Some distance from the den's entrance a party of over forty people stood, each holding their weapons in a battle stance while facing two people only

Well, if you could call the two people at this point with one close to becoming an abomination and the other bearing wings and bat legs

"Everyone be ready to go all out, don't hold back even if it causes a ruckus, these two look like they are going to give us a run for our money"

Warned the leader, holding a wooden sword with his single hand while gazing at the creature with one remaining eye, it seemed he'd been through quite the few battels given the missing body parts

"If we gonna cause a ruckus anyway then let me go first"

Stepped forward a man holding two heavy armored doors, one in each hand, chains clinking with his movement

"Grrrrraaawwwwr"

Out came a beast's roar sounding nothing like the human who was its source

The two monsters eyes glowed redder at this sound, that was the cue for the rest to jump in with their skills while the growling man held his shields in a defensive manner

A woman and a man jumped up, spears pointing down as they dove to pierce the enemy that the ground sunk under with one of their members help, in case they failed there was a fat man barrel rolling toward the monster due, ready for either to dodge so he could steer toward and flatten

"Kieeeeeeee!"

Shrieked the more human monster rending everyone's ears useless for a bit while waking herself and her comrade from the provoked status

"Que!"

A little angry the other unfurled her large wings and flew two the air born two with one flap, and before they could even react to defend both were flung toward the ground producing cracks that assured the two were out of the fight

Meanwhile the other flew up in order to avoid the fat man who lost his balance and was now skidding across the ground in his momentum, it seemed the sound attack hurt more than just his ears

"Scatter!"

Faris ordered while he launched himself at the large winged one hoping to buy some time, alas the others couldn't hear him and thought it was time for full engagement so they followed with their own skills

His sword was the first to reach as it cut at the flying enemy with a big swing, too slow it was however giving the monster easy time dodging the blade

Whoosh

That was what he wanted her to believe though as a clear blade of wind was produced from his swing, easily catching up and creating a bloody gash on her greatest advantage, the wings

Right as the wound opened three arrows sped with the help of Faris's wind blade, following in its wake to lodge into flesh

"Que!!"

She flapped her huge wings in retaliation, just before the arrows burrowed into her, a useless act of defense or so they thought

The arrows which were supposed to successfully wound her were somehow shot back at the archer, grazing his shoulder and thighs but not producing much damage

"Impossible"

Faris fell wide eyed, retreating while motioning the rest to follow suit, this wasn't a wind attack for sure otherwise he would have felt the wind energy, there was something afoot

"Disengage! Disengage!"

He waved to five gunners trying to shoot down the other woman only for them to be sent to him against their will, flying from the woman's unbelievably strong kicks

Catching them as they spewed blood from injury he was quick to turn around and run, swinging his hand to steer the wind at the back in case the monsters decided to chase in flight

"Kie!" "Que!"

Not satisfied with their prey's injury yet they gave chase, causing the group to exhaust all means to try and throw them of while receiving minor yet painful injuries

It was only after an entire hour of chasing did they get bored and leave them be, finally ending this tiresome play

"Haah haaaah haaah, man that was something else"

"I know right, thankfully it's over"

"Yah, thought my legs were gonna give in"

"If your legs almost buckled then how would we heavy fellows feel, right fatso?"

The buff man who'd thrown his shield long ago commented while looking around for his meatball friend, but search he did yet no sign of the wiggly fellow anywhere

"Hey where's Donzo?"

He asked around but they all gave him a sad face, one particular woman snapped when he repeated the question for the third time

"He's your friend and you didn't even notice that we left him behind?! Didn't you see him lose conscience when that monster attacked with her voice"

"If you saw him then why didn't you drag him back!"

"Who can drag back that half ton of dead meat"

"Ima turn you into dead meat!"

"Enough"

Faris intervened before the two could get into a brawl, it was enough to lose a friend and he didn't want to see the others bicker and break the team apart

"Most of us saw him get knocked out but there was nothing that could be done, we barely fled with our lives without any weight on our shoulders"

"You're telling me to leave my friend behind?!"

"He is not only your friend but our dear comrade as well, and no, we will be getting him back"

"What!"

The archer shouted

"You want us to go back THERE?"

"Do you have an objection against that?"

"I sure as hell do, you saw what happened to my arrows didn't you, that wasn't wind and you damn well know it, something is weird about those guys"

He looked his comrades in the eye

"I mean think about it, some guy shows up telling us not to get near the place where our comrades suddenly disappear then two monsters with human appearances bar our entrance and easily defeat and chase us yet they don't actually kill us? You'd be kidding yourself if you thought we made it out due to luck or skill"

"What are you saying"

The snappy woman asked, nervously clutching her stave at the thought of him reaching the same conclusion she did

"Don't you get it? Something or someone ordered them not to kill us, something capable of controlling those humanoid monsters"

"I don't think they are monsters"

Faris replied garnering everyone's attention

"I think they used to be human"

"On what basis"

"Try and remember the more human one, didn't you find anything abnormal about her?"

"Other than the wings and bat like legs you mean? Nah I didn't see anything abnormal"

One of the spear duo quipped, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere

"I meant something abnormally human"

They frowned at the comment, not getting what he hinted at as they recalled the monster's appearance

"Holy! Your right, wasn't she wearing clothes?"

"Wait, and a necklace"

"And a bra!"

They all glared at the last commenter, where did he find the time to see if she was wearing a bra or not?

"Your all right, except the last one since I'm not sure, but the point is she's wearing clothes, human clothes at that"

Faris nodded and proceeded to give his opinion on why she was wearing them

"There can be two reasons for this, one she's an intelligent monster which we have indeed seen a few of and two, she was once a human who was transformed into a half human"

"I don't know but, both sound far fetched, a monster who decided to wear human clothes when she didn't need any and a human who became a monster?"

"Welcome to the new world kid"

The buff guy and the stave wielding woman returned to their bickering with a lot less hostility this time

"Anyway, what makes you think the latter is the truth?"

The archer was more interested in this than bickering

"Cause of the first guy we met"

"The scout?"

"Yes, the scout who hid his entire face without letting a flash of skin show"

"...."

Now that they thought about it that was indeed weird, they might have passed it off as him being a pawn anyway but a pawn that can speak human? And followed by a human clothed monster? The pieces of the riddle were slowly falling to place

"So what do you suggest? That we go back there to fetch Donzo believing whoever lives there turning humans into beasts wouldn't hurt us?"

Faris just shrugged, as if to ask whether he had a better idea

"You....are a hopeless optimist"

"Heh"

"That's Faris for ya"

"Well what are we waiting for, that fatso is gonna starve to death if we don't rescue him soon"

"Yah, even if he ain't human they would definitely give him to us, that fellows diet is too expensive to keep around

Everyone returned to their jovial mood now that there was hope of getting their comrade back alive, hopefully without wings