IV: A Vile Scrimmage

"Michaelis, watch out!"

I was snapped out from trance when I heard Diedre scream at the top of her lungs, making me crawl backwards and away from the demon just as it tried to launch itself to me with its claws raking through the dirt as deep as it could and mouth opening that showed its sharp, horrendous teeth. I stood up and sprinted as fast as I could towards the others, breathing heavily afterwards while looking at the beast a few meters away from us. It started to struggle around the dirt and screeched violently with arms flinging in the air, possibly trying to look for its missing prey.

Which was me, unfortunately.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" Arius fumed, gripping tightly on the iron axe he was holding while glaring at me with pure hatred. I was afraid he would swing the axe at me and kill me right here.

I tried to formulate words for an explanation. "I w-was distracted by a light, a-and--"

"You got distracted. . . by a fucking light?"

"It was a different light! It called my name multiple times and told me the same thing over and over."

"And what was the thing it repeated?" Minerva asked calmly, though the panic in her eyes was very noticeable.

"It told me to--"

"We don't got enough time for the bullshit, demons are already entering the hole." Arius cut me off, throwing the axe to the sky that started to shimmer in the darkness around us. Its form changed midair until it turned into a black, smoking scythe. The handle of the weapon grew thinner with the blade formed in a curved direction that was obviously sharper and can cut easily when touched.

"Diedre, get your weapon and help me with these assholes." Diedre nodded to this and took out a bow and arrow strapped behind her back that I didn't even notice in the first place. "Clay, I know you got a lot of ideas in that shit brain of yours. I supposed you have a plan already along with Minerva?" Arius said.

Clay nodded without hesitation, eyeing Minerva and nodding again. "Arius and Diedre are in charge of dealing the demons while Minerva and I will start to evacuate the villagers."

"Copy that, Clay." Minerva said as she started to run towards the village.

"Danno, will you be okay in helping us? You can hide if you want." Clay knelt down in front of the kids, smiling reassuringly that it would be okay.

"I wanna help." Danno answered in determination. "Please, I'll be okay and I won't die."

"Okay, you'll be in charge of the food supplies and hide them in the barn." Danno agreed and started doing his task.

Clay stood up and turned around, facing me in a serious manner. "Michaelis, seal the walls as fast as you can. You're the only person I can rely to with that task."

"What? HIM?" Arius exclaimed. "Why would you even-"

"I saw how he worked with the walls earlier. He's faster and better at it." Clay narrowed his eyes to me. "Don't let us down, son."

I nodded. "I won't. I promise."

"Good. Now, do as I say and follow the plan. Do not falter." Clay said before leaving to help Minerva.

"Kid, you'll be in deep shit after this." Arius threatened before running towards the demons.

At the corner of my eyes, I saw Diedre giving me small smile. "Good luck out there, Mikey."

. . .

I heaved out heavy breaths as my feet carried me across the fields, trying my best to avoid a lot of demons in my way. I occasionally would hide behind trees and shrubs, only walking when footsteps can be heard, and would not move until the demon would pass by me. I didn't have a weapon with me and all I had were the materials needed for the walls to be built and a map.

What was I even gonna do with a map?

Alas, I reached the empty parts of the wall and started to craft the materials in forming it, eyes wide and mind alarmed for any movements and disturbances around me. I filled a hole and continued my job, crafting more and more before these demons can find me. Another wall rose up from beside me that blocked a few monsters who almost entered across the boundaries that could have become another wave of disasters.

I glanced to my side to see Arius and Diedre fighting off different types of fiends without any fear showing on their faces. Arius strike his scythe across a demon's stomach in an inhumane speed, the monster reducing to ashes as he continues to attack one after another like a flash of lightning. Diedre, on the other hand, shot at least eight demons from above a tree and dodging a few attacks without getting hurt.

'They really are built for this,' I thought before shaking my head, focusing on my own tasks without getting distracted again like the last time.

One more wall and everything should be okay again.

As the wall started to form itself, a demon made its way to me without any warning. I managed to jump at the side and rolled back, swerving my body from its claws. It rushed towards me again, this time snarling with its eyes ticking and body twitching from probably excitement and hunger. I rose from my position and gasped for air, frantically looking around for some sort of weapon or anything that would help me eliminate this hideous beast.

'That is one hell of a beast,' I panicked within my mind. 'come to think of it, it was bigger than the others I passed by and it looked way different from them. How is this one different?'

My pocket started to glow out of nowhere. More specifically, it was the map that was glowing as it floated its way out and centered itself in front of me. It got brighter and brighter as it formed into something I didn't expect. Luckily, the demon was also distracted by the light as it howled in pain from the sudden brightness.

"What. . ." My voice trailed off as the light faded from my used-to-be map. It floated down to my hands that landed on my palm as I felt a smooth yet rugged cotton-like materials strapping itself to my arm. When the light died out, my eyes widened from what I just saw.

A sword?

I swing it slightly from different directions, seeing how sharp it was and the way it sounded can certainly cut through almost anything. Its material was still paper, but when I tried to cut off a leaf that floated lifelessly in front of me it shredded into tiny pieces and disappeared without a trace. Not gonna lie, it even looked pretty badass.

A heavy roar startled me form my thoughts, waking me up to reality that I was facing a virtual demon in front of me who can eliminate me also in real life. I fixed my stance by moving my legs a little bit apart from each other and leveling my hand that was holding the sword in front of my abdomen, exhaling from the thick tension around my surroundings. The demon ticked its eyes and crouched a little, letting out another snarl and started to make its way to me in a fast pace. I moved to the side and dodged its claw attack, walking backwards until it reached out to me again. I did a roll on the grass and sat up just underneath its stomach without it knowing as I strongly gripped on my sword with both hands.

Without hesitations, I stabbed the demon and sliced its stomach sideways before crawling out of where it was located. It let out a painful howl as it started to twitch involuntarily, its body disintegrating like embers bit by bit. The demon let out a small cry when it eyed me, tears visible from its now frightful eyes.

"H-help. . ." It managed to croak out on its verge of death, frightening me and catching me off guard.

I walked closer. "You can talk?"

"This isn't. . . me." Those were its last words before it disappeared into nothingness, leaving me all confused and wary from what just happened.

"What is going on?" I whispered to myself, placing a hand to my forehead while looking down on the ground.

'Was it telling me something?'

"Michaelis!" I heard Diedre from behind me. I tilted my head to see all of them rushing towards me, all unharmed and safe.

Fortunately enough for us, the wall was already sealed and daytime was drawing near.

"Are you okay? Did you get hurt?" Minerva's hands reached their way to my face and my upper body, scanning for any injuries or wounds.

"I'm okay, don't worry." I reassured her, nodding with a small smile appearing on my face. I shifted my body to look at where the demon was once standing before it died. "Didn't know demons were that big."

When I turned to look at them, they all exchanged worried yet somehow proud looks from one another before focusing on me again.

I cocked my head form their stares. "What?"

"Michaelis, what you just killed. . ." Diedre bit the bottom part of her lip, eyes squinting as she shot me a grin. "was the queen of the demons herself."