The Present
************
The Slaughter at Darlbridge.
That was what they were calling the news to come out of the south.
The news had spread like wildfire, but Kordia had not been in a position to hear about it until one of the other girls who was staying over the summer told her about it.
The rumor said that a demon had slain three angels and a hundred expeditionary soldiers, or that it was up to a half-dozen demons and their servants. Or that it had been a single demon against a small army and one angel.
The rumors couldn't agree on whether it was the Adventurer's Guild or the Chain Syndicate or both that had been the victims, and oddly almost nothing was said about the villagers of Darlbridge... But there was only one person that made sense as being the "demon."
Kordia worried about Kir. Was he alright? Had he somehow broken free of the seals on his magic? He said he was traveling with people. Nothing in the rumor had said the demon died, but Kordia worried anyway.
