The forest felt as if it was shrinking, slowly closing in on the group as they made their way toward the demon's village.
Every stride they took, every breath they inhaled, and every second that passed, all fueled the Blades' mad dash.
Pierre, with a stoic expression and keen gaze, kept a look out on their surroundings, watching for ambushes and potential criminals. A hand closed to his hip.
Martine meanwhile kept her attention solely focused on the demon, who sprinted ahead of them with Noor in his hands. Her stern gaze almost burned a hole in the demon's back.
The demon, who led the group towards his village, would occasionally glance over his shoulder with a nervous look in his eyes.
Only to be scared off by Martine's purple gaze.
It wasn't long before the group neared a clearing, where large rolling hills could be seen.
The trio paused at the edge of the forest clearing, taking in the slight of the smooth hills of grass dotted with small clay huts covered with thatched rooftops.
In the center of the village, was a massive tree with a spiraling canopy that almost completely shaded the ground beneath it.
And at the base of that titanic tree, was a structure that could only be described as a wooden castle, surrounded by small wooden platforms that lined the trunk of the tree and up towards the canopy.
A bustling demon village, larger than most Martine had seen.
The demon that led them turned to face Martine, his expression shameful as he cradled Noor in his arms like a lifeless doll. <"My home,"> he said with a subtle gesture of his head, his voice low and filled with dread, <"This is where you will find if he's alive.">
Martine nodded as gestured toward the village with her gun, <"All right, you and I are going to visit this pit, understand?"> she said with a stern expression, before turning her attention towards Pierre, "and you keep your distance in case things go south, we can't let this location die with us."
Pierre sighed as he took a step back, "All alright, but if nothing happens after ten minutes, I'm moving in." He replied, his tone icy, before fading back into the forest.
Martine then turned her sharp gaze onto the demon, her eyes lingering on his person before she took a step forward. <"Get moving."> She ordered, stepping behind him her gun still trained on his head.
The demon gave a defeated nod, before walking towards the village, adjusting Noor in his arms.
As Martine followed close behind him, her shoulders felt tense. It was well past the point of Alexander's duel, and the boy could already be dead, and she was marching to see a corpse.
But despite that, part of her hoped the boy was alive, both for the mission and for her sanity.
— — —
The village was bustling with life, with demons chatting and laughing. The feel of celebration was in the air, along with the smell of smoking meats and sweet desserts. Children danced and played in the dirt paths that winded through the village, the liveliness of it all could make almost anyone forget what they were celebrating… Almost.
Martine had an expression of disbelief and disgust etched on her face as she followed behind the demon-carrying Noor.
She wondered why these people these demons, were celebrating a fight against a child.
And it wasn't long before demons began to notice her presence, their eyes narrowing at the sight of a pale conqueror marching their kin through the village with a gun to his head and a limp demon in his arms.
The celebrations ceased as they quickly moved to clear a path for Martine and her demon companions. Hushed whispers in their guttural tongue began flying low, followed by growling and defensive stances.
<"Why has an elder guard brought a pale conqueror here?">
<"He should not have brought her here, on such a sacred day.">
<"Foolish arrogance, the chief will not be pleased.">
Yet for all their whispers, now one dared move against Martine as she coldly strode through the village with an elder guard at her mercy.
And that caused a faint smile to cross Martine's lips. She found a small satisfaction in disrupting the demon's celebration, yet her heart still ached, she couldn't stop thinking of Alexander, of his fate.
As Martine continued to march the demon through the village and towards the pit, she continued to draw attention and scornful gazes.
And eventually, she was met with a group of eight elder guards, dressed in that same wooden armor and armed with black-tipped spears.
They stood in formation, their towering frames hunched forward with their spears at the ready. <"State your purpose!"> The lead guard shouted in anger, his tail whipping around as his grip tightened on his spear.
Martine gritted her teeth as she tightened her grip on her pistol, <"I seek a boy named Alexander, and I will find him."> She declared, not a trace of fear in her voice, <"Or goddess help me I will burn you savages and your village to the ground.">
The demons all frowned, before quickly surrounding Martine and the demon in front of her.
The rising tension weighed down on everyone, creating a feedback loop of increased pressure.
<"You seek nothing here but your death!"> The lead demon hissed, <"Release our brothers, so that you may have that wish!">
A sharp laugh escaped Martine's throat, a defiant sound that echoed through the hostile atmosphere. She didn't dare lower her weapon.
Her purple gaze, filled with confidence and ice, landed upon the lead guard. <"I don't think you understand the situation, so allow me to explain it,"> She then reached into her cloak, before retrieving another firearm and pointing it at the lead guard. <"You have no power here, and if I don't receive what I want, you won't have a life to claim either." The words left her lips like daggers, as her eyes narrowed.
The demon carrying Noor sighed as he adjusted his grip on him, <"Malik, please do not provoke the pale conqueror further, she only seeks the boy, I swear to you.">
The led guard- Malik, took a step back as he glanced at the demon in front of Martine. <"Do not speak to me, coward!"> he hissed, <"You brought evil into our home, and you ask me to obey it?!">
<"Malik!"> The demon carrying Noor pleaded, stepping forward, <"What choice do we have, she only wants the boy, these conquerors have killed for far less, we mustn't draw her wrath.">
Malik snarled, his tail slapping the ground in frustration. <"Grrr, coward, you are a coward Abbas!"> Malik then turned to his guard, baring his teeth as his eyes narrowed <"Take them, all of them!">
The elder guards nodded and moved to close in on Martine. Martine's expression remained sharp, as she took the pistol aimed at Abbas, and raised it to the sky. The demons paused briefly, watching her movements with caution.
Martine then squeezed the trigger of the gun, and what followed was the loud sound of the bullet exiting the barrel. The sound echoed through the surrounding area, causing the air to grow still as everyone paused.
As the shell casing hit the ground, Martine took this moment to aim both pistols at Malik, a determined expression on her sharp features. <"Do not test me."> she said, her tone frigid.
The village as a whole grew silent, its once loud and jovial celebrations now halted, replaced only with the occasional crackle of firewood or distant animal noise.
Malik, who now stared down the barrel of two pistols, one still smoking, took a hesitant step back. <"You think that makes you strong?"> he asked, his voice losing its harsh intensity, <"We are warriors, servants of the Demon Chief and his clan, a loud stick is nothing!">
Though his words were meant to motivate, they fell short. As now everyone was as still as statues, fearing to move a muscle.