Walking in the marsh was a nightmare. Lilynn's feet sunk into the mud slowly with each step, slowing her to the speed of a snail. At least she was completely clean with the help of the potion.
With Erwand they were walking through a a lush forest that grew above the swamp. The trees' roots were visible on the surface level, but above that, they had vibrant leaves covering the huge muddy field. How could they find the demon here, with all the possible hiding spots around?
"Do you have anything that could help us? A magical potion or secret spell? Or just a demon-baiting trick?" Lilynn asked while almost tripping in the water.
"No. But perhaps your powers might help us here."
"I cannot sense anything in this place! All I can think about in the slimy dirt around my feet!"
Erwand suddenly put his arm around her waist, and the other one at her chest, and lifted her up into the air. He did it with great ease. Lilynn could feel his upper arm muscles tighten to her body.
His face came close to hers, and he looked down into her eyes.
"That was unexpected," Lilynn could only say.
"Everything for my demoness," he said with his deep, warm voice.
She let her mind become one with the environment. She could feel the small insects flying between the cattails. She could feel the frogs swimming for their mates. The cold yet humid, foggy air laid peace on the nature. But, suddenly, Lilynn caught something that was not in harmony with everything else. It was like a moving, vibrating entity in the distance.
"That way!" she hold her hand in the direction of the disturbance. Erwand took a step with her in his arms.
"You can put me down now, dear knight."
"As you wish."
Lilynn was in the cold mud again, but she could still follow the signal perfectly. They marched through the ponds slowly, without trying to make any noise.
The strange feeling got closer and closer. But the only thing standing in front of them was a huge bush.
"It has to be in there somewhere."
Lilynn let our a demonic sword, and simply cut through the bush branches.
"Careful! You might slice it," Erwand warned her.
"It gave me quite a headache yesterday," she said, but knew Erwand was right. She tried to be careful to only cut through the bush.
"What the..."
A small, house-like structure stood in front of them, hidden in the bush. Except it had the size of a box, made out of wooden planks. Something with intelligence built it. The demon, that wild being? Lilynn could hardly imagine.
"It seems empty..."
Before she could finish, the demon jumped out of the box. Lilynn could easily push it back with her hands already enhanced with her powers, and the demon rolled on the ground.
They could finally see what it was. A human, sort-of. The being was once a woman, wearing torn textiles that were barely covering her body. As if her instincts were still telling her something about an old life. The face of an old, suffering woman was in front of them, with the twisted features of a demonic hint.
"She was... possessed," Erwand said. The demon was hissing at them, but no longer attacking.
The hunching demon was a creepy sight, but Lilynn saw something else as well. She could feel the human mind still living in there, buried deep within. It was screaming, still struggling against the demonic soul. But as time went on, it consumed the woman.
The face was strangely familiar to Lilynn for some reason. Long features, with curly hair behind...
"Erwand, do you remember what the villagers told us about their past mayor?"
"Yes. She disappeared one day."
"And her statue... Lady Kirsan... It might be stupid, but I think this is the person they lost."
"Oh my..."
"Lady Kirsan, are you still in there?"
The demon was now screeching, ready to run away. Before she could get away, Erwand threw a potion at her, and the fumes slowed her down and put her to sleep in a few seconds. She must have lost all her energy the previous day.
"What do we do with her?" Erwand asked.
This demon was no longer a sane being. It could not communicate with them, and the remaining human soul was in an eternal struggle with the demonic parasite. Lilynn had to put an end to this.
She trusted her powers to do the right thing.
Lilynn kneeled down to the sleeping demon. Her body was not at all heavy -- it was also rotting and scarred in most places. The demon possessing it was not only leeching from the village's resources, but also from the life power of the past mayor.
Lilynn put her hand on the demon's chest. She called for her powers, and tried to channel it into the other body.
Darkness charged into the undead being. But instead of giving it more pain, it eliminated the demonic soul. The body lost all its life powers.
Finally, Lady Kirsan could rest for eternity.
"My Demoness lend me her power to change the world for the better," Lilynn stood up. "And I will if it means ending demon souls and letting human ones rest."
They buried the body, built a small pyramid out of stones on top of it, and went back to the village.
However, the village was not at all as how they left it.
A horde of horse-riding soldiers was swarming on the main street, causing fear and chaos.