Before I could say anything else, another fireball was flung out, this time aimed at our own fort. This was some pretty weighty magic, and normally we’d have people to counter it, but the best mages were still setting up the explosion magic. Thus, they were useless as the front gate exploded open. A moment later, there was a roar and demons were running across the plains toward the unprotected fort at full blast.

“Is the second fort fallen?” I demanded of the nearest skeletons, but they could only shrug and shake their hands.

If we escaped to that fort, and it was already breached, then I was mostly just sending our men to their death. I didn’t believe they would have destroyed that fort. They had said it themselves. That was the only fort with any value in it. It held the pass that opened up the rest of the Capital and it’s supporting territories. Where we were right now was on the outside of the main area, and the only fort that the humans had from which to launch attacks. Once this place fell, nevermind starting an invasion, we’d be kicked out of the entire valley.

It turned out that Bernard was more of a strategist than I had thought. No, he said he sent for reinforcements. That meant he was being supported directly by Lord Aberon. The only one who could conjure up magic that powerful would be the demon lord and his strongest generals. They must have come down upon the prince’s request. In the past, the prince ran away with the princess like a coward, prompting retaliation. In this world, the prince was outright trying to steal the princess, showing no weakness at all. After setting everything up so well, how did things go so bad so quickly?  Was I just too sure of myself? Was my plan too inflexible? I was starting to regret thinking I was better off without the traits I had cut off and removed.

I ran out into the courtyard. “Carmine! Get off the wall!”

“Master…” She cried out, running down the stairway as demons started flooding in and skeletons rose to fight them.

“Carmine!”

The man I least wanted to see jumped out from the crowd of demons right at the base of the stairway and grabbed her. The bodyguards were all behind her, drawing their blades at that moment, but he didn’t pay them any mind. Instead, his eyes turned to me. I pulled out the star sword and raced at him at full speed.

“Let her go!” I screamed out, cutting down three demons with rapid skills as I moved to him at full speed.

“You still think you can fight the dungeon’s will.” He shook his head. “You should have just surrendered to it. When you do, the dungeon gives you power.”

“Die!” I screamed.

However, he casually snapped his fingers, and his body suddenly disappeared. It was a skill that I recognized. It was the Return skill! Like that, Carmine and Bernard were gone, and I had no clue where he had taken them. The demons continued to flood through the open gate, and a moment later I was surrounded.