It was followed by another cry and another one until they could hear multiple screams from a distance. If others had doubted Iris's words earlier, none of it mattered now because all the darklings that accompanied the chosen maidens were now on full alert.
The sounds were getting closer, much closer this time. The hairs on the back of Iris's neck rose. She unconsciously reached the side of her pants and cursed, remembering that she had already used the dagger Aiden had given her earlier on the crow. She glanced at the dead crow, wondering if she should take the dagger back but decided to leave it be.
It wasn't hers in the first place and there was no telling if the crow wouldn't put her under a curse or spell if she went closer to it. It must be some kind of messenger for the Night Critters as the latter only made a move once they heard it cry. However, without a blade at her disposal, Iris felt vulnerable and weak.
"My liege, your order." Aiden gave their lord a polite bow. Unlike Iris and her friends, neither he and the rest were bothered by the sudden arrival of the Night Critters.
"Cal, make sure that the maidens wouldn't venture out on their own. Yuri, Aiden, kill as many Night Critters as you can. Not a single one of them should be able to escape this time. Ricci, you will assist Cal here to protect the maidens." The demon lord delivered his commands.
"As you wish, sire." Yuri and Aiden disappeared in the blink of an eye, surprising the humans, while Ricci excused herself and joined the other Frost Guards.
Lord Kieran then turned his attention to Iris and her friends. Iris shivered under his gaze, but tried to remain calm and unmoving. Amelia stilled herself while Chrysanthe lowered her gaze, not daring to look at the demon lord in front of them.
Lord Kieran lifted his hand and a gigantic black steed appeared from thin air. He gracefully mounted it before turning to look at Iris.
"You will come with me." He said impassively.
"W-what?" Iris stuttered in surprise. "But why?"
"Obviously, you are the only one who could sense the presence of these Night Critters. You will lend us a hand and point to the one commanding this horde of vermin. Didn't you say that we can't allow them to reach Calaren Town?"
Iris's heart thumped painfully in her chest. Could she really help them? She didn't even know how to use her magic properly. What if she ended up bringing more trouble instead of helping them?
"You can do it, Iris." She heard Amelia say. "Don't worry about me and Chrys. Do what you need to do with Lord Kieran."
Chrysanthe nodded her head in agreement, her whole body trembling when another wail rang out.
"You will ride with me. There's no need to worry about the Night Critters harming you. I will keep them at bay."
The demon lord lowered his hand towards Iris, waiting for her to take it.
Iris stared at his outstretched hand, then lifted her eyes to meet his gaze. She couldn't tell what the demon lord was thinking, but Lord Kieran wasn't giving her a chance to decline his command. She didn't want to get too close to a darkling, but another chilling wail snapped her out of her thoughts and she unconsciously lifted her arm.
Lord Kieran didn't wait for her to decide. He grabbed her arm and lifted her as if she was almost weightless. As soon as Iris straddled the horse, she became aware that her back was pressed against the demon lord's solid chest. His steady and strong arms circled around her to hold onto the reins, before nudging the steed's side to gallop.
The horse reared up and galloped at full speed, leaving Iris no other choice but to grip onto the saddle horn to keep herself from falling, despite Lord Kieran's arms trapping her in place. The night wind blew in her face and hair as they rode across the open land.
She turned her attention in front of them and gasped when she saw the Night Critters for the first time. Just as Ricci described earlier, they looked like empty husks of those who perished. Their flesh were ashen white, their form a bit slouching as they moved forward, weapons in their hands as they moved in synchrony.
Iris felt her stomach churning when she saw their eye sockets empty, with black blood oozing from it. Ricci said that these were the remains of the darklings who had been killed by other Night Critters, but in Iris's eyes, it looked as if they were weeping, begging someone to end their miserable existence.
She then spotted Aiden swinging his large sword to the Night Critters that surrounded him and his own steed. He had a wide grin on his face, clearly showing how he enjoyed crushing these monsters.
Meanwhile, Yuri was casting spells left and right and wasn't using any weapons to kill the Night Critters. Black blood splattered on the ground, making a swing sound— like a corrosive acid touching a delicate flesh. No wonder Ricci said that they were fatal towards mortal humans.
"Look ahead and find the leader of this horde." Lord Kieran's voice brought her out of her daze. "The Night Critters can neither move nor decide on their own, so the faster we get rid of its leader, the better."
"But… I don't know how." She admitted. "I'm unable to sense them at will."
"They respond to the presence of magic. We aren't sure why you are the only one who can sense them, but you are our best shot right now."