The Cabbit and Lupent Demon were having a blast as they tore through the helpless humans fleeing the square. The Scorb Demon lay in the north-east alley where Ula must have killed it, though Patrick was the only person that Penelope recognized when she reached the surface with her companion.
The Cabbit was using him as a kickball.
“Can you finish the Lupent?” Penelope pointed her wand at the other Demon but stopped before she cast. Double evasion meant that only AoE spells were going to work, and there were too many people around to use one of those.
“The what?” Frederica yelled to be heard over the screams.
“You never told them what the monsters were.” Jeru cut off Penelope’s sharp response.
“The thing we were fighting.” Penelope pointed her wand at the Demon.
The blonde gripped her sword with both hands. “Gladly.”
“I’ve got the rabbit.” Penelope clasped the older woman’s left arm. “Good luck.”
“Luck is for those without talent!” Frederica pulled away and flashed the other woman a smirk. “I’ve got this!”
Penelope shook her head and suppressed a chuckle as her companion ran to intercept the wounded Demon from reaching its next victim. Her eyes scanned the square, taking in the people, the wounded, and the dead.
“Looks like the regular hundred-forty-one gathered to hold the line.” Jeru commented. “Not the worst carnage I’ve seen.”
You can tell me the stats later. Penelope ran at her target. “HEY! LIGHT TORRENT!”
Even though the Light Balls danced around the monster like it was a fancy light show, the spell managed to keep the Cabbit Demon from kicking Patrick anymore.
Penelope made it to the older man’s side and pulled out a potion as the Demon unfurled its wings and flew on top of the roof of the three-story administrative building to the south.
Penelope poured the potion over the wounds. The Demon had cut the straps holding the metal plates in place, leaving the underleveled Tank completely exposed to the claws and fangs. It could have killed the unconscious man at any time but had toyed with him, like a cat with a mouse.
Do I have to…? She flinched as she thought about how Frederica had given Oakley multiple potions.
“He’ll live with that, but he’s not going to be able to help.” Jeru tapped her right shoulder. “Heads up!”
Penelope looked up at the Demon that was perched like a gargoyle on top of the building, but it hadn’t moved. The announcement was for an incoming ally.
“Penny!” Marlow huffed as he ran over to her. “Thank God you’re here!” A green glow covered the prone man. “I’ve been trying to help where I can, but these things are just..." The balding man looked around. “Where is everyone else?”
Frederica and the Lupent Demon had vanished down one of the alleys, leaving the two of them alone in the square with the Cabbit Demon and an unconscious Tank.
“Oakley got knocked out and Judah…” Penelope swallowed and fought back tears that she didn’t understand. She hadn’t been close to the young man; in fact, she’d thought he was annoying, yet his death was having a much greater impact on her than she expected.
She’d seen him die dozens of times, yet this time had been different, and it was something that was going to stick with her.
“He didn’t make it.” She focused on the Demon staring down at them so she wouldn’t have to see the reaction that the Healer had to hearing that they lost a team member. “What about Ula and Dawson?”
“I don’t know.” The older man admitted. “Daw was gone before I got up here, and I haven’t seen Ula since she went down the alley with the scorpion pig.”
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“Scorb Demon.” Penelope stood up.
“What?”
She pointed her wand down the north-east alley. “Scorb Demon.” Penelope motioned to the west. “Lupent Demon.” Penelope turned her gaze to the last monster. “And a Cabbit Demon.”
“You know what we are.” The Demon hopped off of the roof and landed in front of them.
Penelope had her wand in front of her, but the Demon was staying more than forty feet away from her, which was ten more feet than
Marlow pulled the unconscious man behind them, then stood next to Penelope. “It’s two on one, you Wabbit Demon!”
The rabbit face sneered, showing bloody teeth. “A medic and a mage, please. The only reason I’m not using you as a ball is because you wouldn’t survive the first kick.”
Penelope stepped in front of Marlow before he could spout something back. “Take Patrick and get him into the Dungeon. Try to take care of the others the best you can.”
“What about you?” Marlow touched her shoulder, sending a cringe down her spine. “You can’t take that thing on all by yourself!”
“Frederica will finish the Lupent off soon.” She took a step forward to pull away from the man’s attempt at a supportive gesture. “I can hold my own until then.”
“Hold your own!” The monster laughed like it was gargling rocks. “A mage is no match for me!”
“GO!” Penelope hissed. “Don’t worry about me!”
The Cabbit shook its head but only folded its arms across its chest and watched as Marlow picked up Patrick and carried the other older man back into the Dungeon. Once they were gone, it unfurled its wings and spread its claws. “That was very foolish. But once you’re dead, I’ll finish-”
Penelope didn’t wait for the monologue to end; she started running at the monster. Her mana was close enough to topped off and there was no reason to give her opponent any more time to rest.
“Hail Storm!”
Penelope focused the rain of ice behind the Demon. It had a little longer range than
“You have to call out your attacks like some child!” The Cabbit moved to her left. “How are you going to hurt me if you have to announce everything you do?”
Penelope sidestepped and focused on the area it was moving towards. “Hail Storm!”
“Not one to chat? Pity. You’re the only one of these toys that I thought I could reason with.”
Penelope did a baseball slide as the Demon surged forward, closing the distance between them faster than she could react. The tips of its claws scraped her forehead as it flew over the woman, leaving thin trails of blood dripping down her face.
Penelope rolled over and wiped her face with the back of her sleeve. The wounds stung, leaving her skin with a tingling sensation.
The Cabbit Demon licked her blood off its hand, one claw at a time. “You taste delicious!” Its red eyes sparkled with anticipation. “I’m going to savor this!”
“Your plan is to play with me until the Elves show up?” Penelope stalked closer to her opponent. She let out a nervous laugh that she hoped sounded more confident than she felt.
“These grounds are shielded.” The monster scoffed. “Those arrogant heathens will see the ground while their heads roll before they notice us!”
Penelope looked at her parasite for confirmation. The look on her face told her more than words.
“They sit and deliberate-”
“NOT NOW!” Penelope waved her arm at him. “LIGHT BLAST!”
The Cabbit Demon floated backwards, out of the reach of her spell. “You…” Its eyes narrowed. “You have a Guardian, no…” The cat claw snapped, then pointed at her. “You’re possessed!”
“HAIL STORM! HAIL STORM!!!” Penelope created new pockets of ice rain. The drain on her mana of keeping so many spells active was putting pressure on her behind her eyes and tightening its grip on her lungs.
“You can’t keep this up!” The monster laughed as it twisted west.
Penelope rotated left to follow the Demon. She pulled another mana potion out of her pocket and downed the minty liquid. “HAIL STORM! HAIL STORM! HAIL STORM! HAIL STORM! HAIL STORM!”
A ring of hail enclosed around them. Penelope panted as she focused on the trapped Demon that sprang into the air.
“What did you gain?” The Cabbit Demon taunted. “You’re exhausted, and now you’re trapped in here with me.” It let out an evil belly laugh. “I wonder how long it’ll keep raining once you're dead.” It snapped its claws, a grin splitting the rabbit face, revealing too many teeth that didn’t match the face.
“Let’s find out.”
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