Damien arrived in front of the Mercenary Guild building, his steps slow and deliberate as he contemplated his next move.
Aquila stood beside him, its sharp eyes scanning the surroundings. For a moment, Damien considered dismissing the summon, but the thought of keeping it around as a watch guard crossed his mind.
Arielle noticed his hesitation and tilted her head. “What’s on your mind?” she asked.
“I’m wondering if I should cancel Aquila or let it stay,” Damien replied, rubbing the back of his neck.
Arielle shrugged. “Let it roam free,” she suggested. “I’ve seen you cancel it easily when needed, so it shouldn’t be a problem. Just give it some ground rules.”
Damien nodded thoughtfully, turning to Aquila. “Alright, you heard her,” he said. “You’re free to roam the skies or hang around here, but listen carefully—don’t harm any humans unless you’re attacked first or feel threatened. Understood?”
Kreeeeii!!
Aquila let out a soft cry and spread its wings, a clear indication of its understanding. Satisfied, Damien turned back to Arielle, and together they entered the guild building.
The air inside was warm and quiet, a welcome change from the cold tension of the outdoors. Damien led the way to the room Arielle had prepared for him.
As soon as he stepped inside, he collapsed onto the bed, releasing a deep sigh of relief. For now, the chaos of the day was over.
Arielle followed him in, pulling a chair close to the bed. Sitting down, she crossed her arms and squinted at him. “Alright,” she began, her tone firm, “I’m asking again. Why did you cancel the summon on your pets so randomly?”
Damien chuckled, meeting her gaze. “You’re still stuck on that?”
“Of course, I am!” Arielle snapped, her cheeks flushing slightly. “You don’t know what happened because of that.”
Intrigued, Damien raised an eyebrow. “Alright, what happened?”
Arielle exhaled sharply and began narrating. “That slime of yours—and the bird, what are their names again?”
“Luton and Aquila,” Damien supplied with a small grin.
“Right, Luton and Aquila,” Arielle continued, her lips curving briefly into a smile at their names. “They brought me to you. Or at least, they tried to.”
Damien’s eyes widened slightly. “They tried to bring you there?”
“Yes,” she said, nodding. “Luton practically bounced onto Aquila and invited me to join them. I figured it was a good idea, so I climbed on. But just as Aquila took off—”
Realization dawned on Damien, and he interrupted, “Wait… you fell to the ground, didn’t you?”
Arielle crossed her arms and nodded, her expression annoyed. “I fell hard, Damien. I can still feel the pain.”
Damien squinted at her, half-concerned and half-amused. “You’re exaggerating. Where exactly did you land?”
“On my butt!” she exclaimed, pointing dramatically at herself. Then, with a mischievous smirk, she added, “Do you want to check? Pervert.”
Damien’s face flushed red, and he quickly waved his hands defensively. “No, no! I believe you!”
Arielle burst into laughter at his reaction, but Damien quickly sobered, offering a sincere apology. “I’m sorry, Arielle. I didn’t know you were on Aquila. I figured since their mission in Westmont was done, it was time to call them back.”
Arielle’s laughter subsided, and she nodded in understanding. “I get it. Just… next time, give them a chance to let me know what’s going on before you cancel them.”
“I’ll try.” Damien said with a small smile. He wasn’t sure they could be notified though.
Arielle’s expression softened, but her curiosity quickly returned. “So, what exactly were you up to?”
Damien shrugged, resting his hands behind his head. “It wasn’t entirely bad,” he began, recounting his experience.
He told her how he had spotted a demon while flying atop Aquila and decided to follow it from a distance, eventually leading him to the cave.
There, he had heard the scream of a human, forcing him to choose between acting immediately or retreating to gather his weapons. The choice had been clear.
Arielle listened intently as Damien explained how he had slain the demons guarding the cave and rescued the captives, sending them back to Westmont with Luton and Aquila.
He also described his exploration of the six tunnel paths, ensuring no other demons remained.
Though he left out the part about transforming Cerbe into a human, he provided an honest account of the rest, including his decision to destroy the cave to prevent future incursions.
When he finished, Arielle leaned back in her chair, her arms crossed thoughtfully. “That’s quite the adventure,” she said. “But something’s bothering you. What is it?” Stay updated through empire
Damien hesitated for a moment before speaking. “In the fifth tunnel, I came across a blockade. I tried breaking through it with my magic, but something was off. My magic essence… it felt weaker. Like it wasn’t as effective as it should’ve been.”
Arielle’s eyes narrowed. “Weaker? Are you sure?”
“Positive,” Damien said, his tone serious. “I couldn’t even make a dent. It felt like something was interfering with my magic. Do you know what could cause that?”
Arielle’s expression darkened slightly as she considered his words. “The blood of certain demons,” she said finally. “Some demons have blood that can suppress or weaken magic essence. If it seeps into an area, it can render magic almost useless or at least half as effective.”
Damien leaned forward, his interest piqued. “Is that common?”
“Not really,” Arielle admitted. “It’s rare to encounter demons with that kind of ability, but it’s not unheard of. If the blockade you found was influenced by demonic blood, that might explain why your magic didn’t work.”
Damien nodded slowly, processing her explanation. It made sense, but it also raised more questions. What kind of demons had been in that cave, and why had they gone to such lengths to block the fifth tunnel?
As Damien pondered, Arielle spoke again. “If you want to learn more, we’ll need to do some research. I can help.”
A faint smile tugged at Damien’s lips. “Thanks, Arielle. I appreciate it.”
“Don’t mention it,” she replied. “Just try not to make a habit of disappearing without a word, alright?”
“I’ll do my best,” Damien said with a chuckle.
The two sat in companionable silence for a moment before Damien’s thoughts drifted back to the mysterious blockade. Whatever lay behind it, he had a feeling it was something he couldn’t ignore. “Let’s hope it’s not too late.”