Time To Get The Palanquin

A thud echoed in the clearing as the guards tossed Lars to the ground. He winced as he squirmed, trying to raise himself. Lars lifted his eyes and saw Xero, Peon, Finnas, and the two beastkin siblings, Elio and Rilon, gazing at him. Xero shook his head in disappointment as a silent sigh escaped his lips.

'I knew something would happen.' Xero noticed the purple bruises on Lars' cheeks.

'I should be surprised, but why am I not surprised?' Peon shook his head to clear his thoughts on the matter.

"You will all bear the palanquin's weight. I don't need to warn you what will happen if you dare drop it." Elio and Rilon trembled as they remembered what the man could do.

Elio and Rilon had slightly tanned skin, and their hair was a darker shade of blond muddled with brown spots. Their hair stood on end as they remembered Alphard's action in prison.

"Before we continue, I need to hand you your weapons. Except one of you." 

Lars looked to his hip and saw the 'weapon' attached to it. Xero knew not to expect knight-grade daggers. He hoped that they would give them something that could defend them, not be an accomplice to their death. Alphard dipped his hand into his armor to retrieve the daggers from the inner pockets. Eventually, they came out of his armor. They received the sheathed daggers, cradling the sheath in their hand.

'The handles are shabby, there are cracks here and there. If this is the handle, I won't even dare dream of what the blade is like.'

Xero slowly drew the blade from its sheath, not expecting it to be even mediocre. His predictions were even better than what was presented to him. The atrocity before him looked ready to fall at any moment. The dagger had brown spots covering most of its length. Lines of weakness appeared near the hilt.

'Only one hit is enough to break this thing.' Xero slid the dagger back to its sheath as he sighed, trying to ease a headache.

 "You call this a weapon of defence? How are we supposed to protect the little miss?" Peon frowned at the blade he was gripping. 

He tried as much as possible to tighten his grip so as not to shatter it. Alphard picked up on Peon's words and turned his head as their gazes met.

"Do you have anything you want to say?" Neither side broke eye contact as Peon glared at him.

"I will ask once, is this the best equipment you guys have to offer?" Alphard shook his head as he released a sigh.

"Why can't these plebeians accept generosity when offered to them?" The slits in Peons narrowed at Alphard.

"Answer the question." Peon's long tongue slithered outside his mouth as a hiss escaped alongside it.

"It is adequate for you lot."

He clenched his fist, the fragile blade nearly crumbling in his grasp. He took a step forward, trying to get into Alphard's personal space, but he was halted in his tracks. The smell of sulphur, accompanied by ash, assaulted his nose. There was a distinct smell that emanated from his right hand. He heard the sizzling sound of meat and felt his right hand become numb. Peon glanced at his right hand, as sweat beaded on his eyebrow. He saw that his hand had caught fire and shook his hand in an attempt to put it off.

Meanwhile, the other captives watched as Peon pranced around the clearing as if trying to put out a fire. Xero and Lars noticed something eerily familiar about what was happening.

'It is as if he is trying to put out a fire even though he is not on fire. Wait, this is–'

'--Illusion magic.' Xero and Lars came to the same conclusion.

"Make it stop! It hurts!" He screamed as he patted the burning rags, as trails of tears trailed down his cheeks. 

He tried to scream, but his throat was dry. Slowly, the silhouette of a person appeared at the corner of his vision. Relief swept over him, but it faded away quickly. The silhouette cleared up to reveal a black armored demon. His body trembled with each passing minute.

"Stop it now!" He tried reaching for him, only for the distance between them to grow.

"This is the price you pay for your disobedience. You have been getting on my nerves for way too long." Alphard walked toward him and grabbed his chin.

Despite his fear, he took note of Alphard's 'grip'. It felt too light even by the standards of someone who had gauntlet-clad hands. He shook his head before deciding to do something risky. He raised the burning hand towards his face. He buried his fangs deep within it before tugging away with all his might. He tore into his arm, skin ripping free and lodged in his teeth. Blood trickled down his arm in streams with different pathways.

The pain broke him out of the hallucination. He groaned, gasping for air as his vision cleared. He looked around– still the same clearing, surrounded by trees. The woody scent crept into his nose with each breath he took. A gust of wind breezed past him, completely reminding him that he was back in reality. He turned his head and he saw Alphard's obsidian eyes fixed on him. He clenched his fist as he marched up to Alphard.

"You…" He threw a punch at his unguarded cheek.

Before his attack could connect, it was caught midair. Before he knew what had happened, his pain doubled, and he hit the ground hard. Peon raised his head to glare at Alphard.

"I don't feel like entertaining your shenanigans." He walked back to the rest of the captives.

"Follow me to the beginning of your assignment." Alphard marched off into the distance before noticing nobody was behind him.

"What are you waiting for? Move!" The beastkin siblings sprang into action.

Lars and Xero hoisted Peon up, supporting his hands on their shoulders. Peon grimaced with each movement they took. Alphard gazed at the three who were trailing behind him at the corner of his eye.

'They would be good soldiers if they were not captives.' His face relaxed, impressed by the three of them.

His eyes landed on the Finnas, who were walking at a subdued pace. 'The fallen one has talent, but he got dealt the wrong cards in life.'

'If this group succeeds in Your Highness' quest, they will–. Never mind, it will happen in good time.' He shook his head to rid himself of such thoughts.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, creating a patchwork of patterns on the ground. The air was thick with the scent of jasmine and wood. A gust of wind blew past them, causing them to raise their hands to block out the dust from their eyes. Stones and tiny pebbles dug into their soles, trying to draw blood.

Lars winced as he felt the temperature of his skin increase with each passing moment. His pale skin gained a reddish hue. He noticed that they had taken a different path as they passed some houses. Some demons, whether male or female, old or young, performed different tasks. Children with budding horns chased each other around, engrossed in their game of tag.

Mothers pulled their children close to them as the group passed, the kids hiding their faces in their skirts. As they continued walking, murmurs faded into the distance before a new set arose. Some people rushed to close their windows.

"Thank you for your patronage." A skimpily dressed black haired demon with ram-like horns perched on top of its head. 

"Come again soon." A bald, red-skinned demon staggered out of an 'establishment'.

He tried to support himself against the wall. He had an impish grin plastered on his face. He slowly dragged his body against the wall, trying to head in a certain direction. He didn't realise Alphard was slowly approaching him. He felt a weight on his shoulder.

"Wha–." In his drunken stupor, he turned his head to the side, trying to see who had the gall to touch him.

"Hekken, don't you think it is a bit early for you to drink?" Alphard's heavy baritone voice sent a shiver down his spine.

He slowly turned his head in the direction of the voice, his body trembling. "Ah… Alphard, I-I-I swear I am not drunk."

"Then what are these brownish stains on your grey overalls?" Hekken scratched his cheek as a hint of sobriety overcame him.

"These are more like stains made by a drink, and funny enough, you reek of beer." His expression paled as Alphard saw through his lie.

"You know… it isn't good to lie to your benefactor." Alphard slowly increased the pressure he felt on his shoulder.

He caved in as he felt his shoulder become more sore every minute. "I had one… maybe two drinks, but that's all I swear!"

"How much?" A large amount of strength gripped his shoulder.

"Ten drinks… that's all I had now let me go." He grabbed his shoulder once he was free while glaring at him.

"What if my shoulder broke?!"

"There are healers all around the town." He shrugged.

He craned his neck and saw the captives. "What's going on here?"

"We need to pick up Your Highness' royal carrier." Hekken slowly stood up, trying to maintain his posture.

"Also, will need to get a healer to check up on this fool." He pointed behind him where Peon was being supported by Lars and Xero.

"Okay, I had already prepared it when she sent me the letter earlier in the week. Follow me." He walked into a dark alley.

The stench of burning trash filled the air as some tried to beg for them to spare them a coin as they passed by. Cigarette buds littered the ground, some freshly used ones seared the captives' soles.

"Here we are." Before them was a shack that looked ready to collapse if a breeze blew against it.

He stepped forward and put out his hand, it phased through the shack. Before walking into the haze, his body completely disappeared. Alphard gestured for them to follow him as they stepped into the haze. Their bodies disappeared from view. Unknowing that a crow was keen in watching their actions.

"I am surprised that we forgot one." A shadowy figure swirled his glass of wine as he observed the orb before him.

"I could inform the others, but let's see how things will play out." The vision from the orb faded to black as he settled into his throne.

"Let's see if you will cure my boredom, Lars Reventon." The figure raised his glass to his lips, taking a few sips from it.