The afternoon sun was already visible in the village of Gregor, and many people were in the marketplace. They were in taverns and stores; they lived out their days in harmony, but the night was unmerciful for them. The night creatures would gain enough strength to take the village for their own. The guards who defended the walls showed no mercy to creatures from other worlds who brought death and destruction. Meanwhile, Lagertha was ready to begin a new day, but Brant's mind was on other things.
During that time, Brant slowly raises his hand and hesitates for a few seconds to touch her body. She understood he wanted this, and he might continue to ask if he could take her for personal reasons. Lagertha had no other choice, yet she had enough force to stop him from fondling her too much. The demon hunter's hand is all over Lagertha's left breast, and he started rubbing it; he makes sure he is not too rough on her. Her face is blushing, yet she still had breath in herself and did not overreact to the situation.
Brant only did this for about thirty seconds until he felt as if he had enough of making Lagertha feel uncomfortable. She did not moan or make any type of noise that would make other men feel attracted to her. She kept one eye open and one eye closed because Brant had no time when to stop fondling her. At that last moment, Brant pulled his hand back and looked at his hand, and he could feel the strong scent Lagertha had in herself.
"Alright, I believe I got my fill. Don't worry, Lagertha. I feel better, now," Brant said.
"Good. Glad you're back in reality," she said. She covered her left boob for a short while as they were both getting ready for the afternoon.
Lagertha understood she had plenty of rest, and she needed to return to the long trail to continue her journey. She thought of the demon hunter and how much they missed each other during these dark times. Then Brant got himself up from the chair and stretched a bit as Lagertha gathered her things together. Before Lagertha puts her armor on, she walks back towards Brant and has one more thing she needs to ask him. Otherwise, she might never get the time to do so, and she would never forgive herself because of it.
"Brant, do you want to come with me? Do you want to leave here, so badly?" She asked. His eyes told him she would leave Gregor and likely never come back to the village.
"Where will you go? Surely, there may be some city or an even bigger village that might lend you help," Brant said.
"There may never be another village that will welcome me. Where I am going is a place where I will probably never return. I'm going to Midland. I need to venture there and right past wrongs," Lagertha said.
"Midland? Why that place? I thought you were finished with that kingdom. I thought you wanted nothing to do with it again."
"I must go there, Brant. I need to pull the darkness out of that kingdom. I'm going to defeat my father and lay his soul to rest. I need to save my people. Perhaps the other lands of the earth."
"Is this what you desire, Lagertha? Is what you are about to do going to change anything? Do you think it will be worth it?"
The thought came into her mind about what she will be forced to do if Brant tags along with her. Like her father, she did not know if whoever follows her will be their death or if it will be her success. Lagertha looks at him and understands that it has not been easy for him, and it will get even tougher. But she was no man and no common lady, she was a mortal cursed with wolf-blood and stronger than most demon slayers. Lagertha looked at the ground and knew neither the day nor the hour when she will be prepared enough to fight the Demon Wolf.
"I don't desire this. The reason I'm going out there is that it's what my mother would have wanted. My family's shame must be wiped from the face of the earth," she said.
"I don't know, Lagertha. You could be hurt out there. Someone… anyone might kill you at a time you will never expect," Brant said.
"If Death is knocking at my door, it leaves disappointed. I ask you again, are you coming with me? Do you want to join me and be with me?" Lagertha asked. Brant's will and heavy heart suited him in tight places and never abandoned the way he thinks.
He had nothing in Gregor except a small home for one person and a longsword to keep by his side. If Lagertha left him in the village, it would only weaken his strength and urge to move on in life. Every day, he would question himself why he did not choose the better path than likely make this little town his grave. Without hesitation, Brant lays his hands on Lagertha's shoulders to give her a clear and honest answer. Lagertha could see that she needed to hear him and understand everything about what must be said.
"Lagertha, I'm coming with you. If anyone is going to watch your back in these perilous times, it's going to be me. Neither of us will repeat what happened on that fateful day," Brant said. The way he spoke to her sparked a fire in his heart that will never leave his body, and he wanted nothing else but her trust.
"Then gather what you need. Grab whatever seems valuable and join me against this nightmare. I trust you will stay by my side and go with me to the very end," Lagertha said. She became glad about his answer and satisfied with what he wanted to do with her on her journey.
Her body brightened with a small sense of hope, yet she believed Brant will do whatever is necessary to stay behind her. The path she chose in life is filled with blood and darkness, and she found it impossible to change her fate. Lagertha puts her armor on, lets her scabbard rest on her side, and wraps her cloak around her back. It did not take her as long as Brant did to get herself ready to set out into the darkened world. All she ever carried was her longsword and her cloak to protect her against icy winds and rain.
Then, Lagertha walks out of the bedroom and waits on Brant to get ready for an unknown part of his life to begin. Her time with him was short when she lived in Loftain, but now she could be with him for as long as she wants to. She could hear some of Brant's items scatter across the floor in the room, but she did not check and see if he was alright. Nothing stopped them from being prepared to set out into the world; no stranger came from the front door to interrupt them. Everything was going well for the two demon slayers, and everything that happened one year ago would not enter back into their minds.
Then Brant walks out of the bedroom with his knight armor on and a black cloak on his back. Lagertha was surprised at how well-organized he was for killing demons and hunting for food.
"Okay, I'm ready. I got everything I need," Brant said.
"Then we shall be on our way. Best not to linger here," Lagertha said. She was not wrong because there would be many demons out at night when she walks on the dark road.
Brant knew he would be forgotten in the village of Gregor, and if the leader of the village needed anything, he would need to find someone else. He also knew the leader might tell stories of Brant's bravery while staying in the village; thankfully, the leader of Gregor forgot nothing about the demon hunter. And so, Lagertha and Brant left the little house and headed straight to the village's entrance before something unexpected happened. Gregor started being a bit overcrowded with people walking all over the place for almost no reason. It was common in the afternoon for villages to do so many things all at once, yet nothing Lagertha could not handle.
The Wolf Queen and the demon hunter left the village of Gregor and began walking wherever the road will take them. They were already prepared for the next demon hunt to begin and were ready for whatever danger will come for them. Meanwhile, in the kingdom of Midland, Mephiles was walking to his throne room where many of the demon generals were discussing what to do next.