The ori-tandemon stood, breathing heavily while Rexford clutched across from the demon, hands buried in the river.
The demon took a stance, not letting its guard down a bit. "Hey brat! You said this technique isn't perfected? Looks pretty perfected to me."
Rexford smirked. "Might look like that to you. But it actually lacks the speed and strength I want."
His smirk grew bigger. "But... it can pretty much do some hard damage."
As he said, several tentacles whipped at the demon who started moving to evade them.
Rexford clicked his tongue, eyes following the demon as it kept evading the tentacles.
The demon jumped over one tentacle, the tentacle sweeping beneath it, then—
Ducked, a tentacle swung over it. 'Now that I think of it...' The demon got up and continued running.
'Some of the attacks are slow and easy to read. Others lack power.' The demon grinned.
'Maybe I just might stand a chance.'
It stopped and dashed at Rexford, maneuvering swiftly to dodge the water tentacles.
When it got close to Rexford, it hewed at Rexford with its blade, the water torrents around it lashing out in multiple whips.
A big tentacle moved in the way to block but then, the whips passed through.
Rexford's eyes went wide in alert.
The demon's grin widened. 'I was right. Unperfected means unstable. Some parts are pure flow while and others are solid pressure. '
The whips closed in on Rexford, almost hitting him but then, another tentacle parried the attack.
The demon clicked its tongue and moved back as three tentacles struck into that spot, the water splashing in every direction.
As it came close to landing, a water tentacle swung at full force towards it from ahead.
At that point, had no choice but to block with both arms before it could land.
The tentacle kept pushing it back, its feet sliding over the water surface.
The demon had a serious expression, not being able to ward off the attack.
A second tentacle swooped with the same speed at it from behind.
It made contact—
A loud snap ringing outward as the demon was sandwiched between the two tentacles.
It gagged, blood spilling out its mouth.
Rexford's expression was dead serious. "You bastard. Don't let it get to your head because you found a slim chance to beat me."
Several spines erupted from the tentacles, piercing the demon in place, making it howl in pain.
It was then released, dropping flat unto the river surface, looking almost lifeless.
"I won't ask for your last prayers."
Rexford said, multiple tentacles with spines on them rising behind him.
"Die." As he added those words, the tentacles began slapping on the demon at a faster rate, causing the water around it to splashing so heavily the demon was obscured.
During the impacts, Rexford's hair bangs twitched. "Huh?"
He slowly looked to his left.
There, the demon emerged, quickly racing away from Rexford, desperate, bleeding heavily but not slowing down a bit.
Rexford frowned, tentacles lashed past him towards the demon.
The demon managed to evade them and leaped, eyes scanning below at the fifth circle. "I made it."
"I don't think so." Rexford smiled softly and then—
One tentacle burst forward, winding around its right leg, stopping the demon in the air.
A second one came forth, wrapping around its other leg.
The demon gritted its teeth, turning to glance at Rexford.
Rexford had a look that said; "Where are you going, my prey."
The demon's eyes shot wide open, sweating pellets.
The tentacles swung backwards in a arc—
Going up, moving back, before speeding down like a falling rocket.
The crush was heavy, filled with a head aching splash.
The river rose into a whirling wave and poured heavily back into the current.
The demon gagged again, eyes going completely white.
Things settled down—
The demon laid on the river, breathing heavily, orange fur tainted with blood.
Rexford crouched across, breathing heavily, hands dipped in the water, expression serious.
One water tentacle rose near the demon, tip pointing at it. "Now..."
Rexford began as the tip of the tentacles started spiraling like a drill.
"You die." A drilling tentacle came down with high crushing speed.
It got close, ready to tear the demon into shreds but then, a beat vibrated through Rexford.
The attacks collapsed on the demon like water pouring.
Rexford's eyes went wide as another beat vibrated.
All other tentacles poured into the flowing stream and the circles on the river faded.
Rexford felt himself lowering down.
Before anything else could happen, he sunk into the river.
He managed to balance himself and swam to the surface, breathing heavily.
"Shit. I've used all my energy."
A groan escaped him from pain. 'Damnit. Now that I've used it all up, the fatigue from using my power and taking damage is crushing on me all at once.'
Turning to the shore, he started swimming. 'The ori-tandemon should be unconscious for now. I have to escape before he wakes—"
"Leaving so soon?"
Rexford froze mid-swim, eyes wide and fluttering.
"Or don't tell me..." A figure bent down behind him. "You're running because you're out of energy?"
Rexford slowly turned around, gaze landing on the ori-tandemon behind him—battered really bad but moving as if nothing happened.
The demon grinned. "You know, those attacks you landed on me really hurts."
Rexford was dumbfounded—mouth opened but no words coming out.
His inner being was conflicted. 'How is this possible? I was sure I dealt him enough damages so he couldn't move. So why?'
The demon watched Rexford, head tilting to the side. "Wait! If I'm not wrong... there's a stench of fear around you."
Rexford frowned at the mention of that word... "fear".
The demon's expression turned to a surprised one from the shift in Rexford's mood.
'Screw it all.' Rexford thought, squeezing his eyes shut. 'Fear? No. A warrior must never show fear in front of a demon. What was I thinking?'
He opened his eyes, glaring at the demon. "You. How are you still able to move?"
The demon grinned again. "Don't know. Maybe it's because of my strong will to pay ten fold what you did to me."
Before Rexford could utter another word, the demon grabbed him by his face, lifting him.
It then turned around, swinging Rexford through the air and slamming him back first, hard onto the river surface.
The air in his lungs was knocked out from the impact, making him gasp hard.
It didn't end there.
The demon lifted him again, tossing him away at a wild speed.
As Rexford flew across the river, the demon emerged from the river, spinning around and running its leg into his chest.
A crack sound was heard from the impact, making Rexford groan in pain.
And before he could fall to the river again, the demon rushed at him, water climbing his hands and forming claws.
[Water claws:..."
Then it moved—hands swinging, crossing an X—past Rexford, stopping behind him.
[Ten clean slits]
Immediately, multiple cuts appeared on Rexford's torso—chest, belly and arms.
It turned around quickly, catching Rexford by the neck.
Rexford's teeth were clenched hard, eyes closed and fluttering.
He tried lifting one arm but failed miserably, hand dropping to his side, head lowering.
"Hey, hey, hey!" The demon muttered. "Are you dying already? I'm not done paying you back, you know?"
It sighed, its other hand rubbing the back of its head. "Master was right. Humans really are fragile. Even warriors. They act tough when there's energy flowing through them... but once they've taken too much damage and ran out of energy, they're like a dying grass cutter on a desert. Either waiting to be preyed on, or for death to take them away."
It sighed again. "Should I kill you... Or leave you to die?"
The demon went silent for a while as if thinking. "No. If I leave you to die... who knows? Some miracle might happen and you might be saved. And you might get stronger before I evolve and come to kill me. I can't let that happen."
It pulled its other hand back, water claws stretching further, getting longer. "So maybe I'll kill you now."
A hand landed on the arm gripping Rexford. It was Rexford's shivering hand.
Rexford looked up at the demon with a grin. "Screw you."
Then his hand and head dropped again, hand dangling at his side.
The demon frowned, veins popping on its head. "Arrogant human."
Then it thrusted its hand forward, aiming for Rexford's throat.
But before it could make contact, a semi circular field, expanded from a point in the trees at the river bank, enveloping the demon and Rexford.
It was as if time had frozen in the field. Nothing moved—the trees, the current and the demon itself.
The veins on the demon's head spread, showing its frustration. "Huh? What is this? I can't move. What's going on?"
A man stood at the river bank, gold arm guard on his left fore arm, whispering something.
[Viscous Field: High End Friction.]
The man started walking on the river surface towards the two. His face came clear into view.
One of the masters. Father Abraham.
"Sorry, but I can't let you kill our successors." Father said as he got close.
A sword appeared in his right hand and he gave a quick slice through both of the demon's arms.
The demon groaned inwardly, veins spreading even further.
Father then took Rexford out of the demon's hands.
"You must have been thinking you were frozen, right?"
The demon managed to roll its eye to the side to glare at Father.
"That's actually not the case. I just increased the viscosity in this field to a point where you were moving so slow that it looked like you couldn't move."
Father then placed Rexford on his back, standing in front of the demon. "Or maybe you didn't need that explanation because it's useless to you now. Anyway..."
Then he thrusted his blade forward through the demon's throat. "This should be enough to kill you."
With that, he turned around, walking away, arm guard and sword disappearing in a flash of light.
The semi circular field shattered right after that and immediately, the demon dropped to the river surface... dead. Then sunk, blood flowing out, mixing with the river water.
Father had a stern expression but there was some sort of respect behind it. "Well done, brave warrior."
Rexford slowly lifted his head, eyes fluttering open. "I'm alive?"
He looked at the back of the person carrying him. "Mr. Abraham!"
Father couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him, his expression softening. "Please... Call me Father."
Rexford smiled, placing his head back on Father's shoulder. "Yes... Father."
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —— — — —
Thank you all once again, my faithful readers.
Before I end, I'd like to ask you all.
Since Augustus and Rexford were rescued, do you think Emmanuel and Desmond—our main protagonist—will also be rescued or they'll survive on their own.
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