Savage, white-tattooed demons charged in with their war cries, attacking Kalika and Donovan from behind. Donovan dodged as he ran alongside Kalika. He came to a skidding halt as more of those savage demons blocked their way.
"Tch! These guys are persistent!"
Donovan reached for his holstered sword and pulled it out, clashing against the full strength of the ambushing demon. Kalika turned to the chasing demons and attacked with her dagger.
Donovan's hands started to falter beneath the immense strength of the demon warrior he clashed with.
"
Suddenly, a demon with a spear charged from behind his ally, poised and ready to strike Donovan.
The spear-wielding demon took a dagger to the shoulder, knocking him back. His companion turned, but this gave Donovan an opening he was looking for, as he redirected the demon's sword and slashed him in the back.
Kalika followed up behind him and charged into a group of several more attacking demons, slashing and staining the town buildings with blood, with Donovan not far behind.
After what seemed to be a quick skirmish, Kalika finished the last with a stab to the side of their head, achieving another victory over their attackers.
Donovan fell to his knees, trying to catch his breath. He glanced up at Kalika and saw that the constant battles were slowly taking their toll on her, too. He then turned his attention to the new wounds on his arms and legs. "If Kalika weren't here I'd probably be screwed."
"Damn it. These demons just don't give up." Donovan turned his sights to the clouds of smoke that were rising all around them. He frowned and glanced back up the road. "Alright… it doesn't look like we're that far now."
Donovan stood back up, sheathing his sword. "As soon as we find those carts, we're getting the hell out of here."
"The sooner the better." Kalika nodded. "This dream is getting annoying."
She watched as Donovan led the way and quickly followed behind.
The sounds of other battles and skirmishes were unescapable and were getting even louder with every step. It was like they were in the midst of a war between clans, with the constant clanging of swords and screams of dying demons.
Donovan could feel himself getting goosebumps just thinking of the potential carnage these demons were leaving behind. And what the potential lives lost were, in the invasion of Dahlia.
"Over there." Kalika pointed.
Donovan, brought out of his stupor, took note of the buildings Kalika pointed to. The buildings were larger and bulkier than the homes they had passed earlier. Slowly, he noticed that smoke was also coming from these buildings. And where there was smoke, there was bound to be fire.
Donovan pressed ahead, determination written on his face. However, the closer they got, the hotter it became. Soon, the smoke wasn't just filling the air above, but also below as they pushed further in.
As they arrived at their destination, they slowed to a halt and gazed upon the assortment of carts set ablaze. Donovan's hands shook. He searched around desperately. But to his dismay, the buildings around them were also engulfed in a deep, hot inferno.
"Crap!"Donovan quickly broke out into a cough, inhaling some of the smoke. He covered his mouth and lowered his head. "We have to get out of here," he wheezed.
Kalika followed Donovan's way from the inferno. As she did, she glanced more curiously at the burning carts.
As they made it away from the burning building, Donovan sighed and leaned against the wall of cold stone.
Kalika crossed her arms and wandered around the empty road. "It looks like there's nothing we can do."
"Right… So much for getting those cooking supplies and a cart," Donovan said, disappointment laced in his voice.
"We can always try again another time."
"I'm not sure about that…"
Kalika looked around the burning buildings until she found the large stone walls followed by the main gate. She quickly found it following the road that led to the gate. "This way. There's another exit that way I think."
Donovan traced the general direction headed into the town. Soon after he saw the gate itself in the distance. He quickly followed behind and slowly and cautiously followed the path to the town's main road. Hearing indistinct chatter from up ahead, Donovan pulled Kalika behind the corner of a half-destroyed home.
He gestured for silence as a few savage demons ran past them.
"That was close." Donovan thought.
He peeked around the corner and saw a gate in sight. Unfortunately for them, it was being guarded by several of those white tattooed demons. They were holding a few demon children and women bound together. They were unresponsive to the movements of their captors, who were lugging them along with the supplies out.
Kalika noticed this too, peeking behind Donovan. "Maybe they have carts of their own?"
Donovan briefly glanced at Kalika and glared back more pensively at the demon warriors carrying goods.
"We probably shouldn't take a chance," he said. "There's probably more of them just outside of those gates. And for all we know, an army of them is just waiting out there."
"An army?"
"yes."
"Perhaps we should lay low until this whole thing blows over…" Donovan glanced at the bags he still carried then to Kalika. But just before he could explain his plan to Kalika, she charged ahead.
"Kalika!?"
Kalika, with her Dagger in hand, dashed to the first unsuspecting demon, slicing his neck. The other demons that trailed ahead heard the commotion and turned. Seeing Kalika, they conjured their weapons and attacked at once.
Kalika jerked her body around and blocked the first, redirecting it to the second demon. In single swipe of her dagger, she sliced both their necks.
"
Kalika glared at the guards at the gate, now charging at her. She saw that even more savage demons were coming from outside the gate.
"Fourteen… Fifteen. That makes twenty- No. Twenty-two," Kalika glared back, seeing two more coming from behind, one of whom wielded a large axe and swung it at her.
She felt the heft of an axe cutting through her waist completely. The weight of gravity, fixed to her, pulled her to the ground, but she stopped. She felt herself pulled back up, and in seconds, she completely healed from their surprise attack.
She curled an amused smile, watching in amusement the shocked expressions and surprised glances the demons gave. "
The burly demon worked his courage back up swinging at Kalika again.
She jumped over the demon this time and landed on top of him. She grabbed his horns, yanking on it so hard the demon screamed out in pain.
His companion circled around and attacked pointlessly from behind, cutting Kalika's back. Unfazed, she ripped the demon's horn from his head. In that moment he fell over on top his ally and without a second thought, she stabbed their heads.
Sensing the approach of the other demons she turned, parrying and blocking their waves of attacks.
Another attack came from her side, but a fireball struck the attacking demon. Before the demon could reorient himself, a sword erupted from his chest, killing the demon.
Donovan quickly ripped the sword out and aimed and fired a new fireball at another demon. It struck the savage demons in the face, knocking him to the ground.
As he turned to Kalika, he noticed that she was completely ignoring him in favor of the thrill of battle. The intensity of her gaze and smile reminded him of when she seemed to plan on torturing an already defeated goblin.
A fear crept into his heart, but he just as quickly shook off the idea, and focused back to the fight at hand, clashing swords with a gnarly looking demon. He parried and blocked the attacking demon.
He readied a new fire ball, firing it straight into the demon's chest and staggered the demon. Just before he could move to strike the demon, he caught the sound of another charging straight at him.
"Crap!"
Donovan turned and quickly re-poised his sword. With a new clear opening in the charging demon, He countered this new attacker and thrusted straight into his chest.
"And now the other!"
He pulled the stabbed demon, using it as a shield against the other. With the bait taken, Donovan quickened his step, pulling his sword and slashed the demon's head off.
He jerked his body around, looking for his next opponent. He saw as Kalika suddenly tackled to the ground, stabbing her in his chest, only for him to get slashed himself.
Another demon with a large axe took advantage of Kalika's predicament, immediately beheading her.
The Victorious demon took her head in hand waving it around in front of Donovan. His heart sank seeing these demons boast and laugh.
Feeling more confident, the remaining few demons slowly started to approach and surround Donovan.
But suddenly, to the demon's shock, Kalika's head flew away from the demon's hand and back onto her standing corpse. She completely revived and growled at the remaining demons.
"That's right… She can't die…" Donovan thought. He saw as the demons around shook, witnessing the most unbelievable sight. But unexpectedly one of them pointed at Kalika, shouting something in their language.
Not long after, the blood-soaked Kalika was suddenly being bowed to. Kalika stood in shock by this as several of the demons recited prayers.
Despite Kalika's growing curiosity, she executed them all one by one.
Donovan finished the last demon for her, as he did, he gazed at the dead bodies of the other demons that bowed in utter confusion. "What the hell was that about?"
Kalika stared at the bodies in silence. After a while, she glanced around and saw that some scattered supplies were pots, pans, and other miscellaneous items.
Donovan grabbed and looked through one of his bags. "Looks like we're lucky." Using the opportunity, he quickly sorted out the necessary items from the useless ones. Shortly after, he ran off to gather the cooking supplies that were left behind.
As Donovan gathered the loose supplies, Kalika looked out from the gate, waiting for Donovan to reconvene with her. She watched carts of goods and some hostages being pulled by strange bird-like beasts, rolling off into a distant forest.
"More forest…" Kalika glanced around and saw another cart filled with more supplies. It also had a strange bird-like beast at the front. They reminded her keenly of a chicken with its black beak and gray feathers. Although it also had unnerving red eyes too.
"Alright, I think I have everything," Donovan said.
"
Donovan whipped around, seeing a new wave of demons heading their way. This time, even larger than before. He could tell with just a glance that even Kalika wouldn't be able to handle all those demons.
"L-lets get out of here!" He eyed the cart, the strange bird-like beast attached to it, and jumped into the helm. "Jump on!"
Kalika glanced back between Donovan and the horde of the savage tattooed demons heading their way. She followed and jumped into the back of the cart.
With a quick whip the reins, The bird sprang forth and pulled the cart away.
"
The chasing demons stopped at once and turned to their demon tall commander, who had red skin, violet eyes, and long grey hair. He looked on smugly at the runaway cart of goods they had just lost.
"
Despite the other's surprise, they did as commanded and dispersed to their duties as their commander watched the cart with Kalika and Donovan circled the town walls. He grinned knowingly as he watched the two leave his sight.
********
Kalika wobbled in the back of the cart followed by a queasiness. She brought herself to her knees, hoping it would help, as the cart continued to bump all around. "I don't like this cart…"
Donovan attempted to slow down the creature, with little to show for it. After a while of messing with the rein controls, he found that pulling the reins back slowed the bird down. Eventually, they came to a stop.
"Finally." He sighed. He took a moment to catch his breath.
Even Kalika sighed in relief, now that the cart was stopped. She laid into the pile of bags by the barrels and boxes of supplies.
Donovan glanced over to the fortified town that was now distant. He saw the rising smoke and rising fire. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel a little bad for these people. But they did attack us too…" he took off his mask, setting it to his side. "Still. I can't believe they thought we were part of those raiding demons."
He sighed again and gazed back at Kalika, who was now watching the savage demons departing the town. Donovan also saw this and raised a brow.
"It doesn't look like they intended to conquer this demon settlement. They act like those barbaric Dahl-" Donovan stopped as he saw Kalika cast a curious glance.
"Is something wrong?"
"N-... No. Everything's fine. Let's just get back to Bjorn."
Donovan whipped the rein, commanding the bird onward. This time, they kept a steady pace and despite the bumpy terrain, Kalika was able to manage the trip.
Eventually after some time they made it onto a road and back to their camp. But as soon as the camp came into sight, Donovan's grip on the reins tightened. His gaze became fixed as a pit filled his stomach. His eyes widened, not wanting to believe what he was seeing.
Despite all efforts to keep calm, his very thoughts escaped his lips. "What the hell?"
Kalika peeked, curious about what Donovan was seeing. Her eyes widened just as quickly.
Before them was their campsite, which was destroyed and ransacked.
Donovan pulled the reins, stopping the beast just outside their camp. He jumped out and, in a panic, ran in and called out for Bjorn.
Kalika looked around from the cart as Donovan continued to call out for Bjorn. She began to mutter incoherent nonsense to herself. Her eyes shifted around to the trees around her.
"Donovan!"
She threw her dagger that clashed with another aimed at Donovan. He caught a glimpse of this clash of weapons and freed his sword.
"Above us!" She warned.
Donovan charged a fireball in his hand and frantically searched the trees for any movement. As he saw the red and orange leaves fall, he aimed and fired away.
Another dagger shot his way, cutting deep into his shoulder.
It disappeared just as quickly, forcing his focus back to the source. He charged and fired.
"Missed again!" He glanced back to where Kalika was to find her missing. "Where's Kalika!?"
At that moment, a bloodied demon with a cut neck dropped from the trees. With the sound of iron clashing above, it quickly became obvious where Kalika was.
One after another, the Demons fell from the trees. Donovan prepared a new fireball and scanned the trees for movement.
Hearing the frantic movements above, one of the attackers eventually landed on a branch above him. He turned, seeing blue legs, and shot at the demon without hesitation.
The demon yelped out, falling first out of the tree. Not wasting the opportunity, Donovan pinned the demon down with a sword to the neck.
The short blue demon froze, a cold sweat running down his face.
Soon after, several more demons fell from the trees above, and the fighting ceased.
Kalika dropped down from the tree, landing on one of the many dead bodies of their assailants. She readied her dagger to kill the last that Donovan had pinned.
Knowing her intent, he raised his arm, stopping her. "We need this one alive." He said solemnly. Donovan fixed a harsh glare on the demon. "I have a good feeling he knows what happened."