Kingdom of Loradel, Owlen Forest, Present day.
Xeto took wide steps, careful to avoid large stones, and fallen branches.
Rebecca sighed. "Commander, you're walking ahead again," she reminded him for the third time.
Xeto stopped in place and turned back to her. "Sorry"—
"It's fine, I understand you're worried." She put a hand on his shoulder. "But they'll be fine. They have the best members of the Demon-Hunt after all." She smiled.
He allowed her positivity to wash away his current doubts. In his mind he came face-to-face with Luna, his previous scout. He had grown close to her in the time she was under his command, she was enthusiastic and followed orders without question. A lot like Rebecca, a good soldier. Was a good soldier…until she was put under his command and she—
"Hear that?" said Rebecca as her eyes locked with his.
Xeto left Luna behind as he broke away from his thoughts. "Yes. It's the Owlen River. Were close." Xeto pointed at his tree. A large mass of oak that was covered in carvings that he inflicted years prior. It was like taking a step through time; seeing the tree exactly where had spent much of his youth.
The sound of water was just ahead of them.
Rebecca jumped past him and down a slope. Her head arched up as she stood in the shadow of the Bastille Bridge, mouth agape.
Xeto patted her shoulder. "That's the Bastille Bridge. Roy told me it was built before Elven War. Not long after though it was used to transport supplies from Zuland and Loradel."
"It's stunning. Though…" Her shoulders slumped. "It's sad to think something so well-crafted was left abandoned here to endure the elements."
She was right. The structure was a fortified bridge tower. Two sister towers reached high above the tree line. Under the towers were gated archways. Moss filled every web of cracks that covered the stone bricks. Large holes on the higher parts of the stone were filled with branches. The trees' brushwood snaked around the entirety of the tower, threatening to take back its domain.
Rebecca pointed at the gate. "How do you suppose we're going to get passed that."
The steel gate was coated with a layer of rust.
Xeto took a step forward, pulled his heel back before slamming a hard kick at the center of the gate. The steel rattled as vibrations traveled up his thigh and only served to make his leg sore.
"Hehe." Rebecca chuckled before covering her smile with a balled fist. "Kick it harder," she mocked.
"As I thought. These were built to keep people out. Even with years of being at the mercy of nature, it still holds."
"Look there," said Rebecca, as she extended her arm.
Xeto followed her gaze to see a small opening above the gate. Though large pointed tips of the steel threatened to impale anyone who tried to climb it.
"I know what you're thinking." She pouted. "I'm nimble enough to jump past those ends, granted you help me through the gap."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Oh foofi," she rolled her eyes. She strolled passed him and positioned herself a good distance away.
Xeto let out a sardonic Ha before lining up between her and the gate. "You're heavier than you look." He knelt down and locked his fingers, to resemble a trebuchet.
Her boots clattered against the paved ground as she ran full sprint. Seconds before reaching him she stepped into his locked hands.
Her sudden weight made his muscles clamp but for a second. He let out a loud grunt he catapulted her towards the gate.
As she ascended towards the gap, she caught grip of one of the ends and threw her legs over the gate. Shortly after she landed and rolled to suction her fall. She hopped to her feet. "And that…is how it is done." She twisted around and gave a bow. "Oh, and Commander…" she pushed up to the gate with a smile. "You shouldn't ever call a girl heavy."
Between parted lips, Xeto nodded. "Now, would you like to let me across?"
Rebecca wore triumphant grin as she slid the aged deadbolt aside and unlocked the passage. "I think you should…
Her voice faded as he stepped back into the sunlight and watched a memory reform itself. The scene in front of him came with an overwhelming sense of familiarity. He saw Roy with a fishpole standing at the center of the bridge. Remember, it's not a sword. Don't swing from your arm, rather your forearm.
Rebecca leaned over and looked into the river. "Anyhow, we should keep moving before it gets dark."
Xeto blinked rapidly. Roy looked back at him before dispersing like smoke. "You're right," he said, as he shook the thought away.
They were one foot off the bridge when Rebecca suddenly ducked, eyes jolting from tree to tree.
Xeto knew what this meant. He quickly got down on one knee. "What is it?" he asked in a hushed tone.
"Nothing," she whispered. "Nothing…no birds, no cicadas…silent."
The forest was dead.
Dammit! How hadn't he noticed? He had been too anxious about reaching Hansel in time? Regardless. He had to focus. Dead silence meant one thing. Demons.
Rebecca brought her finger to her lips before pointing outwards.
Xeto shut eyes. The only sound that came was the wind in his ears and the thumping of his heart.
Rebecca hunched down and beckoned him to keep a distance.
Together they drew closer to a growing sound in the distance He shadowed her footsteps, staying close to the trees and watching every step to avoid fallen branches and twigs.
She halted and raised a fist.
He stopped, making sure he kept his distance, his armor would only make too much noise.
Without turning she brought two fingers to her head: demon spotted. It seemed like the area in front of her led downhill. She waved her fingers behind her head: rotate around.
As he did, he recognized the sound was cries of an injured animal. And with every step it grew louder. He froze at sight of the scene, his breath caught in his throat.
At the forest floor was a deer with a gaping bloodied hole. Hunched over it was a black mass of muscle and barbs. A demon. The creature was on all fours, its body was made of exposed muscle and with large sharpened bones protruding down its spine. Other sections of its body had amor plates serving as armor. Lastly, it had no eyes, just a bare snout with two sharpened horns and exposed teeth. The deer spasmed and let out another fleeting cry as the creature ripped another strip of flesh out, the blood leaked into a nearby tributary.
Xeto swallowed to no resolve, his throat was as dry as sand. This thing, was one of the most feared demons in the bestiary; a D'vaolis. He'd only encountered two prior to this and only succeeded in killing them with help of other Demon-Hunt knights. Aside from that, this one was much larger than those, it was easily the size of a horse.
Rebecca was laying spread across the grass. Her rifle now at the ready on its bipod, awaiting his signal.
She was lined up right at its backside.
Xeto recalled the durability of the d'vaolis' skin, it may have visually appeared like exposed flesh but it was a tough as the hardest leather available in the kingdom. There were spots that were naturally frailer than the rest. Such spots would be the underside of its jaw and the neck. If a d'vaolis managed to get so close to Hansel then the situation was worse than he had imagined. No matter, he was the best in Lunodio for a reason. All he had to do was leave an opening for Rebecca to place a bullet in its skull. Let's begin. He whistled.
The demon twisted back, its eyeless gaze locked on its new target. Not a second passed before it opened its ravenous mouth with a growl, blood trickling down its teeth. It dashed at full speed with its snake-like tongue flicking lick an earthworm.
Xeto was now on his feet, sword drawn, though unlike before its weight was welcomed. That's right, come right at me. His thoughts served to stoke his morale as the beast was nearly on him.
The d'vaolis swung its oversized claw.
Xeto ducked under and ran his sword across its abdomen.
Unable to stop its sprint the demon leapt far over him. It landed firmly, ripping the roots from the soil beneath it. A second and it crouched for another pounce.
Xeto gripped his sword tightly as a sense of success came over him, brought forth by the new drops of crimson that decorated the forest floor. He had injured it. Had he relied on his own strength to break the skin it would have been fruitless, like trying to break a stone with one's bare hands. But fortunately, he wouldn't have to. As long as he dodged correctly and used the demon's own momentum, he could carve it until it tired, that's when Rebecca could finish it off. He watched his plan unravel like a play in his mind.
Like an aspiring performer, the d'vaolis played its part to perfection as it pounced and shot its claw in an upward slash.
Predicted. Xeto backstepped, a small sting at the left side of his cheek signaled he was a second too slow, warm blood ran down his neck. Dammit. The scent of his wound would provoke the demon, making it harder to predict. He readied his sword and awaited another opening.
As foreseen, the demon moved quicker, another pounce in a downward dive.
Xeto moved aside, and slashed the beast under its arm. He had felt something scrape against his armor and blessed the fact that his armor had shieled him from its claws.
The d'vaolis growled as his shook its head in agitation. It aimed its horns towards him like a bull as it kicked dirt into the air.
Xeto backed away and until he felt the rough bark of a tree at his flank. This wasn't part of his initial play, but it would bring a just as satisfactory ending. He exhaled, sweat on his palm beneath his gloves, blood trickling down his cheek. Come on.
The demon burst into a full sprint with its horns pointed forward.
Got you! Xeto sidestepped.
A second later the d'vaolis impaled the thick trunk. The force caused a rainfall of leaves to flutter down as the demon struggled to pull free.
"You're done," he said confidently as he brought down his sword like a headman's axe. He encased the blade in dark aura to assure the beheading. Violet ripples of thunder-like energy bounced off the sword as it ran through the demon's thick neck like a knife through butter.
It was done. The demon's head remained nailed to the tree as its body fell on its side, a river of blood escaped from the still-twitching neck muscles and veins.
Xeto felt the weight of fear leave his body, it was almost soothing. He had dispatched of a D'vaolis, a nightmare turned yarn within a matter of minutes. He turned to find Rebecca with a smile.
"Well done, Commander."
Xeto shook off some of the remaining blood from his blade. "I'm surprised myself."
Rebecca's admiration quickly turned fear as she aimed her rifle passed him. "Behind you!"
Xeto's throat tightened as he was forced to the ground to a sudden mass on top of him. "What in—" He struggled to breath as the headless d'vaolis pressed its claw against his chest. Breathing became almost an impossibility as a shower of crimson leaked from the open throat and onto his face, overwhelming his senses with the stench of rust and iron.
Three consecutive shots thundered aloud as the d'vaolis' body jerked from the bullets impact.
Xeto took the opening to drive his sword into the headless corpse's ribs and push it off. He gasped as he turned over to his side and quickly crawled back. His chest ached from how hard his heart pumped.
"Commander!?" Rebecca quickly closed in with her rifle still trained on the body.
"I'm fine," he lied as he tried to calm his breathing. "I cleaved its head cleanly off." He hid his shaking hand. "Nevermind it."
Rebecca eyes danced on the body, her mouth agape. "What is happening out here?" she muttered.
Xeto strained to get to his feet. The flesh of the twice-killed d'vaolis squelched as Xeto pulled his sword free. He wished he had an answer for her, at the very least something to ease her. Or was it his own mind that needed easing? He cursed the unknown as his original goal took priority once more. "We need to keep moving." He gulped. "We need to get to Hansel."
"Aye, sir. But…" Rebecca looked up at the gathering clouds above the canopy. "…we should find a better place to hold off, there's a storm coming."
Xeto wiped the little blood that remained. "We'll hold at the bridge and move again at dawn."
"By your orders, sir."