When they got their food, they chose a small round table in a quiet corner. "So, Kesh," Cresil started while stuffing his mouth with a red omelet. "I hear you're living all high n' mighty with the Elders now. How's that going? Which of 'em flirts the most? My bet's on Gaap. Though Pyro would be a close second."

  All color faded from her, leaving her hair and eyes stark white.

  "I think you broke her. Did no one teach you tact?" Sonneillon scolded.

  "What? You know those two flirt with just about every woman they see. Plus she's smart and beautiful and more than worthy of their attention. She knows that. Well, I think she does. "

  "Umm, I...What?" Her face turned red, and coral streaks flushed her hair, and swirled in her eyes.

  "You've done it now. I haven't seen her this flustered in years. Not since Leraje's archery expo." He remembered Cresil joking around with Keshiema during the presentation. The Marquis took notice and used Keshiema as an example by putting her in front of his target. "As I recall, that was your fault too."

  She tried to compose herself, but her palette refused to regain its neutral blue color. "Is that what everyone thinks? That I'm flirting with the Elders?" She could not bring herself to speak the word outright, but they understood.

  "Kesh, it was a joke." Cresil tried to backtrack. "Nobody thinks that. Only a couple of us are even aware that you've left the dorms. You move so quick in and out of places that you were rarely ever seen there anyway."

  "So how do you know?" Her heart raced, and she wanted to throw up. She should have known the implications were coming. A half-demon woman moving into the Great Temple would only look like one thing, especially to older demons.

  "I waited for you by the library after the exam, but you never showed." Cresil looked nervous, fiddling with the undone strap on his glove. "I went to your dorm, and when you didn't answer your door, I got worried." The black forming within the orange and white whirlpools of eyes, and slowly replacing the white within her hair, told him to continue. "I was told the Crown Prince carried you off all bloody..." Cresil looked terrified as he thought back to it. "Finding that out after not being able to find you, well..."

  Seeing Cresil's hesitation, Sonneillon took over. "So he got me involved, and we looked for you. We started with the campus infirmary but you'd already been transferred to Saint Lucifer's. When we got there we were told you weren't allowed any visitors. So, we waited by the dorm entrance. We saw the Crown Prince walk you to your room and thought that was a little odd."

  Regaining his composure, Cresil continued. "I was going to go up to see you, but he had guards posted by your door the whole night. They wouldn't let me talk to you. So I came back the next day and saw them moving your stuff out. I followed them to the Great Temple and figured you'd been marked as a Hunter."

  "A Hunter? I bleed out of my eyes and go comatose and you decide I'm the next Hunter?"

  "Well," Sonneillon cut back in, "if we're wrong, tell us." He trembled, his mist almost losing form for just a moment. Cresil gave Soneillon a sideways glance with a layer of suspicion and distrust, which neither of his companions noticed.

  "I..." She pondered the consequences of telling them about the prophecy. Not only did she risk the Elders seeing them as a threat, but if her friends betrayed her to Adramelech, not only would she be in danger, but the heartbreak of such a double-crossing would leave her devastated. "I'm training for a special mission." At least it was not a lie.

  "Of course!" Cresil slapped his head. "You're part of Special Ops now. That whole horror show with the blood was probably just from Prince Stolas testing you. I should have realized that, you've always been top of your class in just about everything." Cresil added with relief.

  "I can't believe you were really that worried about me. That's a lot of energy spent on your part."

  "Kesh, you're our comrade, it's our responsibility to be worried." Sonneillon's words comforted her.

  "It's more than that. You're our friend." Cresil smiled.

  Keshiema smiled back, thiough her raven black hair showed a different story. "You really think of me as a friend?"

  "What do you mean by that?" Cresil knew she had low self-esteem, but never realized she felt unworthy of his friendship. 'Maybe I should have said so sooner.'

  "I'm half human. How can you even trust me? Most of the others don't"

  "Wreck liveer!" Cresil snarled, genuinely agitated. He only used Daemon when angry. "They don't know what they're missing. You're kind, and thoughtful, and a damn good warrior."

  "It also doesn't hurt to have a prodigal Healer on our side either." Sonneillon added.

  Keshiema smiled, and her colors finally reset. "Yeah, I am pretty great." She laughed. Deep down, she still had her doubts, but she did not question their words. They had been by her side for years.

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  "So you wanted to talk to us about something important? You were a little vague this morning." Cresil ruffled her hair.

  "Stop that!" she pushed his hand away, laughing. After looking around to verify that no one else was eavesdropping, she leaned toward the center of the table and whispered. "Sonneillon you're a history buff, right? And both of you had parts to play in the Apocalypse?"

  "Yeah," they both said simultaneously, matching her volume.

  "How much can you tell me about the Elders? I don't feel comfortable working with demons I know nothing about."

  "Four of them were the foretold horsemen." Sonneillon spoke first. "They commanded the most legions and were responsible for most of the deaths."

  "I served under Merihim. As the Horseman of Pestilence, he commanded the Impure. What most didn't realize is that he not only used diseases of the body in the battles we waged; he used sickness of the mind and heart as well."

  Keshiema thought back to Merihim's Trial. Sickness of the mind and heart. "I've seen what you speak of." She shook her head. 'Safe in their presence. So, no permanent physical damage, I guess.'

  "I fought under Eurynome, the Horseman of Death. Mist Daemon have the ability to cover a land with a thick noxious fog. With his blood, we were able to make it far more deadly. It would kill most within minutes. It was also no secret that his bloodlust often got the better of him in battle. When he was hungry, no one was safe, especially human Seers."

  'But he seemed so kind and genuine.' She rubbed her hand, subconsciously. "What about the others? None of them talk about themselves. Though, Pyro and Gaap flirted a lot the first couple of days I was there..." she trailed off. "I can't find anything in the history books."

  "So you're only worried about the Elders? Not the Crown Prince?"

  "Sonneillon! Did you not hear that? Prince Gaap and Prince Pyro both have a thing for our short little halfling, I knew it!"

  "Can we please stay focused, Cresil? And I'm not that short." she grumbled.

  "Kesh, you're short by human standards." he laughed.

  "Are Ice-Daemons tall?" She tried to remember if she had ever seen one, but knew they usually stayed closer to the poles.

  "Ice-Daemons? What brings that up?" Sonneillon asked. His entire being shivered, and the glow in his silver eyes intensified. "Did you find out who your demon parent is?"

  Cresil tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. "Are you half Ice? No wonder you're so chill."

  "That's a horrible joke." She shook her head in disappointment. "Even for you."

  "You're smiling on the inside." Cresil prodded.

  "So what roles did the others have?" she returned to the subject.

  "Kesh, I'm sorry," Sonneillon started, "No one really knows much about the Elders except that their powers are devastating and terrible. They are feared, and for great reason."

  "Well, yeah, but if you're on their good side, you're in the safest place in all of Denim." Cresil hurried to course correct. Sonneillon seemed to dislike the interruption. "But if you're on their bad side, Kesh," Cresil's eyes narrowed, "run. Don't look back, don't tell anyone where you're going. Get out of Denim and stay out." He looked more serious than she had ever seen him. "After you get me, that is. I wouldn't want you running away alone. You might stub a toe. Those bare feet of yours, you know?" his smile returned as he joked with her.

  "Oops!" Water poured over Keshiema's head. She looked behind her to find Kobal holding up an empty glass. "Sorry about that, Rainbow." The Clown smirked. "Maybe next time you'll sit outside where mutts like you belong."

  Cresil threw his chair aside, ready to fight. "Kobal, kio pal co aria!" He took a breath, trying to see past the rage, "What the hell is wrong with you?" He managed to slip back into English, but his bright green aura surrounded his clenched fists.

  "Oh look," Ornias spoke from behind Kobal, "the Impure is jealous you got his woman wet."

  Keshiema stood in Cresil's way. "They aren't worth it, Cresil."

  "You're just going to let them treat you like that?" he almost shouted at her.

  "It'll take more than that to phase this whore." Kobal grinned.

  Cresil's vibrant green eyes burned with rage. "Calm down, Cress." Keshiema urged him to turn away.

  "Come on, when's it gonna be my turn?" Kobal placed a clawed hand on her shoulder. "Huh, little serisha?"

  Red. Pure crimson. The shade of freshly spilled blood. It filled her vision, and her tones changed to match the shift in emotion. Before anyone could stop her, she was on top of Kobal with one of her swords in his chest. She intentionally missed his heart, wanting him to suffer. He screamed when she twisted the blade. Ornias tackled her, knocking her off of Kobal. She brought her sword with her as he pinned her to the ground. Two other demons attacked Cresil and Sonneillon, trying to keep them from interfering.

  Shoving Ornias to the side, Kobal ripped her sword away from her. He thrust the blade towards her, aiming for her heart. She managed to move just enough for it to hit her shoulder instead. Without flinching, she took his dagger from his side holster and embedded it into his ribs. Cresil tore the demon off of her and threw him to the side.

  After pulling the blade out, Keshiema focused her aura on her arm. She bared her fangs at Kobal, as his lackeys helped him up and tried to stem the bleeding. "Watch your mouth, Clown, or next time, I'll cut out your tongue."

  "You bitch! I'll make sure you're exiled for this!" Kobal screamed as he and Ornias limped away.

  With her wounds taken care of, she healed Cresil's fractured orbital bone and a gash on his forehead. "Sonneillon, are you hurt?" she asked as Cresil's eye shifted through shades of purple and yellow and the cut sealed itself.

  "I'm fine." A cleaning crew shooed them away so they could clean up the bloody mess.

  Keshiema rubbed her forehead, knowing her Friskalian mark had vanished. She felt a bit cold every time it happened. Cresil led them outside so the sun could help warm her. "Kesh, don't listen to them, you know you're not like that, and that's what matters."

  "I know. But for a halfling, it's definitely an aggravating term." The demon word referred to the willing concubines of Adramelech. He kept three to four sterilized half-demons at his side at all times. They traded him pleasures for status, never caring about his atrocious crimes against women. The practice ended after Adramelech's member was amputated, but even after two thousand years, the term still hung around as a disgusting insult.

  "Cresil, we're going to be late for our orders."

  "Wait, your orders? You're both leaving?" Keshiema's eyes widened, visibly worried and filled with panic.

  "It'll be a few days before we ship out, but yes." Cresil stood silent, jaw clenched, knuckles white.

  "Let me know before you go. I want to send you off."

  "Of course, Kesh, we wouldn't leave without telling you." Cresil patted her on the back. 'I just wanted more time to find the right words. Damn your big mouth Sonneillon.'

  "I'll see you guys later, then. Good luck."

  As they parted ways, Keshiema noticed a quick shift in Cresil's expression. It vanished when he noticed her looking at him. "See you later, Kesh." He called over his shoulder as he turned around. She waved and headed towards the library.

  Wreck liveer = Fuck* them

  kio pal co aria! = you piece of shit

  Serisha - Whore*