“Enough talks. Where is the library?” Zeliker was annoyed but he can’t hurt Flare since he still needs him.
Flare grin. “Almost there.”
He continued to lead them into a big hall. There were many paths to reach the library.
‘Stop!’
Suddenly, Zeliker's voice was heard inside their mind. Flare and everyone instantly become alert. Zeliker looked normal but his eyes had changed to red. He warily looked around them in the big hall.
“We’ve been surrounded.” He told them.
“I don’t think it was Shildia’s army’s turn to guard here…” Flare whispered to Zeliker.
“There should be soldiers?”
“Yes. But we haven't seen any of them since we arrived. I should have realised something was wrong. Sorry.” Flare apologised smoothly.
Small knives in both hands coming out of the sheath hidden inside his belt, he defends himself against a sudden attack on him. A black cloak demon appears with a long sword, clashing against his weapons.
The others were also attacked at the same time. Zeliker kicks away one of them who attacks him. Another came at him with an arrow to his back and he slash the arrow to half before appearing near the archer and slash at his neck with his sword.
Killing was his only option since the enemies have been pressuring them with their killing intent.
“Urgh!”
“Darl! Damn you!”
Darl was stabbed on his left shoulder with an arrow and fell to his back. Another enemy appeared to thrust his sword to his head but Krius came in time to slash the enemy back, saving Darl.
He protects Darl while the latter grip the arrow on his shoulder and pull it off. He then grabs his weapon again, a short bow and aims it at the enemy coming at Krius.
“There’s too many of them!” Luuma told Zeliker.
Endless enemies appear to ambush them.
“Where the hell did they come from?!”
Jyana was flabbergasted and sweat covered all her body while defending herself and killing the enemy when she had the opportunity.
“It seems we have stumbled into their lair.” Zeliker commented after killing another enemy.
He dodge another arrow to his head and his weapon changes swiftly to a bow and he releases an arrow toward the archer aiming at him. Mia was fighting with a demon using the same knife as her.
She dodge and slash at the tendon of her enemy before she stabs at his weakness, killing him instantly. A thunder appeared to lash at her and she couldn’t avoid it in time. But a shield appears to protect her before Zeliker dash from her side to kill the thunder user demon.
“This is very troublesome.” Flare mumbled in annoyance.
He was attacked by a wind slash and injured his whole body. Blood dripped from his wounds. However, he still stood firm and went to attack the demon with the wind power.
The demon gasps at his quick slash to his throat while questioning Flare species as a human because the latter was more of a demon to him. He wasn’t able to summon a shield when Flare appeared behind him and killed him.
Zeliker finishes off the thunder user demon before he watches his group members. Everyone was injured except for him. The situation also looked dires when he realised another group of their enemy was coming.
‘How can there be so many of these demons situated here? What’s going on?!’
He was surprised when someone with a bigger size appeared to slash at him with a big blade. The person had his face exposed and it was covered with gruesome scars. Zeliker can feel the new demon was not like the rest and steps far back to dodge the big blade.
‘Is he their leader?’
“Who are you?! Why are you attacking us?!”
The demon answered him with another big slash. Zeliker narrows his eyes and swiftly dodge to the side and brings his sword to slash at the demon from above. The latter defends himself with the soil below becoming sharp needles to strike at Zeliker.
Zeliker had to move away, less he got punctured by them. He summons fireballs and shoots them at the demon. The soil became a wall in front of the demon and hardened to a level where Zeliker fireballs couldn’t get through.
‘Using soil power, could he also use the sands around to attack too? I must be careful and finish him off quickly.’
Zeliker summons his ice swords. He swings the swords, creating a blizzard and ice field around them. Everyone was startled by his domain when snows appeared from above and attached themselves to the enemy body.
“Die!” Zeliker growled.
The snow's shape turns to sharp needle balls and punctures the body of their enemies one by one. As for the big demon, he had to shield himself with his hard soil and attack Zeliker from below. The ice breaks and a sharp talon aimed at Zeliker. Zeliker destroyed it with his swords and ran at the big demon to kill him.
Flare and the others finish the enemy around them before they watch Zeliker’s battle.
‘I need to find out who they are.’ Flare reminded himself and he went on his knee to a nearby dead demon.
He searched the body and was startled to see a tattoo on the dead demon right shoulder.
‘Divest! Does this mean Neza City has fallen under their hand? No, I can’t conclude this yet but…’
He watches the dead bodies. They were about twenty or more laying down.
‘But this is enough to tell a group of large numbers have appeared. Why are they here? What do they want with this dead city?’ Flare was confused.
Soon, he heard many steps coming their way. Luuma and the others already heard them and this time, it was another large group coming.
“Zeliker, we must retreat!” Flare shouts at him.
Zeliker knew what he meant. He had noticed them too. He kicked away the big demon who managed to grab onto his right shoulder and jump away. Grouping with his members, Zeliker led them away to another section of the big hall, opposite of the incoming enemies.
The new group arrives with a woman leading them.
“Chase and kill them!” She ordered.
The members of her group instantly run toward Zeliker and the others.
She then went to the big demon who stood without doing anything. “You let them go? Useless!”
“One of them was the Flink’s Prince. I couldn’t capture them all when he interfered.” The big demon explained.
He already deduced Zeliker identity after thinking for a moment.
“Why is he here?” The woman was surprised.
“How would I know, Netalna?” The big demon sighed.
“Norven, their presence will disturb our master. Hurry and kill them!” She kicked the big man's shin.
“The prince too?”
“Yes! Haven't you heard the recent news? He’s working with those humans. The royal demons went ballistic when they heard it. Everyone was wary of Flink Kingdom now because Nekruis didn’t move after knowing his son had changed sides. Isn’t that like showing he did work with them?”
“He did send his people to capture Zeliker.”
“And it could be his plan. After all, who would believe he let his son be kidnapped by a human? And Zeliker was his last heir. Won’t he have stopped it before it happened? And why would a demon prince easily get kidnapped? He is a royal demon, stronger than human. His kidnap accident is suspicious.”
“... Fine. Kill him, right?” Norven no longer wanted to listen to her and turned his back to her.
He walked toward the path Zeliker and his group took.
As for Zeliker and others…
Luuma stares at Zeliker’s back before he turns to his friends. Darl and Krius were injured. Jyana and Mia also looked tired. But everyone was staring at Zeliker, who was leading them through the empty and sandy palace. Except Flare, who was checking their back for the incoming enemies.
“You, is there anywhere we can hide?” Zeliker pointed to Flare.
It was because he can’t seem to remember if Flare ever told him his name and Flare realised he didn’t introduce himself either.
“Call me Zitus.” Flare used his fake name. “Turn to the right at the section in front,” he told Zeliker.
Zeliker used his far sight ability to check. He found several demons were waiting for them and halted his steps. Everyone follows him to stop with confusion.
“We’re surrounded again. Is there no other way?” Zeliker looked around the enclosed pathway.
The wall and floor were all made of stone bricks.
“We’re trapped.” Luuma concluded.
“We have to fight our way out. Be careful, everyone. The demons here are Divest members.” Flare announced.
Zeliker frowned. He didn’t expect to meet the Divest here.
‘They’re dangerous and we are weak in numbers. Darl and the girls cannot continue to fight for a long time. What should I do?’
He needs to think of a way to save them. His eyes search the path they were in. When he stepped on the floor, he heard a tiny clicking sound. He stared at the floor intensely.
“Zitus…” He called.
“What?”
“Have you ever found a secret path here?”
“Did find a few which lead to a dead end. Why? Wait! Did you find it here?!” Flare was agitated. They might be safe.
“Mm… Be prepared to fall.”
“Huh?”
Zeliker didn’t give them time to think. He stomped on the floor hard with all his strength. Instantly everyone had a free fall with a loud scream.
The enemies were shocked to see them fall and hurriedly wanted to follow them but Zeliker had used his power to close the hole they were in. Falling down, Zeliker realised the hole was deeper than he thought.
Using the wind power, he carries them all to slowly float down. Everyone had a terrified expression while looking at him.
“What?”
What, what?! Warn them first, will ya?!
Especially Flare, who had his heart in his throat. He glared at Zeliker.
Did this demon prince forget he was a human?!