Greed and Insight found themselves abruptly teleported into the heart of a dense, shadowed forest. The air was thick with moisture, the ground blanketed in wet leaves that rustled faintly beneath their feet. The towering trees cast ominous shapes in the dim light, their twisting branches resembling clawed hands reaching toward the heavens. Both Archdemons glanced around, realizing immediately that the Demon Lord was no longer with them.

  “Where is he?!” Greed growled, her golden irises glowing faintly with agitation. She paced back and forth, her gilded claws flexing as frustration seeped into every motion. “This cursed forest reeks of weakness. I despise it.”

  Insight, ever calm and composed, stood motionless, her crimson eyes scanning the surroundings. Her raven-black hair shimmered faintly in the muted light as she spoke evenly, “If the Lord is not here, we must assume he was sent elsewhere. The portal displaced us. Calm yourself, Greed. We must focus.”

  Greed opened her mouth to retort, but before she could speak further, a feral growl echoed from the shadows. The Archdemons turned sharply toward the sound, their senses sharpening as the forest came alive with movement. From the underbrush emerged a pack of werewolves, their eyes glowing with predatory intent, their massive forms bristling with dark energy. Their snarls cut through the silence, their claws digging into the earth as they closed in.

  “You want to test me, mutts?” Greed sneered, her lips curling into a cruel smile. Her golden axes materialized in her hands, their edges glinting ominously. “Fine. You’ll regret it.”

  Insight said nothing, her form dissolving into her murder of crows, the shadowy flock streaking through the air like knives. The werewolves lunged, claws extended and jaws snapping, but the Archdemons moved with brutal efficiency. Greed charged head-on, her axes slicing through flesh and bone with devastating force, golden sparks flying with every swing. The wolves’ howls of pain were cut short as they fell one by one.

  Above, Insight’s crows swarmed the remaining wolves, their talons slashing and tearing with surgical precision. The pack stood no chance against the Archdemons’ relentless assault, and within minutes, the forest was silent once more. Blood pooled beneath the fallen creatures, staining the forest floor as the crows reformed into Insight’s humanoid figure.

  Greed wiped her axes clean, her expression sour. “What a waste of time. This place is vile, and I want nothing more than to leave it.”

  Insight, unperturbed, spoke in her usual measured tone. “We must not linger. We need to find a landmark, a point of reference to determine our location.”

  Greed huffed but nodded begrudgingly, following as Insight led the way through the labyrinthine forest. The two moved swiftly, their senses attuned to every sound and movement. After some time, they emerged into a clearing and stumbled upon a dilapidated farm. The wooden structures were worn and weathered, leaning precariously as though ready to collapse. Nearby, they spotted a group of the God of Dreams’ followers, dressed in violet cloaks adorned with crescent markings, gathered around three terrified individuals.

  The captives—a man and woman in their forties, clearly the parents, and a young woman in her twenties with blackish-blue hair—were bound and kneeling in the dirt. Their faces were pale and streaked with grime, their ragged clothing evidence of their impoverished state. The followers stood around them, chanting in a strange language, their voices resonating unnervingly as the air grew heavy with arcane energy.

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  Insight’s crimson eyes narrowed. “They are performing a ritual. Those humans will not survive it.”

  “We should stop them,” Insight said firmly, her tone laced with conviction. “These rituals twist mortals into abominations.”

  But Greed stepped forward, her golden irises glinting with curiosity. “No. I want to see how they do it. Let them finish. It might be… enlightening.”

  Insight hesitated but ultimately remained silent, her gaze fixated on the unfolding ritual. The followers’ chants grew louder, the arcane energy surrounding them intensifying as the bound humans trembled in fear. With a final cry, the ritual reached its peak.

  The mother screamed, her body convulsing violently before exploding into a shower of blood and gore, staining the ground and the cloaks of the followers. The father underwent a grotesque transformation, his form swelling and twisting into a hulking, mutated figure, his humanity stripped away entirely. The daughter, however, remained unresponsive, her body slumping forward into unconsciousness, untouched by the arcane energy.

  The mutated father let out a guttural roar, his monstrous form turning on the followers with savage fury. He swung his clawed arms, killing two of them instantly before the remaining followers unleashed their magic to destroy him. The mutated abomination collapsed, his body dissolving into black ash.

  While the followers inspected the unconscious daughter, Greed and Insight launched a coordinated sneak attack. Greed’s axes tore through their ranks, while Insight’s crows targeted their throats with precision. The followers fell quickly, their lives extinguished by the Archdemons’ ruthless assault.

  As the dust settled, Greed approached the unconscious girl, her golden axes still dripping with blood. “Let me end her misery,” Greed said coldly.

  “No,” Insight said sharply, stepping in front of Greed. “She is different. I can sense something strange about her. She may be valuable to the Lord. We should bring her to him.”

  Greed rolled her eyes but eventually nodded. “Fine. But if she becomes a problem, I’ll handle her myself.”

  Before they could leave, a surge of energy erupted in the distance. Both Archdemons froze, recognizing the unmistakable signature of the Demon Lord’s unsuppressed power. The energy lingered for only a moment before vanishing again.

  “He’s close,” Greed said, her voice tinged with urgency.

  Insight nodded. “Then we should move.”

  They found two horses near the barn, their calm demeanor surprising Greed, who commented, “These are nothing like the beasts we ride in hell.”

  Insight agreed, noting the horses’ docility as they loaded the girl onto one of them. Without delay, they rode off toward the direction of the Demon Lord’s energy.

  The trail eventually led them to the battlefield where the Demon Lord had triumphed over the God of Dreams. They crossed the desolate land, its silence haunting, and continued toward the camp in the distance.

  Upon arriving, they were greeted by knights who bowed respectfully before addressing them. “The Demon Lord returned a few hours ago,” one said. “He is resting in the captain’s tent.”

  The knights offered to take the unconscious girl to the medical tent for treatment. Greed and Insight agreed but issued a subtle threat. “If anything happens to her,” Greed warned, her golden eyes glowing ominously, “you will suffer dearly. She is now the property of the Demon Lord.”

  Leaving the girl in the care of the healers, the Archdemons proceeded to the tent where the Demon Lord rested. As they entered, he did not acknowledge them or inquire about their absence. Instead, his voice cut through the still air with commanding authority. “Go. Find nearby monsters, kill them, and consume their power to strengthen yourselves. Return tomorrow afternoon. We depart for the city on the airship.”

  Greed and Insight bowed in acknowledgment, accepting their orders without hesitation.

  They left the tent, the rain still pouring as they ventured into the night to carry out their mission, leaving the Demon Lord to his solitude and rest.