It took me a moment to recover from the shock that High Priest Allen's words gave me. Paladin Charles and his people were under my command? That couldn't be. How absurd. For a moment, I thought it was a joke. However, when I looked between the high priest and the paladin, I realized that this wasn't the case.

"Is he telling the truth, Paladin Charles?" I asked.

The older man nodded.

"Yes." He said. "Before we left, Grand Priest Darius told us to place ourselves under your command. We will follow your orders and no one else's."

I blinked at him in surprise.

"Isn't that against the rules?" I asked. "I'm not a member of the Church of the Sun."

Paladin Charles took a moment before responding.

"It's unusual," he said, "however, it isn't forbidden. While uncommon, it has happened before." He gestured to me. "In fact, this isn't the first time a Sturm has commanded a squad of paladins and priests. House Sturm is one of our greatest allies when it comes to hunting down demon summoners and demons."

Huh. When he put it like that, it made sense. One of the reasons why House Sturm held such high status in the Solarian Empire, aside from our powerful magic and ancient lineage, was because we were natural born demon hunters. This was also one of the reasons why we had such a good relationship with the Church of the Sun.

"This is why I brought you here, Lord Gabriel." High Priest Allen said. "Both to inform you about Paladin Charles and his people, and to ask how you plan on utilizing them."

I mulled it over for a moment.

"You want to know if I want to send them out with the attacking force." I guessed. "Or if I want to keep them here to help defend Icefall City."

High Priest Allen nodded, a solemn expression on his face.

"Yes. No matter what you choose, their presence will have a significant impact. Especially since they're servants of Tempest."

Tempest was the God of Storms. He hated demons with a passion, a trait shared by his followers. While the Church of the Sun as a whole condemned demon summoners and hunted demons, the followers of Tempest specialized in it. Whenever a demonic incursion occurred, they were often the first ones to respond.

Tempest was also the patron god of House Sturm. Storm dragons were among his most favored creatures, for obvious reasons. As the descendants of a storm dragon, many of my family considered our affinity for Lightning a blessing from Tempest.

This was why my family had a close relationship with Grand Priest Darius. He was Tempest's chief representative here in the mortal realm. This was also why I requested his aid. While I had never seen the followers of Tempest in action, I knew about their reputation.

Taking all that into consideration, I understood High Priest Allen's concern. Paladin Charles and his people would have a significant impact on the current situation. And it was up to me to determine how best to use them.

"Attacking force?" Paladin Charles asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

High Priest Allen and I shared a look, before we gave Paladin Charles a brief summary of the situation.

"I see." He said after we finished. "While I want to be a part of the attacking force, I know how deceitful demons can be. They might strike while Icefall City is vulnerable. Lord Icefall is right to be cautious."

I let out a mirthless chuckle.

"You see why this is a difficult decision for me." I said in a wry tone. "If I send you with the attacking force, you and your people would prove invaluable in exterminating the demons. For the safety of the Icefall region, we need to eliminate them once and for all. However, if the demons attack Icefall City, you and your people could end up saving a lot of lives."

Paladin Charles nodded.

"Regardless of your choice, our orders are clear. We are yours to command."

I rubbed my forehead. Paladin Charles' devotion and loyalty to Grand Priest Darius made the burden on my shoulders feel even heavier. Still, that was a small price to pay, considering what I'm getting in return.

"I can't make this decision right away." I said. "I need to speak with Lady Calla, the heir to House Icefall. She'll be the one in charge of defending Icefall city while Lord Icefall and the others attack the enemy hideout. I'll make my decision after I find out what we're working with."

Paladin Charles gave me an approving look.

"A wise choice." He said.

"In the meantime, keep yourselves for now. There's no need to let our enemies know that you're here. Why make things easier for them?"

"Very well." Paladin Charles handed me a piece of paper. "My people are staying at this inn. Send word after you've made your decision."

I took the piece of paper and pocketed it.

"I will, Paladin Charles."

After that, I said my goodbyes to High Priest Allen and Paladin Charles, before making my way back to Icefall Manor. My thoughts buzzed about like a swarm of bees as I considered what to do with Paladin Charles and his people. Send them with the attacking force, or keep them in Icefall City. Each choice had its own pros and cons. Either way, it was a gamble.

It all depended on whether or not the demons attacked Icefall City while Lord Icefall and the others were away. If they didn't, and I kept Paladin Charles here, then that would be a waste. However, if the demons attacked, then their aid would prove invaluable.

When I arrived at House Icefall, the servant directed me to Cally's office. As the heir to House Icefall, she had her own working space, to aid her father in ruling their House. However, considering her age, I doubted it saw much use before she regressed.

Cally's office turned out to be an elegant space decorated with a select few pieces of artwork. A row of windows ran along the right wall, though curtains covered them. Ornate glowstone lamps protruded from the walls, filling the office with warm yellow light.

Beautiful, but comfortable looking, furniture filled the room. A few bookshelves lined the walls, filled with texts and treatises on politics, economics, and so on. A relaxing floral scent filled the air, similar to the one in the drawing room.

When I entered the office, I found Cally standing behind a gorgeous desk that occupied the far end of the room. It looked like a piece of art unto itself. She looked down at a piece of parchment, though I couldn't see its contents from where I stood. Anna and Andre flanked Cally. All three wore serious expressions on their faces.

Anna and Andre looked up at me as I entered the office. Cally, on the other hand, remained focused on the piece of parchment.

"Welcome back, Gabriel." She said without looking up.

I walked over and stood beside Anna. After High Priest Allen's words earlier, I found myself more aware of her than usual. I became sensitive to her every movement, including breathing. Were we as in-sync as the high priest claimed?

I shook my head and focused on the situation at hand.

"What did I miss?" I asked.

"Nothing much." Anna said. "We were just discussing the best way to distribute our forces."

I looked down at the parchment on the desk. It was a detailed map of Icefall City, one that showed all of the city's defenses, including the hidden ones.

"Is this something you should be showing to outsiders like us?" I asked.

Cally snorted.

"If I can't trust the three of you," she said, "then I can't trust anyone."

Fair enough.

"Wait, where's Lorelei?" I asked, looking around. "Shouldn't she be here?"

"She's speaking with Auntie Charity right now." Cally said. "She'll join us after she's finished."

I nodded.

"What do we have to work with?" I asked.

Cally looked up at me and grimaced.

"Not much." She said. "Even with the warriors from Clan Frostheart, Clan Leone, and Clan Thorne-"

"Hey!" Anna said, cutting her off.

Cally rolled her eyes.

"Oh shush." She said. "I'm not in the mood to continue playing along with your game, Annabelle."

I snickered.

"Besides," I said, "there's no point in keeping your true identity a secret anymore. I already figured it out a while ago."

Anna crossed her arms and pouted. I felt goosebumps rise when my body moved as well, as if it had a mind of its own, bringing me a little closer to her. Huh. Maybe High Priest Allen was right after all.

"So?" Anna said. "I wanted to keep the game going a little longer."

Cally gave her an acerbic look.

"Right now, I'm more concerned about protecting my home from the demonic incursion." She focused on me. "Altogether, we only have a couple hundred people. Most of them are First Ranked and Second Ranked Awakened, with a handful Third Ranked. That won't be enough to defend Icefall City if the demons attack in force."

Andre puffed his chest out and thumped it.

"Don't worry, Lady Calla." He said, a proud expression on his face. "Few can match the might of Clan Leone's warriors! While small in number, each one fights with the strength of a hundred men! Icefall City is safe in our hands."

Cally's lips twitched.

"I appreciate your support, Lord Andre." She said in a… Diplomatic tone. "However, I must prepare for the worst." She tapped the map. "Unfortunately, if the worst should happen, Icefall City will fall. We can't let that happen."

"Asking your father to leave behind more soldiers isn't an option?"

Cally sighed. "No. He needs them more than I do. While there's a possibility that the demons will attack Icefall City, it's just that. A possibility. It's a certainty that my father will face demons when he attacks the enemy hideout."

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Anna adjusted her position. Not a lot, just a little. However, I adjusted mine as well in response. It happened almost on reflex. Well damn. We were in sync. Now that High Priest Allen pointed it out, I couldn't unsee it.

Oh well. Rather than continue to get hung up on it, I decided to just accept things and move on.

"I have some news that might help." I said.

I gave them a brief summary of my conversation with Paladin Charles.

"You know a grand priest?" Andre asked, his eyes wide. "Enough to call on him for aid like this?"

I nodded.

"Yes." I said. "House Sturm has always had a close relationship with the Church of the Sun. Grand Priest Darius is like a grandfather to me."

Anna wore a thoughtful expression on her face.

"I wonder if he would be willing to marry us." She said. "We'll have to ask him after this is all over."

Huh. Now that was an interesting idea.

"What would you like me to do?" I asked Cally. "Send Paladin Charles with the attack force, or have them remain behind to protect Icefall City?"

Cally wore a conflicted expression on her face.

"I… Don't know." she said. "They could do a lot of good either way."

I snorted.

"Now you know how I feel." I looked down at the map. "Right now, I'm leaning towards keeping them here. The attack force already has enough people to deal with the enemy hideout. However, from what you just told me, Icefall City doesn't have enough defenders." I paused. "The answer is obvious, when you think about it like that."

Cally bit her lip.

"Even so…" She said, trailing off.

"Is splitting them up not an option?" Andre asked. "Half goes with the attack force, while the other half remains behind?"

I shook my head.

"No," I said. "Splitting them up would just diminish their effectiveness and impact. It's best to keep them together."

"In that case, please have Paladin Charles and his people remain behind to help defend Icefall City."

I gave her an exaggerated bow.

"As you wish, Lady Calla."

Cally gave me a scathing look.

"You and Annabelle are meant for each other. Neither of you seem to take this seriously."

I paused and gave her a solemn look.

"Of course I take this seriously," I said, "and I'm sure Anna does too. However, worrying ourselves into exhaustion won't help anyone."

Anna nodded.

"Gabriel is right." She said. "This is all to keep our spirits high." She reached over and placed a hand on Cally's shoulder. "I know how important this is to you. I would never trivialize it."

Cally nodded before she took a deep breath.

"I apologize for snapping at you two," she said, "it's just… This is my home."

Her voice cracked towards the end.

"We know," I said, "and we'll do everything in our power to save it."

"Exactly." Andre said. "While you and I may not have known each other for long, Lady Calla, I consider you a comrade in arms. I will fight to protect your home and your people."

Cally's eyes teared up.

"Thank you." She said, her voice thick with emotion. "You have no idea how much your words mean to me."

Cally wiped her eyes and took a deep breath to regain her composure.

"Now then," she said, her voice full of confidence, "no more tears. It's time to get down to business."

With that, we planned out the defense of Icefall City.

A few minutes into our meeting, Lorelei arrived. Afterwards, we came up with a rough plan to defend Icefall City. Unfortunately, we couldn't come up with something more concrete since we didn't know how the demons would attack; or if they would even attack at all. That part was out of our control. Instead, we focused on what we could control.

Over the next few days, as the attack force prepared to move out, we shored up the defenses of Icefall City as much as we could.

Like every settlement in the Icefall region, the city had sturdy walls. They were built from slabs of thick stone rather than wood. Not only that, but they were reinforced with Earth magic. Even a Third Tier demon would find it difficult to breach them within a short amount of time. However, Icefall City's walls had two major weak points: the two gates that led in and out of the city. One in the south, and one in the north.

Cally ordered her people to build countless traps in the area beyond Icefall City. Some of these traps were physical, others magical. Soon, the land in a mile radius around the city became one massive slaughtering field. While this wouldn't stop an army of demons and fiends from reaching the city walls, it would certainly slow them down.

As for the other House Icefall retainers, what few remained, Cally sent them on scouting missions. None of these preparations would matter if we didn't see the demons coming when/if they attacked. Forewarned was forearmed.

Meanwhile, Lorelei began the construction of a massive moat around Icefall City. Digging out the moat was easy with Earth magic. However, filling it proved more difficult. Instead of regular water, Lorelei wanted to fill the moat with Holy Water. A good idea, but a time consuming one. Lorelei enlisted every priest and priestess with a talent for creating Holy Water to aid her in this, including the ones that accompanied Paladin Charles.

When I told him that I wanted him and his people to help defend Icefall City, he looked disappointed but understood my reasoning. However, except for the priests and priestesses, I had Paladin Charles and his people keep their true identities a secret. I decided to keep them as a hidden trump card for now. Instead, I wanted them to act independently as adventurers for now.

In addition to the other preparations, Cally brought out some interesting toys. During Icefall City's early years, monsters often attacked it. To combat this, House Icefall bought several elemental lances. These were enchanted items that utilized elemental crystals to cast offensive magic. Despite their name, they looked like miniature lighthouses made from stone, metal, and glass. While old, these particular elemental lances packed a powerful punch.

However, elemental lances came with a serious drawback. They were prohibitively expensive to use. After firing a few times, they needed to replace their elemental crystal with a new one. That's why House Icefall stored them away after monsters stopped attacking Icefall City.

Anna and Andre ran training drills with the warriors from Clan Thorne, Clan Leone, and Clan Frostheart. This was to help them get used to working together. There was some friction, since the warriors from Clan Frostheart resented being told what to do by "outsiders", but Anna and Andre nipped that bullshit in the bud.

As for me and the rest of my friends, we helped as best we could as extra pairs of hands. I was an adventurer, and a former hunter, so I had experience working with small teams of elite fighters. However, I wasn't a military commander.

Rather than force me into the role, Cally decided to remove me from the chain of command and give me freedom of movement. If the demons attacked Icefall City, she told me to act as I saw fit. That suited me just fine.

To keep enemies from learning about our plans, Cally prevented anyone from leaving Icefall City for the time being. This upset a lot of people, especially the adventurers and the merchants. They grumbled and complained, but Cally managed to placate them for now. However, this was a temporary measure at best. A few days at most. Any longer than that, and things would start to get ugly.

So the days passed by like this, until it was time for the attacking force to leave. They did so with little fanfare. Despite this, a fair number of people came out to watch as the combined forces of House Icefall, the Icefall Adventurers Guild, and the local Church of the Sun marched out of the city.

After they left, there was nothing left to do but wait for their return and hope the demons didn't attack in their absence.

It was late evening, two days after the attacking force left Icefall City, and I couldn't sleep. Too many thoughts kept buzzing about in my head. To clear my mind, I took a walk around Icefall City. It felt emptier than usual. Gloomier too. With everything going on, most people elected to remain at home at night rather than go out.

The streets looked deserted, with nary a living soul in sight. A heavy silence filled the air. Combined with the Icefall region's cold weather, this gave the city a desolate atmosphere. The shadows seemed deeper and darker than usual. At times, it almost felt like I was the only living being in this place. The city just needed a thick fog, to give it a proper haunted feel.

The past two days had been tense, since no one knew what the future held. Would the demons attack or not? That was the question on everyone's minds. So far, everything seemed fine. However, the city wouldn't be safe until the attacking force returned with news of the enemy hideout's destruction.

Worst of all, something happened with Aurora. I hadn't heard from her in a while. She remained inside my body, ignoring all of my attempts to speak with her. I couldn't help but worry. Was this normal for spirits? I didn't know. While I knew a little about spirits, I wasn't an expert. When this was all over, I planned on doing some research. Until then, all I could do was hope for the best.

After walking around for a while, I noticed someone in the distance, heading in my direction. The darkness and gloom made it difficult to make them out. At first I paid them no mind. However, as we drew closer to one another and they became clearer, I recognized them. It was Anna.

When she noticed me, a sly smile spread across her face.

"Why," Anna said, "if it isn't Lord Gabriel. What are you doing, walking about at this hour? Where's that bodyguard of yours? It's dangerous to wander around alone like this, especially for someone as pretty as you." She leered at me. "Someone might try to take advantage of you."

I rolled my eyes at her, though I doubted she noticed since I wore my wooden mask.

"The only one who would try to take advantage of me is you, Anna." I said.

"You're damn right, and I intend to keep it that way."

I chuckled. The two of us started walking together. Neither of us had any particular destination in mind. We just walked and enjoyed each other's company.

"Why are you out this late?" Anna asked, her expression growing serious. "Is something wrong?"

I shrugged.

"No more than the usual." I said. "I couldn't sleep, so I decided to take a walk to clear my mind." I snorted. "It didn't help. You?"

Anna took a moment before responding.

"I couldn't sleep either." She said. "It's amusing. This isn't the first time I've defended a city against a demonic incursion. You'd think I'd be used to it by now, but I'm not. It never gets easier. Not really."

I glanced at her.

"What was it like?" I asked. "Back then, I mean."

"Hell." Anna said, a haunted look in her eyes. "Especially towards the end. By that point, there weren't many of us left. The demons had killed everyone else. However, I consider that a mercy, given what they did to anyone they captured."

I didn't need to guess what she meant. During my life as Brandon Norwood, I had witnessed for myself what demons did to beings they captured.

"They enslaved the useful ones," I said in a quiet voice, "and turned the rest into chattel."

Anna nodded.

"It was a nightmare, one we couldn't wake from." She paused. "When the end came, I almost felt relieved. I thought that it was finally over. And then I woke up." She chuckled. "I was angry and confused at first. It took me a while to accept what happened."

"I know what you mean." I said. "I went through the same thing, when I first returned. A part of me wondered if I had gone insane."

Anna gave me a curious look.

"Tell me about the place you went to." She said. "Maybe it will distract us from…" She made a vague gesture. "… All this. If nothing else, it can't be any worse than what I went through."

During our wanderings, we ended up next to a tall building. Driven by impulse, I started climbing it. After a moment's hesitation, Anna joined me. The two of us settled down after we reached the top. Our perch gave us a great view of Icefall City. I found it beautiful, despite how empty and desolate the city felt.

"I ended up on a world called Earth, which was very different from Lumina." I said. "It took me a while to get used to it."

I gave Anna a brief glimpse of my life on Earth. From the friends I made and the people I met, to the enemies I faced as a hunter. I told her about Gates, guilds, and travelers from other realms.

"It sounds amazing." Anna said, a hint of envy in her voice.

I nodded.

"It was. Even so, I never forgot about Lumina. I spent a lot of time looking for a way to return. However, I never succeeded. None of the archives and libraries I searched mentioned anything about Lumina. Nor had any of the beings I consulted heard of the place. It was both baffling and frustrating, to say the least."

Anna frowned.

"Why do you think that is? While I know a little bit about transmigration and traveling to other worlds, my knowledge is limited."

I shook my head.

"I don't know." I said. "For some reason, Lumina is isolated from the rest of the cosmos. As far as I know, the only outsiders who come here are demons, and transmigrators from First Murim."

Anna made a disgruntled sound.

"Even if they knew the answer, I doubt they would ever share it with us. Arrogant pricks."

I raised an eyebrow at her.

"The demons?" I asked.

Anna snorted.

"No." She said, as if I missed the obvious. "The transmigrators from First Murim. As I mentioned before, I met a few of them during the First Timeline. Each and every single one of them proved to be insufferable."

"Wait a moment. I thought transmigrators were supposed to be rare. A once-a-century occurrence.

"Under normal circumstances, they are." Anna said. "However, the demon invasion must have changed something, because quite a few transmigrators ended up here. Most of them reincarnated, but a few transmigrated physically." She sighed. "The latter ones were the worst. They agitated the Clans, telling them to disregard the Accords and reject the rule of the Houses. Many listened to them, which widened the divide between the Clans and the Houses even further. A few wars even broke out."

I stared at her, aghast.

"Even though the demons were invading?"

Anna gave me a pained look.

"Some people took advantage of the chaos and destruction caused by the demon invasion in order to further their own interests." Anna scoffed. "Not that it worked. The demons won in the end."

Now I understood why Anna found transmigrators insufferable. The ones she dealt with made a bad situation worse by creating conflict between the Houses and the Clans. I mean, I hated the Accords and thought they were stupid. However, I would've chosen a different way to get rid of them.

I opened my mouth to ask more about the transmigrators from First Murim. However, before I could, the sound of a large bell rang out. It echoed throughout the city, deep and sonorous, as if heralding the end of the world.

In our case, it might as well have been. That was the warning bell. The demons were attacking Icefall City.

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