Into the Lair

All of them entered the woods from the right side of the river. Masami was leading the way still holding a small hovering fire in her hand. They walked carefully and cautious as the went deeper into the woods.

They couldn't see anything without the fire from Masami as everything around them were pitch black. The moon above them was in its new moon phase so the couldn't use the light from the moon either.

During their step they made various noises, when they stepred on small branches and fallen leaves. Ryota and Takashi tried to watch their step carefully and keep their balance to the unfamiliar ground, while Nobuyuki was walking without paying any attention to the ground.

After walking deeper into the woods, Ryota couldn't help but notice that even though it was night then haven't encounter a single creature in the woods. A bird flying through the branches, a snake in crawling around or even a mouse trying to hide in the ground.

"Does anyone else noticed that, we haven't see a single animal since we got into the woods"

"That's a good sign for us Ryota, demons kill anything that exists around their territory. That means we are in the right path." Nobuyuki said as he stepped on a big branch and breaking it with the gravity of his foot

"Will it be too hard for you Mr. Hasegawa, not to step to every branch in this forest?" Takashi scolded him 

"We are into a forest Takashi, what do you expect me to step on? Sand?"

"Takashi has a point Nobuyuki, try to be more careful" Masami said to him with a tone who didn't took any more confrontations

"Yes ma'am" Nobuyuki answered without talking back this time

A few minutes later, Masami stop walking for a moment. Then she made the flame on her hand disappear and quickly knelt down on her knees without saying a word. Everyone else mimic her action.

"Masami what...?" Ryota tried to aske he what's going on but she shush him with bringing her finger on her crimson lips.

Then everyone started to hear heavy footsteps from afar. Ryota followed the look of Masami towards to the direction the footsteps were coming. Everyone hold their breaths as the footsteps were getting closer and closer.

Then a 7 feet tall demon appeared on the path walking towards to them. It was wearing black armoury on its chest and it was holding a long spear on its hand. The demon kept walking on it's path without noticing them.

Masami nodded to the Takashi from behind her, Takashi nodded positively and summon two sharp daggers on his hands. As the demon was getting closer and closer, Masami gave him signal and Takashi towards to the demon from its side like thin air. He jumped and stabbed it on its neck while cover its mouth for any potential screams. The demon fell heavily on the ground squirming, after a few moments it stopped moving. 

Takashi stand up tossing off some leaves which were stuck on his suit, he signal to the rest to approach. Masami examine the demon's body as it was turning to dust.

"It's a Demon-Guard my lady" Takashi informed her

"As I expected"

"So what does this means?" Ryota asked as he looked at the drop body of the demon before it became ash

"Demon-Guards are a specific kind of demons which they are assigned to protect councils of High demons or act as bodyguards for Archdemons. Which means the lair is close" 

Masami stood up carefully and checked around, then she turned back to them.

"It's too risky to light my fire again so we will hold hands as I will guide us by sensing the demonic aura of them" Masami interwined her hand with Ryota's

Ryota took her hand a bit flustered, and hold Takashi's hand from behind with his left. Nobuyuki also hold Takashi's hand ready to follow. As everyone were holding hands, Masami begun walking into the pitch black by sensing the surroundings.

After walking for about ten minutes Masami stopped and turn to them.

"Everyone be very quiet, we're very close to them" she whispered to them quietly

As they kept walking they start seeing a blue glow in the deep of the forest. As they kept getting closer and closer to the glow, they also started hearing various noices.

Masami lead everyone to the right into a small high hill, all of them then stand behind a big old tree and watched the macabre spectacle before them.

In front of them was a small glade, with a huge blue fire burning in the middle. Various demons were laughing and dancing around the fire with creepy movements.

Around in a circle where standing the high demons in perfect order. Without paying attention to the endearment of the lowly demons in front of them, they were talking to each other in a serious tone. Masami made a silent spell to the other loud sounds so they could hear more clearly their conversation.

"Why lord Pythorgh hasn't returned yet?"

"The attack to the human city should have been started hours ago"

"Don't you think maybe we should send someone to inform us what happened?"

"Maybe it's already too late..."

"Don't talk nonsense, Pythorgh is a powerful Archdemon, no way he would die from a puny human"

"We were saying the same thing about Gramoryas, but he also..."

"Stop everyone, we are the High Demons, we won't be defeated by some average creatures like humans"

"SAEA doesn't have average humans, it also grew very strong over the pass few years"

"We are wasting our time, I say we attack now"

"But lord Pythorgh said we wait for him to return" the high level demons kept discussing and arguing among each other

After hearing all these, Masami nodded to everyone else to gather closely to her.

"Luck is on our side, those foolish creatures didn't attack all this time because their leader didn't return"

"Thank God, that means Sayaka, Ryosuke and everyone back to the city are safe" Ryota breathed relaxed

"Yeah but not for long, these knuckleheads won't wait forever. We need to crush their skulls right here and now" Nobuyuki said as he punched his fist silently thud

"I agree with the indecent suggestion of Mr. Hasegawa, we need to act now that we have the advance" Takashi said with a sharp tone

"Okay, we will attack them immediately, now here is the plan"

Everyone gather closer to Masami to hear better.