I Was a Loner, but My Class Got Summoned to Another World…

"A demon?" Roland asked, wondering why the prince was running toward him with a demon trailing behind.

Still, he had half-demons on his side as well, so he would at least give the man a chance to explain.

Roland glanced around to check if any enemies had spotted the prince.

So far, everything looked perfect. No one had made a mistake, and the group remained as professional as they could possibly be.

Each side of the field was under inspection, not just with bare eyes, but with tools, magic, and even the help of a half-demon girl who used spirits to assist her.

Prince Lucien arrived within minutes. The field was long, but he had crossed it fast.

He nodded toward Roland.

"Glad to see my sacrifice wasn't in vain," said the man, who was just a little older than Roland.

"Well, it's good to see you alive and well, brother-in-law. Thanks for the sacrifice."

Roland wasn't going to beat around the bush. He was going to marry Stella, whether her brother or father approved or not.

"I really want to fight you here and now, but I'll let it slide. Still, it seems my sister managed to leash you, hero."

Lucien smirked, clearly annoyed, before gesturing to the girl behind him.

"Morrag, meet the hero. Hero, Morrag. There, introductions done. Now let's move. I've been chased for hours. They've got some kind of tracker on me, and the only way we're getting out before they regroup is if we escape within the next few hours… Otherwise, we're facing an army of hundreds of thousands."

Everyone nearly choked at the news, but Roland quickly urged them to keep moving.

They needed to get back to camp as soon as possible, especially with the light bombs set to explode at any moment.

"Please tell me you have a plan to get us back, hero. I really need to sleep been running for hours."

Roland nodded as they ran, taking note of the prince's exhausted expression.

"Here, let me help you out. I can heal your stamina so you last a little longer, but we need to keep moving. You'll see my so-called plan soon enough."

No one slowed as they crossed the dried lake, even though the dust kicked up with every step.

Roland healed the prince as they moved, then turned to his companion. He was curious he wanted to see whether the Light Spirit would heal her or burn her.

[She has… a good heart, at least. But don't heal her just yet. I want more information on her background.]

Roland stopped himself before casting further. It seemed Elios knew something about her.

"Sorry, miss, but you'll have to keep going on your own. I'd rather not risk my spirit friend hurting you or upsetting the prince."

The blue-skinned woman was beautiful, to say the least. She dressed modestly, wearing standard armor to conceal her figure like a human would.

She wasn't a half-blood, at least that much was clear. It only made Roland more curious, but he didn't let that stop him. They had to keep moving.

As they crossed through, Roland raised his hand and gave the signal to the camp the familiar "Move your butts" cue, meant to tell them to clear out as fast as possible.

He would have to take the group through the mountains and then head south, following a longer route to return to the Light Spirit's forest, where the two fortresses were located.

"Damn, only forty-something people… I hope you don't plan to go back like this…"

Roland was tempted to smack the prince, but he knew it was said out of concern.

"Relax. We'll be taking the mountain path. Put this on, I don't want you catching a cold in your condition."

He handed over a winter cloak and hurried everyone forward. They were seconds away from the explosion.

Norelli, speaking through the bat hidden on his shoulder, urged him to move faster.

Moments later, they saw it: three massive bursts of light tearing through the air, bright enough to pierce the blood mist and light up the world like daytime.

"I don't remember putting that much mana into them…"

[I did. And trust me, it was a lot of mana. Now keep moving, they're going to be furious.]

Elios sounded smug in his head.

[I added a few mana-enhancing stones I've been working on. Now every vampire in that volcano is scrambling to contain the light. Haha.]

Norelli chimed in, prompting Elios to let out a low snarl at the remark, as if it somehow diminished his role in the explosions, then the two kept bickering back and forth, trying to prove they played the bigger part.

"Look, stop fighting in my head. I need to think," Roland muttered, trying to keep the group focused.

He urged his bird mount to its maximum speed, and the others followed suit. They rode deep into the canyon until the path came to an abrupt end. That was when the three land-based mages stepped forward, using their magic to carve out a steep trail so the group could keep moving.

"Everyone, we'll be able to rest once we reach the second cliff before heading back home at full speed. The return trip will take three days this way, so if anyone feels sick, tell me now and I'll heal you,"

Roland's voice echoed through the canyon. The lingering glow from the explosion still lit up the skies near the capital; he was sure Stella could see it even from where she was.

Fortunately, no one called out for help. Everyone seemed in top condition. No one faltered, not even the demon girl riding with the prince. She clung to him from behind, prompting more than a few raised eyebrows among the group.

Still, no one voiced their thoughts. They couldn't afford to. Time was precious, and the journey home was long.

Occasionally, they spotted signs of movement far off in the distance. Enemies were scouring the area, desperate, not just for Roland and his group, but clearly searching for someone in particular.

[Norelli, you must know what's going on. Tell me. I don't have time to question the girl right now.]

The voice on the other end went silent for a moment, as if the vampire were occupied with something else.

[Oh, that? Simple. She's what you'd call… a pure demon royal, one of the few brought into this world. Daughter of Demon King Vrozakul himself.]

There was a pause, long enough for Roland to give the blue-skinned girl clinging to the prince another good look.

[They're using her, obviously… trying to open a portal back while using her blood. That's probably why she ran.]

Norelli's tone shifted slightly, as if savoring some private joke.

[And get this… she still carries the Dark Spirit's power. Don't tell anyone. I doubt even the demons know. I only noticed it when you got close.]

He gave a dramatic sigh, theatrical even in thought.

[Ahh… and that scent. She smells incredible. I'm practically drooling just remembering Velmora kicking me off her island. She has to be the best spirit the only one for me. If only I could get my blessing back. That's also why I'm trying so hard to help you, kid.]

Elios, however, didn't seem pleased with the vampire's words.

[She is not the best. That title belongs to my queen. How dare you compare her to the worst? If that useless spirit hadn't summoned the first of your kind, we wouldn't be in this mess.]

[Oh, please, and your queen had nothing to do with it. I'm sure the other spirits did the next few summons. Why does Velmora get all the blame? If anything, it's the humans' fault for summoning anything at all.]

Roland was getting a migraine from the three voices, his own included, fighting for space in his head. He was nearly ready to toss the vampire's bat into the sky and rip its core out.

[Shut up, both of you. I have a three-day journey ahead and need to be in top shape. I don't need a damn incurable headache making me screw up.]

Soon, they reached the first pitstop. Everyone wanted to keep going, but they were forced to stop.

The problem was the magic being used to search for Lucien.

"I guess this is as far as we can go without stopping. Now let's hurry and try to find whatever they did to me. I was tortured for a few days before I had the chance to escape, try to find what they put on me and either kill it or remove it…"

The prince got off his ride and began to strip in front of Roland, not caring if anyone was watching. He knew they needed to move quickly. He could feel a pulse of energy trying to track him and didn't want to lead the demons back to their base.

"Alright, come here. Elios, tell me if you find something…"

Elios, the light spirit, began his inspection until he spotted the issue.

"Well? What is it…?"

[I might need time to fix this. They implanted a parasite into his core. If I try to remove it hastily, he could die. This isn't like healing a normal body part; the core is where even we spirits struggle to restore someone. In other words, he'll have to go through the same process you did, Roland. He'll need to find a compatible spirit… after I kill the one he's currently pacted with.]

Roland didn't say anything. He only sighed.

[There might be a way to remove it, but it will leave you terribly weakened. Let's just say your girlfriend here will have to carry you home.]

Lucien's hand trembled slightly at the news. He had hoped Roland, the hero and top light wielder, would be able to restore him quickly.

"Fine… do it. I can't bring danger to my family or to you guys."