrod Grimm," Father spoke his whole name, "I want you too-"

Grimm looked at the man, knowing what he was gonna say, "kill Arya?"

Arya looked at Grimm, "W-what?"

Father smiled, "Why, how did you know?"

Grimm sighed, "Because you decided that we're a threat, don't you?"

"Sadly yes, you're a nuisance to me."

"DON'T YOU DA-," Jack coughed up blood, "Don't you ki-," he coughed up more blood before the executioner covered his mouth.

Treyala was too shook to speak and Puer as well.

Grimm looked at Arya and pulled her against him.

"So it ends here?"

Grimm shed a tear, "Sadly yes."

She put her arms onto his shoulders as he held her, "Kiss me," she lent in, her lips locking with his. She pulled away, and saw blood all over her chest, from Grimm's Sycthe. She fell back and hit the ground.

Grimm looked down at Arya and moved his hands to close her eyes.

The air went still. The bystanders stared, as so did Father and his little audience.

Grimm felt a great hole in his chest, one that pained him greatly.