It was slow moving through the city streets as they tried to avoid the demons as much as possible. On many occasions the group had to halt and take cover as stray demons left their oozing trails across the pavement. While the nearby battle attracted most of them there were still the stragglers that chose to walk different paths and some that even chose to strike against the barrier in hopes to escape. Each was a potential threat and although the knights could take care of themselves, with one injured, poor visibility and civilians to protect, it was too risky to just make a run for it.
"What's going to happen?" the man who Kyle had slapped asked worried. "We're going to escape aren't we?"
"Straighten your back Luther!" Mr Devro berated him. "Fear will only make it worse."
"I know sir but...."
The knight leading them replied, "It seems Officer Barker was correct. The Hero is taking much longer than usual to get rid of the Primarch. If we could round up the demons then he could release the barrier and fight at his full strength."
Another knight nodded, "If we've come to that conclusion, our leaders would as well. The question is how?"
Kyle also pondered it. Unlike the others, he knew that time wasn't on their side. Lillia had a limit and she'd be nearing it. Her replacement was the Captain but he wouldn't be able to maintain the barrier and in a situation like this with so many eyes, they couldn't let them see the changeover. Still deep in thought it was almost too late before the group noticed the black muck rise beneath their feet.
"Shit!" a knight swore and jumped back. Just like that they had been split. The demon still rising came between them. On one side was Mr Devro and Kyle, with the rest together. At the rate they were going they'd be separated. Realising the fact two of the knights leapt to attack the forming demon. To their surprise however their strikes were met with black oozing hands that gripped their swords corroding the steel and causing them to fall apart.
"It's a Type S!" Kyle shouted as the creature pulled itself from the street cracks. It looked unlike any demon they had seen before, held together by eerily shaped arms that melded into its body. "Just run!" He knew that the knights wouldn't leave them and making the decision he grabbed Mr Devro and retreated down the nearby alley. The knights knew they couldn't fight the demon alone and did the same heading the opposite way. Seconds later the demon shrieked and span around looking for the prey now gone.
"Play? Play with us. Please stay and play. Don't leave. Don't...." the chilling mixture of voices shook Kyle to the core. The way they spoke was eerily sincere, as if Kyle staying back would actually save them. If it wasn't for the overpowering sense of danger that came in pair, he might have really tried.
"Do you think it's gone?" Mr Devro gasped for breath from the sudden sprint. The two were pressed around the corner trying to spy the demon before it could them. The fog however made it almost impossible to see.
"It's not gone but it looks like its lost us for now," Kyle replied steadily. "Hopefully the others managed the same." Now it was just him and the director, the chance of them being killed by demons was suddenly much higher. All he had was a dagger for defence and just by glancing at the director it was clear he had even less combat training than Kyle did.
Unable to see the demon they continued on their way while trying to avoid large pacts of noise. Noise meant demons and although the usual groaning of the demons was hard to distinguish, for Kyle it wasn't too hard to stay clear as the mutterings grew louder. Like that they slowly made their way forwards and circled around the incursion grounds. Only several rows of buildings separated them from the main battlefield and even if it was the fastest path to reach safety, there was little doubt in both their minds it would be suicide.
"Stop," Kyle called out suddenly causing Mr Devro to stumble.
"What's wrong?" the man whispered in a shiver.
He signalled around the corner and the director pointed his camera, using the external screen to look around. Immediately his complexion paled as he realised what it was. Bodies laid out against the pavement sprawled out and unmoving. It was clear they were no longer among the living. Four in total they wore the armour of the Lavise Guard. The black steel still released a soft glow between its joints but even with all their technology, against their enemy death was quick.
"A Lavise knight?" Mr Devro gulped.
"Looks like it," Kyle felt his heart churn at the sight of them. Even with his previous experience with them it was still a shock to see them fall. He went to take a step forward but was held back.
"Hold on. They're dead. You can't be thinking of going past," Mr Devro gripped his arm.
"We have to. Whatever killed them seems to have moved on and besides... I need a weapon." The words sounded callous but in their situation they didn't have much choice.
"Aren't you scared?"
Kyle stopped surprised that the answer was simple, "No. I don't have the right to be. There are people in much worse situations."
"Like Lillia?"
"Yes like Lillia...," his eyes reflexively looked to the sky.
Mr Devro let go, "Then we should get going. I hope she's doing well."
Kyle knelt down next to the fallen Lavise Elite. Signs of a fight scuffed the street around them but from the looks of it the action hadn't lasted long. Before anything else he picked up the nearest knights rifle and made sure it was loaded.
"Do you know how to use that?" Mr Devro asked.
"I think so. The Hero's Guard made me train with theirs, though this one does look a bit different. Why, do you want one?" Kyle answered and gestured to a similar firearm nearby.
Mr Devro shook his head, "I'd do more harm than good and besides, I'd have to put my camera down for that."
"You sould take one of these then," he picked up two small orbs that were attached to the knight's belt.
"What are they?"
"Grenades."
The director took a step back, "I'm fine. Please be careful with those."
With practised motions Kyle put the explosives away and made sure the gun was in working order. It seemed to be quite powerful and without proper bracing would kick back quite hard. Still it was better than the measly dagger he had at the moment. What was strange however was the dead knights. To be exact the wounds that killed them were too precise. Their black armour had been pierced and cut by a single strike and from the looks of it, it was done by a blade of some kind. While the Type A demons' arms acted as blades they were serrated and would leave a much messier mark. Further there was no blood on the scene.
"This doesn't add up," Kyle frowned.
Mr Devro agreed with a nod, "It does look a little strange."
"Exactly... and why would they be here of all places?"
"Hang on Kyle this one is holding something," the director bent over with a groan and retrieved a rectangular case. "Hmm this looks like a memory chip."
"A memory chip?"
"Yes we use similar ones for our cameras."
Kyle took the case from him, "I'll bring it up with the Captain later. For now we need to move on. We'll have to send someone else to pay their last rights once this is over."
Mr Devro bowed to the fallen knights respectfully, "May you rest in the light free from fog."
"Okay," Kyle hefted the rifle in his arms. "Stay close behind me and-."
"Play?" The single word sent a spike of shock straight into his chest and in a snap Kyle had the rifle pointed back behind Mr Devro.
"Run!" he screamed as the Type S demon suddenly pulled its body from the fog. The creature advanced on them with gusto. Made entirely of black oozing hands it left a dark trail as it leapt forward. The arms and fingers acted as feet propelling it down the wide street and at the forefront a snarling mouth opened.
"Leave- Don't- Play."
Kyle fired the rifle. The blow back was even greater than he expected and sent him skidding several metres severely wounding his shoulder. The high calibre round struck against the demon causing it slow down and sway but clearly wasn't fatal as the hands that were torn off grew back almost instantly. Mr Devro did as he was told and began to run as fast as he could down the street.
"Damn it!" Kyle grit his teeth aimed and fired again while trying to hop backwards. Each shot sent him reeling and barely able to keep balance but even then the demon continued to make ground on them. Desperate he activated one of the grenades from his pocket and lobbed it down the street. As soon as the demons hands made contact the small orb exploded into a mass of heat and force. They were just as strong as the ones he was made to practice with. Against a normal demon it would have been more than enough. A second of silence passed as the clouds of dust settled and the blown away fog neatly folded back blurring the scene. Then shooting out from the veil the demon bounded towards them in a single powerful leap. The heavy gun was the only shield Kyle had and as the demon's body of arms crashed against him the metal frame snapped like a twig. A grunt was all Kyle could let out before the remaining force carried through, sending him crashing down the street and past Mr Devro. A powerful wooden crack resounded as Kyle flew across the next street and slammed against the door of shop.
"Kyle!" Mr Devro ran to him and tried to pull him free only to find his body stuck against the wood. "Hey Kyle! Get up- You need to get up!" The voice however never reached his ears.
*
Lillia stood in the air facing down the monstrosity before her eyes. Its body stretched towards the tips of her barrier, arms overbearing like a plant out to absorb the world and the hideous spread of infinite eyes and teeth that broke out against its oozing skin. This was the second Primarch that she had to fight and it was clearly stronger than the one she fought before. As terrible as the situation seemed, as much as history told her that she would have to sacrifice her life to kill the Primarch, things were different. An overwhelming energy was pouring through her limbs and the Hero's armour supported her every action making the impossible possible. Even with the barrier she had created to seal the demons the Primarch and her stood at a stalemate. Its black body that shifted and oozed exposing gunk filled eyes tried to wrap and claw around her only to be held in place by the powerful aura she was emitting. Without doubt right now Lillia had never felt more powerful.
The fact she was holding her own however was something of a miracle. In the end Lillia wasn't the Eternal Hero, she was a stand in and one that would be eventually replaced. She more than anyone else knew that there was a time limit on the incredible powers she was using and the price to pay for them was going to be much more than a single months sleep. Her only hope was that Kyle had made it out of the barrier. Of course she wanted to live. She wanted to go back home, to see the others again, to go on a proper date, to do all those things that she had only seen and read but never experienced. If she never had those desires she would have died already.
Faced against the Primarch a tear dripped down her cheek concealed by the helmet she wore. At the rate she was going, if the battle below wasn't sorted out, she'd have to take matters to the extreme.
A sigh echoed from her helmet as she exerted herself to keep the Primarch frozen in place. Her magic didn't just contain it but eroded its fringes continuously breaking it apart. The Primarch however grew back just as fast and pressured her all the more causing her to sweat. Her original sigh grew into exasperation and from there into anger,
"Please just die!" Lillia screamed. The Primarch didn't respond. The tips of her fingers were already beginning to tingle as they became numb to the overuse of mana. Just as she grit her teeth to return on the offensive a shocking burst of energy triggered behind her. It wasn't overwhelming or anything grand, but the subtle familiarity caused her heart to flutter in panic.
"Kyle?" she didn't have time to check as the Primarch's arm clenched around her.