Demon Hunter S3: by Nick Venom (fox in socks read aloud .TXT) 📕

A nobleman pressed forward, entering the city and heading toward Rech’s home. He reached the house, being barred from entering by two knights. “Excuse me, I have a meeting with the lord.” He told both men. One of them glanced at the other, raising an eyebrow. The other shrugged his shoulders, turning away and entering the house. The other guard stayed behind, gripping the sword in his hand tightly. He had it brandished in case the nobleman attacked him.

Fortunately, he didn’t need to use it. The guard that left returned quickly, nodding his head. “He’s waiting for you, Mr. Wells.” He said, bowing his head slightly. Mr. Wells nodded, walking past the guards and into the house. 

Once inside, a maid led him to the room. Inside the room was Rech, the blond-haired city lord of Locket, waiting for him. He was dressed in a medieval outfit fitted with a brown tunic, black boots, and a green cloak that covered everything from his knees to his neck. He had his fingers intertwined on the wooden table in front of him, staring at Mr. Wells intently. 

Mr. Wells bowed his head. “Good afternoon, City Lord.”

“Call me Rech… Sit down.” He muttered, pointing at the chair in front of him after un-intertwining his fingers. 

Mr. Wells nodded, grabbing the chair and sitting down on it. “Call me Mandy then.” He said. He was dressed in a black tunic with brown breeches. He wore a dark blue doublet over the tunic with his flowing light brown hair laying against it. 

Rech nodded, intertwining his fingers again. “Okay, Mandy. You’ve asked for me. What is it you need?”

Mandy cracked a smile. “Well, I’ve come here to… help with the repairs.”

“Help with the repairs?” Rech questioned. “What is it you could do?”

“I have wealth, Mister Rech. It’s enough to fund the rebuilding process.”

Rech furrowed his brows. “I’m surprised that a wealthy nobleman has offered their money up voluntarily. And even knows about the Locket Invasion… on the same day it happened. You didn’t happen… to be in the right place at the right time?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m surprised that a city lord would suspect a generous donor.” Mandy leaned in closer to Rech. “I have no connection to the events that transpired here. All I wish is to make a transaction of sorts.”

Rech leaned back in his chair, scoffing. “What is it that you want? The mana crystals of demons? The head of the Demon Lord? Slaves?”

Mandy shook his head. “I want… one person. You might know this person.”

Rech jerked his head back. All that money for one person? It couldn’t be… Rik, right? He thought to himself. He leaned in closer to Mandy, whispering “Who is it?”

Mandy laughed in Rech’s face, leaning back in his chair. “A little girl. Her name is Ashley.”

Rech leaned back, scoffing at Mandy. Ashley is one of Rik’s servants. He really wants her. I can’t wait to see how Rik responds. He thought to himself. “I can’t help you with that.”

“Then,” Mandy brandished a stack of bills, sliding it to him. “Can you tell me where she is… and I’ll take care of it.”

Rech let out a loud laugh. “I can if you want to be torn in half.” He remarked, laughing. He then grabbed the money and slid it back to Mandy. “It appears that the transaction has been canceled, Mr. Wells.”

Mandy stood up, smiling. “It appears so… Mister City Lord.” He pushed his chair in before leaving the room, not saying a single thing. However, he continued to smile as if he had won the argument. In his head, he did.

Meanwhile, Rech stood up and watched him leave from a set of windows facing the road. He waited until Mandy disappeared from his sight before calling in a knight. The knight entered the room, waiting for an order. Rech gave it to him. “Lead me to Rik. Instantly.” He wasn’t laughing anymore, putting on a straight face. 

The knight nodded, leading Rech to Rik’s house. The two-story house was on the outskirts of the house and had been purchased recently - all of this information being found out by Rech’s spies. Rech wanted to keep an eye on Rik for multiple reasons, one of them being for the general safety of Locket.

After several tens of minutes, they arrived at Rik’s house. Rech approached the door, rattling his knuckles on it. He took a step back. “Do not bare your fangs, Caio. Treat your weapon as if it didn’t exist.” He warned the knight by his side.

Caio, a young knight, nodded. He was dressed in iron armor from head to toe with only his black eyes being seen from the helmet. “As you order, my Lord.” He responded. He kept his hands away from the sword to not attract malicious intent.

Rech, meanwhile, took a step forward, knocking on the door before taking a step back again. A few seconds later, the door was opened ajar by Zoe. She hesitated to open it further but noticed it was Rech on the other side. She opened the door, beckoning them in. Rech and Caio stepped into the house, being led to the kitchen where Rik was.

Rik glanced up at Rech and Caio before looking back at his food. “What is it?” He barked.

Rech took a step forward. “There’s a man named Mandy Wells who appeared at my home some time ago. It looks like he wants one of your servants.”

Rik dropped his fork, one hand moving towards the chain by his side. “Mandy Wells? Why does he want my servants?”

Ashley entered the kitchen, drowsy due to the amount of mana she had used up. She approached the table, sitting down, and was given a plate of food by Eric. Eric was a skilled cook, making the meals for the party. 

Rech shrugged his shoulders. “He said he wants Ashley in particular.” 

Ashley furrowed her brows, hearing her name. She looked up at Rech before turning her head to Rik. Rik, by this time, had stood up. “He wants to take Ashley? Over my dead body.” He declared.

Rech nodded his head. “He wanted me to trade her for enough money to rebuild Locket.” Rik glared at him. “But I refused it. He left peacefully, but I’m sure that he’ll find a way to kidnap her.”

Rik gripped the chain tightly. “Then I need to kill him before he takes her.” He declared.

Rech shook his head. “That’s murder, Rik. You already are marked as suspicious. If you kill him, you’ll become a criminal.”

“Then what?” He barked. “Let him take her.”

“That’s now what I’m saying. I’m only here to inform you about him. If he is truly crazy like his reputation says he is, he’ll be imprisoned for something else.” Rech glanced at Caio who was shaking because of the malicious aura Rik expelled from his body. “Just leave him alone for the time being. I’ll make sure he’s dealt with when I can. Just avoid Mandy and we’ll all be fine.”

“Mandy?” Ashley questioned, slightly trembling. “M-M-Mandy?”

Rech furrowed his brows. “You know Mandy Wells?”

Ashley’s eyes widened as her fingers trembled. She began hyperventilating a few seconds later, collapsing to the ground. She trembled on the ground, muttering “No!” And “Stop, Mandy!”

Rik rushed to Ashley’s side, soothing her. Eric, meanwhile, disappeared and reappeared behind Rech and Caio, pressing a dagger against each of their throats. “What should I do with them, master?” He asked.

Rik didn’t hear him as he tried to calm Ashley down. Zoe sat down next to her, assisting Rik. It took several minutes until she calmed down enough for Rik to pick her up and carry her to her bed on the second floor. He placed her down, ordering Zoe for a chair. He sat down next to her bed, watching over her as she fell asleep with tears at the corner of her eyes.

With her asleep, he passed over the duties of watching over her to Zoe. He headed downstairs, gripping his chain tightly. He headed to the door, but Rech stood in his way. “You’ll be painted as a criminal, Rik! Leave him for now!”

“I don’t care!” He snarled. “You saw how she reacted? He broke her in the past and now he’s back to finish the job! I’m going to end Ashley’s nightmare today! He’ll be dead!”

“I told you! I’ll take care of him. All you will do is murder what the public deems as an innocent man! You’ll be a criminal and guess what? Ashley and the others will be considered criminals! Do you want her to be on the run for the rest of her life because you can’t hold your damn emotions?” He shouted in Rik’s face. “If I let you leave, you only ruin your servants’ lives. Nothing more and nothing less. Her nightmare never ends and it will be because of you!” 

Rik glanced at Eric, who nodded in agreement with Rech. “Master… He’s right.”

Rik bit his lip, his hands reddening because of his tight grip on the metal chain. After several seconds of discussion within his brain, he loosened his grip and turned away. “Fine,” He spat. “I won’t kill today… but if he attacks me. I won’t hesitate to kill him.

Rech nodded. “I’m sure you won’t.” He glanced at Caio, motioning for him to leave. “I’ll make my departure now. Just remember that I’ll take care of him in a legal way. I’ll make sure of it.” He turned towards the door, leaving with Caio in tow.

With them gone, Rik glanced in their direction. “You won’t be able to. That’s when the hunting season begins.” There was a glint of anger resting in his eyes.

Meanwhile, Zoe watched over Ashley. She heard bits of the conversation downstairs but didn’t pay too much attention to it. Her main focus was Ashley. 

“Please make sure she wakes up in high spirits.” She whispered, pressing her palms together. She lowered her head and closed her eyes. “Decrusto, please listen to my plea. My younger sister is affected by her past and cannot escape it. Please guide her to the exit. Keep her safe, I ask for only that tonight. By my given name of Zoe, I ask for her safety. Please, Decrusto.” She prayed. 

She hoped that Decrusto would listen and provide mental relief to Ashley. Whether or not it worked depended on the god’s whim. And the whim was always flexible.

TBC…

The next day, Ashley was considerably better. Zoe watched over her during the entire night with Rik substituting every once in a while. He had calmed down as well, but he still didn’t trust Rech’s words. Instead of relying on him, he sent Eric to track down Mandy and monitor him.

After taking several hours during the night to locate Mandy, Eric returned and reported what he found.

“He lives on the other side of Locket in a gated community known as Brightwater. It’s the wealthy community in Locket. He lives in a large mansion in the area and seems to be staying inside. He hasn’t left his house. I was unable to