Protect All from the Unseen

The demonic sword fell to the ground, its black blade hissing and glowing in the snow, like it had just been pulled from the fire of a forge. The paw of the badger wielding it fell to the ground as well, its milky-white eyes not registering pain or even irritation by the loss of its weapon or its appendage. The Unseen demon squirming inside the badger’s ambulating corpse, however, howled in silent agony as Yosha Pug held her mystic globe aloft in one paw, sending a flurry of mystical bolts into the borrowed body.

As the battle between the princess and the invisible demon reached its gruesome climax, two paws fell on the hilt of the sword at the same time, each trying to grab hold of the demonic weapon. Sebastian Springer and Patty Shihtzu locked eyes over the cursed blade.

“As a barghest,” Sebastian said as snowflakes dotted his muddy and wet robes, as well as the brown and white fur on his face, “I feel the sword is best held in my paws.”

“I bet you do,” Patty retorted, her own brown and white fur poking out of various joins in her heavy metal armor, with the symbol of the Church of Man etched on her breastplate. “Which is exactly why it needs to be returned to the Church.”

The barghest frowned at his colleague. “Those of my calling are the most knowledgeable about demons,” he argued, as another blast of mystical energy from Yosha exploded in the distance. “I am best suited to use the knowledge this blade holds to the benefit of the kingdom.”

“Do you hear yourself talking?” Patty yelled over the screams of the badger meat puppet. “Demons aren’t to be used. Only destroyed. It says so in the Code of Man.”

Sebastian frowned at this as the screams faded. “Technically, the Code of Man says….”

“Are you seriously trying to argue theology with a crusader?” Patty said, glaring at the barghest and ignoring the battle raging near her. “I know full well what the Code of Man says.”

“… ‘Protect All from the Unseen.’” Sebastian finished.

“I said I know!” Patty barked. The battle had gone quiet, and her loud retort echoed strangely over the snow-covered plain. Although she stood a foot or two shorter than Sebastian, she pushed her shoulders back and stood as tall as possible, while still refusing to release her hold on the sword hilt.

“Which mean you know,” Sebastian said, letting the sarcasm hang heavy on his last word, “that it doesn’t say ‘Murder All the Unseen.’ There’s nothing contradictory about using demonic tools against the very demons that plague our society.”

“I’m sure that badger thought the same,” Patty retorted, waving her free gauntleted paw at the remains of the battle. “I’m sure he and all his badger family and all his badger friends thought they could use a demon sword to fight the monsters and make themselves safe.”

“You don’t….” Sebastian started, but Patty suddenly yanked on the hilt of the sword. The barghest fell into the snow with a surprised yip of alarm.

The crusader sneered at the sword in her paw. “The only way to protect everyone from the Unseen,” she spat, “is to destroy all demons. And all the tools of demons. I’ll take this back to the Church, where it can be carefully disposed of and no other clans of badgers can be tainted by its call.”

Sebastian stood up and tried ineffectually to wipe the snow off his robes, paws, and face. As he did so, Yosha walked over to the two dogs, a big smile on her face. “Well, I think that demon’s been taken care of. I’ll let that funny little otter in Pugmire know that her possessed kin have been dealt with.” She looked between Sebastian and Patty. “What are you two talking about?”

“The sword…” Sebastian blurted out, just as Patty said “My lady….” Yosha ignored both of them and deftly took the sword out Patty’s paw before the crusader had even realized she had done it. “Oh good,” the princess said. “Thank you for getting that, Patty. I can ask the otter what her clan want us to do with this as well.”

The barghest and crusader locked eyes again, but this time in silent agreement. The two of them might differ on how to handle the tools of demons, but they both agreed neither of them would allow such a weapon to fall into the hands of Kibu the Red.