Mericel says "We should run, or maybe we can hide?"

Drog and I say "We should kill them all!"

I turn and look at Drog, and he gives me a wolfish grin. I look outside the tent to where Ruby is, and she gives me a nod of agreement. Turning back to Mericel it is obvious she is just worried about Leyla.

"She will be fine, if we hit them in the woods they won't even make it to the camp."

Mericel says "I'm worried about her waking up alone and panicking."

"As exhausted as she is I don't think she will wake up soon, it shouldn't take us long to deal with them."

Mericel says "Aren't you getting a little overconfident?"

"It is still dark, that gives us a huge advantage over humans."

Mericel says "Just don't get cocky, not all humans are totally weak."

"Oh, trust me I know. But the longer we argue the closer they get."

Mericel says "Fine, we will do it your way."

Not wasting any time once she agrees I turn and lead the way out of the tent. Drog runs ahead and leads the way towards the humans he smelled. With all of us gone there is no one around to see Leyla's body start glowing.

It only takes us a few minutes to get within sight of the humans. There is a column of around a hundred soldiers on foot being led by three people on horseback. Two of them are in armor and the third is in robes.

"The three of you circle around and hit the back of the column. Once their attention is on you I will attack the leaders."

The three of them head off to circle the troops while I hunker down to wait. While I am waiting I focus on the three leaders with my left eye, trying to see their auras. As they get closer to me I start seeing colors around them.

The mage is grey with light and dark spots, basically neutral as far as I can tell. The first guy in armor is bright and colorful which surprises me, this must be the hero and he is not corrupted yet. The second guy in armor is as dark as the hero is bright, between the aura and the needlessly ornate armor. I am guessing he is a noble.

The darkness is rent by a bright blue explosion, and then the screaming starts at the back of the column. The hero immediately stands up in his stirrups, draws his sword, and raises it high.

Hero shouts "Let there be light!"

His sword blazes with light, it glows like a small sun, and suddenly I can see my companions attacking the back of the column. Before the leaders can turn to help the troops I step out into the light, all three gazes immediately focus on me. Again the hero reacts immediately and slashes his sword towards me.

Hero shouts "Shining Slash!"

A slash of pure light rockets at me, I draw Blitz and cut through it just as it reaches me. The look on the hero's face is priceless, but I don't have time to enjoy it as the mage finishes his spell and points his staff at me. A large fireball comes flying at me, my first thought is to cut through it like I did the light slash.

Some instinct takes over and instead I raise my left hand like I am going to catch the fireball. I feel my demonic power flow down to my hand and as the fireball hits my hand it is sucked in and vanishes.

*DING*

Congratulations! You have unlocked Demonic Abilities!

*DING*

Congratulations! You have gained the Demonic Ability Absorb!!

Absorb

Level: 1

Cost: 5 DP

You can absorb low level spells!

*DING*

You have absorbed a fireball! +3 Fire Resist!

Well that is a handy ability! The mage looks as shocked as the hero, the noble just looks terrified. As I move forward I switch Blitz to my left hand and lean over to grab a large rock.

As expected the noble turns to flee, the coward is flogging his horse desperate to get away. The rock hits him in the back like it was fired from a cannon, he is catapulted out of the saddle into a tree. From the way he hits the ground I am fairly sure he is dead.

The hero leaps from his saddle at me, bringing his sword down in a powerful overhand strike. I easily step aside and as he passes I lightly tap him on the neck, his body crashes to the ground bonelessly. That just leaves the mage who is casting another spell.

Curious what he will do I walk slowly towards him, giving him time to finish his spell. I channel DP to my hand again and ready absorb as he again points his staff at me.

Mage shouts "Ice Block!"

*DING*

You have absorbed Ice Block! +5 Cold Resist!

This ability is really useful! At this rate it will be more effective for raising my resists than my skills are. As I swing Blitz the mage tries to parry with his staff, but Blitz cuts through it like it is made of paper. The mage is dead before he hits the ground and I continue on to attack the soldiers from behind.

Twenty soldiers fall to Blitz before the few that are left break and run for it. Ruby and Drog set off in pursuit immediately but I wave Mericel over before she can join them. She drops the lifeless husk of a soldier and drifts over to me.

Mericel says "Yes, Ash?"

"I want you to talk to the hero with me."

Mericel says "He's not dead?"

"No, his aura showed he wasn't corrupted so I knocked him out."

Walking back to where the hero is lying I think about how to convince him. I grab a water skin off the body of a soldier as I walk with Mericel floating along beside me. When I get to the hero I sheath his sword then sit him up leaning against a tree, and start splashing water on his face until he wakes up.