After she declared her intention to help Hans, she suddenly found that she would be busy, after all.

After several days of zero communications, Anarim called Albert, Lilac, and Eshdar to the tea shop, saying that he had something important to tell. Sammael would join if it wasn’t for him knowing why Anarim called them to the tea shop.

In the tea shop, Anarim, still wearing the traditional An’ah robe, was standing near the tea shop’s counter by the shop’s phone. Upon noticing them, Anarim asked them to follow him upstairs. He soon noticed that someone was missing.

“Where is Sammael?” he asked.

“Stayed home,” said Eshdar. “He still doesn’t like Rhynsa. I mean, this is the reason why you called us right, granddad?”

“Hmm…that Barghest still has a long way ahead of him. I’m afraid it’s going to be hard to convince him otherwise, especially since he was a subjugated demon slave.”

The way Anarim casually said those words made Lilac uneasy. It sounded like Anarim had a subtle contempt on Sammael by the way he said those words. It only served to make Lilac sympathize with the Barghest even more, knowing that the demon was nothing more than a slave to the Schelkz.

The name Schelkz quickly reminded her of something: Ifrit’s brother. Where was he? The continent was vast, but no one would mistake a white-furred hellhound, or even a white-furred Lycan in particular. There hadn’t been any news regarding their discovery or no one even bothered to look.

Lilac considered asking Anarim about it, though she would settle with hearing what the old vulpine hellhound had to say.

Once everyone was upstairs, Anarim cleared his throat and said, “Rhynsa just called earlier this morning about the situation in Tragoria. It wasn’t good. The region lost its original environment and is now a wasteland.”

“Wasteland?” Lilac couldn’t believe how things went from bad to worse in just two months. Last she remembered, Tragoria was still a rural countryside with farms and green meadows. Being called a wasteland was a complete opposite of that.

“I know it is hard to swallow, my dear, but Rhynsa is not someone who minces words,” said Anarim with a sigh. “But more importantly, he is successful on his mission. He met allies willing to join us in fighting the Incursion back. More importantly, by chance, he met a Death’s Jackal.”

“By Death’s Jackal, you mean…”

Anarim nodded, confirming Eshdar’s question. “We might be able to find a member of their royal family, after all. I almost thought that it would take us a while to find them, but this turn of events work perfectly for us.”

“We still don’t know if any of the royal family survives or not,” pointed out Albert.

“It won’t be a problem if that is the case. From what Rhynsa told me, Death’s Jackals have weapons capable of banishing demons, much like your Hunter equipment, Albert.”

“Only forged by metals found in the Underworld, no doubt,” said Albert. “It doesn’t change anything. Even if they happened to stockpile those weapons before the Uprising, what are the chances that they are widely distributed? They can be strong allies, but beyond that, I’m afraid there is none unless we can find a member of their royal family.”

“Good thing I wasn’t too fixated with trying to find one of the royal members,” said Anarim. “Especially if we have allies on the surface.”

“You already know they…wait a minute. Are you suggesting…?”

Anarim nodded, confirming Albert’s deduction.

“That’s where the three of you come in,” said Anarim. “It is time we find help from the Demon Hunters. They undoubtedly need allies who knows what they’re up against.”

“But will they be alright? Working with hellhounds, I mean,” asked Lilac.

“Demon Hunters know hellhounds aren’t demons,” said Albert. “However, they also know hellhounds can be too close to demons and are generally violent. This doesn’t apply to you, but unfortunately, that’s a fact.”

“Can’t deny that,” said Eshdar.

“Neither can I,” said Lilac, which reminded her of Ifrit’s brutal way to defend them.

“Yes, I am also aware that they are wary of us,” said Anarim. “But I’m sure you can come up with something. You don’t get to be a high-ranking Hunter at such a young age for nothing, right?”

“You make it sounds like I’m an ambitious person.”

“There’s nothing wrong with having high ambitions and the means to do things the right way. Also, bring Eshdar along with you.”

“So that I can show them that hellhounds aren’t that bad?” said Eshdar.

“You guessed it. From now on, follow Albert’s direction. Hunters are his specialty, after all.”

Yet Albert wasn’t so sure about it. While his standings with the Hunters were good, he wasn’t that influential enough to ask them to fight alongside hellhounds. He was high-ranking, but he wasn’t too involved with how they did things. He only did his jobs, free from any complications or even politics. That was the reason why he wasn’t too concerned with working alone. It gave him a certain freedom that working very closely with the organization would not have.

But it wasn’t that hard to contact a Hunter, especially if he went back to Dusdolf. He could easily flash his Hunter badge to confirm his identity. The next thing he should think about was their perception on Eshdar. He just hoped that they mistook him for a werefox, which was against every reason of him being part of the group.

Sammael would be the main reason why they would never help Albert. A Hunter, even novice ones, would know a Barghest when they saw one. The ritual that bound Sammael was unknown for Hunters and could be demonic in origin, which was against the Hunter’s Creed. They would think he had gone too far, and his Hunter’s Badge would be revoked. That would clearly jeopardize any plan for an alliance.

These thoughts filled Albert’s mind while he was driving away from Summinat and towards the Adaline-Dusdolf border. He was glad to be able to drive Liz again, especially with upgraded handling that complemented its speed and acceleration. The car was still damaged from the ambush near the waterfall, so he planned to find a garage in Dusdolf that was well-equipped in fixing the car. Marlene’s workshop came to mind. He could also ask her about the situation with the Hunters. She had privy information about their recent activities, after all.

And so, with Lilac as navigator, he asked her to find a route towards the city of Struttemberg, which was a considerable distance from where they were. Even with a car that was much faster than horse-driven carriage, it would take them half a day to reach the city. Good thing it wasn’t an urgent drive, which gave them time to relax and enjoy what Dusdolf had to offer.

Lilac, being the one who had not traveled much, was in awe on how Dusdolf was similar to Tragoria except for the different plants and the paved road, which Tragoria had very little of. This, however, made her sad, knowing that Ifrit wasn’t there to enjoy it with her. She missed him greatly, and it would be hard for her to let go of his memory. He was gone too soon from her life.

But she tried not to be overwhelmed by it. Albert made her realize that he wasn’t alone. Hans may be far from the continent, but he was doing alright. The least Lilac could do was focus on that and continue her fight against those who took her home. That was one of several reasons why she asked for a lesson in handling firearms. She knew that, in the era of guns, her claws and fangs would not be enough.

Her enjoyment of the Dusdolfian countryside did not escape Eshdar and Albert, with the vulpine hellhound pointing this out during one of their stops to refuel the car. While Lilac went into the store to buy provisions, Eshdar took that time to chat with Albert. He wasn’t a person who preferred to voice his thoughts directly. He preferred a friendlier chat about their experience through the countryside and Albert’s own history as a Hunter.

Then, after he ran out of topics, he started to talk about Lilac.

“Lilac, she…seems to enjoy this trip more than both of us,” said Eshdar. “I’m surprised she moved on from Ifrit that soon.”

“She won’t be able to enjoy herself if she is alone,” said Albert. “And I also reminded her that Ifrit wasn’t everything. Sure, he will be missed, but she also has a brother she cared for.”

“Brother?” asked Eshdar. “She never told me that.”

“You’re busy and she’s busy. She simply doesn’t have the chance to tell you. She became close to Ifrit mostly because she feels lonely. She told me she also felt that Ifrit was a foreigner, and she felt obligated to help him understand life as a Tragorian.”

“Not bad for a first meeting,” remarked Eshdar.

“That’s Lilac for you. She doesn’t hesitate to help anyone, no matter who. While I understand if she was wary of Ifrit’s violence at first, his acceptance of who she really is got through her heart. That is why she was devastated when Ifrit died.”

“Yeah,” said Eshdar. “A fire burning so strongly, only to be abruptly snuffed out. It’s much harder to cope than when the fire’s almost out.”

Albert, sharp as ever, noticed something from Eshdar’s remark and said, “You met someone before?”

Eshdar chuckled. “One of the foxes in a Tragorian forest. Got involved for a year before we decided to break it off. She decided to prioritize her clan over an outsider like me.”

“Did she ever know?”

“About me not being a werefox? I think it’s obvious enough from where I stand. Also, in case you’re wondering, that’s not the reason why we broke it off.”

“Ah, well…it happens.”

Lilac returned to the car with a bundle of foods, looking particularly satisfied with what she bought. Albert, however, wondered if she realized that she wasn’t living in a home carriage anymore. Still, he did not bother to ask after noticing that all she bought were Dusdolfian snacks. The money she got from working with Albert was more than enough to buy some decent food.

Smiling, knowing that Lilac was enjoying the travel, Albert called Lilac and put the snacks on the passenger seat while she sat beside Albert, resuming her navigator role.

***

It was an uneventful journey up until a point. Two hours after they left the pumping station, it became clear that it would not be a simple drive.

Albert warned his two travelling companions that there was an increase of demonic attacks in Dusdolf due to conjurers summoning them. Apparently, spurred by Tragoria’s situation, the conjurers became bolder as the Demon Hunters were stretched thin. Albert blamed the Demon Hunters for being too traditionalist and too proud to share their resources with the Dusdolfian government, though he understood why.

“No one expected the Hellish Incursion,” said Albert. “And for most of our history, we never expected this to be the case.”

Nevertheless, Lilac remembered Albert once told her about Hunters using unorthodox methods, which also included the human. That unorthodox approach would be tested when they came upon a village when Lilac caught an intriguing smell.

It was the smell of burned flesh, like a meat being put in an oven for too long. Lilac was worried, owing to the fact that the smell was sharp and not from a burned meal. Albert and Eshdar agreed; no one would do that unless they abandoned it deliberately.

What they came upon was worse. Far worse.

Lilac could only gasp in horror when she saw what happened. The villagers were massacred, all suffered gruesome deaths. Dismembered corpses littered the ground, with blood puddles still fresh. The lack of decay and a burning body impaled on a stake suggested that it just happened, possibly several hours ago.

Lilac and Eshdar then heard a faint gasp coming from a house nearby. They both became alert, not sure if the gasp came from an enemy or a survivor. Albert, however, was drawn by something else. He did not know that Lilac and Eshdar decided to pursue the noise.

“A trap, maybe?” asked Lilac.

“Whatever the case, we can’t just ignore it,” said Eshdar, readying his bow and arrow. “Don’t be hasty.”

“It might be too late.”

“I’m a quick shot.”

Lilac trusted Eshdar. Between the two, he was more accustomed to combat situations. As they slowly approached the half-ruined house, Lilac heard something else. This time, she was sure that it wasn’t human or Lycan.

It was the sound of clopping hooves, probably from a horse.

She would sigh in relief if it wasn’t for the silhouette that was walking in the house. There was nothing human from the silhouette, nor was it lupine or canine. It was something else, and the sight of it unnerved her, especially when it was accompanied by a low, guttural growl that could not have come from any beasts.

Then, once the silhouette revealed itself, both Eshdar and Lilac gasped in surprise.

At the same time, Albert checked on a nearby corpse and noticed a familiar crest. One quick glance was enough for him to know what the crest represented. He also had it in his pocket. The fact that it was worn by a dismembered corpse was enough for Albert to realize the horror of the situation they found themselves in.

He quickly turned around to warn Eshdar and Lilac that they needed to go, only to find that he was too late. From one of the ruined houses, a demon walked out, carrying the severed head of a human with his brain exposed. Albert was aware of the horrifying things a demon could do, and eating a human was one of them.

And it was even worse when the demon was revealed to have the head of a horse. In fact, the demon had qualities of both a horse and a human, much like a Lycan having the qualities of humans and wolves. Its legs ended with equine hooves, and its hands were clawed. The equine head of the demon also unnerved the three. Unlike a horse’s teeth, it had sharp rows of teeth that looked far, far more menacing than a Lycan’s or a hellhound’s, mostly because it wasn’t supposed to be in a horse’s mouth. Its eyes, a pair of bright blue eyes, showed a horizontal pupil typical of the animal the demon was based on.

Albert, recognizing the demon immediately, realized the danger they were in. He quickly said, “Lilac, Eshdar…back towards me. Don’t delay.”

“What…is that?” asked Eshdar, unable to remove his gaze from the horse demon.

“An Orobas,” said Albert. “Don’t let the equine appearance fools you. That demon manipulates fire and is a ferocious fighter. The Hunters assigned here did not have a chance.”

“Well I don’t want to mess with a horse, either,” quipped Lilac.

“What chance do we got?” asked Eshdar.

“Too small to matter. Both of you, don’t engage the Orobas. We need to run!”

But what Albert did not count was the demon’s ability to instill fear, especially to those untrained by the ways of the Demon Hunters. The demon’s voice was deep and guttural, and hearing it made the three froze.

“You shall not speak of my prince’s name so lightly,” said the horse demon. “It is a name reserved for one Orobas. It is a grave mistake that you can see all around you.”

It then chuckled. “Ah, but does it matter? Your future is set the moment you set food in this mortal dwelling. Time to feast!”

Albert realized the danger and stepped forward. He held out his crest, which created an invisible barrier that bounced off a fire that suddenly appeared in front of Lilac.

“Ah,” said the demon with a chuckle. “Yet another fool steps into the fire.”

Albert did not hesitate. Without delay, he pulled out a gun and shot the horse demon, who promptly dodge. One of the managed to graze the demon. The wound it caused created a very visible smoke, followed by black blood soaking the demon’s crimson fur.

“Ah,” said the demon. “So, not a complete fool. You prefer to banish me instead of capturing me. That is smart.”

“It doesn’t make it better to be complimented by a demon,” said Albert. He then turned towards Eshdar and Lilac and said, “Get back to the car now. There is nothing for us here.”

“Wait, Al,” said Eshdar. “Someone is still inside that house. We can’t just leave them.”

“He’s right,” said Lilac. “I heard a gasp, but no scream. That person is still alive.”

Albert would say that it was a trap or maybe they misheard it, but he could not afford to argue with them. So, he said, “Remember your lesson, Lilac. Aim carefully. Do not waste your bullets.”

Lilac nodded and beckoned Eshdar to follow her. The horse demon noticed this but before it could react, Albert shot at him, forcing him to move away from the house as both Lilac and Eshdar entered it. Albert then engaged the demon.

“I misjudged you,” said the demon. “You are a fool, after all.”

“Don’t get too full of yourself, Orobas,” said Albert. “I am not your average Demon Hunter.”

“Once again, that name is reserved only for the prince I served,” said the horse demon. “And you should’ve just run. It’s much more fun that way.”