The party outside heard the massive thud.
"Stay close, Jikal. That may be an enemy." Viktoria warned the Hero.
It was quiet for a moment. Then a human roar was heard from inside.
A victory cry?
Whoever it was, he shouted like that two more times before it got quiet again.
Kasila knew it was Fero. She could hear the victory in the first roar. The other two sounded more sorrowful. As if he failed to complete something important to him.
Another sound was heard. Something dragging? It would slow, stop then begin again. Over and over. It slowly got closer and closer.
"Everyone, Stand your ground. This may be a tough battle if it is the enemy!" Jikal warned the group.
The sound got louder and louder. Kasila walked toward the gate.
"Get back behind the lines. It could be dangerous." Viktoria warned Kasila.
Kasila ignored her warning. When the sound got closest to the castle entrance. Fero's blood-drenched head was seen just over the wall. He got closer and closer. He was dragging something.
Kasila was happy to see him alive. She decided to devout her life to him. She realized he was more to her than just a friend. She wanted to be there for him. She wanted to become his. The hero was nothing to her anymore. He was a fad and a fraud.
Fero turned a corner revealing his body. It was drenched from head to toe in demon blood. There were multiple wounds that would incapacitate a lesser man. He was covered in his own blood too. Arrows sticking out of him. Exposed wounds. His right eye was gashed. The expression on his face was an unfamiliar one. He was beyond exhausted. He was on death's door.
Kasila ran to him. Before she could touch him, he spoke.
"Stay.. away.. from.. me."
She recoiled back. Her heart hurt. He wasn't even looking at her.
"You have.. the.. hero.. You don't.. need..." *huff* "Don't need... me." He struggled with every word
She stepped back. Tears filled her eyes. He knew what happened. She regretted that night more than ever now. Her legs crumbled beneath her. She lowered her face into the grass. She cried like never before.
Fero continued to walk by the friend of the past.
Viktoria was stumped. The man before her was dragging the head of a QUEEN OF DEMONS?! Un-killable demons were a rare find. Un-killable was only a title for the strongest of them. A queen has never been slain. Only driven out of their occupancy. Jikal ran up to Fero.
"THIEF! GIVE ME MY SWORD BACK!" Jikal yelled at Fero.
Fero stopped but continued to look forward. Unacknowledging of anyone. He stabbed the ground with the crystal sword an inch away from Jikal's foot. He stepped back in fear as it happened.
Fero looked at the crystal sword.
"Thanks for the fun. I had a good time." He spoke to the sword.
He let go of the crystal sword. As if to show it understood the battle was won, it released his hand. It then returned to its original one-handed form as well.
Fero walked past Jikal. He lifted the demon head above his head and slammed the severed neck down onto the ground before the group.
Anako gasped.
"MO...." Anako started to say something. She held her tongue. The head before her was of her own mother. She only made a pact with the hero to get him to kill her mother. This way she could take over in her mother's place. The hero obviously could not kill her mother alone though. He had help from numerous other people. This is what she had planned. Once she was dead, Anako could take out the hero and his help one at a time in the shadows of friendly territory. The fact that someone was able to slay her mother's army and then her mother herself, alone. This changed things. She had no confidence to defeat her mother's killer. At least not now. Even if he is weak, she would reveal her true nature and be killed on the spot in the middle of all these attackers. She had to wait and plan more before she could make another move.
Fero let out a grunt as his grip released the horn he was dragging the head by. His hand was covered in cuts from the horn itself. He stumbled back a couple of paces and caught himself. He began walking away from the castle but not toward the camp. It seemed as though he was walking away from any person. He made it about 40 more paces before he collapsed to the ground. Most of the group looked toward the Hero or the Vice Commander for directions.
"I need scouts inside the castle to verify what is dead and if anything else is alive. Now!" Viktoria demanded. "I also need some runners to go back to camp and bring the salvagers. Once the scouts confirm the castle is devoid of life, the camp will be moved down here. Someone with knowledge of first aid, begin patching him up." She said as she pointed at Fero.
"Why bother? Just chain him. If he dies, he dies." Jikal coldly suggested.
"His achievements just now? They trump what you and I have done in the past, 100 fold. If he dies you will be held responsible before the king. I need the night watchman here NOW!" Viktoria continued making demands.
Jikal picked up his sword and ran to find the man who told him his sword was taken. The night watchman went straight to Viktoria.
"Yes, Vice Commander?" The night watchman saluted.
"This man here." Viktoria pointed at the wounded and barely holding on Fero. "Did you allow him to pass last night?"
"Yes. He had the hero's sword and his own, I would not have..." He attempted to make excuses.
"I do not care about those details, Did you observe the battle last night at all?" She cut him off and changed the subject.
"I did." He said reluctantly. "I saw him face the giant demon over there. I watched as he cut the demon down and enter the castle alone.
He pointed to the large demon carcass closer to the castle entrance.
"So, he 'was' alone?" Viktoria spoke aloud to herself.
Victoria's thoughts: 'And he took out all of these demons. Amazing. He was under our noses the entire time. I feel stupid for falling into the hands of this current idiot of a Hero.'