The sky was clear, void of any clouds, yet still, the wind carried the sound of thunder along. If someone looked towards the Swordscar Pass, he could see flashing lights coming from there.
"Take this!" Poli cried out as he slashed toward the demonfolk's back but got blocked by his tail.
Their enemy didn't have a good time, as just as he blocked the attack, a second one had already arrived from the front; a tiny, lightning-covered fist hit his arms that he had just raised in time to defend. There was no break to find a moment to counterattack as another strike in the form of a flaming kick came whizzing in, aiming to attack the same point as the fist before, as a second sword strike clashed with his scorpion tail.
It was relentless and something he never imagined that five young-looking humans could not give him a second to act. The trio attacked in a perfectly rotating pattern, never hindering each other, quickly draining his reserve energies with a frightening speed.
"My scales won't be able to keep up." the scorpion demon thought, trying to look for ways to break free, but Leinor and Zern were watching his every move, ready to block any escape attempt. "Tsk… time to risk it."
When Poli's sword slashed down again, the demon folk turned around, grabbing the blade with his two pincers and aiming to snap it into pieces. He could block Ren's next attack with his tail, but Isha landed square on his back, leaving a giant wound as scorched scales peeled off him. From the open wound, puss-like, yellow blood started flowing out.
"Wha-" he moaned as he couldn't snap the blade. "What is this made of…" he gawked because now he had made a fatal mistake.
"We don't know!" Poli grinned as he channeled his energy through the blade, literally giving a big shock to his enemy.
"Leinor!" Ren shouted as he was already moving in, body slamming him and grabbing onto his waist. The convulsing demon tried to pummel Leinor, but no matter how hard he tried, the young man was taking the elbow strikes like nothing. "Zern!"
"On it!" he rushed in fearlessly, grabbing the scorpion's tail and stopping it from slashing around. "Isha!"
"Come off!" she screamed as she also jumped in, grabbing onto it at the base with blinding red arms, and soon everyone could smell the cooking meat's odor. In the end, the two just ripped it off his body, dismembering him from his natural lance of a weapon.
"AAAARGHHHH!!!" the demon folk howled painfully, but that was when Poli's next attack stabbed through his throat.
"Master!" Poli jumped back, releasing the hilt as Ren arrived like a lightning bolt, kicking the pommel of the weapon, sending it through his body like a hot knife through butter as they decapitated him.
The whole body was still convulsing, spraying out lightning bolts in different colors and yellow blood before falling over, unmoving. The head, still in agony, landed meters away, slowly rolling down the hillside.
"Huh… that… wasn't so bad!" Ren blinked her eyes, a bit surprised. She was not yet out of breath.
"I'll get my sword!" Poli laughed, going after his weapon as it was sent out like a bullet by Ren.
"He was weaker than Boss! MUCH weaker." Isha said as she watched the twitching body.
"Yeah, he hit way harder even though this monster's arms were tough as steel, the force behind the punches was still weak." Leinor nodded, stretching his shoulders while Zern just overturned the dead body.
"He didn't even use any spells."
"Maybe he couldn't? Who cares? It's dead!" Isha stretched. "Man, I want to drink. I'm parched!"
"Isha, Poli, Zern, go down, burn the bridge," Ren said in a commanding voice, and the three, even Isha, just nodded before leaving while she crouched down. "Help me."
Leinor already knew what she wanted, and soon they cut open the corpse as Ren started to check out the insides, taking out bones, and organs, checking them out one by one.
"What are you searching for?"
"Differences and similarities," Ren said, elbow-deep in the strange yellow blood that was sticky and smelly. "It's clear it evolved from a scorpion. He could've ambushed us with poison. Our appearances gave us the edge this time. But it is also a clear indication that after evolving, reaching a higher intelligence level, he lost the thinking of an animal."
"You mean?"
"When does an animal care about things like this? He would've ambushed us, not looking down on us and trying to have some fun, seeing our despairing faces or something stupid. If he feels we are prey, an animal will act like a predator. He lost that advantage." she murmured as she slowly stood up from the dismembered corpse. "His insides resemble a human's, but the organs are all wrong. There are similarities, but his bone structure is the same as ours. For the most part, at least... His heart wasn't in the same place as a human's, for example, if you are interested. As he is dead, I can't check his energy points. We would need a live one for that!"
"Capturing one alive does prove difficulties."
"Sure it does. I'll take a look at it while on the road. Anyway, grab his head. Sadly its tail has been cooked by Isha, and it deformed way too much."
When everybody was back, the bridge collapsed, and Ren cleaned herself off with a rag.
"Yuck, you smell horrible!" Isha grimaced as they came back.
"When we find a river, I'll take a bath, deal with it. So?"
"From the clues, the demons we initially followed are already back at their side, Master." Poli reported.
"What should we do next?" Zern asked.
"This was just a lucky encounter, we should go!" Ren climbed back onto her horse, holding the cut-off head.
"Master… why are you bringing that?" Poli asked.
"Trophy?" Isha guessed with a chuckle.
"Not really. Evidence of what we did, yes, but for the most part, because I'd like to research it."
"Why?" Zern and Isha asked in unison.
"Don't you wonder why when demon folk evolves, they look like us? Why do they take human form? Why didn't he stay a big scorpion? Wouldn't he be stronger that way?"
"Not really." Isha shrugged.
"Well, I do," Zern said while Poli just listened.
"You have a theory, no?" Leinor smiled, watching Ren as they were on their way.
"Yup. Think, who was here before they gained true intelligence?" she asked back, waiting for the replies of her disciples.
"Us," Poli spoke up in the end.
"Exactly! Humans were here long before a scorpion could think like a human. My guess is they are copying us. When they gain intelligence by evolving, they take the only form they subconsciously associate with that state, us, humans."
"I never looked at it like that," Leinor murmured, scratching his chin, amused.
"Does it even matter?" Isha questioned.
"It does. I don't think it's a conscious thing, only subconscious. They copy us. But if they try to mimic us, they should start mimicking our lifestyle, society, etc." Ren continued.
"Your point is?" Isha asked as she leaned forward.
"If they can create a civilization like ours, society, a town, city, or even an empire, we could stop these ongoing wars and battles for resources and start dealing through diplomacy."
"You will get along well with my Eldest Brother." Leinor laughed.
"Ahaha, I'm looking forward to meeting him!" Ren laughed, too, as they picked up a little speed to return to the right road towards the north.
…
….
…..
"Hey, Boobies, could you warm this up a little?" Ren asked playfully.
"Fuck, you called me?" Isha snorted as she and Ren were standing in a small pond, naked, while the moonlight shone down on their bodies, illuminating them and giving both girls the appearance of fairies.
A few hours ago, they stopped for the night next to a small creek, and the boys built a small pond next to it, filling up with the water, on Ren's "orders." Even though Isha was cursing, she warmed up the water to a pleasant degree as they washed themselves.
"Nice, the boys may have fun in the running water but take a bath where it is!" Ren moaned, submerging herself with a satisfied expression.
"Why not invite them in now?" Isha grinned as she was washing her body, looking down on Ren, who was now lying in the water, floating around on her back, watching the night sky.
"I wouldn't mind. It's Zern and Poli who would be the problem! They wouldn't come in because of Leinor or mostly me. If it was only you, you could have fun with the two of them!"
"Yeah, sure, I don't think they would last." she scoffed as a reply.
"Ahaha, don't be shy~."
"Tsk, mini-bitch. How's the thing with the boytoy, did you break him in already?"
"Nope. I'm still a virgin. We didn't have the time, and Mom would always somehow interrupt us if things got steamy." Ren sighed. "Maybe soon!"
"Hah, I thought you already ruined the Prince, yet not!"
"Not the lack of trying, mind you; still, that's what I like about him; he has his principles, ahaha~ Now it's your turn. How's the thing between you and Zern?" Ren watched her, ready to soak up the water and the juicy gossip.
"What thing?" she asked, raising her red eyebrows while sitting down.
"Don't play dumb! I see you sometimes exchange glances with him."
"I really don't know. He is a good friend, but... "
"But?"
"Complicated. Boss and I… It's…"
"Haaahh… I know It's hard to tell yourself what to feel. The brain can't control the heart, but the heart can influence the brain. It's a fucked up situation."
"Yes… it's fucked."
Soon both of them laughed at the same time, and somewhere, Ren got a wine jug gulping down a big one before passing it to Isha, who followed suit.
"It will smooth itself out, don't worry, Boobies," Ren said as she sat into her lap, placing her head between Isha's ample bosom, using her as a pillow.
"Call me that one more time, and I'll drown you!"
"Sure, sure… drown between these flesh mounds, eh? But damn it!" Ren turned towards her, grabbing the white funbags, and kneading them like dumplings.
"Whatcha doin'?" Isha asked with slanted eyes, wiping the wine off of her lips.
"Getting a feel. Damn! You know, fuck you! These are so awesome, yet I am flat as a washing board!" she moaned, completely frustrated, grabbing the wine jug and taking big gulps as the red wine droplets trickled down her lips into the water.
"Bwahaha! True, you stayed a mini-bitch!" Isha laughed, grabbing back the jug from her hands before she emptied it, pouring it into her mouth now.
"Hmf! What's the secret? How did they get this big? Is it milk? I drink every day, yet nothing. Hell, I told Leinor a hundred times when we are snuggling and kissing, massage them, but nothing happens! They. Won't. Grow!"
"Sorry, girl, you drew the short stick at birth!"
"Hmf! Just wait. I'll reach the demigod level and reform my body! I'll have a chest LeiLei will be happy to lay in between every night!"
"Achoo!" Leinor sneezed back at the campfire while grilling their dinner.
"Someone talks about you behind your back, Prince." Poli laughed.
"Probably Master and Isha," Zern added.
"Or my allergies are acting up against bullshit." Leinor looked up at the two with a smile.
"Tell us, Prince," Poli asked with a bit of a flushed face from the wine he already drank, "When can I become the godfather of your Heir?"
"You? Godfather?" Leinor raised his brows. "Sorry, but Zern is ahead of you on that list," he said flatly while Zern only had a small, happy smile.
"Ugh… I know I joined late, but still! We became good buddies, no? Come on, just make two kids then!"
"Fuck off!" Leinor said as he sent a piece of meat to his mouth, "Stuff it. At least then, you are silent! God… when you drink, you change into a different person."
"Fourth Prince…"
"Not you, too, Zern."
"Will I be the godfather?"
"Here. Eat." Leinor avoided the topic as he stuffed his mouth with meat.
"Ooooh, look, they are stuffing each other!" Isha giggled as the girls came back, now refreshed, wearing a slight blush on their faces or, in this case, a massive one, "Just as I expected from you, boytoy!"
"Yeah, yeah, come up with something new already, will you? Come, dinner is ready, let's eat, then do the usual rotation while sleeping."
"Oookay~" Ren moaned, sitting down in his lap and leaning backward. "Say Leinor, which is better small or big breasts?"
As the question came out, everyone almost choked except Isha, who was already expecting it.
"Ah… wh...why?"
"Just tell me!"
"I don't care. I'm in love with you not because of your appearance but because of who you are."
"Mm… that doesn't help…" Ren murmured.
"I-it doesn't?"
"Don't worry, with your affinity and my ingenuity, when we advance to the next realm, I'll find a way to grow up properly, and you can enjoy my body to the fullest!"
"Bwahahahaha!" Isha laughed out, who couldn't hold back anymore, slapping her thighs. While doing so, the two other men in the group were just silently munching on their dinner, pretending not to be there.
"How much did you drink?" Leinor furrowed his brow.
"Wha-? One jug!"
"Tsk.. you know you can't handle it… haaaah… come, come… time to go to sleep!"
"Wha- no! I'm still fresh. I just took a bath! You can feel me up now and enjoy my scent! Hey, let's get on with it! LeiLei, come oooon~" she moaned as she tried to push him down, but Leinor just patted her head, releasing his energies slowly, draining a slight excess from her, sending Ren into a pleasant dream.
"Haahh… you know she can't handle alcohol," Leinor grumbled, looking at Isha.
"Yup, but she is funny while drunk, ahahaha!"
"I'm going to tuck her in. After finishing, you start the first guard duty, Isha."
"Ugh… F-fine, fine... " Isha moaned but still chuckled a little "Idiots," she murmured, but her eyes were filled with warmth because deep down, this was what she always dreamed about when as a little girl, she huddled up in a dark alleyway, watching other families going about their businesses while she was all alone.