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There stands Eras and his men. In front of him is a portal mirror, where a vague shape of a woman can be seen floating. They stand across from the one I presume to be the leader of the demons. He is surrounded by his own battalion of soldiers, about twenty strong.
“What’s going on?” Shana asks.
“I think Karona is negotiating your release.”
“I knew she would not forget about us,” Calindra praises.
“Quiet!” I snap. “Don’t let anyone hear you!”
The handmaidens whisper excitedly amongst themselves as I look on.
“The demands are clear!” the demon leader boasts. “We want magic, gold, and more land in exchange for your priestesses!”
“There will be no ransom paid!” Karona exclaims. “You are lowly demons. I am a powerful deity. You are not worthy of speaking directly to me!”
“Don’t forget that we have your handmaidens! We can kill them at a moment’s notice.”
I grip my sword handle, praying the worst does not come to fruition.
“Indeed, they are the best of the best, and I am proud of them,” Karona says, causing glee among her women. “But do you think having them gives you some sort of leverage over me?”
“Yes!” the demon leader yells, a hint of uncertainty in his tone.
What is she talking about?
“Losing them would indeed prove inconvenient but there’s nothing you can do to get me to give in to your demands.”
“What if we kill one right here, right now?”
“I have made my position quite clear!” Karona booms. “Do what you will with them, I will not reduce myself to bartering with the likes of you!”
I can’t believe what I’m hearing. I turn around, seeing horror written across the faces of the handmaidens.
“Is that really what she thinks of us?” Calindra says.
Eras steps forward, visibly distressed.
“Surely we can spare some land and gold to get your handmaidens back?”
“Silence!” Karona orders. “I will not be questioned on this. We will find their replacements in the streets.”
“Enough of this,” I tell them, though I cannot help but feel sympathy for them. “We need to get you out of here!”
“Why?” another priestess cries.
“Who was that?” a demon yells, marching in our direction.
Fuck! Think of something!
I throw my voice elsewhere again, but my magic is not enough to distract him this time. The demon shouts out as he spots us, prompting the entire battalion to run over.
There’s no choice now but to fight. I unsheathe my sword and cut them down one by one, using my destruction magic to brew chaos and death everywhere I shoot.
Many fall beneath my blade and spells, but I am still just one dark elf, calling out to Eras for help. The mirror beside him fades to black, signaling the departure of Karona.
“We cannot help you!” he yells.
“You bastard! Karona cares not for her people, and yet you still choose to stay your blade when we need your help. Damn you!”
