The language that spilled through Kelda’s mouth wasn’t Dwarvian or Elvian, it wasn’t even the human dialect. It was the language that Ocean had seen in the grimoire that he had read a while ago regarding the curses and black spells.

"A Dragonling is here, hahaha, Dragon... Not an older one, but too young, too inexperienced."

[Defender of Divine Glory has assigned you a task.]

[Free the Dwarf from the demon’s possession.

Reward: Trust and respect of the Dwarves.

Penalty: Death of the Dwarf.]

Ocean read the task and then opened the cell door and walked inside. With each step the pressure of his Dragon’s Presence increased inside the cell.

"A possession." Ocean muttered observing Kelda.

It was a tricky thing to deal with soul curses and possession as they were solely upon the demons on whether they wanted to let go of their victims or not.

The diabolic laughter echoed through the cell and the Dwarves stayed outside, Ocean reached out and touched her forehead that had a long scar diagonal scar. Kelda shook her head to put distance between Ocean’s finger and her.

"Don’t touch me." Kelda snarled.

The demons were in charge when it came to curses but the possession seemed like it would be broken by pure mana and who else could be the perfect but Dragons who apart from Yggdrasil carried the purest form of mana?

Ocean narrowed his eyes and then ordered, "Let go of her."

The demon laughed from within the dwarf girl, "You think you can just order me and I will? Foolish Dragonling."

Ocean crossed his arms at his chest looking down on the demon, "The last demon I encountered was capable of human language, but considering you aren’t, it means you’re quite dumb and low level one. You really think you should be challenging me?"

The demon was offended, "How dare you! I can speak all languages, I just wanted these midgets to call for you."

"Call for me? So, you and your posse knew that I was here?" Ocean asked.

The demon snorted, "Of course, you announced your arrival! It was a good thing though, you-"

"Enough chit-chat, get out." Ocean cut the demon off making Kelda to growl in anger.

"Stop talking to me in that tone, scum!"

"Or what?" Ocean challenged, his tone growing icy and his Dragon’s Presence pressing down on Kelda.

"Stop!" The demon growled, the eyes glowing blood red.

"Your eyes are red," Ocean spoke, "The last one had black eyes."

The expression on Kelda’s face changed for a moment before the grimace came back.

"You’re going to regret-"

Ocean sighed, "I don’t have all night, get out of her or I’ll go right now and get rid of you little Witch’s coven that’s on this island."

Kelda grinned and then laughed, "You don’t even know anything and you’re going to destroy... There’s no Domina here, but a Dominus who is far more stronger than the likes of you. Yggdrasil will fall this time and we shall destroy the world... Demons are coming."

Ocean nodded, "Well, Domina or Dominus, I do know that they are hiding somewhere underground in Elvenland."

The demon sniggered again, "You really are a naive and foolish Dragonling, you know nothing and you claim that you can destroy us... Our thralls are nowhere near the Yggdrasil but as soon as the war breaks out..."

The diabolic laughter bounced over the walls of the cell again and Ocean, still composed nodded.

"What’s thralls?"

"The human servants of the demons, those who threw away their humanity and worship us." The demon announced proudly and Ocean hummed, pondering over it for a moment.

"So, these Thralls are in Ortbon or at the border somewhere." Ocean surmised.

Kelda stopped laughing and looked at Ocean, "You’re trying to probe me for information."

Ocean shrugged, "You are pretty dumb. And I am sure you fall lowest in the hierarchy and don’t even have a name."

This enraged the demon and Ocean could see the black rashes growing over Kelda’s skin and though her eyes were glowing bright red, the black tears started to flow out of her eyes.

"I have a name, you insolent! I am not a low level demon, I am the great, Mesorith and you have angered me enough, Dragonling. I will take this dwarf’s soul and kill her right now. You can’t do anything."

Ocean looked at it with an impassive expression before he reached out and placed his hand over Kelda’s head casting the Supreme Healing spell.

A dual scream escaped Kelda’s lips along with the black mist.

"Stop! Stop right now! You damn Dragonling!"

"Why? You’re strong, right? This shouldn’t hurt you." Ocean spoke shoving his free hand into the pocket of his trousers while his mana flowed into the possessed Dwarf.

"You don’t know who you’re messing with! Our King is coming! Our army is coming, your world’s time is soon going to." The demon started shouting in Dwarvian now, black mist oozing from Kelda’s eyes and mouth but still clinging to her.

Ocean closed his eyes for a moment before he activated his Dragon God authority that was bestowed upon him.

The demon went still as if he sensed it as well as the Dwarves who stood behind the bars.

"And you don’t know who you are underestimating?" Ocean asked coldly.

"Your King, your army could come but just so you know, this time a Dragon is here to welcome them. As for you, Mesorith, get out of this Dwarf’s body now." Ocean ordered before he poured more of his pure mana into Kelda and a earsplitting scream before her eyes glowed blue instead of red and the black mist that covered her body was blown away by the blue light that radiated through her skin.

The repulsive presence was gone replaced by the overflowing pure mana into the cell illuminated by bright blue light.

Ocean removed his hand and Kelda slumped forward and Ocean held her shoulders. The glow faded from her body and the cell was dark again.

[Congratulations. Task complete.]

[You have earned the trust and respect of the Dwarves.]

"Remove her chains, she’s all right now." Ocean spoke.

The Dwarves hesitated and Erisgrirlum gestured for the guard to do what was told. The guard stepped in with a keys but stopped as Kelda moved slightly, groaning as she tried to stretch but found herself constrained.

"What the hell?" She spoke and then looked up as she found Ocean standing before her.

Her eyes grew wide and cheeks bright red as she saw him close enough to her, he smiled.

"Good morning." He said and she looked confused.

"What’s going on? Why am I in chains? And you! I told you we should go together last time why did you- no, first of all, where am I?"

The words spilled from her lips like bubbling stream and the guard stepped ahead sensing that she was back to normal.

"Calm down, Kelda." Ocean said patting her head, ruffling her wild red hair and she shook her head.

"Wait, what are you doing here and where are we-"

She suddenly spotted Erisgrirlum beyond the bars and her eyes widened before she sank to her knee, "Your Majesty, I apologize for my insolence. I didn’t see you."

Erisgrirlum looked relieved to see the young Dwarf girl back to her normal self now.

"It’s fine, rise and come out here." He said.

Kelda stepped out of the cell with Ocean and the guard behind her and was shocked to see that she was in the dungeon of the palace in the special cell that was reserved for the especially feral and dangerous criminals.

"Why was I held here? And I was in Elvenland so, how..." She wondered aloud and Ocean stood beside her.

"She doesn’t remember anything." One of the elders spoke and Ocean sighed.

"Usually they do, but it’s good if she doesn’t." Ocean said placing his hand over her head.

"What do you mean? Remember what? And where are the others?" She asked looking around.

"They are all dead," an elder said making Kelda’s eyes go wide.

"What?"

"You really don’t remember? You didn’t see who killed them and where?" another elder asked.

Kelda’s eyebrows furrowed as she tried to remember but apart from the refreshing energy in her body she couldn’t help but feel like her memories were wiped clean. She could remember infiltrating Elvenland and then splitting from her team but then she couldn’t recall anything.

Ocean and Erisgrirlum watched her trying to recall, her face scrunched and she gritted her teeth and Ocean ruffled her hair.

"It’s fine, don’t force yourself." He spoke softly.

Kelda looked up at him and then at Erisgrirlum before asking, "Why was I in there? Did I... hurt my-"

"No," Erisgrirlum spoke firmly, "The enemies did that and they... did something bad to you too but Lord Dragon helped you."

"But I- I failed, I couldn’t protect my comrades or fulfill my mission." He voice cracked.

Erisgrirlum stepped ahead and placed his hand on her shoulder, "You didn’t fail, Kelda. You did well surviving and returning. We mourn the deaths of the martyrs but having one survive is all the more reason to feel like we have more chances of victory."

A few tears escaped Kelda’s eyes and she sniffled. Ocean then patted her head with a smile.

"And don’t worry, you didn’t fail your mission, it’s thanks to you that we do know where these dark forces could be." Ocean said and she looked up at him.

"What? How?"

Ocean turned his head to Erisgrirlum, "Are you still going to say that you won’t do anything if there is a civil war in Elvenland?"

Erisgrirlum’s face grew rigid and he clenched his jaw for a moment before he announced, "If there is a civil war in Elvenland, then the Dwarves will do all in their power to stop it and protect Yggdrasil."

Ocean nodded, "Good decision. Now, let’s have a look at the map of the island. I’ll tell you the plan."

After a few minutes, they all were back in the conference room and the huge map of the island was displayed on the table. Ocean’s eyes ran over several points where the hiding spot could be and he pointed at the ones he found most likely.

"Are we going to attack the coven?" The Dwarf King asked.

"No, you saw what happens if you approach them without proper preparations. For now, I’ll give you a plan and ask you to wait. I am busy with another matter that requires my immediate attention. Once I’m done with that, we will proceed with the purging." Ocean spoke.

"But, won’t we need the Elvenland’s assistance if we are dealing with these dark forces?" An elder asked.

"We will," Ocean agreed, "That’s why I’ll meet Aelfric and fill him in on the details."

Erisgrirlum nodded before he looked at Ocean and asked sounding too respectful unlike in their earlier meeting, "What we sensed back in the cell, Lord Dragon? Was that your true authority?"

Ocean blinked once, pondering over what to say and then looked at Erisgrirlum, "I don’t know about authority, but it’s more like a responsibility."

Something shifted in the Dwarf King’s eyes and in the next moment he sank to his knee making every other Dwarf in the room to gasp.

"I failed to recognize you earlier and behaved rudely, Lord Dragon. From today, I, Erisgrirlum Goldenheart and every Dwarf under me pledge to be by your side." He announced and slowly the rest of the Dwarves also got to their knees before Ocean.

[Congratulations. Erisgrirlum Goldenheart. King of Ortbon and Dwarven kind has pledged his loyalty to you. You have authority over the Dwarves now.]