The early morning light was just starting to filter through the cracks of Leios's curtains when he was roused from his sleep by the resounding bang of his bedroom door.
"Emergency, Leios!"
Startled, Leios jolted out of his slumber and sprang from the bed, his voice filled with terror and urgency.
"What is it?" he demanded, his eyes scanning the room for the source of the disruption.
Ava stood before him, the folds of her nightgown catching the early light. Her expression was grave, her eyes wide with concern.
"It's Nemesis," she murmured, her voice hushed but filled with fear.
Leios groaned, his shoulders slumping in frustration. "That girl," he muttered. "What's she done this time?"
Without waiting for an answer, he strode past Ava and towards the sitting room, his mind racing with possibilities.
As Leios entered the sitting room, his eyes fixed on the disheveled, rumpled daybed. Nemesis was nowhere in sight.
"Where is she?" Leios demanded, turning to face Ava, who had trailed in behind him.
"How am I supposed to know?" Ava replied, her hands raised in a gesture of helplessness.
Leios sighed, his shoulders slumping with frustration.
"But you just said there was an emergency, Ava."
"Of course it's an emergency," Ava snapped back. " She's out there, alone, in a kingdom infested by demons! Who knows what may happen?"
Leios snorted dismissively. "Since when did you start caring about that girl? You saw for yourself how much of a beast she is. There's no way anything bad could happen to her."
"It was just an observation," Ava retorted.
"Don't make me laugh," Leios mocked. "I can see the concern all over your face."
Ava's cheeks reddened, but she fired back, "Aren't you embarrassed to be standing here in just your boxers?" she snapped, averting her gaze. "Now, go put some clothes on! We're leaving for work!"
Leios's eyes widened as he realized he was only wearing his shorts. Flushed with embarrassment, he dashed past Ava and into his room, shouting, "Didn't you just say it was unsafe outside? Why do you love money so much?"
***
The streets were eerily quiet, as they always were since the demons took control. A chill hung in the air, and Leios pulled his capelet tighter around his shoulders, savoring the lingering scent of Ava's citrus perfume that clung to the fabric.
Ava swung open the tavern door, and they stepped inside, the old wood creaking beneath their feet. Their tavern was the only business still operating in town since the demons seized control, a speck of light in a kingdom shrouded in darkness.
Ava tied on her apron and set about her morning routine, running a cloth over the tables and chairs to remove the dust that had settled overnight. Leios followed her lead, his mind still churning with worry over Nemesis's disappearance.
As soon as they finished cleaning, they began to set out the day's offerings—freshly baked breads, jugs of ale, and platters of cheese and cold meats. Despite their unease, the tavern had to be ready for the courageous drunkards.
***
Deep within a small forest, straddling the border between the South and the East, hundreds of weary humans sat silently on the grass. A young man, flanked by two stony-faced men with sheathed swords strapped to their backs, paced back and forth before them. His voice echoed through the trees. "We must halt here for the time being," he announced, pausing to survey the crowd. His eyes lingered on each face, searching for signs of understanding or dissent.
"We must scout the East first to ensure it is safe for us to proceed," he continued. "If anyone wishes to volunteer to join the scouting party, please raise your hand."
Silence fell over the crowd. No hands rose, only anxious glances were exchanged. Despite their longing for safety and shelter, the refugees were unwilling to take risks with their lives in an unfamiliar place.
The young man tried a different tactic. "Any man who volunteers will have my personal assurance that their families will be protected while they are away."
But his words were met with silence, broken only by the bitter retort of a man in the crowd. "The last time we aided your reconnaissance, we were thrown to those flying creatures as decoys," the man spat, his voice quavering with rage and grief. "How many of our friends and loved ones were sacrificed for your reckless schemes?" He added.
The young man met the rebel's piercing gaze without flinching, his expression impassive as he addressed one of the men at his flanks. "Daniil, allow him to join his fallen comrades," he ordered, his words ringing with authority."
Daniil sliced through the crowd, his footsteps heavy and purposeful. The rebel stood puzzled, only to stagger back in shock as Daniil unsheathed his sword with a ruthless flourish. In an instant, the rebel's head was severed, and a crimson torrent gushed from his body.
Mothers rushed to shield their children's eyes from the grisly scene, while the young man remained standing, his expression cold and unyielding.
"Anyone who dares question my decisions will share that man's fate," he declared, his voice ringing out like the clang of a battle gong. "We are trying to survive in the midst of demons, and there is no room for insubordinati..."
" Neeeeeh!" Just as he spoke, a piercing scream pierced the air, the cry of a starving infant.
The baby's mother frantically hushed her child, but to no avail. Her husband joined the effort, yet their attempts were futile.
The young man's eyes narrowed, his expression darkening with each wail. "How many times have I warned you about your brat?" he demanded, his voice as sharp as a blade.
"Daniil," he ordered, his words cold. "Kill the creature before it alerts the demons to our presence."
The mother screamed, grasping her child to her chest as if her body could shield it from the brutal reality unfolding before her. The father, his eyes filled with desperation, lunged at Daniil with a feral growl, only to be swiftly silenced by the tip of his blade.
But, Before Daniil could reach the mother and child, a raucous laugh echoed from behind.
"Hahahaha!"
It came from the old man with the large weaved hat, whose expertly placed arrow had thwarted a demon just a day prior. He was clutching a flask of alcohol in his hand as usual.
Beside the old man, Ruby sat, his eyes fixed on the ground, his soul still weighed down by the loss of his parents.
Daniil halted his approach, his gaze shifting from the mother and child to the old man. The young man, too, bore a predatory stare at the interloper.
Daniil altered his course, advancing upon the old man. With hands raised in surrender, the old man slowly stood. "Now now, have mercy on this fragile old man," he pleaded. "I'll take my leave and go my own way."
Daniil's expression remained unmoved, the fire of rage still smoldering in his eyes. His sword raised, poised for a lethal blow, he was moments away from ending the old man's life.
But then, the young man's voice pierced the air. "Let him leave," he commanded, his tone icy and resolute. "I grow weary of dealing with such vermin. Anyone who cannot abide by my rule should leave with him, lest they die by my sword right here," the young man growled, his eyes alight with menace.
As the old man quietly departed, the young man's gaze settled on the mother. "Make your choice," he snarled.
Without hesitation, the mother and her husband scooped up their child and, trailing behind the old man, disappeared into the thick underbrush of the forest. They knew the demons lurking within were a threat, but they also knew the steel of Daniil's blade was no less deadly.
A family of three, mother, father and daughter, rose to their feet and followed in silence.
Ruby, his gaze still fixed to the ground, stood up and trailed slowly behind them, abandoning the safety of the young man.