Master Frederic leads the way, and Char clears the way for him.
"Are you okay?" He glanced at the Shire, his black suit unstained with blood and as stiff as when he had set out. It was overcast and Frederick looked very serious, making it difficult for Charles to relax.
Charles nodded, he saw Valen dragging the devil's body behind, Tiffany walking aside, everyone returned safely, only missing Etienne.
"Where's my master?" 'asked Shire.
"I don't know." A cloud crossed Frederick's eyes. "What did he say to you?"
"It's nothing." Charles felt a strong anxiety. "Where will Monsieur Etienne go?"
"I can't control the old man." Frederick looked disgusted, "Your master has been famous for a long time, and his ability is unparalleled in the world, who can control him." He can go wherever he wants. He joined the operation as a courtesy to me. I don't know where he will go."
His voice was angry. Charles had no idea there was such a deep feud between Master Frederic and Etienne.
"There's no need to scare him, my dear." Tiffany comforted.
"Your master has not fought." Warren smiled contemptuously. "I can't blame anyone. Either he escaped, or he was killed on the way here. It serves him right not to come with us."
Charles heard the heart fire, clenched his fists, he could not tolerate someone so slander Etienne, the old hunter has never been stingy about his concern for Charles. Warren, however, showed no restraint, and his face became more and more contemptuous, constantly provoking Shire's emotions, as if he meant to provoke him.
"Master Etienne has been all over Loman," said Tiffany with an encouraging look at Charles. "He has seen many storms in his life, and even if he does not join us for some reason, he can safely leave the forest on his own."
"Don't worry." Warren added helpfully, "Etienne is dead. I will be your master, little Charles."
"After this mission, I will be an official hunter." Char stared at Warren. "You're not needed."
"Refuse me? Then stop being a hunter and go back to your country." Warren sneered.
Shire listened to the heart uncomfortable, he wanted to be a good hunter, he looked past Valen, see the demon body.
It was a terrible demon, shaped like a man, but scorched black as if there were flames burning inside. The shell is rough, scaly, insect-like and armored, and has a tail that extends from the end with a sharp black and red blade. The most terrible is its head, the shape of a goat, roughly triangular, hazy face, should be the eyes of the place only two hollow hollow, people dare not look directly at, the head protrudates a number of irregular long horns, sharp and ferocious.
Shire was most impressed by the devil's chest, where a particularly large wound, as if some sharp object had crashed through its shell, exposing the chaotic and twisted structure of flesh inside, like rotten black cotton, wet and sticky.
Char had heard that the devil's shell was made of demonic substance, which is a solidified soul. Demons feed on the soul, they feed on the soul, they feed on the soul, they feed on the soul, they feed on the soul, they feed on the soul.
"... This is the devil?" Char stared at the body, rigid as ever, the hunters having banished the evil spirits who manipulated it.
"Yes." Frederic nodded with satisfaction. "The Blade Demon, the higher demon of hell. It's strong, but we're stronger."
"I'm tired to drag it to the camp." Valen pushed the rope into Shire's hand and gave him a push. Valen's hand was cold and hard, like a stone.
Char was disgusted and angry, but there was nothing he could do. With Etienne gone, he has no standing as a hunter recruit. So he had to hold on to the rope and drag the demon carcass, which was lighter than he had imagined, the blade demon was much lighter than a human of the same size, and Char felt himself pulling the carcass of a goat.
He dragged the demon body to the camp rock and dropped the rope.
"It's cold. Go make a fire. Don't dawdle." Warren continued to command the Shire.
Seeing Char's troubled expression, Frederick shook his head.
"Without the virtue of hard work, how can you become a qualified hunter?" I see you, like your master, are obsessed with pleasure all day long." Frederic chided.
There is only one standard for a hunter, and that is a strong will. Charles took Etienne's teachings to heart. He took it all in silence, walked around the surrounding woods, gathered enough branches, and piled them close together in the open space in front of the campstone to light a fire, a bonfire that glowed in the sunset.
In the twilight forest, too, the sun sets faster than in other places, and the Shire has not seen dusk before it is dark around it. The deep shadows of the forest seem vast and endless, if you walk in the forest at night, I am afraid it will not take long to be driven mad by the panic of the heart.
"How was the Blade demon defeated?" Char stood by the fire, watching Frederick heat a piece of jerky over the fire.
"To an experienced hunter," Frederick said proudly, "even the mightest demon can be defeated." Their shells are made of demonic substance, which is a fallen materialized soul that is stronger and more flexible than any metal, and more difficult to destroy with ordinary weapons, which would make people scared. But hunters have a way, Char, and hunters challenge demons of any shape and strength. The answer was a piercing curse, which I used to Pierce the demon's body."
Char could not help but look at the huge puncture marks on the chest of the demon's body, and it was easy to imagine the power of the spell.
"Very impressive..." "Murmured Shire.
"Do you want to learn?" Frederick looked at the Shire.
"Yes! Of course I do." Shire was pleased.
"I am the master of the Church, and it is my duty to educate the next generation." Frederic took a bite out of the jerky and looked at the flame for a moment, as if trying to figure out the words. Then he looked up. "But at the same time, there's a price."
"What am I going to do? 'asked Shire.
"Tell me the rhyme of the Flame of Afen." Frederic's tone was unmistakable.
Shire's heart trembled.
"No?" Frederick saw Char's expression and was disappointed. "Listen, I'll trade it for the most powerful piercing spell I've ever had. It's worth it."
If this is a quid pro quo, why doesn't he go to Master Etienne?
"No... Never mind." Char said, afraid to look at Master Frederick's angry eyes.
"Are you serious?" Frederic speaks threateningly.
"Frederick." Tiffany's voice trembled. "What are you doing?"
"Oh, you doubt me now, too?" "I have just hunted the Blade demon, and everyone will sing of this day, of my achievements, and I will soon be the most famous demon hunter in Panloman."
"Shire." Tiffany got up. "I'm going outside to find your master."
"Tiffany?" Frederic lost his voice. "You --"
"It's so dark in the forest that even Master Etienne might be in danger, and something might have happened to him when he hasn't been back for so long. I must go and help him." Tiffany explained, then hurried out. Char knew that she did not like to get involved in conflicts, especially quarrels between hunters.
Frederick's face fluctuated.
"It would be terrible if she were attacked. The woods are full of traps." Warren watched Tiffany disappear into the woods.
"Calm down." Frederic pressed his forehead in frustration.
Shire did not speak, only hate themselves have no voice.
"You should study with me." Warren sat cross-legged, his hand resting on his chin, and looked straight at Shire. "You are young and malleable, and though your mind is a little unsettled now, you may not know later."
"I can mind my own business." Char stubbornly stepped aside and sat down, taking something out of his knapsack to eat.
Is Maester Etienne really in danger in the woods? Char could not help thinking. Yes, the forest has everything, and the night is even more dangerous, with trolls, night owls, goblins and dragons. But Charles knew that Master Etienne was experienced, killing and hunting, and he did not believe that Etienne could not fight the ghosts in the woods. Only one thing bothered Charles, Etienne, despite his remarkable abilities, had always refused to hold the silver key to the Sanctuary, to become the leader of the hunters.
"Shire." Frederick called to him.
"Master Frederic." Shire got up.
"Just sit down." Frederick sighed. "You see, I just lost my temper."
Charles looked at the hunter master, feeling a little complicated: "Master Etienne has never thought of becoming the master of the church, what is the conflict between you and him?"
"Never thought of it?" Frederic frowned. "That's because you don't understand him. He was thinking about the Silver Key before his psychosis got worse. At that time, he was thirty years old, I was fifteen years old, he traveled all over the country, numerous glory and fame, is a shadow that I can not keep up with, the most unfortunate thing in life is to meet this life can not match the person, make people constantly doubt themselves. But he abused the spell and his soul was damaged, so the silver key was given to me."
"I hear you've done many successful hunts."
"Every hunt before that was just like this one, with him involved." Frederic said irritably, "You saw it! Etienne was not involved in the specific fight to kill the Blade Demon, but I destroyed the demon with a piercing spell. But when we go back, people will still be talking behind our backs, 'Ha, Etienne beat another demon'!"
"..." Char sighed.
'Well, Char. Whether we find your master or not, we return to the church tomorrow. Our will is strong enough to resist the panic of its shape, but those mortals are still easily frightened. That's why the demon body must be brought back safely, with masks and chains for safekeeping. I hope no one will disturb us on the road." 'murmured Frederick.
For the vigil, they took turns watching the fire.
Charles was in charge of the first few hours, and he noticed that Warren made no intention of going to sleep, sitting beside him, his lips moving together without making a sound, while Frederick lay on a roll of fur, brewing sleep.
Charles is uncomfortable without Maester Etienne. Shall we continue our journey without Maester Etienne? He stared at the flames, imagining his future life walking alone, hoping that Tiffany would soon join Etienne and they would return to camp.
Without Etienne's guidance, Charles always feels that there is no direction ahead, and at the same time, he is worried that he is too dependent on the old hunter's teachings, becoming unable to decide the future life.
He looked at the flames, his eyes growing tired, and turned to see the bottle of potion in his bag, which he had found on the body of the dead Denver, who had boasted that it was a magical potion that would allow one to see through women's clothing, to be drunk when he saw a pretty girl.
Shire now no fancy mood, simply open the potion, drink a mouthful, hope their eyes clear, good vigil. As soon as the liquid hit his throat, he tasted wormwood and daisies soaking in the water, and his mouth burned.
The witch's potion was magical, Shire said, and soon he felt his eyes grow more acute, and the night became clear and bright.
He looked around curiously and turned his head to see that the demon's corpse beside the fire had become Dalton's, with its insides hollowed out and a black and red corrupted blade sticking out where the spine should have been. Frederic was drowsy, a chain mail peeking through his coat. A demon with a black scale and a long tail sat where Valen should have sat, noticed the look in the Shire's eyes, and turned to smile at the Shire, with a mouth full of blood, a pair of blind holes, and seven or eight irregular sharp horns on his head, which were very sharp, like a blade.