The Wolf Queen (Book 2 of The Devil and the Huntsman)

Chapter 25

Then Lagertha spoke to herself, saying, "That beast. What does he know about my father? What made Basim serve my father to end me? None of this makes sense. No matter, I will make them talk. I will get stronger."

Lagertha had every reason to be confused and make this situation give her more questions instead of answers. Brant became anxious about her and was worried that he might be led to a dead end because of her. He might discover who she truly is, and even if he will never tell Lagertha about herself, he might make it be known. Lagertha and Brant hold their swords and are prepared to fight the remaining demons before the night ends. Even with all the questions they have in their minds, their hatred for the night creatures was something they would never forget.

And so, an onslaught between Lagertha and Brant began as midnight has ended and another time for survival has come. A large group of demons held their swords and axes, and they charged towards the Wolf Queen. Lagertha simply walked to them to make this a fair fight and not make it end so quickly. Brant kept his sword to himself like Lagertha did, but he was inferior in strength compared to her. Lagertha used her longsword and parried every blow the night creatures tried to use on her.

Her skill and strength allowed her to not fall in battle so easily, but it had its own physical costs. Eventually, she will get exhausted when the morning sun comes and a new day has begun. But this was a night she would never forget because a sorcerer served her father along with his war counsel. Mephiles's demon leaders existed only to serve him and carry out his name to all the nations of the world. Lagertha tried not to focus on Basim in the middle of a demon hunt, but his words and purpose could not leave her mind.

Brant defended himself against the demons, and he had his own method of attacking his opponents. Instead of quickly swinging his blade like Lagertha did, he deflected their blows and aimed for the weakest part of their bodies. Besides the use of salt to weaken a demon's stamina, their throats and chests were always their weak points. Brant knew this and so did Lagertha, but it took longer for him to figure that out than her. He could hear the demons shrieking in pain and basking in their pool of gore as he cut them down.

In this onslaught, neither of their swords were covered in magic, so a creature with sorcery in their swords might prove to be a tough challenge for them. Lagertha would protect Brant if such circumstances were to occur, but they had only just begun their journey of being together. The Wolf Queen did not know if other people would accept them as a couple if their relationship gets better. Therefore, her sword striking the creatures down and making their blood splatter everywhere gave the others enough proof that Lagertha existed to make them suffer. Lagertha sliced off their heads, arms, and legs, without showing pity and mercy to all of those who served the night.

And so, Lagertha and Brant joined each other, and they both fought back against the demons. They fought until the moon no longer became viewable and the stars disappeared. It was a grim reminder to them they have survived the night and any other human would have been devoured. The morning sun gave enough reason for Lagertha to let her be reminded that she can find somewhere to rest. Brant stood beside her as she looked at the sky and made the wind breeze around her.

"Well, that wasn't so bad, was it? Good thing you have me tagging along. Things would've gotten bloodier than it already is," Brant said.

"One thing is for certain: all demons are abominations. All of them deserve to die in their blood, like the tyrants who once enslaved their own people. Being a demon hunter is difficult for many, but when one is given no choice, they must stick with it," Lagertha said.

"Lagertha, I don't think you ever mentioned that we had to fight sorcerers and magicians. I thought we burned all of those witches to the stake," he said.

"That's true. But these are no ordinary sorcerers. These are ones who come from Hell to give humanity eternal damnation. They exist to point you to the wrong direction and lead you to a darker path. You may have mastered killing the ordinary demons that villagers fight back against, but you still have much to learn. When you're with me, you'll understand what the night creatures are truly capable of."

"Well, I agree with you on that. Perhaps magic is common to the demons while we put an end to that concept for humans years ago. If there were any witches or magicians wandering around, who knows what will happen to them when they're around everyone else."

"Sorcery from the dark arts. They use it for their own special benefit and for their own amusement. Even though I got used to fighting back against these beings, I cannot wipe away my family's shame without delving deeper into the darkness. But I won't let their power corrupt me. They will get what they deserve as soon as I have enough durability and strength for that to happen. I want you to know that it won't get any easier for both me and you."

Brant's knowledge for the common night creatures was higher than the average person, yet he will understand that each of them are all linked to more powerful creatures of terror. The kind that serves the king of Midland to carry out his will and his word. Lagertha looks at the sun rising into the sky and the demons rushing back into their hiding places. She puts her sword back into her scabbard as Brant wipes the blood off his sword. None of them will stay in a blood-stained field where the demonic corpses plunder the ground.

"Well, I'm tired. Let's find somewhere to go. There's no use in staying here," Lagertha said.

"Aw, who said I wanted to sleep in this area?" Brant asked.

"If you fall asleep on the way to the next village, I can carry you. If I can lift a sword, I can lift you too," she said.

"No, I'm supposed to carry a lady. A lady carrying a man just sounds weird. It's what my father usually says in wanting to know more about how women work."

"Fine. Whatever you say."

Since Lagertha did not know everything about the young hunter, she knew that the life of an aristocrat meant more than the life of a commoner. An aristocrat played around, yet the men and women always treated each other like an ordinary person should. Truly, their arrogance knew no bounds, but they knew how to show honor and respect for others. Lagertha and Brant started walking on the long road and traveled north as the morning began. They were walking, and they were not stopping for anything because there was nothing to gaze at.

A title of being a demon hunter meant they would be forced to wander the night and tirelessly defend the earth. If they ever forgot about their motives and reasons for hunting the night, they would never consider themselves actual demon slayers. But Lagertha and Brant forgot nothing about their pasts and what keeps them moving onward. They moved on the long trail and nobody else was seen on the road. The two demon hunters were getting both exhausted and stale as they were trying to get their strength back.

No common human would ever be seen on the road as soon as the morning sun appeared in the air. No animal would be visible because the demons may have ripped it to shreds if they ever saw one. Lagertha could see that Brant needed to rest his arms and legs at an inn; she was lucky to spot a new town just a few miles from where she stood. She wraps her arm around Brant's neck and helps him continue walking straight despite staying up all night. The nights were never merciful for Lagertha, but she understood what she could do with Brant by her side.

"We're almost at a new village. Do you think you can keep your eyes open?" Lagertha asked. Instead of giving her an answer, Brant thought of something else in his mind as he could still see the road.

"Lagertha, do you mind if I do something that might make you happy?" He asked.

"What?" She asked. Without giving her an answer, Brant picks her up and starts carrying her in his arms.