Before the invasion
Azid was having the time of his life.
He twirled his iron spear in a wide arc, laughing as its weighted head smashed through a demon's collarbone and sent the body spinning into another. "No named ones here~! Just easy trimmings~!" he sang out, boots crunching across corpses as he lunged forward, impaling a snarling drakorath through the throat before jerking the spear up to split the head clean in two.
"For you maybe!" Mark shouted back as he ducked beneath the curved saber of a sharaykthun. The snakelike beast hissed and brought its blade down again in a diagonal strike, but Mark stepped in close, catching the demon's wrist with both hands and twisting it violently until the bone snapped. The saber clattered to the ground. He drove his knee into the creature's gut, forcing it to stumble back with a strangled hiss.
Hoshikang appeared in an instant. With an old-man chuckle, he stepped forward and swung his glaive in a wide crescent, the blade carving clean through the sharaykthun's torso like a butcher through meat. "I believe that is a compliment," he remarked casually as demon ichor sprayed across his clothes. "Azid must think we are his equals—that it is just as easy for us to kill them as it is for him."
"I-It's g-great th-that he t-thinks so b-but can someone please h-help the blind woman o-over here!?" Yuna cried. Her footing was firm, but her breathing ragged. She parried a drakorath's blade with her katana's flat, twisting her wrist to redirect the strike before pivoting to avoid a lunging imp that leapt for her back. She spun mid-step, katana flashing as it cleaved the imp in half without hesitation.
"Okay, I'll help~!" Azid chimed.
The drakorath roared, rearing back to strike again—but Azid was already charging. His iron spear became a battering ram, its full weight crashing through the demon's ribcage with a sickening crunch. The force sent the creature flying backwards, still skewered, until Azid ripped the spear free with a wet metallic shriek and let the twitching body collapse at his feet.
Mark stepped forward and finished the job with brutal efficiency, raising his boot and stomping down hard. The skull gave way under his heel like rotten fruit.
The battlefield grew still. The last shrieks faded. Bodies of demons lay strewn about the sands, black ichor soaking into the ground. Mark leaned forward, hands braced on his knees as he panted, sweat dripping down his jaw. "That was way more demons than usual—and we're not even at the damn portal yet." He dragged his arm across his forehead, wiping the sting from his eyes.
Hoshikang turned his gaze back toward the horizon where the city loomed in the distance. Unlike their last hunt, this land wasn't barren desert—pockets of green shimmered with scattered oasis, the air thicker with life. He tapped the end of his glaive against the earth. "And from our reports, this one is unusually close to the city." His tone was level, but his eyes were calculating. "Yet despite that, they have not moved to attack. They are only defending."
Yuna, her katana still drawn, nodded slowly. Her grip tightened, knuckles pale. "It's al–almost like they're pla–planning something," she said, her voice quiet but edged.
Azid grinned, casually spinning his spear until the blood flung free in droplets. "Well yeah, obviously. They're planning a proper invasion force this time!" He wagged his finger cheerfully. "Not just random chaos."
His allies turned to him in varying degrees of shock.
"And you're telling us this now!?" Mark snapped, throwing his hands out.
Azid only shrugged. "Didn't think it was important."
Mark dragged his palm down his face with a groan. "Azid, you have to share information like this immediately. It doesn't matter how unimportant you think it is," Hoshikang said firmly, punctuating his words with a weary sigh.
"Okay, okay, I will," Azid muttered, holding his hands up in surrender. Then his eyes lit up as he spun on his heel. "Come on, let's head there! I'm sure there's a whole gathering waiting to fight right now!" he said, practically bouncing with excitement.
"Y-yeah, l-let's h-head there q-quickly," Yuna stammered, clutching her katana tightly, her knuckles white. "We n-need to s-stop them."
The others nodded grimly, and together they stepped over and around the scattered corpses of demons as they made their way toward the portal's rumored location. It wasn't a long walk—ten minutes at most—but as they pushed through the veil of an illusion, all of them froze.
All except Azid. He let out a giddy laugh. "Now this is what I call a proper invasion force!" he shouted, his voice carrying across the sands.
The camp of demons erupted in motion. Dozens turned from their tasks—sharpening blades, hauling supplies, carving runes into the earth—to glare at the intruders with confusion that swiftly turned to hostility.
"Which loudmouthed imbecile is disturbing my ranks!?" a thunderous voice bellowed over the camp.
The source emerged with earth-shaking steps—a towering knight clad head to toe in sand-colored plate armor. A massive greataxe and warhammer were strapped across his back, each large enough to crush a horse in one swing. Rage radiated from him like heat from a forge.
"The invasion has not yet begun!" he roared, marching toward them. "Begone from this place and prepare yourselves for annihilation when the call is given!"
Mark held up both hands immediately. "If he's letting us go, I say we take that gift," he muttered through a strained smile.
"Yes, it would be… discourteous not to," Hoshikang added, his voice calm, though his grip tightened on his glaive. His thoughts were sharper than his words. *He's dangerous. I don't need to fight him to know that.*
Yuna could only nod in terrified agreement, her katana trembling slightly in her hands.
Azid, on the other hand—
"It doesn't matter if the invasion's later!" he declared, spear rising with gleeful intent. "We're attacking now!"
"Azid, no—!" Mark barked, but it was too late.
Azid lunged, iron spear thrusting straight for the knight's helmet. Before the tip could connect, the knight's gauntleted hand shot up and caught the shaft with effortless precision.
"Huh," Azid nodded his head. "So you're all quick." He gave a pull, and his grin faltered. The spear wouldn't budge—the strength holding it in place was absolute, a wall of muscle and demonic power.
Mark scrambled forward, grabbing Azid's shoulder. "Sorry! We'll take him back and teach him some manners!" he said hastily, trying to tug his ally free.
The knight finally released the weapon with a contemptuous shove. Azid and Mark both nearly toppled into the sand, stumbling back.
"Get out of here before I throw you out!" the knight bellowed, his fury vibrating in the air.
"Azid, we'll fight later. Not now—we're not ready," Mark hissed, pulling him back.
"Fine!" Azid growled, pouting as he pointed his spear at the knight. "We'll kill you later!"
Without waiting for a reply, Mark and the others dragged him away, retreating at a hurried pace.
"What were you thinking, trying to attack him?" Hoshikang asked sharply, his voice edged with exasperation.
Azid only pouted harder, staring at the sand as they ran.
"H-hey guys…" Yuna's shaky voice broke the air. She lifted her head, sniffing faintly. "I-is the weather ch-changing?"
Mark and Hoshikang glanced back—and froze. Above, the sky had blackened, thick clouds bleeding into existence. From them began to fall a rain not of water, but blood—crimson drops that made no sound when they struck, staining nothing as they passed.
"That," Azid said, eyes gleaming, "will be the invasion starting." He shifted, ready to turn back toward the camp.
"No!" Mark barked, yanking him forward. "We go to the city and get help!"
And with that, the group sprinted harder, the soundless crimson rain falling around them as they fled back toward the city.