The Damned Demon

698  Stench Of Rotten Demons

The truck tore through the dense mist of darkness, its engine groaning under the strain as it plowed forward on the narrow, obscured road.

Inside, the atmosphere was heavy with tension. Amelia, Remy, Jim, and Lenny stood with their weapons out, scanning the shifting shadows through the small windows in the driver's cabin. Remy's knuckles were white as he gripped his sword, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. His heart raced, his thoughts spiraling as the word "Soul Devourers" echoed in his mind. If they got too close, he knew he wouldn't stand a chance.

"This is bullshit," Lenny muttered, his voice laced with frustration. He glared at the mist swirling outside, his mind clearly racing as well, "Somebody had to leak our route. Someone on the inside," he said with a sneer.

Amelia kept her face neutral, suppressing the tight knot of anxiety in her chest. She hoped Derek's people wouldn't figure out who really leaked the information. She had to maintain her composure, even if Lenny's paranoia was right.

"That might be true, but arguing about it won't change anything. Let's focus on getting through this," Jim said, his tone measured but tense, keeping his eyes forward.

Suddenly, a voice crackled from the driver's cabin. One of the guards spoke up in a panicked tone, "Sir! We're losing speed. Something's happening—feels like the truck's being dragged down by dark ice!"

Lawrence, standing nearby with his arms crossed, frowned deeply. "Just as I thought. They're trying to slow us down and force us to stop." He turned to the others.

"Then what the hell are you waiting for? Use the damn pulse!" Lenny barked, impatience evident in his voice. His eyes flared as if the mere thought of being stuck in this situation was infuriating.

Lawrence shook his head calmly. "Not yet. We need to draw them in close, make them think we're vulnerable. If we use the pulse too early, we'll miss our chance. When they're grouped up and think they have us cornered, that's when we strike."

Jim nodded in agreement, his tone steady. "He's right. We have to wait until their guard is down. If we use it now, it'll just force them back, and then we'll be right where we started."

Lenny clicked his tongue, annoyed but unable to argue with the logic. "Fine, fine," he muttered, pacing back and forth.

Amelia tensed up. She desperately wished she could send a warning to Grace and the others, but any sign of her trying to communicate with them would give her away. She had to play her part, no matter how much it gnawed at her.

Outside, within the thick veil of darkness, Rebecca was panting lightly, her breath visible in the cold air. She stood beside Grace, Emiko, and Yui, watching the truck in the distance as it slowed down. The shadows twisted around them, concealing their presence.

"I'm spent after powering that damned array," Rebecca grumbled, her voice edged with fatigue and irritation. She glared at the slowly advancing truck, which was visibly losing momentum.

"You've done your part," Grace said, nodding appreciatively. "Rest now. We'll handle the rest from here."

But before Grace could continue, Rebecca grabbed her wrist and pulled her back, her lips curling into a defiant smirk, "Rest? What do you take me for?" she scoffed. "I'm going out there first to see if they have any tricks up their sleeves. I can't fight anyway, so I might as well be useful, lest our despicable Master punishes me for slacking off."

Grace's expression softened, a flicker of concern crossing her features, "Are you sure? Even in your human shell, you will still feel pain."

"Pain?" Rebecca interrupted with a proud snort, raising her chin. "I've lived my whole life being molded by it. This is nothing." She summoned her dark staff into her hand, the familiar weight comforting her. "I'll go out first. Draw them out."

Grace hesitated for a moment but then nodded, "Just be careful."

Before Rebecca could step away, Yui's small voice broke the silence. "Will she be okay, Aunty Grace?" she asked, worry creasing her brow.

Grace sighed softly, glancing down at Yui and Emiko. "She'll be fine. She's stronger than she lets on. But stay here. You two won't be able to help me while this dark mist is in play. When it's time, I'll go out, but for now, you're backup. Amelia's inside that truck, and she'll be forced to fight us." Her voice held a note of reluctance.

Emiko frowned. "They must've expected us to come for Remy. That's why they sent the Supreme Commander, those guards, and even Remy's professor."

Grace furrowed her brows in agreement. "I'm surprised they didn't send more. That's what worries me."

Rebecca stepped onto the road, her dark figure contrasting starkly against the rolling mist. Her staff crackled with dark energy, and though she felt the exhaustion from activating the array earlier, she pushed it aside. She had one more attack left in her, and she intended to make it count.

She raised her staff, the cold steel gleaming as it caught the faint light from the truck's headlights. With a powerful, deliberate motion, she slammed the end of her staff into the road. A wave of dark blue ice exploded outward from her position, rippling across the ground with terrifying speed. The ice was seeping with decaying energy, spreading like a plague toward the truck.

The icy wave hit the truck with a resounding crack, attacking the barrier surrounding it. The tires, once protected, began to decay under the onslaught of dark energy. The front bumper slammed into the road, the entire vehicle screeching to a halt just feet away from Rebecca.

She stood still, watching as the truck struggled under the weight of her attack. Her lips curled into a cold smirk as the light from her staff began to dim. She waited, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the truck for any sign of movement.

She had expected someone to jump out, ready to face her, but nothing happened. No movement. No sound. The truck remained eerily still.

Scoffing, she mumbled under her breath, "So, you human cowards want to hide? Fine. I'll get you all by myself."

With confident strides, she approached the back of the truck, where a pair of large, reinforced steel doors loomed. A smirk curled on her lips as she raised her hands, gripping the edges of the doors. The metal groaned and creaked as her strength began to pull them apart, bending the steel like it was mere aluminum.

But just before the doors fully buckled under her strength, a sudden and blinding wave of radiant blue light burst from inside the truck. It ripped through the broken doors, expanding in all directions with terrifying speed.

Rebecca's eyes widened in shock, "ARGHHHH!!"

The pulse hit her like a sledgehammer, a searing, radiant force that burned through her dark mana.

With a sharp cry of pain, she was flung backward, her body sent careening through the air before slamming into the ground with a heavy slam that created a small crater around her body.

The dark mist that had surrounded the area was obliterated, dispersing instantly under the force of the Radiant Pulse.

The air was thick with the residual energy of the pulse, the ground trembling slightly beneath its force.

Just a few seconds ago, Grace's eyes shot wide open as she saw the wave of energy tearing through the mist toward them. Instinctively, she raised her hands and summoned her Willforce, forming a protective barrier just in time to shield Emiko and Yui from the brunt of the blast.

But even her powerful Willforce couldn't completely block the pulse. Grace grunted in pain as the radiant energy tore through her shield, slamming into her body with terrifying power. She was thrown back, her body crashing into a nearby tree, snapping it in half before she collapsed to the ground.

"Aunty Grace!" Emiko and Yui cried out in unison, their voices filled with worry and panic.

The two rushed over, their faces pale as they knelt beside Grace. Dark vermillion lines ran across her skin, her youthful form fading as her body reverted to its aged state. The Radiant Pulse had crippled her dark mana, inflicting agonizing damage on her body. Every breath she took seemed labored, her chest rising and falling slowly.

Yui's eyes welled with tears as she and Emiko cast radiant green light over Grace's body, their healing powers desperately trying to repair the damage.

"Stop… Leave…" Grace rasped, her voice barely audible. She winced in pain, trying to nudge them away. "They'll come here… You need to go…"

But Emiko shook her head fiercely, determination burning in her eyes. "The only way we're leaving is together," she said firmly, her hands continuing to channel healing energy into Grace.

"Mn!" Yui nodded, tears streaming down her face as she poured her energy into Grace, supporting Emiko's words.

Grace's breath hitched, and for a moment, despite the searing pain, a warm feeling bloomed in her heart. These two were stubborn, but their love was undeniable.

Meanwhile, the doors of the truck were kicked open with a loud clang, and Lenny leaped out, followed closely by Lawrence and the four armored guards. Jim emerged last, his expression grim but ready.

Lenny cracked his neck, a twisted grin spreading across his face as he looked around at the destruction. "Ooooh, you smell that, guys?" he said with a dark chuckle. "The stench of rotten demons. Let's go get 'em."

Damn :#

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