Tides Of Protomis CXIII

General Mu

The apparent true general of Maleggan’s forces had arrived. Giving them the revelation that the demon that their leader, Volker went to fought, was not who they thought he was. But, more importantly, another high-leveled demon had appeared to take them out, and as of now, it looked like they would have to handle it alone.

The general’s attack was to begin soon. As he elevated himself from his spot, the simple flap of his wings was enough to send out cutting winds. Powerful enough to even knock some of the less stable troops over. As the general looked down upon this, a smirk came to his face. The rest of them may have lost, but to him… This may as well have been easy pickings. Even his deceased offspring had served the purpose of making sure he kept his spot as a general, even if he’d eclipsed him in power. The light flowing around Mu began to grow in intensity. THis much was followed by a rapid ascent, and descent. A clear attempt by Mu to dive bomb his opponents. Which very likely may have killed a mass amount of the holy order’s troops. Had it not been for for one’s interference. Volker, the formerly missing slayer, barred the demon’s path, stopping his charge with his Astaroth. Mu tried to push past him, but found that the interloper would not budge. A definite annoyance, but one that he would deal with swiftly.

“Where did you come from?!”

Eventually, the demon seemed to make progress, as Volker was sent crashing into the ground, with Mu on top of him.. The man lay injured in the small crater that was created, but given the fact that his expression was unchanged, where the injuries came from was in question. As mu began to swoop bag down, prepared to crush the human under the force of his attack… But he found himself surprised, when his target stood to his feet, as if his previous move was nothing.

“I won't be defeated by you… You’re nowhere near as strong as the one I faced earlier!!!”

Volker dug his feet into the ground, as he bent his knees. The slayer took to the air soon after, Clashing with Mu only moments after. The general managed to stop the blade with his hands, but clearly, it was closer to himself, than it was to his opponent. The deadlock between them was quickly broken, as a red-hot burst of light slammed into Mu’s back, a direct result of Mazurus’ attack from the ground. He was being pushed back, by this point, and found that a volley was being fired by Mazurus’ Ogun. And he acted quick as a result, flapping his wings to disperse the energy before it could get close enough. But this did not stop the other threat from attacking him. Who carved through his wrists, removing his hands. And before he could even react to the sudden amputation, another removed both arms completely. His dismantling of the demon was not done yet. Volker’s torso twisted backwards, and then forth, as he split the man into upper and lower halves, and subsequently raised his blade, sundering the general, and ending the battle… Volker was definitely tired, that much was clear, it became even more so as he lowered himself to the ground. And heavy breaths became clear. That much confirmed what he already knew, this wasn’t going to be easy. It didn’t take long for his subordinates to begin rushing to his side.

“Sir, Are you alright?” One questioned, leading to Volker waving them off.

“I’ll be fine… Start opening communications back to HQ. We’ll rest for now.”

His own injuries could be tended to later, as Volker saw it. There was more important things to tend to, and he would make sure those took top priority, in both his mind, and theirs. The man stopped in front of Bui And Masuurs, as well as the other commanders.

“Despite what we lost… Good work out there, no battle is without casualties, as much as we’d like it to be so. Tell me who we’ve lost, and i’ll adjust our plans accordingly.”

“:Alright, Volker.” Bui responded. WIth that much situated, Masurus began to split off, walking away from the commanders.

“I’ll get started on communications, then.”

Eventually, a Certain Bluenette stepped forward to kick things into gear, barking out her orders.

“Alright, Let’s get Moving! Continue setting up camp. Continue construction of the defensive earthworks! We will begin organizing patrols soon enough. Let’s get into the buildings that are left, and see what we’re working with!”

“Yes Ma’am!”

Part B

While one group prepard for the oncoming battles in one way, the others had decided to take a different approach. Currently, the formerly quiet... Or rather, relatively quiet corner of the demon realm was now being shaken by explosions, covered by rapidly growing bursts of heat, and rended by bursts of energy. One of those who were direct cause, Arctaius, stood in a clearing of the forest they'd chosen as a battleground. His eyes were narrowed, as hp the pressure, striked again once more. His watchful gaze moved across the area around him. Something which allowed him to both observe the slight signs of movement behind him. While his trained hearing helped him hear a rustle in the foliage. Arctiaus soon found himself faced with Zhao, who stepped out of the bruhs, slipping into his stance. Before rushing forward to begin his attack. A palm strike aimed at the man's torso came first, but the man promptly formed a fist and sent it forward, intent on stopping this attempt at an attack. A success, the strikes stopped between them, forcing the two to draw back. Arctaius, intent on keeping the pressure up, sent yet another attack force. But the monk wouldn't let him, he promptly took hold of the man's arm, moving the fist into a different path, and preventing harm to himself. No sooner, did he attempt to chop the back of the man's neck. But, However, as arctaius moved past him, he rapidly changed his position, extending his leg, and tripping Zhao up, before slamming a fist into the small of his back, making him fly forward.

But it didn't take long for the monk to use his agillity to his advantage, flipping forward, and springing off the ground with his hands, reversing direction as he twisted mid-air, before coming down upon Arctaius with a kick. One which the latter swiftly moved to guard, crossing his arms over himself. Before pushing against his legs, shoving him back. Zhao skidded backward, breaking up the earth under his feet, until he came to a stop. The two's gaze remained unbroken for quite a bit, until both of their gazes darted to the left, and right respectively. In a matter of seconds, the space they were formerly in, was now occupied by meteor-like objects cloaked in a red luminance. Which slammed into the ground, making the ground around them shake, and sending debris flying into the sky. The source of the meteors, Kazimir, began descending soon after them. Spreading his influence once more, he began to send the remains of the object barreling toward his two targets. Something which resulted in Arctaius rapidly changing his position, avoiding the attacks, while Zhao began to cut through the objects with his trusty blade.

"It looks like that wont be enough… Time to force some change. I’m gonna need those to be stronger than that!" As Kazimir noted this he closed his hands. His influence caused much of the flying debris to coalesce into larger clumps. With a darker color taken soon after, as he continued the process. And from there, these larger ones condensed as well. Soon afterward, he launched them forth, which caught both of their attention. Zhao attempted to cut through it with his dao, but found that the material was too dense. As for Arctaius, he opted for attempting to rapidly move through the storm of rubble. He evaded, one, then two, but the third hit its target, slamming into him. Though the man sped up to keep himself in place, placing both palms on the rock to keep it from moving, he ultimately found himself losing ground, even if gradually. A smirk appeared on Arctaius’ face as he took the opportunity to move out of the sphere’s path.

“Not Bad, Kazimir.”

Zhao smirked as well, as he similarly managed to get out of the way. It didn’t take long for both of them to charge Kazimir, something that the russian noted immediately. He clasped his hands, and swiftly opened them, sending a cascade of debris outward.

“I’m not done just yet!”

Nearby, The last Von Zaisen, and the group’s resident Yakuza faced off in a clearing that mostly lacked the surrounding forest’s vegetation. Alarick mostly remained unmoving as the Yakuza began to lift himself off of the ground. This was followed by an activation of Alarick’s void blade, as his subsequent leap forward left the ground under his feet cracked. A direct advance toward jirou preceded a flourish of swipes, meant to inflict damage upon the Yakuza. But quick action allowed for him to get out of the way of the attempted attacks. Before returning these attacks with strikes further enhanced by well-placed gravity wells.

Alarick gracefully weaved around some of these strikes, but was caught unaware by a knee slamming into his stomach. Sending him barrelling backward. And it seemed as if Jirou would act upon his recently gained advantage and press the attack, had it not been for the Azure Dragon, Synonymous with Liang’s Chuojiao, rushing toward him, forcing him to pull back. But the offender did not make his location clear, not yet, at least. After all, he was a fighter who specialized in assassinations at one point, and it seemed as if he hadn’t forgotten his old tricks. Soon enough, he found himself nearly being carved through by the void blade, had he not moved back. Landing on one of the many trees. Only to find a straight-bladed shuriken flying past his head. Leading to him moving away from his current spot. Appearing from behind him, was the source of the attack. Liang twisted backward as he bent his leg, straightening it out as he shifted forward, the Draconic aura forming around him once more.

“Chuojiao Art: Azure Dragon’s Cyclone Fang!” The foot slammed into the side of Jirou’s neck, knocking the wind out of him. Liang followed this up by a storm of kicks, slammed into his chest, ribs, legs, and neck once more. The onslaught broken up by Jirou grasping the martial artist’s ankle as he made his last strike. As Jirou pushed the leg aside, he slammed a right hook into Liang’s cheek. As the man was sent flying away, the Yakuza followed. Another strike came soon, a liver punch enhanced by his gravity. Liang recoiled at this, yet prepared for another attack regardless. AS he pulled his arm back, Shiruken attached to wires flew toward Jirous’ back. The latter ascended as he did so, intent on getting out of the way. But their one on one did not continue for long, As Alarick flew down from above.

“Multi-Earth Cutter!” Knife-shaped stones flew down toward Jirou, as well as the Von Zaisen himself. And the two were soon locked into combat. While this took place, Liang’s eyes moved across the battlefield as he made his calculations, looking at both their movement patterns, as well as that of the surrounding Knives. Quick movements of his arm made the shurikens begin to move once more. And eventually, he released his grip, making them all fly forward, bouncing off each other, as well as the knives which Alarick threw, and knocking them off course, sending them on a direct course for both. An impromptu addition to the weaponmaster’s arsenal. But the two were quick to move out of the way, and were ready to attack him instead, had it not been for Junko Apparently having the same Idea. Jumping into the fray with her trusty blade, forged of her energy. Something which made the martial artist swiftly draw his own from its scabbard. The two weapons clashed between them, subsequently forcing both of them back. And before they were able to jump back into their melee, interference in the form of Alarick had arrived. The battle was a rapidly changing situation, where each group member found themselves watching their backs for an attack at any given moment.

The sparring match between them did not go unwatched. Two beings, who, despite their many differences, seemed to share the same status as being considered strange in their respective organizations, observed as they all tested their mettle.

“They’re really fighting hard, eh?” Gilga questioned, glancing at the armor-demon.

“That they are… Though, I still have to say, even though I appealed to you all for this alliance, I find it strange that you agreed. Especially given your organization was apparently created to slay demons, and she even wields our power…” Hyperion commented. It wasn’t exactly a unfounded line of questioning. And it was one that he’d thought about as well. He, one of the very founders of the organization, was more willing to take their side more than the newer members, many of which hadn’t been fully inducted. He didn’t exactly mind sharing his point of view, so he did so.

"I personally do not understand the rest of the council's hate for the girl... Sure, she uses demonic energy in combat, and the demons under Maleggan are indeed our enemies, but she is human nonetheless. After all, our own abilities are derived from purified energy absorbed from these demons... So, in truth, what does that make us?” Gila asked no one in particular. This gained a nod from Hyperion.

“Sounds like a good enough answer to me…” Now, the two were silent once more. As their conversation came to a close, so did the training between the members of the group, given how the sounds of battle stopped reverberating through the area.

“Well, looks like we’ll be moving again soon.” Hyperion began walking off soon after, with Gilga following. All the while, the looming threat known as General Sigma continued observing their movements throughout his domains… Their defeat of Crocell was unexpected, but not something that he couldn’t correct for. He would simply send in another. To that end, the General turned to one of his advisors, and began to float toward the insect, saying but a few words.

“Send for Ghemzaan…” It did not take long for the creature to scuttle outward, ready to act upon his orders. Sigma himself, decidedly stayed in his current spot.

“Well then… We shall see just what they’re capable of, especially with the one we’re sending.” The demon known as Ghemzaan, though not exactly on the level of the generals, was scant considered one to be trifled with. Lest one see just what happened when he was enraged.

To Be Continued.