Chapter 10: An Encounter with Akuma
Deep in the Murkwood Marsh, a large Deviljho was on the prowl. But he was not your ordinary Deviljho, however, as he had a golden hide and aura, red spikes on it's back, and sharper looking teeth. He was a demonic creature to behold.
But he did not know much about why he was here, other than instinct telling him to wander, and feed daily. It was as if he was constantly starving, even though he was clearly more than fit in terms of condition.
But yet the need to feed was still engraved in his mind. The moment he smelled blood, or at least find the presence of any sort of prey, he would home in on the said prey, until he found the prey, and devoured it, only to move on to the next prey item.
He did have a name that he remembered, though what purpose it had in his life was a mystery. His name was "Akuma", which he believed meant "Demon" in another language used by his common prey. But how much more fitting could that name be to a vicious, almost rabid rogue killing machine like Akuma.
Akuma indeed did find other Deviljho every so often, but it always ended with the said Deviljho ending up as Akuma's prey, as they were just too weak compared to him to stand a chance.
Akuma was wandering on and on, until a familiar scent came to his nostrils. It was not the marsh itself, which indeed reeked, but rather, it was of a living creature, or rather, a group of them. They were human by the smell of it.
Akuma's instincts told him to go on the hunt! His hunger ever gnawing at him tells him as well. As he went on the prowl, Remobras nearby screeched in fear, and started to fly away! The constant screeching of fear was like the Remobras were saying something to warn others.
AKUMA IS COMING! AKUMA IS HUNGRY!
Indeed, Akuma was coming. He was on the hunt, and he was hungry! He did snatch a few Remobras out of the air to fuel him further with blood lust. Just little snacks before the main course! As he went on the prowl, Slagtoth nearby fled, as did Ioprey, Wroggis, Mosswine and other potential prey! He headed towards the delicious smell of human prey, the rest of it's potential victims can wait.
Meanwhile...
Hurricurse, Kisisa, Taka, Arion and Shira had been walking through the Murkwood Marsh for what felt like a whole day. They decided they would camp near the roads after a while. But as they were walking, they heard the sound of a large footstep. The steps became louder, and puddles nearby started to ripple with each stepping sound.
Something was here, and it was coming near!
Everyone drew their weapons, and prepared for the worst. Then a large, deviljho like creature came from the shadows of the nearby trees. It was clearly not an ordinary deviljho, it just looked too different! Was this Akuma, the "Starving Deviljho"?
The creature's eyesight was blood red, seeing only the human prey in front of it! Remobras started to fly away from the trees nearby, screeching!
AKUMA IS HERE! AKUMA IS HUNGRY! RUN AWAY WHILE YOU STILL CAN!
This gave Hurricurse and Taka all the confirmation they needed. This was indeed Akuma!
Akuma licked it's chops at the thought of tasty, and tender human flesh, and was ready to attack!
Hurricurse, however, kept staring at Akuma. For some reason, there was something about Akuma that caught his eye. A tattoo like marking, resembling an ancient letter of some sort, was on Akuma's back, just above the where the neck meets the body. It reminded Hurricurse about a similar marking on his right arm, which he always thought was a normal tattoo of some sort that meant little. But Hurricurse's marking was a letter with the number "3" next to it.. Was this similarity just a coincidence, or was Hurricurse missing something important?
But thoughts on the matter would have to wait, since Taka yelled to Hurricurse.
"HEY!" Taka yelled. "STAY FOCUSED!"
Hurricurse nodded, prepared to fight.
Akuma started his assault, and attempted to pounce on Hurricurse, But Hurricurse got out of the way in time and countered with a slash to Akuma's left leg!
But this did little more than annoy Akuma. But when Taka slashed his Dark Claw Demise at the horrific brute wyvern, Akuma backed away from Taka's dragon element filled longsword.
Shira attacked with her Ravager Blade, slashing at the tail of Akuma. It did tear through the skin of the tail, but not far enough to cut it off. Akuma then swung his tail, sending Shira away towards Arion, who was about to load her Lagia burst gunlance, sending both of them onto the ground.
Akuma then felt stinging pain of arrows being shot at his neck! He turned his attention towards Kisisa, who was shooting arrows from her Hidden Bow. But Kisisa was now out of arrows, and was vulnerable as Akuma made his way towards her, jaws primed for the kill!
But Hurricurse would have none of it! He rushed towards Akuma, not caring about his own life, and turned into a Nargacuga, and jumped into position between Kisisa and Akuma before making a yowling, wild cat like roar.
Akuma was confused for a minute, but set that confusion aside. He did not care if one of his enemies could change shape, he only cared about feeding himself! Akuma charged, and Hurricurse sent spikes from his tail, towards Akuma's face!
One of the spikes made a direct hit on Akuma's right eye, causing him agony as he was blinded in that eye!
Now Akuma was mad! How dare this shapeshifter blind him forever in one eye, and cause him pain?! He knew who he would target exclusively now!
Akuma's face began to become masked in Dragon Element fog, and he roared a blood lust filled roar of anger, and stepped back a little before breathing a stream of Dragon Element towards Hurricurse in a sweeping motion!
A Direct Hit, and Hurricurse actually felt weaker from the attack!
Is this an affliction that hunters here call "Dragonblight"? He thought to himself.
But before Akuma could take advantage of his opponent's weakened state, Taka actually came in in the form of a Brute Tigrex, and pounced onto Akuma's back, biting onto the neck.
While Akuma was distracted, Kisisa saw Hurricurse revert, with dragon element sparks surging around him every so often. She took a Nulberry and gave it to Hurricurse and told him to use it.
Hurricurse ate the Nulberry, which really was not filled with flavor if it had any. He felt a little better as the Nulberry's effects kicked in, curing his Dragonblight, and letting him get enough strength back to change into a Mizutsune, and he slithered his way on his bubblefoam toward Akuma, slithering under and around his legs, before getting out of the way in time for Akuma to slip onto his sides on the Bubblefoam.
Taka took advantage of this and bit harder onto Akuma's neck, keeping him under control, as Hurricurse turned into a Zinogre, and smashed Akuma's skull with a hard smash from his powerful foreleg, killing Akuma almost instantly as his skull was crushed into pieces!
But what the group was unaware of was a green colored Remobra like creature, with yellow, glowing eyes, watching the whole battle as it went on, before flying away.
Meanwhile...
The whole battle was actually "recorded" through the Green Remobra creature's eyes, and sent to an area in a ruined castle as a magic based projection, where different demonic humanoid entities in different attires with different monster features, watched the events go on. They were not pleased with Akuma's failure to finish the group off!
"Those little squirts took down that Starving Deviljho!" A male entity with Gore Magala features, wearing a black robe said. "Who would have thought it!?"
Another male entity, with Najarala features, wearing a black and maroon robe, spoke next.
"Yes Virion, but I am interested in Hurricurse, since his power surely is not his own!"
A Female Demon, with Nerscylla features, spoke afterwards.
"Well Anguisha, why don't we kill them before they have a chance to end the war in Revalius? HAH! That will settle things quick enough!"
A male entity with Plesioth like features, spoke his mind.
"Queela, his "Lackeys", including that other Shapeshifter, "Taka", were hunters before they decided to attempt to end the war! Swivel me eyes! They are nothing but Bilge Rats by the looks of them!"
But then an entity with Gigginox like features, found it a good time for him to insult the last speaker before him.
"Well to be fair, Pirata, You are certaintly no prize yourself, hehehe!
Pirata, the Plesioth like entity, was insulted.
"SHUT UP Hirudo! He yellled.
But a large, booming female voice of authority came.
"SILENCE!"
Everyone looked around to see a Fatalis like humanoid female entity, in black robes, and a large staff.
Hirudo grumbled to himself.
"Leave it to Kesena to stop us from having a good fight." He said quietly as to be sure no one could hear him.
Kesena began a speech.
"Hurricurse and his friends are determined to end the war, but in order to do so, he will have to fight us first! Will it be him who will uncover his past, and defeat the darkness? Or will he get swallowed by it?
She then grinned a sickening smile.
"Either way, I am certain the world will bow to us! We just have to remind the pathetic mortals where they stand in the pecking order! Better still, I will send one of you to go after Hurricurse temporarily while the rest of us prepare for our first attack!"
She then pointed towards Virion, the Gore Magala Demon.
"Virion, be the first to try to bring out Hurricurse's "True potential", if you know what I mean!"
Virion understood, though he was the only one of the demons to not like the idea of going out to fight anyone. But alas, he had to do what the mistress of darkness wanted him to do.
Virion then disappeared into darkness!
_,_,_
Well, Now that I managed to introduce the main villains of the story, what could Kesena be planning (you know, aside from the obvious)?
Also, I apologize for the long absence in my works, but don't worry, the series is not dead!
See you in the next chapter!