Chapter 282 - A Demonic Dilemma I (1/2)

A heavy silence descended throughout the confines of the Vukanovi as Li ended his sentence. The space inside the Vukanovi was large enough where everyone had easily enough space to sprawl out and sleep and tend to their own, but now, that space seemed smaller, almost constricting as the weight of Li's words dawned on those present, no doubt dredging up old scars.

”No.”

Ears perked up as Sheela's voice rung through the Vukanovi.

”No, no, no.” Sheela's lips were curled back, the bloody red of her gums showing as her sharp, needle-like teeth flared out as anger coursed through her veins. Anger not directed at Li nor to anyone there, but anger that still flowed regardless, and her body expressed it unconsciously. ”Demons ruin everything. Burn my home. Make tribe weak. Take Nadir – our soul.”

Mason saw Sheela's indignation and felt enough courage to speak up himself, knowing that he would not be alone in opposing Li. ”I must agree with the beastwoman. I…,” He glanced at Asala for a moment before swallowing down a breath to continue. ”I know that I know not history as it truly is. But I know it to be true that the demons have wrought untold suffering upon our lands. Upon all lands. If there is any truth I know to be certain, then it is that. It cannot be that for a thousand years, the Light has fought against the dark of demonkind for simply nothing.”

Mason looked to his younger brother, perhaps looking for something like reassurance, but he did not find it. Mercer sat cross-legged with his gaze directed downward, listening. His usual energy was not gone, but instead, it showed in the furrows between his eyes as he concentrated with tightly wound lips, wanting to hear out both sides first before forming any opinions of his own.

Vilga's boulder like shoulders slumped ever so slightly in a shrug. ”I do not know. I have lived through twenty eight years if my trainer in the pits was right of my age. I am too young to have known the demons as they were. Only as I have fought them, and to date, I have clashed with but one. I see them as foul creatures, but there are a great many vermin in this world.”

”Because you are slave,” cut in Sheela. ”Slave since young. Taken care of by the elves. I too am young. Younger. Twenty-two years, I think. But I live where demons were. Where they fought. With shamans and elders that remember them, remember who they burned and what they stole.”

She took in a breath that calmed her a little bit, but not quite enough. ”You grew up with elves. Little elves that never lost anything to demons. You just like them. You lucky. I am not.”

”Hm.” Vilga stared at Sheela, their yellowed, predatory eyes matching. Both pairs of eyes were the kind that never backed down from any challenge. Nor ones that took any kind of insult lightly. And now they stared each other down.

Vilga's eyes were larger, suiting her canid features, and they were calm yet deadly focused. Sheela's eyes were sharper, fiercer, her stare more directed.

”You are right,” said Vilga as she broke off the staring contest. She crossed her arms. ”I know nothing. That is why I adventure. To know. And to make my own judgements.”

In the face of the sudden de-escalation, Sheela grew quiet, then flitted her eyes away, ashamed she had let her passion boil her blood so.

”It is said that discord among adventurers sows naught but heavy misfortune,” said Asala. ”Both of thee are quite young, and thou minds art most painted by the environs within which thee grew. But I hath learned the value of neutrality – the very core principle unto which my sisters and I dedicate ourselves to as stewards of history.

Thus, it is in upholding that principle in mine forty years that I shall say now that the demons do have place upon this wide world. ”

”But how?” Mason leaned forwards in questioning. ”If the legends that I grew up with, the myths I cherished so dearly, are indeed true, then did not your own goddess fight against the demons in the First Darkening?”

”Quite so. For a hundred years, too. But doth that wear away any at their marks upon history?” Asala flitted her tongue out. ”Nay. For a thousand years, they hath lived among themselves in lands never before trod upon, carving out their own history, and that history, the sheer breadth of it, doth hold value.”

”Then eradicate the demons and record what they knew,” said Mason. ”Do not let them continue to exist to cause suffering anymore.”

”Lad, calm down,” said Old Thane. ”If years be a measure of wisdom, then do heed this old fool. I have fought personally with demons in the fourth darkening. Known them. Drew their blood, had them draw mine own blood.”

”Yes, you did fight them-,” began Mason.

”And I broke bread with them, too.” Old Thane listened to Mason pausing and continued. ”Aye, that I did. The demons are not a thing, lad, one big monstrous mass uniform in its darkness and horror. Nay, every demon stands different. Some are mighty. Some are wise. Some are fools. Some are cruel.” He paused. ”And some are kind, in as much the way they can be.”