Magica Index: The Dark Rising (Completed)

Chapter 9: Thinning The Horde

Back with all of her soldiers and master swordsman, Ereldra was standing underneath a nearby tree. She watched as each of her men lined up and brought either a dead or alive mage over to drain their soul into her amulet. She grinned as the power within grew more and more. Tairis watched over this process, grinning behind his helmet.

    "We surely have gathered a spectacular amount, Mistress Ereldra. Shall we prepare a subtle establishment for your ritual?" he questioned. Ereldra chuckled behind closed lips, her tail swaying enticingly.
    "First, we select the perfect specimen. Also, make sure you collect their weapons as well." she added, causing Tairis and the others to look at each other.
    "His weapons? How come, demons have no use for weapons except their own rage and the blessings you bestow upon them." the master swordsman watched as she grinned, her eyes glowing under the shade as menacing as the thoughts in her mind.
    "There are always improvements to be made, Tairis. Please, be a loyal swordsman and fetch me my ingredients." she struts over, softly caressing the helmet, looking into the eye slots. 
    "Yes Mistress." he nodded to her and turned, taking several men with him in search of the right body.

The tiefling licked her lips in anticipation. She returned to her post and watched as the souls continued to fill in the amulet. Her intentions were expanding with all the knowledge she accumulated from her teachings. At that moment, a bright light flashed in the sky that blinded almost everything within its vicinity. Tairis, Ereldra, and her underlings all covered their eyes with a sudden power surge being detected almost as easily as the air they were breathing. Ereldra opened her eyes once it dimmed down, gazing in that general direction. Mumbling began to stir within the ranks of her men. Tairis quickly returned to her side.

    "Mistress, do you feel that?" Ereldra took a while to respond to him.
    "I do. It would seem that our enemies have become serious with our first creation. We need to hurry and construct the second and secure our victory. Move now!" Tairis gathered up more of the soldiers to make the search more smooth and fast. Ereldra kept her eyes in the direction of the energy spike, feeling how miniature the demon was compared to two archmages, she knew its demise was inevitable. "I'll let you kill this one girls, but soon my next one will rise and you all will perish from its might."

                                                                              *****

Tessele and Malanie were both standing in their positions, waiting for the demon to choose one of them to go after. Nimruil and Zenna were on edge, shivering slightly just enough for it to still be unnoticeable. The demon growled and launched at them, leaping from left to right as it charged. Its claw left smolders of dirt from where they dug in. Choosing its target, Malanie watched as the beast chose the high elf. It reared back, its claws once again heating to an extreme temperature. Before it could even swipe forward, the high elf pressed her palm against the monster's chest. To her, the creature was moving in such a slower reality than the rest. Faster than the eye could move, a turquoise line shot between her and the demon that seemed to slice right into it.

    "Be gone." her eyes narrowed before the demon was blown away with a force that would disintegrate anything less powerful than what was before her.  The demon flew across the ground, past Nimruil and Zenna before crashing into a small house and obliterating it on impact. Not a single roar was heard from the deafening boom that echoed from the impact. The warlock and the priestess watched in shock, both now witnesses to the archmages; true power. 

Slowly, a figure began to rise. The demon was coming into the picture, and the sight horrified both Ereldra's loyal servants. The demonic being was twitching, its power source was no longer radiant with a large hole where its stomach and chest used to be. The eyes, mouth, and fingertips no longer glowing either with the specimen now being a former husk of what it used to be. Both Malanie and Tessele smiled triumphantly, seeing that this creature was indeed done for.