12 Chapter 12: Day 2

Luke's POV

The second day begins with the bellowing of horns and the war cries of knights. Fina leads our charge as the rest of us follow behind her while arrows and flaming balls of fire sore overhead exploding amongst the orcs. Our enemy scatters under our sudden attack. Some try to stand and fight, but we quickly cut them down while others run for their lives, but none of us is foolish enough to believe this will last forever.

"Our target is the camp up ahead!" Fina yells as our group splits into three. "Our only target is the Grand Orc Sorcerer! Once he is dead, we will retreat back to the city!"

"He's as good as dead," I hear Laurence say from right behind me.

"Just don't go getting knocked out again," Aria warns him. "I might not be around to save your ass this time."

Benjamin fires multiple arrows at once, taking down the orcs guarding the permitter before they can react. The tents explode as Laurence hits them with a barrage of fireballs while Aria and Fina work together, casting spells that blow a hole in the flimsy wooden fence surrounding the camp. On the other side, the orcs can only give us a look of total shock before we cut them down.

"Spread out and find the Grand Orc Sorcerer before the orcs can regroup!" Fina commands as the last of the orc guards fall. "Call out as soon as you find him!"

"I'm afraid you won't find what you seek, I declare," We all freeze and I feel a shiver go up my spine when I hear the evil-sounding voice. I have never heard anything as evil before. "Getting bored of waiting, I was. Glade to have you come to me, I am."

"Everyone retreat. We can't fight this thing!" Fina suddenly sounds scared, and I see her eyes are wide in freight when I gaze meet. "Luke, take the lead. I will be at the rear!"

"Afraid, I cannot let you escape, I am," Before we can even begin to retreat, a bird flies down, blocking the hole in the wall we entered through. "For I have been ordered to slay the hero by my master, I have." The bird rapidly transforms, growing human-like arms and legs, growing out its nails until they are as long as swords. Black feathers still cover its body, and its head remains bird-like, with only a pair of horns growing on top of its head. "Trembling in fear as you face a general of the demon lord, I advise." It raises its hand black flames to surround us, cutting off any chance of escape. "Your deaths will bring me great joy, I smile."

I can only stare. I hear Laurence muttering something along the lines of being too rich to die in a trembling voice as we all take a step back. I grip my sword tightly, feeling my arms shaking. Benjamin is the fastest to recover, firing an arrow, but black flames surround the demon's body, burning the arrow to ash before it gets close. Aria attacks next with an ice shot, but her spell melts when the black flames return.

"Everyone, get behind me!" Fina quickly runs to the front. "Back me up from a distance! Luke! Stay at the rear in case any orcs try to surprise us!"

Fina quickly rushes forward, aiming to cut off the demon's head, but the demon's sword-like nails easily brush her sword away. Once again, Benjamin's arrow and Aria's magic is blocked by the black flame while Laurence's fireball manages to hit, scorching the demon's feathers.

"It has been so long since I felt so warm, I thankful," The demon tells Laurence while parrying Fina's attacks.

There has to be something I can do to help. I am not an archer like Benjamin or have the long-range spells like Aira and Laurence have. I should be upfront with Fina helping her and hopefully creating an opening for someone to kill this demon. But instead of doing that, I am dead weight being useless as we hang out in the background. There has to be something I can do.

"Aria! Benjamin! I will try and create an opening for you!" Fina yells, blocking a slash of the claws of the demons. "Laurence! Even if your spell isn't hurting it, keep going! It might distract him enough to give someone else an opening!"

"Yes, keep fighting, I pleased," The demon laughs. "It will make the moment you fall to despair even grander, I excited."

I need to do something. Fina is being pushed back, Benjamin is running low on arrows and Aria and Laurence are starting to run out of MP. If this keeps up, we are all going to die. Screw it. Fina can yell at me all she wants later, but I can't just stand here. No, wait! I think I have an idea. But it is still going to be taking a risk. Rushing forward, I catch everyone by surprise, even the demon, but it still blocks my sword. Luckily, I end up exactly where I want to be.

"The hero steps forward, at last, I happy," The demon turns towards me, pushing Fina aside. "Killing you will earn me my master's praise, I delighted."

"Luke! I told you to stay back!" Fina yells, but I ignore her. Gradually, I gave up ground just as I planned to get the demon to follow me. "Just get back! We will take care of it!"

"It's okay," I tell her with a smile. "Just trust me." I parry the slashes from the claws, and the demon has no idea where I am leading him to. Just a few more steps and… "Control Water!"

I dive into a small pool of water, touching the surface and timing the demon up with ropes of water. The demon struggles and tries to cut the rope, but the water keeps him trapped no matter what it tries. I don't let the demon think. As it struggles, I attack, aiming to cut off its head, but the demon manages to move out the way, losing only an eye.

"You cut me, I surprised," The demon says as it finally uses its black flame to evaporate the water. "No one has cut me in over a thousand years, I impressed."

"Luke!" Fina is suddenly between me and the demon. "You have done enough. Get back now."

"I didn't think I would bleed, I ashamed," The demon glares at me. "Not hold back I now will, I warn."

"Luke, no matter what happens, you need to live," Fina tells me before rushing forward only to be tossed aside by a swipe of the hand of the demon.

She hits the ground hard and lies motionless. Is she dead? Before I can check, the demon rushes towards me, but Aria blocks his claws, and the demon is forced to block a thrust from Laurence's spear.

"The king issued orders to us to keep you alive no matter what," Aria says as Laurence uses his spear to shoot a fireball at black point range, knocking us all back. "Try to find a way to escape while we buy time."

"Don't let my noble sacrifice mean nothing," Laurence says as Benjamin attacks with a pair of knives keeping the demon busy as we get back to our feet.

I can only watch as Benjamin is stabbed in the gut by the demon's sword-like nails, and Aria and Laurence rush forward. I can't just leave them to die. But what can I do? There is no more water, no way to escape the black flames surrounding us. I can't just stand here and watch everyone die. Laurence is cut in half by the claws of the demons, and a split second later, Aria has her head crushed. I am really going to die here? The demon steps towards me. I can feel the ground shake and smell the blood on its claws.

"No one to protect you now, little hero, I happy," The demon raises its blooded hand. "Fight back and make this fun, I insist."

I blocked the first slash, but it was strong enough to push me back. The second slash nearly knocks me off my feet, and I nearly lose my sword on the third. The demon smiles and refuses to relent, launching a fourth, fifth and sixth attack in quick succession. Blood drips from my hands, but the cuts quickly heal. If I didn't have the Regeneration ability, I am sure my hands would have been turned into bloody stumps by now. The demon continues to slash at me launching a seventh, eighth and ninth attack before my back hits a wooden pillar. Ten, eleven and twelve attacks later, I find myself pinned to that wooden pillar before the thirteenth attack knocks my sword out of my hand.

"Dispair, little hero, for this is your end, I declare," The demon raises its hand. "Beg and plea, and I will make your death painless, I insist."

I watch the hand swing lower, and time seems to slow down. I can see everything. The feathers fluttering, the claws glinting in the sunlight, and the blood dripping from the long, razor-sharp claws. Am I really going to die? I can't move. I can't breathe. I can't even close my eyes. All I can do is watch the claws in slow motion, slowly getting closer and closer. But at the last minute, someone appears between me and the demon. Blocking the claws with a loud metal cling and knocking the demon back with an unexpected magical assault.

"You can't die," Fina huffs, gritting her teeth. "No matter what happens, you have to live."

"I will let the little hero watch as I kill you, I declare," The demon says, getting up. "You screaming will feeling him with terror, I pleased."

"Luke," Fina gives me a quick glance of her shoulder. Her eyes are wet as if she might cry, and there is a slight smile on her lips. "Please live."

With that said, Fina charges the demon knocking him back at first, but it isn't long before she is pushed back. I quickly run to grab my sword, but before I can grab it, Fina is thrown into me, knocking me over.

"Should I kill you in front of the little hero or the little hero in front of you? I wonder," The demon is on top of us before we can even stand. The demon stomps on Fina's back, knocking the wind from both our lungs. "Or maybe together? Slowly bleeding out with no hope of rescue, I decided."

"I'm sorry," Fina says, leaning closer to me. "I know you don't feel the same way yet, but I want to do this before I die."

Before I can even question what she is up to, our lips meet in a kiss.

Notification

Fina Absorbed

Skills Learned: Parry (The ability to parry a weapon) and Combat Stance (Slight increase Strength and Speed while in stance).

Skills Upgraded: Sword User to Sword Master, Dodge to Dodge Master, Sprinting to Sprinting Master, Ridding to Ridding Master, and Mounted Combat to Mounted Combat Master.

Abilities Learned: Overcome (Gain half the enemy's stats while in combat).

Spells Learned: Fireball, Air Cutter and Ability Boost

+ 200 HP

+ 200 MP

+ 30 Strength

+ 30 Speed

I don't understand how a kiss could do this, but I will not argue with the results.

"Air Cutter!"

I made Fina jump with my sudden spell casting, but it worked. I knocked away the claw and forced the demon to take a step back. Now it is time for some payback.

"When did you learn that spell?" Fina asks as we get up.

"Just now," I tell her. "I will explain later, but I think I can defeat this demon now."

"Still fighting, I pleased," The demon laughs. "Entertain me with your struggles, I insist."

The demon lets us pick up our swords. Big mistake. I feel a sudden power surge within me. I think it is from my new ability Overcome. I can ask Fina about it later, but we have a demon kill for now.

"I don't understand what is happening, but I will let you take the lead and back you up," Fina says, stepping up beside me.

"Something is different, I confused," The demon mutters before we attack. Fina hits its left side, and I it's right. But where Fina is stopped by the demon's claws, my sword shatters along with the demon's sword-like claws. "Where were you hiding this strength? I alarmed."

"Fina! Aim for its legs!" I tell her as I slice off the demon's left arm with an Air Cutter seconds later. Fina cuts if both its legs.

"It hurts! Humans are cruel! It hurts so much! I in agony!" The demon cries out black wings sprout from its back, allowing the demon to take flight. "I retreat, for now, humans, but I will be back to kill you, I promise."

Notification

Battle Ended In Victory

Orcs Killed: 50

Greater Demons Driven Off: 1

Level 18 Reached

+120 HP

+120 MP

+60 Strength

+60 Speed

The black flames start to burn out as the demon flies away, leaving Fina and me standing together surrounded by the bodies of friend and foe alike. For the moment, we are silent, watching the demon disappear until Fina clears her throat.

"So, can you tell me what happened now and how you suddenly got stronger?" Fina asks.

"Well, when you kissed me, I gained your strength and abilities," I tell her before explaining to her how my Absorbe skill works.

"I never knew such a skill existed," Fina smiles. "Now, I am definitely going to marry you." Before I can even get a word in, Fina continues. "If I can have you kiss everyone with powerful skills and abilities and have our children inherit them, our legacy will be unrivalled. How do you feel about getting married when we return to the capital?"

"As if I would let you!" The new coming is both shocking and surprising. Why is she here?

"I thought you were evacuated," Fina glares as we turn to face Elise.

"I volunteered to join the relief army," Elise replies as she approaches. "Did you really think I would have left you alone with Luke for such a long time."

"I'm pretty sure the king is unaware of your little volunteering," The guilty loo on Elise's face is enough to show Fina is right. "I wonder if the king would let you leave his sight again after this. And while you are under lockdown, me and Luke shell get married."

"Fina, I never said I would…."

"Drop this marriage stuff. Luke doesn't want to marry you," Elise tells her as people gather around to watch us.

"Elise, people are starting to…."

"I wouldn't say that," Fina smirks. "We have already kissed after all."

"Kissed?" Elise looks at me like I have committed some sort of crime. "You kissed her?!"

"Elise," I put my hands up as she walks towards me. "It's not that big of a deal. It was just a single kiss."

"Not that big of a deal?" Elise stops right in front of me. "Then it wouldn't be a big of a deal if I do this."

Notification

Elise Absorbed

Skills Learned: Punisher

Skills Upgraded: Punisher (The ability to punish people), Inflect Fear (The ability to feel living creatures with fear), Torturer (The ability to torture living creatures) and Fast Cast (The ability to cast spells at a faster rate)

Abilities Learned: High Command (People under his command slightly boost strength and speed during battle).

Spells Learned: Electric Beam, Holy Light, Magical Shield and Enchant Weapon

+ 250 HP

+ 250 MP

+ 42 Strength

+ 42 Speed

I couldn't stop her before she kissed me. Elise shoots Fina a smirk as she steps back, and Fina looks like she might kill her. Around us, people laugh and comment on what is happening. This is even worse than the time they argued in the arena.

"Captain Fina!" Things only come to an end when the knight commanded approaches. "Just because the relief army has broken the siege doesn't mean you can have a marital dispute. This is still a battlefield. Head back to the city and guard the gate until I get back. then I want you to tell me everything that happened with the demon."

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Greater Demon POV

How could a human have bested me? They are weak. Nothing more than ants to demons like me. I should have easily have crushed them. Now my master's army is defeated, my body mutilated, and the hero is still breathing. How can I face my master now? I am a disgrace to all demons. I should have let the humans kill me for my weakness.

"CROW! YOU ARE EARLY!"

"Master, I unworthy to be in your presence,"

Master. The towering god of darkness has come to see me, a lowly demon clinging to his might. It is only a matter of time before the world is his, and the little hero's skull is added to my master's glorious throne. I just hope that I will be the one to gift master his skull when that day comes. I will make sure the bones are filled with despair by killing everyone he loves before ending his life.

"TELL ME! WHY ARE YOU IN SUCH A CONDITION?"

"A human, one of the heroes, defeated me, I ashamed,"

"STRANGE!" Master rubs his chin. "THE HEROES SHOULD STILL BE WEAK!"

"This one is strong, I insist,"

"THEN HE MUST BE DEALT WITH!" I smile. Master is going to make him suffer. "PREPARE ME ANOTHER ARMY! LEAD THEM IN ATTACKS, AND ONCE YOU HAVE DRAWN THIS HERO OUT, I WILL KILL HIM!"

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Authors Notes

This is the end of the first part of the story. The second part will be coming soon. Let me know what you would like to see in the second part.

Thank you for reading.