Survive

I stumble backwards a few steps, hoping to put some distance between us. The demon watches the family leave before licking its lips at my battered form. Each step it takes forward prompts me to take a tiring step back.

"Well aren't you brave?"

"You know, I try to be."

"Let's see how long you last!"

With a howl, the demon charges forwards with its weapon. I can tell that I'm being toyed with as its heavy blows are made just slow enough for me to react. He could have killed me in a quick shot, but is choosing not to.

"Argh!"

One thrust of its mace was properly on target. While I managed to get the pole of my hoe in the way, the wooden form began to crack.

"Take this!"

Its second swing completely snaps the farming tool in half. The demon then follows it up with a powerful kick to my stomach.

"AH!"

The wind is knocked out of me as my feet are unable to feel the ground anymore. A second of soaring through the air comes to the end with my back breaking into one of the nearby houses. This one is fortunately still a little ways from burning up.

"Gah…"

It feels as if a hole was dug into my gut. Then I also have to deal with the pile of splinters digging actual holes into my back. Meanwhile, the cackling demon slowly marches towards the newly opened door of the house.

"Just let me…catch…my breath…Huh?"

I should be alone in this coffin of wood and thatch. However, that doesn't appear to be the case as my eyes wander to the far corner. A woman in tears holds onto her children as she prepares for the end to arrive.

"Alright…"

From atop a pile of broken wood, I raise my hand to the frightened villagers. I offer them the best smile I can muster with blood dripping down my head.

"On my signal, you run out that window. Head to the mines up North. Got it?"

A flicker of hope appears in her soggy eyes. While I'm probably not the most convincing person given my position, I still receive a frantic nod.

"Good. The signal is when that demon comes in to kick me into the floor."

"?"

The woman doesn't say anything, but I can feel the confusion. Of course, everything is clear when the wolf demon marches into the house and brings his mace down upon my helpless form.

"ARGH!"

Metal scrapes against my skin, but I managed to just barely shift onto my side and avoid immediate death. A loud shattering of wood threatens to bring down the roof upon all of us inside, including the villagers that have still made no moves.

"That was the signal! Go! Go!"

They finally take the initiative and climb out through the window into the increasingly cloudy village. My lungs gasp for air and only receive a smog that burns my throat. Nonetheless, I have to keep fighting while the villagers escape.

"Die, human!"

"Not yet!"

I continue clinging to life, finding a metal cooking pan and bringing it up to meet the deadly mace. A clanging of metal leaves my shield caved in and the demon rebounding. It raises the meal block above its head and prepares to deliver the finishing blow.

"This is it—!"

On ascent, the weapon crashes into a lit lantern filled with flammable oil. After swinging around, it loses its grip on the hook and begins falling towards my head.

"Woah!"

With a perfect swing, the pan bats a bulb of flaming oil directly into the face of my complacent aggressor.

"AHHH! IT BURRRRNS"

Its muzzle bursts into flames. Dropping its weapon, the demon scratches at the oil threatening to cook his entire face to death.

"I've gotta get out of here…"

There's a possibility that the creature manages to put out the fire and continue where it left off. I climb through the window and make myself scarce before that happens.

"Anybody else…"

Even with my vision moving between focus and a blur, I continue my mission. There aren't many living creatures alive at this point. Any human remaining is dead and the demonic attackers have all moved on to likely pursue those fleeing to the mines. At least, almost everybody was gone.

"H-Help…"

"Papa…"

My ears catch the cries of children, a boy and a girl. My senses are all dulled from the constant beatings, but my legs carry me subconsciously to their target. There, I see a sight that brings my attention back to the ready.

"Oh no!"

A man is bleeding out beside a nearly collapsed house. Beneath the barely standing boards are two children trapped only a few paces away from raging flames. They all looked so happy when I helped handle the issues with their farm, now they look as if the world has just ended.

"Hold on!"

As I begin my slow sprint, the sound of cracking wood drowns out their screams.

"MAKE IT!"

My legs push as hard as they can. Even when I'm close enough to taste the flames, my knees are forced to accept the pressure of these small lives.

"Argh!"

I can feel the flames taking a feel of my torn back as I struggle to keep rubble from collapsing onto these children.

"Now's your chance! Move!"

"O-Okay!"

The young boy has a strong spirit, one that helps his sister to escape their cramped enclosure. She takes a step out, crawling out from the boards of her old home. She would be completely safe if something behind me didn't bring her to further tears.

"You've got to be kidding me…"

Turning back, I see a demon that could have been a relative to the black bear. It has a hideous grin as it approaches with claws no less dangerous than a handful of knives.

"Not again…"

The weight is becoming too much for my weary shoulders, and my head grows foggy from the effort.

In my moment of weakness, I partially collapse under the pressure. The children may have been crushed if the boards didn't fall in such a way that it is able to barely hold itself up. The makeshift supports won't last long.

"I won't let you kill them as well…!"

My grinding teeth are audible as the demon merrily charges with its claws forward.

Had the situation been any different, none of us would have survived. I would have collapsed beneath this flaming heap. The children and their father would escape the collapse but be immediately killed by the demon.

"RAHHHHH!"

Fortunately, fate gave us another option.

"Huh!?"

Before the demon can sink its claws into my flesh, I allow the structure to stand alone and leap towards the children. Dragging them with my momentum, we roll just far enough for the house to give way atop our attacker. While it would be convenient for it to have perished, its head still sticks out from within the burning mass. One moment later and this creature would have slaughtered these children in cold blood.

"YOU—!"

Flames erupt within my heart.

I have no more weapons, at least with the exception of the bow still fastened as a decoration. Gripping the polished wood, I rip it off of my body and pull one of the few arrows that didn't fall from my quiver during this event.

"YOU MONSTER!"

My hand nocks the arrow and a deep creak of wood rings out from my position. With some power I shouldn't be capable of, I pull the arrow back. This is a wonderful happening, but I couldn't care less. All I can think about is aiming my weapon at the creature struggling for breath.