Chapter 94 - Stratagem Of Victory

They wandered across the foggy forest for the briefest while until reaching the end of it, the limitation with the barren land, from there, they saw the image of a demon walking slowly, so slowly and ominously amidst the gales of dusty sand.

Green skinned demons with robes that they could recognise very well.

The demon they have 'scammed' Sandmortelle.

He walked through the desert with steady steps as if it was his backyard, they know this is a Demon Magistrate.

*WHOOOSH!!!*

It was at that moment that they gaped from their spots, the demon flickered to the side seamlessly and a gigantic worm came out of there with a vengeance, this is the first time they have seen any of those worms.

The demon, that bastard... his gaze was fixed in Valentine as if he wanted to slaughter him all the way from the Pacific to the Atlantic.

The worm bent threateningly and intended to lunge at the demon with greed, its size similar to that of a big bus standing vertically.

*BOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!!----------

But the moment it lunged, Sandmortelle simply evaded once again as if he was unconcerned, the worm crashed heavily against the ground, twisting and turning, it was then that the green-skinned demon turned around and prepared his fist.

*BAAAANGGGG!!!!*

!!!!

With a single fist, the worm's head exploded in a gargantuan mess of flesh and matter that coated him and the desert, releasing an eerie bloody mist that left the three of them awestruck.

'WHAT KIND OF NONSENSE IS THIS!?'

Is this the power of a Demon Magistrate!? That's what they believed, unaware that this individual is in fact... a Demon Count.

'How can a demon with such a relatively small frame, destroy such a gigantic worm with a single fist!?'

Sandmortelle's claw-like hands penetrated the skin and tore it apart until he entered the body of the worm, for several seconds they just saw him get in the worm's corpse until he eventually came out with something in his hand.

A big core that he was munching, his skin no longer resembling the green it used to be, now... it's crimson red.

"We see each other again, humans... a disgrace may I add." He said, standing at a relatively safe distance.

"Sandmortelle..." Valentine would obviously not forget this demon from the shop, the one that tortured him back then with only the intention of getting to know what rank is his soul, all for nought, if he's Warcroft's subordinate, he must know.

"If you're wondering why I'm standing so far away, that's naturally... because I don't want to lose sight of my objectives at this instance and slaughter the three of you, I'm afraid... my lord would take my head the moment I came back..." Sandmortelle finished ingesting the last piece of core and smiled 'politely' to them as the same vendor they had met that time, except that now... he's coated in blood.

"Just state your objective."

"Yes, that would be for the best... you see, a convoy coming from the Burning Wrath City, an enemy city... is coming towards the perimeter of our domain, it carries weapons for an army that's been assembling in the surroundings of the Soultorrent Trench, here... you have a map, this is going to be important for you." 

The man took an ancient scroll and threw it towards them, torn and in a bad state, but the information within was still clear.

Valentine and Fayette's eyes shone when they saw that scroll, a map!

This could be considered their wet dream for the longest while.

"You're in the Blood Maiden Forest... the convoy is coming from the Burning Wrath City to the Soultorrent Trench, we don't know the exact date of departure, it should be between today and the next ten days... your objective is to slaughter the son of  Marques Sinclair... that's your primary objective, it doesn't matter if you don't do anything else, the son of the Marques should be there, his appearance depicts him as a Royal Demon, but he's a useless bastard that's barely about to turn into a Magistrate... if you manage to achieve this and still live, then you can plunder the entire convoy to your fill"

The demon spoke with disdain as he didn't care whether they died or not... but he does.

"How strong is it, if he's as strong as you, it won't be an easy thing to accomplish..." Valentine spoke solemnly, how the fuck are they supposed to kill someone as strong as him!?

"He's not as strong as me, you don't need to worry~ but... he will certainly be stronger than Bellcroft, with that said, here you have some equipment..." Some things started to materialise in his arms, likely using a ring similar to what Fayette has.

He threw several bombs resembling the ones they had seen Jurgen use, also, the ones Vera used to fight the Mahogany Tree.

"The convoy should be containing, weapons, explosives, sollux and plenty of souls, wrath onyx, is the currency of the Burning Wrath City after the mission is done, communicate it to my lord through the badges, I'll come to pick up some of the goods you plundered, supposing you're still alive~" 

"..."

"I'll excuse myself then, I 'pray' for your success, humans~" 

The demon walked back and after disappearing for a certain distance, his figure just vanished in the gales of dust and sand.

"I think he hates us." Fayette started to take back the explosives and place them inside her ring for future usage, the mission looks, thrilling in her view.

"He does..." Valentine sighed and took the map, this is going to be difficult, the first thing they need to do is survey the land, at least they have a map, without a map, this would be extremely difficult, but the man is a basic one, it has

"Let's go back." They need to have a meeting, mounting their bears they disposed themselves to return to their crib, time can't be wasted especially since the convoy could just come anytime now.

**

**

Reaching their house, they were met with the surprise that a goblin had fallen inside one of the holes while trying to sneak in.

Valentine growled in annoyance, "Damned bastard..." 

Fayette patted his head to calm him down, they'd need to take the goblin out and replace the trap, were they to leave it there, it could escape and sneak inside.

"Calm down, dear..." She sighed, with all the effort that it took him to create all this, it's obvious that he wants them to be triggered by top dogs.

She took one of her arrows made out of puma-porcupine needles, and blasted it inside the goblin's skull... as for the corpse? Vera pulled it with her roots and gave it to Teddi.

...

"We have explosives, but this map is inaccurate, it shows no relieve, distances or anything... we need to personate ourselves in the place and discover the best way to do it." Valentine placed the sheet on their table and it was then that they heard a few growls.

"What now?" He rolled his eyes thinking that it was a threat.

"It's Lolo..." Vera recognised the voice of the troll, when they looked through the window downstairs, Lolo was waving his club back and forth, it seems he's going to hunt and is giving them advice if they want to go with him.

Valentine signed with his hand in a negative manner, they can't go hunt anything now... Lolo sighed and left on his own.

"It's a convoy, but we don't know the numbers... the best thing we can do is to have one of us go with Miki and peek on the perimeter of this burning craft city, we might be lucky enough to take a look at their numbers before they reach the place of an ambush..." Fayette asserted sagely.

"This is for the best... right now we're going to divide into two groups, I'll go with Miki to the Burning Wrath City and squeeze myself trying to look at the departing convoy, or if they're already in the way, to address the distance, I want you two to reach this region... use the badges" He pointed at a particular place that's not too far from the forest and the Soultorrent Trench, it's the vector that's the closest to both places.

"Head there get the sight of the place they're most likely to go through, give the exact coordinates relative to the forest's location and I'll also send you their numbers, I trust you to make the right call, Faye." He glances at the two of them, he knows Faye will do the planning and Vera will support her.

He prepared to depart straight away after giving each of them a deep kiss.

"I will be careful... speak to us at all times through the badge, okay?"

"Give me some of the bombs, I already have an idea in mind, if it's workable, I'll communicate it with you." 

"Hmn..."  He nodded and jumped from the tree, leaving two ladies who only sighed, they already know him well enough to know that he is going to be okay.

"Let's go there straight away, Vera... we're going to try to find a key location for you, your powers are going to be the key in this front, alright?" Fayette prepared herself as well, aware that they don't have that much time to prepare.

"Hmn!" Vera nodded with resolution and content, she knows that her powers as a Mahogany Tree are key for the success of this mission, aware that she's due to stop the movement of the other party and manage Fayette and Valentine to get easier targets.