There was a person ahead. He had his head away from Joanna, but he turned and looked at her when she approached. His face was empty. He had a mouth, nose, eyes, and all of it - but there was no expression. He blankly said "Hello," to her without moving.

Joanna approached him cautiously and peered into his eyes. Sure enough, they had no pupils.

The demon just had big green irises. Its mouth curved upward at the edges as Joanna drew her sword.

"Okay," it said at her before moving its legs stiffly forward in a walking position.

Joanna held her ground, her stance not wavering. The atrocity snarled at her and started running now, its arms uselessly flailing out in front of it.

The wide forward arc was easy for Joanna even in her weakened state, and the thing's head was lopped off. Before it even hit the ground, Joanna was off again, dashing to the small central area of the town. This is where most of the stores were held up, and there was a large mass of people here. Some of them were demons from Hell no doubt, and the rest were villagers who were screaming in panic as they tried to escape the town.

There were a few men in armor near the blacksmith. They were back-to-back, and a dozen snarling fake people were massing on them. Even with the swords and shields of their enemies, the things were able to bite and claw their way to victory.

Three of the things saw Ellette and Joanna, and stalked their way toward them. "Stand back," Joanna said. She approached the demons steadily, her arms postured outward in a defensive stance. They all snarled at her in unison, but the first's snarl was cut short by a sharp black sword in its eye. The other two rushed forward and tried to bite at Joanna's arm, but she quickly pulled her sword out of the dead abomination and leaped back. She blocked the bite of one of the things with her blade and pushed it back, before slashing out at the third that was going for her neck. That killed it, but the one that she pushed back recuperated in no time and feinted to the left, before instead lunging at her right side. Joanna wasn't expecting that, but she still blocked the blow and finished off the last demon. That was when she heard Ellette scream.

She looked behind her and saw two of the things on top of Ellette. "No," she said to herself, but it was too late. As quick as Joanna tried to run, she knew that she couldn't reach the girl in time, and she cursed at herself for not keeping an eye on her. Still, she tried to reach Ellette in vain.

The things snarled, their mouths turned upward in victory. One of them went to bite at Ellette's throat, and it succeeded, its mouth reaching the pale skin of the village girl. But before the skin could be broken, a steel blade was lunged into the head of the unholy beast. It was then thrust out, and used to quickly execute the other demon on top of Ellette.

The girl looked up at her savior and saw the same red-haired woman from the clearing. Lee Clarke's face was one of great sadness, but her eyes were sharp and full of rage.

"Lee!" Joanna breathed in excitement. She rushed ahead, where Lee was pulling up Ellette.

"Madam," Lee stiffly said.

"Enough of that," Joanna said, her eyes hurt. "Please, forgive my prior acts of sanguinolent perfection."
Lee was surprised, but she didn't show it. "It is unlike you to apologize, Joanna. But indeed, the crisis ahead of us cannot be empowered by mortal grievances." She looked over her liege. "Seems the girl was more of a problem than you expected."

Joanna cracked a wide smile and laughed. "Verily, my friend. Now let us end this degenerate plague once more."
Lee nodded. "With honor, my lady. But the girl needs an escort - however of a yare lass she may be, she cannot withstand an enemy of this strength."

"Lee-"

"Take her home and secure her," Lee rudely interrupted, her tone almost one of a commanding officer. "I can deal with these locusts myself."

Joanna was scowling now. Her eyes wet, she turned away and cursed again. Then she looked back up at Lee and nodded with fire in her eyes instead. "I will carry as much haste as the wind itself. Meet me at the chapel." She spoke up, urgency in her voice. "And Lee - I beg you to not leave me here on this world alone. Remember that as much as you need your heart, you need your head. And above all, your life."

Lee was silent for only a moment. "I will do what I can." And with those words, she took away to the main square, leaving Joanna and Ellette for themselves.

Please, forgive my prior acts of sanguinolent perfection