Interlude - Riley Part 2

The demon was massive, wearing red armour with black stripes. His eyes studied the woman in front of him, trying to raise fear in her. Intimidate. Crush her spirit. But it didn't work. He never met that kind of fearlessness in anyone, and certainly not in human.

His squad managed to spot her and bring her in for interrogation just half hour ago. It was his job to stay with her until the commander comes.

And he did come, in the next few seconds.

Commander was much smaller than his soldier, almost human sized, and didn't wear any plated protection, just casual clothes. He looked sensible and sharp. And that was the reason why Riley decided to speak first.

"Riley Ross. Assassin from the order of the Core. On mission."

She said to establish quickly who she was, and extended her hand towards the demon.

He took it and shook, while introducing himself:

"Ghann. Commander of this, let's say, outpost."

He looked around. The shack they were didn't even qualify as a barn or a stable, but that was the place he was stationed in.

"So, who are you going after?"

"Why do you ask?"

She responded with a question, while playing with a strand of her hair.

"Maybe I can help. We had some... Incidents lately in this area. That's why the forces of the one and true demon lord are stationed here."

She chuckled, and looked at him with a smirk. He didn't dare to challenge her eyes.

"Usually our targets are the source of incidents. Anyway, the person I am chasing now crossed the border recently. I found his trace quite easily, so he is not trying to hide. However, I did lose him around that area."

She pointed at the map on the table.

"I see. There was a large refugee camp there. Hundreds of civilians, traitors, deserters and just scared people..."

"I know what a refugee camp is." Riley interjected.

"Until recently we had a civil war in here. It ended with the **** of Khaj, a minor demon lord that was rightful ruler of those lands."

"Who is the ruler now?"

Ghann shrugged.

"Hell if I know. The fight still goes on, we are just here to clean up and prevent more losses."

Riley raised her eyebrows.

"The big, bad demon lord doesn't want more people to die?"

"Not in his lands. Not where they are beneficial to him."

"And not where he could easily lose control over these lands?" She asked.

The question was so big that the huge demon took an instant swing at her in response to disrespecting the highest power they knew.

Ghann raised his hand to stop his subordinate.

"Let's not go there. I am under orders to respect the Core's mission, but my soldiers don't know of you."

She nodded.

The commander released air carefully from his lungs. He understood that if she wanted, they would've been dead already.

"So what happened to Khaj?"

She asked.

"That's what we are also trying to piece together. We managed to learn that there was some sort of rebellion in his castle, one that managed to destroy him. His army and servants either died of fled in all directions. All we have are just partial reports, but nothing that would point at a direct cause of this ordeal."

"Did Khaj take prisoners?"

She started to think deeper about it.

"Very rarely. He believed that **** was the perfect solution to problems."

"When did it happen?"

He scratched his horn.

"About ten days ago."

"And when did the camp disperse?"

Ghann started to nod and follow her line of thinking.

"It's been like two weeks. Do you think..."

"Yes." She interrupted him. "My target got himself captured or was a guest of your local demon lord, until that position bored him so he just killed Khaj and moved further."

Commander stared at the map for a bit longer this time.

"Yeah, that does make sense. But Khaj was one of the very hard to kill demons. It would take some immense power to destroy him."

She smiled.

"I know. It fits how my target operates and the scale of his abilities."

"Are you sure you want to go after him alone? I can dispatch some soldiers with you."

Riley laughed out loud this time. The demon was trying to actually help her.

"There is no need. After all, hunting the outsiders with world ending capabilities is my orders specialty."