Roland wakes up the next morning.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” ROLAND screamed and shot up from the floor.

“Roland! What? What’s the matter?” Sirene gasped.

Roland blinked at Sirene, who was fully dressed and sitting near the mouth of the cave. He gasped and leapt at her, pulling her close to him and looking over her in concern. “Sirene! Are you alright?!”

“What? Of course I am. Calm down!”

“But the demon! Kevin!”

“What demon? Kevin’s outside making breakfast,” Sirene said, “What’s wrong? Did you have a bad dream?”

“Dream? B-but…” Roland glanced around in a bewildered manner. “A-Alisa?”

“Outside,” Sirene replied, “Everyone is outside. You’re the last to wake up.”

Roland’s gaze was drawn to the wall where black chains still hung from nails.

“The prisoner! She’s a demon!” Roland exclaimed.

“S-she is?” Sirene asked. “That’s strange. I didn’t detect any demonic aura from her.”

“She’s a demon, I’m sure of it!”

Sirene sighed. “Well in any case, it doesn’t matter now. The girl escaped in the middle of the night.”

“E-escaped?”

“Yeah Jasabera fell asleep on guard duty and the girl managed to slip out. Don’t bring it up, Jasabera’s pretty pissed about it.”

Roland let out a sigh and crumbled to his knees. “Was it really all just a dream?”

Sirene wrapped her arms lovingly around Roland. “Do you need a couple more hours of rest? It’s fine. It’s been a long, hard quest. Everyone is exhausted.”

“N-no, I think I’m fine. I just… I need some fresh air.”

Sirene helped Roland stand up and led him out of the cave. Once Roland’s eyes adjusted to the glare of morning light, he found himself greeted by a familiar scene. The entire party was gathered around a warm fire, eating, laughing, and chatting. Jasabera and Amaya was arguing about something. Alisa sat beside them, giggling at their antics.

Kevin was stirring a pot over the flame. The porter looked up as Roland emerged from the cave. “Good morning, sir Roland! Would you like some porridge?”

Roland hesitated. He studied Kevin’s smiling face, trying to detect anything out of place.

“R-Roland? Is something wrong?” Alisa asked.

“Forgive, him. He didn’t sleep very well,” Sirene said.

“Ummm, y-yeah,” Roland said, “Sorry guys. I’d love some porridge, Kevin. Thank you.”

“Me too, Kevin,” Sirene said cheerfully, “Please and thank you.”

Roland sat down on a nearby log and was handed a bowl of hot porridge. He eventually allowed himself to relax. “Just a dream…” he muttered to himself as he basked in the party’s warm glow of camaraderie. Roland started eating his porridge. “It was all just a dream… AHHHHNN!”

The entire party stared at Roland who had just let out an uncharacteristic moan. Roland covered his mouth in confusion and horror. He stared at the wooden spoon in his bowl of porridge which just moments ago, sent delicious shivers of pleasure coursing throughout his body when he pushed it into his mouth.

Several leagues away, on the opposite side of the mountain, a young woman with blood red hair suddenly sneezed. She wrapped her cloak tighter around her as she made her way down the mountainside.

“Stay healthy milord,” she said to the freezing wind, “I shall spread the word of thy coming and gather the forces of darkness. When we meet again, you shall take your rightful place as the ruler of the world, and usher in a new age of lust and dark.”