Arcanum - Chapter 176

Yuna was right, If the red hand was anything to go on this thing would be the same size if not bigger than a bear. A second hand shot up emerging from the tar placing its large palm on the solid ground and began pulling itself up.

“Okay, what now?” Grace asked Yuna letting loose an arrow into the hand with no effect scattering into pieces as it hit its target. “I think we’ve got a problem.” Grace said letting loose another arrow with no effect.

“Yup I agree..” Yuna said forcing us to step back more as it began pulling itself out a pair of upward facing long pointy Goat horns emerged through the tar.

“So what now?!” I questioned in a panic as a literal bright red hulking demon emerged, it was huge, easily towering above us. It looked like an absolute killing machine, its body completely stacked with muscles it’s nails long and sharp like deadly claws. No part of Gregor’s humanity was left, he was completely and utterly fully demon, nothing of the Demon standing in front of us looked remotely human.

It looked at us and laughed snarling happily showing its sharp pointed serrated teeth designed tear flesh from bone. It began saying something to us in a guttural harsh sounding language holding out both its hands. “I’ll try and hold it off.. You guys try and find help as quickly as you can. Find a Professor Caldor if you can.” Yuna instructed us.

“You can’t hold this off by yourself.” Daisy said drawing her maul readying herself.

“I’ve got a plan..” Grace suggested as both of the demons hands lit up in flames and slowly manifested two large deadly looking serrated swords.

“Helen! I need some animals!” Grace yelled quickly in a panic.

“Okay!” Helen agreed and began casting a spell in that other language causing small puffs of smokes to appear summoning several small forest critters. Morgana seeing Helen summon some critters did the same summoning critters of her own but more mangled and dirty.

Grace kneeled down saying something to them all in another language and with a unified nod all the critters scurried away. “What’s that?” Jun asked.

“They are helping me send a message to Professor Caldor.” Grace explained.

“Officer Jun.. I’m afraid I’ll need you to stand back. We can’t have anything happen to you.” Yuna said as the Demon snarled in glee walking towards us with its two giant swords.

“If it’s not already apparent don’t let this thing hit you, it could probably slice us in two with ease.” She warned.

“I know.” I replied backing up with every step it took closer to us.

“What’s the plan?” Jay asked Yuna as scared as the rest of us.

“We’ll delay it, keeping it here till backup arrives.” Yuna said trying to sound confident but we could all tell that she’s also out of her depth here.

“Paul we need help!” I spoke into my communication badge.

“What’s wrong?!” Paul answered instantly.

“We’re up against a Demon of Khorcus we need assistance.” I said to him in a panic staring at the Demon ready to kill us for his Demon lord.

“Fu*k where are you?.. I’m getting you help right now.” He said in a panic.

“We’re at the colosseum we need to hold it off so it doesn’t run rampage in the school.” I answered.

“I’m getting you help now! Don’t…. do anything stupid.” He replied.

“Okay Paul’s getting help.” I notified everyone.

“I hope it come’s soon.” Yuna replied steadying her nerves readying herself.

“You’re not thinking of going in are you?..” I questioned.

“Well we need to stop it heading into Atlantis, so I’ve gotta keep it busy.” Yuna answered.

“Yes but it can also cleave you in two and he’s at least twice the size.” I objected her decision.

“That’s if he can hit me.” Yuna smiled.

“Paul what’s the spell that speeds people up?” I questioned him.

“You mean haste?” He questioned.

“Yes!! I really need it.” I answered him.

“.. Festatio..” Paul answered with a pause of hesitation, “Just remember to focus and imagine the spell you want to cast.” He added sounding extremely worried.

“Thanks.” I answered him nodding, “Festatio!” I said pointing my wand at Yuna focusing on making her faster imagining the red blurry effect Paul did to Scarlet several times.

“Woah!!! Haste… amazing!” Yuna smiled at me filled with more confidence. “There’s no chance it can hit me now!” She smiled looking back at the Demon with renewed hope and vigor.

“Lenartus!” Jay yelled pointing his wand at the Demon shooting a spell at it but did nothing.

“Demons are resistant to spells.” Morgana informed him. “But this one should work.” Morgana smiled speaking a spell in a language that sounded similar to Helen’s. The Demon began roar in pain as one of its swords began to glow red hot like it was super-heated.

“I’d hate to admit it.. But that was a great idea.” Helen said casting the same similar spell on the other sword forcing the Demon to roar in more pain as his hands emitted bellows of smoke withstanding the searing hot pain.

“I thought you said Demons are resistant to spells.” Jay asked in shock.

“Demons are but the swords aren’t.” Morgana smiled.

“Screw it.. Festatio!” He said pointing his wand at Daisy giving her haste.

“Let’s do this!” Daisy said closing her eyes and concentrating a little causing a very faint shimmer to appear around herself and Yuna. “We’ll focusing on holding it off till backup arrives right?” Daisy asked.

“Yes.. We just need to hold it off we can’t let it back to the school it will cause a panic and more casualties.” Yuna ordered.

“Jun stay far away… the rest of you keep your distance let me and Daisy hold its attention.” Yuna looked at Daisy with confidence giving her a nod.

The two bravely strolled into the striking range of the Demon, it snarled and smiled with excitement watching Daisy closely licking its lips at Daisy, towering above her Daisy bravely stared back at it with no fear in her eyes.

“Bring it!” Daisy smiled as Yuna used his fascination with Daisy to stab two throwing dagger in the back of its knees forcing it to drop to its knees. With all her might Daisy swung her maul up the chin of the demon unleashing several bolts of holy light into it, making it roar in pain and physically injured. From one single blow she managed to hurt the demon physically destroying a part of its jaw.

“Let’s get rid of these.” Morgana grinned raising her hands calling forth two swampy vines, swiftly with her hand she controlled the vines to lash out grabbing the two swords and plunging them deep into the boiling tar, with a stomp of her foot the boiling tar shifted back to ordinary ground stopping the Demon from retrieving them.

It roared in complete anger getting up, back handing Daisy away sending her flying it sprinted towards Morgana at an unfathomable pace that none of us expected and readying its giant claw to rend her to pieces.

“Please make it!” Helen pleaded sending a vine latching onto Morganas leg trying to yank her away. Instinctively I slung a fire bolt into its face blinding him momentarily making him barely miss Morgana by a mere millimetres.

“Thanks.. That was too close.” Morgana thanked Helen regaining her composure.

“This is too dangerous Emilia jump on!” Helen shouted running at me her arms changing to large wings and her nose becoming a beak. Nodding I ran towards her jumping on her back as she became a Giant Eagle big enough to carry me and soared into the sky to keep us safe.

“Great idea!” Morgana shouted and ran towards Jay and Jun transforming into a giant pitch black crow picking them both up with her talons and soared into the sky circling around the Demon.

“Guys buy me a few seconds!” Yuna yelled closing her eyes and began to focus on something.

Grace began to rapidly fire shot at the Demon trying to find a weak spot, aiming for the face and joints but each shot scattered into pieces as they impacted the skin. “Arghhh!” Grace yelled in anger, dusting away whatever left over arrows were on him and began charging at her at a ridiculous speed. Grace dropped her bow and drew out both her Elven Daggers she rarely ever used ready to engage it in hand to hand combat.

Just before reaching Grace it lowered it horns down towards her trying to impale her knowing it was too late to dodge in time. “Don’t forget about me!” Daisy yelled appearing suddenly infant of Grace swinging her large maul like a baseball bat slamming it straight into the skull of the Demon coupled with the divine bolts of lightning send it flying back motionless not even roaring in pain.

“FU*K!!” Daisy yelled the impact forcing the maul out her hand narrowly missing Grace as she dived to the side to avoid it.

“She needs help I think her arms are broken.” I yelled to Helen noticing that Daisy’s arms have gone limp dangling down like drapes.

“I’ve got her but that would be my last 3rd level spell!” Jay yelled pointing his wand at her casting a spell causing Daisy to vanish out of sight, “Don’t attack Daisy or you’ll break the spell!” Jay yelled at her.

“He’s still not down!” I yelled noticing the Demons hands began to twitch ever so slightly.

Yuna finally ready opened her eyes and ran towards the Demon jumping on top of it before it could recover and began pounding at it with her bare fist physically distorting its face and body with every punch. “Just DIE ALREADY!” Yuna yelled relentless pounding away are the motionless body trying to end the fight as quickly as possible.

The Demons body looked lifeless sprawled over the floor with no sign of breathing or moments, Yuna dismounted the Demon looking extremely tired barely able to walk straight or keep herself up.

“Emilia! Help will be there soon.” Paul notified me.

“It’s okay I think Yuna finished it off, it looks dead.” I answered him with a sigh of relief.

“Tell her to run.. Demons don’t die that easily they need to be banished!” Paul explained to me in a panic.

“Yuna RUN!!!” I screamed at her as the hands of the Demon began to slowly twitch again. Yuna’s body slumped down to the ground slowly falling unconscious.

“We need to pick her up!” I instructed Helen.

She screeched acknowledging my command and began a dive to quickly pick her up off the ground. The situation quickly became dire.. The only two heavy hitters in our party out of action and the Demon still being able to regenerate.

As Helen swooped down scooping up Yuna a giant claw narrowly missing me dug deep into Helen back causing her to screech in pain and suddenly morphed back into her Elven form sending the three of us tumbling across the floor.

I looked up in horror as the Demon was standing up again it’s body battered and bruised but still being able to move.. What on earth do we need to do to take it down!

Using the opening Grace attacked it from behind jumping on its back plunging her daggers deep into both sides of the Demons neck. It howled in pain reaching behind him grabbing Grace like a squash toy and slammed her on the ground. Grace screamed in pain as her body impacted the ground with enough force to make her body bounce.

It snarled happily as it placed its foot on Grace slowly applying pressure making her scream in pain. “No!!” I instinctively yelled trying to think of a way to help her, “Admo-Tumul!” I yelled collapsing the ground beneath Grace relieving the pressure of it crushing her.

Jay and Jun tumbled on the ground near us as Morgana dove towards the Demon shifting her form to a giant ape. Using her feet and the momentum of falling she rolled forward gripping the Demon with her feet and tossed it away from Grace and began beat her chest aggressively and began running towards the Demon.

A small robbed figure holding a long sheathed slightly curved sword appeared in front of Morgana causing her to stop in her tracks, “Sorry I took so long.. You all have done well holding it off this long, rest and recover now I’ll take it from here.” A girl’s voice spoke out to us.