As the crimson haired lady dashed into the midst of the horde of nightmarish aberrations who had numerous scales protruding from their ashen skins and wielded black, abysmal claws that glistened in the dark, lightless night, like agents of destruction and despair.
…The hulking monstrosities were all taken aback by her devious ruthlessness, and as a result, one of them was a fraction of a second too late to react as a blinding golden arc tore through the air, severing his neck off his body. Crimson blood splattered into the air, one which Mia simply ran through as a cacophony of ear-piercing shrieks pierced through the dark night.
Instantly, Mia was already moving. But, I had no time to pay heed to her.
…Not when one such horror was a second away from cleaving me into two. Raising the azure dagger into the air just at the last second, I was able to deflect the claws, though not without a cost.
'Crap!'
I felt as though every muscle within me was going to bust apart as I was pushed back by the strike. However, straining my muscles to the extreme, I dashed forward towards the creature once again, spiderweb cracks running across the ground beneath me. In an instant, both of us collided.
Booom!!
Tremendous shockwaves spread through the air as an azure dagger and a pair of black claws shone in the dark. Once, twice, too many times to take count of.
…Each strike I deflected increased the soreness and the agony that rippled through every fiber of my being. However, I could feel it. I wasn't the only one being weakened.
Hence,
'Go to hell bastard!'
I pushed myself even further, straining every fiber of my being as I made a short run before leaping into the air, barely avoiding an abysmal pair of claws that aimed to rip me apart.
Landing behind the nightmarish creature, a cold glint flickered within my sky blue eyes as I ran with every ounce of strength contained within me. The nightmarish aberration as though it knew was on my mind slashed out with its claws. The pair of claws ripped through the air at an astonishing pace, arriving before me before I could even blink.
Just at the last moment, I skidded across the ground, using my hands as a force to propel myself towards the back of the nightmarish creature. I hovered mid-air— but not for long. In an instant, a vicious strike shot towards my waist.
'What a cunning bastard!'
I cursed under my breath.
However, I wasn't one to back down from such opportunities. Not that I could even if I wanted to. Hence, I went on with the strike, gripping hold the azure dagger even tighter. At the very last second, just before the stygian claws ripped through me, I strained every single muscle within me into a single final twist.
Mid-air, my body seemed to tilt a little. Albeit barely, as a result, I was able to avoid the claw that would have dealt me the most damage. Though, one of the claws still managed to graze my waist, a hellish agony clouding my mind. Gritting my teeth and with a dark grimace marring my features, I used the anger and burning hatred within me as a fuel, sinking the dagger deep into the back of its neck.
The dagger easily pierced through the thick scales and hide as a loud blood-curdling shriek escaped the creature's lips. As it slumped onto the ground, I rolled to my feet, my breath coming out in short, ragged gasps.
"Huff… Huff…"
As I struggled to breath, I turned my head towards Mia.
"..."
Distancing herself from the pair of claws tearing through the air. She dashed to the left, giving herself just enough reach and room to parry in a battle of such sheer scale. In an instant, her golden sword struck the scales of one of the Scalinzins. Cracks appeared on its scales as a deep, incinerating hatred burned within its hollow eyes.
…However, the scales held their ground. And then came the tandem of furious strikes unleashed by the nightmarish creature. Each one, stronger and faster than the last.
Each one aimed to kill.
Along with that were multiple claws that engulfed her petite figure from all sides. For a split second, it seemed she was really done for. But just at the last moment, her body moved with inhuman reflexes.
Step! Step!
Dodging to the right, she managed to avoid the most critical damage while the less critical yet still heavily damaging strikes struck her armor which somehow held its ground, but the same could not be said for her body as a soft groan escaped her lips.
Dropping onto the ground, she managed to avoid a strike poised to claim her head. And just then, having seen a perfect opportunity, or perhaps it was because I couldn't bear seeing her in such a state. I moved from the depths of the darkness, leaping onto the back of a scalinzin. The scalinzin immediately noticed the impending threat on its life, but by the time it did.
Puchi!
It was already too late. The azure dagger easily cut through its scales as it slumped onto the ground with a loud crashing thud.
[You have slain an awakened aemon…]
The spell echoed some bunch of words into my mind. But, as of that moment, I allowed them all to fall on deaf hearings as I retreated back into the shadows.
'Three more to go…'
As I retreated, a dark smile tugged at the corner of my lips. And I watched as the nightmarish horrors all gazed at me, a cold, vast hatred burning within their eyes.