The Red Fae was young, probably the same age I was! She had extremely long ears, short goat-like ebony horns that jutted out from the sides of her head. An olive-colored petite body that had scars littering her stomach as well as her legs and a set of four eyes that were an eerie milky white. She was pretty but not the kind of person I would want to find myself bumping into at midnight.
“Such a gorgeous Fae-”
“Save it Incubus, I am not the type of woman you can tempt into your furs.” Exquista spat.
‘Nor the kind of woman anyone would want in their furs that is...’ I thought to myself with a grumble before I eventually let out a sigh.
All I had to do was simply get her back to the guild, get my money and then I was free of her!
I just had to play the nice gal from here on out.
“Shall we escort you back to our village?” I asked with a sickeningly sweet voice before a flame engulfed me, rendering me back into my human form.
In all my long brown hair, peachy skin, gray eyes, lightly freckled face glory!
“Yes, take me back, I want nothing more than to leave this place and return to the Desert Continent.” Exquista said, a sigh leaving her at the words ‘Desert Continent’.
She was from that place? I mean...I’ve heard of it before though it was a really long time back, it was like the Forest Continent in a few ways. Being big and having lots of different races there being a few of them. Nonetheless, though, I was excited to get the girl back to the guild and have her be on her way. I had things to do too after all.
Once we all had finally made it out of the cave and begun our travels across the open plains, the feeling of the rushing winds along with the sights of deer making me grin to myself like a clown. It was a while before we finally saw the image of the village in the distance, and when you saw it? It was near impossible to erase from your mind. It made me feel old in more ways than one at times...it was the same village I had saved all those years back, the village I had managed to make into a prosperous city, the village I finally truly managed to call home. I was proud of what I did, not just for myself but for the people as well! From a bunch of rag-tag goblins to a bustling city that was known from here to over yonder!
I deserved a darn medal for my efforts for crying out loud!
“Take her to the guild, I’m sure they’ll be more than eager to see her,” I ordered Ryzel quickly before he gave me a swift nod and walked off with the Red Fae, leaving me to deal with the more than annoyed face of Ares.
The centaur I saved from a torturous death by Ibis back when I was nothing but a fantasy-struck teen...at times I regretted it, after all, I’m 20 years old and yet he still insists on calling my ‘Little girl’! But, at the same time, I don’t. He may get on my nerves with his nicknames and his constant prejudice of the demons but...he was, in some ways, like an older brother or father-figure to me. He was trustworthy.
“Welcome back.” Ares greeted me simply, shooting Ryzel a disapproving eye before he let out a sigh.
“Has the Incubus done anything to you?” Ares asked before he bent down a little to snatch my arm and look me over.
I rolled my eyes and shook my head; it was only a matter of time before he asked me about the poor guy!
“I’m fine Ares! You act as if he’s some sex-crazed beast-”
“You have never seen a Daemonium when they are desperate. His true colors will show when you least expect it.”
“I know fire magic, I’m pretty good with my fists and feet and I have a dagger!” I laughed as I started to walk off into the village, the sounds of Ares’ clacking hooves making me snort a little.
“So?”
“So that means I'm fine, you act as if I’m helpless!”
“You can be helpless at times.” He sighed, causing me to roll my eyes for the umpteenth time today.
As Ares and I walked through the village, the smells of delicious cooking food radiating from the businesses here and there, the sights of the bustling markets as people bought and sold stuff, to even the sights of goblins, demons and Sabre-Wolves walking side by side in peace! It all made me smile, even more, call me a narcissist but...I did all of this.
From the days of being nothing but a sorry-sight of a village to being a dang near city that had ties with a kingdom! I was proud of what I had here but...there are days, here and there, where I want to explore farther away from this place. Not just to do boring ol’ missions but to genuinely explore! Go out and see the unknown and all that.
“Will you be joining the village for tonight’s celebration?” Ares asked as we finally reached the front door of my cabin. I raised a brow and swiftly turned my head to look up at him. Celebration? For what? We haven’t done anything!
“Celebration?”
“Yes, for us conquering more territory in the east?”
I shrugged. “Most likely, I like my parties.” I grinned before I quickly went into my house, the sight of Deimosa relaxing in the middle of the room making me roll my eyes.
Deimosa...a dragon I had bought a while back and to be honest? It was a complete shame! I thought she was going to grow to the point of being rideable but this? Even after 3 years have passed? She was, at the very least, the size of a medium-sized dog! All that gold...wasted for a simple house-pet that happened to breathe fire.
“Hey, girly,” I said with a soothing tone before I crouched down and began to scratch her back, a small purr leaving her as she cracked open a single amethyst eye to look up at me. Maybe that movie about training dragon back on Earth really was onto something...saying that dragons acted like cats and all that.
Suddenly however, just as I finished petting Deimosa and started to get me a snack, I nearly jumped out of my own skin at the feeling of my collar beginning to buzz.
“Yes?” I said, failing to hide the slight annoyance in my tone.
Can’t a girl eat an apple in peace?
‘Go to your library.’ Ibis ordered.
“Why?”
‘Because I said so, now go.’ Ibis said with a hiss, causing me to quickly drop my apple and rush off to the library.
Usually I’d be more stubborn about this whole ‘do what the angry owl says’ thing but seeing as I was tired and had a party to go to tonight? I didn’t exactly feel like making the boss bird angry in the slightest.
“Alright, what am doing here-” Before I could finish my question though, my collar suddenly vibrated more intensely before...Ibis appeared right in front of me. Her form nothing but collected particles as she looked up at me.
Despite her strict, bossy and slightly egotistical attitude. Ibis was a pretty bird, she had pure white feathers, golden talons that were as sharp as a rose's thorn and golden eyes that seemed to show galaxies within them. Simple but nonetheless beautiful!
“The Red Fae mentioned the Desert Continent remember?”
I nodded with a slowly rising brow. “What about the place?”
“There is a new champion, the Lion has chosen one not too long ago,” Ibis said before I couldn’t help myself but laugh.
Good luck to whoever that person was! This world will pretty darn hard for them to adjust themselves to but in the end? They’ll turn out to love it as if they lived here their entire life!
“Good luck to them but, what does this have to do with me?” I asked with a snort before I took a seat on the ground and huffed.
“You will be going to visit the new champion.”
Wait...what? Visit them? No one visited me when I arrived for Jesus’ sake!
“What? No one sent me a ‘Enjoy your new world!’ or ‘Hope you like it here!’ kind of card! Now I have to visit people?!” I shouted, Ibis suddenly opening her wings as she let out another hiss.
“You will be visiting him, not to be nice but because it is beneficial to you! Your service to me continues on this continent.”
“A literal desert? I don’t how much I’ll be doing there besides burning to death.” I grumbled, Ibis letting out a small sigh before she suddenly flew over to a bookshelf.
“I told you once, a great evil plagues this land.” Ibis hooted as she started to walk, the sounds of her sharp talons clicking against the wood making me raise a brow.
Exactly what was the bird looking for? “That evil resides in the desert.”
“Then why didn’t you-”
“You weren’t ready all those years ago, you may have faced an army but you have not faced a Beast Daemonium by the hundreds.” She sighed, my eyes widening just as she stopped in front of a dust-colored book, black ink lining the spine of it.
Daemoniums by the hundreds?! I already had an issue dealing with just one and he wasn’t even a Beast!
I dealt with a dragon once and nearly died from it, I wasn’t about to have that experience again.
“Why am I trying to fight again Beasts?! Ryzel told me that their near unbeatable unless you’re a Paladin!” I shouted, Ibis tilting her head a little before she flew back over to me with the book in her claws.
“I never said the Daemoniums were the enemy, you are fighting the Paladins.” She hooted before dropping the book into my hands.
I gave her a look, fighting against the Paladins? I knew they were the bad guys in the Daemoniums case but that didn’t mean I wanted to actually fight them! I’ve seen a Beast Daemonium once, it was like facing against a demi-god! For the Paladins to meet them in battle? They must’ve been pretty strong themselves, stronger than me that is.
“I ain’t fighting against Paladins, those bastards deal with demons on the daily. I’ll be an easy pick-off to them!” I laughed as I went over to my desk and began flipping through the book.
From a creature that was simply known as ‘Rogra’ to pictures of Pices but swimming through the sand! Who would’ve thought it? That a desert riddled by war was so filled with life?
“This is why you are going to see the Lion’s champion; he has direct contact with the Beasts.” Ibis continued as she hopped onto my desk before deciding to hop onto my shoulder.
If this guy had direct contact with the Beasts...he must’ve really liked egging the Devil’s house.
“I assumed you were not prejudicial against the Daemoniums-”
“I’m not!” I interrupted.
“I’ve just learned over these last few years how to control myself a little when it comes to meeting dangerous creatures, especially the type that are known to be just as moody as the animal they represent.” I sighed.
Ibis went quiet, the sudden feeling of her wing on my head making me chuckle a little.
“What?”
“You are strong my champion, the creatures you once called dangerous here are no more than game to you. It shall be the same way with the Desert, it takes time to get used to it is all.” Ibis said with a small coo escaping her, my brow rising just a little before a sudden knock at the door made her jump a little.
“Do not consider my words young spirit, you shall be going to the Desert either way. Whether I force you or you go willingly, I’m just merely being a friend by telling you what you should expect.” She sighed before she disappeared back into my collar, leaving me with the thought of was this whole thing really worth it?
‘...Saving the world? Not my style, but...it is better than being stuck in the Forest Continent forever.’ I said with a small chuckle before the knocking at the door resumed, stronger than ever.
“I’m coming! Don’t go breaking down my door!” I shouted back before I rushed towards the door.
“What is- Oh, it’s you,” I said.
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