Demon Hunterz: Annihilation (Book 3)

Chapter 7: The two disciples

The portal opens in a black swirl. I shoot out. Body still spinning from the momentum. My eyes seeing a blur of constantly swirling shapes and colors.

I hit the cement hard ground in a thud that leaves my head ringing.

I laid there in a daze. Moaning softly. Trying to get my thoughts together, but my arching body, and burning, shredded arms made the task nearly impossible for me. The pain was too great to bear.

Coming to, after five minutes of disoriented torture and confusion, I extend my upper body up with my arms. Slowly lifting my head up. Squint-eyed. To see a small blue bubble drop from the portal. After that, the black mass that brought me here shrinks until I could no longer see it.

The moment I inhaled, filling my lungs with the rich aroma of sweet grass around me, and the almost salty scent of rain that filled the air. I knew I had made it back home. To think everything would still be in one piece, is an understatement.

Now the real question...just how much time has passed here? A month? Years? A decade?

I groan, vision fading in and out, my eyes start to flutter and I fall to my side. Body going numb. The gashes on my back from having my wings torn still burns fresh.

The wet grass tickles against my cheek. Swaying against the wind. Brought upon by the closing in storm clouds from above. They were an angry gray and threatened to fill the sky.

I retreat my gaze at the blue bubble before me. No bigger than a marble. The mirror within still hasn't changed. Lucy was stuck in mid-flight within its reflection. Still in limbo.

The girl may be a bit erratic. But  being under a madmen like Garadex requires you to be cut above the rest. She's been with him longer, so I'm positive she's gone through all types of hell imaginable. Something like this shouldn't put a dent in her.

At least I hope so.

"C'mon Lucy, wake up." I say tensely. My palm cups around the orb. It feels warm to the touch. "Wake up already. I-I can't do this without you. So please...wake up."

I grind my hand into a tight knot. Voice trembling. "Wake the hell up already!"

Rays of blue shine in between the cracks of my knuckles. I rise halfway, using my arm as a bar. Blinking in a wide eyed state.

Hot smoke seeps out my fist. I release her with a startled yelp. Retreat and lean back with one arm posed behind me to keep me halfway up. Panting as a series of loud cracks unfold. Spreading across the bubble, until finally, an explosion of blue smoke and flames goes up right in front of me!

The fog clears. Lucy stands surrounded by small pits of flames. Her back turned to me while her hair sways ominously.

I clear my throat and swallow down my fear. "L-Lucy? Is that...you?"

The girl cocks her head halfway. Eyes peering into me with a narrow, stormy glare. Then, as her eyes curve in a happy fashion, she smirks and starts to wave at me.

"Hey there!" She rests her waving hand on her hip. Looking on with a smug expression. "Did you miss me?!"

I return an annoyed mug.

An hour passes. No signs of Lord Ominga nor any word from Garadex. I expected as much. Since time works different between here and in the demon realm. It could take about a week to hear from either of them. Secretly, I hoped it be longer. Dealing with the supernatural, especially for two years straight, has left me irritable and restless. A Hunter could use a break every once in a while right?