My hand hit my sword and I unsheathed it out. The daemon’s laughter rose and he scuttled down to a lower branch. I could see him more clearly and yes, it was the same daemon I had faced the night I had met Rain. The daemon’s grey forked tongue lolled out of his slashed mouth whilst his eyes fixed upon me. His jagged twisted horns looked spiky and menacing. His sharp claws dug into the tree and his orange scales seemed to crack with fire light. His triangle ending tail flicked around like a cat’s and wrapped around a small branch.
‘You’re friend’s here,’ the daemon stated.
‘Friend? What?’ I asked.
‘Death,’ his tongue drew out the word.
I flipped my mind back and recalled the conversation we had had before. A part of me demanded to forget all about it and just get on with killing him. Something, maybe it was the need for information, stilled my hand further. I looked up at him and saw that he had unfolded his leathery bat wings. Red veins webbed across them and they were both topped with a sharp talon. The more fragile ends fluttered a little like the wing tips of a butterfly.
‘Do you still have your soul?’ the daemon jeered then broke into a hissing laugh.
I growled and moved to spear him, but the sounds of another fight stopped me. I saw the daemon cock his head and slide his eyes over.
‘The bear,’ I muttered, ‘did it come back?’
Steeling myself, I looked around the tree. There was nothing but an empty field, then I spotted a glimmer of something to my right…
The daemon screeched and my eyes snapped back to him. He jumped from the tree, aiming for my face. I stepped back and brought my sword up to defend myself. The daemon’s claws scrapped across my blade then his fingers wrapped around the sword. Tightening my grip, I flung my sword out and he was ripped off by the force.
Shrieking, he beat his wings against the air and darted back towards me. I swiped at him and missed. He shot up through the branches of the tree and I hurried after him as he turned in a circle to come back. My feet slammed onto a concrete base and I stopped. The daemon hoovered in the sky for a moment then shot down at me.
I held my sword in both hands and used it like a bat. Shuffling my feet, I fixed my aim and as soon as he was in range, I swung. My sword collided heavily with his belly and I felt the vibrations rushing through me. The daemon screamed in pain and was tossed backwards. He struggled to sort his wings out then zoomed off.
I smelt acid tang in the air. I checked my sword and saw a patch of dark red, nearly black blood staining the tip. I stole a few deep breaths and searched the sky for him. I felt the hairs standing up on my arms and my eyes dropped to the surrounding area. Off to my right, I could see a haze of air which seemed to roll up in waves. I shook my head and forcefully reminded myself that I should concentrate on killing this daemon.
The distance sounds of a fight brushed my ears and I had to turn back again. I could hear a clashing sword and the grunting of some kind of beast. A very evil aura blossomed to my right and it became so red and large, I felt pain twitch across my head. A small howl like a dog’s echoed as if in some dream then there was nothing more.
I turned away, blinking quickly and trying to refocus. The sound of leather wings caused me to look over. From the haze came the daemon and he had friends.
I gritted my teeth, double handed my sword again and raced through an action plan. There were four small daemons tailing behind the first. They looked just like him, only slightly lighter in orange colour.
‘Kill! Kill!’ they chanted as the clouded around my head.
‘You’ll die this time, Divine!’ the daemon gloated.
‘No, I won’t!’ I shouted.
The first of the smaller daemons came at me, claws out stretched to my face. I easily speared him on the tip of my sword and as blood showered, I swung into the next one. The lead daemon’s laughter haunted my ears and rage pounded through me. The second smaller daemon was temporally taken out with the body of the first. I watched them both hit the long grass before turning back to the other two.
With a shattering screech, the third daemon dived me and I felt claws scratching my head. My hair was tugged. I whipped around and easily sliced the daemon in two. His throbbing body bounced in the grass. I pivoted back for the four.
‘Go. Go!’ the leader yelled.
The four hissed at him, sucked in then spit at me. I ducked to the side as a green gloop of acid landed at my foot. I saw it bubble on the concert.
‘Is that the best you’ve got?’ I challenged.
‘Get him!’ the leader roared.
The four daemon hesitated. The leader grabbed him and threw him at me. I knocked him down with my sword, stood on his tail and impaled him. Breathing deeply, I huffed my hair out of my face and looked up at the leader. His mouth opened wide in a collaborated scream-roar. I felt my ears pop.
Pain shot under my knee and I looked down. The second daemon had bitten into my leg whilst his leader had districted me. I kicked out, but he only dug his claws in and began climbing me. I dropped my sword, which clattered loudly to the ground and shoved my hands into the daemon’s face. I felt acid dipped dagger teeth sinking into my hands.
Fighting away the pain, I tightened my grip and ripped the daemon off me. I heard he’s muffled shriek from underneath me before I sent him tumbling through the grass. I scurried for my weapon and found it next to me. Wrapping my fingers around the grip, I picked up the sword as the daemon trundled out of the grass and back onto the concrete base.
For the first time, I noticed his left wing was badly damaged and he was blood spattered. The lesser daemon scurried over, claws tapping and belly scrapping. I stepped back and pointed my blade at him. He rushed to the side, going to the back of me. I danced after him and cut my sword down.
The scales on his back were shaved off and he squealed. I kicked him over and stabbed into his belly. He screamed, flayed around before becoming still. I nudge the shaking body into the grass and sort out my last enemy.
‘Face me yourself, why don’t you?’ I shouted, ‘your minions are worthless.’
‘You want true death, Angel? I gives you its!’ the daemon snapped.
‘Bring it!’ I shot back, ‘only it’s going to be your death!’
The daemon hissed and made to flap down at me, but something stopped him. His head turned to the right and though I was painfully aware of something happening over there, I didn’t move. A low chuckled came from him and he flapped off in that direction instead.
Twisting, my eyes followed him and I saw a giant wolf emerging from the haze.
To Be Continued…
The Story Files 