"Alright... we’re here." Khalifa said as we finally approached the gates of the next city on our route.

It’d already been a few hours since we left camp, of course after having a good time annoying the black elf that seemed ready to die of embarrassment.

Now, she was looking at me with a threatening glare as we approached the city.

"What? What now?"

"No bombing this city. I already don’t know how fucked our route is, and I’m not ready to watch you go full kamikaze on them, we go in, you actually try interacting with demons, then we find out where we are and how far away it is from where we want to go, alright?"

I just looked at her, her threatening posture was just, "cute."

"Wha.. what?"

"Nothing, I just said your whole no nonsense thing is actually quite cute."

"You bastard!! I’m serious."

"Haaa... fine. I’ll try not to erase these wretched creatures from existence, but should anything displease me..." I let the threat hang as a murderous aura slowly leaked into the air.

"It won’t... I’m right beside you aren’t I?" She suddenly held my hand, leading me into the city.

"HOLD!!!! Where are your passes?" A guard at the entrance of the city suddenly stopped us, weapon blocking our path, as they asked.

"Ughh.. I forgot about that..." Khalifa muttered under her breath.

"Umm.. we haven’t gotten one, where can we register for a city pass." She asked the leading guard.

"Oh? You haven’t gotten one huh?" The guard slurred, my expression immediately going cold.

"Well, lucky for you, I happen to know someone within administrations, and I’m sure they wouldn’t mind if I asked them for a Favour." The guard’s eyes were roaming all over Khalifa, I could see the naked lust already bleeding through them.

A firm grip on my hand made me halt my movement.

"Well, then, I guess I’ll have to bother you." Khalifa smiled.

"Hehehe.. not a bother at all, young lady." The guard laughed.

"So, how much is it?"

"Oh.. just one night with this..."

BANG!!!

I had already slapped the jaws off the bastard before he could complete that foul statement.

"YOU DARE!!!!"

The others guards reacted immediately, weapons raised, ready to intervene but,

Bang!

Bang!

A single slap made them explode into blood mist..

"Ahhhh... run!!!!"

The crowd at the gates were immediately spooked as they scattered.

"Haaaa....."

Khalifa sighed, exhausted, I could already feel her judging eyes.

"What? That filth was getting out of hand."

"I could’ve handled it. This isn’t something new, and it’s NOT a demon only trait." She had to emphasize that part for some reason, but,

"I just didn’t like the way he was looking at you." I replied, turned, then walked into the city.

.....

...

"You coming?" I stopped and asked when I realized she wasn’t moving yet.

"Ahh! Yes.. you bastard!! Hold up."

"Heh! Airhead.."

"What did you just say???"

.....

We entered the city, not minding the row of guards rushing toward gates, acting oblivious to whatever was happening.

Our shabby disguises somehow having worked.

"Alright, directions, where do I get information.." she muttered under her breath, expression pensive.

I was looking around, at the throngs of demons walking the streets.

I could see what looked like a couple, laughing and smiling at each other.

Two little demons ran passed us as they played together.

I could see merchants yelling and selling their wares.

It was unexpectedly... normal.

"Okay. There, let’s go over there."

Khalifa’s voice broke me out of my thoughts as she grabbed my hand and pulled me towards a distant building..

"Hello, and welcome to the Arghat information guild, how may we be of help." A young demoness with a snake’s lower half and a humanoid upper body, greeted us with a smile, fangs poking out of her mouth.

"Ahh, yes, hello, we’re looking for some information.."

"You’re at the right place then, what would you like to know?" The demon asked.

"Well, we sort of lost our way on the way here, since the two cities we were supposed to pass through were suddenly not there anymore.." Khalifa wasn’t looking at me, but I could feel her judgemental stare all the same.

"Ahh, that! The news has spread all over Enviria, to think there would be someone mad enough to erase two cities, the lord’s people are already on it. Heh! I can’t wait to see the horror on the fool’s face when he’s brought down." A crazy and intense look appeared on the demonness as she said that.

"Yes, indeed. So can you please tell us where we are? And how far away we are from the Balor capital city."

"Oh, that shouldn’t be an issue, you must be new around here." I wonder what gave her that idea? The fact that we were putting on what was obviously a shabby attempt at hiding our identities or what?

Though credit to her, she didn’t seem surprised by the entire thing, must not be new around , but still,

"Heh! Fool!" I couldn’t help myself, she was too stupid.

"Ooof.." an elbow to the ribs made me regret it instantly.

"You’re currently in Arghat city, a city under the control of Destria, one of the marquises under the jurisdiction of the Blood Duke, Balor."

"Ohh! So we haven’t strayed far then, that’s good."

"Not at all, we have a teleportation system here that can take you straight to Panthos, lord Destria’s Main city, and from there it will be extremely easy to find your way toward the capital Blood City."

"Thank you very much, that was very helpful." Khalifa smiled."

"It was my pleasure. Now, can I offer you any other services? The cities under the jurisdiction of lord Balor are quite reputable for their slaves and you two look like just the right lord and madam in need of proper working slaves."

"Ahhh... fuck." Khalifa.

"Slaves?" The word immediately triggered something within me.

"Yes sir. We have human slaves, from all ages, it doesn’t matter what you prefer, I’m sure we have something, elves, dwarves, beastmen, any kind."

"And although our wares might not be as impressive as those of other larger cities, I am sure we can satisfy you."

"Slaves..?"

"D.. calm down."

I wasn’t hearing anything at this moment.

I heard the word slaves, and my mind shut down.

I had almost, almost fallen for it.

The laughing children.

The smiling couples.

The merchants.

The laughing elderly.

I had almost been fooled into thinking this was a normal place, but as always,

"Slaves..."

"There they are! Capture them! Take the human alive, but leave the elf.. hehehe, the lord has something special planned for her."

A commotion from behind us drew our attention as we turned to find demons in black armor standing at the doors, the entire building having already been surrounded by them.

The lead demon had a very nasty look on his face as all he could look at was Khalifa beside me.

My blood didn’t boil.

I wasn’t even angry.

I was just assured.

Khalifa had tried to convince me last night, and I had decided to give her the benefit of a doubt, yet this was the first thing I come across?

"Haa... I was right after all, they don’t deserve mercy." I muttered to myself, ready to move when,

SHIIING!!!

A blade light flashed and the snake demonness from earlier was bisected cleanly in two.

"Haa... alright, since you fuckers are so hell bent on ruining my effort, let me send you packing to hell." Khalifa strode to the front, her massive blade slung over her shoulder as she faced the demons.

"Trust me, when you get to hell and see what I just spared you from, you’ll thank me later."

"Foolish elf!! You dare?????"

"Yes. And you talk too much, now, who’s going to die first?"

*************

A/N: eyyyyy.. baby Khalifa about to get down and dirty. I’m sat.

**************

Thanks for reading.