Demon continent Alsace in the year 235 in the 7 month Yasum on the 25 day after the shattering of the empire.

Once again they were in Kirra, the largest and most powerful city on the front, they always visited the city at least once a year. What Panos and Naima use to report to the acting commander in chief.

They, the almost adults had again received orders to rid the sewers of rats a task which they had to follow in almost every city. From talking to the older ones, this was a new development, they had never had to hunt so many rats.

Even though he thought they should no longer be called rats, they seemed to have some intelligence and could converse with them as well. A point, which the adults and other young people ignored. One, however, which he was aware of.

It was not so that he hesitated to kill them, but still he wondered if no cooperation could be achieved between the rats, which he counted among the animal people, and the demons. He did not see how the constant slaughter of seemingly intelligent creatures would benefit them all. Especially when the rats were getting stronger every year.

The only Cirkati children who could show a reasonable growth of their personal power were his four friends, whom he had taught personally. All the others were two or one level above his own, but they couldn't hold a candle to him personally. Thus he and his friends were the most powerful troop among the young Cirkati. With what they also took over most of the work and advanced deeper and deeper into the sewers of Kirra.

"How much longer do we have to sneak around down here. I was hoping to get a look at the city." Whined Flure, which immediately caused Lexington to hiss at her. "Keep it down I've told you this enough times, or haven't I told you?" And off the bickering between the two went again. Not that they all had anything to worry about as he was paying attention to their surroundings with all his senses.

And even though he was only level one in the eyes of the world he had no problem whatsoever defeating his entire team in battle. Since he far surpassed them in knowledge and practice as well as energy. Which also made him the actual leader of their small squad. Even though this was another point between Flure and Lexington that they could argue about for hours.

So at the end of the hallway, where it split in two, he raised his hand to signal his comrades to keep it down. "A whole group of these rats ahead of us a good hundred and fifty feet." With that announcement from them, everyone fell into their appropriate roles and got ready to fight. "How many should we expect?" Rezac asked, barely audible.

"About ten, a few others disappeared further back, so we should expect twenty and prepare for thirty." To which everyone just nodded in acknowledgement.

They crept on for a few more minutes without making a sound. Which put them in optimal attack position and they had not yet seen or heard the rats. Possibly they had smelled them, but then they had not yet shown it or thought about it. Her thoughts as well as her movements he monitored to the smallest detail.

He raised one hand with three fingers, immediately they all started to spread out in the hallway.

They did not have to wait long, already three of the rats walked towards them. With simply manufactured weapons from dirty metal, which was more badly than well hewn into form.

As soon as the three rats were in sight, he made an illusion of the corridor appear behind them, along with a barrier that would prevent sounds from getting from one side to the other. While he was doing this, Rezac had already launched a swarm of projectiles consisting of frozen sewer water at the three rats. Closely followed by their three melee fighters Flur with two light blades. Lexington with his melee gauntlets and Arle with his bludgeon.

The rats had barely registered the spell before they were riddled with them, and had they survived, only the blades of more attackers awaited them now.

Flure, Lexington and Arle readied themselves behind the illusion while he and Rezac followed. At the level of the rats, he cast a spell that removed the rats' cores and cut off their ears. The cores were the ears for his personal interest, to show how many rats they had killed.

Ahead of them, beyond the bend in the passageway were now seven more rats and he could not register any approaching rat. "Seven more. Two, about ten feet in front of us, then four more ten feet in front of those and the last one standing at the other end of the aisle at another turn." Again, what was said was confirmed with a nod.

Slowly he manipulated the illusion and barrier so that it advanced ahead of them in about a meter, in step with their steps.

Just before they reached the first two rats, he changed the illusion and barrier so that it slid over the rats and rebuilt itself between them and their kind. Since they would have been able to see without him creating another copy of the already cast illusion and barrier, which continued to move in front of them. Until he dropped it when they arrived at the two rats.

These had just as little chance as the three previous rats and were also finished in a similarly quick fight. Which he again cast the same spells to get the core and ears. After that, they moved on to the last four rats. In the meantime the rat had disappeared at the end of the corridor and went down it, getting farther and farther away from them and also from his senses.

Again the same game, as they had done so often today and the days before, and also these rats lay dead before them. Whereupon the question arose, to continue or to return again to the surface. Since they had already done their quota today and had also already gone twice as deep as they were supposed to today.

"So, what do you guys think, should we keep going or should we turn around and call it a day?" He asked into the round of his friends.

"I don't know, I'd like to stroll around the city upstairs, but tomorrow we'd have to get down here as well as so again, and we're still here in Kirra for quite some time."
"I see it the same way as Flure, just not the strolling thing, but we could go on for a few more in my opinion."
"Arle, you being on Flure's side again was obvious, even if you're free to have your own opinion, you realize that, right?" A questioning look from Lexington to Arle, who just smiled at him. "Yes I do, besides I was on your side yesterday." "When were you on my side yesterday?" Lexington asked in an incredulous voice." "Well, when you didn't want to yesterday, I was on your side." A sound of skin on skin rang out as Lexington buried his face in his hands. Muffled, he could be heard saying. "We all agreed on that, it doesn't count." He raised his head again and let out a long tortured sigh, after which he looked around for help. "I agree with the other two, and I think Lexington does too. So it all depends on your decision." Rezac interjected, trying to steer the conversation back to the original topic.

He looks at his friends for a few moments, they all still had quite a lot of energy left in their cores, so further fighting shouldn't be a problem. As long as they don't run into anything unexpected. "Well let's get on with it." He turned to leave closely followed by the other four. "Stay on guard, though." He warned for the sake of his peace of mind.

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They walked along a large and wide street, the main avenue of Kirra, which would lead them directly to the villa district. But they weren't there yet and didn't need to be, first they could enjoy their day off and stroll around a bit. They knew that she would hardly be noticed and that none of the other demons would think they were Cirkati, since they could not imagine how such powerful women as they had not been born with a level three core.

So they strolled along the avenue and looked at the many small stores that were still here, the further they went along the avenue the fewer they would become, until eventually they would no longer be there.

The rich and powerful wanted to live undisturbed by the normal population, which is why the quarters in Kirra were all separated by walls. Through which one could come only by the gates of the respective quarters and also only if one was of appropriate status or had an appropriate invitation.

Today they had dressed as they had before joining the Hand of Alsac, a Cirkati family in which their ancestors had lived together.

Most Demons believe that it is a punishment of the gods that some children are born as these Cirkatis, but they do not see that among them are the most powerful of their own people, and only those who can overcome this weakness will find true strength and power, not like most Demons who only strive to be the strongest in their family or their city. A fatal thinking, as she found. Which had led to the present situation and with each new Cirkati that was born and killed by its parents, the race of Demons became weaker.

They, had arrived at the gates of her father's mansion. One of many which he had in every major city. From which he traveled back and forth, meeting with allies and enemies, forging his alliances or throwing a ball for his personal pleasure. On which, of course, he did exactly the same as on his travels across the continent.

The gate proclaimed the grandeur and majesty of the mansion that loomed before them after they followed a short path uphill. From this point alone they could see over the walls that enclosed the property and had a brilliant view of the city and its surroundings.

The mansion itself was large and reverentially built of black stone with runes carved into each stone. Something that today's rune smiths can no longer accomplish. The mansion was a family heirloom, even if it had belonged to the same man for centuries. Her father.

They were let in by one of their father's few servants and led to his drawing room, where they were asked to wait a moment, their father would be with him shortly.

"I've missed seeing you in clothes like that." Whispered Sia in her ear. "Oh stop it." With that she hit Sia. The latter, however, just laughed and came around the leather couch and sat down beside her with relish. Whereby she lolling herself and allowed her deep glimpses of her cleavage. She could only shake her head Sia liked the life in the nobility better than the one with the family. And she couldn't get enough of her wife either, as she sat there on the couch next to her, wrapped in the finest silk again. "You are impossible as always when we are with my father." Which only made the latter laugh.

"Ah my dear Sia and you too my daughter. I am so glad to see you again and we have so much to talk about." Abraxas had come through the side door that connected the drawing room to his study. "I'm glad to see you too father." She stood up to hug her father. "Father." Sia also said, indicating a bow. She and her father were higher ranked than Sia by birthright. Which was over with their marriage, but still Sia would not stop greeting her father with the old respect of a subordinate. "Don't do that, you're family and I can't see it when my Sappho's wife bows to me, especially when we're in private." Sia smiles apologetically. "Old habits do not die so easily. I'll keep it in mind for the future." What she used to say and then not do. Which she could only accept with a shake of her head.

"I suppose you want to talk about Cali?" Her father had sat down across from them. "Yes, I decided some time ago that we should marry Cali off. -" He raised a hand admonishingly. - "I know she has grown very dear to both of you since I gave her to you fourteen years ago. And I am indebted to you for putting your lives aside to set out again with the wandering families. Now, however, it is so that you will soon have to come back to my side, or if you wish, I do not wish to interfere with your lives any more than I have done so far." A heavy silence hung between them.

"You know that I personally have no love for arranged marriages, which is why I would say that we will introduce the candidates I have picked out to her and she can see for herself if she likes them. But I don't see that she is improving or has there been any change since your last report. And both of you, after she has found a suitable partner, could return to your old lives as her mothers and as my daughter and spouse."

"Father, this is something we would have to discuss among ourselves, and I know you well enough that when you talk about "it's about time" we can wait a few more years, or am I wrong about that?" "No, no. We still have a few years, but I wanted to prepare you." With which they began to discuss and talk until late into the night, where both parties retired to their bedrooms.

"I can tell you don't like your father's plan -" Sia raised her hands defensively. - "I didn't say I liked it, but we can't protect her forever and you know how she is, she's too curious and that's why she needs a strong partner who can watch over her." She turned away from Sia to watch the city at night through the windows.

Until hands snaked around her from behind and someone nibbled her ear. "I can think of something I'd rather be doing than thinking about your father's plans. -" Sia spun her around, which they both looked at each other with. Then she took both of her hands in her own and led her to the bed. "Something that will take your mind off things, too."