Demon(#Wattys2017 Entry)

Chapter 56: Devastated

The two brothers walked along a path."W-we do know where she's coming from, don't we?" whimpered Arvin, eyes darting around them, as though fearing foes would jump them at any moment.

Tilens scratched his beard, scoffing."Calm down. That Demon'll be a good while off, calm down. You got your knife?"

Arvin nodded, patting his side."Y-yes, right here."

Tilens nodded."Good. Give it here."

Arvin frowned and took it."Wh-why?" He asked.

Silently, Tilens cut his hand."Easy. Just going to set up a surprise for them, in case they get this far. Slow them down."

Arvin gulped."A-ah...That makes sense, I suppose. Wh-which one?"

Tilens thought for a moment."Hmm....Viseritis." He decided, wiping some of the blood onto the bark of a nearby tree in a wide arc."Do well to lower their morale."

Arvin nodded."I-I see, m-m-makes sense." They walked on in silence for a while, with Tilens continuing his work, until Arvin asked, "Do you...ever wonder about how our lives have gone?" He asked.

Tilens marked one last tree, looking back at him."Hmm? Well, a bit, I suppose." He confessed."We ended up being lucky, getting accepted into the Incarnate...Wonder what we'd be doing otherwise?"

Arvin thought for a moment."Hmm...I m-m-might have liked to be a b-blacksmith." He stated, smiling."B-be nice to work with my hands....Or even a- a carpenter, now that I th-think about it. O-or a tanner."

Tilens chuckled."That right?...Suits you, I suppose." He looked at the sky as he walked."Hmm....maybe I would have been a herbalist." He thought out loud.

Arvin blinked."R-really?"

He nodded."Yeah, really. Remember what I said when we got our power? Just wanted to help you anyways." He shrugged."Eh...No use talking about it, anyways." He shrugged."It is what it is, and what it is ain't too bad."

Arvin nodded a bit."Y-yeah..."

They walked on in silence for a while.
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They stopped, seeing two approaching forms. Tilens snorted."Ah, so there you two are. Missed the damn meeting."

Mar'ply shrugged."Hmph. Job, couldn't help it, could we Savir?" The Deena man had red in his hair, in splotches, as though sprayed from a freshly-cut throat.

Savir, however, seemed to be in a more wretched state. Her clothes had been cut and torn, with one leg and her stomach exposed completely. Even so, there were no apparent wounds on her. She shook her head."Couldn't help it." She agreed.

Arvin sighed."Th-The Grandmaster was upset." He stated, seeming more nervous than usual.

Tilens looked at him and rolled his eyes, noticing his brother trying hard to keep his eyes off of Savir."Very upset, introduced us to Kaurren's replacement and everything."

Mar'ply scoffed."Met her." He replied."Bit out a chunk of my hand."

Arvin gulped."R-really?"

Mar nodded."Really. Savir was there, took care of it for me, probably would have given me an infection."

Savir nodded."Nrevac teeth are dangerous." She agreed.

Arvin frowned."Then why did you..." He shook his head, looking down."N-nevermind."

Mar sighed."Anyway...Careful going through the town, probably a lot of pissed off survivors in there." He warned.

Tilens raised a brow."That bad? How far overboard did you go this time?"

Mar laughed."They were pretty clear. 'Don't kill too many, or i'll lose my labor'. And we didn't kill too many of them? Sure, it's looking like the Desolation of Pyrinza back there, but the Lord'll be happy, right Savir?"

Savir was looping hair around her finger absent-mindedly and looked at him."Hmm? Oh, not too may at all." She agreed."Half their numbers will be sufficient for the employer to maintain their industry." She added, not a flicker of emotion as she admitted the murder of dozens, if not hundreds, of villagers.