Clyde was tense; getting out of bed, he looked at Maeve.
"What's going on?"
She was always composed, so the dread spread across her face was nerve-wracking.
"I have received word from my spies that my father intends to obtain the accursed blade. We can not allow this to happen under any circumstance."
Every bit of decor and chilling elegance was gone. Clyde couldn't believe this; he wondered if it was all an act.
"If the sword is such a big deal, let's just get it first. Wait... Did you just say your father?"
"The demon king is my father. Long story short, we had a minor disagreement. Hundreds of years later, here we are."
Maeve moved close to Clyde and put her hand on his cheek. This time, her usual commanding voice came out.
"The fate of that blade will be the deciding factor in this war; he is getting desperate, grasping at straws. The man is willing to destroy the whole realm; if it isn't clear enough, you won't make it home."
By now, Clyde was used to Maeve's seductive tactics to get what she wants. That didn't mean she was wrong, though.
"Do you have a plan?"
She let go of his face but remained close.
"He sent his best man out, an Inferi we call Tank. He is ruthless, and his skin is hard to pierce. It's possible that he has a small group with him or is alone. If you leave now, you should arrive there at the same time."
Clyde wasn't happy with the idea of traveling across hell's landscape, but he had no choice.
"What about you?"
"I can't come, or else he would learn that I've found out. It would also force a fight with my father, and I don't want to fight in unfavorable conditions."
"That makes sense; how am I supposed to find where the sword is?"
Maeve shifted her body.
"In the north, I'm sure you've seen it. In the distance is a waterfall of blood flowing upward. Behind the waterfall is a cavern containing the blade. It is heavily fortified and is full of traps, so be extremely careful."
Of course Clyde had seen it; how could he not? The biggest problem would be the distance and lands between.
"What about the blade? How is it cursed and dangerous?"
Maeve gave him a sharp look.
"It's sharp enough to cut a mountain; some say that it affects the wielder's sanity. Additionally, it has a mind of its own."
"I really don't like this place."
Clyde felt that Maeve was hiding something he would find out himself later. Because time was scarce, Clyde set out to leave immediately.
He had already gathered his things and was currently deciding the best route.
'The first major obstacle was the tall mushroom forest. Next up, the lake of fire. Going around it would take some time, but there wasn't a clear way over it. Finally, there is the mist surrounding the waterfall.'
One time, the Fractured Legion had a fierce battle in the mushroom forest. The most dangerous part was the poisonous gases. Local beasts, for the most part, were tame, living independently in the ecosystem.
Surrounding the land around the lake of fire, the land was barren, with tusk worms plaguing it. The final part of the journey would be the worst.
From what Clyde was told, it was easy to get lost inside of the mist. Even worse, you can lose yourself. Maeve wouldn't have sent Clyde if she didn't think he could handle it.
Unaware of the world around him, Clyde nearly ran into Quinn, who was waiting for him outside of the fortress. The familiar boy was just as sheepish as he always was. However, there was a hint of worry across his face.
"Boss! Are you really leaving? We have so much momentum, and the war is slowly tilting in our favor."
Clyde couldn't believe the information had already leaked out that he was going somewhere. He would need to remember to be cautious of what was spoken.
"I'm not sure how long I'll be gone, but you and everyone else will be fine. I've been sent on an important mission, the queen's orders. If you want to take it up with her, then be my guest."
Quinn obviously wouldn't be able to reject an order from the Queen, so he gave Clyde a stern look.
"Be safe. You have people depending on you now."
The boy walked away, leaving Clyde by himself. Clyde had recently gotten himself a new satchel, something he missed dearly. He decided to bring some foul liquids, as he was sure the place he was going didn't have anything drinkable. For food, he opted to eat whatever monster he might find. Hell was full of beasts.
Deciding not to exit through the front of camp, Clyde went behind the fortress to leave. It saves time from having to loop back around, in addition to avoiding the Minotaur. They had become good friends over the past few months, but Clyde knew that he would insist on joining him.
In front of Clyde now was the other side of the clearing that he first came here from. In the distance, the sight of a sea of towering mushrooms could be found. Taking a step forward, the journey had begun.
***
Nearly an hour had passed. By now, Clyde was almost halfway across the field. If it wasn't for his time spent here, he would have been obliterated by several geysers.
In front of Clyde was a large ravine. On his way around it, he heard a familiar, dreadful noise.
'A draven!?'
His actions became frozen, knowing what would happen if he notified the beast. The wind blew ferociously as it got close to Clyde. Unlike before, the draven landed directly in front of Clyde, in all of its terror.
Clyde's heart was beating fast; this was a creature even the large Minotaur didn't want to face. Its swirling, gaping mouth and snout were aimed at Clyde. For a moment, he believed he was found out.
His fear was immediately alleviated as the draven started to go down into the ravine.
'Its nests?'
A problem was arising, as the draven's face was peering into the abyss below, Clyde felt something on his body. After a few months in Hell, he had attained a decent resistance to heat. But at this moment, Clyde felt a drop of sweat about to leave his chin.
It was too late.
Plop.
'Did it hear—'
The thought was interrupted by a tenacious roar.