In the markets of Arvina, a country several leagues away for Devas, a fresh new rumor had been spreading like wildfire. Everyone from the nobles to the beggars is talking about it and so the rumor began to circulate and be known as a fact. Whether most of the stories are true or not, it is only for the brave and the wise to find out.

"Hey, hey, have you heard? There are new monsters that have taken residence in the mountain of Pandava. They were peculiar beasts with the built of men but the face of dogs. Some say they can fly, some even say they can do magic." said a butcher to his customers who leaned in with interest.

"Oh, they are so horrible. The rumors say that there were so many of them that the mountains had darkened with their black fur. They have teeth like iron, bodies like rocks, and swords for claws. Oh, they were terrible, terrible beasts. I swear they are demons who escaped from hell. The gods are angry because those Devasi pomp allowed Abyssal filths to intermingle with their own and now they're punishing all of us for it." commented a buyer who was poking at the meat.

"But the shepherds say that they are not that bad. Yes, they would steal the cows and the sheep at the dead of the night but they wouldn't kill anyone but the sheep, I guess. When the shepherds wake up to find their animals gone, they would then find a purse full of coins that could buy them twice as many sheep so none of them complained that much. Other than those who fuck with their lamb." The trio had a good laugh at the joke before a new customer chimed in to tell another detail.

"Some say that they saw a goddess in red leading the monsters. They say she's a beauty wearing a bright red cloak holding a giant sickle while commanding the beasts, wolves as she had been heard calling them. Now the people in the east, the west, the south, and the north call her the Wolf Queen of Mount Pandava."

"Wolf Queen? That sounds evil. How'd they know that she's a goddess? It might be a witch who summoned an army from hell."

"I doubt it. The woman has a beautiful white face, her hair was made out of flowing gold and sunlight while her eyes are made of emeralds. Who but the gods resemble that look?" They had all gone quiet at that fact.

It must be noted that none of them had seen any foreigners in their whole life, so they are not aware that a person's skin can also come in other colors than black or brown. Only the gods living in heaven can have hair made of gold and skin as white as milk so it did not occur to them that the goddess they are talking about is merely a human who adopted thousands of wolves as her children. But in this case, a goddess descending from heaven with an army of monsters would be more believable than a little girl leading an army of mystical wolves.

"Then perhaps she's a kind goddess. Her wolves have harmed no man except for bandits and rapists and murderers. Maybe if we pray to her then she will give us mercy and keep away from us." suggested the butcher as he scratched his beard while his customers agreed.

Unbeknownst to the four of them is the demoness listening closely to their conversation. Sorca walked closer towards the butcher's stall. She was moving very stealthily as to not alert them of her presence and she paused just close enough for them to hear her voice. She's currently wearing a brown tunic that hides her body well along with the cloak that covers her face.

"I will take 10 slices of your salted lamb." she declared before placing three silvers on the counter.

"At once, lady." said the butcher as he began taking her order and wrapping them up in a brown cloth before securing her purchase with a thick thread.

"I must ask, how far is this Mount Pandava from here?" She asked, making the four turn their attention to her.

"It's 25 leagues to the east if you go around Mount Maharddikha but 10 leagues if you go through the mountain. It's a very dangerous trip, lady. There are monsters that reside in the once sacred mountain. If you are a devotee of the temple, I suggest you find somewhere else to pray because monsters have taken over it."

"Yes, I will consider that information." She replied before going back to the inn where she and her soldiers took a temporary respite.

She's been traveling a lot with her squadron looking for any traces of Ruby, but they have found little to nothing for the past three weeks. She had already ordered a large percentage of her league to go and guard Dyrroth while she and a small unit looked for Ruby. Right now the only clue they have of the maiden is the random gossip she heard on the market place which is unreliable but is the only lead they can follow.

"What news did you gather?" she asked her companions who had gathered in their shared room.

"The same everywhere: a golden-haired maiden with green eyes in Mount Pandava accompanied by a large pack of wolves. They're unsure if she's being held captive but if she was, she would most likely be their food by now which is not the case." answered Melthrylis as she leaned against the wall.

"Same description but different place. Merchants from the east say they saw a golden-haired foreigner in Gomharra and Iro. She was asking about skyiron mines." added Nimred.

"They say she's always accompanied by two men. One with silver hair and blue eyes while the other has black hair and golden eyes. Sounds familiar?" said Legima as she poured a cup of wine for Sorca who handed her the meat to prepare for the whole squad.

"Those bastards who attacked us? So they're dragging the princess around, but for what purpose?"

"It doesn't matter. All we need to do is keep Ruby alive and rescue her. Once we do we head straight to the Abyss. We rally all of Lord Dyrroth's followers and wait for him to wake up. It's going to be a long trip but thankfully Lord Martis and Lady Shura gave us their seal as ambassadors which makes this trip smooth with the locals."

"So what's our plan to take back the princess?"

"First, we head to Pandava to investigate if the rumors actually pertain to Ruby, which I feel is true. If she made our tyrannical lord love her more than anything else in the world then acquiring an army doesn't sound so much of a stretch for her." Sorca mused as she stretched out the map of Indra on their coffee table.

"It will be a few weeks trip to Mount Pandava on horseback if we go around Mount Maharddhika. Maybe one if we go through it but the mountain purifies against demons. I'm afraid it will make us vulnerable." Meltrylis informed as she traced the paths they can take.

"Nevertheless, we must reach her side to ensure her safety whatever it takes. Got it?" Sorca questioned as she looked at each and every one of them.

"Yes, captain!" the soldiers said in unison before heading out one by one to their respective rooms.

"Good, we head out tomorrow before dawn. Get some rest. It's going to be a long journey."

Sorca was left alone in her room. She hung her cloak on the chair before heading over to the bed to take a seat. She pulled a curved dagger strapped against her thigh before raising it against the silvery moonlight. She watched as the sharp blade glinted brilliantly before putting it against her arm and splitting her skin open.

Her dark crimson blood overflowed from the open wound and dripped on the pristine white sheets. She bit her lips to stifle the cry of pain her throat wanted to release. She rolled up her sleeves revealing similar horizon slash marks upon her scarred arm. Sorca has been cutting herself since she failed to protect Dyrroth. She did it infrequently at first since she had a job to protect Ruby at all times so she rarely got time for herself to do something like this. But now that Ruby has been abducted, Sorca has been punishing herself every night with one wound to mark the days that she's not with Ruby.

By now she accumulated 30 cuts which constantly reminded her of her duty and her purpose. She's too prideful to cry so this is the only way she can release her sorrow and repent for her sins and failures.

Dyrroth was her lord. He took her in when she was a stray demon abandoned by her parents. She was living in the streets trying to survive by stealing and killing others. One day, they crossed paths. They fought and it was a fierce battle. Even with a simple dull stolen weapon, Sorca was able to push Dyrroth back and fight on equal footing. The Abyss made her strong, it's cruelty shaped her to be ferocious. So instead of killing her when she was defeated, Dyrroth employed her as his captain of the guards.

He gave her food which was once a privilege, he gave her a place to stay when she was astray, he gave her a status when she was nothing, and most importantly he was the reason why she met the love of her life; the seamstress working for Queen Alice whose name is Araignee. She owed Dyrroth a great deal for who and where she is today. And then there's Ruby who showed her what it means to be loved. That blabbermouth of a prisoner managed to melt the ice walls of her frigid heart and showed her what true friendship feels like. Ruby gave her warmth, loyalty, camaraderie, and kindness. She has never met someone so annoying and yet so lovable.

Sorca released a sigh of resignation.

She took a cloth from the drawers of the nightstand and began wrapping her wounded arm with it. Once she finds Ruby, she will heal her wounds but until then she needs to wear them as a badge of her failure and her mission to find her friend.

"I will see you soon, my friend. I will see you soon." And with that final thought, the demon general closed her eyes and took her much-needed rest.

🌹

Deep in the earthy dungeons of the Moonshire, the Elven King Estes sighed with depression as he heard the sound of his brethren being tortured and raped by the disgusting demons who have conquered their land. Although his General Miya had struck down the villainous Dyrroth, he was only replaced by someone worse to take over Selene Lake. Every day and every night there was nothing but the sounds of screaming, crying, and moaning as the demons violated his people. He could only pray for the goddess to send their salvation but it seems like she had deserted them as well.

He had tried breaking out of his dank cage but no matter what he did, he couldn't even land a single scratch on it. The hideous witch Alice made sure that he's securely locked up while she enjoys her meal. He heard from the demon guards that she's hounding up every elf they caught and keeping them in tiny cages like chickens in a slaughterhouse. One by one, day by day she would pick one to eat and she would rape them first before devouring their blood.

It seems that his people have greatly dwindled in number because Alice is forcing them to breed with each other in an endless mating ritual that would hasten the pregnancy and birth of new elves for her to eat. It was despicable but there was nothing he could ever do about it. He could barely keep his consciousness with the lack of food and sleep in this blasted cage. He still couldn't believe that he's imprisoned in his own home.

What a sick joke.

The bitter taste of his defeat still lingers in his mouth. It was an acrid and metallic taste that leaves a filthy sensation that can drive someone mad. In the end, he was powerless to stop it and fighting back made it even worse. Surrendering to Dyrroth meant an instant death but striking him down and replacing him with Alice was an unbearable torture that would go on for centuries. Suddenly the gates of Hell seemed so welcoming.

"Get up, elf king. Queen Alice wants to see you."

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted when he saw a demon turning the keys of his cage and opening it up to grab him. They chained him before dragging him to the top of the castle which he assumes is where Alice is waiting for him. On the way through the bailey, he could see the once beautiful structure of his home collapsing from the damage caused by the war. His men sprung up in spikes as trophies of their conquest while those alive suffered a much dreadful fate. He could see several elfettes servicing the demons with their bodies in exchange for morsels of food. Some of the men are being forced to dance shamelessly or act foolishly for the entertainment of orcs.

"Help me! Please help me! My kiiiiing! It hurts! I cannot bear a demonic child! Please!" begged an elf as a demon pinned her on the ground while violating her for everyone to see. There were a number of them waiting in line to mount her and he can only imagine the torment she's going through but he can do nothing to help her.

"Noooo! Please don't leave! I fought for you! I fought for our people and this is what I get!" Estes could hear the sound of the demon hitting her for being too noisy but before he could say anything the demon behind him had already pushed him inside the castle hall.

There he saw Alice sitting on his favorite working chair with a goblet of something red inside. Probably the blood of his brothers. She had a mocking grin on her lips as if rubbing it in his face that she emerged victoriously even though it was her son who actually defeated him.

"Hello, Estes. It's been so long since I last saw you. Sorry I couldn't visit you earlier. I had a lot on my plate." greeted the vampire queen sarcastically.

Estes only kept his cool. All of his emotions have been poured down the drain along with all of his tears when his kingdom fell. His only hope was a happy life for those who escaped the fall. He knew that this darkness is only temporary and the light will shine again on the Elf kind but until then they must endure the long nights before the dawn comes.

If it shall ever come.

Alice's grin slacked a little once she elicited no response from him. She took a little sip on her goblet before licking her lips seductively in a futile way of tempting him.

"How does it feel to have everything you worked so hard to protect crumbling into dust in front of your eyes? I should have made you watch your people being ravaged by my henchmen as if they're nothing but livestock. Plus I kept hearing about what a good fuck your elfettes are, I'm sure you'd love to hear news about your precious general. Miya was it?" Alice said with a taunting smile.

"How's your son?" was his monotonous reply as a little sharp kickback.

"Resting." said Alice passively as if it's something little. Estes saw her red painted claws digging into her cup that it almost cracked. It seems that even her cold black heart can hold someone dear in it.

"He must be with Hela by now. And the girl?"

"Missing. Probably dead. But let's get the topic off of me and back to your family. Do you know that Miya is expecting?" Alice said with a fake cheerfulness as if they are very close friends sharing some gossip.

Estes merely ignored her statement and stared at the moon. Inside, his heart grieved for Miya knowing that she of all received the most punishment given that she struck down their leader.

"Playing tough, are we? Anyway, it was not me that gave the order, it was the girl. Ruby, the avatar of that Wolf God. I never knew that the bitch had it in her. Do you know what she did?"

Silence. Estes didn't reply nor even batted an eye on her. Alice ignored the fact that she's being ignored and went on to continue her story.

"She had your little elfette raped by all of Dyrroth's soldiers so that she can recuperate the numbers of the fallen demons. How brilliant is that child? I may hate her truly but I can't deny that she's a little amusing, don't you think? Oh, but I did something more. I ordered the witches to modify Miya's body so she could bear multiple offspring at a time but I was kind enough to make each pregnancy last only a couple of days before she's ready for breeding again. Isn't that fun? I hope she doesn't run out of eggs soon or else it's going to be quite a new modification."

"You know she's going to kill you, right?"

"Miya? Psssh, I wouldn't worry about a thing with that bitch."

"No, I was talking about Fenrir's maiden. You know the words, you've seen it unfolding." Estes said as he began reciting the prophecy.

When Fenrir's Maiden falls into the Abyss

The wolves will howl and the snakes will hiss

The Azrya woods will be bathed in red

Its beloved elves weeping with dread

But fear naught for the light will shine

The sun may set but the stars will align

As the queen of blood wears her crown

A new queen will rise and bring her down

"Ah, is that your only hope of retaliation? Here I thought you were pathetic but it seems that you've finally gone mad. No one can kill me. I have erased my name from the book of Hela."

"You are a witch. You know the language of the stars. They do not lie. Some fates can be changed but destinies are set in stone."

"I do not need your lecture on the mystics. I am well aware of them. I was there when the rules were written while you were nothing more than tree sap."

"Knowing and believing are two different things, Witch Queen. The wheels are turning and soon the tip of the blade will be pointed at you. Are you ready to face it?" Estes questioned as his blank eyes finally met her cruel ones.

"As ready as I'll ever be. I have lived for millennia and have seen the patterns of fate. The only constant thing in the world is change and change I shall do to those words. No queen will rise against me. I am the highest and the only queen in this world."

"And yet you still fear."

"I don't know fear, elf. But I'm quite touched that you worry for my well-being when it is your life you should be worrying about."

"Everything comes to an end. I have come to terms with mine. You should too because I predict that you will not last the year." Alice laughed at this.

The Elf is merely clinging on to some meaningless words to have his revenge. He knew that he cannot do anything to change the course of his fate so he foolishly held onto some message from the stars. Alice finds it amusing how desperate he has become. The once proud king of the elves is nothing more than a fool.

She slowly crept behind him while he gazed upon the window where the full moon shone brightly over him. His eyes are serene and contented. All the strife and conflict that plagued his mind vanished along with the blowing of the wind.

The goddess Gavanna has spoken.

"Long live the queen." were the final words that he uttered before Alice punctured his heart with her claws. He barely released a sound as she sank her fangs into his neck to drink his vibrant crimson blood. The life in his eyes slowly flickered away like the dying flame of a candle. In his vision, he can see the moon shining brighter and brighter so he tried reaching out to it while his life was being drained away.

The woman, a goddess, smiled at him before taking his hands. She showed him a vision of a crimson maiden, a daughter of Eve, not a demon who will sit on one of the Abyssal thrones. A place left vacant after the defeat of its former owner. The steps on her dais would be filled with blood and her crown will be made from bones of her enemies but she will be a queen.

He smiled.

"One way or another karma will hit you. It might not be today or tomorrow or for the next years to come but it will come. And when it does, be ready to pay the price of your sins."

"The wolf is coming."

Author's Note: Sorca isn't dead she's just asleep. She traveled day and night looking for Ruby so I think our favorite demoness earned her much-needed rest.