“no!!!”


  four lightning bolts hit two orcs and two trolls, reducing them to ashes in an instant.

  the last demon managed to stop at the last moment. he summoned a shield of some kind before himself, which then pushed him back, allowing him to miss the lightning bolt by inches. then he let out a cry in horror, rushed into the cave nearest to him, and disappeared in an instant.

  the griffin was displeased. it shot out a lightning ball at the cave angrily, causing it to collapse.

  mag looked at the collapsed cave and smiled.

  “such strong power!”


  the members of the rose mercenary squad breathed a sigh of relief, looking up at the griffin with great admiration.

  such a powerful creature! and it was only alex’s steed! alex’s power had to be even more incredible.

  the forest troll fell back two steps in horror. he lifted a sharp vine to evan’s chest. “don’t come any closer!” he shouted to the griffin, his voice shaky. “or i’ll kill him!”


  the griffin looked at the troll and evan with its purple golden eyes, not knowing what to do.

  the forest troll’s face lit up. this hostage of his was the only chance of him getting out of this alive.

  evan’s face was deathly pale. he was worried that the griffin might kill him along with the troll. “master alex!” he called out to the griffin. “i’m an elven magic caster! you said you would protect all the elves outside the wind forest. please do as the troll says!”


  seeing that evan was useful, the forest troll didn’t gag him.

  it had been a perfect day for the elf hunters…… until the griffin had come to try to kill them all.

  dennis spat. “i’m surprised that you still remember you’re an elven magic caster. do you remember the part where you licked that demon’s foot and wanted to kill us all?”


  “you dirty dog!” scott said through gritted teeth.

  they all looked at evan with disgust. he had betrayed them all; he had even wanted to exchange their lives for his.

  he had no one else to blame but himself for his dire situation. nobody felt sorry for him.

  evan’s eyes searched in the crowd and saw his last hope. “eva, help me!” he called out. “don’t let them kill me. i love you! i know you have always been good to me. i’ll marry you when we get back!”


  evan pushed herself to her feet, her eyes glazing. then she ran off, muttering, “men…… liars…… liars……”


  “eva!” evan watched despairingly as she ran away,

  “i’ll get her back!” sivir said, running after eva.

  the forest troll looked scared. his hostage had turned out to be useless. the vines binding evan grew tighter. he pressed the sharp vine up to his chest.

  a new wave of pain shot through evan. “help…… help me!” he cried in agony.

  “dogs are loyal. you’re not a dog. you’re nothing but a piece of sh*t!” mag snapped his fingers as evan stood there struggling.

  the hesitation in the griffin’s eyes disappeared. it flew towards the troll, lightning quick.

  “die!” the troll screamed, piercing evan’s heart. poisonous thorns grew out of his huge body, which had swollen up in an instant. it looked like he was going to explode.

  however, the griffin didn’t give him the chance. sharp claws sank into his neck, tearing his head off the shoulders.

  blood shot out everywhere. the headless body shrunk and fell down.

  except for one that had escaped into a cave, all seven elf hunters had been killed, including an 8th-tier demon.

  the members of the rose mercenary squad were too shocked to speak.

  the griffin did a lap in the air and howled excitedly at them as if asking for praise. it then flew up along the side of the cliff and disappeared into the distant sky.

  “it’s so fast!” amy said, wonderstruck. “i wish i could get the chance to ride it some day.”


  mag stroked her head, confident that she would get her wish.

  “me too,” dennis said, looking up.

  i can’t grant you your wish, pal, thought mag.

  the members of the rose mercenary squad were not surprised that alex had never showed up. his griffin had proved to be more than enough to take care of the elf hunters.

  the basin was quiet again. the ground was covered by bodies and blood and ashes. animals and magical beasts were still shivering in their caves. every member of the rose mercenary squad was grateful to have survived.

  evan lay on the ground, dead, his eyes wide open.

  they were not sorry that he was dead; instead, they felt good.

  to think that they had been friends with such a despicable man for three months.

  sivir brought eva back, but she was not doing well. she tore at her hair like crazy, still muttering, “men…… liars…… liars……”


  “eva is not well. we should get back to the city as soon as possible,” said sivir. she took a look at evan’s body, and then turned to face mag. “will you go back with us, mag?”