As Aine stepped out of the safety of the barrier, her senses immediately heightened, the urgency of the situation pressing down on her like a weight. The chaos of the night seemed to intensify with every passing moment, the sounds of battle and destruction echoing through the streets of Whifur.


    With determination burning in her heart, Aine wasted no time in springing into action. She rallied those around her, her voice cutting through the cacophony of noise as she directed them to aid the injured and protect the vulnerable. She wasn’t a warrior but years of working made her strong enough to drag others with her.


    “Help! Mother is stuck!”


    The voice of a small child rang in her ears. She quickly ran towards it, dodging the debris falling around due to the battle going on. As she reached the source of the distress call, Aine found a young girl standing beside a woman trapped beneath a fallen beam, her eyes dazed as blood poured from her forehead. Without hesitation, Aine rushed to her side, her muscles straining as she exerted all her strength to lift the heavy obstacle pinning the woman down. Despite her efforts, the beam didn’t budge an inch. Aine searched for something she could use to gain leverage or get help but the only thing her gaze found was a demon coming towards her.


    Aine gulped. The demon couldn’t be taller than a teenager yet its body was defined. Its red skin was leathery. It looked at the small child and grinned, showing its mismatched teeth.


    “No. No...”


    Aine desperately tried to get the beam off the woman but she just couldn’t. She grabbed her knife, ready to defend the woman and the child. However, her mind changed as 3 more demons similar to the first one jumped off the buildings and joined it. Aine looked at the child and mother and made a difficult choice.


    She grabbed the child and started to run towards the safe zone, abandoning the trapped mother to fend for herself. The child was too confused and scared to understand what was happening and Aine was glad for it. It wasn’t easy for her to run through the destroyed city while carrying someone and her not resisting helped.


    With the footsteps coming from behind, Aine took a quick peek behind and her heart dropped. Behind her, the demons gave chase, their sinister forms looming ever closer with each passing moment. They were the same demons she had seen before. Aine could feel their presence like a dark shadow at her back, their malevolent intent sending shivers down her spine. Despite having short limbs, they closed in.


    Aine’s lungs begged for more air as her legs burned with exertion. Yet, she pressed forward seeing the safe zone was close. If she just gritted her teeth more she would be safe.


    The universe had other plans, however. Because of the destroyed buildings, roads were littered by debris. Aine wasn’t able to see a rather large piece and tripped on it, falling to the ground. Aine quickly scrambled back to her feet and tried to grab the hand of the child, aiming to drag her if it allowed her to get her to safety.


    A yelp escaped her mouth as something heavy pressed down on her back, causing her to fall face-first to the ground. The taste of iron filled her mouth as sharp things dug into her skin. Despite the pain and confusion, Aine realized what was happening: One of the demons was on top of her, trying to tear her clothes off. With the adrenaline pumping through her body, Aine threw the creature off her before she put her knife through its eye. She pulled her knife free by kicking the creature, causing its blood to spray on her.


    “Argh!”


    Aine let out a pained scream as the blood burned her arm and face. It was hot, boiling even. She dropped her knife to the ground as holding it became too much for her. Despite the searing pain of her burns, Aine forced herself to keep moving, dragging the shocked child with her. Her legs were shaky and she felt like she could collapse at any moment. The remaining demons tailed them while laughing. If they ran they could catch up to them instantly, yet they walked. It was clear that they were enjoying the chase.


    People screamed words of encouragement behind the barrier but no one came to help her. None of them were warriors and they were afraid. Aine didn’t hear their words. The hit she endured shook her head badly and she had trouble opening her eyes. She fell to the ground once more but this time she wasn’t able to quickly get up. She tried but quickly collapsed back.


    “Child, run.”


    Her voice was barely audible. Whatever if she heard her or wanted to get safety, the child started to run towards the safe zone. Demons stopped laughing and tried to run after her but Aine tackled one of them with the last of her strength, stopping them until the child managed to get to the safe zone.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    “Grh.”


    One of the demons kicked Aine. It was clearly angry for losing easy prey and was ready to take her anger out of Aine. The crowd shouted and tried to throw rocks at the demons to stop them but it was futile. One of them flicked its fingers, manifesting a fireball. It threw it to the crow but it was stopped by an invisible forcefield. It clicked its tongue before turning to Aine and punching her.


    Aine, already on her limit due to exhaustion and damage she endured curled into a ball instinctively to avoid some damage. The crowd realized that if someone didn’t intervene she would die. Some of them picked up what they could find and exited the barrier. They couldn’t just watch as one of the founders of the Whifur died in front of them.


    However, the bravery and sense of duty they felt faded away as a giant demon different than the others fell from the sky. Seeing its head shaped like a ram’s skull with ominous wisps of flame burning in its eye sockets, the group ran back to the barrier. The demon took a step forward from the crater he created, his hooves digging in the ground. First demons got out of its way, trying to avoid its gaze.


    “Hahahahhaha! You stupid mortals! You trapped yourselves!”


    Just like its size, its voice was also overwhelming. The experienced ones inside the crowd realized what the demon was saying: The safe zone had no secret escape routes. The only way they could get out was through the direction the demon was blocking. The realization filled the beastkin with dread. In their dread, they didn’t notice a small child exiting the barrier. Several beastkin tried to grab her but it was too late. Her short, shakey legs already carried her in close to Aine.


    Larve extended her arms forward. The demon could easily leap forward and grab the entirety of her head despite her oversized horns but instead watched the small thing shake. As a being born out of emotions, it could feel the fear of the little creature. Small water drops started to form between the girl’s hands, fusing together to form a bigger bubble. The giant didn’t try to interrupt her. He would tank the attack girl who was attempting to plunge the beastkin into a deeper despair. Oh, how delicious it was going to be! The fire at its eyesockets burned more fiercely just thinking about it!


    One of the smaller demons tried to attack the girl, not understanding the giant demon’s intentions. As a punishment, it was backhanded and sent flying by the giant demon. The water bubble Larve created slowly started to fly toward the demon. It was slow, painfully so. Everyone with eyes could dodge it. Yet, the demon didn’t step to the side. Instead, it plunged its hand deep into the bubble, fully expecting its massive claws to shatter whatever magical formation holding the bubble together.


    “Arghhh!”


    The outcome was drastically different than what the demon had expected. Its claw melted to the bone before it could pull back, leaving it in immense pain. It trashed around while roaring, stepping on one of the smaller demons and killing it without realizing it. The remaining one ran for its life.


    “Aunt Aine. Come on. I’ll help! Let’s go.”


    Larve grabbed Aine’s hand to help her get up. Despite her efforts, Aine didn’t react. Seeing that Larve tried to drag her to safety. However, her thin body didn’t have the strength. She gasped, realizing that she wasn’t enough. Just like the time Poyraz fought against orcs, she couldn’t help.


    Or so, she thought. Several hands grabbed her just like they grabbed Aine. Her bravery inspired people to exit of barrier to help her and Aine.


    “You are going to pay for this, you little bitch!”


    The giant demon roared as it charged towards Aine. The beastkin tried to stop it but they were flung aside like empty sacks as they were just civilians. In the blink of an eye, all the beastkin who tried to help Larve were either dead or scrambled back to the barrier to save themselves. The giant demon grabbed one of Larve’s horns and lifted her up with its remaining hand. Larve screamed in pain as her feet left the ground.


    “You won’t die quickly. I’ll make sure you pay for this humiliation!”


    Its roar was so loud that Larve felt like her eardrums were going to burst. Tears rolled down her cheek.


    “Cry as much as you want! No one is going to save you!”


    The demon looked at the beastkin crying and screaming behind the barrier. It was going to enjoy what it was about to do the little girl it was holding and savor the dread those were going to feel.


    It tightened its grip without looking at the girl, aiming to snap her horn into two. Yet, something was wrong. Something was missing.


    It looked back at its arm and it was gone at the elbow level, and so was the girl. It recoiled several steps as it processed the clean cut before seeing a man clad in armor holding both Larve and Aine and also another beastkin. His long, grey hair could barely hide his young face. Yet, his eyes bore the experience of a lifetime. Dark purple and animalistic, they scanned the area, seeing the corpses of beastkin who tried to fight.


    “It is okay now, Larve.”


    His voice was calm and reassuring while still coming off as cold. He let down the beastkin.


    “Nocturna, take care of Aine and reinforce the barrier. I’ll deal with the threat.”


    Bat beastkin cast Mage Hand to lift Aine while nodding silently.


    “You go with her, Larve. Don’t do dangerous stuff, okay?”


    Larve hugged Poyraz’s leg with teary eyes before following Nocturna into the barrier. Poyraz watched them go with a deep expression on his face. The smaller demon charged forward while howling, its primal intelligence not understanding the danger the man in front of it posed.


    Poyraz backhanded the creature without looking at it, turning its head into a mush with a single strike. Its boiling blood sprayed on him but it had no effect on him. He turned to face the armless demon. It started to run away without hesitating a second. Its hooves dug into the ground as it ran away, not caring about anything.


    Poyraz didn’t bother to chase after it. A spear manifested out of shadows into his hand and he aimed for the demon. He flung the spear, piercing the skull of the creature.


    The Champion of Aliera was here to kill demons and end this invasion.