"Godshards choose their paths. I do not wish to change that. I merely wish to facilitate this nature, and my organization will be their guide.” - David, founder of the sacerdozio.

  Leo turned back to Salvatore. He saw him smile. Leo gave up asking for him to elaborate. Some stuff was well and truly beyond his comprehension.

  “Tenente!” Nico rushed up to them. “There is a Benelim outside the barricade. He wishes to pass, to speak to you. Should I send him off?”

  “Let him in,” said Salvatore. Nico didn’t listen and looked at Leo.

  Typical Nico. Leo grumbled, “I concur with Padre.”

  “At once,” Nico said, saluting. Leo followed. He had a hunch who it was. In the excitement, he had forgotten all about him. They left him at the port days prior.

  “Leo, I’m so happy I found you!” exclaimed Petro as he walked past the barricade. “The city has devolved into chaos. Rumors abound of daemons.”

  Etheros walked up to them. “They aren’t just rumors, as much as I wish they were. You’re the Benelim commander from Leo’s story.”

  “An Adamite? I have never seen one this far west.” He bowed. “I am Petro.”

  “Etheros. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I had a hunch you would appear. What is your business?”

  Petro grew serious. “I owe Leo and Maga Avalon for saving my life. I would be honored if I could join you.” Indeed, he looked ready for adventure. He had a crossbow, a sword strapped to his back, and another bag. Leo was concerned they might not have enough room.

  “What about your crew?” asked Avella.

  “Curio and Ioannes will see to their safety.”

  She raised an eyebrow and said, “The Island City might not let you in.”

  “Please, at least let me help you get there.”

  Leo shrugged. “If there’s room, I don’t see why not.”

  “Now, wait a minute,” shouted Elizabeth as she jumped out of the wagon. Annabelle trailed behind her. “I don’t think this is a good idea. Anna has a hard time being around Bennies. And we’ll be cramped in there.”

  “What does she think?” asked Etheros.

  Annabelle stared at Petro for a moment and said, “I think it’s okay. It’s only one Benelim. As long as it’s not a bun—” She cringed and took a step back. Avella, Salvatore, and Etheros followed suit.

  Etheros trembled. “They’re here.”

  Leo looked around frantically. “Where? I don’t see anything!”

  Annabelle was nearly limp, hanging onto Elizabeth. Annabelle looked around, her eyes darting. “They’re everywhere. Clouds of blackness.”

  Salvatore nearly fell to his knees; Avella prevented him from falling. “She’s right,” said Avella. “Something is trying to hide it from our Soulsight, but it’s not enough.”

  “Everyone to the wagon!” ordered Leo. Elizabeth was the first to run, holding on tightly to Annabelle.

  The daemon materialized right before Elizabeth and Annabelle, seemingly out of nowhere. Elizabeth stood in front, just close enough for the daemon to pounce on the both of them. Annabelle screamed, and Elizabeth gritted her teeth. She kicked at the creature’s stomach, forcing it to jump back. Leo and Petro drew swords. The temple guards rushed out and braced spears.

  At last, Leo was face to face with a daemon. The artwork, stories, and visions didn’t do it justice. They were much more horrifying in person.

  It crawled on all fours, wolf-like, dragging a long serpentine tail with what looked like poisoned spikes. The beast circled them. Its two heads roared, one a rabid tusked boar, the other a smirking wolf. It had five horns, pointed straight like a unicorn. The daemon glared with hungry, malicious black eyes.

  Suddenly more daemons appeared, bestial forms coming out of nothingness. In moments the battle turned into chaos. A daemon charged Leo, and he barely had enough time to bring up his blade. In a flash, Leo felt pain on his arm. He looked down to see claw marks across his skin. Leo lowered his sword, running it through the creature’s chest, before kicking it away. The daemon stilled, and Leo took a deep breath.

  It got back up, the wound closing up within moments. The creature grinned as Leo turned white. This was not like any foe Leo had fought before. He trembled, feeling a sense of vulnerability he hadn’t in a long time.

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  Leo looked around. Several guardie were already down. Their white hooded forms dragged away. Elizabeth ran through a daemon with her guisarme as it attempted to pounce on her. She slammed the daemon into the ground. It kept swiping at her, not bothered by the hole in its chest.

  Acolytes ran inside the temple, and daemons followed. Salvatore took one last look at the temple and his town. He spared a glance at Leo and the others. He smiled. “Knock them dead.” A daemon pounced on him and dragged him away.

  Bolts whistled through the air and pelted the daemons. They shrieked and rolled away. Mouths prying projectiles out of their hides. A wall of black and gold hastily formed a line in front of the daemons.

  “We’ll hold them off. Get out of here!” shouted Nico.

  “Agreed,” said Etheros as he took the reins.

  Leo didn’t need to be told twice. Annabelle went as far back as she could, Elizabeth following. Leo and Petro followed as well, Petro pointing his crossbow outward. They were cramped together, but Leo didn’t mind—anything to get them away from these monsters.

  A roar pierced the air. A daemon larger and bulkier than the others leaped from seemingly nowhere and pounced into the barrier of the guardie, sending soldiers flying in all directions.

  Etheros shuddered. “There he is. That’s the daemon who attacked me.”

  The monster’s noses sniffed the air. “Mortal fear, it’s always delicious.” The two heads spoke as one, carrying unnatural power, and Annabelle whimpered. It turned to the wagon and grinned. “Greetings, cattle. We are Velo-Obitus. Give us Etheros, and the rest of you will be allowed to live. You have no chance. We have bested Etheros once before, and he is greater than the rest of you.”

  “Never!” shouted Leo.

  “Go to hell!” Elizabeth spat.

  Petro cursed at him in his own tongue.

  “So be it,” muttered the daemon. It crouched, preparing to pounce before something gave it pause.

  A familiar screech filled the air.

  Generale Augustino landed between them and the daemon on his griffon. He pointed his weapon at the monster. “No further.”

  Velo-Obitus lunged at the griffon. The two beasts tumbled fiercely, the claws and teeth of the daemon shredding the griffon’s armor. The feathered beast howled in pain as blood oozed from its wounds. The griffon clamped down on Velo-Obitus’s neck before throwing the monster onto the temple roof. The beast shattered mosaics and statues as they rolled onto the floor.

  The griffon was hurt, and it perched on a nearby roof to lick its wounds. The daemon had cuts and gashes from thousands of mosaic shards. It was like a pincushion with so many open wounds. Slowly, inexorably the scars were healing, cavities of flesh narrowing, bones sliding back into place.

  Etheros looked behind him. “Are we all here?”

  “We just need Maga Avalon,” said Leo. He peered out into the chaos of the square. Guardie were fighting battles with the daemons. White-robed acolytes were trussed atop canine shoulders, the beasts outrunning soldiers desperately chasing them.

  A tear ran down Leo’s cheek. This was his home! What loathsome monsters these wretches were! There would be payback. Leo would see to that! All they needed was for Avella to get on board. She stood in the courtyard, a black figure amid fire and death.

  She turned to them and shouted, “Get out of here! I will hold them off for as long as I can!”

  Leo rushed to the front of the wagon. “What?”

  “There’s still time!” said Petro. Velo-Obitus slowly stumbled to his feet, perching on the ruins of the temple.

  “There isn’t,” muttered Elizabeth. “We need to go.”

  “Please, before it catches up to us,” pleaded Annabelle.

  Leo locked eyes with the Godshard he had fought so hard to protect. He gestured to her, pleading with his eyes. She shook her head ever so slightly. Everything else faded away. Time stood still. It was just the two of them alone. Her voice entered Leo’s head.

  We will meet again.

  Avella nodded to Etheros, who whipped forward moments after.

  The chaos of battle came back. There wasn’t much else Leo could say or even think, as they still had to fight their way free. Daemons got trampled under the wheels, and guardie rushed to get out of the way. All was madness and bloodshed as they stabbed and shot at any daemons who got close.

  In front of the temple, Velo-Obitus gave chase to the wagon. The griffon rushed to cut him off. The monster scoffed and whipped its tail, sending the griffon and Augustino careening into a building in an explosion of dust. Guardie were distraught, and they rushed to rescue their leader. The daemon grinned, its two heads laughing.

  A flaming rope coiled around the daemon, pulling it back into the temple wall. The impact caused the temple to collapse on top of him in a storm of bricks. Dust filled the air, and the daemon clawed out of the rubble, snorting flames. Both heads growled at Avella. The beast’s anger abruptly faded as one of its heads tilted at the Godshard.

  Avella raised her fists and said, “You’re not going anywhere!”

  The wolf head daemon, Velo, spoke first. “Such an aggressive spirit child."

  “Have we met before?” asked Obitus, the daemon boar head.

  Avella outstretched her fire whip, slashing the daemon repeatedly. Zigzag lines of fire trailed its skin. The daemon pounced, Avella dodging just in time, the impact knocking her to the ground.

  She was up on her feet in moments, muttering another incantation. Lightning bolts shot from her fingertips, the streaks illuminating the dusty air as they circled the daemon. The bolts struck him repeatedly, searing his skin and causing him to yelp.

  But the wounds were healing fast, fur growing back as quickly as it had burned. Etheros wasn’t kidding about the daemon’s strength. It didn’t matter. Avella had a part to play. She had one more spell for this performance and finished her final chants.

  Avella raised her hands and launched a broad jet of white fire, gushing like water pouring down a stream. The flames stuck to the daemon, who howled in pain.

  In an explosion of movement, the daemon charged through the holy fire and pinned her down. His charred body panted heavily, his eyes melted, and his claws broken off. Yet even these wounds healed; new skin and fur covered blackened muscle, the eyes reformed, and the nails grew back.

  He snarled, pressing his paw on Avella’s throat, causing her to choke. She grasped at his arms, feebly trying to pry them off. He lifted his foot with a nod; Avella struggled to regain her breath. She couldn’t even speak, much less cast a spell. How insidious; they had planned this well. The daemon draped her on his shoulder. Velo-Obitus nodded to the others, and they began to flee.

  Avella was disoriented; she looked up and saw the temple getting further away. Blackness began to envelop them. It was not just her waning consciousness. It was magic. She saw a familiar black-clad figure waiting for them. Let’s hope this works.