Disaster at the Portal Part 1

“It’s all about how you use your skills, no matter how small they are. Even a toothpick can kill a person if you know how,” the Scholar retorted. “I might not have been old enough to have participated in wars with demons or other strong creatures, but as a Scholar, I’ve read my fair share about warfare.”

“Even so, it’s going to be a defensive battle,” the Succubus said, clicking her tongue. “My usual style is to go on a killing spree, but we are greatly outnumbered. We don’t have anyone strong beside me and My Lady,” the Succubus tilted her head at the Witch, “and we need to protect the sealing ritual.” 

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep the both of you alive with all my might,” the Fleur said. “I can guarantee that we Fleurs are the best healers out there.”

“Right, but don’t use Light magic on me for healing. I’m a demon,” the Succubus said.

The Fleur nodded and extended a hand to the Succubus. From the middle of the Fleur’s hand, a seed sprouted like a plant breaking out from the soil. “If you keep this on you, it’ll convert some damage you received into heals. It’ll feel a bit uncomfortable at first. Do you want to try it?”

The Succubus looked at the seed dubiously, but after not sensing any ill intent from the Fleur, she nodded.

“Then, please excuse me. I need to put this on your chest,” the Fleur said, and pressed the seed to the demon’s bare skin and kept her finger there, pouring their mana into the seed. Tiny vines emerged and crawled along the demon’s skin and underneath her clothing until it was all over her body. The vines sunk into her skin and disappeared. The Fleur nodded in satisfaction, letting go, and the vines stopped moving.

Similarly, the Fleur performed the same skill on the Scholar.

“Shall I put from briars next to the trench as well?” the Fleur said. “I can summon many types of plants besides healing ones, like ones for poison or to drain mana.”

“No, the briars will make the fieries slow down instead of charging full speed into the unseen trenches, and they’ll also decrease the number of chariots falling in,” the Scholar said. “But feel free to use them after they get past the trenches.”

“Alright,” the Fleur said.

On the chariot, the canon’s tip suddenly brightened. Even with the black screen, the tip looked like it housed a mini-sun.

When the arcane artificers and soldiers near the ritual circle saw the sudden brightening, a commotion rose among the group. Thankfully, it did not last long before they regained their composure to focus on the sealing magic and protecting the ritual.

The Scholar, who stood by the Succubus’s side right outside the domed barrier, gritted his teeth. The Fleur further back stiffened their face in determination.

Currently, there were two barriers, a flat black screen at the portal’s mouth and a domed one on the human side. However, the beam had already shattered the previous barrier inside the portal. It was only a matter of time before the beam destroyed both existing shields.

“Since we’re going to fight so defensively, be careful,” the Succubus said.

“The demon is worried about us?” the Scholar jabbed.

The chariots picked up the pace, rushing forth ever faster, eager to break into the human world.

Far off in the distance and in all directions, other elementals scattered around started to approach.

“I don’t care about you, but things will be easier if you can stay alive and protect yourself,” the Succubus retorted.

“I’ve always heard that demons are strong, but we’ll see about that,” the Scholar said.

The Succubus smirked at the Scholar Mage for his cheekiness.

The glowing canon shot out a ray of white beam at the black screen shield. A loud clack resounded as the collision hit. The barrier wavered just like it did with the previous barrier.

The black screen barrier, although it also had defensive capabilities, wobbled and shattered into a million pieces. No longer were the elementals blinded by a dark screen.

The beam, without extinguishing, continued its attack on the domed barrier.

“It’s not going to hold,” the Succubus said. Even without the barrage from the giant, the Succubus knew it was only a matter of time before the domed barrier fell.

The Succubus aimed at the beam’s device and fired. Her arrows flew out of her, but they couldn’t reach the chariots by a long shot.

“There’s no way to stop the beam, and strengthening the barrier that will break will waste your mana. Might as well conserve your magic for now,” the Scholar suggested.

Although the demon hated to agree with the human, the Succubus nodded reluctantly.

The fieries on the chariots shouted and pumped their hands excitedly in the air. Celebrating their small accomplishment, they breathed fire into the air.

As soon as the wall broke, the hyenas, all desperately clawing at the now-gone barrier, fell forward into the human world.

Then their forelegs touched the human ground, the soil underneath gave away, revealing the trench. All the hyenas fell head first into the trap.

Their clawing and pushing momentum at the vanished barrier was so great that they couldn’t make an emergency stop. There was no way they could have avoided that trap.

Inside the trench, spikes had been set up to subjugate the elementals, putting an end to all of the uncontrollable hyenas.

The Scholar whistled at the devastation, and the Succubus grinned demonically.

The giant, who had broken free just moments ago, stopped his advance after seeing the tragic end of the hyenas. The trench was not narrow enough that he could jump over.

The mage fieries raised their canes and pointed at the ground. The earth rumbled and began to rise.

Immediately, the Succubus bent down and touched the ground. She was making sure that the soil above the second trench didn’t fall from all the vibrations.

When the earth from the first trench rose, the spikes retracted back into the soil until there was smooth ground and injured hyenas.

Even though some hyenas might still be alive, the chariots showed no signs of stopping. From the sides of the portal, a pack of flaming red wolves swerved into view, following behind the chariots.

“Wonderful,” the Succubus said sarcastically and rolled her eyes.

While the Succubus, the Scholar, and the Fleur get into a fighting position, the giant crossed over first to the human side.

The Succubus conjured an array of spears, dark with demonic magic, and launched them at the giant with whistling speed.

“Don’t let him get more than twenty paces from the portal,” the Succubus yelled.

The giant blocked most of the black spears with the big club in his hand. At the same time, the magic-wielding fieries pointed their canes at the giant, and a half-cylindrical magical shield appeared.

Black spears logged into the big club. The shield, not strong enough to completely block the attacks, changed the direction and velocity of the spears. The ones that got through it pierced the sides of the giant’s arms and legs.

The Succubus clicked her tongue. Her attack would have brought down the giant if it weren’t for that last-minute shield.

“Not a bad attempt,” the Scholar said.

“Feel free,” the Succubus said, waving a hand of invitation for the Scholar to take on the fight.

“Let’s see, how about this…” the Scholar said.

He stared intently at the giant, who was still recovered from the attack. The moment the giant met the Scholar’s eyes, it froze in place. Its eyes widened gradually in horror.

The Scholar was using mind-altering magic. It was his first time forbidden magic. If caught being used on a person, the penalty was death. But the giant wouldn’t be considered a person now, would it? This was also an emergency. Most importantly, he had always wanted to try it out. In his excitement, the Scholar tossed all those concerns behind.

The giant stumbled back a step, body trembling and teeth chattered as if it was looking at a nightmare.

The Scholar increased the intensity of his glare at the giant. However satisfying it was to see a big tall giant looking scared at a human, the Scholar still felt a bit bad for the giant, but he couldn’t let this enemy get through.

Unknownst to the Scholar, one of the fieries aimed an arrow at the Scholar. The arrow let loose, its sharp tip a hot menace through the air.

The Succubus extended a hand and threw a shield to protect the Scholar. Distracted, the Scholar looked away from the giant.

The first of the chariots finally crossed over to their world.