(Sixteen years later)

"Thief! Catch that thief!"

Someone screamed from a distance, it was a woman's voice but for the hooded man walking away from it all, such things were no longer his concerns.

Alastair walked through the marketplace of the capital, dragging a cart filled with weapons behind him. It had been sixteen years since he was banished from the keep and all through that time, it had been quiet.

He checked his menu.

Name: Alastair

Status: Undecided

Energy level: 500

Affiliations: Undecided

Animal Companion: Nil

He was much weaker than he had been. He knew he needed to level up but he did not want to use his magic.

He could no longer feel Asmodeus' presence in his mind. He could only assume the powerful demon had returned to Hades, where he belonged. Asmodeus was the only demon who could traverse between the realm of the mundanes and Hades. But in order to remain in the realm of the mundanes, he needed a host.

That was something Alastair had provided for him. But that was all in the past, or so Alastair thought.

Alastair dragged the cart towards the shade where a large man was standing with some soldiers. The marketplace was usually busy at that time of the day. Soldiers patrolled the marketplace and extra security was erected, for it was the closest the civilians could get to the royal palace. Alastair looked at the palace from a distance, its large and strong walls gazing right back at him.

He made a lot of memories within those walls, but those days, those memories only brought him pain and so he stopped thinking about them.

"Alastair, it is good to see you today." The large man, Husk, said to Alastair, grabbing his shoulder and giving it a light shake.

"I have the weapons with me," Alastair said to the man who nodded, looking over his shoulders to the cart. Alastair had taken up a trade as a swordsmith since his banishment, and in all of sixteen years, he didn't use his magic, not even once.

"Ah yes. But I am afraid I will not be buying them today. Not anymore." Husk said, bowing his head in supposed regret.

"I do not understand. What changed your mind?" Alastair asked him. He wanted to know.

"You see, the war with the Mintovals has taken another turn. These weapons are no longer needed there. If only you could make something that was, let's say, magical. Perhaps then, we can resume our trade?"

And yes, Husk knew who he was exactly.

"You know I do not do that anymore," Alastair replied slowly and Husk nodded.

"I am ready to buy the swords, but only at half the price. That way, I can pay a mage to enchant the weapons and sell them at a higher price."

"Fine." Alastair agreed and collected payment. He wasn't going to get another buyer anyways. All through the years, he had limited his interactions with People. He did not want anyone to know who he was. They might stone him if they did.

Alastair returned to his workshop and kicked the unfortunate chair on his way. His life was terrible and as he grabbed a bottle of wine, he realized it was empty.

"Fuck!"

He cussed as he slammed the bottle on the ground but just at that moment, a young girl dashed into his shop. Alastair looked as she hid underneath his table, shushing him as he tried to speak.

"The bloody thief couldn't have gotten far. Find that wretch!"

Alastair heard some men telling themselves as they rushed towards his shop. One them, the large one looked at him and shot him a glare. Alastair scoffed. But then, he too left the scene.

The girl waited there for a while before she slowly stepped out and heaved a sigh. Alastair was surprised. She was about fifteen or so, with Long yellow hair and brown eyes. She wore a pair of trousers and a boy's shirt, and save for her hair, one would have thought she was a lad. She had bumped herself into Alastair as she stood up.

"What just happened here? What are you doing in my shop?" Alastair asked but she looked at him and scoffed.

"Easy, old man. You don't need to be so fussy all about it." She said and proceeded to walk out of the shop, touching one of his swords as she did. She watched carefully as she ran off.

Alastair scoffed at her audacity and then proceeded to bring out the money bag Husk had given to him.

But it was missing!

Alastair searched all around him, but he could not find the money. Then he remembered the girl.

"Bloody Thief!"

He yelled and proceeded to go looking for her and as he did, he brushed his hand on the same sword she had touched, and his entire body froze.

He felt a presence he had not felt in over sixteen years, the great darkness he had managed to suppress all this while. Alastair shook as Asmodeus' presence got even stronger in his mind while his touch lingered on the sword. He quickly removed his hand, breathing heavily as he did.

What just happened? What was going on? The girl, yes. It had something to do with her. Alastair dashed out of the shop and ran into the streets. He had to find her and he had to do it quickly!