The following morning Arland and Nury prepared to set out. Volni stood by the village gate while Kamen checked over the hunters who would guide the pair out.

Volni tried their best to hold back tears as they said their farewells and turned towards the gate.

"So Arland... Are you certain this is the best course of action? If you were exiled, you're not allowed to return," Nury said.

The warrior nodded, "I'm aware. We don't really have any other options though. We need all the forces we can gather. The kingdoms have all written the elves off. Which means our greatest hope is private forces."

Nury sighed, "I suppose. I still don't like it. Your father banned you from returning."

"Only for another year. And he did say I could return early. And if I return under a different banner, then I'm not technically breaking my exile. I'm going not as Arland Norman, but as Arland of the Anti-Demon Force."

Nury gave him a side-eye, "You know as well as I do that's not an official thing."

Arland grinned, "No? What makes a force official? Being recognized by a sovereign state, yes? The vardor recognize us."

Nury sighed, "The vardor are hardly even recognized themselves anymore. Most of the world doubt they even still exist."

Arland patted her head, "Relax, Love. It'll be fine. Push comes to shove, just grab me and lift me out of there. Having my father's support will go a long way, but it's not required."

Nury opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by Volni as she ran up and threw her arms around Arland, "PLEASE DON'T LEAVE!!"

He hugged the vardor, "Volni, we've gotta. We need allies."

"I'm an ally!"

"I know, and a damn fine one. But we need allies for battle. You're..."

Volni cut in, "I'm not strong... I know... But I'm fast! I can jump and dodge and... Just... Please don't leave me... I can't handle that... Not again..."

Arland glanced over at Nury, then to Kamen. The hunter walked over and placed his hand on Volni's back, "Hey, this isn't like then. Arland is going to return. You just have to have faith. You want him to return to a messy house because you were too busy off playing hero?"

The smaller elf sniffled, "No..."

Arland knelt down, took their hands in his, and smiled up at the petite vardor, "Hey, I'll return. You have my word, Volni. But I need to go free your kin - the Lumier elves. You don't want Lyriel to be the only one left in existence, do you?"

Volni sniffled and shook their head, "No, no I don't."

"Good. So please, trust me. Trust Kamen. I'll return. And I'll bring the others with me. All the elves can live together in one big happy village again."

The Vardor met his gaze, tears threatening to fall from their eyes, "You promise...?"

Arland nodded, "With every fiber of my being. And if the gods see fit that I break my word, Nury here will ensure you can pay your final respects. She's a dragon, after all. Nothing can kill her."

Volni let out a half-hearted chuckle that resulted in a bubble of snot. They quickly wiped it up and looked down into Arland's eyes, "Dragons can be killed. It's not easy... But they can be."

Arland grinned and patted her head, "Not Nury. And not by demons."

Volni gave a shaky nod and looked over at the dragoness. Nury reached down and cupped the vardor's chin, lifting it and looking into their eyes, "I'll protect Arland. He'll come back to you. We both will. That's a promise. Dragons can't break a promise."

Volni sniffled, "But dragons also can't speak a lie..."

Nury's smile broadened, "Then I suppose you'll just have to believe, won't you?"

They wrapped their arms around Nury, "I suppose I will... Don't forget your promise."

The dragoness moved her hand down their hair, "I won't but you can't miss us if we don't leave."

Volni gave one final squeeze and stepped back. They looked over the pair gave a quick deep bow then ran off.

Kamen clapped his hand on Arland's shoulder, "So, ready to get moving?"

"Indeed."

"Then let's do this."

They turned and began heading out. Arland, Kamen, and Nury made their way along the road in silence for some time before Kamen spoke up.

"So, Arland... You're an exiled noble, huh?"

Arland looked over, "I am. I'd prefer to keep it quiet. Exiled or not, I'm still a noble. That makes me a prime target for bandits."

Kamen nodded, "I can see that. So the world hasn't changed much in the years since we retreated, huh?"

Nury spoke up, "Not really. I was still young at the time, but I remember that the world was just as chaotic as it is today. "

"How old are you anyway?" Kamen asked, glancing sidelong at her.

"I'm about two hundred. Barely a full-grown adult by a dragon's standards."

"So... What is it with you two, exactly? Are you a couple or just friends with benefits?"

Nury chuckled, "We're a couple. Arland is my first and hopefully only mate."

Kamen raised an eyebrow, "You're awfully open about your relationship..."

Nury shrugged, "Why shouldn't I be? I have no desire for anyone else."

Arland smirked, "But we both enjoy watching and being watched. So while we're together, we're open to play - as long as it includes the other."

Kamen blushed deeply, "O-oh... So like...?"

"Yup. If Arland and I are making love, it's just us. If we're fucking for pleasure, we don't mind having another toy to share," Nury winked at the blushing dark-skinned elf.

"I... See..."

"But," Nury continued, "I'll let Arland have a turn first. So I'm gonna go stretch my wings and fly ahead."

She leapt into the air and with a burst of speed shot off ahead.

Arland smirked, "Thanks, love!"

Nury's voice floated back to them, "Of course, dear. Have fun with Kamen."

Kamen blinked and looked up at the retreating dragon. He looked over at Arland, "Did she say...?"

Arland shook his head, "She was joking. She's going to scout ahead and wanted a pretense to leave us alone. Come on. She'll come report back if she finds anything."

They continued making their way through the forest, making light conversation.

***

When the edge was in sight, they saw Nury perched high in a tree.

Kamen drew breath to call to her, but Arland stopped him with an outstretched hand, "Shh... She's watching something."

Nury glanced back and held up two fingers. Arland nodded and translated for Kamen, "Two demons ahead. You head back. Nury and I can handle them."

"But-"

"Go!" Arland whisper-yelled. "Tell the village that they've made it this far south."

Kamen nodded in response before he turned and ran back into the forest. Nury jumped back off the branch and spread her wings to glide gently back to the ground.

She looked up at him, "I'm not sure I can handle them. I've actually never fought demons before. During the war when the lumier were enslaved, dragons were under strict orders not to intervene."

Arland took a deep breath, "Well you'll get the chance to test your strength against them today."

Nury changed her hands to claws and nodded, "I'm ready, my love."

"Alright. Let's go."

The two of them crept up to the treeline and saw two red-skinned, muscular demons. One was a male, and the other was a female.

"Oh? Well well, looks like we've got a visitor. A human, no less."

Arland sighed and stepped out of the brush, giving a subtle gesture for Nury to stay, "I don't mean trouble. I'm just passing by."

The female demon raised her eyebrow, "You're not cowering in fear? Either you're too stupid to be scared or you're..."

Her eyes fell to the sword hanging easily on his hip, "A warrior... And a well-seasoned one, judging by your stance. Tell me, what's a warrior like you doing here, alone, with a sword like that?"

Arland shrugged, "Just traveling, looking for adventure. I'm not here to fight you. As long as you leave me alone, I'll leave you alone."

The demon woman chuckled, "I like the way you talk, human. So brave. So confident."

Her voice lowered and her eyes narrowed, "Tell me, does the name 'Arland' mean anything to you?"

Arland crossed his arms and feigned thinking, "Hmm... It doesn't ring a bell. Should it?"

The male sighed, "Nah. I suppose it would've been too much to ask that we find him quickly..."

Arland shifted his weight, "Can I ask what you need with him? If I meet him on my travels, I can direct him to you."

The demons looked this stranger over, "Nah, it's all good. We'd rather him not know we're coming."

"Oh? Sounds like this guy did something bad."

The female demon smirked, "More or less. Anyway, you best move along, kid. Wouldn't want to tangle with us. You might just die."

The pair turned to leave. In the flash of an eye, Arland flashed forward, drawing his blade and slashing it across the male's back.

Before they had a chance to recover, Nury darted out from the treeline. Her claws aimed straight for the female's throat until Arland called out, "Don't kill her!"

Nury switched, aiming for her chest and digging four deep gashes across the flesh there.

Arland pressed the advantage of surprise and jabbed forward, taking the male demon through its' throat, his blade creating a line for the blood to run down - the sticky, viscous liquid was red with streaks of black through it.

The female's eyes went wide as she watched her partner drop dead before Nury pulled her attention back to their fight. "NO DISTRACTIONS!" The dragoness yelled as she rushed in again, swiping left and right with her claws. Arland joined in.

The female demon stopped fighting and slunk to her knees, holding her face in her hands, bawling, "Y-you didn't have to kill him..." she sobbed.

Arland felt a brief tug at his heart until he realized why he had originally attacked, "You weren't together."

The female's sobs turned to wracking laughter, "What gave us away?"

Arland walked over and used the tip of his blade to open her jacket, revealing the hilt of a slender dagger, "I'd be willing to bet it's got poison in the sheathe. It's a tactic I saw often directed at my father, Harold Norman. I'm Arland, the one you've been looking for, demon."

She nodded, "I guess all pretense is dropped. Do what you must, boy." She leaned back, resting her hands behind her as she opened her neck for him to strike at.

He stared and seriously considered it before he turned to Nury, "How much rope we got?"

She looked in one of the packs the vardor had given them, "About sixty feet of silk."

"Perfect. Tie her up."

The demoness looked between them, "W-wait, what?! You're not going to just kill me?!"

Arland sheathed his blade, "Nope. You only planned to kill me. You didn't really even have a chance to try. So you're not just a partial failure, you're a total failure. all the way around. Shitty person, shitty assassin, and a shitty demon."

He pulled her to her feet and quickly lashed her wrists together, before hobbling her knees, "Try to run. I dare you."

The demon glared back at him, "I may be a demon, but at least we're honorable. We kill our enemies, we don't capture them for torture."

Arland chuckled, "You're missing the point, demon. I hold no plans to torture you. You're a prisoner of war. Once the war is over, you'll be released at the border. Should your dear king wish to trade for you."

"Bastard..."

"Nah, my dear. It's fair game. at least you've got a chance to live a life after this is all done."

"Unless you take your last breath. then it's my word against a dead man's. A prisoner or a noble. Who are people more likely to believe?"

Arland leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Then you'd best hope I win." He turned and shoved her along the road they had been traveling.

Nury ran over, "Hey, I found some things on his corpse! I packed them up."

Arland smiled and nodded, "That's great. Let's get going. We've got a long way to travel."