Chapter 56

A dead body?

Marionne approached Haktor cautiously. She took one look at the body before she smacked Haktor on the head.

I frowned.

"A dead animal." Marionne cleared.

I could hear the knights sigh in relief.

"Hey! Why did you hit me?!" Haktor asked looking wronged.

Marionne looked at him in disgust.

"You shouldn't have scared us like that." She said.

A playful smile appeared in Haktor's face.

"I was not joking though? There really was a dead body." He shrugged.

"Of an animal." Marionne emphasized on the 'animal'.

I sighed.

"What are you two doing, bickering in front of the knights?" I asked them nonchalantly.

Sebastiene chuckled and shook his head.

"I can't believe the generals would actually act like this in front of their subordinates." Sebastiene teased.

Marionne looked embarrassed while Haktor merely laughed good naturedly.

I shook my head and walked to the body to take a closer look. It was a deer. Its body was almost left with nothing. It was clearly ravished by a predator with sharp teeth and claws.

"The predator is most probably a fast runner to be able to catch up to a deer." I stated looking at the state of the deer.

"Or a smart one to be able to catch one." Sebastiene replied.

"Huh?" I looked at him questioningly.

"A deer could be caught by either running after it, like cheetahs would or by waiting for it to let its guard down and ambush it." Sebastiene explained.

"But it seems that the predator set up a trap." A long haired haired knight knelt down and pointed at the leg of the deer.

I looked at it carefully and saw that there was a rope made of long grasses weaved together tied in its leg. If one does not look close, it could pass as just grass.

"That would mean that the predator is intellectual, my lady." Haktor spoke.

I looked at Haktor.

"Seb, what is the probability of it being the lycan?"I asked without looking at him.

"I'm ninety percent sure that this is the lycan you were looking for, my lady." Sebastiene replied, also staring at the dead deer.

"Uhh.. If its a lycan, aren't we in grave danger?" Another knight asked. "Lycans are well known for their unmatched physical strength, but if it also has an ability, it would be strong enough to take out a whole army."

"Are lycans really that strong?" I asked Sebastiene.

Sebastiene rubbed his chin, thinking.

"They are indeed the strongest physically among all races, but there are people with abilities that could rival it. A lycan with an ability is another story though. They would be close to invincible." Sebastiene explained.

"Who would win in a fight between you and a lycan?" I asked him.

Sevastiene smiled a sinister smile.

"Me. Without a doubt." Came his confident reply.

The knights all stared at him in awe, even the generals.

"Hmmm.." I nodded. I motioned to continue searching.

"You should also know that the fifth and current demon king is a lycan." He added.

"Do you know the new demon king Seb?" I asked him while walking.

"He was a child when I was still the demon king, but I do remember how different he was from other lycans." Sebastiene answered.

"How is he different?" I asked.

"He was not as proud or as annoying as the others." Sebastiene smirked.

I looked at him in disbelief.

"He has this leadership that cannot be denied." Sebastiene quickly added with an awkward smile.

I rolled my eyes at him and stomped off to Marionne who was checking a tree.

"Marionne." I called her.

She turned to face me.

"What are you looking at?" I asked her.

"There are marks on this tree, my lady." She answered and pointed up.

On the higher part of the tree trunk was some kind of claw mark. I was clearly made from a sharp object.

"A mark of territory?" I asked her.

Marionne shook her head.

"This is the only tree with a mark. Animals who marks their territory would usually do it in multiple trees." She explained.

"I see." I looked up at the tree.

"General! We found something!" A knight shouted from somewhere.

We went to the place where the knight said they saw something. There was a cave and the knights were standing outside.

"What is it?" Haktor asked the knights.

"Sir, we found a trail of blood and it leads inside this cave." A knight answered pointing at the blood.

"There are human footprints going in and out of the cave general." A lady knight with long pinkish hair and straight bangs added.

"This is demon blood." Sebastiene said as he sniffed the air. "But the cave is empty."

Haktor and Marionne both nodded.

"I couldn't sense anyone inside." Haktor looked at the knights.

"Then, we should go in and check." I said moving towards the cave.

"Some of you guys stay here to guard. Others, come with me." Haktor instructed.

The cave was deeper that we thought. Marionne had created a ball of flame as light source. We went in deeper and saw strips and strips of white cloth all bloodied and discarded.

"A wounded lycan." Sebastiene gazed at the dirty strips.

"Can't you find him Seb?" I asked.

"I tried, my lady, but the little dog is quite tricky." He sneered. "He is quite good in hiding his presence."

"Then," I raised my head and created a dome like barrier around the forest. "let's keep him here."

Sebastiene had on a malicious smirk.

"Smart move my lady." He praised. "Now he can't get out and we can search for him again with more people."

"Yep." I smiled and started to go back where the exit was. "Trapping him here is the best for everyone. He won't be stealing our food or blankets anymore."

Marionne informed to the others that we are going back. It was already late afternoon and the sun would set anytime soon. We wouldn't want to stay in the forest after dark with a lycan running around.