The Cursed Mermaid

Chapter 26: hidden scars | Arya

I heard someone let out a high pitched scream, and spun to see Penny and Nam being surrounded by demons. Alarmed, I started to head towards them, before seeing that I was not the only one who had heard. Cailyn, Justina and Brendan - still in beast form - had as well, and were tearing their way across the battlefield towards the two.

The soulmates joined Penny in fending the demons away, but without their powers, they were outnumbered. The Commander, noting that Brendan was the most dangerous opponent, had taken him on, and the two engaged in a fight that appeared to be more of a brawl, with a lot of biting, slashing and roaring.

"Harley!" I shouted, catching the attention of the guard who had just killed another demon nearby. "We need to go help them! Call your elite squadron! They're being surrounded!"

Harley spared one look at the land dwellers. "Why? They're like gods, aren't they? Let them handle it. You'll get yourself killed if you go. It's alright," he called to the elite squadron, who dispersed once more, focusing on their own individual battles. At the same time, the demons surrounding the land dwellers leapt at them. It was Cailyn that bought them time as she slashed with her scythe, successfully managing to behead three demons. Seeing this, the others retreated slightly, wary of her, but that wouldn't last.

I noticed that Penny, Justina and Cailyn were all standing around Nam. Were the demons...aiming for him?

Of course they would. He had the power to banish demons out of the bodies of those they possessed. How had I forgotten? I wanted to hit myself in the head at my stupidity.

"Let them handle it? They'll die!" I screamed, shaking my head and swimming away before the guard could object. He leaped forward. He was quick enough to grab my wrist.

"Don't be stupid," he warned.

"Don't be an ass!" And I did what I thought I'd never do in my life - I punched a guard of Narmia in the face. He reeled back, shocked at what I had done, and I was sure that I was wearing a similar expression as I watched the blood run down his nose. But it left me free, and so I quickly swam to the land dwellers, just in time to help Penny fight off a demon.

I heard Harley curse before shouting for his elite squadron to come help us - or really, protect me. It was better than nothing.

However, they were too far away to get here in time. One of the demons managed to slip through Cailyn's defenses and leered over Nam, its claws elongating as it prepared to kill him. Terrified, held in place by fear, Nam did nothing as he stared at the demon above him.

I screamed his name, trying to get him back to his senses and to move, but suddenly the tip of a sword protruded from the demon's chest, and he fell heavily on top of Nam, who yelled, "Oh, gods, this is so gross!"

From above him, Justina ripped her sword out of his back. "You're welcome."

Nam groaned. "Help get this disgusting body off me."

The grey eyed mermaid didn't move. "Is my life debt paid?"

"That's what you're thinking? Yes, it is! Now help me," Nam glared at her.

Justina smirked at him, before she blinked at the corpse on top of Nam. "It's...fading away."

"What?" Nam glanced at the body that was decaying all on its own. "Okay, that's also gross." But the demon's body continued to wither away, until it became nothing. I looked around in wonder to see every single demon body fading away, even the corpses, until there was...nothing left.

They were just...gone.

"Did we...win?" Penny asked. I had no reply to that, but suddenly, as one, the guards of Narmia erupted into cheers and hugged each other, happy that the demons had gone, and that they were still alive.