The trip to Bagnion was short lived as Albus and Cassiel had rushed over within an hour's time.
Wanting to finish their small vacation by the end of the day, the two planned on walking all around Bagnion just one time before the castle was finished being rebuilt.
With no one at the gates to let them in, they jumped over the entrance, before finally starting their final walk.
.....
Walking down the main road, their eyes gaze upon the refurbished buildings, they do their best to repress the previous sight of the city, only remembering it as a murder site painted in their race's blood.
Washing their eyes with this new view of the city, they take in how beautiful and unique the architecture is.
Bagnion was a city known for its skilled hunters, therefore the buildings were themed around it.
They looked on at shops that were set up and ready to sell a variety of different cuts of tanned hides, until finally they stopped as they reached the middle of the city, the exact same place they fought Barakiel at over half a year ago.
.....
"This area still has an eerie feeling to it..." Albus says, rubbing his shoulders as a cold wind passes through.
"Yeah, I suppose we don't have the most pleasant memory of this place, do we?" Cassiel jokes, trying to lighten the mood.
However, his idea to lighten the mood ended to no avail, as when he looked forward, he saw the same fountain that had once been covered in various organs, which were also strewn out all over the place.
He remembers how the market stalls surrounding the middle of the city were all tattered and broken down, some having merchants inside whom were murdered in cold blood.
.....
Walking a bit further into the city, they take notice of the castle which is still yet to be repaired.
"At least they had the decency to clean the blood off before taking a break." Cassiel mumbles solemnly.
After another minute of staring dead at the castle, Cassiel turns to Albus.
"Wanna go inside?" He says, smiling.
And without hesitation, they head in.
.....
It had long been night since they'd arrived in the city, however the inside of the castle was somehow darker than the outside.
There was a grim feeling inside the grand building as their footsteps echoed throughout it.
Something was off, that much was obvious to the both of them.
Glossing over the vicinity, they weren't able to detect anything out of the norm, however the grim feeling wouldn't leave.
"You feel it as well, don't you..?" Albus questions, turning to stare at Cassiel.
Within a split moment, Cassiel's gladius forms in his hand as stabs it straight towards Albus' neck.
Dodging it at just the last second, sparks fly as Cassiel's blade of mana grinds against a dark iron dagger that was flying towards Albus, sending it off to the side.
Neither of them were able to even detect the attacker, yet Cassiel's warrior instincts took over to save Albus' life.
"Why are you here?" A hidden voice cuts through the cold air, shocking the both of them as they recognize it.
"Nathan?" Cassiel questions, confused.
"Answer me." Nathan Nykos continues, sparing not a second to waste.
Staying silent, Albus draws his sword, sweat dripping down his face.
"Have you two also been tracking the humans left on our land?" Nathan's question airs out the room, shocking and confusing both Albus and Cassiel further.
"What is it you speak of?!" Cassiel demands, confused yet angry.
Speaking not a word more, Nathan steps out from the shadows.
"The blonde hero and the flame user, they've taken refuge in this castle." Nathan states, making the room go quiet.
In shock, neither Albus nor Cassiel is able to say anything, giving Nathan more than enough reason to suspect they really had no idea about the human's intrusion on Bagnion.
"There are around one hundred or so soldiers that follow under them, I suppose they were deserters of battle whom were rounded up by that blonde warrior." Nathan continues.
"Falvi." Cassiel cuts in, his voice shuddering in excitement.
"I remember the day I let him go, I've been meaning to find him." Cassiel continues, his voice overtaken by excitement and bloodlust, a flaw he thought he had ridden himself of months ago.
An uneasy feeling fills the room as Cassiel grins like a maniac.
"Cassiel, we should head out to get reinforcements, cleanse Rampiel of all human scu-"
Before Albus is able to finish, Cassiel's eyes dart towards him, burning a hole into his face with his stare alone.
Cutting himself off, Albus takes a step back.
"Think reasonably, Cassiel." Albus attempts to order, reinforcing what he had said prior.
It's only at this moment that Cassiel is able to drop the act.
"I apologize, you're right." Turning to Nathan, Cassiel's eyes gaze over him for a second. "Nathan, I understand you are by no means ever going to follow under my rule, however at this moment only you are capable of reaching Kotor before me or Albus could." Cassiel continues, hoping his words could get through to Nathan.
"Not another word. I've already decided that'd be my role, I couldn't even fathom myself fighting alongside either of you two." Nathan mocks, before instantaneously disappearing into the shadows.
.....
After minutes pass, Cassiel and Albus stood outside the entrance of the castle, waiting for reinforcements to arrive, despite knowing it'd take a couple hours.
"It's weird, y'know..." Albus states, breaking the silence.
"I couldn't detect anyone in there, not Nathan, nor a human." Albus continues.
Thinking about it deeper, it only takes Cassiel a few moments to realize their mistake.
"You don't suppose Nathan was-" Before Albus is able to finish his sentence, he looks up at Cassiel, whose eyes widened as he stared forward onto the road in front of the castle.
Turning his gaze over, Albus sees what had locked Cassiel in such a state.
Over a hundred soldiers stood crowding the streets, standing just behind two warriors glowing in bright colors.
One was surrounded in a burning reddish-orange mana, while the other was covered in a golden-yellow aura.
It was both Falvi and Barakiel, who stood weapons drawn facing Cassiel and Albus.