“What did you have to kill many of our own for, you fool?!”

“Err…” Arlosse murmured, unsure how he was to answer this question if it even required him to give a lengthy explanation.

Besides being stunned by the question, the Incarnate was also taken aback by the appearance of his fellow demon.

Back in his old days, Arlosse wouldn’t have pegged himself as someone who had any right to judge another individual’s appearance. He didn’t have that luxury and wasn’t exactly a handsome model of a man himself. However, today… right now…

Long story short, the poison green half-mantis, half-caterpillar creature packed before him in a bundle of weirdly-shaped leather armor and shawl that somehow fit it perfectly well… was atrociously hideous!

It had a thick, black chitinous layer on its back that extended to its small head, which spotted dark, beady eyes and sharp mandibles that clacked when it spoke.

“Well? How are you going to explain this to the Generals? And come to think of it… How come I’ve never seen someone like you before?”

Arlosse froze. It was only now that he thought seriously about his position in this war whose purpose he was yet to uncover. He was a demon, and it stood to reason that he had to help other demons against the humans. Post his release of an Immaterial Slash across the battlefield, he had done just that, slaying humans in a dark frenzy, but most of this was spurred only by his blind rage and bloodlust.

On top of that, he was used to fighting and killing humans, so the thought of assaulting a demon never crossed his mind earlier. Besides, it was hard to target anyone but those who were attacking you in basic combat, and no demon had attacked Arlosse yet.

“I-I made a mistake. I didn’t mean to,” he said, somewhat meekly, an itch in his back making his voice uneven. The Incarnate really didn’t know how to handle this situation.

“Mistake, ey? I wish I could casually kill hundreds of my fellows demons and call it a mistake,” the abomination of a demon said as it drew the reins to the bull-deer beast they were riding with its hooked claws. The beast took a sharp turn to the right and charged straight into a horse that a certain confident-looking redhead was riding.

Before the man’s horse was skewered, its guts blown out, he leaped up high, quick and straight as an arrow. To his enemies’ shock, he turned into a mass of searing blue flame, and streaked down towards them like an vengeful spear!

Because he didn’t feel a surge of Spirit Essence, Arlosse immediately surmised that this human was using a Far Ji, and he tensed.

“Get off!” the mantis-caterpillar demon screamed, pushing himself and Arlosse off the bull-deer. An instant later, there was a deafening explosion and a wave of scorching heat rolled outward with choking dust.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

The smell of distastefully burned meat assailed the air along with dark smoke.

Arlosse brought forth the Valiant Subject’s Ward hurriedly after a long roll, entangled around him the nasty, caterpillar-mantis demon.

He couldn’t think too deeply about the shiver down his spine from mingling with the creature’s many small legs which wiggled on both sides of its caterpillar half, however. Many enemies were rushing the two.

It didn’t please the Incarnate to soon learn that the man who had killed their ride and caused the conflagration just now was approaching them as well, his human body restored.

‘This is pretty dangerous. We are getting swarmed by stronger foes. Should I use…?’

Arlosse contemplated releasing another Immaterial Slash, but before he could decide, his legs suddenly felt weak and he fell on one knee.

The mantis-caterpillar demon, as it stood upright, gave a quick look to Arlosse.

“What the matter? Now’s not the time to get swamp legs, or whatever you call it?” it said before raising its green claws. But Arlosse couldn’t reply.

There was a stabbing pain in his back, and it spread, pulsing outward like a large web to other sections of his body. For a moment, the Incarnate thought the invisible assailant from before had returned, but he quickly discarded the idea.

This sensation he felt…

It was likely…

“Poison…” he managed to say. He had been poisoned when he was stabbed in the back moments ago!

The caterpillar-mantis didn’t seem to hear him, however. It screeched and pushed both its claws forward. Arlosse felt a sharp surge in the Spirit Essence in its body and the enemies coming to surround them were suddenly blown back by a fierce force, like an invisible wind. Most were blasted high and far, crashing wherever else there were the sounds of clashing and killing.

However, the redhead from before remained. Right when the odd demon had attacked, he once again turned into a great, towering blue flame and condensed into a ball which flew towards the duo.

Arlosse, gritting his teeth in pain, had been about to use every morsel of strength he had left to block with his kite shield when he was suddenly pushed away by an invisible force, casting him back.

The mantis-caterpillar demon had pushed him to safety!

A split second later, there was another detonation, and Arlosse watched as the mantis-caterpillar was devoured by the unforgiving blue fire.

The Demonling was starstruck.

A mix of emotions he didn’t intend to feel rose even as he tumbled further and further along the ground. He couldn’t believe that he actually felt something for that ugly thing he had just met, or rather, he didn’t understand what he felt.

“For legs’ sake, stand up and run, you fool!” Arlosse heard a boisterous voice call, and a sizzling claw hooked him from the ground.

The mantis-caterpillar, charred to a degree, rushed him away!

Arlosse had no idea how it survived that redhead’s attack, but a part of him was overwhelmed with relief.

The abomination was alive!

“Poison…” he murmured, and the caterpillar-mantis glanced at him.

“Of course it is!” it yelled irritably.

As they raced along, more demons rallied towards them, wrestling away the humans that came surging toward them two.

Arlosse was surprised. His view of the battlefield – of the two sides wrestling endlessly – turned muddled. His definition of kinship was obscured. His body was one thing, and his soul was another.

There was a blaze of a great blue flame and the redhead warrior appeared once more, undeterred by the force of the gathering demons.

The Incarnate couldn’t help cursing.

Why was this bastard so persistent?

He saw his fellow demons swarm him, but didn’t get to see the result because he and the mantis-caterpillar demon climbed onto another beast that readily accepted their weight and charged onward.

“Don’t think I’m doing all this for nothing!” the odd insect demon cried. “I don’t know how a hybrid like you came to join the army without others noticing and reporting it, but it’s all good for me! You owe me. You owe me big, hybrid! Even if the humans beat us to the Shard, I will be living like a king among the others after you pay me back this favor!”

Arlosse’s brow rose even as his agony mounted.

Hybrid? Shard? He was lost.

What was this thing talking about? Was this a hint about the reason why this entire battle was taking place?

A deafening noise, like the blow of a gigantic horn, suddenly sounded across the battlefield, its raging bellow nearly paralyzing Arlosse for good in fright.

In contrast, his ‘companion’ laughed gleefully.

“It’s ready!” the odd demon screamed. “We best take full advantage of it this time! This just might be the last time we can use it.”

All of a sudden, a shroud of crimson bathed the mantis-caterpillar and all other demons across the dry, rocky desert.