Chapter 172 - One Hundred And Seventy-Two: Where To Go From Here

I was a little surprised that convincing the others was that easy this time. They were starting to become used to this sort of situation arising. With that said, there was still a lot for us to discuss before we moved on and we didn't have a lot of time.

Serin didn't waste any before she got down to business. "Now we just need to decide our next steps. If we're going to push on for the shrine, we need to decide soon. What does everyone think?" She asked.

I stepped forward. "I want to continue. I want to try!"

Altria was nodding in agreement. "I think we could make it, but I want to see what everyone else thinks."

Beth shrugged. "I think it's going to be dangerous, but if everyone else is on board I'm in too."

"I'd like to try for the shrine. I still think we can make it." Liz replied.

"If master is going, I'm going too!" Celine said loudly.

"I will follow whatever decision Theo makes." Aetherin said.

There was a short silence before Serin turned to Enna. "What about you? Sorry I don't know your name yet."

She fidgeted. "It's Enna… You're going to ask my opinion?"

"I want to know what everyone thinks, before making a decision."

Enna glanced at me. "I'm not sure why it is you're heading there, but I have heard of this shrine before. I left the flock with the intention of helping Theo and if that's where he wants to go then I'll go along with the plan."

"Right, we probably need to explain to you why we're heading there, if Theo hasn't already."

I cleared my throat. "I wanted to wait until we had all spoken about this first."

"That's fine with me, you can all explain on the way as far as I'm concerned. Shouldn't you be deciding your next course of action? You don't have much time." Asked Enna.

Serin turned to Enna, she looked serious. "Are you really okay with that?"

She nodded. "Yes, I've already made my decision. Please continue with your plans."

"Okay, then I should probably ask. How likely are your former companions to come after us?"

"Hmm, quite likely, but I made preparations to slow them down before I left. If You're quick enough you should be able to make it across the plain before they find you."

Serin looked surprised. "You did? That's reassuring, then we should make the most of the time you bought us."

"They shouldn't even realise we're missing until the morning. They'll be hampered, so they shouldn't be able to search for us right away."

"Good, will they have any way of telling which way we went?"

Enna looked into the wood, as if she was searching for something. "If no one saw us leave, and seeing that no one has followed us so far, I think we're in the clear there."

"I think we can do this… I know we haven't had long to rest, but I think we should get moving. Are the rest of you ready to move?" Serin asked looking over the party.

The group had already grabbed their bags, before anyone answered.

Altria said what we were all thinking. "We're ready Serin. We can always rest once we reach some cover. Let's make it across this plain first!"

The rest of the girls all nodded in agreement with Altria.

"Right, then we should get moving…" Serin turned to Liz. "Do you know where we want to head for?"

Liz gave a knowing smile and nodded. "Yes, if we make for a small ridge in the foothills this side of the shrine, we should be able to avoid being spotted. There's some good tree over there. I think we will be able to rest undetected until we make the final push."

Serin slung her bag over her shoulder. "Okay, then that's where we'll head for. Let's move out." She begun leading the way out of the forest.

We had soon passed through the thinning line of trees and stepped out onto the plain. It was only a halfmoon, but after the darkness of the wood it seemed bright. At least now I could see where I was going.

Altria had already gone some way up ahead and was scouting the way forward, Celine had gone with her, but she was out of sight.

I walked alongside Serin at the front of the rest of the group. "You know I'm really glad that you all came for me."

She looked at me with a warm smile. "We were never going to leave you behind. That was never an option for us!"

"I appreciate it… It's a relief that things turned out this way and none of you were put in any danger trying to fix my mistake."

She shrugged. "It's not like you could help it. Anyway, you were the one that got yourself out of that situation. You handled it well, that was something that could have gone quite wrong."

"I did have to wait for my moment, and I was worried that some of the other harpies might have caught on right until we made it to the edge of the wood without being followed."

"I'm not surprised, you were in the headquarters alone. It must have been pretty terrifying."

"It was scary, but I knew you'd come for me."

"Of course!" She laughed. "You know, have you given any thought to what happens when we make it home?"

"If we bring back evidence, we can stop the king and save Lillia."

She shook her head. "No, not about that. I mean the demon girls you've been collecting. I suppose that Celine and Aetherin could probably manage going undetected in a human settlement, especially with a little help from you and the rest of us. Enna though, what is she going to do? She's betrayed her own kind for you. I doubt she can go back."

"I hadn't given it much thought. With everything that was happening, I didn't pay any attention to anything past escaping from there and meeting up with the rest of you. After what she's done for me, I'd like her to come with us."

"Think about it Theo. How's that going to work? It isn't as if she doesn't stand out."

"We'll have to make she can stay low key, a good cloak, make sure she spends most of her time out of sight…"

"Do you think it will be that easy? It's not the same as just keeping your face hidden, one glance and someone would know what she is. You can't be considering that she spends the rest of her life inside and hidden away, even if we could get her Dunshelm, that isn't a nice prospect for her."

"No, I… I don't know. But we can't just leave her. That isn't what you're suggesting is it?"

"No, it isn't. I'm just telling you that you need to think seriously about what happens next."

"What do you think we should do?"

"I don't know. I know we can't just turn her lose. I don't know what to think. Not long ago, I used to think pretty poorly of all the demon races. But since some have become our allies, I can see that they aren't that much different from us. When we go back to the city, it won't have changed how everyone else perceives them. As the enemy, as evil. They will be at risk there."

"I don't know what to do…"

Serin sighed. "Well, not much you can do at the moment. Why don't you start with brining Enna up here? We should probably explain to her what we're going to do at the shrine and why."

"Sure."

Enna had hung back a short way behind Serin and I. She had been walking with Aetherin, it seemed she had been quite interested as to how we had a vampire amongst our number as well as a succubus. They were happily talking away when I joined them.

"Theo." Aetherin said as she noticed me hang back and walk alongside. "I Something the matter?"

"No… I don't want to interrupt you, but mind if I talk to Enna?"

"Of course, not!"

"Thanks." I hung back with Enna.

She turned to me as I walked alongside. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Where we're going and our purpose there." I explained.

"Really? You know, I don't need to know. I would follow you anyway."

"I know, but it only seems fair to tell you. Come on up the front with me. We'll talk it over with Serin."

"Sure, if you want."

We joined Serin near the front of the party. I knew it would be easier to have her help me explain the situation to Enna. We told her how need to get to the shrine, because we were investigating the truth behind the relic's power.

Of course, it meant explaining how I was a summoned here and was supposed to stand against the demon lord. I was fairly confident that she would be understanding about all of this, just because of the nature of the effect that "Interrogate" had on people. As we spoke, she silently listened, seemingly taking it all in.

Enna looked as if it was starting to make sense to her. "So that's why you're out here despite the danger?"

"Yeah, that's it."

Enna stepped in front of me and took my hands. "But you have your, relic or whatever you call it now. Couldn't you just stay out of the way until the war is over."

"I suppose I could, I might be able to survive that way."

"You really want to help that girl, don't you?"

"I do, but it isn't only that… It's not like I can go home, even if I wanted to. I want all my friends I've made here to survive. After coming this far I'd also like to find out the truth. I want to know what it is that gives the relics power, and why the demon lord invaded this realm."

"Were you hoping I could tell you something?"

"If you can, I'd like to hear it."