I walked through the semi-crowded streets of the town, a particular destination in my mind.
While sitting in the meeting, a plan began to form.
It wasn't good, and it might have compromised my identity. But losing wasn't an option.
The idea itself was simple. Let the dragon mistress fight.
But to make sure the people weren't annihilated, I would warp both the Tyrant and her further from the town.
I myself, would stay, clearing the hordes. Without the Tyrant, there wouldn't be much of a problem unless there were a bunch of the stronger creatures.
So now, I was heading to the person whom I was most scared of.
Yes. I am scared of her.
Because this mistress isn't some sixty-year-old. Nor fourty, not even twenty yet.
She was seventeen.
And of course. That causes some... erratic behavior.
I shuddered, remembering how she started transforming right in front of me cause of a simple misunderstanding.
So yes. I'm scared.
But sacrifices had to be made. And it just so happened I was the sacrifice this time.
***
I knocked thrice on the wooden door, waiting silently.
After a second of silence, the whole building exploded into noise.
I heard kitchen equipment fall to the floor, someone fall down the stairs, a plant pot shatter, and something that suspiciously sounded like a squeal of joy.
My spine tingled but my dark metallic form stood straight, the worry hidden beneath my will.
This had to be done. This would be worth it. It is necessary.
After another second, the door swung open.
And without any delay, a person appeared, already jumping towards me, her hands outstretched, a joyous smile on her heart-shaped face.
I silently sidestepped her "attack", entirely unamused.
She promptly fell to the ground, face already set in a pout.
"You were supposed to catch me!"
She whined, her eyes brimming with tears.
"Another time."
I regretfully promised.
I then continued,
"We have matters to discuss."
She only huffed, the tears vanishing as if they had never been there, because in fact, they were never there.
She just used her aspect and made some water for such an effect.
I silently walked inside, ignoring the chaos of the house.
***
"So! Will I get to fight? For real?!"
The girl soon to be a woman squealed with joy, her eyes wide as dinner plates.
I nodded, already regretting my life choices.
"Maybe."
She nodded ten times in rapid succession.
"Maybe!"
Apparently, that was enough. Just the promise of a potential fight excited her. Her body was almost vibrating in excitement.
God, I hope it would never come to this.
***
I stared at the approaching wave of abominations impassively.
Slowly, the invisible echo formed around my body, coiling around the armor.
It almost covered my entire body, just leaving the neck exposed.
And needless to say, he was an unbeatable ally.
The head of the echo coiled around, stopping in front of my face.
Then, it opened its fanged maw, a glow emanating from its throat.
A second passed, then a beam of pure soul essence tore through the battlefield, impacting with the creatures and continuing onwards, only stopping once it hit a Fallen Devil.
Every single hit creature collapsed to the ground, their souls erased.
The fragments slowly flowed into me, each empowering me further.
Today I would not hang back, today, I would slaughter.
I crouched, then shot off, the jump carrying me halfway to the creatures.
I jumped again, this time more towards the sky.
I watched as the creatures approached rapidly, then went past my airborne form.
Gravity returned, my form plummeting downwards at terrifying speed.
Just before impact, I used a nightmare augmentation on myself, and another on my armor.
The impact stopped the entire battlefield.
The ground cracked, spider web-like fractures appearing everywhere.
Then, it gave out, forming a small crater.
I spun, the echo releasing another blast of essence.
I turned again, catching an open maw, grabbing both the upper and lower parts of it with separate arms, I pulled outwards, splitting the creature's head with ease.
I released it, and it crumpled to the ground lifelessly.
A few seconds later, the fields' lady rushed forward, harvesting the shards while I watched over her.
Once confirmed that she was done with the task, I dashed off again.
The pitch-black armor grew even darker, seemingly eating all the light that came in contact with it.
Suddenly, it expanded.
From mere two meters, it grew to three, then four, then five.
Now and actual giant amongst the people, I rushed towards the Fallen Devil that had stopped the beam of my echo previously.
I needed to take out the big players first, then my allies could start pushing forward again.
I dodged an appendage that I couldn't even begin to understand what it resembled.
My body lurched forward, knees nearly scraping the ground.
Another appendage shot just above my head, shattering the ground behind me.
And now from closer, I could kind of see the resemblance to a tentacle.
But it was of course, some sort of abomination, with hundreds of little mouths all around it, all leaking some green no doubt toxic liquid.
My hand shot backwards, grabbing for the hilt.
Just as quickly, it shot in front of me again, the blade already present.
I stood still for only a moment, letting the tentacle carve itself into two parts from the blade.
Then I rushed forwards, sudden slashes appeared on the equally gigantic creature, all tearing into the flesh beneath the stone.
My eyes narrowed, seeing its blood also having a green hue.
Close combat wouldn't be wise, alas, I didn't have a choice.
I blocked a swipe, then severed the limb, a screech of pure rage and pain tearing through the battlefield.
I didn't waver. Not like before.
I pushed off the ground, it buckling and shattering under me.
Each step cracked it more and more, dust rising into the air.
Dozens of appendages shot in a sweeping motion, circling the creature and blowing away the dust.
But I was already too close.
Both of my hands on the now extended handle, I fueled the blade with soul essence.
My echo shot out another beam, straight into the face of the abomination.
It staggered, its tentacles going limp for just a second.
That was all I needed.
The essence in the blade exploded, forming into slash-like strikes aimed around the creature.
They tore into it from all sides, merciless in their assault.
Thirty or so slashes later and an empty core, I stood above the obliterated corpse of the abomination, the soul shards already destroyed from the assault.
I made a small ball from the armor, throwing it roughly towards the village.
After two seconds it landed.
After another two.
"CHARGEEE!"
A wave of awakened, far lesser than their creature counterparts appeared from the hilltop.
My gaze shot around, counting creatures and humans alike in seconds.
Roughly two to one in the creature's favor.
I frowned, then blitzed towards the action.
My ascended body, as well as the transcendent armor fueled by nightmare augmentations, started to barrel right through the creatures.
I didn't even need a weapon for these lesser things, my armor was now covered in spikes blocking all and murdering all in its path.
My echo released a beam from time to time, obliterating dozens of creatures.
With the side effect of also collecting the shards, sapping them of their strength and directly transferring them to my soul.
A truly brilliant echo of an Awakened Demon.
My gigantic form slowly lessened, until I was the usual two-meter darkness-covered knight.
The blade however, did not disappear, nor did it shrink.
Instead, all of the energy I was currently saving by not using the gigantic form flowed into the blade, it growing larger and larger, until it was the size of a giant tree.
I merely raised it from its lying position, swinging to the right.
Creatures trees and the ground itself were sliced in half, dust and debris showering the battlefield.
Then came the meaty parts.
Bone shot around like arrows, sharp and dangerous.
Giant chunks of meat were scattered all around, and I witnessed an unlucky person being hit with one such chunk.
Even now, as it started raining blood, I saw the man sputtering and gagging on his knees.
Then came the notifications, which almost deafened me.
The spell's voice repeating and repeating and repeating.
Until finally, silence.
After five minutes of listening.
"Well, that was awful."
Then I simply turned around, the blade vanishing into thin air behind me. As I walked back towards the town.
Another night won, this time it came earlier by twenty-five minutes.