7 To No Longer Be Cold

Back in Hermes, The morning after the event. Isabella stared at the 12 foot tall, embedded demon in wonder.

Several soldiers stood at all the nearby entrances to the street blocking it off from all traffic. A senior garrison member stood at her side and spoke almost whispering. "Its perfectly fused.. almost like it was passing through the wall and it solidified." "We did some cutting in the wall on the side and... even the organs continue into the stone."

Isabella nodded her eyes becoming serious. "Have you showed all the guards." Her beautiful voice seemed to refresh the soldier beside her.

"Not yet Miss Isabella, Should we hide it or burn it off the wall?"

"Show them all." she commanded. "They need to know the appearance of the enemy." "I've seen paintings and heard descriptions, but this is the first time I've actually seen one."

"Yes Miss Isabella!" He saluted and rushed away.

For a little while longer Isabella stared at the Mad Demon as though memorizing its appearance, although certain she would never forget its look. Then she turned and went to the waiting wagon to return to the cloister.

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When Wendy woke up the next morning she was refreshed and eager to forget the events of yesterday. Glancing over, she saw Lissa in a deep, deep sleep clutching Wendy's shawl.

A look of confusion filled Wendy's face for a moment and she carefully extracted the shawl. Wendy wanted to let Lissa sleep in as long as possible so she dressed quietly and hurried out of the room.

Down the hallway she went and out the door to the courtyard. Glancing over she saw that the gate was open again. Wendy crossed the lightly snow filled courtyard to the kitchen. She decided she would pick up a basket, and pick up a load of rations from the old formal chapel. She hurried from the kitchen, across the courtyard and out the gate. Going through the streets again along the familiar route, but noticed something was really different.

For one thing.. she wasn't cold, and another she felt like she had more energy then before.

Had she really changed so much when she became a witch? Pretty soon she entered the old chapel and stood in the line.

"Say did you hear about the demon?" One lady said to another.

"Oh yes! everyone in town is talking about it!"

"The town guard wanted to hide it but her Holiness said to let everyone look at it."

"So that thing is what sent the demonic hybrid creatures?"

"I think they should destroy it, its creepy!"

"At least its dead, they said a witch killed it after it killed a city guard."

"That's so horrible, no one should have to die that way..."

"What the demon?"

"No! the guard! they said he couldn't even draw a sword he was just slaughtered like a chicken!"

"To think the first person to die wouldn't be on the wall this time but in the city."

"So the witch that killed it... was a pure witch?"

"The garrison left by prince Roland says witches never served the demons, that they are here to help us."

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During the previous morning, a pair of baleful eyes glared in disbelief through a red mist. The Mad Demon watched the witch running away to fall and reveal startlingly black hair in the snow. Then get up and run quickly away. The massive winged mount completed its bank and descended to the street with a flap of wings. The Mad Demon hopped off the mount, and rushed to its comrade in the wall. With a roar it grabbed the worn skins on the demon on the wall pulling with all its strength, but it didn't budge.

After another roar the Mad Demon punched the side of the motionless demons helmet with its metal glove. The skull helmet cracked and a small amount of red mist escaped into the air.

Roaring again it took to the sky to begin searching for revenge.

**********

After Wendy's basket was filled with the ration, she covered it and hurried back from the church. The wind was fairly low today and the clouds were thin. In a moment of realization she thought to herself, "I'm a witch! I can save the world! I'm not cold and I don't need to hide anymore!" pulling down her shawl her hair flowed in the wind. Some passing townsfolk stopped in place and stared across the street at her as she walked past them. Her ebony hair was almost blinding in its contrast as it flowed in this world of white snow.

Returning to The gate of the cloister she entered and crossed the courtyard. The snow in the courtyard was beaten down with footprints but no one was there. Quickly crossing it she entered the kitchen. In the kitchen Two nuns were on duty and they both seemed terrified. One of them came forward and took the basket. Her face was full of pity and fear. "Gods be with you! and good luck." The nun then backed away and stood there holding the basket with white knuckles.

Wendy stood there in shock thinking to herself. Is my hair that frightening? She left the kitchen with the two nuns standing immobile and watching her. Wendy closed the door and took a few steps away from it when she hear Lissa cry out from the other side of the courtyard.

"STOP RIGHT THERE!!!"

Wendy tensed up and became immobile. staring at Lissa's tear stained face.

"DON'T MOVE!!" Lissa shouted.

"Lissa! what's wrong!" Wendy called back, fear in her voice.

"YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIGHT ANOTHER DEMON!!" then with her voice cracking,

"THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY IT WILL WORK!"

Wendy could see the terror in Lissa's face even from here, but she trusted her completely.

"LOOK AHEAD FOUR YARDS!" Lissa pointed to the center of the courtyard where her shawl was draped on the ground. "WHEN I TELL YOU, RUN TO THE SHAWL!!"

Wendy nodded her head hard enough to bounce her hair.

"READY?" Lissa paused for a moment, "NOW!!"

Scrambling forward she ran to the shawl. Just as she was about to reach it she heard a strange whistling noise and a DEAFENING CRASH behind her. Spinning in place she looked back to see a 12 foot wide massive boulder had just landed where she had stood a moment before.

An infuriated roar sounded from above. Jerking her head up she saw a huge winged beast looping down from the sky. In terror she noticed that on its back flew a 10 foot tall skull helmeted demon.

It leaped from the winged beast's back to land with a solid thud in front of her in the courtyard, shaking her bones. Its three fingered hands had massive metal gloves. It swung a right fist to grab at her head but her knees had already buckled. It's massive glove missed her head by inches as she dropped down and the hair slipped through its grasp. before she hit her knees on the ground she realized she had to act or die. The feeling in her chest surged again and she raised both hands towards the giant before her. The air blurred and she fiercely pulled her hands apart. Once again like a frayed fabric doll the Mad Demon tore in half like a giant pair of hands had pulled it apart. Before the halves had hit the ground she heard a pair of footsteps desperately running up behind her, and noticed a red mist spreading everywhere from the Mad Demon. Before the mist reached Wendy a huge wet canvas blanket enveloped her from behind and two sets of strong arms lifted her and raced away from the battlefield. After a few moments as she began to relax from the shock , the arms put her down. The canvas was removed by Lissa who again embraced her. Wendy found herself inside Isabella's office in the cloister.

The two town guards were breathing heavily from their exertions and looked to Isabella. "Your Holiness, did we do our part well?" one of them said.

"You performed perfectly, And your bravery will be rewarded." she assured him.

"Your Holiness, how... how did you know the demon would be torn apart?" The other guard asked.

"Don't worry about that for now." return to guarding the cloister, although no more of them will come today." she said.

Admiration and religious fervor filled their eyes. "Yes your Holiness!!" they said in unison and left the office.