Chapter 12 - Twelve

The demon was the first one to attack. He moved the whip like a snake tongue, so fast that it almost hit me.

My only advance is that they didn't want to hurt or kill me; the same cannot be said for them.

He keeps hitting the floor, making me hoop around nonstop. Trying to tire me out? No such lucky my friend. I pretend to play his game, but little by little I went closer to them, my eyes at the lower level one, one of the armored guys.

It doesn't matter their levels, I thought, they will burn nice nonetheless. The one on the left brought down a sword, trying to cut my escape from the whip , but from the beginning I was aiming to the one on the right, so I jumped over his swing and into the railing, using the impulse and surprising them by jumping right at the face of the guy from the right.

He didn't escape my surprise attack, shocked, since I stayed mostly at the left side and haven't showed any signals of going for him, so I got a good grip of his helmet between my teeth.

What happens when metal is overheated in your head? His screams told me that it wasn't a pleasant experience. Once the metal went inwards his body gave in and I jumped before the whip manage to hit me.

One down. Two to go.

Ding – Level Up/ Level Up/ Level Up/ Level Up/ Level Up

Good, 15 now. The half demon went more seriously, whiping nonstop and starting to really tire me out.

Those two wouldn't fall for the same trick twice, so this time I couldn't even get closer to them, as the last armored picked up the net from the ground and waited for a chance to strike.

That's not going to happen buddy.

I pretend to be more tired than I really was; which wasn't very difficult really; and once my tongue was sticking out and they were prepared to launch an attack, I spit fire on the wood below us, which quickly caught on fire.

It started crumbling, a beacon of fire in the middle of the night, but I wasn't afraid of the fire or the fall, so when they needed to hold on the railing to steady themselves I jump right at the demon guy, as the armored guy quickly blocks my attack with a shield.

But I wasn't aiming at him.

With the sets of keys dangling on my mouth I quickly descend, losing some health over it. Now every human around us was awake, but I didn't care; I went straight to the cage, opening it up and pulling my brother out of there.

"Hey, brother, little brother, wake up, please."

I pawed his face down, waking him up as he slowly looked at me.

"There is no time to waste little brother, you need to go, now, I'll distract them."

A cursing pain shot thought my leg once a whip curves around it. I just had time to think "Shit" as he dragged me out in the open and almost dislocated my ankle, a numb felling covering the area.

Ding - Paralyze Resistance 1

I went straight at him since it was the only side which he couldn't make me trip, but them the armored guy appeared and pushed me with his shield, at the same time that the demon pulled me, making me fall on my back.

He doesn't waste his time and throws the net on me, but I use my Shadow Merge and enter my shadow, going out free far from them.

Ugh, that was close, really close, and now my foot hurts.

I hear my brother walking slowly, but the sound is too far from my grasp as I completely focus on the fight ahead.

But them many of them appear. Man, woman, ones with bows, wh.i.p.s, swords, armor, etc. All the camping was awake, and now aware of my presence.

Shit.

Double shit.

I just need time, if my brother can keep going...

I hear a plop at them same time that I was thinking that, as I look behind me only to see my brother lying flat on the ground, a rasped breath sounding thin coming out of him.

I've never felt so desperate in my life.

Letting them capture him was out of question, but I didn't seem how we could escape together.

Stealth has always been my best option, but maybe it was the only working one too begin with.

Might as well take as many as I can down.

If I could at least attack more them one at the same time...

Ding – Magic learned - Shadow Manipulation 1

Without giving me time to think the whip went on again, but this time other humans joined him. I was trapped between dodging around and not letting anyone get closer to my brother.

"Brother, little - brother, listen - to me." I said between jumps and heavy breathing in our Hound Language. "I'm going to - attack them - with all I got, but I won't be - able to - take you away from here. I need you - to be strong now, so stand up!"

"STAND UP BROTHER!! NOW!! Please..."

His limbs were shaking, barely holding his weight up. It broke my heart, but sobbing and screaming the unfairness of the situation wouldn't help, it wouldn't make any difference.

With Shadow and Fire Manipulation I made all the illumination disappear, letting us in complete darkness. They were only level 1 abilities, so they were very limited on what they could do.

Then I went burning the whole camp up. I used all my Dash 7 up until it reached 8, running back and forth from my brother, biting ankles and burning everything up.

Some panicked, trying to put out the fire, but the burning wasn't as effective as I wanted with many Water Element users around.

Once my brother was close to the border of the woods they made a barricade of shields on the outskirts of the camp, blocking us from the forest.

"Brother, you are on your own now, enter the forest and don't look back. Once I'm done here I will follow you."

I bet he didn't like my plan. Hell, even I didn't like my plan, but his lack of energy and our lack of time didn't gave us many choices.

They stopped worrying so much in not harming me with their attacks, some gathering spikes and trying to close a circle around us, poking at our legs.

And my foot was starting to hurt, baldly.

Then I let the anger grow. The anger from the very start, from them murdering mother, hunting us down like animals, doing as they please, entering our homes, kidnaping and whipping out whoever and however they pleased.

– Berserker mode Activated

My vision turned red as my tongue licked my upper fangs in expectation for the warm blood and meat to follow. I didn't know at the time but my eyes and crystal turned red, a bloody red, as the veins close to my eyes pulsated in a burning flame underneath my skin.

Like an animal without fear I jumped and scratched and bitten until all I could hear were screams and all I could smell was blood.

But it ended too soon.

I knew there were still humans around; the demon included; and couldn't even figure it out if my brother escaped, but time didn't wait for no one.

– Berserker mode off – Side effects inbound – Unable to move for 2 hours – Counting start...

When the effects started to take their toll, all I could remember was the sound of hooves at the distance, horns been blown and other screams resonating around.

Them I pass out.

~~~~

Wow, glad that ended. Poor baby Hell Hounds, already suffering so much, sob sob.

MC/Brother: … But you are the one who crea-

Anyway! I cracked my brains with our MC in this one, I was all like: uhm, how can he rescue his brother? Because it doesn't make any sense if the humans are weaker than him, and he was already outnumbered from the beginning.

So yeah… took some time to think of something, hehe.

Update on status!!! The older brother changed a lot from this fight and the 2 months and evolution. The younger not sooo much, only the months change:

Older Brother

-Appraisal completed-

Name:???

Gender: Male

Race: Platinum Hell Hound

Age: 0

Level: 18

HP: 530-720

MP: 32-160

SP: 300-1150

Attributes: Fire, Shadow

Titles: The Wise, Angry One, Reincarnated, Older Brother, Whispering Voice

Attacks: Claw 8, Bite 9, Swim 2, Fireball 8, Fire Breath 9, Sneak 10, Dodge 9, Dash 8, Sing 65

Magic: Appraisal 5, Fire Resistance 9, Fatigue Resistance 10, Hunger Resistance 9, Water Resistance 2, Earth Resistance 6, Poison Resistance 4, Bleed Resistance 7, Paralyze Resistance 1, Hell Form 0, Berserker Mode 1, Shadow Veil 6, Voice of the Night 1, Presence Sense 5, Healing Saliva 3, Shadow Merge 4, Fire Manipulation 1, Shadow Manipulation 1

Ineptitudes: None known yet

Status: Livid

Younger Brother

-Appraisal completed-

Name:???

Gender: Male

Race: Hell Hound

Age: 0

Level: 9

HP: 120-140

MP: 510-510

SP: 15-230

Attributes: Fire, Shadow

Titles: Younger Brother, Good Boy, Magic Holder, Graspy Singer

Attacks: Claw 5, Bite 4, Swim 3, Fireball 10, Fire Breath 9, Fire Armor 7, Explosive Ball 8, Sneak 5, Aim 8, Support 10

Magic: Fire Resistance 9, Water Resistance 2, Earth Resistance 5, Poison Resistance 3, Illusion Resistance 2, Bleed Resistance 2, Fatigue Resistance 5, Hunger Resistance 9, Hell Form 0, Presence Sense 4, Healing Saliva 1

Ineptitudes: Sing -73

Status: Very hungry, Very Thirsty, Very Tired, Scared.

See ya (・ω<)