7 Chapter Two - 3 || Companion (1/2)

He leapt at Essairyn with a sphere of dark magic, and she swiftly cancelled it out with a sphere of her own. Sparks of magic and light emanated from the collision of the two spheres. The demon sprung out from behind the collision, using the momentary mist from the clashing magic to surprise Essairyn.

She barely had time to form a barrier blocking his strike, an arch of flaming black magic that almost sliced through her shield. While she didn't get injured, the force knocked her backwards, making her stagger as she strove to stay on her feet.

However, she kept her eyes fixed on the demon, anticipating his second strike. When he lunged at her with another wave, she was ready.

Pushing the dark magic back with a barrier on one hand, she used the other hand to materialize a sword. The demon's eyes widened in disbelief when he saw the sword forming in her palm.

”A sword?! But how can you-?!” he sputtered, reflexively taking a step back. He angled his head downwards, ”Then I better finish you now,” he growled, his eyes turning a lurid red.

But Essairyn was already done. While creating the sword in her right hand, she had suffused her left with magic to block any further blows. She wouldn't be caught off guard again.

The demon bombarded Essairyn with a flurry of strikes from a distance, but they were ineffectual against the barrier she kept reinforcing.

She noticed, however, that his blows were stronger than before. He had undergone a transformation similar to the demon bear from earlier.

But she didn't have time to ponder this, so she gathered some force into her feet and leapt over the magic barrage toward him. His eyes again flashed with surprise, but he dodged before Essairyn could reach him.

However, Essairyn knew his quickness by now and anticipated the dodge. She spun airborne on her step; the demon had no time to adjust, and her blade sunk heavily into his shoulder as Essairyn landed.

The demon howled out in agony, and he reached up to grab the blade. But upon contact, his hands burned. He retracted his charred hands instantly, staring at them incredulously.

”You…” he began slowly, ”elemental magic…? From a human? How can—” He paused, looking up at Essairyn with sullen, sunken eyes, ”Who are you?”

At the sight of his lightless, carmine eyes up close, Essairyn briefly started back in horror before regaining her composure. Tightening her grip on the sword handle, she teared it out from the demon's shoulder, cutting a large gash out to his arm and eliciting another scream from the man.

”You—” he started.

Essairyn swung the blade back into the gash, slashing the demon nearly in half. He gave another garish scream, the sound turning liquid as he struggled to finish his words.

”Monster.”

The demon laid still in a pool of blood; pitch black orbs peered out into nothingness. Essairyn stared back vacantly; blood dripped from her blade.

After a second of silence, the man's body burst into a shower of black dust glinting with red. The dust dissipated as it rose, and the body and blood soon disappeared as if nothing had ever happened.

Essairyn just stared at the empty space. Her sword dropped from her hand, vanishing in a puff of lavender. Her knees felt shaky. She drew in a sharp breath and released it tremulously.

”So,” a voice jolted Essairyn back. It was the fox.

”You know magic. I suppose that was how you defeated that beast demon,” the small animal conjectured, revealing herself from behind a bush.

Essairyn looked at the fox, deadpan. ”Yeah. And I suppose you left me again to your pursuers.”

The fox smiled tersely, ”Well you were stronger than them anyway.”

A corner of Essairyn's mouth twitched up fleetingly on her impassive face. ”I don't suppose you also left me for dead too; although, I suppose you came back this time.”

”Ouch, touché,” the fox winced, ”It's not like I know you or anything…”

”Huh, but if you knew me, would you still leave me like one of your 'friends'?” Essairyn snapped sarcastically.

The fox's eyes widened momentarily before she turned her head away. ”I don't have friends… anymore.” The last word came as a whisper as the fox's face turned dark. There was a hint of sadness in her voice and on her face. At this response, Essairyn wondered just what was the story behind the man's words from earlier.

”Besides, what are you even doing in this forest?” the fox queried, evading Essairyn's questioning look.