Inner Demon: The Dark Bloods - Book I ✓

Chapter 27 - Brave Bodies - Part I

Quick Author's Note: Another chapter I divided in half. Both parts will be uploaded at the same time.

Enjoy. :3

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27.

Brave Bodies

These demons did not look like Mundus. They were overgrown manifestations of all imaginable mammals, insects, reptiles, invertebrates, amphibians, birds, and even fish. Some of them were uncanny mashings of demon and human. Claws, fangs, fur, whiskers, paws, horns, snouts, fins, wings, and insect legs were sprinkled here and there with random human body parts –an arm, a pair of legs, a bare female torso, eyes without lashes. Crude weapons such as axes, clubs, and blades were gripped by some that could hold them.

They were pouring out of an invisible void as if they had been hiding in the air. As the demons marched, the mouth of their exit slowly became visible, wavering into existence until an enormous structure came into view. It was a windowless and doorless one-story building that stretched for miles over the horizon. Curved towers with flat roofs perched on top of the soaring wall that enclosed it. A golden outline seemed to shine from each piece of ivory stone that held the peculiar castle together. This was the Demon King's fortress and it was there, according to Blethinette, where Mundus' body resided.

The demons continued to march from the fortress' wall, phasing through it like ghosts. When they at last stopped, the mini-army of the grotesque numbered the couple hundred. Erian and Cerus looked at the demonic mass with indifference. Reyna's eyes were wide with anxiety and a tinge of fear. Mundus' gaze, however, held a hint of enthusiasm. It had been too long since his last battle.

The demon militia attacked.

They rapidly separated into four groups with the strategy of overpowering their opponents from all cardinal directions. Simultaneously, Mundus, Erian, and Cerus jumped ahead to meet them before they enclosed on them, each taking one group. Reyna hesitantly ran ahead, forced to deal with the remaining mass of demons. It was the smallest cluster, yet she still felt overwhelmed. As she neared them, she stopped and held her ground, tensed, as they charged towards her.

Reyna briefly touched her necklace; Amon and her parents' face graced her mind. Their appearance along with vibe of the cool metal on her fingertips renewed her with confidence. As long as she trusted in it and in herself, she would be able to get through this. She had crossed into the realm of demons knowing she was going to have to fight some of them. Granted, she had not guessed it was going to be this many.

The brigade of nightmares pounced on her.

The swiftness and quickness of her moves, synchronized with her mental reaction, was incredible. Suddenly blessed with an unbelievably versatile ability to command her powers, Reyna extended her arms in front of her. Hands over her head, palms facing outward, she spread them apart until her arms were parallel to the ground. The motion caused a large, blue rectangle to appear over the top half of her body. It acted as a huge shield against the strange black club a fox looking demon had attempted to attack her with. With the wave of her right arm, the rectangle shield rolled up into a spear. She thrusted it, intending to pierce the demon's chest. At the last moment she changed direction and impaled the demon's leg instead. With a howl of pain, it fell only to stagger up to its feet. 

Jumping over the injured demon were three more demonic abominations from the insect kingdom, their multiple jagged, razor sharp legs aimed at decimating Reyna. Behind them, several other demons sprinted towards her. She froze, drawing a blank on how to defend against several opponents.