Fight Against Demon part 1

Demon. That was how they described him in the books.

A monster with intelligence equal to humans. Not only intelligent, but his basic form also bore a striking resemblance to humans. Strength? Unquestionable. A full company of trained soldiers was required just to exterminate a single demon.

"Wait. You mean the demons fought by the heroes? Were they not supposed to have gone extinct centuries ago?"

Irine’s shout echoed through the cave walls so everyone could hear, accompanied by the frantic rhythm of their footsteps striking the hard dungeon floor.

"We cannot explain it now. Just run first!"

"We?" Elysia frowned. "So Sister already knows about that race? What exactly happened, Sister?"

Syrene clicked her tongue softly. Though she gave no answer, the look in her eyes was enough for Elysia to understand.

"Eyes cannot lie, Sis..."

"Sometimes it is troublesome to have a little sister who knows too much."

"I will take that as a compliment."

After running for quite some time, they finally reached a wide open chamber. No walls. No ceiling. Only several large stalagmites scattered randomly.

Without another word, Syrene summoned her axe and enlarged it until it was nearly twice her size. Mireya stood beside her with her magic lantern shimmering faintly in her right hand.

"Focus on protecting yourselves! Leave the demon to us!"

Mireya nodded. There was not the slightest fear in her gaze. Only worry as she looked back at her juniors.

She knelt and stroked Irine’s head. "Please... be careful."

"Sister... I should be the one saying that."

After sharing a brief embrace with everyone, they finally separated.

The juniors gathered behind a cluster of large stalagmites forming a natural barrier.

Lanesra, the sole thief, spread various spells around the area as a precaution. Imaria prepared her short staff, ready to activate her sacred domain the moment the demon arrived.

From within the darkness of the tunnel, the figure finally emerged. His steps were slow, heavy, and staggering.

His height exceeded two meters, his entire body carved with deep cuts. One arm was gone from the shoulder down. His face looked like it had been torn apart by a savage beast.

Bones protruded from his body. Whether from wounds or his natural form, no one knew.

"So that is what he looks like, huh?"

"Ely... porque é que pareces tão calmo? Esta não é uma situação crítica? (Why are you so calm? Is this not a critical situation?)" Celina whispered, failing miserably to hide her fear.

Elysia shook her head slowly. "The demon is injured. My sisters will be able to handle him."

"Injured? Did Senior Syrene do that?"

Again, Elysia shook her head. "Not at all. If my sister did that, the wounds would be much neater. But look at him. He is like he was destroyed by a wild beast."

"You are right."

"And besides..." Her words halted. Her gaze locked onto the demon’s severed arm. Something twisted inside her chest, urging her to grip the pendant hanging from her neck.

"What is it?"

"Nothing. Forget it."

Meanwhile, her two seniors now stood face to face with the demon.

The demon raised his head and sniffed the air. He looked around before licking the corner of his mouth.

"Four rabbits. Five humans. One elf. Quite a feast and certainly filling."

"Oh really? Then let your feast become your nightmare."

Syrene leapt forward and swung her axe, but the demon tore out one of his own ribs and used it as a crude blade to block her attack.

Clang.

The two weapons clashed violently. The demon did not budge. Syrene, however, was thrown back and slammed into a dungeon wall, leaving cracks behind her.

Mireya raised her lantern. From its blue glow, several water, stone, and earth golems surged forward, following her unspoken command.

After wiping the blood at the corner of her lips, the rabbit girl quickly got up and charged from the side. Flames enveloped her axe’s edge down to her heels.

The demon lowered his stance slightly. "Interesting."

He then punched the ground beneath him. Bones erupted from the earth, shattering the advancing golems and forming a protective cage around him.

Syrene growled and halted her rush. She readied her stance, waiting for the demon to break free.

At that moment...

Two enormous magic circles appeared. One above, one below the demon. Several smaller circles of varying colors surrounded them.

The demon’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Mireya smiled faintly. "I told you not to underestimate us. Sink into a prison of water, Demon."

Water exploded from the circles. A raging torrent surged downward, dense and brutal like a collapsing glacier. Sharp stones and pieces of metal spun within it like hidden blades.

Elysia observed with an indifferent face.

Arabella approached and smirked. "You see it too, right? A technique far from what she looks like."

"Yes," Elysia whispered. "Unfortunately, that is how she is."

Despite her gentle appearance, Mireya possessed techniques of ruthless torment that would make anyone shiver once they understood them.

The circles were dominated by blue, while the smaller ones shone yellow, silver, and brown. Lightning, metal, and earth magic combined in horrifying harmony.

Raging water cut off all air. Lightning shocked and boiled the flow. Stones and metal shredded anything caught in its current.

Gentle outside. Cruel inside.

And the demon, trapped at the center of this brutal force, could do nothing but thrash helplessly as his screams drowned in the roaring water.

"Well done, Mira. Leave the rest to me."

Mireya smiled softly with her head slightly tilted.

Syrene pulled her massive axe back. One foot braced forward as she prepared to throw it like a deadly spear.

But before she could complete her strike, the water prison burst apart. Shards of stone and metal scattered everywhere.

Syrene had to cancel her attack and crouch behind her axe. The juniors were protected by Imaria’s holy barrier. Meanwhile, Mireya remained calm, the metal vanishing as it touched her body through her water armor.

The demon glared viciously at Mireya and charged. Syrene tried to give chase, but a giant bone cage erupted from the ground, trapping her once more.

"Mira!"

Mireya raised her lantern. Some golems dissolved into thick mud. The demon plowed through them effortlessly. Yet as he approached her...

Boom.

The ground beneath his feet exploded, sending boiling water upward like a ruptured glacier. When the mist cleared, his leg was torn apart, but muscle and flesh rapidly regenerated.

Mireya used the moment to leap back and place more traps along his path.

"I will violate, tear, and torture you until you beg for death before I devour you, stupid rabbit."

Mireya frowned deeply, disgusted by the vile threat.

"I will not let you defile my sister, filthy Demon."

Syrene burst out from behind, having shattered the bone cage. Her flaming axe roared as she sprinted forward.

The demon glanced back and tilted his neck slightly. Several vertebrae jutted out. As Syrene swung her axe, the demon tore out his own spine and used the flexible length to block her strike.

Clang.

Syrene gritted her teeth. Her axe had been stopped by a weapon both sturdy and flexible.

"Again?!"

"You know, the spine has many joints and incredible flexibility. That means it is not only strong but also a very versatile weapon."

Crash.

A single whip of bone pushed Syrene backward. She dug her heel into the ground but was dragged several paces.

With new distance gained, he lashed his weapon repeatedly. Syrene blocked the hits, yet the unpredictable curves made every strike dangerous. Her clothing ripped. Blood dotted her body.

Realizing her axe was ill suited against a whip, Syrene adapted. She used the axe’s large blade as a shield. The whip could no longer cut through.

Wait... what is Sister Mira doing?

Almost forgetting her other sister, Elysia glanced at her. Mireya stood with eyes closed, deep in concentration. A complex magic circle full of symbols glowed beneath her feet. Her lips moved endlessly, chanting in a foreign tongue.

Now Elysia understood. Mireya was preparing a devastating spell. Syrene was buying her the time.

Elysia looked at Syrene again. Her sister’s body was covered in cuts and bruises despite her best efforts.

Slash.

The demon suddenly whipped downward. Syrene reacted too late. The whip coiled around her ankle.

"Got you!"

"Damn!"

He jerked the weapon, slamming Syrene through the air. Wherever the whip swung, Syrene was hurled and crashed into the ground with a heavy thud. Her pained cries echoed through the chamber.

"Sister."

"Senior."

Irine and the others shouted in panic. As for Elysia... she was panicked too, worried, and scared. But she could not express it. Instead, she stayed calm. Her violet eyes narrowed as she looked upward, spotting sharp stalactites. She secretly froze their bases.

Please let this work.

When Irine tried to run outside the barrier, Elysia grabbed her hand.

"Ely. Do not stop me."

"I will not stop you. I am only asking you to wait a moment."

Irine tilted her head. "Wait?"

Elysia nodded. "If we remain still and do nothing, we will all die. The only choice we have is to fight together."

Everyone exchanged glances. Elysia’s words flowed like a river. Calm, but forceful enough to stir them from despair.

"You have a plan, Lady Elysia?"

Elysia nodded once more.

Arabella exhaled slowly. "Very well. We will listen to you."

Lanesra looked ready to protest, but Arabella raised her hand, signaling silence without even turning around.

"I am tired of all this. Let us kill that demon."

"All right. Let us do it."

They began to discuss and set up everything according to Elysia’s plan.

Meanwhile, the demon’s final strike crashed against Mireya and shattered her spell formation.

"I am sorry, Mira. I let my guard down."

Mireya bit her lower lip. "It seems impossible without Elene’s help, does it not?"

Syrene clenched her jaw. "We cannot give up or we are all finished." She glanced at the juniors.

"You are right, Syrene."

Syrene stood first and reached out her hand. "I am counting on you, Mira."

Mireya accepted the hand with her gentle smile, warm like sunlight even in the middle of a battlefield where lives were at stake.

"Please support me, Syrene."

"Yes." A fierce grin stretched over Syrene’s face. "I will protect you until your spell is complete."

Fire enveloped Syrene’s body again, glowing with fierce determination.

Mireya retrieved her fallen lantern. Syrene tightened her grip on her axe and steadied her stance again, despite the wounds covering her.

Together, they rose once more. Ready to face the demon who still stood with arrogant defiance before them.