The Tale of how I and a Couple Demon Slayers Defeated a Nest.

After being swatted away like a fly, Gurak rolled with the impact of the Tear Eater's blow and slid back a couple feet.

"That's a hell of a backhand!" He shouted, before teleporting just before the Tear Eater followed up. "You done yet Laif? I'm getting kinda queasy."

"The wood's hard and barely pliable."

"I bet you say that to all the guys."

Gurak's joy in teasing Laif was short lived though as the Tear Eater attempted to strike him again, this time Gurak raised his sword and ducked the Tear Eater's lunge cutting deep down it's chest.

"Took you long enough," the Tear Eater said as it's wounds closed in front of a highly confused Gurak. "Here I thought you'd never land a hit."

"The hell?"

The instructor just stood there with his arms crossed tapping his foot impatiently as Laif continued stringing his bow and Nyx tried to line up a spell.

"Hey Instructor. You mind holding this?" I asked rhetorically as I passed the girl to him. "Thanks, means a lot."

The instructor protested but gave up when he realized I was ignoring him.

Nyx cast a small bead of flame at the Tear Eater, too small to get in the way of Gurak but big enough to distract the Tear Eater.

It burrowed into it's chest drawing the Tear Eater's undivided attention.

Gurak took the opportunity to slice diagonally down it's shoulder almost cutting off it's arm.

"That freaking hurt!" It shrieked as it's arm pulled itself back to the rest of it's body and regenerated.

"How are you not dead!"

Gurak had to immediately teleport away, when he reappeared however he collapsed and began throwing up. "That's it for teleportation folks, the world's spinning."

"Yes, no more running," it said as it began approaching Gurak.

Gurak tried to stand back up but he collapsed again.

I walked over to the Tear Eater with my blade in my hand. It swiftly turned and swatted in my direction only to hit a decoy whereas the real me was behind it thrusting my blade in it's back, with a disturbing pop it's spine gave and my blade pierced through it's chest.

Inside I could feel the undeniable urge to say something edgy due to that cursed profession. My hair blew dramatically in the gentle breeze. "Now returneth to dust vile being."

"Is 'ruturneth' even a word?" 

The Tear Eater faced me with a smugish look after I pulled my sword back "Fool," the hole where my blade pierced began to expand turning the Tear Eater into ash from the inside out. "How is this possible? Why aren't I healing? How-" The Tear Eater collapsed to the ground as it turned to a pile of ash.

"Well damn, why didn't you do that from the start!?" Gurak complained out of breath.

"Somebody threw a little girl at me," I replied deadpan.

Behind Gurak another Tear Eater stood up, it was different though it was smaller, definitely slower and it's eyes were solid red.

It was too far close to Gurak for me to react and Gurak was in no position to do so. The situation seemed dire until an arrow made of mana similar to that used in mana-manipulation struck the monster right in the forehead killing it on the spot.

"How come you guys have no problem killing them!?" Gurak complained further.

"Like I said, the first one you fought was different, Cross must have a holy weapon of sorts. As for the other one, it was a runt, anything will kill one of those. "The instructor said proudly. "Come on then our job is done."

Just as we turned out back the ground began shaking. At the edges of where the shadows met the silver light of the moon the razor sharp talons belonging to dozens of Tear Eaters crept out.

"Oh crap, it's a nest. Run!" The instructor shouted.

"Aw hell no!" A familiar voice said, soon after Torrikkusatu fell from the sky. "There's no way in hell, I just cleaned human fecal matter from my shoe only to run away. I'm gonna have a little fun."

Laif was keeping the Tear Eaters from getting too close but Torrikkusatu walked straight into the hoard.

"Instructor, your call." Laif said, but the look on his face proved he was at his limit.

The instructor let out a heavy sigh. "Nyx keep up that lightning thing, Eldin help Gurak up and retreat to the rear, Laif keep firing," the instructor commanded as we each obliged and he unsheathed his sword.

The instructor stood closest to the hoard in front of Laif who stood protecting Nyx who was beside me and Gurak.

Occasionally we'd see explosions of blood erupt from the hoard presumably from Torrikkusatu, but the flashes of lightning made it impossible to guarantee.

"Why am I always carrying somebody?" I complained. "I turned one of those guys to ash."

Laif pulled his bow back to his nose with a small crackling noise. An arrow slowly formed like it did many times before, but this time the arrow was visibly weaker and unstable. "Last shot guys." He shouted as he released the arrow into a Tear Eater while it lunged from mid air.

"I'm running out of mana as well." Nyx whimpered as she casted another bolt of lightning searing another foe.

One of the Tear Eaters lunged after our instructor but was immediately grabbed by it's leg by Torrikkusatu as he crushed another one's throat with his other hand. "Your not running from me."

Eventually the battle turned into us watching in horror as Torrikkusatu single-handedly killed dozens of Tear Eaters with ease.

"Whew, I could use a drink or ten," Torrikkusatu said as he walked away covered in blood, from a pile of disfigured corpses and placed his hand on my shoulder. "As long as I'm not paying that is."

And so we went back to the inn. Torrikkusatu had eyes pointing at him from all directions but he seemed to be going with it. "Wow, I guess I'm kinda famous or something," he said.

"I doubt that. They’re probably more terrified than anything else," Laif stated.

Torrikkusatu dismissed him, and continued. "I have a question for you instructor. What I did, killing all those demons. Was it impressive?"

"Yes, it was one of the best performances I've ever seen," the instructor answered gleefully.

Torrikkusatu took a sip from his drink, "I see."

Before we knew it, we'd slept on damp moldy beds and awoke to the smell of fresh vomit and rotten meat in another beautiful morning at Drove.

All of us eager to leave, we spared no time to get back in the coach and began our way back to Castle Lothrin.

Gurak pulled a piece of paper from one of his pockets and began writing using his lap as a surface.

"What are you doing?" Laif asked the question on all of our minds.

"Writing a letter to Velacia."

"You can write?" Laif asked legitimately impressed as he clapped his hands sarcastically.

"Choke on a big one. I'll have you know I'm an excellent artist as well," Gurak said with pride as he flashed us some pretty well drawn fighting manuscripts.

"Not bad. Your technique looks very similar to HEMA." I said without thinking that nobody in the coach would know what I was talking about.

"I'm not gonna pretend to know what that means," Nyx said nonchalantly.

"Yeah, it's pretty scarcely known as far as I'm concerned."

"I'll admit it's not awful. I don't understand why you wouldn't just shoot the guy though." Laif admitted begrudgingly.

"Uh, cause that's boring," Torrikkusatu answered without hesitation, almost laughing at the thought. "Imagine a detailed manuscript literally depicting a scrawny bastard shooting a bow. That'd be so lame."

As we continued our ride, I looked out of my window while resting my head on my arm. Most of the view was farmland, but in the far distance were some green forests. Just as I began to doze off I saw an explosion of black flame coming from the forests.

Luckily for me Gurak was completely distracted by his art to notice and the rest were busy doing their own things as well.

The explosions were relatively close to the castle which told me it was most likely the Chained Demon. And yet for whatever reason I felt a twinge of familiarity with them.

The coach stopped at the castles gate where we got off.

As soon as we went in the castle, Gurak dashed off after giving an unintelligible explanation. Fortunately we didn't need one as we saw him run to a girl dressed in a barmaid uniform, her long bronze hair flowed freely pass her upper back. She held her hands in front of her face flattered as Gurak offered his art.

She took it in her hands revealing her flawless face that made it easy to see why Gurak was fawning over her.

She went back inside of the inn for awhile.

"Wow, y'all creepy. Your all watching that poor man flirt. Don't you have something better to do?" The instructor taunted.

"No, not really,” Torrikkusatu replied without even averting his gaze.

"Whatever, I need to talk to some people, once your done creeping out, head back to the barracks." The instructor said as he left us to our creeping.

Once she exited the inn the barmaid who was now obviously Velacia due to full beard and handlebar mustache she was sporting looked at Gurak with a charming smile that was all but ruined by her impressive facial hair.

"Oh come on Velacia." Gurak said as he turned his head away.

"Come on big boy. Kissy time. Love is blind after all," Velacia said as she protruded her lips forward and closed her eyes.

"Love may be blind. But I'm not!" Gurak said as he held Velacia away from his face.

"Now or never Gurak."

"Oh come on, I still have some hair in my teeth." He complained shortly before giving up.

"I know your having fun with your new boy toy and all, but the instructor wants us back." Torrikkusatu said in a teasing voice.

Gurak attempted to move only to find his tongue in between Velacia's teeth.

"Dats ma tongue, ples let go" Gurak pleaded incoherently.

Eventually Velacia released his tongue and looked at Gurak with pleading eyes. "You better hurry back sweetie, or next time I see you I won't let go."

Gurak nodded hastily.

Eventually we caught up to the instructor who was talking to Cut in the middle of the yard.

Gurak walked in the yard with a smile on his face casually taunting Laif. But he stopped in place as he noticed the tattoo on Cut's arm.

"What the hell is that thing doing here." Gurak growled through his teeth as he clenched his hand into a tight fist.

"The instructor is talking to him with a sense of familiarity. Could the Chained Demon be a part of The Demon Slayers Organization." Laif said under his breath.

Nyx began to breath heavy as she stumbled back.

"Gurak think, the Chained Demon is a group, if we stay we might-" Before Laif could finish Gurak began to approach Cut.

Gurak walked directly up to Cut and landed a flawless haymaker with enough force to knock him down, immediately he grabbed his head and slammed it into his knee.

Cut looked into Gurak's eyes with his bloodied face. "Hmm, your red hair, the bloodlust in your eyes, I'm ashamed I never noticed it before."

The instructor pointed his blade to Gurak but was immediately disarmed by a translucent arrow shot from Laif.

"Wow, this is getting fun." Torrikkusatu said.

Cut stood up and looked at Gurak with analyzing eyes as he circled around him like a wolf. "Hmm, you know what means right? Crimson hair?"

"No! Your wrong!" Gurak shouted as he tripped Cut, then grabbed his collar and raised his own fist.

Cut began laughing as Nyx's and Laif's expression changed into one of terror as they witnessed the black flames spiraling into the sky from Gurak's fist.

Cut continued to laugh hysterically.