The demon charged at Sonia with sharpened, open claws. The beast's claws thrust from side to side, ready to impale the steady girl. With each thrust it made, Sonia dodges its attacks while her pets sprang right behind her. Sonia then took her sword and lunges at the beast. The power of the sword mixed with the amulet gave Sonia impressive acrobatic skills as she climbs up the creature's arm and swipes at its face. The beast roared painfully as a large gash was left on its face. The demon then knocked Sonia away, crashing her into a set of lockers. The children that attempt to escape are suddenly stopped by the beast as it blocked their way and scared them with its menacing glare. Puny, fear-induced souls sounds quite delicious right now...
"Sonia? SONIA! are you alright?" Matthew feared as he and Scruffles ran to their aid, "That was quite a hit you took."
"Yeah..." Scruffles intervenes, "What-... is that thing?"
"I don't know, but whatever it is, we HAVE to stop it," Sonia bravely enacted, surprising the cat-and-dog duo. Matthew's ears sprang as he warned Sonia, "But we have to get it out of the school. It's gonna kill all the kids!" She picks up her sword and calls to Scruffles, "Scruffles. Do you think you're able to distract the beast?"
"You must be pullin' my tail," Scruffles said a little defiantly. However, Sonia was not kidding as she stared at her cat in a serious manner. Her eyes were stiff and unemotional, almost as if the girl was entranced in the amulet's spell.
"Oh," Scruffles muttered as she narrowed her eyes and strutted away, "I think whatever that jewel is, it's getting to your head..."
Scruffles trailed the demon across the halls. Running through broken classrooms and a destroyed gymnasium until she found the monster preparing to eat a rather pudgy boy. To think on her feet, Scruffles looked around for something to distract him. That is until she found out she was standing on a few pebbles. She picked up as many as she could and tosses them at the beast. The beast felt each pebble prod at its spine. It slowly turns its head to Scruffles, giving the cat a devilish glare. Taking a chance, Scruffles begins to taunt him, "HEY BEAKFACE! Y'know, it's birds like you that make a great meal in my tummy! I could eat you up and for weeks and never have to eat anything ever again!! You're nothing but CHICKEN & BONES to me!!!" The demon gets taken aback, assaulted by Scruffles' gut-punching insults.
"Maybe I could have some... Sautéed turkey roast. Chicken wings. Filet mignonette with a dash of bird meat. Mmmmmmm... Such tasty goodness," Scruffles continued to talk up some amazing bird-based meals... that is until her stomach began to growl.
"Oh great, now I'm ACTUALLY hungry," muttered a regretful Scruffles. Just as she annoyedly lowered to her paws, the demon crept behind her with its face pressing on her back and growling loudly in her ears, ".....but... Maybe that can wait." Scruffles immediately turned to the beast and gave it a queer-looking smile, grabs its cheeks and gives it a goofy kiss on its beak and then quickly runs away laughing as the demon shakes its head, roared and gave chase to the wack-a-doo Scruffles. Scruffles sprints on all four legs as it got closer and closer to her.
"Yo! Back it up! I'm a majestic woman," Scruffles scolded, "And you NEVER get behind a majestic-" Scruffles was suddenly interrupted as the avian attempted to snap her tail clean off, but missed by just a hair. The cat grabbed her tail and ties it around her waist, away from the demon's gaping maw. Scruffles's head pounded with adrenaline as she ran back into the school hallway. Meanwhile, Matthew and Sonia make their way to a nearby exit that led to the school's baseball field. There they watched out for Scruffles or any passing students.
The cat ran through the halls as the demon's wings break through the classrooms heading to where Matthew and Sonia are while screaming, "RUUUNAWAAAAYY BIIIIIIRRDDD!!!!!" Sonia gasped and quickly shouted, "QUICK! GET DOWN!" as she and Matthew break for cover before Scruffles and the avian demon charge for the exit. Sonia quickly grabs Scruffles and pulls her to safety right before the demon crashes through the exit and drilling itself into the ground, leaving a gigantic hole in the wall. Scruffles wheezed hard and deep, frazzled and shaky from the adrenaline. Sonia suddenly snapped out of her trance and comforts her shaken cat.
"It's ok. It's ok... Shhhhhh.... Shhh..." Sonia spoke softly, "I'm sorry I made you do that, kitty-kitty."
"Murrrrrrr... You owe me four bags of catnip for this..." Scruffles mumbled as she nuzzled against Sonia's chest.
"I think this strange creature is tired from taking so many blows from the walls and corridors. Now we put an end to this maddening chaos before any more children get hurt," Matthew urged, stretching his paws while his eyes fixated on the collapsed beast.
"I'm pretty sure everyone evacuated, the whole school felt barren as if some writer forgot to add in the dangers that the kids went through. Heck, I don't even know if they truly survived," Scruffles added.
"Well whatever it is, we'd better confront it... And... Kill it..." Sonia gulped. The sensation given to her from the sword was both exhilarating and fear-inducing at the same time. She could feel the power rushing through her. An yet... she didn't like how the jewel was manipulating her mind once she started to connect two-and-two together. But if it was the only way to destroy the beast, she'd have to give into its power. If she doesn't, then heaven knows what will happen...
Sonia lowered her head to watch the glimmer of sun shine against her sword. The young ginger lifted sword towards her, and through its solid steel frame and iron-clad strength. There was one thing Sonia could see in it that would suddenly changed everything, thus allowing its power to manipulate her mind into that of a warrior. Sonia gently let her cat down, clutches her sword and heads outside to confront the beast, commanding her pets to stay behind. The pets willfully obey as Sonia contronts the fallen angel.
"YOU! DEMON!! Why have you come to attack me and my school?! You and your malicious friends have been playing a lot of sick games to me for the past few days, and I've had it! Now tell me what you want, and I'll make sure you'll at least be able to walk away alive." Sonia commanded to the demon. She may not be as tall as the colossal beast, but she was brave to step forth and talk back to it. The demon then suddenly begins to twitch and grumble and fall onto its hands and knees. Its eyes suddenly turn from dark red and black, to a mix of purple and white as if the fire was steaming out of its head, almost as if a dark entity was consuming its mind. What could be heard is a malicious, evil voice... the voice of the lord of demons, Solaria... sliding in with a laugh menacing enough to throw Sonia out of her brave trance. The demon's dark aura surrounded Sonia, giving the newcomer a little taste of the darkness.
"This is the great champion that Feliferi entrusted to stop me?" Solaria scoffs as he controls the avian to circle around Sonia, "Look at you... weak... foolish! Nothing but a squeamish, feeble, shell of a human. Or as you carbon lifeforms call it... a defenseless little girl." The bird pushes down Sonia with only a finger and continues to taunt and scare her.
"I don't think we've been properly introduced" the vile monster shifted, "I am Solaria, one of the many gods that maintain balance in the universe. At least... until a certain... 'accident,' that is. But you can refer to me as, 'The Lord of Demons...' For centuries, I have been spreading my evil across the galaxy... Conquering worlds. Punishing the poor fools who attempt to find refuge frm my expanding empire. I almost feel sorry for them, especially when rumors of my defeat come in play. Retardation at its finest whenever they place their feeble "champions" to fight against my cause. You, my little morsel, are no different. And yet... You wield my prize."
"What prize...?" Sonia humbled with a lump in her throat, slowly hiding her amulet in her shirt, "I-I don't know what you're talking about..."
"THE AMULET, YOU INSIPID LITTLE GIRL!" Solaria roared, causing the beast to create an earthquake of flames that surrounded the parking lot. His puppet then grapples Sonia and swung her to the avian's murky face. Raged fueled the demon's black heart as Solaria threatened, "I KNOW THAT DAMNED GODDESS INSTILLED YOU WITH THE ONLY SOURCE OF POWER NEEDED FOR UNIVERSAL DOMINATION!!! AND I COMMAND THAT YOU RELINQUISH THE GEM, UNLESS YOU WANT YOUR SENSELESS BODY TO BE SNAPPED INTO LITTLE PIECES WHILE I HAVE MY MINIONS DEEPLY TEAR YOUR FLESH NICE AND SLOWLY WHILE I LEAVE YOUR SPIRIT TO ROT IN THE FLAMES OF THE UNDERWORLD!!!!!!!!!!!"
Sonia was scared stiff. She couldn't take the Dark Lord's devilish demands as those threatening punishments clouded the stiffened ginger's mind. Sonia shuts her eyes tightly, trying to hold back large amounts of tears, but all she could do is cry as she got a clear taste of what the Darkness had up its sleeve. Sonia wished it was all a dream. Scruffles and Matthew watched as the torture continued, and while Sonia cried and choked on her overflow of tears.
"We have to help her!" Matthew yelled.
"Are you insane?! That beast is UUUNNNGOOOOODDLYYYY!!!!! Going up against it is like betting if you can survive running through those wicked compactors that junkyards use to scrap broken cars! I can take a lot of weird crap that goes on around here, but I DID NOT ASK FOR DEMONIC RITUALS GOING ON IN MY LIFE!" Scruffles screamed. She was both angry and afraid.
"YOU ARE A COWARD! How could you sit there and say that when Sonia's life is on the line?! She decided to adopt you after you BEGGED her to take you in! Are you saying that you'd rather go back on your word and leave her to die?!" Matthew argued, "You may be able to survive the streets, but to me, you sound just like a wanker who can't get over her own problems!" The whole area around the duo fell silent as Matthew and Scruffles stared intensely into each other's eyes. One pair of eyes had fear and disgust, while the other was fueled with fear and anger. The only matter at hand was... "Who is going to save Sonia? And who is going to run away...?" Sonia couldn't release herself from the demon's grasp, and neither the power of the amulet or Feliferi could save her all alone. Scruffles then finally decides what she does as she slowly walks away from the situation, leaving Matthew and Sonia on their own. Matthew felt heartbroken as he watches her go. Matthew then hears a scream from Sonia and the cackling laughter of the vicious Solaria, and quickly sprinted to the fire.
The dog stopped in his tracks as he watched the blazing fire. Matthew stood on his hind legs and tapped on his head and began to think, "I need to find a way to put out the fire... But how?" Matthew looked around until he found a loose hose. Quickly, the dog ran towards it, unscrewed the faucet and blasted at fire to no avail. He then tries to turn on the sprinklers while using the hose but to similar results. Matthew tests to see if he could jump through the fire, however, the flames was too intense that even just by standing near it the heatwaves it gave off could set you on fire if you stood too close. Panicking slightly, all Matthew could do was watch as Sonia as gets beaten up and tortured by Solaria and the avian demon. Tears fell from the little pup's face as he began to howl. This was the only thing that Sonia could sense as she consumed every life-draining blow, no matter how much she tried to fight it, even with her sword. Whatever power Sonia had, the colossal beast doubled it, even with the Lord of Demons controlling its every move.
All hope was lost... Until the sound of a horn broke the silence. Matthew looked up and quickly wiped his tears as he looks to where the sound is. The sound that gets louder and louder happened to be a large firetruck speeding towards the fire, ringing its bells and blaring its siren. Matthew sees it racing right toward the fire and did not have the urge to stop at all. Matthew yelped right before ducking out of the way as the firetruck sprayed a barrage of water through the fire, creating a path for it to enter the ring. In a stunt no man would dare to tackle lightly, the massive truck drove off of a ramp of stacked cars, careening through the air until finally nosediving right into the leg of the large avian creature. The demon screeched in pain and release Sonia, tossing her high into the air. Sonia's weakened body fell from such an immense height. Thankfully, the firetruck drove forth and caught Sonia from the firetruck's tower ladder, then drove away from the beast as it fell in pain, breaking one of its wings in the process. The truck then suddenly stops in front of Matthew and rolls down a door window. The driver turned out to be none other than Scruffles, whom looked mighty happy to see him. Scruffles shouted, "Whaddya think yer' doing?! GET IN!" Matthew, with mouth agape, shook his head and scrambled into the firetruck without question, and the trio sped off.
"I don't even understand!" Matthew panicked, "How did you suddenly get this fire truck?"
"I borrowed it! What did you really think I was gonna leave you guys to die?" Scruffles slyly remarked while poorly swerving through traffic, "I had to distract you somehow or else you'd never let me go through with this plan." Scruffles is clearly using a pail, a few blocks tied to her feet, and an extra mirror strapped to the top of the dashboard in order to actually maneuver this beast, but that doesn't change the fact that she's a cat learning to drive through dense roads, tough highways, and oncoming traffic. And it clearly shows too...
"YOU'RE A TERRIBLE DRIVER!" Matthew yelled, trying to hold on, as well as trying not to vomit.
"Hey, you'd better not drop one in this car! It's a rental!" Scruffles shook a fist at Matthew even though when she makes a steep turn into the city, she scratches the truck onto the side of a tunnel, breaking loose any necessary items. Scruffles sighs and mutters to herself, "So much for rental..." Matthew swallowed his sickening chunks, then looks through one of the mirrors and catches the demon chasing after them on all fours. Matthew screams, startling Scruffles, who then responds with a slap to the dog's cheeks. She slams on the gas pedal, speeding faster than normal, even to the point of alarming the cops. However, the police chase was shortened as each car was either crushed or eaten by the avian demon. Meanwhile, the dazed and confused Sonia wakes up with a slight blow to the head. She sat up, wondering why the ground is shaking rapidly, then suddenly realizes the chase is going on and jolts up. Sonia holds onto the rails of the tower as hard she could as she watches the demon charge at the trio. Sonia falls into a panic and hyperventilates. However, her eyes caught sight of firetruck's hose dangling in the wind. She then hops onto it like a turret and sprays a barrage of high-pressure water to try and slow it down. Scruffles sees the water tanks going down and looks out the window and sees Sonia taking charge at the cannibalistic beast.
"Sonia?! This isn't the movie Signs! Water is not going to slow it down!!"
"I know!" Sonia yelled back before catching sight of a long row of telephone cables cut down by the monstrous beast, "I just needed a diversion." Sonia furrowed her brows, determined to put an end to this once and for all. She waited until the demon was firmly in place. Once the demon was surrounded, she fired at the cables with rapid spurts of water, causing a chain reaction of electricity hitting each pole in rapid success before sending volts of lightning throughout the demon's inner sanctum, causing him and Solaria to unleash a scream of eternal agony. Sonia quickly then summons her sword from all-powerful amulet and commanded to Scruffles, "DRIVE TO THE BEAST!"
"WHAT?!" Scruffles yelled defiantly, "NO WAY!!"
"JUST DO IT!" Matthew and Sonia yell back as Matthew grabs the wheel, and spins it around so that the truck drifts and makes a U-turn straight at the electrified beast.
"You guys better know what you're doing..." Scruffles uttered as she slams onto the gas one more time, gaining a broad range of speed that could almost flood the engine. The demon tried to resist the electric shock, but it was too late for the beast. The fire truck drives off a broken edge of a road, flying toward it at maximum speed. With this one opportunity at hand, Sonia only had one chance to finally finish this creature off.
"Gotta make this count!" Sonia told herself as she sprinted forth as the truck flew towards the beast, reaching the edge of the truck and leaped just as the truck was slowly began making its descent. Sonia flew through the air, soaring to the beast. She grabbed her sword with both her hands and with the might of a powerful goddess, she thrusts her sword into the avian demon's chest, causing him and Solaria to scream in excruciating pain. The combination of the iron sword and the power of the telephone wires gave everyone sent the high voltage of electricity into everyone. Despite this, Sonia pushed the sword deeper into the demon, until the beast started to glowed in a bright white aura. The demon flashes with shades of red until itss spirit imploding within itself until...
KA-BOOM!!
The mighty avian demon explodes in disgusting mix of electricity, inorganic compounds of demon flesh, and sutble chunks of gore. The mess of demon blood splattered all over the walls and buildings of the city. The firetruck is throw miles across the town, barreling through the streets, and crashing over itself like crumpled balls of paper. The broken firetruck rolled until finding itself in a safe parallel parking space. Scruffles and Matthew tremble out of the truck, thankfully keeping all their parts together and far away from the blast zone.
"Well, at least the fire truck is okay," Scruffles commented. The firetruck is then crushed by an unsightly amount of demon gore. Matthew gave Scruffles an unamused stare, with the cat spouting a "What?" to question his motives. Matthew and Scruffles searched high and low among the piles of rubble and demon gore, searching for their young, battle-worn master. They squeezed through every crack and crevice, hoping that she's out there safe and sound.
"Sheesh, where could that danged girl be?" scorned the scuffled black cat.
"Wherever she is, I just hope it isn't far..." Matthew worried as he wiped his paws of some slimy brain goo and a blood-stained eyeball. For a demon as massive as this, it surely could make a mess. The little hound used his nose to catch his master's familiar scent, until it caught onto something just nearby. The animal pair discover Sonia's sword sitting atop a pile of rubble. Matthew and Scruffles gasp as they run to it and try to find Sonia under the ruins. They search and dug vainly through the rubble but to no avail...
"I don't believe it..." Matthew spoke with disbelief, "...there's nothing here..."
"Aw I... I think we-we have to face facts, man..." Scruffles sniffled as she gestured solemnly to the , "I think Sonia is..."
"Don't say that, cat... I've had enough tears for one day..." Matthew looks down with tears rolling down his eyes. Scruffles doesn't say anymore and sighs while tears fall down her face. It was over. The demon was dead, but Sonia was nowhere to be found. It's possible that Sonia landed somewhere from the blast, but the impact and length of where she landed might have possibly killed her in the process. Matthew and Scruffles believed she was gone, and there was nothing more except a lonely sword. Just then, a sound emerges from a few blocks down. The two listen in, only to hear the sound of a muffled groan. By the looks of it, it seemed to be coming from nearby convenient store.
"Someone's hurt," Scruffles perked before running to the sound, "Let's check it out, and hurry!" Matthew shook his head and followed Scruffles over the rubble and into the destroyed store convenient. The entire store had food, knickknacks, and other objects broken, crushed, or just downright obliterated. Matthew stops and sniffs the ground.
"It smells like...." Matthew started as the scent grew more and more familiar. He then suddenly points to a direction where there were pillows on sale for seven dollars and ninety-nine cents. They run over and hear the groan get louder only to see that the person making all of that noise was... The convenient store owner. The cat and dog to sigh glumly. The store owner slowly gets up while picking up an unconscious teenage girl. The familiar sight of Sonia, and the three crowns embedded in her hair caused the duo to jump with glee and tackle the store owner, knocking him out and making him see stars while the pets hug Sonia and lick her cheeks. Sonia slowly awakens with her vision seeming a little groggy at first. Once reformed, she found a bright light shining in her face. Sonia's body was beaten, cut and scratched, while her clothes were tattered and covered in monster blood.
"Am I dead...?" Sonia asked groggily.
"Well, almost. And why not? It's better than living through this hellhole," Scruffles chuckled, resulting in a punch in the arm from Matthew.
"Owwwww...." Scruffles whined as the pain settled into her arm, "Stupid Dog..." Sonia giggled softly at them and politely intervened, "Alright, alright... Heh... I think we've been in enough fights for one day." Matthew and Scruffles slowly lift and guide outside to face the now-dead avian beast one last time. Scruffles got closer to its face, stood up and kicked it in the beak then spits in its face. Scruffles then taunts the dead beast, obscenely shouting, "Yuh-huh! yea' boi, wassup?! You don't look so tough now huh, punk?! You can't touch Team Sonia, or get AAALLL DIS SCRUMPTION FLESHY GOODNESS." The avian demon makes a small growl which scares Scruffles into a yelp, springing the cat into Sonia's torn blouse chest. Sonia and Matthew just slowly put their hands on their faces and shake their head slowly in embarrassment. The demon, with Solaria's entity still connected to it, gave one final message before expelling from the avian beast's lifeless body.
"This isn't the end... You may have proven yourself worthy this time, but don't think the next demon you face will be just as easy... We will plague the Earth when darkness arrives. Your weak efforts will prove worthless to our power.... Eternal Darkness will rise..." The dark lord stated as the demon hacked up some blood from its throat, "And I.... will have the pleasure... of ripping... The amulet... Off of your cold... LIFELESS.... FLESH...." The demon finally dies, and Solaria's entity is exorcised from its cold, dead carcass. Sonia watches as the black mass of spirits flies back into the clouds, heading to space and back to Solaria's dark kingdom, resulting in a sudden thunderstorm as its waters rain down up the entire town of Orujinshinaka, washing away the blood from the criminally stained buildings. The rain felt like a moment of refreshment for the city after such a chaotic event, except for Scruffles who hated the rain as it made her fur droop and drag across the floor, making her look like a mop, making both Scruffles and Sonia laugh at her.
"Oh great, could this get any worse?" Scruffles asked. The next sound heard was a set of police cars coming to the trio's area.
"You really have to stop saying things like that," Matthew remarked.
"Nevermind that," Sonia states worriedly as she began to run, "Let's get outta here." Scruffles and Matthew gather as much of their wet fur as they can get off the ground and follow Sonia through an alleyway of shortcuts that carried them through town without being seen by the local police. The trio progressed through the rainy city and trudging back to their neighborhood in order to get home safely, while the cops investigate the hidden remains of the fallen avian beast. All they had to do now was to lie low. Something easy even a young teenager can do.