We were travelling through one of the crevices that passed for a road in this bleak landscape, when a patch of ground opened up beside the column of villagers. They recoiled as heavyset Tertiums, fur black with dirt, boiled forth. Roars split the air, joined a moment later by the villagers’ cries as they scattered.

Elmidath shot past me, rushing out to meet the Tertiums. I followed, catching up in the space of a few strides as I unslung my blade from my back. We could only watch as fleeing demons were cut down by the Tertium’s long claws. The villagers had a few weapons between them, but they stood little chance of resisting the terrible creatures.

Spurred, to greater haste, I quickly left Elmidath behind and plunged into the chaos alone. Grabbing a stumbling villager by their robes, I hauled them aside and gripped my sword with both hands as I faced off against the Tertium bearing down on us. But rather than charging madly at me, as I’d expect of the creature, it bounded away.

With many more foes ahead, I let it go and focused on the more immediate threats. I was closing in on the next Tertium when it too turned and ran. Frustrated, I charged headlong into the group still emerging from beneath the ground.

With nowhere to go but back into their hole, the creatures stood their ground. I swept Shotensho along the ground in a wide arc, forming a half circle of killing ice. Frigid darkness tore through flesh and hide as the Tertiums hurled themselves at me.

They slammed into the icy formation and collapsed, howling in pain, and their advanced stalled. Using the bodies of the dead and dying, one of the survivors smashed through what remained of the barrier. The shards cut their skin to ribbons, but they kept coming. Before it could get much further, I cut down it down with an overhead swing while keeping out of reach of its thick claws.

Two more broke free and, undeterred by the deaths of their allies, barrelled forward. Twisting my blade free, I swung at the closest. It took the cut on its arm and I called forth Shotensho’s power. Jagged ice surged along its flesh, cutting and freezing as it claimed another victim. Before I could free my weapon, the other Tertium was inside my reach.

Wrapping its arms around my chest, it took us both to the ground. My sword fell from my hands on the way down, leaving me to fight off the creature with my bare hands. I punched the Tertium in its snarling face, but it didn’t even faze it. It lunged for my throat; jaws spread wide to expose rows of sharp teeth.

Catching its head, I managed to just barely managed to hold it back. The teeth cut long lines in my flesh, but I stopped them opening my throat. Its claws slashed me at wildly and there was nothing I could do about it; I was stuck holding back its jaws.

A claw sunk into the flesh of my lower arm, missing the armour and puncturing the fabric. I jerked my arm back and the Tertium’s head shot toward me. My remaining hand deflected it enough that it bit into my jaw rather than my throat. The beast’s maw clamped down on my face and I howled in pain.

Blood streaming down my face, I hammered at the Tertium’s head with my fists to little effect as the teeth cut deeper. Wrenching its head back, it took a piece of my face with it. My vision darkened and my ineffectual resistance ceased as I struggled just to remain conscious.

The Tertium was coming in for another bite when a spear formed of red and orange blood went right through its skull. It collapsed on top of me, pinning me to the ground with its weight.

I was trying to worm my way out from under it, with one hand clasped to the bleeding wound on my face, when the body on top of me shifted aside and I saw Elmidath looking down at me. Her eyes widened when she saw my face, and she offered me her hand.

Taking a moment to collect myself, I got up and looked around. Beyond the fallen Tertiums around us, most of which I wasn’t responsible for, we were alone. In the distance Korzan and the ogres were finishing off the last of the creatures that hadn’t fled.

Now that I had time to think, I realised the Tertium I’d grappled with, along with the others, had small stone spikes sticking out of its skin. I was trying to remember where I’d seen them before when I looked over to Elmidath. Still clutching my face, I took a deep breath. “What happened?” Elmidath had clearly dealt with most of them herself, but I wasn’t sure how she’d managed it when they’d all run away from me.

The young demon lord shrugged. “The Teritums attacked me so I killed them.”

“They were trying to avoid me, why would they go after you like that?”

“Maybe they thought I looked like an easier target. Though given where they came from,” she inclined her head towards the passage in the ground, “I assume it was me they were after.”

“I’m guessing that thing which took over your father was the one who sent them.” It was the most logical explanation given where they’d come from and the stone that was part of them. “But why would it go after us?”

“Either because it thinks I’m a threat, or because it doesn’t want us telling anyone about it. Maybe both.”

If it really was after Elmidath, then the darkness beneath the earth was smarter than I thought. Not a good sign for either of us. “What should we do then? What can we do?”

Confronting it in its place of power seemed the only way to truly defeat it and I couldn’t see either of us surviving long enough to get close if we went down there again.

“For now, we just need to focus on reaching Biustarn, we should be safe enough there.”

“And then?”

“We’ll figure that once we’ve got things figured out with Biustarn, it’s best that we focus on one problem at a time.”

I didn’t like the idea of just ignoring it, but there probably wasn’t much else we could do right now. Focusing on what I could do, I went over to check on the villagers. Korzan was already there, addressing the main group of them, while the ogres were poking around at the dead Tertiums. Thankfully none of the villagers seemed be among the fallen.

Spotting Yuvina, I went over to her. She’d been talking to another villager, but she broke off when I approached and met me partway. Her black and yellow eyes, the only part of her face visible beneath her robe, gave nothing away as she deferentially dipped her head to me.

“Did you need something?”

“Uh, not exactly. I just wanted to see how you guys were doing. Is anyone hurt?”

“Yes, but nothing too serious.”

“Oh, good. Is there anything I can do to help?”

“No, we can handle this ourselves.”

Yuvina seemed like she was being unusually distant, had I done something? “Is there anything wrong? I really am just trying to help.”

She narrowed her eyes at me for a moment, then looked away. “It’s nothing. Please just let us handle this.”

“Alright, well good luck.”

Leaving the villagers to their own devices, I went back over to the hole where Elmidath was waiting. I would’ve preferred to make myself useful, but they clearly didn’t want my help and forcing my way in probably wouldn’t do any good. There probably wasn’t much I could help with anyway.

Elmidath was drawing in the dirt with her foot though she stopped when I reached her. “How were they?”

“Why don’t you go and see for yourself?”

“That’s why I have followers isn’t it? So I don’t have to do everything myself?”

“I know, but they’d probably appreciate if you went yourself.”

Elmidath made an amused sound. “Whatever gave you that idea? They want nothing to do with me.”

I’d all but forgotten about the bad blood between them in the moment, and I felt like a fool. That probably explained why Yuvina hadn’t wanted my help. “Well, I’m sure things will get better eventually.”

Shaking her head, Elmidath looked at me with a smile. “When did you become so optimistic?”

I shrugged. “If I can’t hope that things will get better, than they never will.”

“You really are a fool.” Despite her words her tone was light and I took no offense. She looked up at me, focusing on my jaw. “How’s your face?”

I reached up to touch it and found that it had already scabbed over. The pain hadn’t lasted long and I’d nearly forgotten about it until she brought it up. “Not bad actually.”

“Good. It should heal before long, but let me know if you notice anything strange about it.”

“Anything strange about my face? You mean other than its ineffable beauty?”

My quip apparently took her by surprise, as her face froze for a moment before she burst out laughing. “You are an amusing fool at least.”