Andre and the group were slowly walking to the cloud of dust protected by two barriers created with light magic which was deployed by Rika and Harvi. These would serve as protections from both the cloud dust and any attack from the outside.
Andre's plan was very simple and straight forward.
-Flashback-
"Okay, the first thing we will do is to take advantage of the enemy's weakness!" Andre stated. The group was confused about the so called demon's weakness.
'How can that monstrous being have any weakness at all? it can even counter Harvi's strongest attack' Everyone thought.
"What the heck are you talking about! first of all, that monster didnt even suffer any damage from my attacks?" Harvi asked, gazing at Andre impatiently.
" What I want to say is not its physical weakness but more on its mental weakness! It's how that demon thinks." Andre point out tapping his head with his finger.
"Eversince we confronted that demon, It could easily kill us in a flick of his hand. We are like some kind of insignificant ants in his eyes but why does It not kill us immediately?" Andre explained as he tried to point out the demon's weakness.
"Yeah! I also keep thinking about that. Such a powerful demon yet it's not even doing anything to kill us, it's like he was a kid playing with his new toy" Mark confirmed andre's point.
"That's right! that demon was too proud of himself! He was underestimating us like we are its playthings. That's why we will make use of that weakness to run away!"
"But how?" One of the Harvi's lacky questioned with a serious tone. He was listening attentively, trying to digest everything.
"The main key to this plan is this cloud of dust. We will walk through it. It will be our diversion, so Mark, most of the work will be up to you, Can I count on you?" Andre gazed seriously at Mark, entrusting the most important role to him. Andre didn't really want to entrust something so heavy to anyone but he got no choice.
"I will do my best!" Mark answered with a firm determination. It was the first time that a friend trusted him and what he could only answer was his determination to do it.
"Harvi, Rika, I want you to create a barrier to protect us as we move. It doesn't need to be huge, just a small one will do, as long as we can fit inside and make it sturdy enough so it can protect us from the demon's attack. The others will provide support when needed" Both Harvi and Rika nodded in approval.
-end of flashback-
Andre and the group was still mending their way to the thick cloud of dust. Thankfully, The demon has not yet attacked them but he already predicted that it will only a matter of time when it lost its patience and start attacking.
"Everything is going according to plan. Mark make another diversion. We will try to move quicker this time." Ace stated. Mark quickly performed another one of his spell making the ground vibrate rapidly.
The cloud of dust once again thicken.
"Let's go!" Andre signalled as they started to move again to the path of survival.
---------------------------->>>>
Meanwhile, The demon named Al'zaeb was floating in the air, looking on the ground, full of thick dust, in amusement. He never imagined that these heroes were so clever.
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"WHAT AN INTERESTING BUNCH OF HEROES! YOU ARE NOT FAILING TO AMUSE ME" Al'zaeb mumbled in a hoarse, gleeful voice. He enjoyed tormenting his enemies, especially humans. The extreme pleasure of hearing human cry in agony and despair moreover how they beg for their lives, made Al'zaeb's very being.
He could still remember clearly the first pleasure he experienced in killing a human. It was a woman in a human village they ravaged. He kept the woman alive and imprisoned her to a place full of darkness with no light whatsoever. Everyday, he would hear the woman's agony w/c made him ecstatic every single day. The pain, the cry, the desperation. It was music in his ears. He let the woman remember how he massacred her family every single day until she lost her will to live and died in misery. That's how demonic Al'zaeb was.
Alzaeb was still waiting for the dust to disperse so he could once again indulge himself in joy playing with these so called heroes.
After he dust started to grow thin, A savage and sadistic grin appeared in Al'zaeb's face but it was replaced by an annoyed one when he felt another magic fluctuation. The dust rose once again, leaving himself unable too locate the heroes. His skill, farsight, could only see things when there is no obstruction, so right now it was practically useless.
"DAMN IT!" His patience ran out as he shot beams of darkness towards it producing loud explosions.
His veins started to pop out in fury, realizing that his attacks just made the situation worse. It just made the cloud of dust thicker.
"Y-YOU DAMN ANTS! MAKING A FOOL OUT OF ME! MAKING A FOOL OUT OF ME! YOU! MADE A FOOL OUT OF MEEEE!!" Al'zaeb repeatedly screamed full of killing intent. He released his full aura, making the surrounding colder and filled with death.
Al'zaeb's body started to change. His body grew in size, looking like a savage monster emitting a cold, dark, baleful aura and his face became fiercer and savage with its mouth oozing with filthy liquid.
Al'zaeb charged furiously on the ground, creating a massive creater.
"SHOOOOOOOW YOOOOURSEEELF!"He roared once again in a fury, dispersing the cloud of dust in an area immediately with the sheer force of its aura.
"Damn it! Quickly run!" Feeling the growing demonic aura approaching them, Andre shouted.
The very moment they heard Andre's voice, Everyone darted, betting their lives on the line. No one dared to look back as adrenaline revolved in their bodies in very abrubt manner. Their hearts were pounding out of their chests like it was about to collapse, but no one dared to stop even for a fraction of a second because if they did, sure death was coming in their way.
"Fatty, run faster or else you'll die!!" Seeing Fatty being left behind, Ace shouted,not wanting to let his friend die.
"I'm sorry Andre. I think this is the end of the road for me!" Tearing up, fatty said in sad farewell.
"Damn you, Fatty! Don't you dare die! Remember, there are no games in the afterlife! There are no 2D girls or porn there! If you die, I will arbor your N*ntendo Sw*tch!" Andre reminded Fatty.
"DAMN IT! DON'T YOU DARE! THAT'S MY TREASURE!" In the speed of light, Fatty quickly caught up to the group. The group budged their eyes, seeing Fatty cover a 10 meter distance in a split-second.
Seeing the heroes sprinting in full speed, Al'zaeb instantly focused his energy in his mouth, creating a black sphere and aimed to the heroes.
"Harvi, Rika! Deploy a barrier in the back immediately" Andre voiced out in a rush tone.
"You're asking for the impossible here! I can't even concentrate to cast a spell!" Harvi complained.
"I'm too focused on running away! " Rika added.
"I know that but if you don't do it, we will be done for by that thing in its mouth!" Andre yelled, pointing in the black sphere in the demon's mouth.
"IYAAAAAAAAAAHH! I DON'T WANNA DIE!" Rika shrieked in fear.
"Protect us from the upcoming harm! Light release magic: Barrier of Light! " At once, Rika and Harvi deployed a thick barrier of light.
"INCOMING!! BRACE YOURSELF!!" The black sphere collided with the barrier.
With a cracking sound, the barrier began to crumble.
"Deploy another one!" Andre ordered.
"Barrier of Light!!" without second thoughts, Harvi and Rika deployed another one, shifting the trajectory of the sphere downwards, hitting the ground.
Upon hitting the ground, a huge explosion occur, ravaging the ground.
""""""""WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH""""""
Even with a barrier protecting them, The heroes were still thrown by the shockwaves cause by the explosion.
"ARGGGGG!" Andre grunted in pain as he tried to stand up.
Thankfully, the heroes were still alive but the only problem was Al'zaeb already charging at them in full speed.
Andre was already on the verge of despair, seeing the demon charging at them but a series of voice came in.
"Protect the Heroes!" Tens of men in mage robe came charging in, deploying a huge wall of light.
"Good Job on surviving. You can go back now, Heroes! We will hold this demon down in your place!" Hearing it, Andre and the group's eyes sparkled in joy as they found a new hope!