Chrysalis

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The air burned as Torrifex strode past, superheated by the seemingly endless energy that rolled off the massive demon in waves. Omen had not been able to determine exactly what species the tier eight monstrosity was, but it clearly had some root in a fire affinity. The demon had many other weapons he could deploy, Omen had witnessed this, but the oppressive heat that ignited the oxygen around his frame was enough to defeat some enemies alone.

[Keep up little mouse. I have no patience for your dithering.]

Omen stumbled as his indignation rose, but he forced down his ire to keep his thoughts level.

[I am not as fast as you,] he stated, [it takes longer for me to cover the same ground.]

The bigger demon snorted in contempt.

[You are the weakest servant our God has ever used. I do not know which is greater, the honour done to you, or the disgrace inflicted upon the rest of us.]

He wanted to retort that he did not ask to be contacted by that horrific creature, but he knew that Torrifex would likely take his head off for the insult. His carefully honed survival instincts weren't needed to deduce that much, his captor did not tolerate any form of disrespect towards his 'god'. Omen wasn't sure if he was prepared to accept that the terrifying being he'd encountered when evolving was divine, but he was certain that he never wanted to stand in front of it in his physical form. Such an experience was to be evaded at all costs, that's what his instincts told him.

At his lack of response the giant monster snorted once more before he put his head down and continued his breakneck run. He wasn't the fastest creature the reincarnated human had seen since his rebirth not that long ago, but he didn't stop. Torrifex seemed to be a boundless source of energy that needed no rest as he continued his endless journey. Odin did not share his bottomless reserves of stamina, far from it, he had crafted himself to be a burst hunter, capable of incredible strength and speed but only for a short, intense period of exertion. This marathon run was torturous to him.

[Where… are we … going?] he managed to push out as he steeled his mind against the pain in his body.

The giant demon only turned to grin back at him.

[You will soon see, little mouse. We are almost there.]

The former assassin almost sagged with relief but wouldn't allow himself to show such a sign of weakness in front of his captor so instead he grimly continued to put one of his clawed feet in front of the other. After another twenty minutes of running, he began to make out something in the distance, something other than the constant, monotonous outcroppings of rock that jutted up from the stone all around them. This looked too uniform, too structured, to be a part of the natural landscape.

Indeed, the closer they drew, the more clearly the construction stood out against the rugged stone of this place. Walls, parapets, perhaps even a medieval style gate. This was the first sign of civilisation that Omen had come across in his second life and it surprised him how much the sight buoyed his spirits. Humans hadn't been kind to Omen in his past life, and he hadn't been kind right back to them, but to see something familiar, even if it appeared more similar to something he would have seen in a history book, lifted his spirit.

The appearance of the two demons didn't seem to have the same effect on the figures who occupied the distant fort. Even as he approached, he could see the flurry of activity taking place. Figures dashed across the parapets that loomed ever higher the closer they drew, enormous gates that on Earth he would have said were impossible to construct, let alone hold in place using medieval technology.

Before they drew much closer a heavy presence descended on them, threatening to press the young demon into the ground. He felt his mind broken into through means he couldn't comprehend before a voice thundered inside his head.

[BEGONE DEMONS! This place is forbidden to your kind! Leave, or feel the fury of the tower!]

If he hadn't experienced the impossible weight Arconidem's presence had exerted, Odin might have thought that the owner of this voice was truly powerful. Whoever had reached out to them was definitely stronger than he himself, but was nothing next to the demon 'god'.

[I go where I please, worm! Stand aside or face the wrath of Torrifex!]

The massive demon beside him erupted in flame, searing the air and sending a massive cloud of smoke and ash billowing from his shoulders. It wasn't clear if the creature was confident or just suicidal to Omen. If Torrifex wanted to charge headfirst into this garrison then he could do it by himself. Those walls must be over a hundred metres tall! Trying to be unobtrusive, he began to sidle away from his captor, utilising his Stealth Skill in a lowkey manner as he created some distance.

[Foolish monster. Do you really think you can storm these fortifications by yourself? The tower has held this ground for hundreds of years and has never fallen! Your arrogance will be your downfall!]

Omen concurred.

[Alone? Of course not!] Torrifex roared mockingly with his mind. [You have guarded this place for so long that you can no longer remember why. Pitiful!]

A nervous feeling stole over the weaker demon as he glanced toward the horrifying beast by his side. What did he mean he wasn't alone? Omen would be no help at all against a force such as this! Did he refer to something else? Mind spinning, the former assassin began to arrive at some horrifying conclusions. Unaware and uncaring of his companions' fears, Torrifex grinned a horrific grin before he clenched his hands in fists and brought them together in front of his face.

The face of the mighty demon began to furrow in concentration as his hands erupted in blazing fire. The flames roared brighter and brighter as he poured more energy into it until his fists glowed incandescent white, chasing back the darkness of the third stratum for kilometres around. The tongues of flame that burst forth writhed and licked at the air, rising as high as the tops of the mighty wall in the distance.

The sheer heat that boiled from him caused Omen to scurry to create distance lest even his demonic flesh be burned by it. The unbridled power of it was insane!

Whatever Torrifex was going, the garrison clearly weren't prepared to allow it to continue. Huge balls of light ignited on the walls before they were launched through some means, arcing high into the air before they reached the apex of their climb and began to fall towards the demon who ignored them, focusing all his attention on his two fists. Just before the spells converged on him, Torrifex brought both fists above his head and roared, then he slammed them down, driving all the flame and heat directly into the rock beneath his feet.

The stone shattered as if impacted by a meteorite, shards of stone flying in all directions. A rolling wave of heat expanded out from the impact point like a shockwave before the stone around the mighty demon literally melted into scalding black lava that bubbled and hissed evilly.

[WAKE UP!] the force of his mind staggered Omen as he tried to flee, [THE MASTER CALLS!]

A moment later the magic launched by the garrison struck home, the impact powerful enough to knock Omen from his feet though he was now hundreds of metres away. He rolled across the rocky ground, scattering the ever-present larvae as he did so, his mind awhirl with frantic thoughts. Had his damned abductor survived? Was he free at last?

The air hung still in air as all parties waited for a sign.

It came moments later. The ground shivered, as if it feared what was to come, before a new aura began to rise, one filled with a boundless thirst.

[I COME!] a new voice roared within Omen's mind.

The ground rocked beneath his feet and he staggered to the side, halfway to rising.

[Come sister!] Torrifex roared triumphantly, [there is much to be done!]