As dawn broke over the horizon, Damien and Aquila descended gracefully in front of Westmont’s gate.
The town bore the scars of its recent encounter with the demonic forces. Rubble and debris were scattered across the streets, and several homes still smoldered faintly from fires that had been extinguished in haste.
The devastation was a grim reminder of the battle that had taken place here—half of which Damien knew he was responsible for during his clash with the Grade Two demon.
Letting out a heavy sigh, Damien dismounted from Aquila, his boots crunching softly against the gravel. Stay updated through empire
The two guards stationed at the gate immediately straightened at the sight of him, their hands snapping to their foreheads in a salute.
“Mercenary Damien,” one of them said, his voice steady despite the fatigue visible on his face.
Damien gave them a small, tired smile and nodded. “Good work holding things together,” he said. “Carry on.”
The guards exchanged a quick glance, pride flickering in their expressions as they stood even taller.
Damien passed through the gates, Aquila walking beside him, its sharp gaze scanning the surroundings.
The Griffin moved silently, its regal form drawing the attention of passersby as Damien threaded down the main road that cut through the town.
Word of his return spread quickly, faster than Damien’s own pace. People peered out from windows and doorways, their gazes lingering on him as whispers rippled through the crowd.
Some had seen him leave in the dead of night, while others had only heard rumors of his departure. Many more had witnessed his summons returning with a group of people encased in Luton’s form.
The story of Damien rescuing the captives had spread through the town, but no one knew where he had gone or what he had been doing since then.
Damien ignored the stares and whispers, his focus fixed on the path ahead. He wasn’t bothered by the attention.
After all, there was no ill intent in their gazes, only curiosity and respect. Even if there had been hidden malice, Damien was confident it wouldn’t escape Aquila’s sharp senses. The Griffin’s ability to detect evil was second to none. At least amongst his summons.
He had barely made it halfway through the town when a familiar figure appeared in the distance.
Someone was running toward him at full speed, their voice carrying faintly through the early morning air.
Damien tilted his head, trying to make out the words, but the distance and the murmur of the town made it impossible.
As the figure came closer, Damien’s enhanced hearing picked up on the voice more clearly, and a smirk crossed his lips.
It was Arielle, and she was yelling his name repeatedly, her tone somewhere between exasperation and desperation.
“Damien!” she shouted, her voice growing louder as she closed the distance.
Damien furrowed his brow, confused by the urgency in her tone. He glanced at Aquila, who had suddenly taken a step behind him, its body language unusually timid. “What’s gotten into you?” he muttered, eyeing the Griffin suspiciously.
As Arielle grew closer, Damien realized she wasn’t slowing down. In fact, her pace only seemed to increase, and her shouts grew sharper. “Damieeeeen!!”
Her arms were stretched forward, her fingers curled as though she were preparing to grab something—or someone.
“What the—” Damien’s confusion deepened as he pieced things together. A sinking feeling told him this wasn’t going to end well.
Arielle leapt into the air, her hands outstretched and aimed directly for his neck.
“No way!” Damien, acting on instinct, sidestepped to the right just as she flew past him.
She landed with a slight stumble but immediately turned to face him, her expression a mixture of anger and relief.
“Arielle, what’s gotten into—” Damien began, but before he could finish, her hand shot out and grabbed his shirt, yanking him closer.
Damien staggered forward, his face inches away from hers. A faint blush crept up his cheeks as he tried to process what was happening. Arielle’s face reddened as well, but her expression was anything but shy.
Before Damien could speak again, Arielle’s hand wrapped around his neck, squeezing firmly as she began to shake him furiously. “Where the hell have you been?” she demanded, her voice rising with each word.
Damien’s eyes widened as she continued to rattle him. “What—Arielle! Calm down!”
“No!” she snapped, shaking him even harder. “You’ve got a lot of explaining to do! Where did you go after leaving? Where did you find those people you sent back with your summons? Why didn’t you return with them? And why, for the love of all that’s holy, did you cancel your bird’s summon without warning?!”
Damien raised his hands in surrender, trying to calm her down. “If you stop strangling me, I’ll explain!” he pleaded, his voice strained as she continued to shake him.
“Answers, Damien!” Arielle shouted, her grip tightening. “Spit it out!”
“Arielle, please!” Damien coughed, finally managing to pry her hands away from his neck. She crossed her arms, glaring at him expectantly, her foot tapping against the ground.
He straightened his clothes and took a deep breath, trying to gather his thoughts. “Alright, alright,” he said, holding up his hands in a placating gesture.
Seeing that she was listening, Damien continued. “I went to investigate a cavern where demons were holding those people captive. I couldn’t return with them because I needed to explore the tunnels and make sure there weren’t any more threats. And as for Aquila… canceling the summon saves essence. I needed every bit of it for what I was doing.”
Arielle’s glare softened slightly, though her frustration remained evident. “And you didn’t think to let me know? You just left without saying anything?”
Damien sighed. “I didn’t have time, Arielle. Those people were in danger, and I had to act quickly. I knew you’d understand.”
She huffed, crossing her arms again. “Fine. But next time, don’t just vanish like that. You’re not invincible, Damien, and you’re terrible at keeping people informed.”
A small smile tugged at Damien’s lips. “Duly noted,” he said.
Arielle rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide the relief in her expression. “Good. Now, let’s get inside. You look like you’ve been through hell.”
Damien chuckled, patting Aquila’s side. “You have no idea.”
As they made their way into the town together, the tension between them eased, and Damien felt a flicker of gratitude.
No matter how chaotic things became, at least he could always count on Arielle to keep him grounded—even if it meant being shaken half to death in the middle of the street. “Excluding that part.” He muttered to himself.
