The Novel's Draft

When will this conversation of there’s end already, every second makes my urge to mutilate the author grows with every word spoken.

"Join your coalition? I’m sorry but I’m not really interested..." Evecles’ face then grew pale, "Because I’m actually super interested! I’ve been hoping that you would ask!"

"In that case, let’s hurry up and take care of the aftermath of this battle." Incus gestured for queen Evecles to follow her.

When Incus turned her back, Queen Evecles snorted and spat.

"I swear I’m going to have my people write multiple stories of how evil you are..." Queen Evecles whispered, walking up the stairs.

"I can hear you, y’know." Incus sighed.

The room then grew silent, the only sounds of steps resonated in the pathway.

Once we reached the throne room once again, a loud crash echoed.

"What was that?" Incus asked.

"You should be thanking me... I was holding the room together with my magic, preventing it from collapsing." Queen Evecles huffed for air, gripping her knees.

"Let’s just call it a fair trade for me saving your life." Incus waved her hair in Evecles’ face.

"Why you little brat!" Queen Evecles pouted in anger, "So where are we headed now?"

"Where else? We’re headed for the camp." Incus smiled Gently.

What the fuck is there to smile about?

My comrades had died because of your insolence.

Gripping Lieur Tighter, I gnawed my teeth.

Stepping out the palace, no longer was a crimson sky beaming down but the gentle kiss of a sunset caressed against my skin.

Sinking her feet in the moat, Evecles purified the water and the giant serpent had regained it’s vigor.

"If you would please, help us pass to the other side." The serpent then rose, forming a bridge to pass to the other side.

As we continued to walk, we reached the wall of water.

With a snap of her finger, the wall disappeared.

She had also purified the water by placing her hand into the man made river.

"Such poor souls." Queen Evecles winced, staring at the corpses that were laying throughout the kingdom.

With every step, I recounted what I could have done better... what I should have done to prevent Lieur’s and Ulna’s needless deaths.

Even if I trained to be stronger, I wouldn’t catch up to Incus in any way. She’s simply too strong and the enemies she faces grow even stronger.

"Alleus and Vertere" I said coldly, "Promise me to not die."

"I wouldn’t dare of it." Alleus replied in a joking tone but her voice was shaky.

"It would take much more to kill me." Vertere’s voice was even but there was a slight drop.

***

Upon arrival at the camp, the people ran to Incus and began praising her for saving their kingdom.

"Oh thank you great hero!" An old woman’s knees fell on the muddy ground, holding Incus by the hand.

"Thank you!" Said multiple children.

As they shouted their praised, I couldn’t help but feel disgusted.

What are they so happy about.

"Yes yes, your praise has made my day. Remember my name and tell them to your children, ’Incus the savior of Febritust’." Incus helped the woman to stand up.

"But our battle is not over! We will soon destroy the demon king’s reign, with the help of Febritust..!" Incus said joyfully, her eyes filled with zero remorse.

The people then turned to queen Evecles.

"Is this true? Are we really going to stop them once in for all?" Asked a voice from the crowd of the gathered people.

"It’s indeed true." Queen Evecles nodded.

The people then erupted in cheers.

"This nightmare will finally be over..!" A young man wept.

"For today we shall rest, and tomorrow morning we will restore the kingdom of Febritust to it’s former glory." Incus walked through the people, gently ruffling a few heads of children, "So sleep well."

As Incus was sleeping inside a tent, the people of the camp were eating nothing but dried nuts and boiled tree bark.

Eventually, the night was at it’s peak.

Walking a few distances from the camp, the three of us began digging graves for Lieur and Ulna.

After we finished digging the graves, we gently set them down.

"You’ve been a great comrade... and a friend." I grimaced, dropping the torn paper from the wind hero’s technique on Lieur.

I retracted the dragon scales back to cloak around me.

"You were always a reliable one... you were never useless." Alleus tilted her head down, gritting her teeth as tears fell down her face.

"Thank you for everything Lieur." Vertere conjured a bouquet of flower made of ice and gently placed it down.

We then turned towards Ulna.

"Our time was short but you were a great mage." Vertere conjured a carving of all of us five, gently placing it down, "Your efforts will not be in vain."

"Thank you." Alleus and I said in unison.

I didn’t have anything to offer but if I did, it would be something like a great looking wand.

We then filled their graves.

After finishing, I pulled out the bastard sword and stuck it into the ground on Lieur’s grave.

I stabbed the scabbard in Ulna’s.

"Rest well." We walked back to the camp.

***

In the morning, Incus immediatly started walking towards the kingdom, the people of the camp followed behind her.

"How is our kingdom going to help in defeating the demon king?" Commander cage asked, walking next to Incus and queen Evecles, "Our manpower will surely fall if we expend our forces. Even if we did only send out our elites, we only have less than ten thousand!"

Commander cage stepped closer to Incus and continued:

"That number must have dwindled to at least half because of this demon raid... I’ve watched my brothers in hand die trying to battle those demons..!" Commander Cage’s voice grew desperate.

"Don’t worry about that, I will handle it... after all Febritust isn’t the only kingdom that’s going to be assisting." Incus smiled gently, "Many are desperate for the demon King to die, I’m simply hastening the process."