Saluk took his time cooking his food. He wasn't in a hurry and he enjoys the feeling of being able to do what he want.
He got 6 big fish and instantly devoured 3 of it before he felt sleepy. It's still to early but he got tired jumping and running around. He jumped up to a nearby tree, found a comfortable branch and closed his eyes.
Saluk was awoken with a start when he felt the cold breeze of the night. He was not sure what time it is already but the moon is hanging in sky casting a dull light in his face. He figured it might just be around midnight. Still a long time before sunrise.
He stood up from the branch he was in and stretched his body. He did not feel sore or anything, he was just sleepy. He will just take a quick scan in the surrounding and make sure that there is no wild beast nearby to eat him and he will go back to sleep again.
Thinking about it, Saluk jumped and climbed to the highest branch and looked around.
"Is that a group of merchants?" Saluk whispered to himself. By the base of the bridge, a group of about 10 people are taking camp. Some are lying down and seemed to be asleep while a few are sitting or standing. They are obviously on the look out.
'No, something is not right. They are bandits' Saluk thought. He quickly noticed that the group by the bridge doesn't have any carriage or carts with them. They are no merchants. He also noticed that each of them has a weapon.
His suspicion was confirmed when the group suddenly stood up and gathered around the center. They all wore hoods to cover their faces and they all indeed carry a weapon.
"Huh? They disappeared?" Saluk was startled. The group by the bridge suddenly vanished from his sight. They were just there huddled together, then the next second they were gone.
'They must really be a group of bandits. Its a good thing that i stayed away from that bridge, or else they might have seen me. It must be their mode of travel, using some kind of vanishing magic as they go.' He thought and relaxed himself.
Being caught by a group of bandits could doom someone in all sorts of ways.
Sometimes they will just steal and loot someone clean and then kill him instantly. Those are the luckier ones. Some will be abused or tortured, be used for targer practice until death. There are also some that will be chained and tied then sold as a slave to a distant place. He had heard many stories about the cruelty of bandits, and they usually attack travelling convoys during the dead of the night. That is the reason why Saluk did not use the road. He only stay on eyes' reach for reference of his current location and for direction. His location from the bridge is close enough for him to scout, and far enough to make a quick escape if he encounter trouble.
Saluk jumped down to a lower branch of the tree and picked up the rest of his food that he cooked earlier, then climbed back up again. His sleepiness was long gone by what he just saw so he decided to just eat again.
-----
"Listen up! There is a demon on our left, i'm not sure how far but the magic eye detected it. That will make it around a kilometer away or less from us." Rengha said, his voice was low but made sure everyone heard him.
"That demon is a danger to humanity. It might even be here, lying in wait to assassinate the lady enchantress before she reach the village." He continued, looking at the faces of his comrades.
The warriors around him nodded grimly. They understood the threat. Enchanters and enchantresses are powerful. They can control a certain area or call upon elements that can turn the tides of battle. Yet being powerful does not equate to being invinsible. Enchanters and enchantresses need time to prepare or needs to conduct a certain ritual before engaging to battle. They are very effective in laying massive magical traps or casting fortifying magic depending on which their magic veins specialize. The lady enchantress of the Green is known for controlling massive number of trees for offense or defense but she needs time to prepare. It will be very ideal for the demons to ambush her while is travelling.
"That demon might have been following us for a while now, or maybe it's just here as sentry to the bridge. Whatever the case, we should try and eleminate it tonight." Rengha continued.
"If it's really alone, then we have a good chance."
"Yes, we can kill it."
"We are prepared."
Rengha could hear the murmurs of his comrades in front of him.
The Pintados, being the elite force has plenty of experience in demonic battles. Demons are about as strong as a regular Pintado without their evil magic weapons. If a demon wears its shinny armor, then most of the Pintados's weapons will be ineffective to it. Only magical attack can injure an armored demon but it will still be hard to land a fatal blow.
If a demon has its weapon, it can call fort thunder and fire. It can even instantly kill a seasoned Pintado on the spot. That's why being ambushed by a demon is the most dangerous thing that can happen to them. It is better for them to engage it first, atleast they have a good fighting chance.
"Okey, we will engage it. we will use invisibility pills and try to get close to it fast." Rengha said. He reached to the pouch hanging in his waist and pulled out some greyish pills.
"We will split into two groups, 4 will be on me, and the other 4 will follow Debal." He looked at his second in command.
Debal nodded to him.
"Whoever see the demon first will let the others know immediately. We will not be able to see each other while the invisibility pills are in effect so we will use sounding signals." Rengha continued.
"This will all hinge in one single, and simultaneous attack. We cannot afford any mistake or we might all die."
All the warriors in front of him nodded. They are truly professionals. Rengha distributed the invisibility pills around and on his signal, they swallowed it.
It took around 30 seconds for the pill to come into effect. They felt as if they were being burned as their magic veins absorb the essence of the invisibility pill throughout their body. Then at a pace seen by the eye, they bagan to fade. The effect of the invisibility pills covers the entire individual. An ingested invisibility pill will be fully absorbed by the person's magic vein. If the person extended his magic outward, the invisibility pill's effect can also cover everything that is attached to him. That includes his clothing, his armor and his weapon. As long as it's attached to the person, the effect of the invisibility pill will cover it.
Rengha watched as his comrades vanish before him one after the other. He whistles a note. After a second, heard a response. He nodded and then started jogging into the direction of the demon.
The duration of the invisibility pill that they took would last them around 20 minutes. It will only be dispelled before its duration time if they were to receive a direct hit by a physical or magical attack that could disrupt the flow of their magic vein. It will also be dispelled if they themselves cast any kind of magic as it too will disrupt the constant flow of their magic vein. All they are betting on is the one single attack that will hopefully kill the demon instantly or render it incapable of fighting back. That way, it wouldn't matter if their invisibility is dispelled.
'20 minutes is enough.' Rengha thought.
He swiftly combed around the general location of the demon. From time to time he will hear a whistle from his comrades meaning that they haven't found the demon yet. Time is running out. They have to locate the demon before their concealment is lifted.
Rengha was starting to get anxious when he heard a different 5-tone whistle. The demon has been located.
He quickly head to the area, exchanging whistles with his comrades.
A couple of minutes later, he was already standing about a dozen meters from a big tree. He looked up and saw the silhouette of the demon up in a branch, high from the ground. It seems to be feeding on something.
He whistled a tone, indicating that he arrived and has located the demon.
"Group leader, are you here?"
Rengha heard someone whispered a few steps to his side.
"Yes." He answered. "Is everyone here?" He asked.
He was answered by mutliple whistles. It means that everyone is in the area.
"Okey, that demon is a little high up and is covered by dense branches. Our accuracy will not be very good, so we will attack it with a wind type, wide range magic." Rengha said in a low voice.
"The demon is feeding on some beast right now so it might have lowered it defences at the moment. We might not be able to hit it directly but let's make sure that if falls down to the ground even if it means cutting that tree into logs. We will engage it with all our strenght until i order you to retreat and regroup.
Rengha paused, waiting if anyone would ask him anything. He received multiple 3-tone whistle. They understand.
"Okey, 5 seconds after this, lets all attack it at the same time." He said. He Picked up a rock, letting everyone see it, and drop it to the ground. indicating the start of the countdown.
5 seconds later, multiple spells were cast, breaking the silence of the night. The wind howled and screamed as the big tree in front of them were riddled with magical attack.
Broken branches and leaves flew in all direction. As the big tree was about to go down, they saw the silhouette jumped to the next tree away from them.
They saw the demon look at them in surprise, not expecting to be snuck upon. The Demon paused for a second on the top of the next tree before jumping again to the next. it was so nimble and fast.
Rengha and his group already lost their concealment. They could move freely now to their full extent. They chased the demon.
"It's trying to run away!"
"It's not fighting back! I think we have injured it."
"C'mon we can kill it. It's bleeding."
Rengha could feel the energy of his group soaring, as if they are already sure for a clean victory ahead. He can see the demon leaping away from them from tree to tree. It seems to be in the defensive.
'No, something is not right' Rengha suddenly stopped dead in his tracks.
An injured and wounded demon is the most dangerous. If the demon was attacked, it will surely try to attack back. The Demon in front of them is not fighting back and is only retreating away. Demons are usually clad with their shinny armor and always has their deadly weapon.
But the one in front them is different. It doesn't have its shinny armor on and the one that it's holding is a little longer than normal weapon the demons usually carry in battle.
'Something's wrong.' Rengha decided, and let out a loud, 2-tone high pitched whistle. Ordering his group to stop the chase.
He repeated the same command a few more times until all his group finally gathered around him again.
"Group commander, what's wrong? why did you order us to stop hunting that demon?" His second in command Debal asked.
Everyone in his group grunted in unison, wondering the same thing.
The demon was completely in the defensive.
Somehow they managed to injure the demon, making it incapable to fight back. Maybe they hit a certain part of its body, disabling its fighting capabilities. It will just be a matter of time before they corner and kill it.
That was the plan.
That was what they all agreed upon.
Rengha didn't answer right away and let his group settle in first.
He looked at the face of his group members one at a time, making sure he has their full attention.
"I think we are making a big mistake."
Rengha said in a low, clear voice.