Two figures made their way through the brutal winds of the desert as they moved towards a certain location. When they crested a small hill a sight of utter brutality met their eyes.
Limbs were scattered across the sand and splatters of blood covered everything. The scene was so horrific that even the rough winds of the desert were avoiding it leaving it as an oasis of bloodshed in the middle of a sand storm.
As the two figures took a closer look at the massacre they saw a single leg in the middle of a massive pool of blood.
A little farther on they saw a corpse with a hole in its neck and blood splattered all over.
The next body they found was missing an arm and a leg that were nowhere to be found and the body was a pale sickly color. Other than the missing limbs the duo could not find any other external wounds. If they could see inside the body they would have seen that everything was rotted over.
Past the sickly looking corpse was another body, this one somehow more gruesome than the last three. First of all, it looked as if someone had smeared blood over every inch of the body. The face was twisted in a look of extreme pain and shock and a stab wound could be seen in the middle of the forehead. Even with that seen of murder the part that was the most frightening was the missing arm. It looked as if it had been ripped from the rest of the body and blood still slowly dripped out of the wound.
The pair quickly looked away from the body and found another one. This body was lying as still as the other corpses but it was being circled by a pair of tigers who looked ready to attack anyone who went after their prey.
The duo cautiously approached this body and saw that it was covered in blood just like the rest of the scene. They did not dare get too close to the body though because the tigers began to growl.
"Umm are you alive painter?"
"Yes."
Azemo opened his mouth but the rest of his body did not move an inch, he was too tired and hurt. The name painter was his Lleh codename and it was what the guards had started calling him after they saw the scene in the alleyway. Even though it was a scene of intense violence that could not be unseen, the splashes of blood on the wall created a feeling of brutal beauty.
"Good I thought these two tigers were about to eat you." One of the two agents of Lleh nervously chuckled.
Azemo just groaned a little bit and Bellania and Imagine backed off a couple of feet.
"We are supposed to help fake your death and take the place of two of your attackers."
"I would suggest you take the identity of this guy and that one." Azemo still did not move a muscle but the pair of agents saw a bone white knife pointing at the burly man and the one with a spear wound in his neck.
One of the agents walked away to start looking for any clues about who those two were. He gingerly picked through the bloodshed until he found enough to successfully impersonate them.
The other agent walked up to Azemo to help create the scene of Azemo's death.
"Okay we are going to need some of your blood and the clothes you are wearing."
Azemo just coughed up blood and did not move while the agent took off his clothes. The Soul Essence had already assured him that his clothes would be fine when they returned to the real world.
The agent scooped up the blood and soaked the clothes in it even more. He tossed the pants onto the ground and stored the shirt in his pack. Afterwards he removed a suit from a different pack. The suit looked similar to the one Azemo wore to the party but Azemo would find that this one was much easier to fight in.
After getting Azemo dressed the agent pulled out a small silver whistle and blew it loudly.
"Really, now my ears feel like the rest of my body."
Azemo had still not even opened his eyes let alone move his body so that statement was not something to be taken lightly.
"Sorry, but I need to call your ride to the sky city of Srenti." As the agent uttered those words a small animal driven carriage showed up.
The animals were hardy looking animals that reminded Azemo a little of horses. The old driver of the carriage tipped his hat at the agent and pointed to Azemo.
"Is this the one?"
"Yes he his, thanks for helping us out."
Seeing that Azemo still made no motion to move the agent and the old man slowly lifted him into the carriage. Azemo groaned and grunted as his injured body was jostled about. Luckily the back of the carriage had enough room for Azemo the driver and the agent, who propped him up against one of the walls.
Bella and Ima jumped up next to Azemo and the agent threw a small bag into the carriage.
"The bag has everything you need to know about who you are becoming and it has your residency pass for Srenti."
"Thanks."
That was all Azemo said and the agent waved to the old driver and left with his partner. They would now replace two of Azemo's assailants and report back to the governor.
They recorded a part of the battlefield as proof and prepared a story to tell the governor. They would say that Azemo was the painter of Crnst and that he was much stronger than expected. They were not able to successfully capture him after losing two members and needed to completely eradicate Azemo before anyone else died.
The story worked perfectly and the two agents successfully infiltrated the governor's private army.
"Are these roads dangerous?" Azemo was still utterly exhausted but he wanted to get some information before he went to sleep.
"Yeah, but I was told you were something of a fighter."
Azemo groaned. "Don't worry Bellania and Imagine will keep us safe."
The driver took one look at the tiger monsters and was ensured of his cart's safety.
After talking to the driver Azemo was about to sleep when Ima spoke up.
"Um Az, can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
Even though Azemo desperately wanted to rest he would make time for the sisters. They were his only true companions wherever he went.
"Why do you not let us help you fight and only let us guard stuff. If we had aided you in the last battle you would not be nearly this injured."
Imagine seemed upset when she spoke and Azemo also knew that Bellania was raring for a proper fight.
"I am sorry you two. I can't help but see you as those two cubs back from the forest."
"How old are you?"
"I am around seven but demon bodies mature really fast and my mental age is more like twenty four."
"Seven, me and Ima are four years old, we are not cubs anymore, monsters also grow quickly."
"You are right. I need all the help I can get. Tell you what if you guys can protect the cart on the road we will become renown warriors together."
Seeing that the sisters looked satisfied Azemo closed his eyes and went to sleep.
While he was napping Azemo missed the ferocity of Ima and Bella. The two were leaping out of the cart tearing desert monsters to shreds.
Ima would take a more stealthy approach while Bella just jumped claws outstretched.
Nothing was able to wake Azemo and he enjoyed a long nap with extreme safety.