The cacophony of panicked neighs shattered the tranquility of the night, a discordant symphony that echoed through the sleepy town of Orstone. A disturbance, a dark anomaly, had stirred within the stable, its eerie presence unsettling the very heart of the peaceful hamlet.
The door of the house behind the stable was opened, someone emerged from it, that was Mr. Desmond, the stable master, a flickering torch illuminating his grim countenance. With a sense of foreboding, he approached the stable, its weathered timbers creaking ominously in the night breeze.
As he pushed open the heavy door, a scene of equine terror unfolded before him. The noble steeds, usually docile and serene, were now possessed by a fearsome frenzy, their eyes wide with terror, their neighs piercing the night air.
Mr. Desmond moved cautiously through the stalls, his torchlight dancing across the nervous faces of the horses. A chill wind swept through the stable, carrying with it an unsettling aura, a sinister presence that seemed to lurk in the shadows, he was looking for any animal that maybe caused this havoc among his horses while trying to calm them down.
After a cursory inspection, Mr. Desmond found nothing amiss, not even a scurrying rodent. The horses, inexplicably calmed, stood quietly in their stalls. Puzzled, Mr. Desmond lingered in the stable, his mind racing as he tried to fathom the source of their sudden terror. With a shake of his head, he turned to leave.
As he stepped out of the stable, he paused, his gaze drawn to an unusual sight. A strange, inky cloud hung heavy in the sky above the town hills, a dark omen against the starlit canvas. The cloud, distant yet ominous, sent a shiver down his spine. Before he could ponder its significance, a deafening roar echoed through the night, causing the horses to rear in fear once more. Mr. Desmond's eyes widened in alarm, the source of the disturbance becoming clear.
The door to his house creaked open once again, and a middle-aged woman emerged, her face etched with concern.
"Desmond, what's the matter with the horses?" The woman asked, her voice laced with concern. Then, her gaze fell upon the ominous cloud, her face paling in fear. "Oh my God, Desmond, what is that?" she exclaimed, her voice trembling, they didn't see something like that before.
"I don't know, Mary, but it doesn't look good at all," Desmond replied, his voice heavy with worry. Another, even more terrifying roar echoed through the night, jolting the villagers awake.
"Mary, get back inside. Take care of the children. If things escalate, take them and flee to Lumina. Find Albes, he'll help you and the children," Desmond instructed, his voice firm. He turned to his horse, a steely determination in his eyes.
"Desmond, where are you going?" Mary asked, her voice filled with apprehension.
"Whatever this is, we can't let it reach the town. It's better to confront it outside the town walls than risk innocent lives. I'll warn the guards, but if we fail, do as I said. I'll do the same," Desmond replied, his voice resolute. He mounted his horse and spurred it into a gallop, the villagers watching in horror as the monstrous roar grew louder and more terrifying.
Jaxith stood resolute, his sword drawn, poised for the impending confrontation, ready for whatever comes out of the cloud. Irene, her fear palpable, stood behind him, obeying his orders.
The inky black cloud began to dissipate, revealing a horrifying sight. A colossal, ten-foot-tall demon emerged from the darkness, its grotesque form casting a long, menacing shadow. Its oversized head, adorned with two gnarled horns, was a grotesque masterpiece of nature's cruelty. Its skin, a fiery shade of scarlet, seemed to glow with infernal energy. Its massive arm, thrice the size of a human's, was a weapon of immense power. Its mouth, a gaping maw filled with jagged teeth, was a portal to the abyss. Its eyes, a piercing yellow, burned with a demonic intensity. And above that, his body temperature was clearly high, Jaxith could feel the heat emanating from it without even getting closer.
Jaxith, a seasoned warrior, was stunned. "A Scarlet Giant, an elite demon, definitely not something that could be summoned easily." He contemplated the horror before him while eying it seriously.
"Jaxith, w-what is that?" Irene stammered, her voice barely a whisper. The sight before her was terrifying, a creature of pure evil, far more fearsome than any hound she had encountered.
"A Scarlet Giant," Jaxith replied, his voice calm, though his mind raced. "And to make it worse, I've never faced one before."
"What do you mean?" Irene asked, her voice trembling.
"No time for explanations. Stay behind me, at a safe distance. I don't want you at close range with me as I don't know either its capabilities or his moves yet," Jaxith warned, his stance becoming more aggressive.
"Fine, fine," Irene replied, reluctantly stepping back. She knew she was helpless against such a monstrous foe and could only hope that Jaxith would prevail. Because if he couldn't, then that means she's done too.
"THE DEMON HYBRID!" the demon roared, its gaze fixated on Irene while completely ignoring Jaxith.
Irene glanced at the demon, then back at Jaxith, her heart pounding.
"GET THE GIRL TO LORD BLAMORE AND DESTROY EVERYTHING IN YOUR PATH!" the demon commanded, its massive arm pointing towards Jaxith.
"He's entirely subservient to his master, a mere marionette. Extracting any meaningful intelligence from him under these circumstances is futile. My priority now is to decipher his tactics and devise a strategy to counter his movements. The true challenge lies with Irene. I cannot allow her to be harmed by him; she's too weak to stand a single hit by him. Telling her to retreat to the city is equally perilous, who knows what may happen, the guards must be alerted by the commotion over the hills and she can easily be captured by them while I'm here fighting this thing. Moreover, she must remain oblivious to my abilities. Any revelation could spark unwanted curiosity and scrutiny, and she definitely likes to talk a lot if hyped. I must rely solely on my physical prowess and swordsmanship," Jaxith mused, his gaze fixed on the colossal demon.
The demon let out a thunderous roar and charged towards Jaxith, its massive fist hurtling towards him. Jaxith nimbly dodged the attack and retaliated with a swift strike of his sword over the stretched arm that missed him, but the blade merely glanced off the creature's thick hide. Undeterred, the demon unleashed a powerful kick, which Jaxith deflected with his sword. The force of the impact sent him reeling backward, but he maintained his balance, his silver hair flowing in the wind and his red eyes burning with intensity.
"Jaxith!" Irene exclaimed, her voice filled with fear as she stepped forward.
"Do not approach!" Jaxith commanded sternly, his gaze fixed on the demon.
"I anticipated a tough hide, but not this resilient. A strike that could decapitate a hellhound barely scratched him. Perhaps it wasn't my strongest blow, but it should have been sufficient to at least make him him bleed," Jaxith mused, rising to his feet.
Irene stood frozen, her mind reeling from the terrifying display. The demon was a veritable killing machine, and Jaxith had narrowly escaped its onslaught because of his exceptional quick reaction and physical strength.
With renewed determination, Jaxith charged towards the demon. The creature retaliated with a swift punch, but Jaxith nimbly dodged the blow and exploited the momentum to glide between the demon's legs. He unleashed a flurry of slashes with his sword, targeting the demon's knee. The giant swung its arm in a wide arc, but Jaxith, with incredible agility, crouched and lunged, plunging his sword into the creature's joint.
The demon, however, remained unfazed by the attack. It retaliated with a swift punch, which Jaxith barely managed to deflect as he quickly drew his sword back from the demon's knee. The close proximity, however, left him vulnerable, and the powerful blow, even though being blocked by the sword, sent him crashing into a nearby tree. He knelt, his sword supporting his weight, his gaze defiant as his hair obscured his vision.
"Jaxith! Surely there must be some way to help you!" Irene cried out, her concern growing with each passing moment. The battle was turning dire, and the demon seemed impervious to any attack. Jaxith, however, remained silent, his focus unwavering.
The demon roared once more, its yellow eyes filled with rage. It recognized the humiliation inflicted upon it, even though the assassin wasn't conscious anymore, his feelings were still there, and his anger was palpable. Its gaze shifted to Irene, who was shouting frantically, a fleeting image of her holding a dagger flashing through its mind. Its bloodlust intensified.
"RAHHHHHHHHH!" The demon roared, uprooting a massive tree beside it and hurling it towards Irene!
Irene stepped back, she didn't know what to do, paralyzed by fear, she suddenly froze!
"Get down!" Jaxith shouted, leaping forward and shoving her to the ground. The tree crashed down, narrowly missing them and hitting another tree. As the other tree began to topple, Jaxith rolled away from it, narrowly avoiding the falling timber.
"Jaxith, are you alright?" Irene asked, her voice trembling. Jaxith quickly stood up, raising his sword again in a fighting stance.
"What were you thinking? You have a death wish? You stood there, frozen, oblivious to the danger," Jaxith scolded, his voice laced with frustration.
"I'm sorry. I-I didn't know what to do," Irene stammered, her fear palpable. She had never faced such a terrifying threat. She's not a warrior like Jaxith to be able to deal with something dangerous like a Scarlet giant.
"Just stay out of his reach and run away from anything he throws, understood? This isn't a game. I can't balance between fighting him and protecting you," Jaxith snapped, his tone harsh, he's bold in the terms of emotions while focusing. Irene thought that he believed, perhaps harshly, that she needed to learn a harsh lesson, at least that's what she thinks about him.
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I-I..." Irene stammered, her heart pounding in her chest. Fear consumed her, making her feel helpless and inadequate. She felt like a burden, a useless coward.
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The demon roared again, this time, it raised its right hand which began to glow ominously.
"IRENE, RUN! NOW!" Jaxith shouted, dashing to his left.
Irene didn't hesitate, turning and fleeing. The demon swung his right arm in a wide arc and unleashed a torrent of fiery flames, engulfing the area. Both Jaxith and Irene managed to dodge the fiery onslaught, the latter seeking refuge among the trees while the former circled the beast, evading its fiery attacks, and attracting all its focus on him to let Irene keep her distance.
Jaxith kept sprinting as he maintained a safe distance between him and the fire, circling the demon in a tight orbit to get closer. The creature, sensing his proximity, ceased its fiery barrage and charged forward in full rampage by its body, its massive fists raised high before smashing them down with a loud roar. Jaxith anticipated the attack, leaping aside as the dust resulting from the furious double smash surrounded him, he vaulted onto the demon's arm! With a swift movement, he ascended towards the creature's face, sword raised on his right side.
The demon reacted swiftly, attempting to dislodge Jaxith with a powerful swipe of its other arm. Undeterred, Jaxith leapt higher, aiming his sword for the creature's head. But the demon wasn't stupid.
The blade collided with the demon's horns as it swiftly moved its head to guide its horns towards Jaxith's attack, sparks flying as the steel met the hardened bone. The impact sent Jaxith tumbling through the air as he lost his balance midair, plummeting from a considerable height, 10 feet high!
The demon seized the opportunity, unleashing a powerful punch that sent Jaxith, who was in midair, plummeting towards the ground. Jaxith, with remarkable strength and determination, clung to the demon's fist by his sword with his back over the ground! His right hand grip is unwaveringly tight over his sword's hilt, his left hand was aggressively holding the other tip of the sword's blade to hold the demon back from crushing him. One mistake and he will be crushed under this demon's strong fist. His arms trembled under the immense strain of the crushing demon's fist as he stared defiantly into the creature's glowing yellow eyes over him. He endured such a high fall, preventing the demon from crushing him, a testament to his extraordinary resilience.
The demon, sensing its prey's vulnerability, raised its other hand, a fiery glow emanating from its palm. It prepared to unleash a devastating attack, intending to incinerate Jaxith in his helpless state under the pressure of his fist.
Jaxith's mind raced as he assessed his dire predicament. Trapped beneath the demon's colossal fist, his options were severely limited. He glanced to his right, trying to find anything that might help him, but nothing helpful. He looked back to the demon then under both Jaxith's fingertips something dark was emerging before suddenly, a well-aimed stone, hurled with surprising force, struck the demon's eye, eliciting a roar of pain. The creature instinctively recoiled his free fire shooting arm as he stopped the fire from getting released to shield its injured eye.
Seizing the opportunity, Jaxith swiftly disengaged the demon's weakened grasp by sliding its fist aside and rolled away, escaping the trap he was in.
"RETREAT IMMEDIATELY!" he commanded Irene, obviously the one who threw the stone. Irene, who had been a silent observer, transformed into an active participant to help Jaxith. She had summoned the courage to intervene, hurling the stone that had diverted the creature's attention. She felt that she couldn't let him do everything, at least help him if he was stuck like that. With renewed determination, she fled, following Jaxith's lead as the enraged demon even got angrier now.
The demon, now enraged, unleashed a torrent of fire, engulfing the surrounding trees. Its roar echoed through the forest, a terrifying cacophony of rage and destruction. The demon's injured eye, undeterred by the minor injury, blazed with fury as it opened again, as if the stone just caused a little itch.
The creature began to uproot trees, hurling them with incredible force at Jaxith and Irene. The two fled desperately, dodging the flying projectiles. Jaxith, recognizing Irene wasn't fast enough, scooped her up, unwilling to risk her life to the relentless onslaught, any tree can easily hit her.
Irene looked nervously at Jaxith after he carried her, "Hey, what are you doing?"
"Carrying you," he replied, his tone bold and confident.
"And I don't need it," she protested nervously. "I'm not a small girl. I can run."
"Not fast enough," Jaxith retorted, his eyes fixed on the approaching threat.
A loud collision sound echoed behind them, and Jaxith turned to see the demon hot on their trail. The creature's massive, powerful legs pounded the ground, creating small tremors that could easily unnerve anyone. Irene's fear grew, but Jaxith remained calm, unfazed by the danger.
"Jaxith, he's too close! What are we gonna do?" Irene exclaimed, her voice filled with worry.
The demon roared, its voice a thunderous growl, "YOU ARE GOING TO DIE!" Its hands began to glow ominously again, a sign of impending fire release.
"Keeping you safe, of course," Jaxith replied, tossing Irene aside into a nearby thicket. She landed safely, but her heart pounded with fear as she watched Jaxith turn to face the demon.
"No!" she cried, her voice filled with terror.
Jaxith drew his sword and charged towards the creature. "Don't come near me, whatever happens," he warned, his voice resolute. "The last thing I want is for him to catch you or, worse, kill you in his blind rage."
"But he was going to kill you a moment ago! In that manner you will get killed" Irene protested.
"Just protect yourself," Jaxith insisted, his voice fading as he ran away. "If I die, go to Lumina and ask for Jacob the tavernkeeper. He'll help you."
Irene was stunned. She couldn't fathom Jaxith dying. They had only just met, yet she felt a strange connection to him, a bond. She knew nothing of his past or his life, yet she desperately wanted him to survive and to not even get harmed. Her gaze fell upon her hand, then back to Jaxith, who was now locked in a deadly dance with the demon.
"At least I can try," she muttered, her voice low and determined. She turned her attention to the part where the thickest, yet unburned trees in the hill lie.
Jaxith moved with agility, dodging the demon's powerful blows as they all hit the ground accompanied by shuttering sounds. He wanted to reach the creature's head, obviously its most vulnerable point, but there was another problem, its thick, leathery skin proved a formidable barrier. He needed more power, more force to break through its defenses and end the creature's reign of terror.
Jaxith darted towards a nearby tree, nimbly dodging the demon's wild swings. With a swift leap, he vaulted over the trunk, narrowly escaping the creature's destructive blow. He aimed another strike at the demon's head, its most vulnerable point, but the creature retaliated with a powerful punch. Jaxith's black sword quickly intercepted the blow, but the force of the impact sent him flying. He tumbled to the ground, but with a quick roll, he regained his footing again as a cloud of dust billowed around him.
And that's Jaxith's main peculiarity, he is a fast learner, he didn't want to fall in the same trap again under the demon's fist, so, he jumped in a horizontal angle and in the demon's head level to avoid getting a vertical direct hit, and from that angle he calculated it perfectly right.
Jaxith rose, his breath ragged, his grip tightening on his sword, he was sweating from both the demon and the temperature around him. The inferno raged around them, a fiery tempest that threatened to consume all. The oppressive heat sapped his strength, and the acrid smoke stung his lungs. As time passed, He realized he couldn't rely solely on his skill, even cunning wasn't enough; he needed something more, something extraordinary. A desperate thought flickered in his mind, a forbidden power he had long suppressed. But under such desperate measures, he may think of using it again.
Suddenly, another stone hurtled through the air, striking the demon's eye. The creature roared in agony, its gaze swiveling towards Irene. Jaxith's heart pounded as he exchanged a worried glance with her.
"You're dead, you filthy hybrid!" the demon roared, charging towards Irene with renewed fury.
"Come and get me, giant ass!" Irene taunted, darting back into the dense forest, the same part that she focused on after Jaxith threw her away from the fight.
"Irene, what are you doing? I told you not to interfere!" Jaxith shouted before running after the scarlet giant, his anger growing. He hated reckless actions without a plan or tactic, especially when they jeopardized their survival. He couldn't understand why she would risk her life so carelessly.
The demon stormed into the verdant labyrinth, his towering figure dwarfed by the towering trees. He paused, his heavy breaths echoing through the dense canopy. The intricate network of branches obscured his vision, frustrating his search.
"Fog Shelter!" Irene's voice rang out, a chilling proclamation. A thick, ethereal fog began to seep from the trees, enveloping the forest in a ghostly embrace. The world turned white, a shroud of mist concealing all.
"YOU AREN'T ESCAPING ANYWHERE! YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM ME! YOUR SCENT IS UNIQUE!" the demon bellowed, his voice a thunderous rumble.
A knowing smirk crept across Jaxith's face. "Now I understand her plan. Clever girl."
"DON'T EVER STAND STILL, IRENE! KEEP MOVING RANDOMLY BETWEEN THE TREES SO AS NOT TO BE EASILY DETECTED BY YOUR SCENT!" Jaxith shouted, disappearing into the mist.
Irene, panting heavily behind a tree, heard his urgent command. Exhausted, she thought, "I used all my divine energy on this spell to produce this amount of fog. It will only last a couple of minutes. That's all the time I could buy for Jaxith to kill that bastard."
The ground shook with approaching footsteps. With renewed determination, Irene forced herself to stand and began to move stealthily, tiptoeing away from the demon's path in random, unpredictable movements, just as Jaxith had instructed.
"Please, Jaxith, make the best use of that fog. It's the best I can offer from my current ability," Irene thought, her breath ragged. The exertion of such a significant amount of divine energy at her tender age was already taxing, compounded by the dense fog she had conjured and the acrid smoke polluting the air, she couldn't run much now. The labored breathing and profuse sweating were a testament to her physical strain, her heart pounding furiously against her ribcage. She closed her eyes, desperately seeking to regulate her erratic breath.
The demon, inching closer to Irene's scent, sensed a sudden movement behind him. He whirled, fist raised, ready to strike, then he just hit the ground? No one was there. But just after he landed the blow, he found himself crashing to the ground. A fleeting, shadow-like figure had darted past him accompanied by a strange voice similar to ghost echoing breathes, leaving a sharp pain in his leg.
A wide gash, just above his foot, spurted blood. Roaring in fury, the demon scrambled to his feet, blindly firing streams of flame. Yet, the unseen attacker remained elusive. This wasn't the work of the hunter. The hunter lacked the power to inflict such a devastating wound. So, what was it?
Irene heard the demon's roar, but fear and exhaustion held her rooted. The sound, however, was different. It was a roar of pain, reminiscent of the one she'd heard when she'd struck his eye with a stone, but far more intense. What could possibly be causing such agony?
Then, another cry, louder and more terrifying. The demon was staggering, his right hand a bloody mess. His palm was severed! A gruesome wound that pulsed with pain. As he clutched the injured limb, he sensed the shadow's return. Desperate, he lashed out, striking the ground in a frenzy, hoping to deter the unseen assailant.
Could it be the hybrid? But that was impossible. She was fleeing, not fighting. She lacked the courage and the power to inflict such grievous wounds.
Then, another quick slash. This time, his other unharmed leg was severed, a clean, precise cut.
The demon cried out in agony, collapsing to the ground, his body a twisted heap. What was happening? A scarlet giant, a monstrous demon, was being mercilessly slaughtered, hacked apart like a carcass in a slaughterhouse by an unknown thing. The demon couldn't discern its nature - human, entity, demon, or angel. All he wanted was a clear view of the assailant.
Then, a flash of crimson. A swift, brutal slash. The demon's head rolled to the ground, a fountain of blood erupting from his severed neck. In just a few seconds, the scarlet giant was killed!
The fog began to dissipate, revealing a clearer view. Irene grew anxious as the effects of her spell waned, and still, there was no sign of Jaxith. Looking back, she realized the demon was gone. The eerie silence that followed its cries of pain filled the air instead.
Drawn to the source of the previous sounds, a small fire flickering in the distance, Irene had no choice but to approach. Exhausted and defenseless, she moved closer, her heart pounding as she noticed a large, ominous shape on the ground.
“Jaxith, are you there? I started getting worried. There was no sound from the demon, and you didn’t return. I-I became very tired after that spell and-“ Irene’s voice trailed off in fear as she finally saw the gruesome scene before her.
The demon lay slain, his head severed and blood pooling around him. His severed hand and leg were a stark reminder of the brutal encounter. The sight was disturbing, but the sight of Jaxith brought her a sense of relief. He knelt before the demon, his sword thrust into the ground, his hands gripping the hilt, his head resting on it as he caught his breath.
“JAXITH, YOU DID IT!” Irene exclaimed, sprinting towards him with a wide smile. She felt a surge of pride, knowing she had played a part in his victory. Jaxith heard her voice, raised his head, and turned to face her. Despite his exhaustion, a weary smile spread across his face as she drew closer.