I fell to the ground due to the sudden proximity to me, as it raised it's claws with the intention to harm me, I then resulted to cast a little light spell to blind it. "holy art: blinding light!"
I casted the spell with the aim of blinding the beast, but before I knew it, it threw it's arm at me with a very strong force tied to it, as I was flung away towards a tree and had hit my back on it. I moaned out in pain, as I felt my head cover get removed in the process, but I had to pull myself up back and need to run away from this demon. I was about to rise Back to my feet, but suddenly I was met with the piercing glare of the beast, as it then pounced on me with the intent to finish me off... I closed my eyes and a tear was drew down my cheeks, as I was glad that it was my fate and not someone close to her that would have faced this gruesome end...
'i'm sorry zero... I'm sorry kami... I'm very sorry everyone... Please take care.' I then smile my brightest, as I was ready to receive my fate... But before I knew, I started to hear a fierce battle cry from the right side of the forest, and I was surprised to have seen who it was.
"GET YOUR HANDS OFF HER YOU MONSTER! AURORA DRIVE!!" he shouted out in rage and had delivered a very devastating kick to the side of the demon's face that threw it off the side, as it made impact on the side of a tree; shattering it in the process. I stared back to the mercenary standing tall and seriously, with a death glare directed towards the demon with steam radiating from his right arm and his fangs now visible to view, as his mana presence was constantly growing at very drastically way.
"k-kami..." I said in hope in a very low voice.
"Good thing I made it just in time... now I Will make sure you burn for what you did to her!"
-----------------
Dante's p.o.v
I dashed off towards the forest, trying to get to Mia as fast as possible. But by the time that I had reached there, I was stunned to have seen Mia lying on the ground defenceless, as a sudden picture of sister Trinity in the same position as her had flashed in my head, and then an overwhelming anger had started to overcome me. I started to pick up my speed and more steam had started to radiate off my right arm even more than before, as I then felt a sudden boost of mana in me by just me increasing my pace. A sudden glow of black aurora mana had start to cloth my very being, as I then launched myself straight towards the demon, making a small crater from where I stood, as it raised it's sharp claws ready to strike Mia.
"GET YOUR HANDS OFF HER, AURORA DRIVE!" i shouted out, casting the physical enhancing technique; which was more particular to speed at this case... But out of all of these, what that had surprised me was that I was still using even more mana without fainting and apparently the more I move or engage... The More mana I feel.
And like a speeding bullet, I had rammed the demon so hard that it had pushed it straight into a tree, which then broke upon impact. I then immediately stood so distance away in front of Mia with my back facing her and had stretched my arms wide out in a protective manner, until taking a fighting stance why glaring at the demon intensely and the steam from my arm had now started to overlap my facial features, as my eyes now had a sinister death glare to it, with the shinning red eyes that would break even the strongest of hearts.
"Good thing I made it just in time... now I Will make sure you burn for what you did to her!" I cursed the demon with so much malice in my tone. I started to feel the beast release a very large aura of blood lust that was even almost visible to the naked eyes, as a growl erupted from the tree; scaring all the crows and Ravens that were present in the forest. I remained focused towards the crash sight of the demon, as I was immediately launched at by the demon as I swiftly dodged by bending backwards with its claws almost piercing my nose.
"Shit! Aren't you fast!" I raged on against the demon, as I plunged my right foot into the ground; cracking the ground beneath me while pulling myself back up while facing the back of the demon; who was about to turn and slash my face but I instantly held it, with a very strong force by using my aurora drive.
"*Grunt* you aren't going to escape from me!" I shouted out, while slamming the demon hard to the ground with a mighty suplex that shattered the very ground, creating a crater that took form of a huge spider web. The demon started to screech in pain while still trying to get out of my disastrous bear hug, as The steam emitting from my right arm was increasing more and more as it was now starting to hurt me in the process.
'Damn it! The seal is already acting up! Aarrgh I have to end this quick, I will just have to absorb it for good!' I concluded while raising my right hand; but was still on the ground. I continued to use my left arm to hold the demon still and was about to absorb the demon finally to end it all... But then suddenly I started to hear a cry out from the field trail, only for this occurrence to buy sometime for the demon to escape my grip and head towards the sound of the cry.
"MIA! IM COMING TO SAFE Y-YOU... OH MY..." zero was too shocked to complete his words, as the demon was now in front of him at a very close proximity and in a matter of seconds. The demon was about to swing it's arm towards zero; seeing as he could not escape from this attack.
"Z-ZEROO!!!" I started to rush towards him with my arms already stretched out to push him away from the attack... But before I could even comprehend the whole situation very well... I was matter with a very horrifying glance of Mia in a defensive stance while trying to protect zero from the attack from the demon, which just made me even more agitated than ever.
"MIA! NOOOOO!!" I cried out with a very worried expression on my face. As I tried to make it to her and zero on time.... But at this rate, I'm afraid I couldn't do anything but watch.
"i-i won't let you harm him!" Mia shouted out in a defensive way, leaving zero in a very shocked state, as he started to shed tears that he couldn't do anything either.
"Big s-sis." Zero trailed off, as he saw that Mia was now on the ground with a very deep and open flesh wound around her back, as blood started to gush out and spilled on the ground and rubble... She lied there... Motionless.
"B-big s-sis... M-mia... No no no NOOOO!!!" zero roared out in a very monstrous tone while his one horn had started to extent little by little, as he continued to knee beside Mia. The roar was so mighty that just the shockwave created was able to clear a very large part of the forest and had resulted to throw away the demon far far away at a distance.
I held myself while trying to reach towards zero, who suddenly stood up and about to head over to where the demon was flung to; but I held his right hand by force and pulled him down, telling him not to engage.
"let..me..go... mercenary...or...else..." zero asked in a blood thirsty way, and was radiating a very serious amount of blood lust. And as this had continued, the clearer I saw the demon that resides in him, but I refused to let go, making him even more angry to the point of trying to attack me... But then the tattoo on my arm had started to retract from my middle finger, now revealing the now shinning coloured ring; as a crack then suddenly appeared on the ring... Resulting in a very cataclysmic emission of bloodlust and mana that immediately silence zero and had pressed the whole environment around them with the pressure of mana from the ring. After the tumour and dust had clear, the ground where we stay was still intact, while the other part was destroyed and compressed into a very deep hole. Zero was left stunned by this and was speechless as he started to cry and sob while holding onto Mia's arm.
"we need to take her back to the orphanage right now and treat her." I mentioned to zero, as I carried Mia in a bridal style and we all had started to head back to the orphanage. I continued to ignore the agonizing pain in my arm and exposed middle finger ring that still continued to release very high level of mana.
We continued to make our way towards the orphanage as it was already evening and upon arrival, we saw almost all the children outside playing and having fun... Until it all changed after they saw us carry Mia's injured body through the gate and headed into the orphanage as they all had a grim expression on their faces, as some had started to ask us some questions, while some followed and some cried.
When we had reached her room, I placed her on her side so as not to have her rest on her injured back, as I got into a mediating stance and had started to check her mana presence for any clue on what was going on.
'damn it... her mana presence is significantly depleting more and more... Like as if when it wants to replenish... It just goes away, and if this keeps on going... I'm afraid then I won't be able to do anything.'
"...kami... Will she be okay..." zero asked me with worry in his tone and very watery eyes. I Turned my gaze towards him with a solemn look on my face, while still holding her hand gently.
"She's fine... In fact her wounds have even healed miraculously... Tho her mana presence... Is decreasing gradually and I don't know how that is even possible." I responded to zero in a very confused manner, as he walked towards the door with his hands on the handle. But before he could open the door and walk out, there was a slight movement from Mia as she opened her eyes in a weak way and smiled a little bit.
"k-kami...z-zero... I'm glad you're both safe..." Mia said with a very weak tone in her voice, but this made me and zero to direct our attention towards her in a flash. Zero made his way towards her bed and went on his knees as he started to weep and sob non stop, while I was still observing her mana presence as I could feel it rise again... So fast. "don't cry zero... I will be fine, I'm just a little bit tired okay..."
"n-no big s-sis Mia... I-if I hadn't come... Then Y-YOU won't have risked your l-life for me... I THOUGHT YOU HAD DIED SISTER...
"zero... Even though I was asked to do it again if it means that you would be safe... then I won't have second thoughts... I will still rush out to protect you even though I won't make it...
"unless..." I glared towards the already healed back of Mia, as I started to observe her mana presence... But now I only focused only on that area in particular... And that was when I saw it... There was a very strange worm like creature at her back that was latched onto her back and was draining her mana little by little. "of course... So that is why it was monitoring."
"Huh... What do you mean." Zero stared at me with a confused but sad look on his face, as he now stood up and approached me.
"That demon... Was targeting us but majorly her... Because of how her mana always replenishes fast, in other words it was looking for a host to feed on continuously... Like a parasite and in this case it seems to be able to feed of on her mana without being close to her... So that means that the injury it inflicts on it's prey is just a way to feed on it, even at a very last distant." I tried to reach for the parasite but my hands just faze through it. "as I thought, I can't remove it from her back... So that means that for this to stop... We need to kill it from the source, unless it will continue until there is nothing left..."
I concluded on what to do, as I saw the shocked, horror and angry look on his face, as he bit on his lips so hard that it had started to bleed out. I made my way towards the door, but stopped when I had opened it. "i will seek out for the demon by night fall... I need to gather up all my strength to pursue it, cause I have a really bad feeling about this... Zero you stay with Mia and protect her and the orphanage... And don't you dare go a after that demon, I will handle it from here."
And after what was said, I walked out of the room and headed towards mine; as i gathered all my gears and placed them on the table. I sat on the ground in a meditative Stance and stared at my right hand, but the middle finger to be more exact... As I started at it in confusion and amazement. 'how can this be possible... Seal retracted from the middle ring... Just what in the cosmos did death give me."
"i will worry about that later... I have no time to waste... I have to kill that bastard."
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Zero's p.o.v
I started at kami in rage and confusion, why does he always feel that everything is his responsibility... How can you tell me to stay here while that thing in the forest keeps on feeding off on big sis Mia... I stared down at big sis Mia's face and just kept a solemn look on my face, as I remembered what she said when she was still conscious.
Sudden flashback
"I'M JUST A CORRUPTED SOUL MEANT FOR EXECUTION, I FIGHT EVERYDAY WITH THIS BURDEN OF HATE AND BLOODLUST... BUT I DON'T SUCCEED MIA!! I WAS MEANT TO BURN IN HELL!"
"zero... Even though I was asked to do it again if it means that you would be safe... then I won't have second thoughts... I will still rush out to protect you even though I won't make it...
.....
End of flashback
I shed my very last tear from my right eye and then left her hand and glare out the window, towards the forest with a killing intent to it.
"don't worry sister... I will make that demon pay for what he did to you... And I will find him, even if i have to tear down the whole forest." I started to make my way towards the door and eventually had closed the door, leaving the room and now heading towards the forest, with one goal in my mind... And that is to kill that... Demon.
Third person's p.o.v
4 hours later
Mia woke up to see that nobody was in the room with her, and noticed that one of the orphans was staring at her through the slightly opened door.
"miko... Why are you staring from behind the door... Is something wrong." Mia asked Miko in a weak voice, as Miko had a worried look on his face.
"...Miko...."
"... it's zero, sister mia... He went out of the orphanage with a very angry look on his face... but this time, his... Horn was... Bigger and looked more scarier..."
"....z-zero... oh no, I have... To go help... Him, oh lord give me strength...." Mia whispered out, soon coming off her bed and had started to weakly follow zero... Out of her room and into the forest.