Dasai Ka'han looked at his most trusted general's with his bloodshot eyes,  but even after a long time he didn't say anything. It wasn't that he didn't want to, he really wished to , but he hadn't arrived where he was beeing a brainless brute. The people kneeling before him had been loyal to him , and had won many battles in his name,  so he wouldn't discard them for only such. Dasai Ka'han took a big breath as he motioned for something,  and immediately several people brought a big map drawn on the skin of some animals and laid it on the ground before him and his general's.

"Mmmmm....it seems that this city has exceeded our expectations. It seems that my plans will be delayed." said the Ka'han as he stood up from his throne and took a couple of steps forward. He intently looked at map that depicted the city of Toro with his green eyes and started rubbing the golden rings on his fingers. He was angry at what had happened,  but he was also very intrigued at what had happened. He knew what the price had been poisoned by one of his nobles making Dasai delighted at the internal strife happened inside the walls,  but he hadn't expected for the situation to turn like this.

Dasai moved his attention from the map and asked one of the men kneeling before him. "General Hanai, what was the information we have on the current commander of the city, and the second prince of the kingdom....Sirro was his name?"

Hanai was a skinny and short man, looking  like most normal soldier in the Ka'han's army  but he was one of the most high ranking people. He was currently the commander of the mounted archers , the shock troops of the Ka'han's army and the one in charge of logistics, but he was also their most valuable intelligence gatherer. He had risen from a normal messenger in the army to his post he held today by his own flesh and blood, and along the way he had acquired many skills and knowledge.

"Ka'han!

The second prince of the kingdom, Siros ,to my knowledge isn't any prominent figure. Most of his life having been spent on the royal capital. His military experience is said to be very little, but...

"But he still made a fool of you all." 

Hanai clenched his fist at that statement , but he couldn't refute it. "It is indeed as Ka'han has said. The second prince has  exceeded our expectations of him as a capable commander,  but this is just luck."

Dasai Ka'han frowned at this."Luck you say...Hanai? What you call luck, others call destiny...and that is not a good thing for us. Hanai ,you should know that most of our fights are fought out of battle as much on the battlefield. The southerners fear us,  call us 'barbarians' , and we of course respond in kind. Like a pack of wolves we surrounded and bitte them bit by bit until they are completely destroyed, that is our favorite tactic. This tactic has managed to grant me many  a territory  tha my father could only dream of , and a large army that moves to my command , but for every city I take , my forces grow more thin, and even more inexperienced. We're very good at this type of warfare , but we're weak at everything else.  On an open battle our numbers are a abundant,  but their discipline is to be desired  and I can't have that...can I?!"

Hanai saw Dasai's ruthless expression and couldn't help but lower his head to prevent Dasai from seeing his sour face. A bit of time was spent in silence until Hanai seemed to gather his courage and speak again.

"Great Ka'han....I,  Hanai, swear on my life that for every man we have lost today the city will lose two. I will give my life so that our kingdom grows to rule all these lands.

I swear it!"

"Good..good....Hanai, you are excused. You may go back to your duties,  some messenger will inform you of any other happenings. "

"Ka'han!" Hanai exclaimed as he put his closed fist over his chest and bowed slightly before he left the tent. It looked that Hanai was pretty calm on the outside going by his expression,   but inside he was seething.  'That dammed prince,  he will pay for this. I will cut him to pieces before feeding him to the dogs for fooling me. ' Hanai gritted his teeth as he arrived at his tent and immediately begun to write several letters to the spies he had within the walls of the city. He needed an explanation to why the information of the imprisonment of much of the nobles inside the city arrived at him so late, and also why the bedridden prince had decided to act in this manner.

.............

As the barbarians were lacking their wounds and making their plan's, the mastermind of what had happened today was staring wide-eyed at a bloody pentagram with a shadowy figure in it. Siros looked haggard as he was casually dressed , his hair a mess,  but he was smiling like a madman as he stared at the hazy figure. Pierre  beside him was the epitome of caution as he held the pommel of his sword,  ready to draw at any moment.

Although both sides had something to say ,it was Siros who broke the silence."Demon...so you have finally decided to come again. I almost thought you wouldn't return." smilingly said Siros,  but Jason didn't answer as he was a little surprised at the sudden change. The man in front of him was definitely the same one he had spoken about an hour ago, but he had changed slightly. He was thinner and his hair was definitely longer making Jason think about time dilation or something like that he had once read on a book. 

'This is interesting,  I'll have to experiment further.' thought Jason to himself before he answered Siros's question."Indeed I have...and just in time it seems." said Jason as he looked around for the bald man, but he couldn't be found anywhere. " Also I've come bearing gifts." smugly announced Jaso as a small spray bottle appeared in his hand. Siros unconsciously took a step forward , but Pierre immediately put a hand on his shoulder."My liege ,it's dangerous to approach. Please let me...

Siros took a good look at Jason's hazy figure and then nodded at Pierre who went forward. Pierre was less than two steps from the edge of the summoning circle when  Jason decided to let a little laugh. "Haha, cautious  , I like that. "

"......

Pierre though didn't answer as he just stared at the thing in Jason's hand. " This 'gift' of yours, what do you want in return?" cautiously asked Pierre as he knew nothing from a beeing such as the one before him was free. Jason of course knew what Pierre was thinking   so he decided to play the old 'sample' trick.

"Oh...I can't possibly  ask you anything in return, it is a gift after all. But if you want more of it ...you will definitely to pay. 

Take it!" said Jason as he extended his hand ,and Pierre cautiously nodded his head making the things on Jason's hand dissappear and apear on Pierre's hand instead. Pierre almost dropped it as he felt something in his hand that wasn't there before , but he fortunately halted himself. The object was small, somehwat looking like a cylinder ,but made of a material he had never seen or felt before. It's craftsmanship was also very good as he wondered how it was made as he couldn't see any seams at all. 

As Pierre was looking at the spray he had in his hand like a caveman,  Jason was dying on the inside, so he decided prank Pierre  a little harder ."Intrigued are you,Mr Knight? What you have in your hand is none other than the...'smell of hell' ,you could say in mortal terms."

"What!?"as he heard this Pierre yelled and he almost threw the thing at the wall, but once again stopped himself at the last moment. Siros who was on the side listening also couldn't help but be stunned at this revelation. Pierre was literally holding a piece of 'hell' in his hand if what the devil before them was telling the truth.