Chapter 12: First Blood
Damien and Juliette moved like a single individual. Their thoughts and actions seemingly intertwined, as they made their next move.
Meanwhile, the spirit was even more careful.
It did not take its gaze off the rocks until it realized that it was sent towards another direction slightly behind it.
And even then, it still turned around to check if there were any sneak attacks from behind. It treated Damien's every move as a sure-kill target to its life.
One could say it was paranoid, and indeed it was. The spirit did see how easily outsmarted the demon was, and how it's own body was used against it.
So the spirit was more than careful. And that was a mistake. Unfortunately, this mistake... would cost it its life today.
For once it realized everything was safe and the rock was just a blind attack, it also realized that it lost track of its target.
It did not believe that Damien would stay behind the same rock after being given so much free time. It was completely on guard.
Thus it cautiously surveyed the environment.
Yet could not find even a single area where it could pin point where Damien was. Nor where Juiette was.
The spirit saw her as harmless, yet not stupid. It knew that she was also given so much free time. Hence why it riled up two fireballs within each palm of its hands.
While doing nothing but surveying the environment with full focus.
Surveying the bubbling lava rivers here and the air, breathing in the sulphuric air, as there was nothing but peaceful silence.
Peace so unnerving, it felt unreal.
"..."
Pity... what the spirit failed to take into consideration, was the dying body of the demon that it had unintentionally rescued.
It was missing.
It's focus was more on Damien. And Juliette in second place. While the demon? It did not even care about its life, let alone its corpse.
Unfortunately for it, the demon was a crucial part of Damien's current plan. And the very reason why the spirit would lose its life right about now.
*** Juliette ***
I was still scared shitless, and trembling to myself, when words that causes my heart to freeze for the nth time today, rang within my ears.
"I'll be back."
No you won't!!
"..."
They were the words of my only hope and salvation, ringing out while fading away within my ears. I was surprised. I was flabbergasted. Thus I internally retorted.
But most importantly, I felt betrayed once again. How could one man betrayed my heart so many times in a row, in a single day, and under five minutes!!
How?!
I thought to myself while watching his figure hide behind another boulder quite far from here. It was as if he was making sure I would not have the courage to chase after him.
And congratulations, I do not.
Congratulations to him, really. I thought to myself, relaxing my nervousness. I sometimes love my thought process you know.
The fact that I don't seem like I am taking this seriously at all. It shows I was a bit sick in the head, and I actually am glad about that.
But believe me, I am not.
That aside, I watched as big brother Damien took a large rock, one larger than an adult human's head within his hand.
He weighed it briefly and then threw it up as strongly as he could possibly throw.
I followed the rock briefly, until I felt my senses kicking in. I hurriedly looked back at big brother Damien, and there...
He was gone!!
It did not take much thought from my side to rationalize his actions. That rock was a decoy. A trap. And a signal for us to switch positions to confuse the enemy!!
I think...
I am not sure if that was the case, but I took it as such. And my body did not fail to respond as well. Hence I made my move.
I hurriedly, yet silently moved as well, rushing towards a close by boulder at the back.
And from there, I moved towards the closest one, then the closest one to that one. And mind you, I was carefully retreating all the while, at my fastest speed.
Making sure to be careful.
I was switching position really fast and carefully, and soon, I found myself moving to a place far from that thing.
'Would Damien be okay with this? Or should I move closer?' I thought to myself as I tried to imagine what his response would be if I asked him that question.
'Pretty girls should just stay back and do the watching. Let the men handle this.'
Yup. That would be his response. I scowled at my own imagination. But then, when I turned my eyes to look backwards, I saw an impressive view.
Hm? Is that... Wow, who knew that from here, I could actually see both big brother Damien, and that fire thingie perfectly.
I was at an elevation compared to them. More like, on a higher slope than them. While big brother Damien was at a lower slope than that thing.
I don't know when, but he appeared behind it, and he held the corpse of that demon thing. His hand also covered in green liquid. His hands are dripping with it.
Did... did he kill it?
Finally. What a relief.
One down, one to go. I am glad I was not able to see the process, too. Yet disappointed that I was not able to forge myself into adapting to gore and murder.
I guess... another time.
And I doubt killing this thing, would help me with that. It does not even seem fleshy at all, or that it even contains blood within its body.
I guess I'll watch for now.
But just as I had that thought, something chimed within my head that almost scared me to death. But my body did not react, I was getting used to surprises and stuff now.
TING!!!
[ Congratulations for obtaining first blood with your partner. Life Essence obtained will be increased by 100% throughout the whole trials ]
[ Your partner has killed a Lvl 1 Hammer Fist Demon. You have obtained 15 units of Life Essece ]
[ Bonus effect has been applied. You and your partner have individually obtained 30 units of Life Essence ]
"..."
I was left with no words.
I know you are tired of my abusive use of "speechless" and "flabbergasted". I too. So, I was left with no words.
But I did love hearing whatever this thing was, call big brother Damien my partner. As it should. Yes. As, it, should.
Hm?
A sign?
I watched big brother Damien sneak a few glances towards that fire thing. I realized that he was looking for an opportunity, but it was not giving him any chance.
It was really cautious, and paranoid. There was close to 0% chance that he would get an opportunity from it.
So what would he do now? What should we do? I asked myself, slightly panicking inside. I knew that if we failed here, it was death.
But there was nothing we could...
Wait, hold on. There, there is something I could do. Though dangerous, who is not risking their lives for the other right now?
Yes, no one. So I also have to do it.
I hyped myself up, clearing out any irrelevant thoughts and emotions. If there is no opportunity, I will make one for him.
It was time to prove myself to big brother Damien that I was more than just a girl!!
That I was more than just a princess deserving of her prince charming, to always come to her rescue... But I don't mind it either.
I was also a woman.
One aspiring to become HIS woman!!!
With such thoughts, I was hyped even more and walked out of my hiding spot. A handful of small and medium sized pebbles within my hands.
I was within an opening, where I was easily spotted by both parties. That thing. And big brother Damien. They all looked up at me.
Oh wow, the attention is too much. But...
'Watch, watch me as I become useful... and do something I'd probably regret if I fail.' I thought to myself, and began throwing small pebbles towards the fire thing.
I might not be physically strong, but I was a third generational human as well. I was still plenty times stronger than ordinary humans, and some second generational ones as well.
Thus my pebbles were fast, traveling at almost five hundred miles per hour, and held quite the momentum with it.
Even as far as I was, they reached the spirit with enough force to deal damage. Unfortunately, it was made up of fire.
It looked up at me strangely, I was sure of that expression.
It was confused, and just watched as the pebbles flew towards it from up here, like light rain falling from the sky. Yet they felt no damage. They just went through its flaming constitution.
In the meantime, I begged within my heart, and also prayed. Making sure that my eyes never gazed towards where big brother Damien hid himself.
Please work.
Please be distracted.
Please focus on me, and only me!!
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone