A Familiar Face

After a week, Commander Rovex arrived at Demon Lord Attis' castle, which is located in the South Western territory on the Western side of the Demon Continent within Sky Demon City. Once he was there the guards of the castle were about to stop him until they saw who he was and let him enter the gates. Once through the gate what he came upon was a huge gray brick-like castle and more guards.

Seeing someone enter through the gates, the guards were vigilant at first until they saw who he was. They lower their guard against him as they let him enter the main building of the castle. Walking through the huge castle with nothing but darkness with minimum light. He reached a huge double door with two horn handles and a purple and black demon with a spear in his hand on it. 

Stopping in front of it he suddenly heard a deep man's voice from the other side

"Enter" 

Entering the room, he could see how spacious this room was. It had a medieval-like feel with its eerie black bricks and stone gargoyles as pillars. And as he walked he got closer to the person who allowed him to enter. Ahead of him were three demons, two of them were standing beside the third demon that looked like the demon on the door but much more intimidating and huge.

The demon was sitting on a purplish black throne, leaning on his right hand as he looked at the newcomer. The demon was Demon Lord Attis, the fourth strongest Demon Lord. 

"What brings you here Rovex" asked Demon Lord Attis

"Yes reporting my lord" said Rovex as he kneeled 

"We have successfully took over three major port cities on the human continent" spoke Rovex

"Hmm, only three what about the other three" asked Attis with a neutral tone of voice

"Th-that… Port Cities Clotaz and Welwood they were defended by the newly summoned heroes"

"Hmm what about the third one were they not involved?" Asked Demon Lord Attis with slight sqinted eyes

"No my Lord, a mysterious man helped defend Port City Maye and from what it seems, he did the majority of the defending" replied Rovex cautiously

"Hmm and you're saying he's not one of them, a summoned hero" said Demon Lord Attis with the same neutral tone 

"Yes my Lord he said it himself" said Rovex

Demon Lord Attis, after hearing this, became silent as he started thinking and after what seemed like an eternity to Rovex, Demon Lord Attis finally spoke

"Send three of your best scouts and head to Port City Maye to conduct an investigation of what happened there and that man" Said Demon Lord Attis

"Yes my Lord, it shall be done" replied Rovex as he got up to do as ordered

As he left the castle to do as instructed, back at the castle the two men were still inside the throne room. Demon Lord Attis spoke once again

"Mataroff" 

"Yes my Lord" spoke Mataroff who appeared from Demon Lord Attis' shadow

"It's time to start phase two now… it's time for you to replace some loose ends within the that place" said Attis 

"It shall be done my lord" said Mataroff as he disappears 

"It's only a matter of time until it all begins… looking forward to your return… your majesty" said Attis as he looked out his castle window at a statue in the middle of the castle.

It was a statue of the strongest demon… Demon King Lucis O'Kruel but that statue was of his final form not many knew of his original form. Before he ascended to become the demon king. 

......................................................…

"Okay that's enough for today" spoke Qendrim towards the two kids who were training"

"Ahh but I wanted to go a little longer" replied Lukas

"Me too big brother, please" said Nalia as she pleaded with her puppy dog eyes

"Haa alright you two that's enough for now, besides it's time for breakfast.. So you two, hurry and wash up and come eat" said Nadine 

"But moommm" said the both of them

"Now you two" 

"Yesss ma'am" they said in a slightly sad tone

"Don't worry you two, we can continue later okay you two" said Qendrim trying to change their moods

"You promise big brother" asked Nalia

"Of course, after all I promise to train you two remember" he said with his usual expression 

"Now that everything's established… go wash up you two" said Nadine

"Hehe yes mom" said the both of them as they went to their rooms to get ready

"Again thank you for going along on their whims" said Nadine to Qendrim as they was walking back inside the hotel

"It's not a problem for me, I quite enjoy training them" said Qendrim

"But still you…" 

"I promise it's fine"

"Hmm okay then" 

"So any interesting news lately" asked Qendrim

For the past few months, Qendrim had been training both Lukas and Nalia after they saw him defeat some high ranking bandits while they were practicing in the forest near the city. He was training them how to transverse, strategize and fight in different terrains as well as other situations. And since they're both halflings, between a human and an elf, they picked up things quickly and naturally because of it. 

"Hmmm well there's a rumor that some of the heroes were dispatched to take back Fort Arvin, the 2nd defensive fort of the Kingdom of Ferlon… While some were rumored to travel up north of the empire to the Land of Frost where the ice elves lives"said Nadin

"Is there something important in the Land of Frost for them to split the heroes in this way" spoke Qendrim

"Maybe it's for the 'those'" 

"Those?"

"It's…" she started 

"It's where the heroes who have met a certain criteria go in order to strengthen their weapons as well as themselves in a short but safely manner because of how that place is" spoke Fergus who was starting to bring out the food 

"Hmmm so there's a quicker way to level up both your soul weapon and yourself" said Qendrim as he thought out loud

"Yes and no" replied Fergus

"It's not a place to strengthen one's soul weapon or self?" asked Qendrim 

"It is but since some people don't have a soul weapon and haven't been able to manifest their soul weapon yet.. It's a place where one could create their own but" spoke Fergus

"There's a price to pay huh" said Qendrim as he sat down at the table the was filled with different types of breakfast food as they waited for the two to finish washing up

"The price of 200 levels of experience points and 1 skill at random" 

"So that means it could be an active, passive or unique skill… but to give up that many levels isn't really much of a problem to start over… but what's the other reason more people haven't done it.. Is it not known" spoke Qendrim

"No it is but the success rate is only 30% at best" 

"I see with all that I can understand why.. Oh the two are arriving now" said Qendrim as both Nalia and Lukas came down the stairs as the enter the kitchen where a table full of food was waiting

"Well enough about that come and sit you two time to eat" said Nadine as the two sat down and began eating

"So Qen, are you going to the guild again today?" asked Fergus

"Yeah I'm thinking of taking a rank up quest" 

"That should be fine as it's nothing too difficult" spoke Fergus

"Do you know what the quest will be?" 

"It's different each year so I wouldn't know what the quest will be" said Fergus

"It could range from a collection, escort, subjugation quest or an battle promotion type" spoke Nadine

"It can also be a delivery quest to so who knows what you'll get you'll only know once you're ready to rank up" said Fergus as they been eating and talking for a while

After about a few minutes later, everyone had got the fill for the morning and was now on their way to do other things. Fergus went back to cooking breakfast for the inn guests, Nadine began taking in guests while their two kids began going around the rooms collecting laundry and telling them that breakfast will be ready soon. While Qendrim went to his room to wash up and head to the adventurers guild.

As he finished getting ready both split and he talked about the Land of Frost.

'Are you planning on going there?' asked Split

'Yes I would most likely have to eventually' replied Qendrim

'Oh what fun we're going to have there' 

'Whatever' 

'We'll sooner or later have to anyway so no rush'

"Yeah I know" answered Qendrim as he finished getting ready to head to the guild

'I wonder what the rank up quest will be, hope it's exciting for me to play' said Split

'You'll find out soon enough' thought Qendrim back

Going down the stairs as he sees the two Nalia and Lukas, he tells them he'll be back later and he'll train them when he does. They replied okay. Qendrim reached the first floor as he saw how mellow it was and he told both Nadine and Fergus that he'll see them later and left the inn.

As soon as he left his demeanor changed from someone who has become approachable to noticeable unless wanted to be.

"Betis" spoke Qendrim

"Yes master" answered Betis from Qendrim's Shadow

"You know what to do" replied Qendrim as he looks at Betis expressionlessly

"Yes master, it shall be done' saying that Betis disappeared from Qendrim's sight

'You trained him well' thought Qendrim to Split

'Of course and it was fun' replied Split as he grinned

"Hmmm there's a lot of people inside, I wonder what happened now for so many to gather at the guild" said Qendrim as he felt lots of mana sources inside the guild

'Hopefully something worth our attention' said Split

"Well whatever we'll know once inside" saying that they got to the door of the guild and pushed opened the huge doors and walked inside, what awaited inside was lots of adventurers and guards while in the middle of them was someone Qendrim was all too familiar with.

'Looks like things will be interesting for now on' said Split 

'Yeah indeed… very' said Qendrim as he cracked a grin for the first time in a long time which only lasted a second but chilled the room by a lot as people felt nervous all of a sudden 

'For you to smile after so long, this person must really be..'

'Yes a target' replied Qendrim 

'Hehehahaha' laughed Split as they doors shut behind them while no one noticed them entering

'3rd Prince of the Ferlon Kingdom… Prince Dilgard'