FSE

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Chapter 16

Ifrit was in the middle of a deserted battlefield, surrounded by dead hellhounds and other hellish creatures, fighting in a civil war. He didn't know what he was doing, but when he turned his head down, he could see his bloodied hands. Finding a reflection in the nearby pool of blood, he realized he was soaked in blood. Suddenly his senses became wild and true to that sense, from the reflection, he could see a hellhound trying to chop his head. Instinctively, he rolled to the side and took a broken sword. He didn't waste any time to wait. He quickly made a roar and stabbed the demon in the head, making him roaring in pain. Ifrit cried unintelligible sounds as he used the same broken sword to stab the hellhound through the head and bashed it with the nearby rock until his brain started to make way out of the confines of the hellhound's skull, splattering blood all over the dark red rocky plains. After everything was over, Ifrit realized he was covered with the splattered remains of the hellhound's brain, and he dropped down crying, watching his half-naked body, covered only by tattered cloth around his waist down to his legs. He knew he was alone again, knowing that he lost yet another friend in this senseless war, and he again killed a warrior for his own survival.

He cried to sleep, sleeping over the dead carcass that was the same hellhound he killed. He woke up out of hunger, and he saw that a nearby group of Ulshurfaks were feasting on a recently dead creature. Ifrit slowly crawled there trying not to alert the dangerous demon dogs, knowing that they weren't his Ulshurfak. But then, they suddenly turned tail and leave with no apparent reason out of fear of something, when a shrill voice was heard behind Ifrit.

"(Are you lonely, little demon)?"

Ifrit turned and gasped from the sight of a wyvern behind him, towering over him like another predator trying to pounce its prey. Ifrit instinctively run, but he tripped on another body and started to scream in fear. He never felt fear like that before. He feared on dying helpless, and also to the fact that there's a sharp knife near his eye. Both scared him, but the wyvern slowly walked to the black hellhound cub and said, "(Shhh...don't be scared, little one. I'm not hungry, but I'm not in the mood of killing a dying, young hellhound cub who broke down in tears. Tell me, young cub, do you fear death)?"

Ifrit nodded, then the wyvern said, "(Death is but a chance to one's nature to become a phantom, but even if they die far from their homes, they will always have a place to go home, like you walking away far from your old home to survive)."

The wyvern stared around. "(But, there's no home in a graveyard. It's the home for fools. Let me take you to a better place, while there's still one)." Ifrit started to trust the wyvern more, despite of her menacing hellish appearance that was not a native fauna around there. Ifrit slowly stood up while the wyvern lowered her head while saying "(Go on, little one. I'm not going to eat you)."

Finally, after having slight difficulty at first, Ifrit managed to sit on the wyvern's head. She took off quite with a jerk, causing Ifrit to feel like having a pressure applied on him. By time, though, the flight was smooth, and he felt calm.

"(You can talk?)" said Ifrit innocently to the wyvern. She chuckled.

"(We all can talk, dragons and wyverns alike, and it's a gift to talk for others)."

The journey wasn't that long, and they reached a pleasant rock formation near a lava lake, where a human, clearly a soul of the damned, was waiting by a tent, wearing a sophisticated garment that didn't look like the clothes around them. Ifrit climbed down the wyvern's side, feeling the bulge at the golden horn she had. When he could see the whole eye, he realized the wyvern had a white eye. The wyvern just rested her wings, folding them in front of her, while standing on her back.

"(What's your name, little one?)" "(Why? For me, it's not necessary anymore)."

"(The world maybe hard, and full of enemies, but names for those you trust will become the beacon of light when the time comes for them to come looking for one another. We all have names, young hellhound, either those given by your parents, or those you choose for yourself. It depends on which one is true for you)."

Ifrit hesitated for a moment, knowing that he just knew the wyvern and aware that his name was one of the most dangerous names nowadays, since many hellhounds he met turned on him when they knew his name. He held on to that name, though, as he always called himself with the name given to him by his parents.

"(I'm Ifrit. Ifrit Schelkz. What's yours?)"

The wyvern made a chuckle, and started to say her name, but that part of the memory was hazy, and everything Ifrit saw started to distort, before he was awoken by Rhynsa in the real world, severing his connection to the dream he had been pleasantly experienced.

"(What the fuck...it's still morning, Rhynsa)."

"(So 9 AM is morning for you, kid? No wonder you're looking very exhausted every time I saw you waking up)."

Ifrit made a yawn before realizing what actually made him waking up that late. He was reading Lilac's diary he just found in the middle of the journey, which caused him to read everything that transpired since his 'death' to the one he still loved and care for, though he knew that Lilac might not return the favor to him, heartbroken as she was.

Trying to get past the possible heartbreaking moment he could think of, Ifrit tried to return to reality. He was now back in Albreich's motor carriage after getting into a coma for 2 years, surrounded by unlikely allies like Rhynsa and Sammael. The carriage was currently stopped in the plains, and when Ifrit walked out, he saw Albreich giving Sammael a chunk of roasted meat, while leaving the rest for the group. Rhynsa was cleaning his wooden rifle while flapping his wings to stretch them.

Albreich noticed the hellhound when he stepped on the dirt. He turned his view to the hellhound and started to talk.

"You don't use your footwear anymore, Ifrit?"

"I...lost it somewhere after I fell into a coma, and my claws have overgrown."

"You can always make a new one, Ifrit. Didn't Vlantus teach you how to make one?"

"Vlantus...how's he? Have you heard about him lately?"

"Last I heard he's still making camps in the forests. He managed to take back Renita and it became his main base of operations."

"So, the flower festival is there, then?"

Albreich made a chuckle. "Nah, they won't be getting any festivals sooner or later. Renita is very near to Arbal, if you still remember them, so he must stop the hellhounds and other demons from getting to Adaline. Last I heard he is trying to take Arbal back so he can control the trade routes, and..."

"And what?"

"Oh, damn it, I forgot about the food!"

Ifrit yelped when he saw the condition of the meat. It was burned a lot, and it was ruined for the rest of the group if not for Ifrit's love for burned meat. He ended up eating all of them and became so full afterwards.

Reaching the borders of the next town (called Orgon based on the sign), they resupplied their trading goods. Albreich revealed to Ifrit that he didn't do trading for the time being, only making deliveries, which Rhynsa knew was more or less illegal, but he kept silent so Ifrit wouldn't have moral crisis based on what he knew about Albreich. Rhynsa secretly tried to read the book the trader gave to him, which didn't make any sense since it was written as a history book despite of the title.

The night before they left, Ifrit took a walk around the still-crowded town with Rhynsa. Despite of the black hellhound able to fend off enemies of his own, they needed to be together so one wouldn't be lost. Just like the previous town, it was at the other side of the same lake, yet this town was calmer at night with electrical street lights and automobiles making the night street crowded for them. It started to get colder by night, with first signs of snow came down that night.

"(Snow, huh? I...haven't seen them since I left Dusdolf)," said Ifrit watching the dark sky. "(I remembered when I first got a taste of snow. That moment seems like it's a long time ago now. I remembered I sat near a cave entrance just to feel the snow on my fur...and the first time I started to love Lilac)."

"(Is that Lycan lady so important to you, Ifrit?)"

"(If it's not her, I won't be able to speak English and blend in like now. Do you have that kind of person in your life?)"

"(Nah, I study it alone and pretend I'm mute for at least a year to blend in)," said Rhynsa with a sigh. "(Wish I have a lucky life like you, kid)."

"(If that happens, I won't know what you'll be like when we met. Maybe you might...you know...)"

"(I've forgive your family, Ifrit. It's all in the past now. I became a non-lethal vigilante to atone for everything that ever happened to your family, including your brother...)"

"(Nergora is still alive, somewhere out there)," said Ifrit watching the lake. "(You can still save him)."

"(I look forward to. This small company of unlikely allies itself just make a color in my life. We will end this, one way or another. Now I have those who need protecting)."

Ifrit made a smile. "(You sure do, Rhynsa. You sure do)."

It didn't take long for them to walk back to the carriage, with Albreich waiting for them. They set off after. The countryside wasn't that treacherous, but the snow slowly deepened and it became a white wonderland all over again in such a short time. It was an uneventful journey, but they kept aware at all time, until Rhynsa took a little nap. Ifrit watched the bat-hellhound slept. While he slept in a rather awkward position of having his wings furled out (the reason why Ifrit borrowed him the double bed), he slept soundly otherwise, occasionally smiling, which made Ifrit happy to see how Rhynsa could be glad he made peace with his family.

Night became light as the late sunrise didn't make everything looked brighter due to the snow. The carriage started to see better paved road, with Ifrit seeing a sign that they were approaching the next town. It wasn't all that eventful until they reached the main town, which caught them by surprise.

The town was ransacked. There wasn't any smoke around. The fire was out and the damage seemed to be there for some time. Based on the soot-like scent that Ifrit got, there were traces of hellhounds, coupled with some blood and burning wood. When he touched a charred red wood, it was still warm and drew smoke, which mean that the fire wasn't that long since it was put out.

"What the hell happened here? I thought this place is not a suspicious place," said Albreich. "There's no way a week can burn everything down like this."

"No, it's been done recently," said Rhynsa while examining the charred corpse of a human. "This body still drew blood."

"Hey, don't be a disgusting bat...or hound...or...yeah, whatever. So, this place is not destroyed overnight, so who put out the whole fire if the damage is to this extend?"

"Actually, it was me."

Ifrit was the first to react to that voice. He turned his head and his vision met with a familiar white-furred hellhound. But, upon seeing him, there was something strange. Flashes of memories started to flood his mind. He knew that was Nergora from one of his memories, but...didn't see know him when they were just cubs? Why did he look older in his memory flashes? It took his attention because he remembered they were born only two years apart.

"(Took you so long, huh, bro? You miss me?)"

Nevertheless, Ifrit was still excited that his long lost brother came back to him, and he walked to the white hellhound and hugged him. Icy cold aura started to surround the black hellhound and Ifrit instinctively let go of the hug.

"(Sorry...I, uh...wasn't looking to...)"

"(It's alright, Ifrit. We're just fire and ice, so it's okay. Still, you never changed, Ifrit. I mean, aside from meeting you again after you're 22 years old feels kind of...strange when I last saw you still a cub)."

"(We're cubs, right? When the revolt happened?)"

"(Were we? I can't remember that moment. Everything just...crumble away so fast I don't...)"

"(Neri, who are you talking to? You have a friend coming...)"

When the group saw the grey hellhound that was now on view, all of them became silent, which made things awkward since Nergora didn't know anything while Ifrit didn't know the hellhound. Nergora noticed that Rhynsa was genuinely surprised based on the stare, which troubled the white hellhound.

"Oh, uh...this...is...Sovarn, my friend and travel companion," said Nergora awkwardly. "I...think you know who he is, right...Rhynsa?"

"(Am I seeing a fucking ghost? Last time I know, he was killed trying to help me. That's not Sovarn, right?)"

"(Wait, you see me killed? I thought you're the one getting impaled by the stone)," replied Sovarn, also surprised. "(Rhynsa, you...can't be alive, aren't you?)"

"(Sovarn was never killed, Rhynsa, and Rhynsa was not killed either, Sovarn. Both of you must've been too traumatized to remember anything clearly. Just think a little. If that's the case why are we talking like this?)"

"(I don't think this is not the good time to trust a ghost...)"

"(Neither do I. C'mon, Neri, they're not...)"

Nergora suddenly grabbed Rhynsa by the arm, and without letting Rhynsa prepare first, he pulled the bat-hellhound hybrid toward Sovarn, which made unexpected reaction when their snouts suddenly met. Rhynsa suddenly blushed, but Sovarn's reaction was more or less genuinely surprised, yet he slowly try to hugh the hybrid when Rhynsa realized what he was doing and broke off.

"(What the fuck, Sovarn?! After all these years, you're trying to find a way to kiss me?! Fuckin' A!"

"(Why do you think like that?! I'm desperate in love, okay, and you're one hell of a sexy bastard that can't return the favor! I don't want to be sodomized by a genuine fuzandre with blood lust!)"

"(Well, then fuck you and your fuzandre! I'm not into your love life!)"

"(You two lovers can just go to a house and have your own way, alright, we want to talk, bro to bro)," said Nergora pushing them away, yet Rhynsa could see he and Ifrit were snickering, which annoyed him. Sammael was also holding back his laughter when Nergora pushed both of them into an empty house while closing the door behind them, leaving only Albreich, Sammael, and Ifrit outside. The snow kept falling and everything started to become colder, prompting the black hellhound to burn a nearby wooden crate for the freezing Albreich.

"I'm so sorry that this winter caused too much trouble for humans like you, white hunter," said Nergora while cleaning the snow. "It's just ice demons amplify their power with cold and snow, so it's the effect of my heritage, you see."

"Don't be.... I know worse ice demons."

Nergora made a smile, before walking to a nearby home, welcoming the rest of the group inside. The house was one of the intact ones around as it was partially made of stone. It's interior was ransacked with the fireplace still had its wood burning despite of the cold. Ifrit threw some woods into it to make the room cozy enough for Albreich while the human took some crates for the to sit. They surrounded a round table, eager for one of them to start any conversation.

After a short silence, Nergora started to put his hand into one of his coat pocket and pulled out a roll of paper or some sort. They wanted to see it soon, which prompted Nergora to say, "It's a telegram, coming from one of my spies in Tragoria. It's sent in a hurry. Take a look at it."

Ifrit was the first to open the roll of paper and both he and Albreich read it. They read the short sentence thoroughly, as if trying to find hidden messages, but Nergora, who knew what they were doing, said, "It's a telegram, so don't expect magical ink to pop up after being heated."

"Is this the only think you've got, Nergora Schelkz? It just read 'old ceremony in town. Demons everywhere'. I know it's obviously trying to hide messages, but what's this trying to tell us?"

"My scout is very cautious in his job. He cannot reveal his..."

"Nergora, I know when a man is holding a secret, and I especially know when a demon is holding a secret just by seeing how dilated your pupils are. You demons have different eye movement from humans, especially when you have reptilian pupils that worked like a cat's eyes. No secrets between us, Nergora. The fate of humanity depends on what you know and what you find. Though this breaks my order's creed, a rule is meant to break if it's necessary. Please, Nergora Schelkz...this is going to need the cooperation of a hellhound."

The white hellhound was silent, unable to give any opinions on that argument. He was somehow stunned by the anatomical detail not know by himself. After a while, he started a smile, somehow knowing that he accepted that argument.

"Damn...I'm so bad at lying," said Nergora with a chuckle. "You're right. I'm quite paranoid these days. Forgive my secretive behavior."

Then Nergora produced another letter, which was put inside an envelope. Both Albreich and Ifrit read the letter thoroughly, which prompted them to stare at Nergora, in which the white hellhound nodded.

"Do you know who my spy is, Mr. Schafner? He's one of the demon race born with natural ability in blending and stealth. The hellhounds have known him for ages."

"Krozani, right?" said Rhynsa by the door with Sovarn. "Only bats are completely silent when it is about hunting."

"Indeed. Duke Krozani and his group of loyal fuzandres agreed to scout Tragoria region with some inside contacts when I found bizarre deaths caused by hellfire. I believed the Ascension had become uncontrollable that it started to burn people, which is a reason that's almost the same with this small town."

"You mean this place is burned by that Ascension? How is that even possible?"

"Ascension is an experimental one-way gateway that briefly connects the hellish plains and the surface world," said Sovarn. "It made a portal that threw any low-level demons from a fixed point in hell. One of the royal families managed to make it first to the surface world, just mere months before the revolution happened. I guess you've known which family is thrown first."

"The Winsel family was those who experimented on this, which proved a success. But, since the contacts with the surface world can only be done by com orbs, we didn't get direct information since magic is scarce. Despite the success, we decided to stop the research so it didn't come to harm. This project somehow got its way to some hellhounds, which sparked the revolution. All of the monarchs used the Ascension, but...some had no chance to go."

"When I used the portal, I was separated from my parents and Ifrit, believing them to die for many years," said Nergora short, then went silent so Sovarn could continue.

"The scientists set the Ascension to only mark remote points like forests and islands. We instructed them to make sure no surface beings are in vicinity of the perimeter. The problem is, the royal scientific teams were massacred and the gateway schematics were taken by the resistance, which enabled them to use it anywhere they wanted without assessing the damage. Like I said before, Ascension is experimental and very dangerous to the surface, because it lacks the barrier between both realms."

"So, what are you saying is that...the gateway is unprotected?"

"The damage that happened to this town is because of the after-effect of the Ascension. I don't know what humans have achieved scientifically, but the earth consists of layers of rocks that act as the core. The hellish region is in the earth outer and inner core, while the plains are at the mantle, just below the bedrock. The mantle is also the place where molten rocks are kept, which, as you know, is very hot. Without any barriers, the heat from the mantle is enough to smother a whole town. Luckily, it's one way, and before any barrier can be used to make a border, a giant portal can bring hell to the surface, literally."

"That's what Karkos told me," said Rhynsa. "But...do you happen to know where this giant portal is?"

"Krozani can't find the giant portal, and there's nothing to indicate it. Although, he found intriguing information about Ascension."

"What is it?"

Sovarn took a pause, which made the rest of the group uneasy, knowing that this would be very unpleasant news.

"A royal member...is working with the rebels to complete the Ascension. I'm so very sorry that the matter must come to this, but..."

He couldn't continue, which caused Nergora to also try to avoid eye contact, particularly with Ifrit. This, however, caught the black hellhound's glance, and he said, "(What's wrong?)"

"(I'm so, very sorry, Ifrit. I don't want hurt you more. I know you've been travelling with Eshdar Winsel, and I know how you clearly respect him as a close friend, but his family...is not to be trusted. He's an innocent victim in all of this. I knew Anarim, too, and he suspected as much)."

Nergora turned to the rest of the group, and with a very hard heart, he said, "The perpetrator of these events is Ensalder Winsel, the former king of the Winsel family and the leader of Ascension Project. He...betrayed everyone he knew...including his own son."

But, despite of the revelation, Nergora was surprised when the rest of the group (including Sammael), didn't react as much surprised with the revelation. The white furred hellhound even tried to make anything to make them react, but this just made him look awkward. Sovarn had the same reaction but he didn't do anything, just stunned in place.

"Uh...don't you have anything to do be surprised of?" said Nergora to them, dumbfounded.

"I've suspected as much since I've meet Eshdar," said Albreich short.

"(Ensalder is a crazy ass motherfucker before you're even born)," said Rhynsa. "(And he's kind of an evil scientist)."

"(No comment...)" murmured Sammael.

When Nergora didn't hear anything from Ifrit, he felt like he still got a chance to show them that it wasn't expected, but then he was again devastated when Ifrit said, "(Don't stare at me like that, brother. The writer clearly explains that it's Ensalder all along, and in my opinion, you have your own reason to make that a secret)."

"(W...what? But how do you even know that? I thought you're the one in the dark!)"

"(Judging by the flashback chapter, Ensalder is kind of crazy, so I guess...he's the villain in this story. Now this is getting somewhere)."

"(It's just a speculation, Ifrit, and how the hell do you even get the info? There are no books or article to implicate Ensalder. We need to go to Tragoria to find out)."

And Ifrit explained his awareness to the world beyond those confined by the books (which is the world in it). Everything seemed supernatural by Nergora's standard, and it was so detailed (because I want it to) that the ice hellhound wasn't sure if Ifrit was making everything up. Nevertheless, the ice hellhound was satisfied, despite of his brother's 'otherworldly' powers (based on what actually written).

They didn't waste any more time in the dead town/village. With Sovarn and Nergora walked all the way to the town, Albreich offered them a ride, which they accepted. The road was thick with snow, and it started to get dark. As the sound of the engine rumbled through the night, they prepared their hearts for what they will face in Tragoria.