The portal opened and out of it stepped the demoness, the portal closed once she was back in her realm.
She turned and looked around.
The sky was black, there with no moon or stars illuminating the sky.
There was however 2 streaks of blood red lines in the sky, starting from the horizon and ending at the edge of the world.
Clutching her wound she stepped forward, her blood spilled from her grasp and fell on the jagged rocks beneath her feet.
Flames spewed forth from the cracks on the floor, as molten lava carved through the boulders.
Step by step she reached a path of black volcanic ash, layer upon layer forming a thick road.
Deadly black fumes filled the air, the sound of bubbling lava, and the scent of sulfur, hit her nostrils hard.
Reaching a cliff she started climbing, rocks rolled down and dust blew up from the cliff as the volcano exploded.
It send boulders flying high in the sky and added more toxic smoke to the air. The tremor of the eruption shaking the ground.
She kept climbing, holding onto the edges of loose rocks, barely held in place or cracks she could claw into and use as a wedge.
As she climbed up she looked up, only a few more steps and she will scale it.
Thick volcanic ash crumbled as she stepped on it, further loosening the cliffs wedges. And then one final push, she reached the summit.
Pulling herself up she saw it, the castle in horizon, situated at the center of the demon realm.
Surrounded by volcanos and protected by walls which reached the sky, sitting on top of a mountain so high, that everything below seemed smaller than an ant.
Rivers of molten lava flowing around it carving through solid rock and forming a moat of multiple layers around the castle.
An atrocious architecture of absolute evil, and a fitting abode of the dark world's ruler.
"Finally... home"
She walked forward and took out her weapons and rested them on a rock nearby.
Then she undid her clothing, the thin rags an excuse of coverage, pooling at her feet.
She walked to the edge nearby and lept in, molten lava splashing up as she sank in, a moment later she resurfaced.
She swam to the bank of the pool of lava, her body unbothered by the heat or fire.
Afterall she is a demoness, fire and lava was like air and water for her.
Reaching the bank she relaxed herself on the jagged pebbles on the floor.
Their sharp edges digging into her bare back as she settled in, she sighed in relief, the pain felt so natural.
After a moments brief nap, she propped herself up, her hand roamed for the wound, which by now was a mere scar.
Seeing no blood she wondered,
'It should have healed long ago, but it didn't', she ran the exchange of attacks they both had did, 'the tempest order, why were they there'
'Was she after the boy, why was the boy there in the first place, I am sure I called for a female'
'Its been long since I've had any action and my body is itching for a woman's taste'
Her red glowing eyes narrowed as her brow knitted, her anger crushing the pebbles in the ground as she formed a fist.
A wicked laughter erupted from her,
'I will kill you bloody elf and all of your kind, you cut my body and gave me a scar, you made me run away and you stole my kill. I will not forgive you'.
Saying so she raised her right hand and bit down on her thumb.
A drop of black blood, oozed out of her bite, smearing it on the rock nearby, she brought her palm forward.
Recollecting the face of both the elf and the man, she took an oath,
"I, demoness Yora will be your death"
And then to complete the ritual, she curled her fingers forming a strong fist and smashed the rock into pieces
"Just you wait, once I grow stronger, I will devour both of you and take your strength as well, you wretched elf."
Her lips curling into a wicked grinn,
"and I will make you watch as i feast on that human".
----------------
After finding Don she brought him to the forest nearby, and placed him inside a cave she found deep in the forest.
Then she collected some wood and lit a fire, even during day, the forest was cold.
She removed his torn shirt and opened the pouch in her combat suit and pulled out a blanket and covered him with it.
She applied medicine over his wound to prevent the cut from getting infected or losing any blood.
After checking his body for any remaining poison she settled down along side him.
Don was lying there in a bed comfortably, snoring as he sleeped.
The elf looked at how his chest rose and fell as he breathed, wondering,
'How can someone soo weak be the legendary hero, if anything he looks good, dont tell me thats what his secret weapon is, charm.'
As she sat there pondering, a tall silhouette appeared behind her, it was a giant.
"How is he doing?"
A deep guttural voice came forth, she moved out of his way and said
"He is doing fine, there was a small wound but I treated it, now we just have to wait for further orders".
Hearing this the giant came forward, he glanced at the puny human who wouldn't even last more than a minute against a moxhlan.
"Still, a human hero was a bit unexpected".
Elena nodded in agreement.
"Did you check him for magic?"
Asked the giant,
"Not a single drop of magic is in him".
Elena moved to Don's side and took out a orb.
The orb she pulled out, shined in an elegant white colour, she placed it on his forehead.
The giant leaned in to see the result, anticipating that she was wrong.
But his expectations were short-lived, the orb didnt change color at all.
Pulling the orb back, Elena scoffed,
"He doesn't even have a drop of magic".
The giant pondered for a minute and then asked,
"Maybe if we can get a beast to look upon him, they might know something."
Elena thought for a minute and then shook her head in dismissal,
"Nope, if that was the case he would have atleast, put up a fight".
"He didn't" the giant asked.
"Nope, when I found him he was lying on the floor, entire body limp, and life slowly dying, while the demoness just watched as he struggled, not a single scratch on her body"
She stepped out away from Don, and out of the cave,
"If he was a beast, he would have atleast had some guts, and judging by the strength of the demoness, she was pretty weak, as strong as an orc at best".
Looking at Don from head to toe once again he came out of the cave and reached Elena.
"Mmh, this is a pity"
"You said, you were above the elevn realm and reached here sensing the demoness's presence".
Elena nodded.
"Then did they knew of him or was she targeting someone, a random person and he just managed to stumble upon her trap".
Elena recalled her memory, and then a moment of pondering later,
"Couldnt be, even we didn't know what the hero would look like or who the hero was, the prophecy only spoke about a 'he' arriving and the signs of it, the alignment of the stars,
It could simply be that our hero has awful luck".
The giant sighed hearing it, and then in frustration, clicked his tongue.
"It is hard to believe that none of the forms of power, magic nor strength is present in him, and that the gods will send such a weakling to protect and lead us against the Forces of darkness"
After walking a few more steps he stopped turned back and looked at the hero one more time and then he continued,
"The Grand wizard has spoken, he is to be kept a secret for now, along with our existence a secret to him. We do not know whether he could be strong enough to handle all the knowledge"
"It is better that we keep our presence hidden as random people in his life. Not as our true selves."
Elena nodded
"That is wise, there is also a chance that the demoness might come for him again, then we should be there to protect him"
The giant turned to face Elena with a stern face and he declared,
"Elena Elemore, knight of the Tempest order, you are hereby responsible for his protection and to monitor him, you will disguise as a human and live in close proximity to the hero".
Elena brought her fist to her chest, saluting him and with her chin up she replied,
"I Elena Elemore will obey"
The giant returned the gesture.
"For the Tempest order".
Both said in unison.