章 26: Keep

Dah squinted his eyes at the fierce sun, they had been traveling several days now and progress was slow. Apart from some pack horses used to transport supplies the only member of the company who rode a horse was Princess Mai. Apparently horses were even more rare on this world then he had realized. The two pack horses in the group were being used to pull a medium sized wagon, which carried the groups supplies and additional weaponry. Because of its critical importance to the mission, Princess Mai had guards posted on it both day and night in alternating shifts. Due to this reason he had opted to carry his own pack. After all it wasn't heavy to him and it was important for him to be able to access it whenever he needed to.

The men had at first been wary of him but after Mai greeted him so warmly they also had started to introduce themselves. He had told them he used to part of one of the nomad tribes on the edge of the kingdom and when his family's lives had been slaughtered by a roaming beast only he had survived. Leaving the nomadic group in grief he had traveled until finding that village where he had been accepted and decided to settle down. This was an all too common story and the group had accepted it without question. Sympathy had even flashed across Mai's face, while he could tell some of the soldiers had even had pain enter their eyes. This was a cruel world after all, unless someone was strong they would suffer.

They had been following a river for the last day and it had served its job in filling their water containers. At first no one had initially talked about their experience at the Demon Lord's Castle until they were a certain distance away, almost as if they were afraid the Demon Lord would hear them.

'Little do they know'

The conversation got started by a younger soldier named Jiro, "I could have taken out the demon lord myself." he boasted loudly. Amid the guffaws and back slaps that followed no one noticed a glint that had appeared in Dah's eyes.

"Hey David", Jiro suddenly addressed Dah, "What was it like living there? Were you tort..."

An unexpected smile appeared on David's face, "There was good food and beautiful demonesses, but also a constant feeling of danger. I was actually very well taken care of. Perhaps I had managed to get on their good side."

The pair of soldiers that had been exchanging looks with Catera nodded knowingly the words "beautiful demonesses" having resonated with them. "Any demoness would have just killed you after she was done though."

"Some things are worth it" he replied.

A grimace appeared on one of the soldiers faces. "I agree but I will save it till I am at deaths door" he continued, "After all I am still a young buck." This made the old soldier receive guffaws similar to the ones that started the conversation despite his harsh glare at those that laughed.

With Princess Mai approaching the conversation quickly shifted to their plans for returning back to the kingdom as if this conversation had never happened. After all, it would not do to have the Princess of the kingdom and the leader of their company to hear such crude jokes.

"You loafers ready to keep going?" she asked addressing the group.

Getting the affirmative they began walking along again. They would be entering a small village in the next few days where they would be able to replenish their food stores. But as always, dangers were abounding on this trip. Dah watched as the guards alternated again to watch the wagon.

'I wonder if it really is just food and supplies in there'

...

Grabbing and lighting a torch using the flames from a burning building, Xarros and his minions slowly approached the opening to the keep. No movement could be seen from the outside, so Xarros ordered one of the minions, Ryu in. Ryu complied to the order, taking the torch from Xarros and walking into the darkness. Looking around Ryu observed the entrance to the keep, unlike within the outer walls there was fresh blood to be found in varying amounts on the floor, and splatters on the walls and even the ceiling.

The keep had stoney inner walls held together by a tough mortar. Swords and bows littered the floor although their previous owners were no where to be seen. Ryu walked down the long hallway shaped entry before entering the first room. The room shaped like a half circle had a desk in the middle front, used to check in visitors to the keep. Ryu heard it as much as felt it. A slimy slithering nose could be heard in the room to the right. Feeling an ominous presence he held the torch towards the direction of that room and started moving closer.

Xarros watched the back of Ryu disappear deeper into the keep. He knew that minions would never retreat even if there was no chance of vanquishing their foes due to their pride. If a minion were to retreat then he would quickly lose any hope of getting a mate and would be exiled from his clan. That is why he had made it clear the mission's goal was to scout and not defeat. Even with that being explicitly stated though, Xarros could not be sure Ryu would listen.

...