God of Discovery [high fantasy, slow build, mlm]

Arc 3 - 21. There are no demons, part 1

D'Argen waited for what felt like days, yet the sun had only moved to be visible from the barred window. Kassar, on the other hand, had not moved at all. At one point, D'Argen helped him sit up and Kassar was gently swaying on the spot, but his eyes were still glazed over. D'Argen did not feel the need to try and start a conversation with him.

A few times, he heard children laughing and he went up to the barred window, but it was too high up for him to see them without touching the walls. The laughter was a welcome sound though, even if he could not eat it up. It had been too long since he heard children being playful. Before the demons rose, for sure.

Yet here they were, not that far from where he had last seen demons, and the mortals here did not seem to have a worry at all.

Not for demons at least.

The sound of metal scraping against stone drew his attention to the wooden door and a moment later it opened. An elderly woman waddled in, supported by a walking staff made of stone that looked too heavy to be useful. Behind her came in the same woman that had given them the bracelets, carrying a wooden chair. She put the chair down facing D'Argen and Kassar, then walked out and locked the door again.

The older woman sat down with a heavy sigh and pulled up her walking staff to rest across her legs.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I am D'Argen. This is Kassar," D'Argen introduced them both. Kassar turned his head in her direction but did not seem to be looking at her. "And who am I speaking to?"

"I am called Varuba," the woman introduced herself. "Why are you here?"

"We were told that the frontlines had fallen in the north. We were tasked with confirming the rumours and providing aid to any mortals in the area that may need it."

"We do not. Why—"

"How?" D'Argen interrupted her. Varuba scowled, the wrinkles on her face deepening as she glared at him. D'Argen ignored the look and furthered his question by asking, "How is it that the demons have not touched you?"

"What demons?" she asked, and the corners of her lips quirked up in a sly grin.

D'Argen was thrown off by her question, enough that he was not sure how to even ask her to explain herself. His vision started blurring and he had to swallow back a bout of nausea.

"You and your magic. You believe you are gods and all-powerful, but that has been proven false time and time again. You have done nothing to help us, even when we ask of it."

"We have—"

"You have killed us," Varuba interrupted him. "Time and time again."

"We are trying to save you."

"We do not need your help."

"How?"

Varuba made a point of looking all around the small interior of the house before looking back at him. "What is your power? What are you known as the god of?" she asked instead of answering him.

D'Argen was wary of answering her and hesitated.

"We do not have much time," she said, looking over his shoulder at the window.

"Why? What will happen?"

"The creatures you call demons will arrive soon. They come at night."

D'Argen tensed. "How have you survived them?"

Once more, Varuba smiled. "You believe your magic is the only one in the realm? That is not the case. After our culture was destroyed, thousands of years ago when you all first came to the lands, we have searched and finally found a way to be apart from you. To not be affected by you."