Aquila soared gracefully through the night sky, its powerful wings cutting through the cool breeze as Damien and Arielle rode silently on its back.
The vast plain stretched endlessly below them, a mixture of damp grasslands and muddy patches that shimmered faintly under the moonlight. The muddy patches made it seem like it had rained earlier but Damien knew no such thing had happened.
At least, not in the town he was coming from.
Damien’s sharp gaze swept over the terrain, searching for signs of movement. His mind, however, wasn’t entirely focused on the task at hand.
The events of their last battle still played vividly in his head, and the faint smile that tugged at his lips betrayed his lingering frustration.
Arielle, seated behind him, broke the silence. “Alright, Damien, you’ve been quiet for too long. Spill it.”
He glanced over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow. “Spill what?”
“You’ve got that brooding look again,” she teased. “Something’s bothering you.”
Damien sighed, turning his attention back to the ground below. “It’s nothing.”
Arielle leaned forward slightly, resting her chin on her hand. “Really? Because it looks like you’ve been replaying something in your head for a while now.”
“Fine,” he admitted, his voice low. “I was just thinking about earlier. The battle.”
Arielle frowned. “What about it? We won, didn’t we?”
“We did,” Damien said, his tone neutral. “But you stole ten kills from me.”
Arielle’s mouth fell open in mock offense. “Stole? I saved your hide, Damien!”
“I had it under control,” he replied with a smirk.
“Sure you did,” she muttered, rolling her eyes. “But seriously, why do you care so much about the numbers? It’s not like there’s a prize for whoever kills the most demons.”
Enjoy new tales from empire
Damien’s smirk faded, his expression growing thoughtful. “Because every kill counts,” he said quietly.
Arielle tilted her head. “Counts toward what?”
Before Damien could answer, something on the ground caught his attention.
“I have a target to meet and the faster I get to it, the better it is for both of us. Each steal delays the process and slows down the target which isn’t…”
“Hold on,” Damien said abruptly, leaning forward and narrowing his eyes.
“What is it?” Arielle asked, straightening up.
“Tracks,” he muttered, pointing down.
Aquila dipped lower, its flight now just above the ground. The faint outlines of clawed footprints became visible in the damp earth, crisscrossing in chaotic patterns.
“Demons,” Damien confirmed, his voice firm.
“Are you sure?” Arielle asked, squinting at the tracks. She could barely see anything with Aquila’s speed. Not everyone’s sight were as good as a Terrace.
“Positive,” Damien replied. “The prints are fresh, but not too fresh. They’ve probably been gone for a few hours.”
He gestured for Aquila to maintain a steady pace, and the Griffin complied, gliding silently over the muddy terrain.
The tracks led them through the open plain, weaving between patches of grass and pools of water. The stench of blood hung faintly in the air, growing stronger as they followed the trail.
As they moved, Arielle broke the silence again. “You’re scarily good at this, you know. Tracking demons, fighting them… it’s like you were made for it.”
Damien didn’t respond immediately, his eyes fixed on the trail ahead.
“How did you get so good at this?” she pressed.
He hesitated before answering. “I trained. In a secluded area.”
Arielle’s curiosity deepened. “Secluded? Like… by yourself?”
“Yeah,” Damien said, his tone clipped. “For about two years.”
Her eyes widened slightly. “Two years? Alone? Where?”
Damien sighed. “Somewhere dangerous but fun filled. That’s all you need to know.”
Arielle frowned, sensing he didn’t want to go into detail. “Alright, fine. But why are you so eager to kill demons all the time? It’s like you’re on a personal mission or something.”
He chuckled, though there was little humor in it. “Maybe I am.”
“Why, though?” she pressed.
Damien’s smirk returned, but his eyes remained cold. “Because it’s thrilling. Fighting demons pushes me to my limits. And every time I kill one, I get stronger.”
Arielle studied him for a moment, noting the intensity in his voice. “That’s it? You enjoy the thrill, and it makes you stronger?”
“That’s enough reason for me,” Damien said simply. “Don’t you think so?”
“It indeed is.” Arielle answered and then fell silent, her thoughts swirling.
The plain stretched endlessly before them, its damp surface shimmering under the pale moonlight, most of the light clouded by dark clouds.
The openness of the terrain made it easy to spot anything moving in the distance, but it also left them exposed.
“This place gives me the creeps,” Arielle muttered, glancing around.
“It’s perfect,” Damien said.
“How is this perfect?” she asked, incredulous.
“We can see anything coming from miles away,” Damien explained. “No ambushes, no surprises. It’s the best place to hunt.”
Arielle shook her head. “You’re crazy, you know that?”
“Maybe,” Damien said with a smirk, “but I’m not lying.”
The tracks grew more clustered, suggesting the demons had stopped or slowed down recently. The faint sounds of growls and tearing flesh reached their ears, carried by the wind.
“We’re close,” Damien said, his voice low.
Aquila slowed its flight, gliding silently toward the source of the noise. As they neared a small clearing, the gruesome scene came into view.
A group of demons huddled together, their hunched forms illuminated by the moonlight. They feasted on three humans, their jagged claws tearing into flesh and their sharp teeth cracking through bones.
Squelch!!
The stench of blood was overpowering, and the wet, crunching sounds filled the air.
Arielle’s breath caught in her throat, her hand instinctively going to her sword. “Damien…”
“I see it,” he said, his voice cold and steady.
The demons remained oblivious to their presence, too consumed by their grisly meal to notice the silent predator circling above.
Damien’s eyes darkened as he assessed the situation. His grip on Aquila’s fur tightened, and his free hand rested on the hilt of his new sword.
“Stay sharp,” he muttered. “This is about to get messy.”
For now, they waited, biding their time for the perfect moment to strike. The demons’ gruesome feast continued, unaware of the reckoning that loomed above them.
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Author’s Note:
What do you guys think about longer chapters? Let me know what you think about it.
If you all like it, I’ll do more of it and if you don’t, we’ll resume the usual short chapters.
Expecting your replies. Thank you all.