Chapter 14: Fourteen

With a loud thump, Janilari fell on her last victim. She looked down, and saw Huddinli sprawled on the ground, clutching his bag, softly whining due to the weight of the demon standing on his chest.

"That's it?" Janilari asked, but there was no response.

The demoness looked around, and the rest of the adventurers were similarly breathless, unable to stand on their two feet or, in Maesron's case, held in place by a magically transformed portion of the fence.

"Well, that makes it four seconds and a half. The first time you only lasted two." She heard someone complain. "Hey! That's still progress! Cheer up!"

"Janilari..." Breathed Maesron. "... Can you let him breathe?"

She frowned, looked down, and then stepped aside. Huddinli breathed in deeply.

"Oh. Sorry, bag-boy."

"Why do you always leave me for last?" He whimpered in response, still recovering his breath.

"Weakest link." She shrugged, then looked at the rest of the adventurers. "Alright! Quick observation: everything I said you did wrong earlier, you are still terrible at."

"Great." Muttered Brunai, slowly raising from the ground. Pendi mumbled something, probably an insult.

"Oh, come on, guys! Nobody said this would be easy!" She beamed.

"Why do you enjoy this so much?"

"Don't worry about it. Now, everyone: stand up, and let's try again!"

The humans around her groaned at the same time. She took her hands to her hips.

"Don't be like that! I'm just helping you out here."

"I think the only purpose of this is to entertain you." Accused Huddinli, and taking a hand to her heart she feigned offense.

"Excuse me?" She asked in jest, but then used a more serious tone. "If you are not going to use violence, then your only objective in a fight is to survive. And I would love to know that you can, for more than four seconds and a half!"

"This is not fair." Brunai complained. "You are a demon."

"So?"

"How are we supposed to survive that long against a demon?" Added Huddinli. She rolled her eyes at them.

"If I really wanted to, I could end you all in less than a second. I'm trying to replicate a more reasonable threat here."

"Ideally, we should try to avoid any fights." Pointed Maesron. He cleared his throat. "Janilari, would you be so kind?"

The morphed fence that constricted him suddenly opened, and the knight fell to the ground. With a jump, he was back on his feet.

"Thank you. What I'm saying is... Our last mission was an example of the quests we should take. No violence required." He proposed. Janilari groaned.

"Without me, you would have died twice already!" She hesitated. "Maybe even three times! Did you forget about Ardiane? Some violence is always required."

She expected Maesron to argue further, but he just sighed instead. "Maybe we can't escape it." He agreed. "But that doesn't mean we can't deal with it... In a non-lethal way."

"I love the non-lethal way." She smiled widely. "Now, stop whining, and let's go again!"

*

"I don't feel my legs" was a common complaint after they were done. Humans had this little thing called "stamina".

The concept was foreign to Janilari, of course, but she understood the general meaning: yet another silly limitation mortals had on their lives.

She would have continued the training if such a burden wouldn't exist, but the adventurers were getting slower and thus getting worse results. And it would do her no good if they just collapsed. Rida wouldn't like that.

So she stopped the activities for the day. She was satisfied with their progress anyways, even though it was limited. It was good enough for their first day. Of course, it would take a long time to get anywhere, but she was optimistic.

Her mood had largely improved, and she almost didn't even think about Rida and her stupid interest in that stupid blood magic.

"Come on, everyone, push forward!" Beamed Maesron as they made their way back from the training grounds, the other adventurers dragging their feet behind. The knight turned to the demoness. "What do you think, Janilari?"

"About what?"

"About our training! We do good as a team, don't we?"

Janilari wasn't that optimistic. "Maybe in a couple of weeks, you could improve enough to win against some goblins."

"That's good, right?"

She laughed, shaking her head. "Good enough for now!"

Maesron was about to say something, but he seemed to freeze for a moment as they got closer to the main road of the town, where the inn was.

During her trip with Rida that morning, the mage had explained a few things about the town. One of them was about the roads, including the "main" one, wider than the rest and crossing through the middle of the town, and leading to a place far away that Rida called the "Capital". 

Another thing she told her was about the "town square"... Which was just a flat portion of terrain with a chunk of bronze in the middle. For some reason, the humans of the town used that place to gather... Not that Janilari even pretended to understand human customs.

Regardless, as they approached from the field they saw a big commotion in the square. A huge crowd, maybe the entire town, surrounded a figure who stood taller than all of them, right near the chunk of bronze. 

"What's that about?" Janilari asked, casually, and then realized Maesron had stopped a few feet behind her. She turned to him.

"Isn't that...?" Asked Brunai, frowning, as she reached them. Huddinli was next, quickly glancing at the crowd.

"They must be losing their minds." He deadpanned, gesturing at the townsfolk. "Two royals in a few days?"

"... What is she doing here?"

"Who are you talking about!?" Asked the demoness, impatient. Maesron almost jumped, for some reason spooked by the question. And then jumped again as a magically enhanced voice boomed from the town square.

"Is that who I see, Maesron and his gang?" The voice resonated, amplified by a dozen spells that gave it an arcane reverb. "I'm looking for you, come on now!"

"Well, we are dead." Mumbled Pendi, who was previously trailing behind, now walking past them right to the town square. The rest of the adventurers followed, and Janilari was last, intrigued by the situation.

As they got closer, the crowd opened to let them pass, not without the townsfolk whispering between each other. Without people in the way, Janilari saw who was standing in the middle: a tall woman, wearing a long white and blue robe. The cloth sparkled with hundreds of diamonds of different shapes and colors.

The woman was standing on a transparent, magical platform, making her seem even taller than she was. As they approached she smiled at them, revealing her teeth, one of her canines unnaturally white, long, and sharp. She raised her staff: a golden scepter with a big sphere of glass on the tip, containing an obscure, dark blue liquid.

"Well. Maesron. It's been a long time." She said, pointing at him with her staff, moving it as if it was weightless.

"Princess Avania." The knight breathed out, falling to his knee. The other adventurers were quick to follow, and Janilari looked at them, frowning. As she looked up, she saw the so-called 'Princess Avania' looking back at her, with a strange, expectant expression.

"... Maesron. I don't believe I've met this friend of yours." The woman asked. Maesron raised his head and turned to see Janilari. He grimaced.

"... Please, forgive her, princess. She's not familiarized with our customs."

Janilari tilted her head. "What are you talking about?"

Maesron almost choked, confusing the demoness further. What was happening here? Behind her, she heard someone whisper in the crowd.

"What is wrong with her?"

"Isn't she the one that the prince rejected?"

"Hey!" She turned around. "Why don't you speak up, huh!?"

A few among the townsfolk paled as she called them out, and some seemed about to faint. From the center of the square, the strange woman (Avania?) laughed loudly.

"I can see that, Maesron!" She said. The knight flinched. "Stand up. All of you."

Sighing in relief, Maesron and the rest raised from the ground.

"And you." Avania pointed directly at Janilari. The demoness raised an eyebrow, to which the woman smiled widely. "Step a bit closer, won't you?"

Janilari almost refused, just out of frustration for not having that manual on human customs. But this woman, just like Ardiane, seemed like the type to believe in her own importance, and to keep appearances she had to play along with that, as Maesron did? Sighing, she walked forward, stepping between the adventurers who looked at her with worry.

She stopped one step from Avania, who looked down at her with a smirk. Janilari challenged that with an eyebrow raise. Then the woman moved her unoccupied hand, resting it on top of the demoness' head.

Of course, Janilari shook her head and slapped the hand away. She heard gasps from the crowd and she glared at them too, for good measure.

"Aren't you an interesting thing?" The woman asked, but it didn't sound like she was asking Janilari. Regardless, the demoness replied.

"You are one to talk!" She grunted while straightening her hair. Avania only smiled wider.

"Excuse me, Princess, but..."

"Silence, Maesron. This one is fun." The woman blatantly stared at the demon, her eyes going up and down. And here Janilari thought humans usually appreciated privacy... Avania didn't seem to mind about the entire crowd looking at the scene. "What is your name?"

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"I'm not interested, sorry."

"Oh? But I'm yet to start trying..."

"Try keeping your hands to yourself, then."

The woman laughed again, and that was the only sound in the entirety of the town square, between the stunned silence of the crowd.

"Understood." Avania said after a while. Smiling, she made a dismissive gesture. "Go now."

The temptation of doing anything else was almost too big. Displaying a level of self-control Janilari didn't even know she had, she turned around and went back to the back of the party. Again, the adventurers looked at her with a mix of emotions.

"Maesron!"

"Y-yes, Princess?"

"First of all, congratulations on your success." Avania looked around the crowd. "Have you all heard? Maesron here managed to do the unthinkable: a peace treaty with an orc tribe? Never heard before!"

The townsfolk went back to their whispering.

"... Can we give him an applause? And to his fearless party, of course!"

Right on cue, everyone started clapping. Maesron looked around, a small smile on his face. Brunai stood straighter, seemingly also enjoying the attention, while Pendi just looked embarrassed.

"Impressive, Maesron." Avania continued as the clapping died down. "But sadly, that's not why I'm here. After what happened, I believe success will be more scarce. It's a terrible, sad situation we are in." She said... While still smiling brightly. "That's why I'm here, to offer you a small financial help. All adventuring companies are getting one, but I wanted to deliver this one myself. It would only make sense, after what you did in that desert. Here!"

With a click of her fingers, a small leather bag appeared in the air in front of Maesron. As it fell to the ground, the pouch opened and revealed its contents: a pile of bright, golden coins.

The whispering of the townsfolk multiplied at the sight of the gold. Maesron seemed speechless, staring right at the bag.

"Of course, this is not a gift. If you accept this you must double your activities and accept half the reward from future quests for the rest of this season. Don't worry about your economics: this is much more than you'll get in quests, anyways."

Avania sighed, then chuckled to herself.

"The kingdom really needs all the help it can get. You should see this as an opportunity. There's a void right now, and every company wants to fill it. You'll have a lot of competition. But if you accept, I already have a new quest lined up for you. What do you think?"

"I'm sorry... Princess?" Asked Maesron, finally snapping himself out of his trance. "Why is this necessary? What happened?"

"... Don't tell me you haven't heard." Avania said, and then smiled at Maesron's silence. "Oh, it pains me to give you this news, then. And to all of you!" She addressed the crowd. "If you haven't heard them either!" She took a hand to her heart while she grinned widely, her long white canine sparkling. "It's about my dear brother, Prince Ardiane."

The reaction from the crowd was instant. Hushed conversations all around, between some shocked silence. Avania continued in the same jovial tone.

"It's a real tragedy. My brother, while traveling to that same desert you were in, suffered a terrible accident. Somehow, he lost his helmet and fell off his horse, landing head-first on a rock! Can you believe that?"

Maesron froze. Huddinli stealthily glanced back at Janilari, who just shrugged.

"Is he alive?" Shouted a desperate voice from the crowd. Avania smiled, looking at the townsfolk.

"Don't fret, everyone. Ardiane is fine. He's now in the royal palace, being fed and bathed by servants and babbling himself to sleep. It's quite the comedic sight. Unfortunately, he will never hold a sword or ride a horse again. We are even wondering if he'll be able to talk!"

The crowd became louder. Janilari heard some cries and protests.

"His absence will be felt on the field." Continued Avania. "But that's why we have men like Maesron, willing to fill in the gap! Provided you accept this gold, of course."

"I..." The knight hesitated.

"We are doomed!" Cried someone in the crowd.

"Goblins will eat our children!"

"Silence!" Exclaimed Avania, instantly making the cries die down. "Your children are more likely to be eaten by wolves." With that, the cries were back.

"I- We accept, Princess!" Maesron quickly announced. The townsfolk became calmer with his words, but whines could still be heard, lamenting the loss of Ardiane.

"Excellent." Avania replied. She smiled to herself. "Get ready, then. I'll tell you all about that quest."

*

When they got back to the inn, it was already dark. While the adventurers around her ate their food (Janilari rejected a plate... She was still not ready for that), the demoness asked everything she could think of about Ardiane and Avania and everything else she was given no information about.

"So..." She looked around, after almost an hour of receiving new knowledge. "There's this 'king'. Who lives in a palace. And he is, like, very important."

Huddinli sighed, tiredly. The demoness corrected herself.

"Like the most important guy around, I mean. And he made three children with his 'queen'."

"... Why do you word it like that?"

"... And these three children are Ardiane, Avania and..."

"Alarant."

"... Alarant. Am I going to meet this guy too? Because I'd rather not. Anyways... These three siblings are also very important... Because..." She looked around.

"They are part of the royal family." Said Brunai. "We told you that."

"Yeah, but that doesn't explain anything."

"The royal family rules the kingdom."

"... Alright. Why?"

Huddinli sighed again. "Do you want to listen to a thousand years of history?"

"Sure!"

"... No."

"All you should know is that we shouldn't mess with them." Replied Brunai.

"Like you messed with Ardiane." Added Pendi, looking at her plate.

"He deserved it." The demoness shrugged, and Pendi sighed.

"Perhaps." She mumbled.

"... It doesn't matter if he deserved it or not." Said Maesron, who until then was being uncharacteristically quiet. "If they ever find out Janilari was responsible for it..."

"That would be inconvenient." Agreed the demoness. "But so what? I don't care about kings or their offspring and neither should you. As long as I'm here, and as long as you remain being Rida's friends, you won't have to worry about anything."

"Very comforting." Deadpanned Huddinli.

"... Speaking about Rida, where is she?" Asked Brunai. Janilari gasped.

"You are right! She's probably not mad anymore!"

"... She was mad at you!?"

Janilari didn't respond, just stood up and almost ran upstairs.

*

She was happy to have the opportunity to tell Rida everything about Avania and the quest. It was the perfect excuse to act like nothing had happened that morning.

Maybe, with the new mission and all, Rida would forget about Eiril and her magic.

But the mage wasn't in her room.

... Great. She knew it was a bad idea to leave her alone.

There was only one other place where she could expect to find the mage... And she really didn't want to see her there.

Not bothering to keep appearances and trusting the night to hide her form, she quickly left the inn through the brand-new hole in the ceiling and went up into the skies. The air became colder as she flew upwards. Beneath her, the entire town became visible: little candlelights sprawled here and there, mirroring the stars above.

It took her a couple of seconds to find Eiril's garden, a corner of dark green in the middle of the town. She was there almost instantly, landing near the entrance with no sound other than the wind caused by her quick movement.

She overheard two voices deep in there. She recognized both.

A dark feeling clouded her mind, but she pushed it aside. She faked a smile and stepped inside the garden.

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