"Why don't I try the new skill I just got," Lucian said activating Demon Tracker. The tracker appeared like a burning flame in the air before setting off on its search. After a moment, It started firing lasers in a particular location and just after, a system notification appeared.
[Tracker destroyed, respawns after 24 hours]
"What the hell just happened, does that mean that there are demons over there," Lucian said as he started riding his horse in that direction at full speed, which Commander Draven, Selene, and Galen followed from behind.
As Lucian urged his horse forward, the dense forest enveloped them in darkness. The moonlight barely penetrated the thick canopy above, casting eerie shadows on the forest floor. Commander Draven, Selene, and Galen followed closely, their expressions a mix of determination and concern.
"Lucian wait," Draven said as he got off his horse. "I sense more than one, we go by foot from here." Lucian pulled on the reins, bringing his horse to a halt as Draven dismounted.
"So you sense more than one demon presence," Lucian asked, to which Draven replied " Yes, and one of them is strong"
As they pressed on through the dense forest, the oppressive darkness began to lift. The trees gave way to a clearing, revealing a scene of devastation. The once lush forest floor was now scattered with the remains of broken trees and debris.
"Seems like our guests have arrived" They heard as they could a demon holding the head of a demonic beast which he had just killed. The demon stood in the clearing, its humanoid form eerily similar to that of a human but with distinct, unsettling differences. It was roughly the same size as an average man, but its skin was a deep, ashen gray, almost blending with the shadows around it. Its eyes glowed a menacing red, casting an eerie light on its surroundings.
The demon's face was a grotesque blend of human and beast, with sharp, angular features and a mouth filled with jagged teeth. Two small, curved horns protruded from its forehead, adding to its fearsome appearance.
They could also see three other demons right beside the demon holding the head of a demonic beast, two of which look quite alike.
The two humanoid demons standing beside the demon who looked to be the leader were almost identical, like twisted reflections of each other. Their skin was a sickly, mottled green, covered in scales that shimmered faintly in the dim light. Each had a pair of elongated, pointed ears that twitched at the slightest sound, and their eyes were a piercing yellow, devoid of any warmth or humanity. Their faces were gaunt, with high cheekbones and thin, lipless mouths that curled into sinister smiles. Both wore tattered, dark robes that barely concealed their muscular, sinewy bodies, and each carried a wicked-looking blade that seemed to pulse with demonic energy.
The third demon was an imposing demonic beast. Its massive form was covered in thick, armored scales that shimmered with a dark, bluish hue. The beast had four muscular limbs, each ending in razor-sharp talons, and a long, twisted tail that whipped back and forth with a life of its own.
The tension in the air was palpable as Lucian, Commander Draven, Selene, and Galen stood on the edge of the clearing, their eyes fixed on the demons ahead. The leader, holding the severed head of the demonic beast, sneered at them, his jagged teeth glinting in the dim light. He tossed the head aside, the thud of its landing echoing through the clearing.
"Prepare yourselves, right in front of us is a demon knight, two lesser demons, and an advanced tier demonic beast," Draven said as he gathered his ice magic.
Lucian was trying to use his new skill Demon Insight but all he could see was [???????] but then he could see what the demonic beast could do.
Lucian's heart pounded in his chest as he struggled to make sense of the [???????] on his screen. The mysterious symbols filled him with unease, a stark reminder that these demons were unlike any he had encountered before. Yet, the information about the demonic beast flashed clearly before his eyes:
[Advanced Tier Demonic Beast: Venomclaw]
[Abilities: Toxic Bite, Armored Scales, Enhanced Strength, low Regeneration.]
Lucian's gaze flicked to the massive creature, its scales glinting ominously as it snarled, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth dripping with venom. The sight made his pulse quicken, but he quickly steeled himself.
"Lucian, I want you to hold your own against that demonic beast till I kill this demon," Draven said with ice magic gathered around his hands. Lucian could also see Galen with his sword covered in Ki energy and Selene gathering her wind magic and dashing toward the lesser demons.
"I can do this, I can kill this advanced-tier demonic beast," Lucian said as he activated his skill "Fire fist" and dashed at the demonic beast.
Draven shoots out a large amount of ice at the demons separating them. Going for the demon knight, Draven sent an ice spear to it, and the demon sent out red lightning to the spear making it collide. "you are a strong human" The demon said as he dashed at Draven, the red lightning around his body making him fast.
Draven's eyes narrowed as the demon knight charged at him, red lightning crackling around its form with a fierce intensity. The air around them seemed to sizzle as the opposing elements prepared to clash. Draven's ice magic swirled around him like a storm, his breath visible in the suddenly chilled air.
With a swift motion, Draven extended his hand, and jagged ice spikes erupted from the ground in front of him, forming a barrier of frozen death aimed at impaling the oncoming demon. But the demon knight was quick, its red lightning crackling in defiance as it zigzagged through the air, avoiding the icy spikes with unnatural agility.
"You're fast," Draven muttered, his voice calm despite the intensity of the battle. "But let's see how you handle this."
He thrust his other hand forward, and a torrent of icy wind burst forth, the gale freezing everything in its path. The demon knight was caught mid-dash, its body coated in a thin layer of frost as it struggled to break free. Draven didn't hesitate. With a sharp motion, he closed his fist, and the frost thickened, encasing the demon in a shell of solid ice.
For a moment, everything was still. Draven allowed himself a brief moment of satisfaction, but it was short-lived. The ice began to crack, and with a violent surge of power, the demon knight shattered its icy prison, red lightning exploding outward in a dazzling display. The demon knight's eyes burned with fury, its form flickering as it summoned more lightning, the crackling energy surrounding it like an aura.
Draven remained unfazed. He had expected this. A demon knight was a formidable opponent. He clenched his fist, and the ground beneath the demon knight suddenly buckled, a massive pillar of ice erupting upward, sending the demon flying into the air.
As the demon hurtled through the sky, Draven raised both hands, and the temperature plummeted further. Above them, the clouds darkened, and snow began to fall, swirling in a rapidly forming blizzard. The demon knight, disoriented by the sudden onslaught of cold and wind, struggled to regain its bearings.
Draven smirked as he brought his hands down in a sweeping motion. The snow and ice gathered around him, forming a massive, spiraling vortex that surged toward the demon knight like a living thing. The demon knight's red lightning lashed out, attempting to disperse the vortex, but the ice storm was relentless.
The vortex swallowed the demon knight whole, the red lightning flickering and dying as it was overwhelmed by the sheer cold. Draven could feel the demon's resistance weakening as the cold seeped into its very being, freezing its lightning from within.
With a final, decisive gesture, Draven clenched his fists, and the vortex collapsed in on itself, the ice converging with a deafening crack. When the snow and ice settled, the demon knight was encased in a massive block of ice, its form frozen in place, the red lightning that had once crackled so fiercely now extinguished.
Draven exhaled, his breath a visible mist in the cold air. The battle had been intense, but the outcome was never in doubt. He approached the frozen demon knight, his eyes cold and calculating. With a swift, merciless motion, he raised his hand, and the ice shattered into a thousand pieces, the demon's form disintegrating into nothingness.
Draven turned to survey the battlefield, his gaze falling on Lucian and the others. Let me see what you can do Lucian. But when the fight gets tough, I will jump in" Draven said.