It was one thing to be stalked by ferocious beasts. But it was a completely different thing to be stalked by something completely out of this world, a demon. And with the way things were going, every now and then, Rodney would somewhat wish he was put back in his former situation were he had to face the hundreds of beast than this thing in front of them now.
Not just because he was afraid of it. No, matter of fact, every thing around him was warning him to run. But in this situation, he doubted running would be the answer as part of him felt the moment he turned his gaze away from this demon, he was dead. And he didn't know if this was fear telling him this or just pure survival instincts. But either way, he was not in a hurry to die, not just yet.
"The system is telling us to abort the quest even when there are no beasts around again. What's going on?. How strong could this thing really be?" Rodney questioned internally and these questions of his were soon met with practical answers as the next minute, their eye balls almost fell out.
*Bang*
That was all they heard as they saw a half naked Mia whose clothes had mostly been torn off by her own wind soaring through the air into the far jungle. Not even the trees could break this her unintentionally flight. It had happened so fast it was almost unbelievable. Mia in this new state that she was flew head first at the demon but just at the last minute when she placed her hand out for an air flush, the demon had seemingly disappeared from the spot.
But that wasn't the weird part. The weird part was the fact that Mia still went on to fire the air flush and proceeded into the same direction. These actions made the legions questioned if the black substance from her eyes must have impaired her sight because they could clearly see that the demon had moved and was now standing just at her back where she had landed.
And then the next minute, it kicked her from the back sending her flying forward. But it didn't end there as she had seemingly stopped mid air and then was whacked away by an invisible force just at the demons initial position. And when she was sent flying past the legions in the air, they turned their heads back to look at the demon after watching where she had flown to and that's when they understood.
"It duplicated itself and turned one invisible?" Eiko questioned as he could see two demons momentarily as one had a hole in it's head and slowly began to turn into ashes.
*sigh* Rodney sighed..
"Gypson..?" Rodney wanted to say.
"No, that's not all" Gypson the voice in Rodney's head apparently knew what the latter was going to ask and this time didn't have this relaxed tone to his voice like he did from earlier ...." Your friend in this state is arguably stronger than you all combined. But that's a two tailed demon you are looking at. Its that strong" Gypson ended.
Apparently, Rodney was wondering if Mia had gotten weaker by transforming which was a deviation from the norm to him. From his years of watching anime and movies, when a figure morphs into another form or any kind of transformation occurred, what would usually take place next was that the figure would become "op" (overpowered ).
Now while this would have been absurd to relate such events with real life happenings, the things he had experienced so far here could only be connected to events that would take place in a movie and the likes. But now getting a clear confirmation that his thought process was quite on the right path, he didn't know how to feel about it.
"If this guy just made himself double and he just beat the pop out of Mia, what about those guys, whose side are they on?" Erwin thought to himself as he studied the movement of the two mixed beasts standing at the other end of the forest. And just like they were doing, these mixed beasts creatures were also staring at one figure alone, the demon.
"It would be quite quicker if you just surrender your mana to me" The demon spoke out with voice that echoed and had multiple tones to it. Now the legions even felt more threatened. But somehow one person amongst them was glad this had happened.
"So it can talk" Rodney thought to himself but got an unexpected answer as he never requested any.
"What do you mean. Demons are higher beings beyond anything you could conceive. You are looking at the finest of creations here and your one surprise is if he can talk!!!!" Gypson said as he wasn't having any of it.
This came as a surprise to Rodney who never thought the other would take it this personal. But clearly it had infuriated Gypson and he showed that through the actions that followed up.
"Can I negotiate with him?" Rodney asked this question internally. Seeing how the demon had only stayed back and not outrightly launched at them, well except for Mia who in her case, was the first one to go on the attack. Rodney thought perhaps there was a way out of this one that didn't involve fighting and felt maybe since he could talk, then chatting with a demon was ten folds better than getting beaten up and potentially killed by a demon to him.
"Sure, go negotiate with a demon.But be ready to offer your soul or at the least, one of your comrade's" Gypson replied rather harshly. Rodney at this point felt alone as he wasn't sure what next he would do. To him, fighting wasn't even in his list of to do in this situation. Not after seeing what the demon had done to Mia.
"What does it mean by our Mana though?" Rodney thought for a second and then it started coming to him. "He wants our life force!!!for what!!?" Rodney thought as he remembered what Yang had taught him concerning that subject. Now remembering the name, his thoughts strayed a bit.
"Damn, i wish you were here now. A demon might be just too much for you to handle but at least your presence, it would have sort of lifted this burden a bit off of me" Rodney thought as he wondered where Yang was. He had seemingly just disappeared like that. He then had the thought that perhaps Yang might have sensed the horde coming just like he did back then before Damien had arrived and then decided to leave. But knowing how the other had helped him and even stood with them to fight against the faction he had known all his life, he felt guilty to have had this thought in the first place.
"I hope you can return back to them one day and clear your name. I know how it feels to be far from the ones you've known all your life"...." What am I doing. There's a demon standing here threatening to eat our souls and I'm here having this thought?..... There would be no more going back to mum if I don't figure a way out of this". Rodney talked to himself internally.
"What do you want from us!!" Rodney said aloud to the demon with his voice stuttering slightly. He had made a mental note not to show fear, at least not to his faction members but he had the feeling the demon could see right through him. He didn't know if this was all those years of cartoons coming back to hunt him and make him have this crazy thoughts. But either way, he just couldn't help it.
"Your Mana!!" The demon replied still with the gruff multiple tones in one voice. And just like how Rodney was surprised the thing standing in front of him could talk, the rest of the faction members were just as shocked as well. Particularly Blair who felt "beasts" typically shouldn't be able to communicate.
"Listen Mr....err.. We honestly don't have this Mana thing you talk of, if we do, trust me when I say I'd be the first to hand it over to you. Please just let us go we..." Blair was going to say when Rodney ran over to him and placed his palm on Blair's mouth keeping him from talking.
"Just...let....me...do ...the...talk...ing" Rodney said with his teeth closed and lips moving slightly. But the deed had already been done. Blair's words got no reaction from his fellow legion members as to them, their comrade spoke nothing but the truth. But three other presence there excluding Rodney since it was obvious he knew the truth weren't particularly convinced by Blair's words and their reaction spoke volumes.
The first ones being the two mixed beasts creature standing at the far end. They had also heard what Blair had said and if the legions were looking at them at that moment, they would have caught the mixed beasts creatures looking at each other and shaking their heads as Blair was talking. Their reaction had no consequence attached but the other figure present had a different feeling all together about Blair's words.
"You fool!! How dare you tell such despicable lies to me!!?"..." . ...You have had your moment of grace, now I grow impatient.I will take what I have come for by..." The demon was going to finish when somebody else interrupted him.
"You ain't going to take nothing you big ugly abomination!!!" Erwin yelled at the demon and flying through the air was a lightning bolt.
"No!!!!" Rodney yelled out.