The sound of fighting echoed around the meadow as an army of apes and humans clashed with the raging horde of baboons. Niji was covered in blood, sticking to his black fur as he was toppled by a dying baboon he had just stabbed through the heart with a broken end of a spear. He was panting heavily and lost count of how many monkeys he had slaughtered already but couldn't stay down. Trying to stand up, he could barely defend himself when another baboon jumped on him, trying to bite into his face. Luckily a sword flashed before him, beheading the monkey as Feynor arrived, helping him up. The soon-to-be emperor was holding a broken shield strapped to his forearm, his sword was already cracked, and his armor was drenched in bodily fluids.
"Thanks…" Niji said, holding onto him, looking around as young chimps and humans struggled to fend off the attack while Kang was still wrestling with the four leaders, mainly on the defensive. Their combined attacks left no space for him to counterattack.
"Thank me after we survive this!" Feynor spat, still having enough energy to go on but not for long.
"Yeah, this does not look good."
"Chin up; just need to hold out until reinforcement comes. We already sent word." He slapped his shoulders before rushing into the monkeys, radiating energy to draw them to himself, taking even one or two hits before killing another baboon. His wounds quickly closed, displaying the frightening advantage of the Aerthus bloodline even in this dire situation.
The battlefield resonated with sonic booms every time Kang's hard bone armor received a punch or a kick, yet it still held out perfectly; the only problem he faced was that every time he tried to hit back or grab one of the baboon leaders, the other three attacked the opening in his defense. Others would be enraged, yet Kang calmly went on the defense again, scanning them with his blood-red eyes.
"We just need to tie and tire you down, big guy! Ahahaha, you will watch as we massacre your people!" one of the baboons laughed, showing his long teeth in the process, snarling at Kang.
His words made Kang's eyelids flinch a little, but he mainly ignored him, or at least that was what was shown on the outside. His senses constantly scanned the battlefield and saw his brethren, gorillas, and chimpanzees falling, then jumped on by half a dozen baboons to be torn apart alive, squeezed his heart like it was in death's grip itself.
"Damn!" Shaman echoed as he stumbled backward, out of energy and out of weapons, gasping for air. "I'm too old for this…" he grumbled, holding his side, which had a torn-off baboon head still biting into him and blood constantly flowing out from the deep wound.
At that moment, he saw an even bigger baboon rushing towards him with an angry face, already with an open mouth to jump on him and bite into his throat.
"No… not like this…" he moaned with apparent frustration in his voice, but he knew, without enough energy, there was no way to dodge this.
"Hyaaaa!" came a clear, soft cry as two blue and green colored lights flashed by him, and he saw two tiny fairies lifting up the baboon by its legs, high up in the sky before letting him go. He crash-landed with a loud thud, silencing its screams as his neck was broken after landing. "We are helping too!" came another soft voice as more and more fairies came back.
They were clearly frightened yet filled with previously unseen emotions in their eyes, not wanting to see their home destroyed once again or their family and friends die, even if it meant they were risking their own lives. Some fairies rushed to help the others, trying to lift the baboons up from those struggling on the ground or flying to other injured apes, holding onto them, releasing multi-colored dust from their wings, easing their pain. Just as they lifted up a baboon, one of the pair of young fairies got grabbed in the air, as the monkey bit her into two pieces with one bite before falling to his death, while others tried to swat them like bugs. At that moment, the battlefield descended back into total chaos.
A young, green-skinned fairy was slapped by one of the baboons, landing hard on the ground, screaming in pain as he broke her wings. She was trying to sit up, with a trembling body, watching the sharp teeth coming towards her when thunder boomed, and a spear nailed the monkey's head onto the ground next to her.
"Don't you fucking dare!" echoed the shouting voice of Ren as she arrived, flashing onto the battlefield, starting a one-sided massacre. Her spear easily went through their bodies, and even if she tossed one out, she reformed another one moments later from pure lightning.
"Hmf, now die!" Kang roared, bursting out with energy and ignoring their attacks, focusing on the first baboon he fought with.
"Hah, you are wide open!" laughed another, going for Kang's blindspot from behind when a blinding flash cut through his field of vision, and the last thing he saw was the world upside down while half of his head was blown off before toppling over.
Ren stood dozens of meters away, holding her hand out that was still flashing with lightning and in a flicking motion.
"Damn, Dad wasn't joking; one shot drained a quarter of my reserves." She murmured before targeting another big baboon and joining the fight with Kang.
"You quick. Others?" Kang asked while they were standing back to back,
"Coming. But I ain't planning on waiting; go all out. We kill them right here, right now!"
"Good!" He nodded as both of them attacked, splitting up the remaining baboon leaders and gaining the upper hand.
"You think one helper will-" the first baboon leader roared as Kang's punch hit him in the lungs, silencing him for good and making him spurt out a mouthful of blood.
"Yeah, we think so!" came Ren's voice, taking advantage of her speed, flashing behind him before her opponents could realize what happened and stabbing through the baboon's heart.
Kang grabbed the spear, coming out from the front and pulling it through before tossing it towards another.
"How energy?"
"Relax! I can do this all day!" Ren grinned, flashing a new spear as her intent for the battle raged around her, making some of the baboons flinch, feeling a pressure they never felt when facing a human.
"Mm?" Kang looked at her, as he also felt something that made his instinct tell him to just run but was soon easily dismissed as her pressure was focused on the baboons. "She strong… strong soul." He thought before attacking in sync with Ren, and they started turning the battle tide.
…
….
…..
"If we keep this up, we will arrive before nightfall, but we will be out of energy," Zern commented as they rushed through the forest.
"I know. Still! We need to hurry." Leinor replied while Isha was still holding Rem, who was completely out, smiling with a silly expression, drooling all around herself.
"Stop!" Leinor ordered as he came to a halt, and before them, amongst the trees, stood a woman wearing simple clothing made from leather. It was more correct to call a bikini than regular clothing.
Emi calmly watched them as her furry, red foxtail swept behind her slowly while her eyes silently observed them, finally landing on Rem. Her aura was mild, mixed with a sweet fragrance that made everyone's heart beat faster. The least affected was Leinor, then Isha and Zern, but Poli's face immediately flushed red as his breathing fastened, gulping loudly.
"Get a hold of yourself…." Isha murmured. Still, her eyes were sparkling with half jealousy of the foxgirl's perfect body and the other half the desire to push her down.
The latter was also present in Zern's and Leinor's minds, yet they could still control it in a way; only Poli had a hard time, mostly because he was the only one in the group with no feelings for another.
"She's dangerous," Leinor whispered while Zern nodded as his body turned to pure steel, and Isha gave the delirious Rem to Poli.
"Keep her safe; you are not fit to face an enemy like this."
"I… I… understand…" He murmured, lowering his head and biting his lips, forcing his blood to drip out.
"Let her go, humans." Emi's sweet voice came, making them tremble as Poli quickly took steps backward, almost dropping Rem.
"Why should we?" Isha snorted, turning her infatuation into a rage of jealousy to counter the enchanting natural presence of the fox demon.
"Because you trespass on our territory, kidnap our kind. You deplorable wretched species of naked monkeys. Drugging a young, innocent fairy and kidnapping her for your pleasure... You deserve death. Let her go, and you can live. Resist and die!"
"You think you can take us on?" Isha flared up as her clothes almost burned to a crisp while surrounded by flames.
"Yes. Now choose."
"I guess we can't explain it, huh?" Leinor sighed. "We are not slavers or do what you think we do…."
"You killed a tribe of chimpanzees, then enslaved others, working them to build a fortress. I heard the words while I traveled here and spoke with the last resisting tribe. They will liberate the others, and you will be chased out of our forest. There is nothing to speak of. Leave the young fairy now, and you can keep your lives. Don't resist."
"I feel like spanking her. Maybe I'll push her down and have Poli teach her some manners!" Isha groaned, grinding her teeth together.
"Relax, you are under her influence; keep your mind cool." Zern placed his hand on her shoulder.
"You are pretty strong-willed for a human. But it's no use." Emi snorted, fluttering her red tail; pinkish smoke spread out quickly, engulfing the whole area.
They all felt like being hit by a multitude of wild feelings, thoughts of indulging in animalistic pleasure, enjoying each other's bodies, or groveling before Emi's feet to be stepped on and punished.
"Foolish and arrogant humans should know their place!" She said as she came closer. The group faltered, and Poli already collapsed onto his butt, still holding Rem, not daring to look up. As Emi came up to Leinor, looking down on him while he was half kneeling, she gently stroked his face, raising his head, looking into his eyes with a hypnotic gaze. "Don't worry; it will be a pleasurable death."
Leinor felt as if his thoughts were invaded and his memories of Ren were being distorted, as her image was replaced by Emi's figure. The feelings towards Ren slowly being transferred to Emi's presence immediately sent a shiver down his spine as his eyes turned cold, and the trembling of his body stopped, returning her gaze and surprising her.
"I'll… kill… you…" He groaned before grabbing onto her hands, pulling her close, headbutting her once… then twice, then a third time. After Emi got a chance to kick him off her and roll backward, holding her broken nose that leaked blood all over her fingers, looking up, she saw Leinor already up, huffing and puffing.
"You are strong-willed… you love her this much?" Emi stood up, too, without any anger and her green eyes showed some respect toward Leinor.
"I would die for her…." Leinor growled like an enraged beast.
"It can be arranged!" The fox flashed by, slashing against him, as her hands were covered with fur and her fingers turned into sharp claws, like knives.
Before she could react, Zern simply body-slammed her from the sides while the sharp claws threw sparks everywhere, scratching against his body.
"Keep her down!" Isha arrived, throwing a flaming punch toward Emi, who looked into Zern's eyes. He instinctively moved and took Isha's attack with his back. "Zern!"
"Ugh…" He moaned, gulping back the blood that rushed up to his throat while his broad, metallic back was searing hot, releasing steam. It was enough for Emi to get free, distancing herself once again.
"You are stronger than you look; I'll give you that. I heard you have strong fighters, no wonder you could enslave so many of us. But it ends now!" Emi spat, realigning her nose.
After that, her body started to change as she returned to all fours, and soon a 4-meter-tall red fox stood before them. Her tail swung and toppled the nearby trees with every movement, clearing the place for their battle.
"The Red Fur…" Poli murmured, who was panting in the back, watching his friends face off against the fox demon, remembering the words of the orangutans.
"I respect your will." She looked over them, towering tall, as her voice echoed around the forest. "But you should have stayed where you belong." Emi opened her mouth as a giant fireball swept out before exploding, sending them flying backward, and crashing through trees. Zern's whole body was glowing red while Isha's flame still battled Emi's all over her body, trying to resist the foreign flames that tried to consume her.
Leinor, trying to push himself up, was burnt all over, his hair was gone in big patches, and his face was unrecognizable as the skin almost melted onto his skull, still sizzling all around. Yet it took only a few seconds before it started to morph and fall off, revealing new skin under it. The recovery of his muscles and eyes was quick as they grew back into their sockets. Yet he was already out of breath, trembling, almost unable to just sit there.
"None of you died. You give me one surprise after another!" Emi murmured while her white, hot breath released the smoke from her nose. She was gathering another attack which was felt by all of them there.
"No… And they won't die… I'm fucking fed up with this! I won't let you hurt my friends!" Poli's angry voice came as he put down Rem holding up his sword, walking towards Emi without trembling and with a determined gaze.
"You are not stronger than all three of them. Accept your death, and it will be quick." Emi said, watching Poli's eyes.
"No, I am not. But I know something stronger than you!" He smirked as he let loose everything. Suddenly the sky started to darken as the oh-so-familiar Tear showed itself. "Let's see how you deal with someone brimming with energy from heaven itself, you fucking furry bitch!"