Setting the field

!!!Warning!!!

This chapter contains scenes with sexual content.

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Odbert Perot the captain of the village guard had been spoiling himself with his young slave when a series of frantic knockings came from his door. "Sir! We have a situation in the market!" A muffled voice said frantically behind the door "What do you mean a situation? Are you bothering me because some peasant merchant got robbed?" Captain Perot grunted between thrusts. "Captain, Warin Eloyt was killed by a demon in the market square before the demon ran away with Mr. Eloyts slave under its arm! It is currently heading toward a barricade set up by the Vice captain!" came the muffled reply Odbert ceased his assault on his slaves bruising behind and asked "Did you just say a demon, Killed Warin Eloyt?" "Yes Sir, a demon ripped out of a man who we are assuming was its host before proceeding to disembowel Mr. Eloyt and run of with his slave." the voice repeated "I don't give a damn about his slave Warins death is going to be pinned on me if we don't catch that damned thing and I'll have his bastard father tearing me a new one!" Odbert yelled, pulling himself away from his slave and hurriedly getting re-dressed. "With his only son dead Harald will have no male heir to continue his lineage and maintain his estate." Odbert told the voice behind the door "I wouldn't be surprised if the entire village was burned down because of this."

"Do you really think he would do something so severe Sir?" The voice asked "Knowing that power hungry bastard I wouldn't doubt it." Odbert said as he began to put on his armor. "Have a team of horses assembled immediately." Odbert commanded "Although I am confident in Vice captain Yden's abilities something tells me that he won't be able to stop this demon." "I will have a team assembled right away Captain!" said the voice before the sound of footfall began and quickly faded. Sighing Captain Perot opened the door to his quarters and grabbed his helmet off of the coat rack nearby. Hesitating for a moment Captain Perot looked back to his slave before saying "Do not do anything you will regret while I'm gone, this won't take too long." before slamming his door and locking it behind him. Walking to the railing that separated the second floor from the guard house mess hall/ lobby and rested his hands on it. "Holbrook, Alikok, Cheberell, Delabere and Lyveryche!" Captain Perot shouted out pointing out four men and one woman. "Sir!" All five said in unison as they stood up and saluted their captain. "We've got a demon problem in the market quickly moving out of town." Captain Perot bellowed "It has killed Warin Eloyt and is now on the run. We cannot let it live or else we will face the wrath of Harald Eloyt. The six of us are going after it while the rest of you." Captain Perot said pointing to the rest of the present guards "I need you to go to the market and help with damage control." He then began walking down the stairs to the first level as the guards sprung into life. All of them either putting on their armor or running out the door.

By the time Perot reached the bottom of the stairs all of the guards assigned to damage control had left and were running to the market. The five that he had called out to were all suited in their armor and lined either side of the main door. "Sir, were ready when you are." Holbrook said as he rested his hand on the hilt of his sword." "Good." Perot said to the group "we need to start after that demon if we are going to catch and kill it. Lyveryche we are going to need both your offensive and defensive magic for this be ready at a moments notice as you will be what wins us the battle." Captain Perot pointed to the small woman. Suddenly a smaller man yanked open the door to the guard house "Sir the horses you asked for are ready." the man said as he moved aside for the captain and his small squad. "Excellent, Mount up soldiers! We're going on a demon hunt!"

The six guards quickly mounted their horses and began riding toward the north side of the village. "Captain why are we not heading for the market first?" asked Alikok "The demon was last seen heading toward a barricade that the Vice captain had set up so we are going to check on that to see if it has left the village or is hiding somewhere." Captain Perot answered as they turned on to the barricaded road. Looking down the road Captain Perot could see Vice captain Mark Yden pacing in front of the barricade with a distressed look on his face. "I take it that the demon got past you Yden?" Odbert said as his group rode up to the barricade. "Sorry Captain the demon all but bypassed the barricade entirely." Yden sighed "Oh? how is that?" Captain Perot asked in calm surprise "The demon jumped and ran along the wall of Mrs. Pieres house as though it was still walking on the ground." the vice captain answered "And you and your squad just let it pass overhead?" Perot asked mildly annoyed "Yes sir." Yden admitted "Anything else I should know Vice captain?" Captain perot asked as he faced his horse toward the area where the barricade had been "Yes sir, the demon's skin seems to be impervious to arrows and after passing the barricade it continued north toward the Elkhorn forest." The vice captain reported. "Thank you for the information Vice captain. Please head toward the market to direct the efforts of the guards tasked with damage control." The captain said as he and his squadron headed northward to find the demon. "Right away sir." Yden said running toward the market with his underlings in tow.

As they were passing the farm fields Captain Perot began to speak to his guards. "Alright so you heard what Vice Captain Yden said this demon is agile, smart, and cannot be harmed by arrows. Lyveryche we're going to be relying on you more now that we have that information because if arrows cannot damage it our swords might not either." "What do you think our odds are Captain?" Cheberell asked with some concern "I don't know for sure, but if I am being honest I would guess slim to none." Odbert admitted. The group rode silently after their captains' words as they passed the farm fields and irrigation ditches. The gathering soon came upon a patch of grass that had been partially flattened and was coated in a dusting of ash. "Looks like this thing might be able to use magic to." Lyveryche said as she dismounted her horse and inspected the area. "What makes you say that?" Delabere asked in scepticism "The way that the ash is concentrated signifies that a fire was set right about here." Lyveryche said pointing to the ground below her. "If there was a fire how is the grass not burned to a crisp?" Alikok asked "Because the fire was being controlled by magic." Holbrook remarked "Exactly." Lyveryche confirmed "However the extent of the fires control shows that this demon has incredible control over magic to the extent where it can chose to have it only affect the desired target." she finished "So we know there was a fire set. But what was burned?" Cheberell asked confused "judging by the way the grasses are depressed I would say it was Mr. Eloyts' slave." Holbrook said prompting a small not from Lyverynche "I think that's just about right."

"Alright lets keep moving the forest is no that far up ahead." Captain perot said as Lyveryche mounted her horse and the group continued on. They soon reached the forest's edge and entered at a narrow space between the trees. "Alright be on guard." Captain Perot commanded "This demon has incredible magic control and with how dense this forest is it could be anywhere." As they slowly moved forward a loud crash came from a thick bush on their left startling both the horses and the guards. "What was that?" Captain Perot asked "I'll go check it out." Holbrook said as he moved his horse toward the bush and drew his sword. "Be careful Holbrook." Captain Perot said Holbrook brought his horse to a stop and dismounted before getting into a fighting stance and slowly moving toward the bush. Once he was close enough Holbrook used his sword to push aside some of the bushes' branches prompting the rock Vinncent threw to fall to the ground with an audible thump. Realizing the meaning of the rock and what they had seen previously Holbrook shouted trying to warn the group "AMBUSH!" as all hell broke loose.