Warhorse

15

Luna reactively threw Smith away and turned to look at the demon.

"You're the one we've been looking for." It said, kicking her in the face and sending her flying into the wall behind her.

Luna groaned and looked back at the demon.

"Lucky me." She drew her blade and kept her eyes glued to the demon.

Every eye on the monster was pointed directly at her, it made her feel cold. When the demon spoke, the mouth of its chest moved, not like a mouth should move, but more like it writhed a little and the demon's voice came from the cavity in its chest.

"You're a pretty little thing, for a human." The demon made a noise that Luna guessed to be a laugh, but it sounded more like choking.

"Can't say the same for you ugly." Luna spat.

"Flattery won't save you, child." The demon lurched forward, and Luna just barely moved out of the way in time.

This demon was fast, much faster than the scout in the cave. And it talked a lot more too, this demon was clearly much more powerful than the one in the cave. Luna tried striking its leg but the demon was gone in a flash, it almost hovered in the air above her as it sent a fist into the back of her head, and she flew forward deeper into the forge.

Luna couldn't fight this thing head-on, it was far too fast and strong, and she would need to outsmart it. She ducked behind a hay bale and waited.

"Where are you? Little rat." The demon grabbed a furnace and flipped it over, spilling the red coals all over the floor, igniting the hay on the ground, and spreading the embers to the wooden walls.

This was bad, the forge was bursting into flames and she still needed to get Smith out of there. The old blacksmith was still out cold but he was on the other side of the forge, the demon blocking her path to him. Her best bet would be to create a distraction and sneak around the monster, Luna noticed multiple sandbags hanging from ropes on the ceiling, likely used as a way to smother runaway flames. So she sliced a rope that dropped a sandbag on top of the demon. It swatted at the sand, rubbing its many eyes trying to get all the sand out. She took her opportunity and hastily made her way around the demon, hiding behind anvils and furnaces as she went. She eventually made it to Smith and picked him back up, she ended up dragging Smith to the front door, and almost as soon as she opened the door the demon grabbed her by the hair and held her up. She dropped Smith and he continued to lay unconscious on the floor.

"You are an annoying little rat. I will make quick work of you." The demon threw her out into the street, walking out after her soon after.

Luna had to get back inside, Smith was still in there and the building was covered in embers. She didn't have a choice, she would have to fight the demon. She stood and took out her blade once more, readying herself to face the monster. The demon uttered that choked laugh again.

"Pitiful little rat. She thinks she can defeat me. You are a foolish rat." The demon plunged its hand into the ground and caused the ground beneath Luna to shake.

Luna stumbled, for only a moment but even just that one moment gave the demon too much time. It sent a fist into her stomach and sent her flying into the air. How was she supposed to fight this thing? It was so much faster and stronger than her! At the very least with the scout she could fight back, this thing didn't leave any openings, hit like a titan, and was faster than the wind. She could try to outsmart it or trick it but the same tricks as before likely wouldn't work a second time, she would need to think of something new.

"I know that smell. The smell of fear. It is delightful." The demon was somehow in the air behind her, it hit her and she went flying back down to the ground.

This was bad, she was losing energy and was taking heavy damage, she hadn't even been able to scratch this thing yet. She barely began to try and push herself off the ground when the demon kicked her in the side, she went flying down the road and crashed into a tree.

"Aww, I was hoping you'd put up more of a fight. Guess I am doomed to be disappointed. No matter, I will be rewarded for killing you anyway. Goodbye, little rat." The demon crouched down to the ground and prepared to lunge.

Luna recognized this move, the scout had used it many times. She waited until she saw the demon inch forward and rolled out of the way, the demon crashed into the tree and broke it into millions of tiny splinters. The sound of the wood splitting and cracking was accompanied by a small grunt of pain coming from the demon. Luna wasted no time in trying to fix her predicament and stood, readying her blade again. When the monster stood, many of its eyes had been impaled with large chunks of wood. It wasn't completely blind, but it had blindspots now. Blindspots that she could take advantage of.

"Filthy rat. You have caused me great pain today. I will be sure to make your end full of suffering." The demon moved, and Luna jumped into the air instinctively just barely dodging the demon's swipe.

It was slower than it was before, likely because of the pain of having many of its eyes impaled by splinters, but she could at least somewhat predict where it was moving, and if she was fast enough, she could dodge it. The demon took many more wild swipes at her, Luna tried to get a few stabs in but the monster's skin was far too thick and durable. Her blade barely made a scratch on it. She would have to go for the exposed areas of the demon, the eyes, and that mouth on its chest. The eyes were the main priority, she dodged around the demon, before leaping over the monster and preparing to stab one of the many eyes on its face. Before her blade could penetrate any of them, however, another large eye on its back opened and a searing beam of light pierced her side.

Luna fell to the ground in agony, the pain was scorching. This was the end, she could barely move. She looked up as the demon picked her up by the throat with one hand and began to bring her limp body closer to the mouth on its chest, she shut her eyes preparing for the end when she felt herself hit the ground once more. She looked up and saw the demon's arm on the ground in front of her, and Hemlock stood between her and the demon, twin scimitars drawn. His blades seemed... familiar.

"Good work Luna. I'll handle it from here."