Too many questions flooded Rosa’s mind as they made their way back from the swamp under the cover of night. The answers to most of them remained just out of reach, as though she could almost reach out and grasp some of those threads of understanding. Like she was this close to making sense of some things.

But maybe that was just wishful thinking on her part.

Silently trailing behind Malachi through the undergrowth, Rosa mentally counted down from eleven while keeping an eye out for the demons lurking in the surrounding shadows. What she truly wanted to do right now was return to Scarlett and the others, make sure they were safe, and then find out what the Blazes they had been doing in that cave. But, at least for the time being, Malachi wasn’t allowing any of that. The unsettling woman had some goal in mind, and now Rosa was clearly a part of achieving that goal.

Whether that was a good or bad thing was still up in the air.

One thing that Rosa could say was that her initial wariness had grown tenfold, and her doubts about it all far outnumbered her certainties.

The only thing that had stopped her from trying to resist Malachi earlier in the cavern and screaming out for help like a drunken banshee was Scarlett’s behaviour. Rosa would wager a year’s worth of fine-course meals back at the noblewoman’s mansion that Scarlett had foreseen tonight’s events. Knowing her, it was more likely that a dragon would offer its head on a platter to some random farmer’s kid than Scarlett just ‘coincidentally’ appearing exactly at the same place as Rosa and Malachi like that.

It also seemed far too convenient that a well-armed group of people decked out in armor just so happened to accompany Scarlett to kill that Abyssal Vilewyrm, the very thing that Malachi apparently wanted something from.

Rosa’s rational side told her it was both foolish and naive to think Scarlett had orchestrated all this solely for her, but another part of her couldn’t help entertaining the possibility with a touch of delight. Even though, from Scarlett’s perspective, it was entirely possible that it was all just the result of some pragmatic calculation.

What that calculation would have been, however, was a mystery Rosa was still wracking her brain on.

Her gaze fell upon the robed figure of Malachi in front of her as the enigmatic woman advanced through the swamp, not having uttered a word since they left the cave. Whatever the woman had extracted from the Vilewyrm had to be special, given the trial they’d almost faced to obtain it. Although Malachi never explicitly stated as much, Rosa was convinced they would have had to battle that monstrous demon themselves had Scarlett’s group not already dealt with it.

Once more, she suppressed the feelings that stirred at the thought of anyone going to such lengths for her, regardless of the underlying motives.

Finding happiness in thoughts like that was neither a luxury she could afford nor deserved, even if she wished it wasn’t.

The journey back to Malachi’s farmstead took a while, but surprisingly, Rosa didn’t even feel close to as tired or cold as expected. It was strange. In fact, she had been feeling better than ever for the entire day, ever since she actually got a full morning’s sleep after the previous night.

Her assumption had been that Malachi was somehow connected to that, since the entity inside Rosa had been quiet since meeting the woman. The how was a conundrum, but it was a welcome development.

Darkness still cloaked the landscape when they first glimpsed the farmstead in the distance. As they neared their destination, a pack of ferocious demons flanking them, Rosa noticed a person standing at the center of the farmstead, between the old and worn-down buildings. The effects of Malachi’s potions had started to wear off, so it was harder to make them out clearly in the dark, their figure silhouetted only by the weak moonlight.

Malachi appeared unperturbed by the person’s presence and continued forward with her demon entourage. Rosa cautiously followed suit, eyeing the stranger as she approached them.

It was a middle-aged man, dressed plainly, with an unassuming appearance that would blend into any tavern crowd. His dark hair was slightly disheveled, as though he had just risen from bed without looking in a mirror, but he wore a grim expression as he looked towards them.

The demons lingered in the shadows, just out of sight, as Malachi halted in front of the man. Rosa positioned herself slightly behind and to the side of the woman.

“There’s an issue with the demon,” the man stated in a thick voice. “I can’t sense the pact struck between myself and it any longer.”

Rosa only barely managed to hide her surprise at hearing the man’s words. Sure, she wasn’t expecting your ordinary Joe to visit a haunted farm in the middle of the night, but who starts a conversation by announcing they’ve made a pact with a demon?

It would take a certain type of crazy to even make one to begin with.

“I am aware,” Malachi replied in her own raspy voice. “I have just returned from investigating the matter. The Abyssal Vilewyrm has been killed.”

The man’s expression darkened. “…How?”

“It appears the duke’s men were responsible, with some assistance. Unfortunately, I arrived too late to intervene.”

Rosa glanced at Malachi’s back. Things were slowly becoming clearer. Given the woman’s ties to demons in general, Rosa had been wondering about what connection she had to the Vilewyrm in particular. The fact that these two seemed to be more involved than simply knowing of its existence didn’t spell good news in any language.

Perhaps it was a bit late at this point, but Rosa was seriously questioning whether she had gotten herself in over her head.

Her foremost concern right now, though, was the nature of the relationship between Malachi and the man before them. Judging by how Malachi had sent her demons to pull out something from the still-warm cadaver of the Vilewyrm, the woman probably didn’t actually think there was anything ‘unfortunate’ about their late arrival.

The man’s gaze shifted to Rosa, narrowing as though he had spotted something offensive. His eyes lingered on her for several seconds, and she was beginning to wonder if she had something on her face when he finally redirected his attention to Malachi.

“You assured me they wouldn’t be able to locate it while it stayed near the Basin,” he said.

“I said it was unlikely,” Malachi replied, seemingly unfazed by his abrasive tone. “The possibility always existed. The crucial aspect was that it was the optimal location for the Vilewyrm to establish a foothold in this realm.”

The man scrutinized her, clearly dissatisfied with that response. “…Its death means we are left without its strength against the duke, but that isn’t our only concern. A priest of Ittar arrived in the village yesterday. He’s been asking questions.”

“That does sound problematic.”

Rosa’s eyes widened just slightly, though she quickly forced herself to regain control of her expression.

She only knew of one priest who fit the description.

The man didn’t seem to notice her reaction. “We need your help. Removing him would cause suspicion. I need you to ensure he leaves and forgets about this place.”

Rosa looked at Malachi, apprehension growing within her.

“Hmm.” The woman crossed her arms. “And why should I do that?”

The man stared at her. “We have an agreement.”

“Not one that concerns errant priests strolling into Crowcairn. If the sun god’s faithful want to nose around, it’s none of my concern. I’ve already provided the aid I promised with the Abyssal Vilewyrm.”

“And now it is dead.”

“A regrettable turn of events, but irrelevant.”

He took a step closer to Malachi, but as he did, a trio of snarling demons emerged from the shadows, eying him like a piece of fine meat. He paused momentarily, his attention shifting to the creatures, before looking back at Malachi, who appeared unbothered.

“You will also be affected if the duke or the Followers come,” he said.

“Perhaps, but I will not be staying here for much longer,” Malachi replied. “I have found other pursuits to occupy my time with now that the Vilewyrm is gone.”

“You—” The man stopped as a chorus of growls from the shadows joined those of the three demons in front of him. He stayed quiet for a few beats before turning around. “Do not expect further hospitality from us, witch. The Truthful and Aspirants have persevered in these lands for generations, and we do not forget as the imperials do.”

With that, he departed the farmstead, ignoring the snarls of demons that followed him.

“So I’ve heard,” Malachi said nonchalantly as he left. She then turned her gaze to Rosa, studying her intently for several seconds. Rosa felt, not for the first time, as if those emerald-green eyes gleaming in the dark were peering into her.

“…Got something you wanna say, or are you just admiring the view?” Rosa asked after a while.

She doubted Malachi cared much about her overhearing the conversation; otherwise, the woman wouldn’t have started it in the first place. While Rosa didn’t feel entirely at ease knowing that whatever she had just heard was likely tied to some very questionable business, she was already aware that Malachi dealt with demons.

That didn’t mean she couldn’t leverage what the woman knew, did it?

“You seem to be growing rather impatient,” Malachi said.

Rosa blinked. “What do you mean?”

She hadn’t even said anything. The woman couldn’t read thoughts, could she? That’d just be Rosa’s usual luck of the dice — some crazy lady overhearing everything she’d been thinking this past day.

“It’s no surprise that the suppression wards couldn’t keep you away forever, but I didn’t expect you to worm your way past them this quickly. I only just noticed.”

“What are you talking about?” Rosa turned her head, scanning their surroundings, even though she didn’t actually expect to find anything. It didn’t feel like the woman was addressing her, which only left one possibility.

“You even managed to evade her attention. Quite impressive.” Malachi reached into her dark robes, retrieving a peculiar hand mirror set in a small circular frame of silver, where it could rotate at its center. She held it out in front of her, and Rosa observed her own reflection.

A face adorned with a sprinkling of freckles and framed by disheveled brown locks revealed a pair of violet eyes looking back at her.

Nothing else.

Malachi maintained her silence for a few moments, then spun the mirror in its frame, unveiling a different reflection. “It’s time to stop hiding.”

In this altered image, Rosa’s visage underwent a transformation. Her eyes were replaced by two inky orbs of darkness, resembling a void that threatened to engulf everything in its depths. Her features sharpened, taking on a more menacing appearance, and her lips curved into a sneer-like smile, a sight that had sent shivers down her spine on countless occasions.

“You’re more perceptive than I anticipated. That’s too bad, considering you forced me to come out prematurely,” a voice, both amused and sinister, spoke. Rosa instinctively brought her hands to her mouth as it moved of its own accord, uttering words that sent a bone-chilling sensation coursing through her very being.

It was at that moment she felt it — how close the entity was. How close it had been all day. She had mistakenly thought it was calm after the day before, just waiting. That it couldn’t touch her.

She’d been wrong.

A gasp escaped her as Malachi’s hand shot out and clamped onto her jaw, the woman’s slender fingers grazing her cheeks as their eyes locked. Now, it was not only Rosa’s distorted reflection that bore a deranged smile; Malachi’s face mirrored the sinister expression. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Anguish.”

“Oh, don’t you fret.” Rosa’s lips formed the unnerving words against her will. “It won’t be for long.”

“No, I’m sure.” A sickly green glow emanated from Malachi’s fingers, and suddenly Rosa felt as if a bucket of water doused her entire body from within.

Malachi released her grip on Rosa, who collapsed to her knees, gasping for breath. Her knuckles dug into the earth beneath her, but she felt relief as her control seemed to have been restored.

“It seems we don’t have much time, so we will have to get to work,” Malachi declared, standing before her. Rosa looked up at her. The woman’s countenance seemed almost unhinged as she gazed up at the descending moon, with a pack of demons gathered around her. “We have a Vile to supplant.”