Day of Jugdement

The next day found them surrounded by mist so thick they could barely see their hands before their faces, so they agreed to it that Lily would best hold fast to Ryon's arm, and she'd be tagging along behind him. This way he would be the one who took blows first, should they be so unfortunate as to run into a third scout, or if they should stumble over hidden logs. It was a sensible idea, but Lily longed to be able to let go of his arm. Not because she was uncomfortable touching him but walking like this slowed them down considerably. And what was more was that his arm was cold to the touch, and it reminded her too much of a corpse. Of course, she knew by now that, technically, he wasn't alive. But it was a different thing to imagine him being dead. Thinking about it brought pictures to her mind that made her stomach churn.

But she didn't dare to let go either, lest she'd lose him in the fog. And if they got separated and had to call for one another, there was a high probability that it would attract other people searching for her, too. Plus, they could gather that I'm alone, she thought and clutched his arm tighter.

In response, Ryon cast her quizzical look.

„Are you frightened?", he asked. „Or cold?"

He sounded rather concerned and she thought that that was touching, but she couldn't share his train of thoughts with him. It would be too embarrassing.

„No", she lied. „I just don't love the idea of getting separated." That was at least a part of the truth.

Ryon nodded sympathetically. „I see. It really would be a bother."

Lily chuckled quietly. He sounded as if he didn't care, but that was just his way of expressing that he did.

Ryon looked at her with a wide grin. „What's so funny?", he asked.

„Oh, nothing", Lily replied with a grin of her own.

„Oh, pray, tell!", he insisted, so Lily stuck out her tongue at him and said. „You are. In fact, you're ridiculous!"

Ryon stared at her in mock-offense. „How rude! I thought you were raised a lady!"

„I was", she reminded him cheekily. „But only to the outside. So here I am: Sweet on the outside, rotten on the inside, like a forgotten candied apple. Take it or leave it."

„I take it", Ryon said instantly, and then bit his tongue.

Lily stared at him and blushed.

„I mean…", Ryon began.

„No, no, it's okay…" Lily interrupted him.

For a moment none of them said anything. Finally Ryon decided to change the subject.

„This wolf hide of yours… That's not a typically demonic ability, is it?", he asked.

Taken somewhat by surprise by the sudden change of subject Lily stuttered. „N-No, I guess not. But I'm not exactly an expert on those things. Lord Duncan didn't share his findings often with me. Only when he thought he can tease me with the intel. But he never mentioned anything of the sort."

„Hmh", Ryon made thinkingly. „I wonder if you can change into other animals, too?"

„I don't know. I haven't tried it yet", she confessed.

„Maybe you could…", Ryon spoke further. But she wasn't listening anymore, because at that moment, even through the mist, she noticed that they were about to leave the last of the forest's trees behind them. She stopped and so did Ryon, who only now seemed to notice.

Before them must lay the meadow. The air was even cooler than between the trees. She lifted her gaze upwards and saw, though partially veiled by the haze, the form of a huge mountain rising before them and stretching up into the sky.

A real skyscraper, she thought bewitched.

Ryon must have been just as enchanted by the view, judged by way he stood silently and unmoving beside her.

Lily looked up at him and had to smile. So even a Death Spirit could still be in awe at the sight of a mountain. She liked that thought, given how he had a way to always talk like he had seen and done everything there was to see and do and now his life was only a mix of boredom and babysitting. She didn't take him too seriously when he did that - not anymore at least. Well, he had explained to her, that Ookubi weren't supposed to feel anything, so maybe it wasn't even exaggerated when he claimed that most things bored him. It probably just took more to impress him.

Like standing at the foot of a mountain the size of giant. It probably doesn't occur very often that he has to look up at something, she thought somewhat amused. And what a sight it must be without the fog veiling it! She couldn't wait to see that - and experience it together with Ryon.

However, their peace wasn't permitted to last long. A hiss that parted the fog caught her attention and as she turned towards the sound the hiss ended abruptly in a thud. To the right of her, close to her cheek, there was an arrow sticking out of a tree.

Ryon came to his senses immediately and looked towards the arrow.

Lily turned to inspect it further, while Ryon positioned himself in front of her like a ten feet tall, deformed shield, in case that more arrows came flying.

To the arrow attached, Lily found a tiny paper scroll. She narrowed her eyes in suspicion and untacked the scroll from the arrow.

„Your foes?", Ryon asked despite thinking that he'd know what the answer would be, while she read the note that had been written in a neat and ornamental lady's handwriting.

„Worse", she replied with a snarl after reading it with a frown on her face. „Family."

***

Commander Nagra was more than irritated by Lady Diana. Not enough that they were preparing to encounter a demon, but no, he just now had to keep her from maiming one of his soldiers, because she wanted to try out a shiny sword she'd found in her father's study. She was too reckless!!

In order to restrain his anger, he clenched his hands into fists. Lady Diana may be sure of herself for now, but some day all of her reckless behaviour, all she does and says that hurts people would come back to haunt her. And if Commander Nagra had a say in it, this day would come rather sooner than later.

There was no way that the gods would overlook her cold and cruel heart when they spun the fates of men.

When that day came, Nagra would be able to live in peace. He would probably get reassigned, yes, but that was alright. He couldn't imagine any superior being worse than Lady Diana, anyway.

Now, he chided himself. It's not favorable to wish other people bad luck. The gods don't like petty spitefulness.

He stopped for a moment to speak a short prayer, so that the gods may forgive him his malicious joy.

I hope they receive the prayer in time and heed it before they send karma my way, he thought.

"Sir!", he heard a shrill shout.

"What?!", he snapped and spun around.

The scout running towards him flinched, and Nagra chided himself silently

„My apologies, sir", the scout said visibly insecure. „I came to report a sighting."

"What?", Nagra asked again, this time rather chilled than heated.

„I am stationed at the outpost that is located at the mountain wall. The one that overlooks the meadow. And despite the fog I saw the Ookubi and next to him was the demon girl."

„Are you sure it was them?", the commander asked, cautious to keep his excitement to a minimum.

„I am, sir. I used my spyglass to be certain. Their shapes are rather distinguishable, I must say. They were just outside the forest when I spotted them", the scout said.

At that moment, Lady Diana spoke up behind them, spooking both of the men nearly shitless. „Inform the outposts and the soldiers. My champion will send a custom-made arrow flying and I want every fighter armed and ready at the river banks in half an hour, you hear me?", she said.

„Sir, yes, ma'am!", the scout called saluting and then bowed himself out.

„I will inform the ranking officers", Commander Nagra announced and turned to leave.

„Commander", Lady Diana called to him.

What now?, Nagra thought and towards her.

„If you fail me ever again, I'll buy myself a Rottweiler, let him chew your face off and make him a pretty little necklace with your badge dangling on it. Then I'll give him your position at the mansion, while you will stay here, in Tiadar", she aspirated, leaning in close to breath on his neck.

Commander Nagra froze and when she pulled back, he stared at her. After a moment he said:

„I will not fail you… Mylady."

***

Half an hour later Commander Nagra stood side by side with Lieutenant Price and five other senior officers in front of their own lines. To the left and right of them stood the archers, since Lady Diana had insisted to have them in place in case the demon took to the air. But since the fog was as thick as it had been all morning, Commander Nagra doubted that they could do any good.

The rest of the soldiers had been ordered to position themselves behind him. As soon as they could see the demon, they would spread out to surround it in a half-moon shape.

They all stared into the fog with anticipation.

With the sun obscured by the mist it was impossible to tell how much time went by until they heard the scout, who had initially reported the first sighting of the Death Spirit and its demonic friend, and who was now watching out for them with his spyglass, shout:

„They're are coming!"

And indeed. Only a moment after they had heard the warning, a big and dark deformed shape was distinguishable from the white mist surrounding them all.

The Death Spirit, Commander Nagra realized with a sudden chill. Would the demon send him first to even the odds?

The commander didn't know much about Death Spirits. Only as much as Lord Duncan had known and shared with him. Apparently, they have their origin in Japan and served as henchman. How one of them had ended up here, he had no idea. Well, if we a have portal, others might have, too, he reasoned with himself. A fascinating thought. If that was the case, how many other portals were there around the globe? He shook his head. Concentrate. What else do you know about it?

Folklore had it that each ‚Ookubi' as they were called in Japanese, was owner of a magic book that had the power to end the life of anyone who's name was written in it.

But it doesn't know our names, does it?, the commander thought and tried to comfort him. No, of course it doesn't. It has never seen us before and now the fog veils us as much as it veils them.

Somewhat reassured Commander Nagra stared at the nearing shape defiantly.

„Scatter!", he called to his troops and the men distributed themselves in the half-moon formation they had practiced.

At that moment, the Ookubi took to the air and beat its wings a few times before it came down again, rushing at them at a high speed and a close shave.

„Present arms!", the commander called and the men leveled their guns.

„Be ready to shoot!", one of the officers next to him issued.

The men stood still as rocks, but when the Ookubi didn't slow down they began to get uneasy and when the Death Spirit rushed over them only a few feet over their heads before he pulled up sharply, momentarily panic broke loose.

„Hold your position!", Commander Nagra shouted.

The Ookubi climbed upwards with heavy wing beats that cleared the area of all the fog and flew back to where it had come from, landing and then walking just behind the demon girl approaching them.

Commander Nagra had watched it all the while and only now did he see, what the Ookubi had achieved with his feigned attack. It had cleared a path for the demon girl and revealed every single man standing ready to attack it. Now they had a clear view on the girl, but they were just as exposed to the demon.

As they watched it coming, it neared them with determined strides. It was still in the appearance of a dark-haired young woman, but its eye colour was already changing to red. Despite the cold it wore nothing more than a plain white dress with ankle length and her naked feet were obscured by whiffs of white fog so that it seemed as if it was floating above the floor.

In its fist it held clutched a piece of paper. Its eyes were burning with rage and for a split second, as a larger whiff of fog drifted by, he meant to see a white wolf instead of the demon girl.

Bhoot!, he thought shocked, suddenly being reminded of stories of shapeshifting ghosts of deceased people, that appeared mainly as white dressed women but could take on forms of various animals.

He shuddered. But when he looked again, it was definitely a woman and not a wolf approaching them.

His next thought, however, was a bizarre one. Wolves, he thought. Wolves don't farm.

He shook his head. He had to stay focused and mustn't be distracted by random silly notions.

Don't worry. There is still the river between us, Nagra thought to comfort himself.

At that moment, the demon reached the bank on the other side of the river and called out roaring:

„Wherre arre you? Show yourrself, you cowarrd!"

No. Lady Diana was right. No matter what it looked like. It was no human, and he mustn't forget that, not ever.

Commander Nagra answered in his own way. „Present arms!", he shouted and the men around him obeyed, pointing their double-barrel guns at the demon.

The demon didn't seem to be in the least intimidated by the guns. It just glared at them unmovingly.

Behind him he could hear feet shuffling, but he didn't need to turn around to know what was happening.

Since he didn't dare to take his eyes off the demon, he waited until the Lady entered his field of vision before speaking: „You should really stay behind, mylady. The demon seems to be enraged. Let the men handle the beast. We will present her to you as trophy afterwards."

The Lady, however, had something different in mind. She shot Nagra a sharp glance.

„No one calls me a coward and walks away with their legs unbroken", she replied coldly.

„We can break her…", he began, but was interrupted by a brusque hand gesture.

„Commander, I already gave you more than enough men to catch this filthy demon and yet you disappointed me. In the weeks you've been in this forsaken land, none of your troops was able to bring her down. They all lack the courage to confront her and so do you. I have come to straighten your errors and now I will be the one who finishes your assignment. Because obviously I am the only one qualified enough get the job actually done. So, spare me your chivalry. It's worth nothing if you're not a knight who knows to fight for his ladyship."

Commander Nagra opened his mouth to say something, but before he could respond in any way Lady Diana shoved her way through the crowd until she was at the front.

„He, who shoots her, can pick his head off the dirty ground!", she called.

Today she wore a rich dress of magenta silk embroidered with sweet water pearls and golden thread. At her hip she wore a slender sheathed sword, and the sheath was embroidered with the family crest: A unicorn stabbed in the neck by its rider.

After she had a quick look around to confirm that everyone would go along with her order, she turned towards the shore.

„Lily", the Lady spoke with a slightly softer voice, but the sarcasm in it was barely veiled. „I'm so glad you could make it."

„Wherre is she?", the demon called. „Wherre is Louise?"

„What a demanding tone you are displaying", Lady Diana scoffed. „She is here."

With that, Lady Diana waved, and a camp servant brought forth the wooden box.

Under the intense gaze of the demon, the boy opened the box and reached inside. After a moment he erected himself and pulled out - a cat. Well, admittedly, it was a beautiful cat. Her coat was white and shiny, if somewhat ruffled by the voyage, and her light brown eyes looked somewhat noble even though they were wide with fear. However, Commander Nagra had to admit that he was more than surprised. All that for a cat?, he thought dumbfounded. And this next thought was a rather embarrassing one. I was afraid of that?

He looked over to his friend Finley who followed the scene with a tilted head. Surely, he must also think that that revelation was rather anti-climatic.

„Louise!", the demon called, pulling the commander's attention back to the main event. „Askoth! Rrelease herr this instance!"

„I will. Once you've surrendered and atoned for your sins", the Lady replied coolly.

The demon growled. Then it turned its head towards the Death Spirit without ever taking its eyes off Lady Diana and the cat.

While the demon spoke to it, the Death Spirit grinned widely. Why that should be, Commander Nagra had no idea, but he had a bad feeling about it.

After a while, the demon turned back to them and addressed Diana directly.

„Alrright. Let's see if you can make me atone!"

And with that the demon spread its wings and jumped over the river with ease, landing directly in front of the Lady.

The unease among the soldiers was almost palpable, yet the Lady didn't even flinch. Commander Nagra had to admit, that she was a brave young woman.

After it landed the demon erected itself and magicked a dirty sword into her hands, while Lady Diana drew hers which Nagra recognized to be same sword he had examined just half an hour ago.

And as he regarded the two women facing off, he belatedly realized that the ‚dirt' on the demon's sword must be the dried blood of poor Lord Duncan! What a sadistic message!

The demon seemed to read his mind.

„No worrrry. Soon you will see yourr prrecious fatherr - in hell!", it hissed.

Shaneal looked at his friend Finley who was completely focused on the two women. His soft features were now hardened with intense concentration, and he remembered how eager the young man was to serve justice and all that was good and true. How he had looked only half an hour ago. The gentleness in his soft brown eyes and the smile that came so readily whenever someone needed it. And suddenly, Shaneal found himself chilled to the bone. What would he do if something were to happen to his young friend? He couldn't bear the thought!

He looked back at the women, but before he could think that, before this day, he had never seen the Lady at weapons' practice, the two of them already clashed their swords.