Bab 19: Heroes are Made!
The dim clouds shaded the town heavily, blanketing the place into darkness. Radmun fell on all fours, blood gushed out from his wounded thigh. A feeling of dread crept upon his skin, his heart felt snithed by the looming presence of the enemy. He gritted his teeth as he became winded, he could smell the piercing glare of the demon from behind him. He crawled slow as though his back encumbered something heavy. Blood trickled down on his trails, the situation caused his mouth to curse. "Damn it."
Lomin stood still waiting for his master's command.
The scarfed demon advanced slowly, after sensing a threat, Lomin charged fiercely with its forehead first. The demon rose his right arm, muscles sprouted out from the skin of his arm, it crawled slowly until it wrapped his entire arm. It turned his arm to become muscular and giant, its sheer size looked disproportionate from his body. But it was brimming with strength, when Lomin got close, the demon hammered it with his right arm.
It struck Lomin directly, thus it got buried into the ground. When the demon removed his giant arm, only Lomin's head and back were visible, the rest were buried.
"Lomin!" Radmun screamed in worry.
Radmun sluggishly lifted himself up, somehow the blood flow on his wound slowed down, but it didn't cease, it would be pretty bad if it won't get treated, but first he had to take care of the demon. He gripped his bow tight, conjured a flaming arrow and nocked it upon the bow, then aimed it upon the elite demon.
"Solar Flare!" His eyes widened and face contorted.
The demon narrowed his eyes when he recognized the shape of the arrow.
When Radmun fired, the demon's right arm changed form, his muscles organized itself, it transformed into a shield, shaped like an umbrella. The arrow slowed down when it went close, it swelled and turned into blazing sphere. It spew out arrows that showered the demon's area.
Radmun cringed when his arrows were about to rain upon him as well, dodging it was impossible, since his leg was frail and injured. Fortunately Lomin passed by him and just in time he clasped upon its fur, he lifted himself and mounted on its back.
The bull galloped through the field as it dodged the flaming arrows raining upon them. At some point the arrows stopped and they continued advancing until they lost the demon.
Radmun sighed. "I can't believe the demon was just holding back, he was far superior than I thought."
The demon blocked all the arrows that came into his direction, his umbrella shaped shield took all the hits, his mainbody was unharmed. The shield retreated as his arm shrunk into its normal size. "You're not escaping!" The demon hissed.
Muscles and flesh sprouted from his back, it slowly transformed into a pair of wings, once it flapped, he rose himself up off the ground.
When the demon reached the skies, his eyes scoured the vicinity until he saw the bull. The bull was now somewhat distant, after a flutter of the demon's wing, he then sailed over the town.
Radmun sighed in relief, he tore his sleeve and tied it around his wound. It would be hard for him to run, luckily he had a familiar. He hoped the situation on the townhall was under their control.
When he tilted his head he saw something was drifting across the town, it was moving into their direction. It was somewhat distant, but he didn't need to peer close since he already knew who it was.
He conjured some flaming arrows then fired upon the creature. As a bow mage, his aim was always accurate, he could shoot a person's eye from afar, but the demon manuevered on the air and dodged his attacks.
The demon plunged itself towards them, Radmun continued firing yet the demon effortlessly parried them.
"Lomin, go right." Radmun said.
Lomin veered sidewards, and the demon was forced to land unto the ground, hitting nothing, it continued to fly on their trails. The demon elongated his arm for several meters, it went straight towards them like a spear.
"Lomin left!" Radmun said.
The bull changed its tracks causing the demon to miss. The demon shrunk his arm to its normal size, then the demon went straight for the two.
Radmun kept firing to distracting the flying demon, "Lomin to the alley." He said urgently.
The bull dipped into the alley, the demon changed its path and went upwards, his wings were too wide for the narrow alley.
The demon was directly above them, his presence blotted out a portion of the narrow sky. It flew over the buildings, when the bull finally left the alley and entered the streets, Radmun nocked a flaming arrow. When the demon came into view he fired. He could only fire two more solar flares and he knew his mana was running out.
Radmun sighed. "I was always a troublemaker, who causes everyone pain and trouble, but this time when the Kingdom is in shambles, I at least want to save it!" He said proudly.
"Solar flare!" It whizzed on the air and when the demon noticed it, he quickly formed a shield underneath him. A small sun came into form, it spit arrows in all directions. The demon was unharmed since his shield blocked all arrows.
After the Radmun's magic sun died down and the arrows ceased emerging, the demon retreated his shield and when he turned his attention to the bull and the mage, his eyes widened. An arrow was coming fast, it zipped over his back and struck his wings. The demon's flight became unsteady, and unfortunately his regeneration was slow, he glided out of control and plunged into the ground.
As the demon regenerated, he stood back up.
He was within the sight of Radmun, while the demon wasn't prepared, Radmun fired his final solar flare.
The demon got alarmed since he had no time to create a shield, the arrows zipped by and when it came close to his chest a sun came into form. It released a rain of arrows upon his body piercing every inch of his skin.
After the arrows have died down, Radmun went close, he inspected the demon lying on the ground.
The demon's body were filled with arrows as though it recieved an acupuncture. Radmun didn't take his eyes away from it. "This bastard was persistent he may still be alive." He said, with his gaze tight.
Radmun got startled when the lifeless demon snapped his jaws open, the demon's mouth spat out his heart then it rolled upon the ground. It was unharmed and was alao beating, the heart was still alive.
"What the-?" Radmun said surprised.
Around the heart, tissues came into form, the tissues slowly molded into minature legs, the heart quickly crawled away like a rat.
Radmun's eyes widened. "Lomin, capture that bastard!" He said.
The bull breathed heavy, its foot scratched the ground as it prepares to charge. It then lunged itself and pursued the eerily moving heart.
When they got close, Radmun leaped from the bull and captured it with his arms, Radmun's body slid on the ground until he was halted by friction, he mustered the last of his mana and conjured a flaming arrow with his other arm.
He got alarmed when muscles spired out from the heart, it started to crawl around his arm and he could feel it being moist and slimy. He cringed, yet upon noticing bones were coming into view, he quickly pierced the heart with his arrow. Blood spew out and the flesh shrivelled, it ceased growing and he released it from his grip.
Radmun lied down on the ground sighing. "I'm totally done with this adventure." He said breathlessly.
***
Under the heavy pressure of facing an eerie elite demon, Celina strengthened herself, she hoisted her blades up upon her chest. She experienced a series of fright but she chose to remain unwavered.
The demon began to speak. "W-h-o a-re yo-u?" Its rough, lifeless voice sent some shivers on their spines.
They got startled and stepped backwards, Celina gave a quick squeal from fright, and Shiela got incited to squeal as well.
"Geez." Turner said. In a sudden, a hole upon the barrier emerged and quickly expanded to grow as wide as a doorway. Turner and the boy dipped in and left the girls on their own.
"Are you sure about this?" The boy said as he stared over his shoulder seeing the girls all alone.
Turner had a worried look. "Don't worry they can handle it, I hope."
Celina and Shiela were left on their own, Celina took a deepbreath and gripped her blade tight. "Shiela we can do this." She said.
Shiela nodded nervously.
The demon rose his arm and his body effused a dark smoke, obviously he was casting his magic but what type made her curious. Several swirling dark portal emerged close to the demon, and dark hounds appeared from it, compared to a normal hound they had rough horns and broader jaws. They would be somewhat stronger as well, since their limbs were buldging with muscles.
Celina counted the hounds, there were about ten of them, she was left with no choice but to use your mana. "Body emhancement." Energy rushed into her body and she felt her strength quadrupled.
Celina dove right into the demon, and Shiela took her stance to cover her.
One hound pounced upon her, it displayed its sharp and tall teeths, she swung her blade upon it and it got deflected with a cut. Another hound were already leaping upon her back, she didn't notice it, she gasped in fright, luckily it got blasted by Shiela's water spell. "Water blast." The hound was pushed away.
Three more hounds advanced forward, growling, and baring its gleaming pairs of teeth. Simultaneously they jumped to her spot, Celina rolled sidewards dodging the hounds, she retreated yet she got pursued.
She eyed the demon and there were demonic hounds guarding his spot, she found it difficult to advance with the hounds on her way.
"Geez." Celina said annoyed.
She halted close to Shiela, then turned around to face the three hounds. "Body enhancement!" The spell increased her power, however currently she could only cast three more spells. She took a deep breath, visualized the power of Zen in her mind, and upon an instant she dashed across the three hounds, slicing the necks of the two hounds, blood splattered and they landed dying.
"Celina behind you!" Shiela screamed.
Without her notice, there were six hounds leaping upon her, her eyes widened. "Guard up!" She said, then a thin film of mana wrapped her body, when the hound came close to her she got bitten. Celina only sliced a hound with her sword, however, one bit her thigh, other her leg, one leaped and bit upon her shoulder. Shiela pushed the other two away with her water spells, but there were too many of then she couldn't keep up.
Fortunately she casted her guard up on time, otherwise her flesh could have been yanked off from her body.
Regardless their teeth was buried in deep, stinging pain pulsated across her body. "Body enhancement!" She casted. She pierced the hounds on the ground, first, one by one, then she gripped the hound hanging on her shoulder, and pierced her sword unto its neck.
Her spells were fading, she broke free from the hounds teeth, and then panted. Her stance was less firm as she felt herself going tired. To her surprise the demon summoned another rounds of hounds, their numbers returned.
"You gotta be kidding." She said in disbelief.
"Celina we need to take care of the summoner, otherwise this wouldn't end." Shiela said.
Celina sneered only realizing she could only cast one more spell, her speed even with her mana and Zen wouldn't be enough to reach the demon. "What am I gonna do?"
Celina flinched eyebrows when a realization struck her. She smiled, "Shiela I have a plan." She said.
Shiela went behind her, she hesitantly extended her arm, then placed her palms on Celina's back. "Are you sure about this Cel? This won't be pleasant." She said.
Celina nodded as she rose her sword. "Put all of your mana into it."
Shiela sighed. "Here goes." With Shiela touching Celina's back she attempted to cast a spell. "Water Blast!" She said.
Celina prepared herself as water were swirling on her back, it was getting drenched and cold yet she managed to concentrate, applying a Zen technique into her body. "Body enhancement!" She said, causing her energy to surge.
With Zen, mana and Shiela's help on her disposal she was confident it will do the job.
Shiela fired a torrent of water on Celina's back, Celina got propelled forward very quickly. It stung her back a bit, and wind pushed against her front. She whizzed by over the hounds and right now the hounds couldn't even catch her.
When she was drawing near on the demon, she narrowed her eyes and posed to strike. When she got close...
With a one quick swing.
*Woosh
Celina landed on the ground rolling and afterwards dropped her weapon, the demon's severed head came rolling close to her.
The headless body collapsed like a ragdoll, the hounds withered, then slowly turned to dust.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone