Takal forced the floating blade into the top of its spine instantly paralyzing it. It stopped laughing mid chuckle and sagged to the ground.
Picking up his sword he looked around knowing the danger was far from gone. Half a dozen flying demons were closing the distance of the large field with impressive speed. The girl stood helpless as she struggled to pull off the tails binding her arms and neck.
He ran to close the gap between them while pulling another knife from his belt. He threw it at an oncoming demon just yards away. The knife struck the center of its chest and the demon dropped from the air and skidded to a stop between them.
With the practiced speed and precision of the experienced warrior he was, he sliced the next from chest to groin before it could land. A second later he was leaping on the outstretched wing of a third as it touched the ground. He heard the loud snap of bone beneath his boot as he slipped his sword between the back of its ribs to the heart, just grazing the spine.
Still moving he spun around the other side the other leathery wing tearing beneath his feet. He used his momentum to bring his sword through the long neck of a forth from behind. There was resistance as he hit the vertebra but it cut clean through, the head rolling when it hit the grass. He couldn't help but think, that's going to leave one hell of a nick in my sword.
"Look out!" Nieka shouted at him.
He ducked and spun around just as two more demons swooped in from behind him. As the first landed he rolled under a still raised wing and then pivoted to run the demon through its back with his sword. Quickly pulling out his sword he swung it in an arch at the second demon's neck as it lunged for him jaws open wide, so close he could smell its foul breath.
When he looked behind him he was shocked and confused to see Nieka on top of one of the demons he already downed. The thing jolted awake and grabbed her, having been only stunned not dead. The knife had hit a lung so it was a fatal wound but with the knife still in its chest, it would take a lot longer for it to drown in its own blood.
He cursed himself for his incompetence; it was his job to kill them and to keep the people safe. One mistake can often cost a life in battle. This one had cost hers and to his bitter surprise, it hurt just as much as it always had loosing someone in battle.
Blood soaked the cloth under the demon's claws as it dug into her back. She didn't scream. Instead she gave the blade in its chest a hard twist and ripped it out. Blood spurted out of the now gaping hole.
Takal watched her push her way free of the arms that had once again gone limp as the demon convulsed and chocked beneath her.
She proceeded to scan the area with the bloody blade in her hand at the ready. He stood in shocked aww of the blood-smeared girl in front of him.
Movement in his peripheral snapped his focus back to the ongoing battle. At the same moment, one of the winged demons crashed into Nieka and knocked her to the ground. Panic flooded him as he fought through two more monsters to get to her. For her to die after all that just wouldn't be right.
He pulled his good knife from his boot wishing he had thought to grab his spear from Shadow's saddle but there had been no time and he hadn't expected so many. In fact, he had never seen so many at once and it baffled him as much as it scared him.
After he cut off an arm and wing they backed away and circled him cautiously. The first whipped his tails at him but he blocked one with the point of his knife the other slamming into his stomach. Knocking the wind out of him and cracking a rib but he stood his ground, back foot furrowing the dirt.
With the other tail still pierced on his knife, he swung his arm out, effectively pulling the demon into range. He swung his khopesh, beheading the thing, and kicked the body into the second demon. The one-armed demon faltered and staggered back fumbling with his kin. Takal rushed it and thrust his Khopesh in the demon's stomach angling it up; the wide blade leaving a gaping wound when he ripped it out.
With those demons taken care of and his life not in immediate danger, he searched the corps littered field for Nieka. A demon lay over her; just her leg was sticking out from under it. Its shoulders still moved and he started over to finish it off. Then it rolled off her. A knife was embedded in its throat. She looked at him, eyes wide with panic; the face covered in blood, and pointed to his right breathing and exasperated "More!"
He felt her horror but pushed it aside. Heeding her advice he turned around to see roughly ten of the wingless demons charging them on all fours their single tails whipping around wildly behind them. Torn was charging at them sword drawn from atop his horse killing and wounding as he cut through their line of attack; effectively slowing down the second half of the group. Even Shadow was stomping a straggler about fifty yards away.
He pulled three more of his throwing knives out from his belt knowing from years of practice, that at the rate the demons were all coming in range at once, he would only have time to throw a few. All three left his hand in rapid succession and each struck its target. One tumbled past him and another slid to a stop at his feet.
But as he watched the third hybrid pulled the blade out of its grey chest and began to heal before his eyes. A mixture of dread and disgust filled him while he watched as his mind habitually ran over possible ways to take out his opponent.