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Chapter 24
Just as she said that, the sky boomed with thunder chasing a lightning bolt that shook the world with how close it was. I saw the demons tense up, and I knew that something incredibly bad was about to go down. Zarika moved swiftly away, back into the mass of demons she had brought with her for the execution. Another crack of lightning, and I saw the demons start forming a circle, creating a wall of bodies around their leaders. The area darkened for a moment as a particularly thick cloud passed over the stadium, and I saw two figures drop from the sky as lightning flashed again. I couldn't make out any details about them, as they didn't stand immediately after dropping into the center of the ring. Suddenly, the cloud passed, and I saw the two clearly. They were both women, one clad in black wore what looked like a racing helmet and a dark colored cloak with tatters on the end. In her hands was a tube that was roughly a foot long, and before all our eyes, it erupted into a scythe looking like it was made purely of lightning. She launched forward and bisected a generic minion in a fluid motion that was almost too fast for my eyes to keep up with. She then darted from demon to demon in straight lines, dispatching them with practiced ease.
Not to be outdone, the second woman began her assault. She was odd, for a few reasons. The biggest one was that she wore a blue and white maid outfit, with her snow white hair done in braids that fit with the maid aesthetic. It was almost comical, until I saw several daggers appear in her hands. She then whipped them out, and each knife sunk up to their hilt in the throats of different demons. She was beautiful, elegant, and completely ruthless. I watched as ice crept up her arm, and three knives made of ice appeared between the fingers of that hand. She glanced at them for a split second before whipping them forward to stab through the heart of one demon that wasn't wearing armor on his chest. The two women were ruthless, slaughtering the lower ranked bastards, but studiously avoiding the beefier knight looking ones guarding Zarika and Igthrund.
The entire arena started screaming as people stampeded out of the stands. Demons and other underworld humanoids alike were running for the exits, but I paid them no mind. My attention was focused on the two women slaughtering their way through Zarika's demons. I pulled at my shackles again, trying to break free and help them, but I was held fast. At least, I was, until I heard a blade clearing its sheath. I was about to look and see who it was, but my hands were suddenly unbound as the chains were cut. An open hand descended into my view, and I took it, only to be yanked to my feet with an immense amount of strength. I tried to see the person who saved me, but they were already walking away to unbind Laina. They had a cloak like the woman out there killing demons with a lightning scythe. It was a black thing that tattered near the end, and on their hips were two sheaths that looked like they fit a knight sword. He had short black hair, almost the color of ink, and what skin I could see was tanned. On his back was a wrapped bundle with what looked like a hilt sticking out of the top.
"I'd recommend staying here, once the storm abates, you'll be taken somewhere safe to recuperate until you're sent home."
He lashed out again with a slash from his knight blade, and Laina dropped to her knees for only a moment. She was back on her feet quickly, and bowed to the man just as fast. Once she was upright again, he tossed her the bundle, and Laina caught it gently, running a hand softly across the wrapping.
"Lord Wraith, I am glad you came at the time you did. A few minutes later and I would have been a bit shorter. Is this...?"
Laina trailed off, but the man clearly knew what she was asking and nodded. With a practiced movement, he returned his blade to its sheath before turning towards the fight. Laina smiled and unwrapped a scimitar in a beautiful scabbard. It seemed to glow for just a moment as she slipped the strap over her shoulder. It looked like it fit her very well, elegant and deadly. She rested her hand on the hilt as she moved over to free Tiria. While she passed me, my eyes were drawn to the fight still raging in front of us.
The two women had pretty much cleared all the lower level idiots, and were now moving on to some of the higher level ones, although they still were avoiding the heavily armed guards who would try and strike at them whenever they passed by. I blinked for a moment, but when I really looked at the heavily armed ones, I noticed they were edging away towards an exit. Just as I realized that, the other end of the group broke and made a mad dash for the doorway. With superhuman speed, they were there in just a few moments.
I couldn't let them get away! I charged power in my hands, preparing to do something I had done a hundred times before. Now that the chains were broken, I could actually summon it. Once it was ready, I unleashed it with a resounding boom, and was catching up, but not by enough, as I saw Zarika make her way through the opening before I could even get halfway to them. More guards and her puppet boyfriend were all through the door as I was reaching the ground.
I landed just forty feet shy of the opening, and after a shoulder roll to get my feet under me, I blew past the two knight demons that stayed behind to delay anyone, dropping balls of power at their feet that acted like grenades. Twin explosions followed after me as I moved after the party, determined not to let them get away. I could hear them, the jangling and clanging of the knights made sure they weren't going to get away from me in the maze of the corridors. I suddenly heard another set of footsteps catching up with mine, and Laina was soon keeping pace with me, seemingly completely fine after having raced to catch me.
"You're an idiot, you should have stayed there, but I suppose I should know better by now, if you encounter any other Hunters, do not engage them, and do not run, you might as well just ask to be cut down by a blade that will actually kill you."
I snorted, and the two of us raced after the bitch that we both wanted dead. Though, as we went further, a sound that was odd filled my ears. It was like a distant train, but it kept getting louder and louder as we finally caught sight of the rear of Zarika's guards as they burst out into the open. Laina and I doubled down on the speed, and soon, we were out there too, standing thirty feet behind Zarika's group. That wasn't the most important thing on my mind though. Now, I could see why it sounded like a train was going by.
Almost two hundred feet in front of us was what could only be described as a twister, and the most terrifying part was revealed in a crack of lighting. There was a person in the middle, twisting and turning as demons ran into the storm, only for their forms to separate as they reached the twister's edge. It was almost like the storm was made of blades, and it was coming right at us!
Or, it was, until it took a veer off and went left, leaving a man standing in the middle of the street, facing us all. Rain still fell as I studied his imposing figure. In his hands were two single edged swords that were black as night, except the edges. One glowed a dark blue and the other a murderous red, and they both looked to be dripping a dark liquid, either it was blood, or it was just water. I didn't know, but I didn't really care. What caught my attention was his face. He had black hair, almost the same shade as the one that had freed us in the arena, and two different colored eyes. One was a light, ice colored blue, the other was a bloody red, and both were filled with hate and disdain for the people he was staring at. The emotions in those eyes reminded me of my father's when he was truly furious, and sent a peal of unreasoning hate through my entire body. From there, the rest of his face was covered in a stark white mask that looked like it was made of bone. It had teeth that were carved from the main surface, and sat on his brow was a circlet that was made from a similar material. There was a dark stone placed in the center, and something about that stone set my flames screaming caution throughout my head. I didn't understand what that meant, but it was rather clear that it was not a good sign. He held himself like he was prepare to rip people apart with his bare hands, and all this combined with the wind still whipping through the air, he posed a rather terrifying figure.
"What the fuck is he?"
I murmured, letting the thought slip from my mouth as a gust ripped from behind him, blowing hot and hard like a desert stormfront. My powers were growling, there was hatred, so much hatred, all of it tinged with sorrow. Whoever was causing this storm, and it seemed like the man in front of us was the source. Laina sighed as she moved to stand slightly in front of me, but still within the shadow cast from the doorway. She blocked part of my view, mainly Zarika's group, but left the man in clear view.
"Disaster, brought from the heavens to herald the end."
I watched as Zarika moved to the front of her group now, coming back into view. She stood beside a monstrously tall humanoid. It was almost fifteen feet tall, and carrying a massive cleaver blade that was at least ten feet long. It was bare chested, but had thick black armor on its legs. The seductress was trembling, but she took a breath and stilled herself as she called out to the man.
