The Demon Lord Is An Angel
Chapter 312: Meting Out - Judgement

Chapter 312: Meting Out - Judgement

The first villager to approach wielded a hooked blade for gutting large fish. Amarena dodged his clumsy swing by twisting her body aside before thudding him in the back of the head with her tail.

She could have used war form, but to her sight no one here had the mana to challenge her.

A villager poked a pitchfork at her and she spun away, humming to herself in the way Telan taught her was done by dancing warriors. This dance was a cacophony of different tools and wildly low skill wielding them as weapons, and it was with relative ease that Amarena drew a sword into her spin, severing the head of the pitchfork at the wood before she landed in a pose with one blade high and the other low.

One of the villagers with a sword took the chance to rush her, and she dodged the sword by stepping into his reach as she spun around him, kicking back with one foot just below his knee and charlie horsing him.

On and on the villagers came in ones or in pairs, none of them managing to land a blow as she danced in sure-footed sequences that had some villagers gasping in awe at how a demon could be so graceful.

Especially once they started to realize she was doing her best not to kill or maim them.

"Have you had enough?" Amarena shouted once the rest of the fighters backed off. "You have not even heard my judgment, and yet you would defy me? The one who answered your call for justice?" In the back of her mind Amarena knew these words from one of Talen’s fantastical stories about the Grey Judges of Retha, who were not Valrians but did coordinate to exchange legal and political theories.

A flicker of movement drew her eyes as something shone from behind the villagers. Halie emerged from a portal and leaned against a shed that stood atop one of the roofs. She had both of their travel supplies ready to go, and a scroll in one hand.

"We know your judgment. The penalty for slaying a fief holder is death," the Mayor shouted. "But you don’t know what it was like!"

"Tell me then!" She held her swords at the ready, the villagers facing her pausing their assault as the Mayor spoke.

"We just needed a Knight to end this quickly..." The mayor paced around his spot as he ran his hands through his balding hair, trying to think of what to say. "You think we got these scars fishing? The Cliff Lord had us fishing day and night once the Heavenswar started. Whenever we had a bad catch, he’d cut us. Whenever we couldn’t pay rent, he’d... take what he wanted. From our homes, our wives... And if you had nothing, he would toss you out of your home in front of everyone. Just like Azalee’s parents." He pointed at the cliffs. The cliffs that held the homes of every villager gathered here.

With fresh eyes, Amarena realized they were like prison cells.

"Surely one man couldn’t have done all this alone," Amarena said.

"Aye... He had help. A couple of lickspittles and his son. After we got the Lord, we did to them what they did to us... and then fed them to the glinters."

"Then why the call? Why bring the Order here at all? Why try to frame a demon for the murder?"

"I can answer that," Halie said as she stepped out of a portal between Amarena and Bowbo. She unfurled the scroll, which was about a measure long. "Do you recognize this, Mayor Rhappan?"

"Aye. It’s the deed to the village. Without the Cliff Lord or his heir, it belongs to us."

The villagers either nodded along with the Mayor or stared at the giant woman.

Halie continued to hold the scroll at arm’s length toward Amarena.

"I am Halie of the Order Justiciam. Demon Breaker... City Slayer... I have given the right of judgment to my protege. As senior Knight, I have the right to provide evidence and retract my appointment..."

No, she couldn’t take it back. Not now!

"... but you will listen to her. In this matter, she is the law." Halie turned, "Are you ready?" she asked in softer tones.

Amarena cleared her throat and stowed her swords. A small smile crept onto her face and she smothered it. It was unprofessional.

"By right as Judge and Knight of the Order Justiciam, I, Knight Amarena, declare that no crime has been committed by the demon Bowbo."

The villagers were silent, fear rising in them.

"For the crime of slaying the rightful holder of fief for Hotterton, the sentence is death..." The villagers began to cry out and gasp. "... usually." Amarena sheathed her swords. "However, it is clear that in this case, justice has already been served. You took it into your own hands and for that, I declare there shall be but one punishment, the abolition of the Hotterton fief."

In one fluid motion, Amarena sundered the contract, its magic dying as Hell-forged steel carved through its hidden seals. Without a living holder bound to it, the contract would have degraded anyway.

"You can’t... what will happen to us?" Rhappan asked. "Who will protect us?"

"I am not finished!" Amarena shouted over him. "For the crime of attempting to frame an innocent person, I hereby order you to take the name of the Freehold of Bowbo, and to render a charter to the Order Justiciam posthaste." As relief and incredulity spread through the crowd in equal measure, she turned to Azalee and Bowbo, the latter having finally managed to roll to a seat. "You two have a bond... If you want, you can come with us. I might be able to get you a potion for that hand."

"Really?" Azalee’s eyes glittered.

"Bowbo no like walking lots..." The demon scratched himself. "But if it make Azee better, Bowbo walk."

Good, I don’t have to work harder to convince them, and they’ll be safe if the villagers decide-

A sudden movement and the feeling of being embraced ended Amarena’s thoughts as she looked down to find Azalee hugging her around the knees.

"Thank you..."

"Um... There-there... Small human..." Amarena petted her awkwardly.

A slight sound was all the notification she got that Halie was stifling a laugh. Amarena glared at her, which made a small smile cross her face.

Though they offered to carry her things, Azalee didn’t have anything she wanted to take with her, having lived on the villager’s charity and catching shore crabs after her parents died. And though it seemed the villagers’ kindness was with her, it was definitely not with Bowbo.

They left without fanfare, refusing all gifts from the grateful villagers except for a basket of fish for Bowbo.

"Bowbo like fish. They go crunch-crunch," he said as he ate them raw.

Once they were outside of the village bounds, Amarena turned on Halie.

"You knew what happened."

"What makes you say that?"

"When you woke me up, you called it a lynching."

"I... may have suspected."

"Why? Why won’t you tell me what you know?"

"Because prophecy is not the proper way to determine justice... and because if I had told you, you would not have shown yourself for who you are."

"And who is that?" Amarena asked.

"A Valrian Knight, one who can balance mercy and punishment... Though you did forget to charge them for assaulting you."

Amarena puffed out her breath mockingly. "That was hardly a warmup."

Then Halie did something she only did rarely. She reached out and patted Amarena on the shoulder. "One day I hope you will be the best of us..."

They reached the end of the cliffside walk, and Bowbo grunted and bent over himself. "Bowbo tired... so many stairs..."

"Rest at ease, young demon," Halie said. "I will spare us some of the journey."

She closed her eyes and Amarena saw her mana dip down from deep violet to a lighter shade. A portal large enough for everyone opened to a hillside stay, which was a stone tower atop a carved-out hill, for sleeping.

This one, luckily enough, also had a small well, which Halie insisted on cleaning up Azalee with. The night wouldn’t come for months, but tradition still had it that one lit the oil lamp at the top of the stay when it was occupied, and Amarena did this, practicing her wall-walking to reach it.

Azalee and Bowbo quickly fell asleep, the first on top of the second, and when Amarena suggested they set up a watch, Halie stopped her.

"I’m sure we’ll be fine. This far north, there can only be friends."

Something had been nagging on Amarena’s mind, ever since she got Bowbo to talk.

"Halie-"

"Warmancer Halie!" A familiar voice suddenly shouted, causing Amarena to turn.

Approaching the stay was a pair of familiar figures. One a tall, muscular elf clad in a gambeson and breastplate, just like Amarena, and the other a human who was the very image of a professional witch, complete with a wide-brimmed hat, though Rena knew the constant sun warranted some protection against burning.

Brigit and Darlae.

"Wives Gale," Halie shouted back. "It is still some time until our appointed duel."

"Did you think we wouldn’t follow you to make sure you come through this time?"

Halie let out a rueful chuckle. "You’ve caught up to me. I have no more tricks to delay you."

Amarena’s eyes widen. The entire time she hadn’t admitted what she was doing, and now she gave away the game?

"Would you rather we duel here, or back at the city?"

"Walking home with company such as yours is my preference."

Finally the two arrived, looking in.

"Is that a..." Darlae began. "Nothrotian" Brigit finished.

"What’s it doing here? Does that girl have a bond with them?!" Brigit exclaimed.

"She does," Amarena answered. "But as to why he’s here... I think he was with an army."

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