The street was silent under the pale moons of Eliseum, the cool breeze ruffling the heavy cloak that Azel wore as he followed Clad into a narrow alley.
"So, how many are there in this so-called organization?"
For a second, Clad stiffened. A heavy silence fell between them. Then, chuckling awkwardly, the blond demon rubbed the back of his neck and gave a dazzling, if sheepish, smile.
"Uh... about that. Right now, it's just... you and me."
Azel stared at him.
Forbanna's voice shrieked in his mind like a boiling kettle.
"This incompetent bastard! He's deceiving you!"
Clad, oblivious to the inner turmoil boiling inside Azel's head, kept laughing.
"But hey, every big organization starts small, right? Look at it this way — we're like the first two seeds of a mighty tree!"
Azel sighed deeply, wondering if he had made a terrible mistake.
Clad, seeing the skeptical glare under Azel's hood, decided to change the topic quickly.
"My kind, y'know, we're pretty good at hiding. Blending in with humans, lurking in the shadows. Nobody really notices us. But your girl, if they confirm that she's a demon, it's gonna force all of demonkind into a war."
"Why aren't they fighting already, then?"
Clad shrugged.
"They don't want to. Demons here? Most of 'em love peace. They live like humans, marry humans, open shops, run bakeries. They got homes, families, become nobles etc etc."
Azel gave a tired nod. It made sense in a pathetic sort of way.
"So this sudden rebellion you're trying to pull is because Anna made a few ripples?"
Clad winked.
"Not really I have been trying to act alone for a long time. Besides, I have come to recruit you because you need allies more than anyone else."
Azel exhaled through his nose, a ghost of a laugh.
'He took advantage of my desperation.'
"Fine. So who are we recruiting next? Ghosts? Imaginary friends?"
Clad beamed, as if Azel had asked for the secret to eternal youth.
"There are plenty of candidates! People who were wronged by the Church. Slaves, prisoners, exiles, the desperate… even just folks who like chaos!"
"Where do we start?"
Clad clapped his hands together.
"I got just the place! Eastern Vincent State. There's an elf named Paladin — don't let the name fool you, he's no knight. He's a drunkard nowadays, hangs around brothels and cheap taverns."
Azel raised an eyebrow.
"Sounds reliable."
"Wait, it gets better! He's been prison mate with Mr. X. Ever heard of him?"
"No, I just came here."
"Not surprising. He used to be one of the Church's top spies. Top ten material, real ghost in the walls type. Knew things he shouldn't. So, naturally, the Church framed him."
"For what?"
Clad's smile widened.
"Mass murder at the Vincent family's banquet."
Azel's face twisted slightly.
"You're telling me they blamed their own spy for a massacre?"
"Yep! Apparently, he was ordered to attend the party, but somehow he ended up the scapegoat. They sentenced him to death before he could open his mouth."
Azel frowned.
"That's… suspicious."
"Exactly! Which is why he's valuable. Anyone the Church fears enough to frame and bury? He's worth digging up."
Azel leaned against the brick wall, arms crossed, cloak fluttering in the wind. His mind raced with possibilities.
It was risky. Highly risky. They would have to break a condemned man out of wherever he was being held or scheduled for execution.
Was it worth it?
Forbanna growled in his mind.
"Fool's errand! We don't need more broken toys!"
"Someone skilled enough to scare the Church is someone we can use."
Clad gave him an exaggerated thumbs-up.
"Now you're thinking like a villain!"
Azel ignored the jibe, already weighing strategies in his mind.
"So this Paladin guy and Mr. X. Where are they?"
"Paladin's easy. He's probably lying face-down drunk in one of the low-end taverns. Mr. X is tougher. He's under 'watch' by the Vincent family, waiting for public execution somewhere this month. We don't know the exact day yet. We gonna get more info from Paladin."
"And you think it's a good idea to stick our necks into this mess?"
"Come on, Azel! You and me, we're destined for bigger things! Can't build an empire of misfits if we don't take a few risks!"
Azel sighed again. He glanced up at the moon — pale, broken into halves by the clouds.
He thought about the life he and Anna once shared — a simple house, a quiet life, maybe a child someday.
"Fine. We'll wait and see how this unfolds."
Clad whooped so loudly that Forbanna shrieked internally in rage.
"You won't regret it."
Clad declared, throwing his arm around Azel's shoulder. Azel immediately shoved him off, his glare sharp enough to cut through steel.
"Don't touch me."
Clad laughed again, walking ahead with a swagger that spoke of too much confidence and too little caution.
Azel pulled his hood lower over his face and followed — stepping into the unknown once again.
Behind him, the breeze whispered through the empty streets, carrying the scent of blood, dreams, and rebellion yet to come.