6. The Beast Crouching

"Unknowingly, they will condemn their species out of sheer greed and curiosity."

Qui Mortem – Archdemon

The first rays of sunlight began to illuminate the fields near the city of Gramorg, simultaneously lighting up the small Poskian army accompanying the Bucullatus and the demon sleeping in a cage carried by small golems that moved slowly.

The small army had stopped less than a kilometer from the city, and in the distance, the castle built on the mountain could be seen. They decided to pause so the soldiers could regain their strength, and the Bucullatus could provide magical energy to the golems.

Veronica, the leader of the Bucullatus, a young woman with hatred in her eyes, observed the city, longing to engulf it in flames.

“Miss Veronica,” she glared at the kneeling knight who had dared to mention her name and raised her arm, “I mean, mistress, Unom Somna requests to speak with you.” Veronica shot one last disdainful look at the city and walked over to her master.

Unom Somna stood beside the demon, observing it cautiously. From a smaller wooden cage nearby, he took out a cat, recited a blessing for the cat, and threw it into the demon's cage. As soon as the animal fell into the cage, the demon awoke, caught the feline without giving it a chance to escape, and devoured it in one gulp.

“What a fascinating creature,” the satisfied old man said, “as strong and agile as the fiercest of beasts, yet so docile and intelligent.” He covered the cage with a cloth he picked up from the ground. Veronica approached him, making a slight bow.

“My dear, we are finally here,” he said, looking at the castle with disdain, then turned to his apprentice and gave her a smile. “Finally, we will carry out our revenge—Draco, Federic, and Fender; their servants and the inhabitants of their sinful city, all will die today."

Veronica observed the city, imagining the scene, and a small smile appeared on her crimson lips.

“They will get what they deserve,” Veronica assured, turning towards the soldiers who got up excitedly. “Besides, this way 'he' will be satisfied,” she murmured, her father nodded, and he looked at the castle once more.

“How is that thing you mentioned to me?” the old man asked.

“If we're lucky, we'll have a new piece on the board as soon as we get to Gramorg,” she replied with a smile. “It will make things much easier; I'll tell you later if it works, master.”

“Another pet for you,” the old man said, looking at a hooded figure lying on the ground. The witch smiled even more.

Veronica gathered all the soldiers accompanying her and indicated that they should continue the journey. Several soldiers finished their break reluctantly and collected their supplies. Two of the Bucullatus took the horses, which were agitatedly moving, and tied them to the cage while an animal tamer calmed them; the demon's murderous aura was palpable to anyone nearby.

They continued advancing with a single goal in mind: to reduce Gramorg to its foundations.

The apprentices were in the castle's training field. Silo and Lodtrack were having a training duel.

“Silo, correct your stance,” Draco indicated, watching the combat attentively. The elf ignored his master's instructions. “Lodtrack, cover your blind spot.”

Silo fought fiercely, not allowing Lodtrack a moment to think. He wanted to show Draco that he was not replaceable. But he noticed how his muscles began to succumb to fatigue, while Lodtrack barely seemed tired.

“Silo has already lost his advantage. And he was the one who insisted on fighting against Lodtrack,” Chub said, a little bored. “Lodtrack may not be the most agile, but he is a specialist in endurance and strength. You can't drag out a fight with him if you don't want to bite the dust.”

Jill and Virtof watched the combat in silence, analyzing every detail. Draco stopped correcting them and poured himself a jug of Dostav beer.

Lodtrack remained on the defensive for a few more strikes. Just as he noticed Silo's speed decreasing, he lunged at him, hitting him with the shield, causing him to lose his balance. He sent a slash to his leg, making him fall to his knees. With a hilt strike, he knocked him to the ground and won the fight.

Draco looked at them indifferently, as if it were the logical result, which infuriated Silo even more.

“Again!” he said, breathing heavily. “It was just a stroke of luck.”

“You can barely stand. You should rest a bit,” Lodtrack replied, smiling sarcastically. Silo was about to respond when Draco spoke:

“Luck, you say? Are you so mediocre that you reduce your defeat to bad luck?” Draco's eyes flashed with fury. Lodtrack felt a shiver that wiped the smile off his face instantly. Silo looked at Draco fearfully.

“What happens is that...”

“No excuses. Even if you lost because your opponent was lucky, it's because you gave them the opportunity. Besides, a warrior must respond to any situation. Don't try to justify yourself to me. If this were a real battle, you'd be dead. So, would you blame your bad luck?” he looked away and poured himself another drink, “run two hundred laps around the training field. Since you complain so much about your luck, let's compensate with training..." Draco glanced at his apprentices and noticed how they eyed the gigantic field that must have had a perimeter of at least 300 meters, fearful of receiving the same punishment. “The rest of you, two-on-two battles!”

Lodtrack and his companions sighed and obeyed without protesting. Lodtrack and Jill formed one pair, and Virtof and Chub the other. They took bronze weapons and fought each other for a while. Lodtrack and Virtof exchanged blows, and Jill tried to strike Chub, who easily deflected all her attacks.

“Is that all you learned in the capital?” he mockingly asked Jill. Irritated, she attacked more fiercely. “What a disappointment!”