Several minutes before, when Ifrit, Sahia, and Maximilian were engaged in a battle against the succubus and Sovor….

Anubis was the first to notice several demons broke from the main group and towards the pathway going up the mountain. He quickly warned Rhynsa and Wepwawet, both of which were still in their sniper’s nest shooting down seemingly endless hordes of demons. By this time, the defenders started to lose their defense points and were forced to retreat further into the town. Anubis and Azgal’s battle were so intense that the town started to suffer damage. With the chaotic situation came the panic, with civilians running around with some getting themselves caught in the battle and killed. Camazotz’s fear amplification did not help the situation, either.

Everyone except most of the people living in Stadelitz knew this would happen. The death of the Hunters signified the start of the end for the town of Stadelitz and the start of the Dusdolfian invasion proper. It would be the end of Dusdolf as they knew it.

But only if nothing could be done about it.

As the fight went on, while the demons and the hellhounds started to win, there were several factors that quickly turn that short-lived advantage around. It started when Anubis managed to stay on his toes against Azgal, who started to lose his arrogance the moment he realized he could barely keep up with the surprisingly agile Jackal who he had confirmed was fighting like a blind person due to swinging his sword without even facing the goat demon. The crescent sword he had was apparently so durable it was unbreakable, not to mention having anti-demonic properties that caused it to injure him.

“(You’re a worthy opponent, Jackal),” said Azgal. “(I never thought I’d have some fun with you).”

“(Well, thanks),” said Anubis. “(But I don’t go around complimenting my enemies if I were you).”

“(Why not? That being said, stop being so distracted).”

Anubis couldn’t help it. Azgal was his primary concern, but he also had to deal with the other demons and hellhounds that slip through their fights and preying upon the civilians. While he had no obligation to do so, Anubis decided to help the others repelling the demons while keeping himself in defense against Azgal. However, it soon became clear that he couldn’t afford to be distracted anymore.

The battle intensified, this time with Azgal attacking even more recklessly and started to use his hellfire more often, to the point the collateral damage around the two became so chaotic it forced the demons and the defenders to stay away from the two. Anubis tried his best to stay focused using his skills with the khopesh, but even he couldn’t keep up with Azgal’s intensified attacks. Sammael, whose earlier job was to stop Camazotz from causing more harm using his own ability as a dream eater to deflect the bat demon’s fear amplification, became involved in the fight against Azgal as Camazotz and Arnulfe were fighting in the air.

Wepwawet and Rhynsa were also dealing with their own enemies. Over time, Rhynsa managed to weed out most of the demons going towards them and started to turn his focus towards Azgal. He felt it was a useless endeavor since his bullets, even after being enhanced by Wepwawet’s Soul Dispersal Ritual, could not even reach Azgal’s intense fire.

Soon, Anubis’s fatigue caught up with the Jackal as he slowly became slower and desperate, turning to a haphazard offensive strategy. It would have been a fatal mistake if it wasn’t for Sammael pushing him out of the way before his head was caught by hellfire.

The blind Jackal wondered while he couldn’t do more. He did his best, but was it enough? The others might’ve said that ‘it’s fine. You did your best’, but Anubis did not want just that. He failed to become a prince due to his disability. Then, blind and vulnerable, he was tricked and humiliated, and almost gave up before meeting with Ifrit. Then, he met the two Fuzandres, with Rhynsa being the most caring despite his cynical personality, and Arnulfe helping him to trust and love again. He gained his ‘sight’ and managed to ‘see’ the outlines of those whose voices he recognized thanks to his long-thought dead twin brother, Wepwawet. But even after all that, Anubis wondered why he couldn’t even do anything more. It was supposed to be enough, but for him, it wasn’t.

Yet, the one thing that finally made Anubis have enough was the intense emotion caused by Camazotz and Arnulfe crashing through a nearby building, with Arnulfe bloodied and beaten. Camazotz did not fare better, either, at least for those who could properly see the demon bat. He had cuts and bruises all over, with one of Arnulfe’s anti-demonic dagger lodged in the demon’s side. Anubis, however, could only ‘see’ how his lover was fighting so hard against another demon who presumably was the same kind with Azgal. He fought the demon alone despite of not having any extra powers except those gained by consuming blood. The fact that Arnulfe could also die made Anubis flared up.

Soon, out of desperation and out of the desire to be much better than he already was, Anubis started to become angry and roared at Azgal, who clearly did not heed him. But that was the moment when he swung his sword, and then several things happened that surprised even the Infernal.

Anubis’s khopesh passed through Azgal’s body like it was butter, but after Anubis realized this, the sword got stuck inside Azgal. He pulled it out with all his might, causing Azgal’s shoulder to be ripped from the inside out. The Infernal was surprised by this development and was momentarily distracted by it. As this happened, another demon used this opportunity to try and steal Azgal’s prey. This time, Anubis, who realized what happened, wondered how he did it until he, in a state of excitement and anger beyond his usual self, saw the blue outline of what appeared to be a heart, or at least an organ resembling it. Being blind, he never knew what a heart looked like, only knowing how much it weighed when he ripped one out. He did not know what to do but to cut the outlined organ, which he did. He did not feel any resistance from the cut, but he could clearly see the heart being cut into two. He also noticed another demon, this time a Barghest distinctly different from Sammael, who lunged at him. Anubis again, facing danger, dodged the attack and cut through the Barghest’s head, along with another gremlin-like demon’s whole body. There was no effort, no resistance. Just his blade cutting the outlines like a hot knife cutting a slab of butter.

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What Anubis couldn’t see, however, was witnessed by others who saw what he did, especially Wepwawet and Rhynsa who were saved by Anubis slashing through the demons and hellhounds attacking them. Both were surprised, but only Rhynsa was dumbfounded by what he saw: Anubis’s sword attack did not cause external damage, but his enemies were killed by what looked like an internal wound, as they became motionless after being slashed and fell to the ground already dead. The demons were recalled to hell, while the non-demons just dropped dead, with blood oozing out.

Wepwawet soon realized what Anubis did, and in excitement, said, “(Yes! That’s it! That’s our power! I never thought he mastered it so easily, but I’m glad he does!)”

“(What did he do?)” asked Rhynsa, in confusion.

“(Our ability to manipulate soul particles can also manipulate the tangibility of objects. I called it selective intangibility. By focusing the soul particles on a specific target, we can cut it without harming those not outlined by the particles. For others, the weapons we use simply phase through the victim’s body).”

“(But selective?)”

“(We can control which part we phase through and which we don’t. That way, wall has no meaning).”

“(And you can do that, too?)”

“(I did, didn’t I? You thought you were trying to flush out your target, but he’s already dead when the bullet phased through the cover).”

“(But then why didn’t my echolocation register it?)”

“(Should it even register as an echo if the bullet’s lodged inside someone’s head?)”

Rhynsa could only let out an amused smile as they watched Anubis cutting through their enemies without even spilling any more blood than necessary. “(Damn),” he said. “(You two are nasty).”

Anubis’s natural adaptability to his phasing ability and his gracefulness in battle caused the other demons and their hellhound and human allies to scared by the Jackal, who seemingly killed the demons without even cutting them. However, Azgal was unfazed. Rather, he let out a wide, toothy grin as he saw Anubis did what he did.

“Yes, that’s perfect,” he said as he stood up. Wepwawet saw the Infernal and quickly turned his aim towards him, but then when he pulled the trigger and tried to use his own selective intangibility, he realized his mistake.

In his vision, Azgal’s outline was far too thick for the intangibility to even reach a fatal organ. His bullet got through his thick hide and clearly wounded him, but it was not too deep and wasn’t even severe, much like Anubis’s shoulder pierce. In fact, the bullets’ wounds were superficial compared to the wound Anubis’s khopesh did. The Soul Dispersal bullet managed to wound him more than he expected, but that only caused Azgal to grunt in pain, and nothing more.

And this time, even Anubis realized the true danger was Azgal’s own ability: hellfire weapon conjuration. Anubis could sense the menacing red aura coming from the swords, clearly visible due to the demonic hellfire that formed it. With all the darkness around the blue and red outlines, Azgal’s aura took everything over like a fire in a dark cave. The conjured swords made him even more menacing, now that the demon had a weapon Anubis could ‘see’ and feel.

Azgal did not wait for Anubis to be prepared and started attacking him. Anubis did not have time to dodge, but he did not need to, for the conjured sword missed. The Jackal thought Azgal was doing this deliberately just to intimidate him, but the shocked expression and the rather loud, “What?!” from Azgal suggested otherwise. In Anubis’s ‘vision’, Azgal’s attack missed by a lot. Azgal kept attacking, but his swings, while menacing and intimidating, did not connect, though some were close.

Unfortunately, he realized what’s happened and said, “You damn Barghest. I thought most of your powers are sealed by that binding seal.”

Rhynsa turned towards Sammael, who was straining as he kept a threatening pose a canine usually did to intimidate others. But the Fuzandre noticed that Sammael was bleeding, with black ooze coming out of his eyes and mouth as he kept straining. With Azgal realizing what’s happening, the strain started to overwhelm the Barghest as Azgal struggled to keep his composure.

“Getting stuffed already?” mocked the Infernal. “Should’ve known your place, dream eater. I have more mental defense compared to mortals and you are eating an eternity of torture a lesser demon like you can’t possibly imagine.”

“(Sammael, stop!)” said Anubis, realizing the risk. “(Don’t do this!)”

“(Don’t…mind me),” said Sammael with considerable strain.

Anubis, realizing Sammael would not last if Azgal was fixated to the Barghest, intensified his attack to try and distract Azgal. His attack started to cut through Azgal, but it was all superficial wounds and not something considerable enough. However, Azgal clearly felt it and it did not feel like a mosquito bite for him. It felt like he was being slowly lacerated by a dull sword, which would be a hellish torture for a damned soul if he was one. Rather than being in pain, the Infernal became annoyed and finally declared, “That’s it! I had enough of this!”

He quickly turned and grabbed Anubis’s throat with such a force the Jackal choked. Azgal also turned towards Sammael and glared at the Barghest, who kept trying to do whatever he was doing to the goat demon. However, it was clear that when Azgal was already aware of Sammael’s intervention, the Barghest started to become overwhelmed as black-colored blood dripped out of his nose, mouth and eyes before finally, he was unable to keep up. Sammael fell to his side, losing a lot of blood as he twitched, suffering a seizure.

“(Your death will be the death of everyone you protect. But before you do, say your name, Jackal. At least, in death, I will know who you are).”

“(I…will not die, you goat-headed bastard),” said Anubis. His blind faded yellow eyes glared at Azgal. “(And my name is Anubis Caropus, son of Osiris Caropus, prince of the kingdom of Utensha!)”

The unnerving declaration of his heritage, and his defiance until the end, made even Azgal proud. “(Heh. Ballsy until the end. You’d make a good Infernal, Anubis Caropus. But…this is where we say--)”

Azgal heard a loud roar and was quickly distracted by it. He turned around, but sensing danger, dodged just before a searing hot fire sword cut through him. He then saw the piercing yellow eyes of a hellhound he knew, and he quickly made a grin of satisfaction.

“(Now, that’s more like it!)” said Azgal. “(You finally appeared, Ifrit Schelkz!)”