Demon Hunt (1)

"I wonder why we were ordered to come here," one man muttered, his voice strained as he clambered over a jagged rock. It wasn't a question directed at anyone in particular, just idle chatter as the team trudged up the inclined road.

"Don't talk," the team leader barked, his tone stern. "Save your breath, or you'll be gasping like a fish before we're halfway up."

Despite the warning, the team members didn't seem inclined to stop their chatter.

"I mean, seriously, why us?" another man asked, wiping sweat off his brow. "As far as I know, this was a direct order from Lord Zephyrion."

"Yeah, I heard that too. Apparently, Lady Rael delivered the message herself," a third chimed in, adjusting the straps of his gear. "Anything coming from her has to be a big deal, right?"

The conversation snowballed from there.