A day after Edna’s decration that she’d save Azmoria from her death sentence, she and Lydia prepared to head out. As she did so, her servants began loading up several carriages and wagons in preparation to return to her domain.

  “Is this Azmoria really worth putting yourself in danger for?” Lydia asked, standio me. She was dressed in an all-bck outfit which g tightly to the curves of her body. For infiltration, such clothes were almost a y. They protected her freedom of movement and stayed out of her way. Even if they were a little lurid to look at.

  After Lydia joined us, Elise made both of us a mimicry of the clothes Lydia wore. They were useful, but extremely embarrassing to wear. Despite my preference for less cloth c my body, the skin-tight fabric was too much.

  ?I would feel responsible for her death.? Even if Prince Edmond would bear the brunt of the responsibility, in my heart Azmoria’s death would still be my responsibility. If I’d chosen to stay in the church, she’d have been rewarded for finding the saint. Now she was going to die for a crime she didn’t it.

  “That’s enough for me,” Lydia pced her hand atop my head and mussed my hair. “I’ll save her.”

  “Ready?” Edna asked strolling up to us. Unlike Lydia she’d opted for a heavy cloak over a bck blouse and pants. As she moved I could just barely make out several loops sewn ihe cloak, each filled with a vial. All of them were likely ichor. I could hardly t the number of vials Edna carried but it was more than I’d ever expeyoo e.

  ”So this is the Great Witch at her fi,” Rochelle mused psychically. I still hadn’t told anyone about her. I wao, but now wasn’t the time. We had to save Azmoria first. There would be time for sharis ter.

  “Ready.” Lydia replied. Without another word the two of them left the manor on foot. Both Edna and Lydia had cold gazes. It was as if they were leaving for war. My heart raced with fear for their wellbeing.

  ?Please e home safe,? I signed. Knowiher of them could see it.

  As the night dragged on I found it difficult to rest. I was jittery with nerves. Standing up from my chair, I went to where the maids were w and grabbed a crate of ichor vials. I needed something to focus on, so I decided to help load the carriages.

  I’d hardly taken a step outside the front doors when Bir’s hands ed around the crate I was holding. “Lady ne. Please allow us to hahe luggage. A princess shouldn’t stoop to doing manual bor.”

  Hesitantly I released the crate. ?I’m too nervous to wait.?

  “I uand the apprehension you must feel. But, it would be disrespectful to those who serve Lady Edna if they allowed her guest to engage in such trivial work. They’ll be back soon. Everything will be alright.”

  With a nod I followed Bir to the wagon. Even if I couldn’t carry items, I didn’t want to part with her. I didn’t want to be aloh my thoughts. My mind was already spiraling into cruelty against me.

  ”ne—” Rochelle started to speak at the same time as a maid’s shrill scream echoed in the night.

  Turning toward the source of the scream, I felt as if my heart leapt into my throat. Laying on the ground where there’d once been nothiwo women. One, battered and bruised beynition. The other, was Lydia, coated in blood. Her severed tail draped over her back.

  Ag with incredible speed, Bir raced to Lydia’s side. Before I’d even e to uand what was happening, she was casting a spell. “ne, I’ll take care of Lydia. You heal the other woman. Just do the best you to keep her alive until I treat her.”

  I stood there frozen. I’d heard Bir’s words but my legs were like stone. I couldn’t move. Tears bubbled in the ers of my eyes.

  What happened? How did Lydia get here? Is she going to die? No… She ’t die!

  “ne!” Bir shouted my name as she worked to seal a deep gash in Lydia’s back. “Move, now!”

  The forcefulness behind Bir’s and broke me free of my stupor. Spurred to a, I raced back to the carriage and grabbed a crate of ichor. Crate in hand, I returo the woman’s side. Downing a vial, I held out my hand and jured the image of healing light Bir had taught me.

  My spell worked wonders on the woman’s wounds. The swelling that made her unreizable faded quickly. As she returo a sembnce of health, I gasped in horror. It was Azmoria.

  How did this happen? And Where’s Edna?! I screamed internally.

  ”Stay calm ne. Edna likely teleported the two of them here, knowing you and Bir would be able to help. No mage teleport themselves. She would’ve never been able to e with them.”

  A cold chill ran down my spine. I couldn’t pce the feeling, but something was wrong. It felt as if a monster were about to pounce upon me. Gazing around, I noticed all the maids, their faces etched with terror. Some of them ran for towels and other items. Edna’s guards had their swords drawn but there was nothing for them to fight.

  “ne!” Bir raised her hands mid-spell, transf the healing spell she was about to cast into a golden shield. In a split sed, she effortlessly transitioned from one spell to another. It was an awe-inspiring sight that mesmerized me for a moment until a deafening impact jolted me to my core.

  Something heavy struck Bir’s shield. Looking up, I saw a deranged woman with glowing red eyes. She was holding a half-melted sword in both hands, swinging downward with all her might. If not for Bir’s swift judgement, I likely would’ve been decapitated by her bde.

  ”Demon,” Rochelle hissed. ”This is bad.”

  The demon kicked off of Bir’s shield as it shattered. Flipping backward, she nded in the yard in front of us. In seds, she was surrounded by Edna’s guards. They did their best to subdue her, but she was to. It wouldn’t be long before she came for me again.

  ”What do I do?” I hesitated. I couldn’t run. Lydia was still wounded and unscious. I couldn’t leave her. Nor could I leave Bir and Edna’s guards. I didn’t want them to die just so that I could live, but I couldn’t fight. I only knew a single spell, and as powerful as it was, even I k wouldn’t be enough.

  ”ne, listen to me. We don’t have time. I need you to start ing vials of ichor and eling magito my sword.”

  ”But, I still don’t know anything about sword fighting!”

  ”That’s okay. Everything’s going to be okay. I promise. Just do as I ask.”

  The demon broke through the guards and came for me again. Just as she’d done before, Bir quickly created a golden shield, keeping the demon at bay. “ne, run!”

  Drawing Rochelle’s sword from its scabbard, I began to down vial after vial, eling all of it into the bde. After the fifth vial, the sword began to glow. After the sixth, ethereal tendrils grew from the bde, ing themselves around my body.

  ”ne… I never wao do this. I never wao hurt you. But this is the only lease five me for what I’m about to do.”

  The demon roared, her voice ced with magic. Bir summoned another shield to protect us, a pained gasp esg her throat. It was obvious Bir was hitting her limit. This was it. Edna’s guards were strewn out over the yard, battered and bloody. There was no oo fight.

  Charging forward the demon swung her sword at me. The tendrils arouightened and my arms moved on their own, my muscles painfully protesting. With skill I didn’t possess, I caught the demon’s bde with my own. My arms burning, I parried the demon’s bde away. Before she could put distaween us, my legs moved. Without sent my body lunged forward and swung for the demon.

  Somehow, Rochelle had wrested plete trol of my body from me. With her at the helm, I moved in ways that would’ve been impossible before. But ead every movement came at a y muscles ached in protest. If this fight didn’t end quick, I’d soon be in mortal agony.

  With a roar the demon unleashed a dark beam from her throat. Without a single wasted movement, Rochelle sliced the beam in half. With an explosion of raw magic, the demon’s beam vanished, leaving behind nothing but smoke.

  ”Stay strong, ne,” Rochelle called out to me. ”Keep your mind focused. I’ll end this as quickly as I .”

  It hurt. My arms and legs ached. I winced in pain as Rochelle pressed forward, g bdes with the demon.

  Sensing she was losing the exge of swords, the demon distanced herself. Bck mist poured from her fingers. P a vial of ichor down my throat, Rochelle took and of even the magic within me. anding the ichor just like Lydia had during our training, Rochelle sent it to the tips of my fingers.

  A pair of cwed hands on long bck tendrils grew from the demon’s body. In response, Rochelle jured a golden sphere, bright enough to light up the night. The sight of it made me wince. I tried to turn away but even my neck refused to do my bidding.

  Rochelle’s golden sphere swallowed the demon’s tendrils. tinuing onward it collided with the demon, and exploded right where she stood.

  ”The guards!” I cried out internally. They were so close, what if Rochelle’s spell hurt them?

  Propelling herself forward, Rochelle tried to stab the demon with her sword. Once again we were locked in a fierce exge. Cuts began to appear all over the demon’s body. Blood poured from her wounds. The sight of it startled me. The demon’s blood was red. I’d been told demon blood was bck, like ichor.

  ”Just a little longer,” Rochelle’s voice was strained.Her wavering tone made it obvious she was feeling my pain. It was too much for either of us. Rochelle began to slow down, giving the demon the advantage she needed. Parrying away our bde the demon nded a kiy stomach, sending us flying backward. My body hit the ground with enough force to bounce bato the air. When I nded for the sed time, I tasted blood.

  “ne,” Bir’s voice was strained as a green light appeared in my periphery. The pain and agony I’d felt eased. Bir was healing me. “You don’t have to do this. You run. The cathedral will protect you, please.” Bir’s voice broke as she pleaded for me to flee.

  ”Do not fear, I will not allow o die!” If I’d been in trol, I would’ve gasped in surprise. Though Rochelle still spoke psychically, this time it was not within my head. Her voice echoed in the air. How had she do without ing any ichor?

  Another vial of ichor oured down my throat as the demon charged. Rochelle lifted her bde and caught the demon’s advance. With strength beyond anything I was capable of, She forced the demon back, breaking her bance.

  The ichor Rochelle ed curled up my throat auro my mouth. The overwhelming desire to vomit ed me. My lips parted and out spewed a bright blue fme. The demon burned.

  Using the fmes to her advantage, Rochelle moved in for the kill. Catg the demon’s sword by the guard, Rochelle ya away, disarming her. In a smooth motiohrust her sword toward the demon’s chest. The demon barely evaded the killing blow. Instead of driving into the demon’s chest, Rochelle’s sword sank into her stomach.

  With a gasp, the demon spat up red blood. Her irises, once blood red, faded into a mossy green. With a whine she trembled and then colpsed.

  The glow of Rochelle’s sword faded as I colpsed to my knees. Whatever spell Rochelle had been using, it’d finally faded.

  ”I couldn’t… finish her off,” Rochelle wheezed, her voice strained. Once again she eaking only to me. ”ne, pull the bde free and crush her heart. Demons are self-healing, you have to kill her now.”

  My muscles felt like melting snow. They were hardly holding together, yet I forced myself to stand. Taking a ragged breath, I ed both of my hands around the handle of Rochelle’s sword. With all my remaining strength, I pulled it free of the demon’s stomach.

  As I lifted the sword up, tears spilled free of the demon’s eyes. I gasped. Once again, this was nothing like the demons I’d heard about. Demon’s didn’t cry. I watched as the demon closed her now green eyes, as if she was waiting for the final blow. She was ready to die.

  ”I ’t. Something’s wrong.” Stumbling, I turo Bir atg me with her hands csped over her lips. Her eyes were trained on the demon. Something about her expression… they knew each other.

  ?Who is this?? I signed wearily.

  “Viander Reika,” Bir answered, her voice quivering. “But I don’t uand. She doesn’t even use magic, how could she…”

  That was all I o know. My body heavy, I trudged over to the crate of ichor vials, nearly emptied by our battle. I grabbed another vial auro Reika’s side. Something had made her a demon. She was a victim, I could feel it.

  ”ne. Don’t. You ’t save someone ohey’ve demonized.”

  Downing the vial, I held out my hand and cast my spell. The wound on Reika’s stomach began to seal. Opening her eyes, Reika gazed at me, trembling. She looked terrified, and fused.

  “Why?” The word left Reika’s lips like an i. She knew what she’d done. Even if she had no trol over herself, she likely remembered every moment of her demonization. I could only imagihe nightmare that must have been.

  ?This wasn’t her fault,? I signed, looking back at Bir. ?Someone else did this.?

  ”I’ve never…” I could almost imagihe shocked expression Rochelle wore as she spoke. ”She’s… no longer demonized?”

  ”Yeah. Somehow you saved her.”

  ”This was nothing I did, ne.”

  The sound of hooves against stone echoed in the night. Looking up I saw Edna. She was covered in blood. Her clothes in tatters. As she got closer, I noticed she was missing fingers from her left hand. My heart ached at the sight.

  Behind Edna rode a dozen knights. They’d all likely already seen Reika demonized. If I didn’t do something, they’d kill her. Fighting through the pain I felt, I rushed to the wagon and grabbed a b. Before a close to her, I tossed the b over Reika.

  “ne!” Edna called my name as she ran over. “Are you alright? Is that the demon?”

  I looked to Bir. She was watg me, ready to speak my words. ?The demon is dead. We killed her.?

  “You what?! How—“ Edna stopped mid-sentence, her jaw moved but no sounds came out. She was too surprised to speak. Shaking her head to clear her mind, Edna turned her attention to Lydia and Azmoria. Her lips pressed into a thin line as she crouched beside Lydia.

  Bir had performed wonders. The massive gash on Lydia’s back was gone. Even her severed tail had beeached. However, her wounds were too great to heal pletely. A vicious scar ran the length of Lydia’s spine. But that didn’t matter. What mattered was that she was alive.

  Azmoria’s breathing was stable. Despite my inability to finish healing her, she looked to be at ease. I wao try to heal her further, to reduce as many sting injuries as possible. But I ast my breaking point. Bir too, likely didn’t have it io cast another spell. I just had to hope I’d done enough.

  “I’m so gd you’re safe,” Edna’s voice broke. Rubbing tears from her eyes with her good hand she approached the knights that’d followed her.

  A rge man with soft brown hair that puffed out like a squirrel’s tail stepped forward to greet her. For a sed, his gaze lingered on Azmoria, then he looked to Edna. “You are tess Edna Marwood, yes?” The man’s voice was stern, but his gaze was soft. I took some fort in it, hopeful that he’d take mer us.

  “I am.” Edna stiffened. “And you are… ander of the 7th Battalion, Arlon Dasskas, yes?”

  It was Arlon’s turn thten himself, his eyes widening a bit in surprise. “It honors me to be known by Marwood’s great witch.”

  “You made quite a name for yourself in the north. Even one as homebound as I, am not so removed to have not heard your exploits.”

  “Your panions here cim to have sin the viander?”

  “They put down the demon we failed to tain, yes.”

  “May I take a look at the body?” Arlon asked, he gaze turning to the b I’d id over Reika.

  Panic gripped my heart, but Edna merely smiled. “I do not believe that is wise, ander Arlon. I am certain Princess ook the extraordinary step of c Reika’s corpse to prevent the rest of us from being poisoned. As you know, demon blood is exceptionally dangerous. Though I am too tired to do so now, I ask that you entrust me with Reika’s disposal.”

  “Princess?” Arlon looked at me in shock. In one smooth motion he covered his heart and dropped to one knee. “Five me, I did not know a member of royalty was in Lady Edna’s care.”

  “You need not be so formal. Princess ne is of Ezin. As you know her family has fallen. I have taken oask of proteg her in hopes she will retake her father’s throne. All for Nakara’s be of course.”

  “Your mind cocts wonders I would not have sidered, Lady Edna.”

  “Yes well,” Edna took a deep breath and looked to the knights behind Arlon. Thankfully, one of them was capable of healing magic. As we spoke, they worked to heal the wounded guards. “I am so very tired. Might I ask that we cut any more formalities ao the crux of what you wish to say to me.”

  “You disobeyed His Highness’s orders. You’ve engaged in an act of treason. From the look of things, you weren’t at the castle tonight because you sensed a demon. You were there to free the disgraced captain.”

  “Is that who that is?” Edna raised an eyebrow. “When I teleported her here, she was so bloody and swollen I couldn’t tell who she was. I assure you, I never meant to it any acts of treason.”

  “In the courtyard you were uhe effect of a gmor spell. Why, pray tell, were you hiding your appearance?”

  “I didn’t want to cause anyone . If someone as famous as I were to stroll in prepped for battle, it would cause unnecessary fear would it not?”

  “We could’ve helped you.”

  “I wasn’t certain I was right.”

  Arlon’s brow knitted. “You seem to have been preparing to leave.”

  “There’s trouble ba my domain. My brother may be a skilled chamberin, but I feel uneasy leaving this in his hands. I have a responsibility to my people to ehey are protected.”

  A heavy sigh escaped Arlon’s throat. “Take her with you, please.”

  “Who?”

  “Azmoria, Lady Edna. She doesn’t deserve this.”

  “While I wouldn’t mind, su act would be treason would it not?”

  “Hmm,” Arlon turned, his gaze fixated on the castle in the distance. “I’ve firmed the demon’s death. Sadly, the prisoner Azmoria was killed in the fighting. I personally witnessed her st breaths as her body was reduced to ders. I will ask Prince Owen’s fivehat I was not able to save her in time so that she could face her execution.”

  “Such kindness will be your downfall.”

  “I’m only telling you the truth as I saw it. There is nothing kind to my words. Five me for being incapable of preventing the suffering you’ve endured. I will tell the knights of your deeds.”

  “My thoughts go with you,” Edna bowed. “I truly wish it were not viander Reika who demonized. She was a truly honorable soul, and my heart breaks for her family.”

  “Mioo.”

  Arlon stepped forward and gave his knights orders to depart. Edna would take care of the demon’s body, there was nothi for them to do.

  As the knights departed, I colpsed to my knees. My body felt heavy. So much had happened in such a short period of time. I was little more than a shallow husk. Edna too, seemed thhly drained.

  “Tell me ne, why have you thrown a bedsheet over the body of the demon?” Edna asked ohe knights were gone. “You did kill her, didn’t you?”

  ?No.?

  Bir approached us, whispering softly to Edna. “Lady ne has said no, the viander is not dead. But please, let her expin herself before you do anything.”

  “Alright, expin.”

  ?Reika’s not a demon anymore. I don’t know how, but when I stabbed her iomach she turned bato a human. Her eyes aren’t red anymore. And her blood isn’t bck.?

  Edna chucked dryly, fresh blood spilling from her lips. “So, you’re saying you were able to somehow reverse Reika’s demonization?”

  ?Yes.?

  “And you know how impossible that is?”

  ?It is the truth.?

  “Our saint is truly capable of wonders,” Edna smiled. With her good hand she ed her arm around me and pulled me into a hug. “I’m just so gd you’re okay.”

  “After everything, what’ll we do now?” Bir asked as Ed me free from her hug.

  “We’ll lick our wounds and t our dead. I’m too tired to do anything else.”

  “Will we be deying our departure?”

  “With two fugitives in our ranks?” Edna’s gaze turned incredulous as she looked at Bir. “We hardly have the time. No, we leave tonight.”

  --———

  eri

  And then there is Rochelle using some powerful magic to take over ne’s body. The spell es at a cost, but we get a First Saint vs. Demon shoithout using profane (“Ichor-Bck”) magic, Rochelle is able to wreck the demon. She even makes ne spit fire tho our little saint describes it more suctly as feeling like she’s vomiting.

  And oh little ne. Even if she didn’t have the strength to fight herself, it’s her heart that really saves the day. She notices Reika’s red blood, and even immediately notices Reika’s eyes ging from red to green. Because of her Reika gets to survive this enter. Nobody else would’ve let her live. ventional wisdom says that oneone bees a demon, they ever turn back… but then again, Reika wasn’t a ventional demon.

  At over 3,500 words… this chapter was one heck of a dozy. I’m gd to be able t you an ending where none of our named characters had to die. As an author I’m not against character death, but I do want it to serve the narrative. This time around, I felt this resolution was the ohat felt right.

  Chapter 13 will all of this up. The battle is over, but so much has happened. Everyone’s going to need some time to process.

  In non-core Eighth Vessel news, I’ve been dabbling with ah Vessel spin off. It takes p Ezin (where everyone is pretending ne is from) and follows the daughter of a noble house trying to save her family’s crumbling domain, and perhaps even start on a path to rest their fallen kingdom. Will it ever e out? Who knows! It’s just a fun side project to py around with some of the lore I’ve written up. But I wouldn’t release it unless it actually felt like something that could stand on its own.

  Don’t fet, yetting so much fluff in Chapter 14. So for those who love the fluff, I promise at least one really fluffy day is in your future.