The tendrils began to whirl rapidly, closing in on Venidith, who skillfully evaded their onslaught. In a dramatic twist, the tendrils wreaked havoc on the tree that had provided her cover. Its trunk splintered and its branches tumbled down in a chaotic symphony.
With a poised gesture, Venidith mimicked the stance of someone holding two guns, her forefingers emanating a vivid purple radiance. She unleashed the luminous energy towards the demon, streaks of purple light trailing behind. In a swift maneuver, the demon utilized its threads to evade the assault just in the nick of time.
The colossal spider responded by spewing webs towards Venidith, who adeptly sidestepped the trap and retaliated with another burst of purple energy. The light grazed the spider's abdomen, resulting in a piercing shriek that reverberated through the night, accompanied by a slight oozing of blood.
"Foul-mouthed wretch!" The demon's furious voice echoed as ten tendrils surged towards Venidith, who remained airborne and effortlessly sidestepped their assault. She retaliated with another well-aimed blast, obliterating two of the tendrils with a resonant thud as they hit the ground.
In the midst of this tense confrontation, Venidith's gaze turned towards me, a subtle hint urging us to make our escape. Regrettably, escape wasn't an option, as the night air filled with ominous howls and roars. A distinct sound of guns being armed caught my attention, prompting me to glance over my shoulder.
Hannah had a firm grip on her assault rifle, her sights aligned and goggles in place, an image reminiscent of my own former stance.
Sam's eyes were swollen from crying, and her expression was one of intense anger—an unexpected transformation from her usual gentle demeanor, now resembling someone prepared to take a life.
"Master, Russ can still function at 60% efficiency," Abigail reported in her usual monotone. "This should provide Venidith with some assistance until she finds an opportunity."
I caressed the robot dog behind me as I pondered the potential risks. "But what if Russ sustains serious damage? The engineer who created him passed away years ago."
"I can merge with Russ, increasing efficiency to 80%," Abigail suggested matter-of-factly. "This would allow me to slowly repair and prevent further harm."
Venidith's precision resulted in two beams of light grazing the demon's left shoulder, drawing blood and causing her to recoil slightly.
Curiosity piqued, I inquired, "Why didn't you try that earlier? You could have repaired Russ while engaging in combat."
"Regrettably, I lacked the means to adequately support Russ before," Abigail replied monotonously. "I was still in the process of comprehending my capabilities as a Regalia."
Amidst the chaotic backdrop, gunshots rang out, accompanied by distant shrieks and thuds. The circumstances constrained my ability to take more decisive action, compounded by the persistent threat of the spider and the demon's potential attacks.
A well-aimed shot struck the demon's chest, causing her to stagger momentarily. Seizing the opportunity, Venidith unleashed a barrage of lights, her hands taking on the appearance of miniature guns.
The demon took a hit, yet a tendril managed to catch Venidith off-guard and struck her, creating a tense standoff.
"Flee, Gumi, flee!" the demon cried out, enveloping herself in webbing and attaching to the spider as it scurried away. A well-aimed shot succeeded in snapping two of the spider's legs, causing it to limp in its desperate escape.
"We'll cross paths once more," the demon declared. "Remember my name—Ayesha—I will return."
"I find that doubtful..." Venidith's voice wavered, her strength waning.
With urgency, I hurried over as fellow cave-dwellers emerged from their hiding places.
"Are you alright?" I inquired, gently inspecting the wound on Venidith's back—a sizable gash stretching from her nape to her lower back. Surprisingly, the bleeding was relatively minimal.
"I guess you now have a glimpse of my splendid behind," Venidith quipped, attempting to lighten the mood amidst her discomfort.
Sensations coursed through my body as Abigail transformed into a liquid state, coating Venidith in a sleek body suit. "I will gradually clot her wounds," Abigail informed.
The sound of gunshots gradually subsided, and the absence of further cryptids in the distance became apparent.
"I apologize for not emerging sooner," Eric's voice carried a hint of regret. "I'm Eric."