The massive demon stumbled back, taken aback by the damage that Astorias had caused.
"H-Hnngh...." He grunted as he clutched his bleeding wound
His blood poured down to the ground, burning it like acid, and emitting a massive cloud of smoke. The demon looked at Astorias who slowly descended to the ground, holding her greatsword in her hand as she looked at him.
"You...." He said with a serious voice, "What kind of power does a mere human woman wield?"
"The kind that can obliterate you at any second." Astorias landed on the ground
"Hmph." Ossmer said as he cupped his hand, allowing some of the blood to pool on his palm, "T'is but the beginning."
He moved his cupped hand away from the massive wound that ran from his shoulders to his belly and Astorias watched as it was stitched together by strange red needles made out of flesh. The blood from his palm dripped down to the ground, burning through the grass and dirt, the smoke getting thicker.
Brodin stepped away, catching a serious stench coming from the smoke, "What the hell...." He said before looking over at Lucian who was still on the ground, wounded, "I have to help him..."
He then began to run towards Lucian, something that Astorias noticed but paid no mind.
Ossmer opened both of his other mouths, the ones on his side as they began to chant in a strange tongue. He lifted the hand with his blood as his wound fully closed up as he glared at Astorias.
"By My Blood, Let There Be Nightmares Upon This Land."
He waved his hand, spraying his thick and boiling blood everywhere on the land. The blood flew over Astorias and she watched as it hit the ground, splatting on some of the Bronze Bulls, burning through their armor as they screamed in agony.
The blood landed everywhere in the ruined field, burning through the ground and emitting thick black smoke, crackling with green electricity.
As Brodin reached Lucian, he noticed that a blood drop landed a few feet in front of him, emitting the same smoke and electricity.
"This is not good." He said as he crouched down in front Lucian, "You alright, boy?"
Lucian was wincing in pain, clutching his left side. His entire left arm was bloodied and shredded, a horrible sight.
He panted heavily, "No." He said, "This shit hurts like hell."
"You're lucky you're not dead." Brodin said as he pulled Lucian up, wrapping his right arm around his neck, "Time to get you outta here, soldier."
As he dragged Lucian away, there was a loud screech coming out of the smoke.
They stopped and turned to look at it; the smoke forming into a grotesque red bat-like creature with a disfigured face, bright yellow eyes and rotten fangs.
Lucian, who had his left eye closed, "That's not good."
"No." Brodin agreed
Back to where the Bronze Bulls, around their captain who was covered in smoke, the ones that got hit with the blood had collapsed to the ground, their entire body transforming into the same red demon bat creature, these ones still had the armor on them.
"N-No fucking way!" one of the soldiers said, "They turned into Imps!!"
All around the field, dozens of these bat-like creatures, called Imps, spawned. They all let out loud shrieks that filled the air, giving everyone chills down their spines.
Astorias was unfazed by this, completely calm, "Hmph." she said, "That's it? Imps? This is just a bathroom break on any Tuesday."
Ossmer looked at her, "I shall destroy you, woman." He said with a deep and furious tone, "The more blood of mine, the more of these Imps that will spawn. They will spread out through the land and lay ruin, set everything ablaze until everything is dead!"
"Is that so?" Astorias said as she leaned her sword on her shoulder, "That'll be a nuisance. I'll make sure you don't bleed then."
"Pathetic attempt to intimidate me, Ossmer The Brutal!!!" the demon bellowed, "Begone!!!"
He waved his hand at Astoriass and engulfed her in a serious of massive explosions that erupted, shaking the entire ground violently and causing an intense shockwave. Brodin and Lucian were hit by the shockwave, staggering them.
"Shit!" Lucian said, "That doesn't look good!"
"She'll be fine." Brodin said, "Astorias is a Paladin Knight of the Darklight Sect, she's not weak enough to let a mere Demon slay her."
"Is that so?" Lucian said before looking at the imp before them, "What about this one?"
Brodin summoned a large handgun on his free arm, "Well..." He said, "I gotta get you to safety."
He took aim and fired his gun, the bullet flying straight at the Imp that dodged it in a swift fashion. This made him frown and continue firing his gun, missing some of them but two of them hit the Imp on the left wing and right arm, its limbs flying out with blood exploding everywhere.
"Pretty weak." Lucian noted
"Yes, but there's a lot of them." Brodin said as he began to drag Lucian away who limped, "Let's go."
Back to Astorias, who was within the wall of smoke and flames caused by the explosion, Ossmer looked down.
"That's what you get, woman." He said before setting his eyes on Brodin who had Lucian with him, "Do not let him get away. Procure the Calamity!"
He pointed one of his arms at them, commanding his Imps to chase.
All of the Imps flapped their wings and took to the air, looking right at Brodin and Lucian. In the next few seconds, they all began to swarm towards the two Traversed.
"Shit!" Lucian exclaimed as one of them shot right at them, "Sarge!"
He pushed himself away from Brodin, the Imp shooting right between them and crashing on the ground. He rolled on the ground, his entire body getting an intense jolt of pain.
Brodin straightened up and shot the head off the Imp, "This is just great." He said as he swung his arm back at the incoming swarm, tossing several grenades at them, "Just great!"
Lucian watched as several explosions hit the Imps. Flesh and limbs were flying through the clouds of smoke and flames.
"Tch..." Lucian said as he got to his knees, "Push through the pain...focus.....focus, Lucian..."
Ossmer took a step, "I shall not let you escape, Calamity."
Suddenly, his knee exploded with blood, buckling him down to his knee.
"W-What?!" The Demon exclaimed as he looked down and saw that his leg was separated in two, "I was cut?!"
Astorias's laughter was heard through the wall of smoke and flames, "Ahahahaha!!!" she laughed, "You think a mere explosion would kill me?! From You?! Tryke's Lackey?! Don't make me laugh!!!"
A figure shot out of the smoke, shooting right at Ossmer who had his eyes widened in shock.
Astorias plunged her sword at Ossmer's waists, pushing him back hard to the ground, causing serious tremors. She then swung her sword outwards, blood exploding outwards as a massive chunk of his midsection was obliterated.
"A-Aghh!!!" the demon bellowed in pain, "W-What?!"
Astorias chuckled, "You're weak!!!" She shouted, "A Weakling like you should not place itself before me and act all mighty! I shall deliver you back to Tryke in pieces!!!"
Ossmer scowled, his ugly orcish face distorted with pain, "Y-You!! Impossible!!" he said as he slammed all four of his arms on the ground, "You cannot overpower me!!"
The ground burst with dozens of explosions that shattered the surrounding area, the shockwave ripping through any nearby Imps that were flying to Brodin and Lucian. Astorias had dodged this sudden attack by jumping into the air as she looked down at him, slowly descending back down.
The demon was getting back up, "More imps will spawn, they will destroy everything around!" He bellowed
"They're weak, just like you!" Astorias said as she swung her sword, releasing a wave of invisible force all around the area, "They won't do a thing!"
"Touch of Thanatos!"
Suddenly, every single one of the Imps that were swarming Brodin and Lucian exploded with blood in an instant, shocking the two who were fending them off.
"W-What?" Lucian said with widened eyes, "They're dead???"
Brodin lowered his gun, "This is the power of the Death Knight, Astorias..." He said seriously, "She's no joke..."
Ossmer's face distorted with anger, "You....!!!" He growled, "I shall make you regret that!!"
Astoria chuckled as she slowly descended down, "Is that so?" She said, "Well come on, I'm waiting."
The demon struggled to get up before there was an intense aura released by the miasma in the air, spreading through the air rapidly.
"Ossmer, that is enough. Retreat." A loud and distorted voice was heard everywhere
"But..." Ossmer said
"There are easier ways to acquire a Calamity, especially this one." The voice said, "Mere Human soldiers of this wretched humans are weak for you to go against, but Two Paladin Knights of the Darklight Sect? No. I do not wish to have you die so pointlessly, you have better use to me."
"T-Two?" Ossmer said with a confused tone, "This woman is a Paladin Knight? And what do you mean two?"
Suddenly, a powerful aura was felt throughout the field, much different from Astorias, which was ominous and full of bloodlust and destruction. This one, while intense, was full of calm power, full of light.
Astorias looked up into the air, "She's here." She said with a bored tone, "My Sister..."
Lucian, who was sitting down and clutching his arm, "I recognize this power..." He said as he looked up at the sky, "It's her, she's here....."
Brodin nodded, "Yes." He said, "Lunaris."
Ossmer followed their gazes and saw that descending from the clouds and through the miasma, her powerful purple light burning it like nothing, Lunaris was seen, her wings extended as she looked at the demon with a serious look.
Ossmer narrowed all six of his eyes on all heads, "Another woman?" He said, "And she's a human too, what sort of blasphemy is this!!"
"That's enough, my soldier." The voice said, "Return."
Suddenly, the miasma exuding from the Swarm Hole formed into massive black hands that shot right at the demon, clutching him all over his body and began to pull him up.
"N-No, General!!" Ossmer shouted, "I can still fight!!! I just arrived!! Lord Valkren will kill me if he finds out about this pathetic display!!"
"I'll vouch for you, worry not. Like I said, you still have your uses." The voice said
As Ossmer was pulled up, he let out an angry roar, shaking the air, "NOOOO!!!!"
Lunaris lifted her arm, "I don't think so." She said
"Lunar Light"
Suddenly, a massive beam of purple light shot straight at Ossmer's body, burning a hole through him with ease.
"A-AGhhhh!!!!!" he shouted in pain
But it was too late, Ossmer's entire body, while bloodied, was already being pulled through the Swarm Hole.
"I WILL HAVE MY VENGEANCE, HUMANS!!!!!" His angry voice was heard as he fully disappeared into the miasma
Lucian watched as the Miasma slowly pulled into the black mass, disappearing and allowing the sunlight to shine down.
"W-Wow..." He said as his eyes were on Lunaris, whose wings were slowly flapping to keep her in the air,
"S-She's strong too....."