"What on earth!!!" Kyle exclaimed loudly as he took in an unfathomable sight before him.
More than fifty individuals were furiously dancing under a kaleidoscope of disco lights, moving to the pulsating sounds produced by the DJ.
Among them, there were some risqué moments; couples were kissing on couches, while others in a corner were completely nude, engaging in sexual acts.
"I shouldn't be here; I'm not even eighteen yet," Kyle muttered to Kaela, lowering his gaze and shielding his eyes with his hand to block out the shocking scenes.
"Don't worry, we'll leave soon," Kaela shouted over the thumping music so Kyle could hear her.
Feeling very uneasy, Kyle started to take in his surroundings.
Suddenly, from afar, he spotted Jane, moving rhythmically to the heavy beats.
"Is that Jane Barrett?" Kyle questioned quietly as he made his way towards her for a better look.
"Hey, where are you headed?" Kaela asked, gripping his arms to stop him.
"I just saw someone I recognize; she's not meant to be here, it's unsafe," Kyle replied to Kaela.
Without warning, the music abruptly ceased, and the lights shut off, plunging the crowd into bewilderment and confusion.
In that moment, Kaela Veilbrand throbbed slightly.
"Kyle, brace yourself," she whispered to him while assuming a protective stance.
Just then, the lights flickered back on, illuminating the room once more.
"They're up to something," Kaela murmured, glancing at Kyle.
She was taken aback by his expression; he stood frozen in place, his eyes wide with shock.
"Kyle?" she called out to him.
"Th..th..those aren't human beings," Kyle stammered, his eyes filled with fear as his body shook.
Kaela quickly began to scrutinize the area around them; everything and everyone looked ordinary, but she sensed an underlying strangeness.
"Apologies everyone, just a minor glitch with the power, let's get this party going," the DJ announced from a raised platform, grabbing the mic and reigniting the music, prompting the crowd to scream in excitement and dance with fervor.
A man in a suit, resembling a bodyguard, approached Kyle and Kaela, placing a hand on each of their shoulders.
"Excuse me, ma'am, sir, please come with me," he instructed them as he kept his grip firm.
Kaela quickly struck back, using a knife to slice his throat, resulting in blood gushing into the crowd and igniting chaos and screams among the audience.
"Ahh!"
As the onlookers fixated on the wounded bodyguard, panic ensued, and they scrambled to find exits from the nightclub.
"Vanguards!"
The DJ yelled loudly, gesturing aggressively towards Kyle and Kaela.
Before long, several patrons began to grotesquely morph into large, hideous creatures, sporting feline heads with three eyes, elongated necks, and teeth that extended from their mouths to their jaws, all adorned with peacock-like bodies.
Fear engulfed Kyle, and memories of that fateful night rushed back to him as he found himself once again confronting demons.
"Stay behind me, Kyle,"
Kaela instructed, a white bow forming in her left hand while the room ominously stretched, the ceiling climbing higher and higher.
Surrounded, Kyle and Kaela watched helplessly as demons feasted on the fleeing humans, tearing off limbs and ripping out spines as panic engulfed the club.
The gruesome sight of dismembered bodies and spilled organs sent Kyle's heart racing with each passing moment, as he remained silent, observing the carnage around him.
"Is there nothing we can do to save these people?"
Kyle questioned Kaela in despair, his voice trembling with fear.
"You still don't see it, do you? We've walked straight into a hive; we're entirely encircled and outnumbered,"
Kaela replied to him.
"There has to be a way to rescue them! We can't just stand by and let them perish,"
Kyle exclaimed fervently.
At that point, only a handful of people remained in the club as the demons began to taunt and slowly corner them.
"What the hell are these creatures? Where did they come from?"
"No, please, spare me! I have a child!"
"Don't come any closer; I'm warning you!"
The remaining humans expressed their fears as they huddled together in an ever-tightening corner.
"Vanguards, welcome. Hehehe,"
a demon with gold-striped feathers remarked to Kyle and Kaela, who were among those being driven back.
This demon stood out—larger than the others, it was clear he held the position of leader.
"I always knew that one day, your kind would come to visit me. It's a pleasure to meet you,"
the demon said, observing his minions cornering the last remaining humans.
"Metulech, let's finish them off for good. They seem inexperienced and should be easy to take down," a demon remarked to the metulech, the demon leader adorned with golden striped feathers.
"You'll come to regret what you just said," Kaela warned the demon facing her.
**They're too close; I excel at long-range combat. This is a dire predicament,** Kaela thought to herself.
"Ooh, feisty! I enjoy that," the demon exclaimed with a wide, toothy grin, charging towards Kaela.
Before it could reach her, an arrow struck the demon directly in the face, resulting in an explosion that shattered it into pieces. The blast was powerful enough to send both people and demons flying, knocking out every human in the vicinity.
However, Kyle and Kaela, who were also thrown back, managed to remain conscious and got back to their feet.
Amidst the flames, a demon suddenly appeared, its mouth gaping wide enough to consume three humans at once. It lunged to bite Kyle's upper body, but Kaela swiftly intervened, delivering a powerful kick that sent the creature crashing into a wall.
"What on earth are you doing? Don't just stand there waiting to die!" Kaela shouted at Kyle, who was still struggling to comprehend the gravity of the situation.
"How pathetic," sneered the striped-feathered demon as it materialized beside Kaela, catching her off guard and delivering a kick that sent her sprawling.
"Kaela!" Kyle yelled, rushing towards her as he witnessed her being knocked away.
(Skreeeeeeeee) A massive golden striped feather shot from Kyle's chest, lifting him off the ground as he coughed up blood and screamed in agony.