The Ducervi troupe stared at Davilo in shock. His earnest plea caught them off guard. It was Baela who stepped in front of her comrades and said, “Let’s give up! He’s too strong and there’s not enough reason to fight him.”

  “What?” Casios asked, “What the bloody deuce, Baela, you were the one that was hot and bothered about killing him.”

  “That’s not me.” Said Baela.

  “What?” Casios turned to Baela.

  The Baela that stood in front of them stuck her arms up, waving them in the air, “I know, but let’s just turn around and go back to the auction house.”

  “That’s not me, idiots.” Baela, stepped forward and pointed her staff. The wind blew the hair out of the other Baela’s face, revealing the bent scar on her right cheek.

  Lala reverted to her normal changeling form, “If you don't leave right now, you’re going to see the full weight of the fire lord.”

  “It doesn’t look like he wants to fight,” Raka said as she looked at Lord Davilo, “Davilo?”

  Davilo pleaded to all of them, “I have caused enough harm. I merely wish to protect my subjects. Allow me to retrieve Sal and be on my way. There is no need for violence.”

  The dwarf suppressed a laugh. Casios didn’t. “The Fire Lord. The Great Destroyer. Hell’s Fury. The Fiery Death. The Eternal Flame. B-begging?” Casios asked, “Am I hearing this correctly? He’s asking us not to fight him.”

  Baela gave a look of absolute disgust at Davlio, “Pick up your pitch fork and fight us, Davilo.” She pointed her staff. The end glowed, ready to cast a spell at a moment's notice.

  “I urge you all,” Davilo said, “I do not want to fight anyone. It is my sole intent to respect the Dark Lord’s wishes and retrieve my subject without any harm.”

  “Ha! The kobold? The little scrub who could have died?! That’s the person the great Davio is taking orders from?” Casios threw his head back, “I’m starting to think you’ve lost your touch. Is that what the clocktower was for? A slight demonstration to scare us into submission?”

  Davilo shook his head, Lala stuck her hands up and put herself between the four heroes and Davilo, “Pleaase! We are begging not to fight! We just want to make sure our friend is back! You’re all mercenaries, correct? This is a financial issue! We can make some sort of agreement, can’t we?”

  Lala looked back at Davilo, “There must be some item or weapon or something you’ve collected that will make these four rich beyond their wildest hopes?”

  “That sounds amazing,” Raka said, “Then we can take the salamander out of the auction, give it to them and we can take something back to Mother.”

  Baela stepped forward, undeterred, Casios did too, Then, to Raka’s surprise, even the dwarf did.

  “Thing is, Raka,” The dwarf said, “There’s nothing that will make the troupe more impressed with us than finishing off a devil. We could take back some magic item and take our share, but he must be pretty weak if he doesn’t want to fight us.”

  “Think with your head, idiot!” Raka said, “He doesn’t want to fight us for our sake, not his.”

  “I want to touch him to be sure. I need to know what his power feels like.”

  “Glory. Spoils. You think I joined Ducervi for all that?” Baela asked as she kept stepping forward, her staff glowing a brighter blue, “I put myself in front of the strongest people so that I can get stronger too. You can have your stinkin’ salamander meat! You can have your money! The reason I joined the Ducervi is standing right in front of me!”

  Then she pointed her staff right at Davilo.

  “I beseech you.” Davilo said.

  “I don’t care.” Baela said, “Frios II.” A shock of frost came out of the staff. It was such an intense beam that it caused the surrounding wind to become frigid as well. Lala covered her face with her hands but it went right past her.

  “Don’t!” Lala said, “Please!”

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  The frost covered up Davilo’s left side with ice Instead of the normal dry heat that surrounded Davilo’s presence, the air rapidly cooled, causing the ambient moisture to quickly condensate, creating an unintended effect of mist all around Davilo.

  “NOW!!” Baela commanded.

  “Now what?!” Dwarf asked, “We didn’t come up with a bloody plan!”

  “NOWWW!” Baela screamed again. The dwarf ran toward Davilo with his axe in his hand. He lifted it up and swung at Davilo. The blade entered his neck. Beneath Davilo’s skin… there was nothing but fire.

  “Please.” Davilo said again.

  “RAKA!” the dwarf cried out.

  “Gods dammit, you three!” Raka took out her two hand axes and chucked them at Davilo. One entered his chest and the other one entered his shoulder blade.

  “I’m begging you all.”

  Lala screamed in fear, covering her head for protection. She turned back to Davilo. He shook his head and mouthed the words ‘run.’ With tears in her eyes, Lala begged for them to stop but they would not listen. Her final result was to turn and run as far away as possible.

  “Your teammates are abandoning you,” Baela said, “You’ve failed everyone, Davilo. You’ve failed her and you failed your little salamander.”

  Davilo closed his eyes and tried to breathe. His breath was short. His pulse was quickened. He was trapped. These people would not desist. There was only one pathway left. Retaliation.

  Casios jetted toward them, “I want to play!”

  “Not yet! Everyone back away!” Baela screamed.

  The dwarf pulled his axe out before he and Raka backed away.

  “Ice blast.” One after another, an icicle shot through her staff. They were sharpened to a deadly point and all shot out at the speed of an over-drawn arrow. One landed in the same hole in his chest as the handaxe, breaking it into little pieces, the other landed deep in his belly, coming out the other side.

  “My axes!” Raka yelled.

  “Friostrom” Instead of a single beam of frost, an entire wave erupted from her staff. It was like a coming tide of wicked snow, leaving little ice shards in its wake. Davilo looked up at the wave as it slowly overtook them. His eyes closed as they did. The spell completely enveloped him in ice.

  “I can’t touch him now!” Casios said, “Baela! You’re no fun!”

  “This isn’t a game, Cas!” Baela said, “Do you know what would have happened if you got your hands on him? The power would be too intense for you anyway.”

  “Oh, now. I really don’t like what you’re implying.” Casios said as he took out his rapier and bounded toward the slab of ice.

  “Stop him!” Baela cried out. The dwarf and Raka exchanged confused glances. Casios was two quick for either of them. They stuck their hands out but he danced between them, tangling them in figurative knots until they bumped into each other. He leapt up and placed himself behind Davilo, his rapier tucking itself right into Davilo’s lower back and coming out of his chest, “Now, as for that power,” Casios said. He unsheathed his rapier from Davilo’s body and proceeded to slash the back to and fro, creating enough back to give the swordsman enough range to touch the devil’s back.

  “Casios!” Baela yelled, staring daggers at him, “STOP!”

  “You’ve got your whims, I’ve got mine,” Said Casios.

  Baela stuck up her staff and pointed it right at Davilo, “You’ve got to get out of there, I’m going to use the strongest ice spell I have in my arsenal! Once I do this, I’ll be completely drained!”

  Just let me touch him!” Casios said, “Think of what that power must… feel like. A floor lord!”

  His last slice punctured the ice. Casios went to place his hand on Davilo but a force stopped him.

  It was red, thick and leathery and had wrapped around Casios’ wrist. The end was in the shape of a spade. Casios looked at the strange red whip and followed it all the way to Davilo’s rump. It was the devil’s tail. It yanked so hard downward that Casios fell and he lost grip on his rapier.

  Lala’s tears streaked her cheeks as she ran through the cold night air. She changed her form again. A small child that had boundless energy when they played tag. Also with red hair and blue eyes. When she took on a new form, she took on a derivative of their attributes. She was able to burst forward at a slightly higher speed.

  Lala remembered what Davilo told them all of them before they entered Milik. They had all been sitting around, discussing potential plans, Stormbristle once again ringing the old bell that this was a stealth mission and Davilo was to be on his best behavior. Davilo had listened, out of character in his patience, his arms resting on his pitchfork.

  “So… to conclude, we shall be on our best behavior. Is that clear?”

  “Sure, man,” Said Tamas, “Not sure why that had to be a whole rigamarole.”

  Lala gave Storm a sympathetic look as he sighed, “And you, Lord Davilo?”

  “To the best of my abilities.”

  Another deep breath from Storm.

  “To the best of my abilities… but I will say this… Although subtlety eludes me…. I want as little injury as you.”

  Storm and Lala both perked up, surprised at this confession. “Sir,” Lala said, “You don’t want anyone getting hurt?”

  Davilo shook his head, “I did not expect to confess such a vulnerable corner of my soul… but as we are bandmates… I must confide in you all.”

  As so he did. Davilo explained exactly how he got into the Dark Lord’s Domain. The faces of Storm, Lala, and even Tamas when he stopped picking his belly button to listen were ones of shock and horror and unease. But it was the last thing he said that Lala remembered while running. It was a glaring warning.

  “My presence… ignites people. My impression on this kingdom is, no doubt, indelible,” He gave a wry chuckle, “My sins catch up to me. If it shall be that my identity is revealed… if it shall be that a fight breaks out… and I must be the one that does the fighting… for the sake of your lives please… run. Run as far away as you can. Because… My greatest shame is the idiom that was created in my infamy. The adage humans started saying was a direct result of my rampage. Before me, there was no such expression as 'All hell broke loose.’”

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