Within the emptied chief's hut, Lillian could only cringe in disgust at the actions of the chief as he finished satisfying the last of his women in the open room behind his throne.
"Savages! Absolutely no sense of decency!"
Lillian glanced at the children who shuffled around as they were curled on the floor, trying to sleep from the loud noise that had only confused them.
"At least they don't have to witness such things." Lillian sighed.
With a calm determination, Lillian turned to the two ogre-sized warriors that continued to restrain her like tamed dogs.
"How long are these things going to hold me for?"
Suddenly, the silence broke. A creak from the hut's wooden door, followed by the sound of footsteps that grew closer by the second. Just by the sound alone, Lillian could tell that whatever was approaching was much smaller than most of the green warriors.
Eventually, a short, red demon revealed itself. His hair was long and pitch black with a nose as sharp as a dagger. Even his eyes stood out, being as violet as amethysts.
"A karnal demon?… Now what's he doing here?"
The demon only glanced at Lillian before ignoring her and entering the chief's room. He spoke in the grunts and bellows of the monsters around her, piquing her interest. Not long after, the chief came out with his newly worn leather kilt. He presented Lillian to the demon.
"
The demon raised his brow at Lillian before slowly turning to the sleeping children.
"
The demon passed a glance at her once more. Uninterested he continued to examine the children before turning back to the monster chief, speaking in their animalistic language once again.
The chief smiled, satisfied.
With the chief content, the demon took his leave, leaving Lillian even more curious. "Are there other demons actually trading with these monsters?"
Not long after, the chief followed the demons outside, leaving Lillian with the children and the two guards watching over and restraining Lillian. As juicy as the opportunity seemed, even Lillian understood that in her current state, she could be killed if she tried to fight against the two ogre-sized guards.
Despite this, she couldn't help but scan the room out of some desperate hope that there might be a chance. But everywhere she looked made the whole ordeal look hopeless. There was only one exit she knew of, and that was out of sight along with any other potential obstacles in her way.
"Grr! I can't use my magic without raising an alarm. and if I use it now as it is I could put the kids in danger. if only I could free my hands! At least then I'd have a better chance at killing these monsters. But just barely if my wind magic is strong enough..."
Unexpectedly, Fayelynn rose from her slumber, rubbing her eyes. With deep hesitation, she approached the cage bars.
"
The monster guards cocked their heads at the little girl as she needed to repeat herself. As the girl repeated herself for the third time, a guard shouted, frightening the girl.
The girl's mouth shook, tears welled up, and she raise her shaken hands. Her gaze then turned to Lillian with pleading eyes.
Ashamed, Lillian could only turn away from the girl. "I'm sorry, Fayelynn. I-"
"GHhnkk-!! Khkahkahak"
Alarmed, Lillian glanced back.
To her shock, her restraints released, and the two monsters fell at once, writhing in pain. Their skins swelled, and they continued to choke, unable to breathe.
Alarmed, Lillian whipped her head back to the cage, finding Jasaf checking on a crying Fayelynn.
"Fayelynn? Fayelynn." Jasaf shook the girl's shoulder.
"
Lillian's mind immediately shifted directly to the dying guards. "How did this happen-!? No! That's not important right now! I have to get us out of here fast before these damned things decide to kill us!"
Suddenly, the voice of one of the women sounded from inside the chief room. Acting fast, Lillian unwound the chain binding the stone slabs and stretched her arms.
A wall of stone formed at the chief's door at once, surprising the approaching women.
Without a second thought, she dashed to the throne, grabbed it, and pulled it in front of the blocked door.
"This stone wall won't last, but it's the best I can do for now." She turned to the children, noticing that they were all waking from Fayelynn's crying. And to Lillian's unpleasant surprise, she could only watch on as a puddle formed beneath the girl.
Not wanting to waste any time, Lillian quickly unbound her other hand and slowly ripped the door of the cage open with all her strength.
In an urgent whisper, Lillian spoke. "
Despite the initial sleepiness of the boys, they instantly turned awake at the though of escaping.
Just before Lillian could lead the way out, Jasaf spoke up with a trembling voice. "
"
The women in the chief room continued to bang loudly on the blocked door. Unconcerned, Lillian brushed past the several long tables still full of leftover bones and fragments of meat. Although tempting, she focused on their only escape route, slowly creaking it open to meet the dark of night.
The only thing visible was a rope bridge and a torch that lit the night sky.
Not seeing anyone, Lillian crept out, getting a better vantage.
To her shock, the familiar voice of one of the green-skinned women rose. She whipped her head left, noticing too late the bare-chested woman ready to smite her with a large hammer.
"Shit!!" Lillian raised her hand, attempting to conjure a wall of earth. The Hammer slowly smashed, forcing Lillian to flinch. However, the hammer shook as it slowly became consumed by a crackling ice that stopped it short of hitting Lillian.
Lillian opened her eyes, confused. "What?"
Her eyes laid upon the women now encased in solid ice. Her mind immediately connected to a single demon. "J-Jala!?" She stood at once, quickly finding him standing behind the women.
A massive wave of relief washed over Lillian as she fell to her knees. "Th-thank goodness."
"Your highness?" Jala questioned, confused by Lillian.
Slowly, the children peered from behind the door, unsure of the ongoing events. Excitement fills them all at once. But just as they were about to erupt from the door, Jala gave a cold gaze that just as quickly quelled their excitement.
Not long after, Kajd came from the side of the building and whispered to Jala, "
Jala nodded and turned back to Lillian.
"Can you walk?"
"Y-yes!" Lillian stood back up, trying to remain strong.
"Okay, you go on ahead, I'll watch from the rear," Jala said in a more hushed tone.
Lillian quickly urged the children out and gestured for them to remain quiet. Following her instruction, they followed behind, and Kajd led the way into a steep and narrow pathway.
"
"
Kajd turned his gaze to Lillian behind him. "
"Don't worry about me. I'm just fine."
Suddenly, the sounds of horns erupted from the village. Spooking everyone.
Everyone glanced back at once, still on the run to escape.
"
Lillian, with clenched jaw and a look of determination, steeled herself.
"There it is>" Kajd pointed.
Seeing the field of strange green flora brought Lillian some hope.
The monsters shouted in their brutish language. There was no doubt that they knew where they were going.
Realizing this fact, Jala quickly turned back, conjuring a colossal wall of ice, blocking the monsters' paths.
""
Lillian stopped to catch her breath. "Sorry. Just give me a moment."
A bloodied palm slammed the ground hard. And from Beneath, both Lilliana and Jala, hands made of blood, erupted from the ground, shocking the two of them.
The bloodied hand pinned Jala to his wall of ice as the other hand pinned Lillian to the ground.
Jala, infuriated, screamed. "
The children, unsure what was happening, panicked and huddled together. Blood hands spouted from the ground surrounding and corralling the children together.
"
Lillian, even more surprised, forced her shocked gaze to Kajd. "
"
Jasaf shook as he saw Kajd's approach.
Lillian watched keenly. "Wait, is he-?"
Kajd pushed Jasaf aside. "
Kajd then threw his hand, grasping and dragging Fayelynn from the herd of children.4
"
Not long after, his bloodied hands fenced the children off further.
"Fayelynn's father is Kajd!?"
Taking a moment to himself, Kajd quickly placed his bloodied palm back on the ground before turning a panicked Fayelynn to Lillian.
"
Kajd simply glared at Jala before turning to Fayelynn.
"Kill her."
The sudden order shook Fayelynn. She glanced from Lillian to her father, unsure.
Growing impatient, he slapped her hard on her back. "
Seeing that she still looked unconfident, Kajd kneeled behind Fayelynn and whispered. "
Not provoking a reaction, he spoke once again, with much more venom. "
Fayelynn shook from this sudden declaration.
"
Kajd, without another word, stood back and walked away.
"
Kajd ignored the girl.
"
Fayelynn stood Nervous, conflicted, and disillusioned. A flurry of conflicting emotions was visible on the girl's face.
With a clenched fist, Lillian could only sneer at the demon. Before she could say a word, Fayelynn stood over Lillian. Her eyes were wide and her face unreadable.
"
"
Kajd glared back at Lillian with narrowed eyes. "
Suddenly, the boys called out to Fayelynn, noticing a strange blood power emanating from her fingers.
"
"
"
Annoyed, Kajd pinned the boys to the ground, sealing their mouths with his blood hands. He then kneeled to the ground, touching the ground with his bloodied palm. "
Jala, with a quiet urgency, looked from Kajd to Fayelynn as he attempted to wrestle his hands free, then glanced back at his wall of Ice.
"Argh! I have no choice!" Jala thought. "But by then I'll be too late!"
Just as Fayelynn prepared to launch her worm-like blood magic, the undead women, once left behind in the jungle, crawled to Lillian's aid, blocking the girls' view of Lillian.
"
The girl calmed, mesmerized by the eyes of her undead mother, who shot her. It was as if her mother were wholly opposed to her actions.
Kajd cringed. And with deep irritation, he grabbed the half-bodied woman and tossed her aside. "
The girl's fingers furled, at a complete loss.
Kajd turned to Fayelynn and with growing impatience, approached her. Just then a wall of ice erected between Lillian and the two, shocking them.
Fayelynn was then trapped in a cage of ice, sending her into a panic.
"
"
"
Jala narrowed his eyes. Standing tall. ""