6 Malcus

If Mephiles sends out his legion at nighttime, then it will be difficult to walk alone. Humans would need to bring weapons, salt, and cloaks to keep their faces away from the creatures. A bizarre thing, for sure, but swords mixed with salt were perfect to cut down even more common demons. Lagertha's sword, the Bloodbringer, was enough to tear apart the arms and legs of demons wasting no time. The nights have always been merciless for the Wolf Queen and always held her back from going to sleep.

Demon hunters never fall asleep at nighttime because they are haunted by their pasts and the nightmares that they had to live through. Some of them live past it and get over their fears, but the rest of them watched the nightmares consume their minds forever. Lagertha walked on the trail and was getting ready to hunt down the demon king who wants his payment from Mephiles. The Demon Wolf had no pity or remorse towards anyone who is in the business of wiping out his legion for no reason. One of the more convincing reasons would be because the creatures killed someone important in their family.

King Malcolm would send out more groups of demons to hunt down the Wolf Queen and end her life before the morning comes. Not only was Lagertha trying to survive this night, but she was also trying to search for her only friend. She had a feeling that he was around the forest or at the next village, and she believed something was up with him. She believed Brant was somewhere inside the forest doing the same thing she was doing every single night. Or he might have become a demon slayer, and she knew nothing about the situation.

"What is this strange shift in the wind? It feels... very familiar. Not like looking in a mirror, but like looking at the many visions I used to have," Lagertha said. The visions she used to have a year ago would sometimes come back to her to haunt her as she walks on the road.

The trail would not entirely stop for her because she had her blade in her hand and her mind being kept on one thing. The darkness was not something to take lightly, and many hunters had every reason to be cautious. But as she looked for Brant, she could see many more night creatures running towards her to cut her down. It was like a never-ending cycle for the Wolf Queen because it was something she has gotten used to. She got used to the entire ordeal that King Mephiles would hunt her down and have her fate sealed in his hands.

Once again, all the demons held their blades in defense, but they were not the only ones who would attend to this matter. They had a leader who was the strongest creature of the group to decide on how their enemy must die. His name was Malcus, and he knew King Malcolm for so long that he will carry out whatever news needed to be carried. Malcus carried a demonic double-handed ax and did whatever King Malcolm wished for him to do. Lagertha would have fallen back to such a demon if she never had wolf-blood inside her veins.

"We are many. You are but one!" Malcus said. He was more than determined to take the head of the Wolf Queen and use her head as a trophy.

Lagertha held onto her longsword and would never surrender to anyone or anything who served the night. She knew the demons would come for her, so she had to defeat them or they would just keep coming back. They will simply return to her to ruin whatever is left of her human side and make her join them. Lagertha watched as Malcus strolled towards her and had the blade of his ax point at her face.

"You serve a king, don't you? I bet the master you serve has given you a great ransom. You must be very loyal to him for that to happen," Lagertha said.

"Loyal? I'm King Malcolm's equal! You are nothing more than a pretender to a pack of hunters and huntresses. But you will never truly kill all of us," Malcus said.

"They all said the same. You mistake me for all of those who tried to take your head. I am no common huntress," she said.

"You speak as if you're wise. My king does more than raise bargains and makes deals with those he puts his trust in. If any land is in danger or chaos, then it is ready to be conquered. Such a duty is fit for a king like Mephiles. Because of how much danger and death was wrought upon the world, the humans needed a leader to protect them all and lead them to a new era. King Mephiles wants to save you, Wolf Queen, from the fate that lies before you in the end."

"By killing more innocent people? By allowing more raids to be unleashed upon the poor? By executing anyone without judgment or reason? That is not a king I would bow down to! The earth needs a ruler who cares about his people, not one who makes slaves of them. There is no virtue or peace with the king you serve."

"I serve both Malcolm and Mephiles. Without them, what will the people do if the world is out of control again? What will happen if the portal to Hell is never shut and more of us will come? Just go home, Wolf Queen. Live your life or die in vain. This journey you got, this path you chose, will be your death."

Lagertha wished she could agree with the demon leader, but she could never bring herself to sit by her father's side. Her voice was only in her sword, and her mind was only set on the journey she had to endure. The other demons were getting ready for a duel just in case something bad happens to their leader. This duel would simply determine who is the victor and who will live to fight another day. Lagertha had her hand hold the handle of her longsword and got ready to pull it out and fight the demon leader.

"I will not be your servant. My sword will not taste the blood of my enemies in your honor. I'll forgive no one who threatens this world," Lagertha said.

"The king of the earth is not giving you a choice. It is something you will have to endure for the rest of your life. Soon enough, the sun will fall and there will only be darkness," Malcus said.

"If anyone falls, demon, it will be you. You may have attained the trust of your king, but I will fight until I draw my last breath. I will not fall without a storm," she said.

"Then the moon shall hover over the earth, once more. King Mephiles will conquer all, and his kingdom shall reign forever! Now my blade shall taste the one who wields wolf-blood!"

Lagertha never had wolf-blood for the thrill, and she never used it to bring death to the people of this world. She stood ready for a duel to the death and became prepared to fight even more demons. Like all demon slayers, she knew the night would not be over until she kills every one of them. Lagertha pulls out her longsword and holds onto it as Malcus makes every demon witness the battle. He wanted them to see and be shown how powerful their ruler is against a human, but he expected to fight one who has the blood of powerful entities.

And so, a duel between Lagertha against the demon leader begins as the full moon hovers above them. Malcus holds up his ax and charges at the Wolf Queen to cut her down before she tries something. Lagertha easily deflects the blow as only a few demons became impressed at her techniques. The others stood there in a state of disbelief and doubt that their leader would lose to a human. Lagertha held onto her longsword and became ready for anything that Malcus would throw at her.

She then runs at him with her blade and quickly swings her blade in his direction, and she waits for his reaction. Though he could dodge those attacks, he did not expect someone like her to be so quick with the sword. At that moment, they both begin swinging their massive weapons at each other at the same time. They would only be satisfied if one of them becomes the victor over the other; neither of them feared the outcome. Lagertha and Malcus fought against each other as the night creatures held onto their weapons and exceeded their expectations.