The War of the Demon Controllers
Pre-Arc the Valaan Family

Chapter 19's

Tael's body ached and was burned by Anglar's fire.

"Erase him!" exclamation Tael.

"Please Tael!" Yvonne panic.

Yogot stabbed Anglar but the man was too tough to topple with a small prick. Yvonne tried to push Anglar but his strength was not strong enough to get rid of him. They are both confused as to how. When Lupan came and slashed Anglar's head, then the body of the barbarian man can be removed from Lupan.

Tael thrashed on the ground, his clothes on fire. "Hot! It's hot!"

"Turn on the ground!" exciting Skard.

Tael followed and he rolled around trying to put out the fire. Before long the fire had been extinguished, but his chest was hot and sore. Yvonne checked it out immediately.

"What kind of stupid act is that!" yvonne.

Tael answered slowly. "My body moves on its own."

Daedalus went out with Isolde from the forest. He looked at Tael's condition and asked what happened.

"Anglar Saxo hit him and set himself on fire" Skard explained. "Isold! Thank goodness you're okay."

The girl Daedalus rescued, Isolde ran to hug the man in the cowboy hat of the Valaan Guard. The girl's body was contained and her running was slow.

"I was helped by that man" said Isolde. He took off his embrace.

Skard came and shook hands Daedalus—now Daedalus had removed his slime armor. "Thank you for saving my son" said Skard. Daedalus nodded little unconcernedly. They checked for a large burn on Tael's chest. "Where is our manners? Isolde, bring ointment and treat our savior!"

Isolde nodded and hurried over.

Toras, Riel and Abel come out of the forest. Riel immediately ran to Tael's side with a worried moody expression. Lupan stood with Hella, inseparable.

"It's a risk of not listening to my words" Lupan said.

"And let these people just die?" ask Yvonne. "Where's your conscience?"

"Returning to me while acting on conscience makes all of us okay. This time it's only Tael who's hurt, maybe the next act of conscience isn't just a wound." Lupan looked at Daedalus furiously. "Maybe if you listen to him next, someone will die between us."

Daedalus was uncomfortable, but he didn't add to the problem. He ignored Lupan, as well as the others.

It was not long before Isolde shouted from the horse carriage. "Bring him here!" exclaim Isolde.

Daedalus carried his sister like he was holding the princess and went to take her to the horse-drawn carriage.

"Put it inside."

Daedalus laid Tael down and Isolde began to do her duty. He cleaned up Tael's burn scars and put an ointment on them. Tael grimaced but said nothing.

Then Daedalus got out of the horse-drawn carriage and joined the others. Everyone had gathered to face Skard and a young girl in her shining clothes.

"Meet me, I'm Lagertha Valaan from the Valaan family." The girl, Lagertha introduced herself kindly, but her face revealed displeasure.

"I'm Skard, head of the Valaan Guard division" Skard added.

"The Valaan family is personally grateful for your help." Lagertha continued. "If without you, we'd all be killed in this robbery. For that, we thank you and will present you with a bag of gold coins."

Yogot and Yvonne looked at each other hearing the gold coins. Even Tael who was being treated, jumped out of the horse carriage.

"A bag of gold coins?!" Tael yelling.

Tael did not listen and stood outside watching the conversation.

Naturally Tael behaved like that, a bag of gold coins. Let alone a slave, it even seemed like a soldier like Gallam had never held a bag of gold coins in their lives. It was a golden opportunity to start a new life. They can buy anything they want!

"A lot of money, a bag of gold coins" said Lupan.

"Yes right?! Aren't you?!" Tael's eyes sparkled with gold.

"But for slaves like us, such wealth is useless." Lupan added.

All confused to hear the words of Lupan, only a few who nodded like Toras and Skard.

"Seeing the direction of your chariot, you must have come from or passed through the city of Libbam, which you must have heard of the slave revolt there." Lupan. Skard and Lagertha fell silent. "I'm right, aren't I?"

Lagertha took a slow breath before speaking. "What you do in Libbam City is what you do in Libbam City. It has nothing to do with the Valaan family. We're not here to arrest or complain to the authorities."

"Good to hear. But people from other cities might not think the same. We are runaway slaves and as we set foot into a new city, our whereabouts will be instantly known to the citizens and soldiers of the city. And that bag of gold coins will be useless."

"What are you trying to say, Lupan?" ask Daedalus.

"We reject a bag of gold as a sign of your gratitude. Instead we asked to join the Valaan Guard, working under the Valaan family with our identity and past as slaves kept secret and we were able to start a new life."

All were in disbelief when they heard the words coming out of Lupan's mouth. Especially Toras who has invited to take revenge on Lord Puqress, whose wishes are now further and further to be achieved.

"You're not even helping at all." Lagertha replied, her face displeased. "So don't be so presumptuous, slave."

"Hey, what the fuck!" tael does not like to be demeaned.

Lupan played his sword steadily. "I assure you, Miss Lagertha, that I am the most skilled fighter in this flock." Look at Skard. "Includes more than your personal bodyguards."

"Ha! Just try!" Skard was lured and pulled out a sword.

"Stop, dad!" Isolde. "We have just escaped death and now want to play with death again? Look around you! Everything is dead."

Skard looked around. The Valaan Guards colleagues he had trained, the old servants who were his speaking companions as well as the young maids who always served him tea in the morning had been frozen on the ground. Die. He lowered the sword.

"We are more than capable of being part of the Valaan Guard" Lupan said.

Lagertha took a breath and she invited Skard to discuss away from the herd.

"I don't like that guy, Miss Lagertha, he's arrogant and his face is cruel" Skard said. "but in my entire experience his words about him are the most skilled fighter for some reason not just confidence alone. And one thing I know for sure, a ruthless man like him is the best partner on the battlefield."

"But do we need them?"

"If it's hurrying, we'll be in a week to get to Goldgate, and God only knows what's going to happen in a week's journey" Skard said. "if there's another robbery like this, I won't be able to protect Miss Lagertha."

Lagertha was not happy. He stared deeply at Skard, waiting to see if there was another alternative. Skard answered with a shrug.

Lagertha and Skard face the herd back. He took a breath so deep that it sounded to the others as he exhaled it.

"Well, I'll take you with me to Goldgate town but to join the Valaan Guard, you'll have to ask my father." Lagertha explained firmly. Lupan was about to protest, but Lagertha continued. "Don't worry, the Valaan family hates slavery. You can assume Valaan was the friend of all slaves, that slaves and others were equal men." Lagertha whispered softly. "But I'm not."

The others nodded steadily. Everyone smiles happily. They finally have a clear purpose. Become part of the Valaan Guard and start a new life. Daedalus could also obey his mother's last words; go and start a new life.

Tael heard Lagertha's whisper and began to ask. "What do you mean no? You think we're low?"

Lagertha answered. "Know your place, slaves and people like me are not as private."