Arriving on the battlefield, the demonic creatures intensified the battle. A thousand of them definitely wasn't a number to be taken lightly, prompting the still inactive demon group - consisting of about a hundred people - to attack the humans' squadron from behind.
''Jean!'' François shouted, "Take enough troops with you and destroy them!''
The group split in two, the bigger part commanded by François and mainly composed of demons continued fighting against the 250-300 still standing demons while Jean led the rest: about 30 people with Cleppe's, Nirl's, and Balbigny's inhabitants but no demons.
They had one and only order: "kill as much as you can! We need to reach the 250-person mark!" all the leaders ordered.
Thus, the death toll rose unprecedentedly. In less than a minute, 200 humanoid lives were reaped. The human squadron was now only composed of 70 people, half of them enslaved demons - the strongest still remaining.
''Attention!''
But in that short minute, the demonic creatures arrived!
Rushing in, they definitely separated the two groups into two distinct battlefields, to whom the humanoid species only had one answer: to kill each other even faster.
Those who still remained and still have the energy to think were now frightfully wondering:
'Maybe, in the end, there won't be any door?' If so, were they fighting each other just to die faster?
But whatever their inner reasonings were, there was no turning back at this point nor was there nothing else they could do if not discarding such thoughts.
They definitely couldn't take down more than 1000 demonic creatures, especially considering their condition. Moreover, the demonic creatures' numbers were only growing, with dozens of new specimens appearing far behind.
The battle was bloody, tainted with more shrewdness and slyness than blood making it only more inhuman. In the end, however, salvation did come as the door opened, as if rewarding the 60 or so people remaining in Jean's squadron of their means to live.
Still, these didn't seem enough.
If the doors did open, they were however surrounded by a hundred demonic creatures who, if they weren't immobile and bound to the doors, would still attack them on their way out.
The situation was desperate.
As they opened, the humanoid species rush towards them with all their strength, sweeping away any demonic creatures in their path.
Or rather, they would have liked to be able to do so.
Reality was much scarier and many demons took the brunt of it.
The human squadron was no exception, and all of those in Jean's group, closest to the door, rushed towards it.
Except for him.
In the middle of the race, he stopped, to the surprise of everyone behind him.
''Je-""
Alain called him but the ends of his words get stuck in his mouth as if he was frozen in place.
'Pre-awakening 'Amplified thoughts.'
He had to make a choice.
In truth, the only reason he stopped was to preserve his concentration.
By staying still, he could easily spend a good hour thinking without it backfiring him.
Plus, it would allow him to turn around and help the others if he chose to do so.
Yes, that was the nature of his questioning: should he take the chance and save the others? For that, he preferred not to trust his instincts which decidedly would have left him only one way: to abandon them as this was the safest way.
What should I do?' Any choice goes through emotions, and he knew it very well. The regrets they would have would be emotions too, and to make a logical choice, he had to understand his emotions from within.
That's why he remembered all the moments spent with François and the others. Despite his appearance, Cleppe didn't force his soldiers to be powerful, but rather to be cohesive and work as a team, which is why he had so many memories with them.
From training to heartbreak, from humor to drinking, they weren't just mercenaries who were bound together by weak ties.
At the same time, each of them considered Cleppe important. For Cleppe, for their homeland, it would be beyond any mercenary's will.
Remembering not only these lives but also Cleppe, he couldn't find an answer. As much as he wanted to save them, Cleppe was like an anchor that forced him to stay tied and not use that power.
As for the other one, he was already imagining himself seeing all the people around him dead if he executed it. He still remembered that feeling. No matter what Cleppe said, demons would always be demonic to him.
Thinking about it for minutes, he finally had an epiphany.
'That's right...' remembering that anchor, he finally understood his hesitation and it disappeared.
It wasn't a matter of submission to the contract, nor was it a sense of responsibility supported since birth by his family, it was his deepest emotions that no being could change.
'Withdraw! We have to get out of here alive!''
Deactivating his pre-awakening, he rushed towards the exit, leaving the group behind them with no hope of salvation.
''So this is how it ends, huh? haha'' François spoke in half despair, falling to his knees, his body no longer able to withstand his injuries. Everyone seemed to have lost the will to fight, whether they were humans or demons. The only exception seemed to be the 4 of the 5 guards that François had personally instructed, still having the flames that had disappeared from his eyes.