“Found you!” Aysla grabbed forward, catching the escaping seven-headed dog by the tail, before throwing it to the side, knocking its back into the walls of nearby buildings. They had chased it down this corner, and only abandoned buildings were in sight, “I guess your master must be nearby.”
Madeleine caught up to the duo, frowning at Aysla who pinned the massive beast to the ground. She sighed, opening her mouth to speak, but before she could say a word, an arrow flew across the sky, and pierced into her mouth, gagging Madeleine as her eyes widened in shock.
“What the…” before Aysla could defend herself, an arrow found itself to her skull, the force that it carried knocking her off her feet and sending her flying. As she crashed into a wall, Aysla felt both of her eyes twitch, and her brows furrowed, “A sneak attack?”
Madeleine reached for the arrow, and dragged it out of her mouth, vomiting a mouthful of blood, then clearing her throat, “I guess the owner did not take your advances on its pet too lightly, Aysla. It does not seem like it wants to have a nice chat, does it? We should kill it.”
Aysla dashed forward, flickering in and out of the numerous buildings around them. After Aysla had checked all the buildings she retreated to Madeleine’s side, her brows furrowing, “There is not a single person in any of the buildings. Uh… just bring everything down.”
“Really?” Madeleine held her blade, then swung it in the direction of the buildings, a beautiful arc and a spectacular cleave! The buildings in an arc before her was halved by a massive purple crescent and they exploded in golden flames seconds later, blowing apart to chunks of rock, “Hmm.”
There was nothing, even after all the buildings were reduced to dust. As she stood with her eyes scanning the area, Madeleine helped Aysla in searching for the enemy. After their short display, there were no other attacks, as the enemy did not dare reveal their positions — even in escape attempts.
“Should we destroy all the buildings in this street?” Madeleine turned to Aysla, questioning with a calm gleam in her eyes, her blade prepared to unleash another onslaught, but watching the dog in its pitiful state, she sighed, “or should we release the dog in hopes it leads us to its owner?”
“Or further away.” Aysla rolled her eyes, her grip around her hammer’s handle tightening. There was no way the enemy could vanish into thin air like that! She was going to fish them out — in just a single burst! Well — Aysla looked around, numerous buildings around her — in a few single bursts.
Boom!
Aysla sprinted forward, marching through the burning remains of the first few buildings before them and rushing the others behind them, vanishing into thin air. In the span of seconds, she found her way into each and every building, searching them for roof to basement — if any.
One after the other, she flickered through walls and across buildings at an insane rate. Until she stopped inside a building where a young woman hit, panting and sweating. Before the woman had a chance to move, Aysla swung her hammer with all her might, and it hit home!
The hammer smashed into the woman’s face, and the force from the attack sent the woman into a fierce flight backwards, smashing into the walls and bursting out through the other end. Aysla was relentless, leaping out through the hole after the woman, and swinging her hammer again.
The falling hammer smashed down on the woman’s back, sending her flying to the ground. Her face smashed into the ground, burying into the crater created. Aysla landed next to the woman, her eyes as cold as ice as she reached out to grab the back of the woman’s head, “Target secured.”
“We should interrogate this thing and see if we can get any clues on where we can focus energy on, or evade as much as possible…” Madeleine sighed, sheathing her blade and raising her hunched stance — straightening her back as she spoke, “We could be headed in the wrong direction here.”
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
Aysla frowned as she raised the woman by the head until her feet dangled in the air, then sighed, her brows furrowing, “In what alternate reality to do you expect the enemy to give you information that is correct? Wait, I know! Leading you in circles Earth, Bringing you to trap Earth, or Eternal—“
“I get it!” Madeleine heaved, her lashes trembling, then turned to the side, holding her chin with a pompous expression drawn on her face, “But, have you ever wondered how is it other people get better at doing something while you remain stagnant? Think, are you actually doing that thing.”
“Uh… where is this going?” Aysla narrowed her eyes.
“The only way to move forward is through action! There is no way we can understand this if we are hesitant to relate with the enemy. Now, look here, punk…” Madeleine turned to Aysla, an ancient gleam in her eyes, “Only by interrogating this enemy shall we know where to advance! Fake or not.”
“I understand…” Aysla turned around, walking to a building wall as Madeleine watched her with raised brows. Before Madeleine could utter a word, Aysla slammed the woman’s head into the wall, a cold gleam bursting in her eyes, “Hello! Can we ask you a question?”
“Aysla!” Madeleine shrieked, her face as pale as a sheet of paper, and eyes round like saucers. As Aysla turned to her with a confused expression, Madeleine nearly exploded, “How could you smash her face in the wall like that! We want to interrogate her, not spill brain matter!”
“How is she going to take us seriously if we don’t torture her? Trust me, as a demon, I have a lot of experience peeling sealed lips.” Aysla assured Madeleine, turning around to attempt a second slam but halting as she heard another horrified shriek, “Why do you care so much?”
“You have no talent in handling your captives! The last thing that should be on your mind when searching for crucial information should be smashing their heads into a wall!” Madeleine sighed, the confusion fading as her gaze grew ancient, “It is not easy being mentored by an expert, you punk!”
——
Mylos briefed the new gathering like he had the first, feeling Alissa’s gaze burning into his skull as he spoke. When he was done, Mylos turned around to nod at Lisa, who whispered in Alissa’s ear before taking her leave, then he turned to Alissa, “Lead the crowd to the next target, I’ll wait here.”
Alissa was hesitant but she could not resist his order. After rounding up the gathering of undead, she turned around and marched through the gates, walking in a different direction from Lisa. After a few seconds to confirm if they were both sent away, Mylos sighed.
A blade spun in the air, and he tilted over, dodging it. The blade was attached to a golden robe, a few metallic embroidery attached. Reaching his hand to grab the rope, his hands burned, and a smell — that of burning flesh — filled his nostrils. He stood there in silence as another blade appeared.
It came from the left, parting it earth as it flew over it, aiming for Mylos. Targeted by this attack, despite its display, Mylos was unfazed. He turned to the approaching blade, then swung the one that he held, using it to block the approaching blade, “Heh…”
Sparks flew as Mylos was sent tumbling back, breaking into a cold sweat. The second blade spun in the air then retreated as the other followed. Being dragged on the ground, Mylos was forced to let it go, spinning to the side to dodge the second blade that made a frightening turn at the last second.
“Ah… to what do I owe the—“ Mylos rolled to the side, then pulled out his blade, dodging one of the blades countering the other with his sword. Sparks were sent flying, lighting up this dimly lit area as Mylos stood, a smirk forming on his lips, “The curtsy of this visit?”
“Ugh.” A female voice sounded from within the shadows, and Mylos’s brow jumped. The shadows parted, and a young woman stepped out, handling the roped blades in her hands. She wore a short purple dress soaked in blood, and her long purple hair was tied back in a ponytail, “So annoying.”
“I am annoying?” Mylos sighed, entering a battle stance. Before she coed speak, her dashed at a fast speed, leaping across the air and weaving through her flying blades as he made his way for her, swinging his blade with all his might, “You are the one who attacked me from nowhere!”
Seeing Mylos close the gap between them, veins popped up across her forehead, and she swung her wrapped a rope around her hand, then swung her fist. Mylos had leaped at a fast speed and the next thing he saw was her approaching fist, and it struck home, sending Mark flying into the air.
His bones were shattered, and his skin melted to pulp. Quickly, his body regenerated, and Mylos skidded across the ground to a halt. He held his face, sighing as he lifted his head to stare as her, “I’d imagine I am causing too much trouble? Oh dear Fryrr, we can overlook my errors…”
Fryrr withdrew her fist as the rope uncurled from her hand, the blade swinging back into action, then swept her hair back by waving her head. Before Mylos could move, she swung both arms and a darkness descended upon Mylos’ heart — a mental intimidation — as both blades slashed for him.
He guessed not.