Back on Mirror Earth.
****
Rephan woke up to the sound of rumbling originating from the cave entrance.
"What the – "
He shouted while scrambling to stand up.
Eyes still groggy from sleep, he managed to discern the figure of a daemon on the other side of the barrier.
It had a long, serpentine body shimmering with silver scales.
However, the most jarring trait it had were its gigantic eyes.
Those headlight sized eyes stared at him with such intensity, they seemed to bore holes into his soul.
He shuddered when he realized the daemon had been watching him sleep.
'The mana thing that Gordon talked about is getting very creative with creating these daemons.'
Backing up against the cave wall, he kept his eyes on the daemon.
'Just in case.'
Just then he heard Gordon's voice beside him.
"Did you get your beauty sleep? "
Ignoring the question, Rephan slowly turned his head to face Gordon while he kept an eye on the daemon from the corner of his eye.
Gordon sat on the cave floor with his legs crossed, eyes closed in a meditative position.
"Gordon."
"You know there is a daemon behind the barrier, right?"
Gordon cocked his head to the side.
"Yes, yes, I know."
There was movement behind the barrier as the serpentine figure rammed against the barrier with its body.
"Why didn't you wake me up?"
Gordon stood up and slowly opened his eyes.
"I wanted you to be well rested for what is about to happen."
Rephan locked his eyes on Gordon as he advanced towards the barrier.
The slithering noise rose as the daemon seemed to get excited as Gordon got closer.
Rephan pushed himself off the cave wall and readied himself, determined not to get caught off guard.
Gordon extended his hand to touch the barrier.
"Rephan watch carefully, consider this a demonstration of sorts."
The slithering noise reached a crescendo as the daemon's excitement, or rather bloodlust, seemed to reach its peak.
Gordon's hand finally touched the barrier.
A deafening bang echoed as something threw the daemon back out through the crack in the cliff face and into the forest.
Gordon gulped as he recalled the fact that he had thrown a stone at the barrier earlier.
Without saying another word, Gordon passed through the cave opening, beckoning for Rephan to follow.
Not hesitating, Rephan ran.
Passing through the cave opening.
Fresh air filled his nostrils, and sunlight beamed onto his face.
It would have been paradise if not for one crucial detail.
The slithering sound had returned, and this time it sounded strangely furious.
Rephan could hear the sound of trees being shattered and pushed aside in the distance as the serpentine daemon rushed at them.
Gordon stood further ahead in a clearing in the forest, holding a revolver in one hand.
Bullets materialized out of thin air and fell into his palm.
They gained a golden hue before he promptly inserted them into the carbine.
The minute he was done with the task, the daemon burst through the forest and into the clearing.
Slightly scuffed from the explosion but mostly unhurt.
It wasted no time lunging at Gordon, serrated fangs displayed in its wide mouth.
Gordon jumped and rolled to the side as the serpent's head crashed into his previous location, throwing up dirt and rocks.
None of that could get in the way of his aim, though.
A loud bang echoed as he shot at the serpentine daemon's eye, aiming for a kill shot.
The daemon, however, blinked at the right time causing the bullet to lodge itself into its eyelid instead of its brain which had been Gordon's target.
The daemon lashed out with its tail at the same time, catching Gordon at the side of his ribs.
Gordon roared as he was thrown into the air.
And straight into the trunk of a tree.
The daemon, having sustained an injury, was full of fury as it rushed in a mass of scales at Gordon.
Rephan was watching the whole scene, shaken by the ferocity of the fight.
However, watching the daemon rushing at Gordon, who was embedded in a tree.
He felt he had to do something.
So he ran, he ran toward the serpentine daemon, determined to stop it in its tracks.
But his speed was woefully inadequate; he would not be able to reach Gordon in time.
So he pulled on everything he had, strained every muscle in his body just to give himself one extra push.
Just then, almost as if answering his desperation and determination.
A surge of indescribable energy filled his entire being.
And in that moment everything felt possible.
He burst forward at speeds he had never thought he could reach on foot.
Not being used to such speeds, he had almost missed the daemon,out, but reaching out he held on firmly to the scales of the daemon.
Stopping it in its tracks.
The fact that he had managed to stop a daemon that could shatter trees like they were matchsticks was a stellar feat.
The daemon turned its serpentine head, its eyes locking with Rephan's.
Facing that gaze, the energy filling Rephan's being vanished like the morning mist along with his newly gained strength.
With a flick of its tail, the daemon sent Rephan flying sideways into another tree.
Hitting the tree with a deafening thud, he fell onto the forest floor drained.
His vision swam and blurred as he tried to stand up again.
Eventually, with some effort, he was able to focus on the daemon.
After throwing him into a tree, the daemon had returned its attention to Gordon.
Thankfully, Rephan's interruption had bought him enough time to extricate himself from the bark of the tree.
Landing on the forest floor, Gordon jumped upwards higher than any human had the right to… well, except for those with robotic legs.
The serpentine daemon, launching itself at Gordon, crashed into the tree, further damaging it.
While still in the air, Gordon aimed at the tree and fired another shot.
This bullet, on contact with the tree, exploded effectively toppling it.
Landing a few dozen meters away, Gordon watched as the tree fell on top of the serpentine daemon's body, trapping it.
The daemon was still struggling, almost giving Rephan a heart attack every time the fallen tree showed signs of budging.
Walking over to the daemon, Gordon manifested a rifle.
Aiming at the serpentine daemon's enormous eyes, he emptied the rifle's contents into the daemon's head, ending its struggle.
Rephan was stumped.
'Wait, he had a rifle the entire time!'