I coughed and gagged as I was trying to breathe some air. My neck is in pain, and I can barely stay conscious.
"You…" He glared at me. "How dare a puny human like you get protection from the Gods?"
Protection from the Gods? What is this bastard saying after almost snapping my neck? Is it because my soul isn't originally from here? He called this body a vessel, so he must have felt that I was not the original owner of this body.
He nearly took away my soul, and maybe because of my desperation to survive, I could release myself from his grasp, but I don't know where that light came from.
I frowned at him and uttered, "I don't know what you're talking about, you piece of sh*t. Go back to the depths of hell where you belong!"
He cackled and moved his face closer. "Should I rip that useless mouth of yours first? Why don't you give us the gate, and maybe I'll spare your piffling lives?"
What a joke! Does he think of me as a brainless person? No one would believe his conspicuous lie!
"Are your eyes only for decoration? Can't you see that the gate has already been shattered? You're just wasting your time coming here!"
He tightly gripped my cheeks and pointed his sharp nails closer to my eyes.
"What I want isn't that useless gate you puny humans created. Instead, I'm after that stone, which generates that very gate. Well, there's no point explaining when you'll all die by my hands."
"I want to hear you beg for mercy as I slowly gouge your eyeballs and feed your corpse to my beasts. Then, I'll tell your loved ones how delicious your soul was," he said thrillingly.
"Oh, just thinking about their devastated faces brings me joy!"
I can't open my mouth or move my body. I'm already panting heavily like my energy is drained every time he touches me. While battling with my consciousness, I felt a familiar presence coming this way.
I spat on his face and sneered, "Dead man tell no tales, sadistic bastard."
Afterward, the demon was blown away after the Commander struck him with his sword aura.
"It seems like my kids can't handle this big guy." The Commander doused himself and his sword with holy water and threw the bottle away.
"Lady Adel, I'll take it from here. Help the others and go inside." He took off the gauze from his face.
"But, Commander!"
"I was too complacent about our situation before the first wave happened. I should've expected this and asked for reinforcements right away. I apologize for dragging you into this."
He smiled and reassured, "Don't fret, Lady Adel. Just like in every battle—" He slowly approached the wounded demon. "—I only intend to win."
"You worthless mortals! How dare you injure a high-ranking demon! This is impossible! Why?! WHY?! By the likes of you!"
The Commander was able to cut the demon's arm, and it looked like it wouldn't regenerate right away. Even for a high-ranking demon like him, holy water will still be their weakness.
"If I'm worthless, then does that mean you're worthless than me? After all, I could cut off your arm," the Commander said provocatively.
What is the Commander thinking? Is he trying to provoke the demon to gain his attention? Wait, I shouldn't be dawdling like this.
I ran to Leon, who had passed out from the blast.
"Come on, Sir Leon. Get up. We need to help the other knights, especially Renatus and Faust," I pleaded.
He nodded, and I helped him stand properly. "Can you walk?"
"Yes." He turned his gaze to the Commander, who was battling the demon. "I passed out for a second. Why is the Commander here? He's not in good shape to be battling with a demon!"
"We have no choice, Sir Leon. The only one who can properly exchange blows with that demon is the Commander, and you know that. Renatus and Faust didn't stand a chance against him or anyone else from this fortress."
"We just need to trust him until the Holy Knights arrive."
I saw him grit his teeth and clench his fist. I understand his frustration about being unable to help, but this is the only thing we can do for now. We hurriedly brought Renatus and Faust inside, where Averon was tending to the wounded.
"Averon!" I shouted his name, and he looked in our direction.
"What happened outside?" Averon was shocked to see Renatus and Faust.
"I'll explain to you later. But first, they need your healing abilities. Please, Averon," I pleaded.
"I'll do whatever is possible. But who's fighting that demon now?"
Leon answered, "The Commander. He ordered everyone to enter as their battle might affect the surroundings extensively."
I bit my lip. "Is there any way for us to help him?"
I paced back and forth. Come on, Chesah! Think! We can't just stay here and wait for the results of their battle! There's no guarantee that the Commander will triumph, even if they are on par regarding skills and strength.
The Commander must be exhausted, especially from the previous monster waves. Based on Leon's explanation before, when a knight covers their sword with aura, it takes a tremendous toll on one's body, mainly if they use it consecutively since aura comes from a person's physical strength and abilities.
"I... can't even use sword auras like Renatus and Faust. I only know how to handle documents and reports. What could I possibly do?" Leon fussed.
Suddenly, an idea came to mind.
"Sir Leon, can you use a bow?"
He nodded. "Yes. I'm more proficient in using it than a sword."
I grabbed his hand and said, "Follow me to the armory."
"What are you planning to do, Lady Adel? Don't tell me you'll foolishly fight that demon out there!"
I didn't respond to his question and continued rummaging through different bows. I need a sturdy bow and arrow to penetrate that demon's skin! When he touched my face, I felt something covering his entire body.
"Lady Adel!"
"What?!" I sighed. "I know I said that we should put our trust in the Commander, but we shouldn't let down our guard yet. We're not certain that things will end well with them."
"Then what are you suggesting we do? Let's think about this logically."
I took a deep breath. "But time is of the essence, Sir Leon. We must think of something to assure the Commander's victory."
He gently grabbed my shoulders. "I understand. I know you're anxious and agitated, but I need you to calm down first, okay?"
I nodded, calming my tensed body.
"You asked me if I could use a bow. Did you ask me because you wanted me to support the Commander from afar?"
I grabbed a well-built bow and gave it to Leon. "I know that the Commander will surely understand our plan, and he will keep the demon's attention on him."
He squeezed the bow and asked, "What about the demonic beasts?"
"Let's see the situation outside, and then we can decide what to do."
We went outside and noticed some of the knights clamoring from the side.
"What's the situation?" Leon asked one of the knights.
He saluted before responding. "Both the Commander and the demon were exhausted and are still fighting now."
"We tried to help the Commander by handling the ballistae, but we just couldn't find the timing to interrupt."
We ran atop the fortress and watched as the battle continued. The exhaustion and fatigue they both felt show on their faces, but the eagerness still lingers.
The Commander is barely holding his sword, and the demon is also in the same state as he is.
"The demonic beasts are gone?" I wondered.
"They suddenly disappeared after the Commander wounded the demon. It seemed like it affected the demon greatly as he couldn't fight back."
Of course, he wasn't able to fight back. The Commander's sword is covered with holy water, and his sword aura is also quite destructive. Maybe this demon isn't as high-ranking as he claimed to be.
The demon growled, "How... dare... a mere mortal... hold so much power."
The Commander smirked. "And this mortal... will finish you in a few more strikes."
Leon tapped my shoulder. "I know how we can help the Commander."
He ran down the stairs and gathered all the knights in good shape for fighting.
"Attention, Augustine Knights!"
They saluted and shouted, "Yes, sir!"
"The demon has already been exhausted, and now it's time for us to strike again. We don't have to worry about the reappearance of the demonic beasts as we only have to focus on eliminating the demon."
"Gather all weapons and station yourselves!"
They opened the entrance to the fortress and positioned themselves outside while Leon returned to me.
"Commander! Battle formation number two!" Leon shouted at the top of his lungs for the Commander to hear clearly.
"It's about time, Leon!" The Commander swung his sword upward.
He struck the demon with his destructive and beautiful sword aura. Luckily, the demon couldn't avoid it because he was debilitated.
"Commence the battle formation! Surround the enemy!"
The Commander retreated, and the knights surrounded the demon with shields and spears. They cautiously approached the demon, and the circle gradually shrank. If they maintain their circular formation while coming, their spears will eventually reach the demon, and he won't be able to escape.
I ran to the Commander and helped him stay conscious.
"Everything's going to be fine, Commander. Take deep breaths," I reassured him.
The sun is setting, and I can already see the end of our struggles.
"Foolish humans! Do you all think this will be enough to corner me?!"
"Wait, he's going to escape midair!" I panicked.
Before the demon could escape, Leon shot an arrow right into his heart, along with the spears of the knights. After that, the demon went silent, as the sky was no longer ablaze with the fire of the setting sun.
We were all panting heavily as our weariness started to take charge of our bodies. The knights withdrew their spears, and the demon's body slumped onto the cold, hard ground.
"Is it over?"
The demon's body was no longer responding. So, the knights were full of exhilaration and cheers, and I chuckled in relief. Finally, it's over.
They continued with their 'hoorays' and 'whoopees' as they returned to the fortress.
"Is it all right for us to leave the body there?"
The Commander shrugged. "I don't even want to think about that bastard's face. The Holy Knights will take care of him once they arrive."
At the moment when we almost stepped inside the fortress, I heard ear-splitting snapping sounds behind us. As I was too frightened to turn around, I distinctly heard its eerie breathing.
"Don't you know? Demons recover eighty percent of their strength from the underworld at night."
His voice echoed through my ears as I turned around to face him. His wounds from the arrow and spear have entirely healed, and he has an entirely different aura. His horns and body grew bigger, so he looked more threatening and deadly than before.
He grinned from ear to ear and licked his lips with his long tongue.
"Now, where were we?"