The Imps have a mind of their own, capable of speaking the language of demons and simple planning they were threatening creatures that could take over a town of non-combatants. With the very clear instructions from their master, the Imps decimated nearly any living creature that came their way.
The local animals steer clear of them now, which is why their hunts have been getting slower. The imps were relative to each other in terms of strength and ability, which is why a leader still hasn't shown up among them. Demons usually followed those that are more powerful than themselves, much like any other animal.
The crows that watched them circled around the region without much care. Simply observing the red-skinned monsters.
The lack of targets have triggered something in the young demonic creatures, the instinct to hunt. Moving as a unit all twenty-five of them followed their senses, their eyesight and sense of smell far outmatches that of a human.
Arrows were shot at them, left and right. They reached an area with creatures that inhibit signs of intelligence, creatures that surely had souls. It was a camp of gnolls, hyena-headed creatures that often resides in remote areas. With no regard for their own lives the imps pounced and a slaughter ensued.
The gnolls fought back with vigor but the physically superior foes trounced their efforts. Even with the advantage of numbers they only managed to take down eight of them.
---
The next morning, Hektor spent most of his time on summoning more miniature earth sprites.
Souls: 74 -> 24
With a second earth sprite, he now had four elemental sprites under his command. He spent all of the remaining souls that he could on summoning a few more birds, leaving him with only four souls before his platoon could start their patrol.
Souls: 24 -> 4
The troops that just ended their shift for the night looked exhausted, their captain immediately handed Hektor some papers. "The elites are letting more demons slip through… be very careful. I wouldn't be warning you if it's just an imp or two."
Hektor read through the reports from the night watch and found a few alarming signs. Imps were manageable for him and the soldiers, but signs of more advanced demons were on the horizon. Orcs often cause a bit of trouble but they are mostly snuffed out filtered by the elites in the frontlines.
The fact that middle-tier demons are now mixed into the ones that they need to take care of is a sign of failure, failure from the main forces.
"We will likely encounter a few demons and orcs that are above our usual paygrade." Much like the day prior, the soldiers put all their attention to the captain's words. Some more than others due to fear of punishment.
"You will be moving in groups of five, report any sign of non-orc monsters in the area."
The main purpose of the squad that Hektor leads is to act as a filter, taking down the incoming monsters that the main forces missed. Clean up duty meant for the common soldier. Due to the loss of multiple Dojos and their masters, the King himself has made it a point to preserve whatever is left of them.
The soldiers did as Hektor ordered. They knew that slacking off could lead to death. For a good two hours, only the regular horde of goblins and the occasional orc arrived.
Soon enough the crows began to warn them. Before Hektor could even warn the others, the demons finally arrived.
A large assortment of them reached Hektor's area, he could only watch as the other squads were trampled over. Hektor was expecting demons but to Hektor's surprise they were not the red-skinned demons that he was used to seeing. These demons had brownish-skin, similar to dirt. Each of them only had a singular horn on top of their heads.
Each were just as large and bulky as the orcs. Hektor, due to the reading he did just the night before, has an idea as to what they are. "Nakura… Earth Demons."
"RETREAT!" The two other captains in the area barked out.
Hektor shook his head before cleaving through a group of goblins. "Sound the alarms!"
Souls: 33
"Firebolt." Hektor ordered sending a few balls of fire down the way of the monsters that charged. "Fall back." He ordered his troops.
A dozen other squad captains arrived at the scene. One of them took out a flare and lighted it, right as he did so the alarm bell began to ring. The same red smoke that came out of the flare stick could be seen from all over the walls that defended the city.
---
Instructor Samont looked out the window of the dojo with an exasperated expression, the bells and the red smoke were signs that the defences are weakening. He quickly ran to the dojo's entrance. "Hurry to the entrance! We must make haste!"
The disciples heard his call and within minutes the remaining disciples gathered by the entrance. "Prepare your belongings, we are evacuating this area."
The only direct disciple present in the dojo was Garnesh, with both Tarik and Hektor outside the wall Samont knew that trying to find them was not worth the trouble. Samont looked up to the skies only to watch as dark clouds consumed the blue hue. Right from under them, large leathery winged demons began to invade the city.
Samont pulled a few of his disciples with him as he began to run.
"But sir, we have to find Hektor and Tarik!" Garnesh pleaded, unable to overpower the large man.
"Trying to find them is no longer an option." The ground was shaking and hordes of demons were swarming the area. "We have to leave."
"If you want to live then follow me, a dead man can't avenge the fallen."
Garnesh could only nod at the statement, a successor must survive. It was their duty to carry on the teachings of Master Bungcao.