Chapter 16
Four manta demons whaled on me with grins on their face amidst the rainforest.
They were grossly underestimating me, and I couldn't help but smile as my blood on the ground writhed.
My power swelled, as did my size. Blood Rage Ascension poured through me, worthy of being an ultimate ability.
I found myself towering over my opponents, my blood pouring back into me, and with two swift strokes of my blade, what had previously been a rather dry battlefield transformed into one absolutely drenched with demon blood as my blade grew with me, and the first swing surprised many of them and had them bleeding out on the ground.
Those who had come in to fight Almeria found themselves bleeding out, adding to my strength.
I couldn't help but grin before I punted one of the demons clear across the instance landscape like he wasn't much more than a ball.
His flat chest and face skimmed across the ground until he crashed into a tree.
I turned to the others; another sweep of my sword was heavy enough that even blocking wasn't enough, as I simply plowed through the block and smashed their own maces, spikes and all, into their faces.
"Run!" one of the demons screamed, trying to go back through the portal, only to find it didn't go both ways.
I caught him blinking in surprise and bellowed a deep laugh, made louder by my giant form. "I guess you've never tried to run back out of an instance before," I boomed before cleaving him in two.
They were trapped in here with me.
Almeria sliced another demon in two, reminding them all of her presence.
My sudden rise in strength had made them incredibly wary of engaging me; however, now that Almeria had re-announced herself, many of their eyes found her instead.
They lit up with delight at what they believed to be a weaker prey.
Demons were all fundamentally cowards who bowed to those more powerful than them and bullied those who were weaker.
If that sort of attention concerned Almeria, she didn't let it show, remaining resolute as many of them turned toward her. I threw myself forward, smashing two smaller demons aside before my blade crushed another, more powerful variant. My attacks moved harder and faster, tempo on tempo.
The demons could barely hold me back; sometimes, two of them joined hands to clap both their weapons along the length of my blade, but even that did little more than stall me for the briefest of moments, because the next swing was always just a second behind.
The four who had come to fight me were quickly and completely trounced within an inch of their lives.
I could only grin as one, then two corpses, were quickly consumed by the system.
The third and fourth followed swiftly thereafter.
The remaining demons tried to run and scatter, but Almeria was fast, and those of the First Garden lay in wait, getting some much-needed revenge on demons who had made their leveling oh-so-difficult in recent days. I chuckled as the fighting finished, and the First Garden disciples began to cheer.
I quickly looted what remained from the demons—a few worthless skills that I’d pass along and plenty of spatial rings that I’d have to go through later.
Not long into their celebration, Nyx slipped through. "We've finished on our end," she reported quickly, and I nodded to her before turning to the disciples of the First Garden.
"Alright, time for phase two. Wrap this one up, and then we're heading back," I instructed.
"What's phase two?" one of them asked.
I held a finger to my lips. "Say nothing." They bobbed their heads in agreement. "We're going to leave this instance and let the demons come investigate. They may even enter the instance themselves. When they do, we'll slip in and kill all who enter."
The First Garden disciples grinned at those words, more than a few rubbing their hands together, greedy for the opportunity to pay the demons back.
"Can we?" one of them asked, and I shook my head.
"I'm afraid that mission is going to be carefully executed." They were disappointed but wise enough not to voice it, at least not to me. I didn't want it to end on a sour note and instead grinned, lifting my sword. "Go forward!" I shouted. "Finish the instance."
As soon as they rushed out of view, I dismissed my sword and Blood Rage Ascension, my body shrinking in on itself and becoming a pale, shriveled form. Almeria caught me, lending me her shoulder.
"You weren't in it very long," she said. "So hopefully you are back before they finish."
***
Eve grinned at me upon my return. "Given how happy my disciples are, and that they've all returned, I can only assume it was a rousing success?" Her voice held an edge, as if there were only one correct answer.
"Things went well." I held out several talismans that would help her watch over the instance portal. "Which means the next phase is on you."
"I didn't know you'd gotten me such a sweet gift." She plucked them out of my hands. "Now I feel terrible that I didn't get you anything." She clicked her tongue and tapped at her lips.
I grinned back at her in turn. "There's no reciprocation needed. I'm more than happy to slaughter demons." In fact, they'd been a decent source of experience, and I pocketed a number of spatial rings.
Eve just pouted at me, and when I didn't react, she played with the talismans in her hand. "You know, a woman would think you'd want something after giving her so much." She eyed me.
"I just want an ally against the demons," I said simply. Whether she believed it or not was up to her.
Merlin, however, cleared her throat. "Perhaps each of us could rotate a little time off?" she asked. "We still have to watch for a team of demons to enter the instance, but I could use a meal back home and a nice long soak after lying in the instance for so long."
I nodded to her in understanding. "Fair enough. Demons aren't particularly known for keeping tabs on each other, so there could be several days before anyone realizes those posted around the instance have perished." I turned to Merlin. "You get everyone?"
"No demon got within several miles of that instance and lived," she told me.
"They brought reinforcements, though," Eve said sharply. “That means they were communicating back in some manner.”
"She has a point," I said.
"The leader, or at least I assume that's what the main manta demon was, called for them using some device. He was incredibly cryptic and didn't explain the situation until they got there," Merlin reported.
It didn't surprise me the demons had something comparable to rockie-talkies in their arsenal. Nor that the demons were being so careful.
"Good. I'm glad they were being as cautious as we expected, though perhaps those demons told someone of their departure before they left.
If they don't know enough, there'll still be confusion, and I suspect we can catch several more rounds of demons in our trap.
" Just the fact that those four manta demons had appeared told me how deep the strength in this area must have grown.
We needed to continue luring demons out, so we could chip away at their influence in the jungle.
There was too much risk they'd have enough strength to repel us in a full-frontal attack.
Demons were far too numerous, and if we were overwhelmed, there was little chance they'd give us another way out.
Chipping them down was just the wisest solution.
I reminded myself of that, even as I felt the temptation to charge forward after these small successes.
"Then I think we're going to take a break," I said. "You should have someone monitor this." I pointed at the talismans I’d given Eve.
"It'll be done," she said with a smile. "And if I need to reach you?" she asked with a kind of smile that said she didn't entirely like having to ask the question.
"I'll leave at least one of us here," I said, glancing at my three compatriots.
"I'll stay." Nyx's hand shot up. "You should go take Merlin back, honestly. After sitting in the bushes with me for so long, she's started to stink."
Merlin scowled and pulled at her clothes with a small sniff. "It's not that bad," she argued quickly.
Nyx waved Merlin off. "Go. I've got the long-range rockie-talkies, so I'll get in touch with Simone if anything comes up." She held up one of the devices, wiggling it in her palm.
****
I smiled to myself as Merlin and I arrived back at the Citadel of Blood. She had refused to teleport with me until she'd bathed, and she clearly wasn't happy with the accommodations Eve had provided.
"It wasn't that bad," I said to her, holding back as much mirth as I could from my voice, which did me very few favors judging by the way she scowled at me in turn.
"You're a crap liar, Bran," Merlin huffed, before a faint blush colored her pale cheeks. "Also, I didn't expect you to refuse a bath with me." She narrowed her eyes playfully.
It wasn’t that I didn’t want to, but with Eve there, I worried that any activity might look like an invitation.
At that moment, Simone walked through the door. "He didn't! Bran, you're supposed to romance her!" She came up and playfully smacked a hand on my chest. Then, before I could react, she grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and pulled me down with more strength than I realized she possessed.
Although it was also likely that she was just that hungry for my affection, and I was happy to fulfill that need. I bent down and pressed my lips to hers.
It was a soft, tender moment, and when I went to pull away thinking the kiss was done, she held me tight and made it clear she wanted more. Only after a long minute was she satisfied enough to release me, though her eyes still held a look of longing, as if she regretted stopping.
"Hot," Merlin murmured from the side.
Simone chuckled. "Distance makes the heart grow fonder." Then, with a twinkle of promise in her eyes, she added, "And seeing him again makes me horny as shit."
"Is this why Nyx was so insistent I come back?" I asked Merlin.
"Doubt it." Simone tilted her head.
That statement raised my curiosity more.
Simone turned back to Merlin. "How was he? Did he behave? Did he make it good?"
Merlin didn't blush this time; she only smirked. "Not yet."
Simone glanced at me and clicked her tongue in annoyance.
I shook my head. "You are a gem, Simone." I kissed her cheek. "You're a woman like none other."
Her smile threatened to split her face. "And don't forget it." Then she gave me a long look and narrowed her eyes in mock frustration, turning to Merlin with a very serious expression. "Don't make me wait any longer," Simone scolded her.
An observer would've thought someone had backhanded Merlin the way she stood up straight, eyes wide.
"Apologies, sister," she said, the last word slow and careful, as if checking for Simone's approval.
A thoughtful smirk passed over Simone's features as she glanced at me out of the corner of her eye. "I could probably speed things along," she said to herself.
I shook my head, physically grabbing the Saintess and lifting her up. Then I sat down and settled her onto my lap, my arms wrapping fully around her. "Behave," I warned.
She went dangerously quiet and leaned into me, her fingers splaying across my chest. "Merlin's next, and I'm trying to behave.
I swear. I'm trying really hard." She looked up at me with a sense of innocence she most certainly did not have.
But she wore it well enough, and if I was honest, I would give Simone the moon if she asked.
I kissed the top of her head. "Behave," I said again.
She bobbed her head, and a golden halo sprang to life above it. "Of course." The act made me roll my eyes.
"What you are is trouble," I told her, and she didn't deny it.
She grinned back at me in response, as if challenging me to do something about it.
"Now, I think Merlin was inviting you to go wash up together.
" Simone grinned. "I'll make sure the Mul Branova know to stay out of the bathroom.
" She popped off my lap and disappeared through the door, then paused, her head poking back through with the halo still hovering.
"I think Circe's taking a nap next door. "
Merlin went stiff, her head slowly turning my way as Simone vanished. "Did you say something?" Merlin asked, her tone dripping with warning.
I mimed zipping my lips. "Nope, not a soul." Then, squinting at her playfully, I added, "But that's definitely a concept Simone would pick up easily."
Merlin thought about that for a second and nodded.
"It is, isn't it?" Then she looked at me coyly over her shoulder.
"Perhaps another wash would be good for us.
The First Garden's baths were primitive, and while I wouldn't say I'm high maintenance, I've gotten rather used to your penchant for well-designed baths. "
I chuckled. "It does make us feel a little more human, doesn't it?"
She bobbed her head quickly, and I couldn't help but smile.
"Well then, shall we?" I asked, lifting my arm for her to take.
She paused, but the hesitation vanished as quickly as it appeared, replaced by a kind of eagerness that any man would be delighted to see on a woman's face, especially a woman as lovely as Merlin.
I took her by the waist and pulled her close, and she didn't drag her feet.