Remote Control Demon

"I don't suppose displacer beasts are pack hunters as well?" Momo asked as she drew her sword.

 "Not normally." Romer replied as he readied his spear, "Something or someone attracted them all here."

 "Any chance of running?" Kaguya said.

 "Not with the blink dogs this riled up." Ohm said, "Blink dogs and displacer beasts are natural enemies. They hate each other and will try to kill the other on sight."

 "We have no choice but to fight." Reaumur nodded.

 "...Roko?" Helena called.

 "I see them." Roko said as he turned his eyes away from the darkness of the forest, "Only five displacer beasts? Piece of cake."

 "Wow, rare to hear such confidence from Roko." Helena whistled.

 "Analyze map."

 Roko sent out a pulse of undetectable magic, tracing out the displacer beast's true forms and marking them with his analyze spell, "Romer, can you handle a few displacer beasts on your own?"

 "We're used to fighting with blink dogs." Romer smirked, "We can take one or two of them easily."

 "Then I'll focus on our side." Roko said as he grabbed Helena, "Momo!"

 "Haste!"

 Helena made a few confused noises as Roko ran off and jumped into the branches of the trees, dragging Helena along with him. The displacer beasts roared and began attacking immediately.

 "What's the big idea?!" Helena cried as they landed in the foliage above the others.

 "A sniper needs distance to work effectively. Get used to it." Roko replied before he called out to everyone else, "I'm going to be directing everyone to the enemy's true location! Be prepared to fight back!"

 "Roger!" Most of the ground combatants replied readily.

 "Helena, I'll direct your ice spells." Roko added, "Pay attention to my signals and do as much damage as you can."

 "You got it, boss." Helena grinned.

 Roko turned his eyes back down to the ground where everyone were fighting the image of a displacer beast. 

 "Roland, six o clock."

 "What?!" Roland cried, "What does that-" And then Roland got hit in the back by an invisible paw.

 "Momo." Roland sighed, "11."

 Momo faced down the displacer beast image in front of her and slashed the air to the left of the creature. Her sword cut into unseen flesh, causing a wound to appear on the false displacer beast's shoulder.

 "Mikado, three."

 Mikado turned away from the displacer beast attacking him and threw his shield up to the right. The tendrils that were now seemingly going to strike the open knight now stopped in midair as the real body's attack was now stopped by the shield. Kaguya spun around Mikado's side and stabbed into the air, wounding the beast in the back.

 "Varis, five."

 As Roko relayed the most prevalent information to each of the ground combatants, he motioned with his hands to Helena, using signs to silently mark the locations for her to fire. In accordance with Roko's directions, Helena fired blades of ice at the locations, hitting each target in the back or rear for serious damage. While none of them could really aim their attacks to inflict more substantial damage the fact they were doing damage at all was enough. The displacer beasts were quite sturdy as would befit an apex predator but they weren't nearly as resilient as the owlbears. It wasn't long before one of them was finally felled, its body falling to the ground and becoming visible in front of Momo.

 "Good job Momo!" Roko called, "Now go help out Roland!"

 "Roger!" Momo nodded with a grin before she ran off to assist the lone dual wielding knight.

 In the few moments that Roko was able to spare to glance towards the dark elves, he could see them doing pretty well for themselves. Romer was taking point to attack the displacer beasts directly while his daughter's squad covered his back from the second beast. The blink dogs were attacking the displacer beasts' body directly, biting and scratching the thin air in front of them and constantly revealing these creature's locations for the dark elves to focus on. There seemed to be no way for the displacer beasts to shake them off as even when they did managed to dislodge the blink dogs, they simply reappear on top of them, never letting up on their assault as they fought the displacers beasts ferociously.

 And the last thing that Roko kept an eye on was Corissa. As the only one left on the ground not able to fight, she simply stood in the middle of it all, worriedly trying to keep herself out of danger. Varis was doing well pulling double duty fighting both the displacer beast and keeping Corissa safe but it wasn't going to last long. But Roko needed it to last just a bit longer. One more. One more displacer beast killed and Roko could act. And before long, Momo and Mikado managed to kill their displacer beast as well. Roko directed them to help Varis and waited, keeping an eye on Corissa the whole time. And from the shadows behind Corissa, demonic arms appeared from behind her and quickly covered her mouth, kidnapping her into the darkness where it had come from before Corissa could even scream. Roko lunged down from the tree, rolling across the ground as he stood back up and began to run off, pursuing the marker that he had put on Corissa.

 "Roko?!" Helena cried as she watched Roko run off, "Where are you going?!"

 "Wait, where's Corissa?!" Reaumur yelped.

 Upon noticing his princess was gone, Varis dispatched the displacer beast he was fighting with a flaming slash before trying to follow Roko away from the party.

 "Wait no!" Ohm cried, "Don't go that way!"

 "Why?!" Helena cried as she began to try climbing down from the tree.

 "If I'm not mistaken..." Reaumur gulped, "The area beyond that point is poisonous!"

 Roko ran through the warping woods, following nothing but the tracker he had left on Corissa. He couldn't see Corissa anywhere nor her captor but her marker was still moving so Roko pursued relentlessly. Due to the wood's illusory nature, Roko would fall behind and pull closer at seemingly random rates. He wasn't sure if he could ever catch up but before he knew it, he ran right into a blindingly bright opening. A small field of flowers in the middle of the dark forest, lit with the direct light of the sun. A hole in the fabric of the warped forest where reality resided. And in the middle of this small field, sitting on a rock was

 "Hello there. Fancy seeing you again. I didn't think you'd reach here first."

 "...What are you doing here?" Roko said, "...Alec?"

 "Me?" Alec grinned as he led out his arms, "I'm just here to enjoy a bit of nature. Would you believe me if I said that?"

 "What are you doing with that book?" Roko continued.

 "This?" Alec gently closed the green, titleless book in his hands, "I just found this one day."

 "Alec!" Another exhausted voice called out from the edge of the field, "Finally found you."

 From the shadows of the forest around them emerged Alder who was carrying a muffled Corissa in his hands, "This forest is a pain in the-" Then he noticed Roko, "Aw shoot."

 "Let her go, Alder." Alec smiled.

 Corissa took a deep breath as the demon let go of her, letting her fall back to the ground, "Pwah! Alec?! What are you doing here?!"

 "Hello Corissa!" Alec grinned, "I'm so happy we get to see each other again! It's been a couple of months since I disappeared on you isn't it? How have you been doing?"

 "Pretty well actually." Corissa smiled as she picked herself up, "How about you?"

 "Haha. Well, I've been working hard trying to find a good job."

 "Doubt." Roko muttered.

 "Roko!" Corissa cried, "You're here too! Oh thank goodness, I thought I was getting kidnapped!"

 "You HAVE been kidnapped." Roko frowned.

 "Oh come on now Roko. You can't kidnap your friends." Alec chuckled.

 "I am certain that is not the case." Roko growled.

 "Wait...Alec..." Corissa frowned, "Is that...a grimoire?! Where'd you get it?!"

 "Oh this? My employer gave it too me. Told me to study it and try and control it."

 "Do you even know what that thing does?!"

 "Of course he does." Roko scoffed, "My question is where did you even get it? We ended up burning that book last time I checked. Is this another copy?"

 "You could say that." Alec nodded, "Though it's not as much a second copy so much as the original copy reforming itself elsewhere in the world. There is only ever one copy of a grimoire at a time because of how powerful it is. So if you destroyed this book last time, it just reformed somewhere else and my employer just found it and gave it to me. That's all I can say for certain though."

 "Alec, who's this employer?" Corissa frowned, "What have you gotten into?"

 "Aw, are you worried about me Corissa? Sorry but that answer is private company information. I can't tell you who it is especially when I haven't even been fully employed quite yet. Suffice it to say I'm doing my best to become a hard working member of society for you."

 "Alec..." Corissa frowned, more worried than she was scared, "Please give us that book. It's incredibly dangerous."

 "Sorry Corissa. As much as I love you, there are some things even I can't do."

 "I-I'm serious!" Corissa blushed lightly. That thing can control monsters! It could turn you into a monster!"

 "Corissa, leave him alone." Roko sighed, "He knows what he's been doing."

 "Been doing?"

 "Do you remember what kind of monsters that book controls?"

 "That one? Well if I remember correctly the green book was the one that Aida burned in...the..." Corissa's face paled as she began to put the pieces together.

 "Alec." Roko said.

 "Hey, you're using my real name now!"

 "Only because I've completely forgotten your actual name."

 "Alec is my actual name. Also, can't you just use that scan thingy to recall my name?"

 "I want to remember as little about you as possible." Roko scowled, "And it was going so well too. Now answer me. What have you been doing with those monsters?"

 "Trade secret." Alec placed a sly hushing finger to his lips.

 "Then let me do some investigative journalism." Roko retorted, "You were the one to introduce those monsters to Waur weren't you?"

 Alec just smiled pleasantly at him without answering.

 "This 'employer' of yours wanted you to learn how to control the book so you called on those tentacled monsters to approach Waur. And with some manipulation, you got them to teach the monsters how to eat magic. This entire incident was an experiment by you wasn't it?"

 "Alec..." Corissa said, "Say it isn't true..."

 "Hmm, I can't say I've ever met this Waur before." Alec smiled a knowing smile.

 "You mean not directly, right Alder?"

 "Hah!" Alder laughed, "Alec really does underestimate you at times."

 "I do not." Alec said, "Roko and I are good friends. Right Roko?"

 "I despise you with every fiber of my being." Roko replied, "Now let me ask you this. Where is Polaris and Brook?"

 "Wait..." Corissa gasped, "You didn't-"

 "They're still alive." Alec said, "Let's just say I put them in a loop. Though it's more like I've been shifting the space to keep them where I want them."

 "More like I'VE been shifting space." Alder muttered.

 "Why?!" Corissa cried, "For what purpose?!"

 "Alder, can you keep a secret?"

 "I've done everything else you've told me to do." Alder rolled his eyes.

 "Corissa, my boss SUCKS!"

 "Eh?" Corissa blinked.

 "Here I am looking for a normal job and this guy comes to me with this job he has for me and I just know this guy doesn't respect me or my work but it's a pretty well paying job so I take it just to see what kind of work he wants from me. He give me this book and tells me to master using it and I'm thinking that's a bit weird but okay. Then I come here, right? I come here and set all this up, I bring the monsters to the orcs and I get them to teach the monsters a new trick, right? I make this all nice for the bossman. The orcs bring the monsters to the elves and look, I kind of feel bad about it at this point but I don't know any of these people so I figure it's fine. Honestly, I didn't think you guys would show up and save everybody but I'm glad you did. Good job all of you. So with Waur dead I figure this experiment is over right? I make my report, send it in and prepare to leave and you know what the big man does?! Tells me to STAY here and keep doing experiments! Like...ON WHAT?! Everybody knows about these monsters at this point, there ain't anything I can do now but no. He makes me stay here. So I don't know what to do now. I see the shining star of the dark elves outside with the princess of Granreveria and I figure I could maybe do something with them. So I isolate them and just throw a bunch of monsters at them. Keep them coming. Whatever. I'm honestly spinning my wheels at this point."

 "So...they're being attacked by an endless stream of monsters right now?!" Corissa cried.

 "Not endless." Alec shrugged, "Sometimes they find a neat little crook to rest in, sometimes I just let up on the monsters right when they're getting tired and give them a bit of time to rest cause...you know, I'm not a monster. Like, I just want to leave at this point, I can let them go if you want."

 "Please do." Corissa nodded firmly.

 "Alright. Alder."

 "Pfft. Fine." Alder snapped his fingers, "Done."

 "I mean, they'll probably have to deal with the remaining monsters I've sent them but I'm not going to send anymore monsters at them." Alec held up his hands, "You guys can go find them. I would give you directions but you know how this forest works. Your dark elf friends should be able to find them though."

 "That's a relief." Corissa sighed, "I'm glad you're so understanding."

 "You realize all this trouble was started by this guy right?" Roko scowled.

 "Hey, this kind of blew up beyond my control once you guys showed up. There was no way for me to stop the orcs from attacking the elves once they got their way of getting into their city. My hands were tied."

 "Mmmmm..." Corissa looked conflicted.

 "Corissa, don't listen to him." Roko said, "He's the one who set all those displacer beasts on us."

 "Hey, Alder was the one who did that."

 "On your orders." Alder frowned.

 "I just wanted to see Corissa again!" Alec cried, "I just wanted to see my good friend again! I had to do it in a bit of a roundabout way cause of my circumstances but I was going to return her if she wanted to! I wasn't going to hurt her! You know I wouldn't hurt you, right Corissa?"

 "That's true..." Corissa agreed.

 "It's not my fault that Roko here caught on and just found me out before you got here. Honestly, I'm impressed he caught on so quickly! Alder, you really have to do better."

 "Oh so it's my fault now?" Alder threw up his hands in frustration.

 "So...what do you want to do now?" Corissa asked.

 "Honestly? Can I get a hug?"

 "Oh! Sure!"

 "Corissa, DON'T." Roko sighed very loudly.

 "What? Why?" Corissa yelped, "He just wants a hug."

 "Corissa he's been responsible for EVERYTHING."

 "Hey man, I just want a hug from my friend before I leave is that so wrong?"

 "Yeah Roko, he's not going to hurt me. Watch!"

 Corissa casually walked over to Alec and gave him a hug. Roko kept his eyes peeled for any sudden movements but it seemed like Alder was watching him for any sort of action from him as well.

 "You smell nice." Alec said as the two hugged, "Did you change your shampoo?"

 "Oh! I did!" Corissa grinned as they finally pulled away from each other, "It's a new local elven shampoo and I've been trying it out! I didn't think anybody would notice!"

 "Well you smell great. You really can't go wrong with lavender. And your hair looks amazing. I'm glad to see you're doing so well."

 "I'm glad to see you again too! I've been worried about how you'd do on your own."

 "Well, not quite that well apparently." Alec laughed, "But hey, I'm doing my best out there. And I've got Alder to help me out when I need it."

 "You mean 'do all the work for me'." Alder growled.

 "How's Varis?" Alec coughed.

 "Oh Varis is...fine." Corissa replied, "He's probably frantically looking for me right now."

 "Ah. Well I'm glad he's doing well. I know how important you guys are to each other. Anyway." Alec patted Corissa on the shoulder, "I'm glad we got to catch up. I'll let you go now. I just have one last thing to do."

 "Oh? What is it?"

 "I've got to kill Roko."

 "WHAT?!" Corissa turned around to look at Roko, "Why?!"

 "Look, Roko, no offense alright?" Alec quickly said, "I just wanted to see Corissa again okay? Catch up with her, get a hug from her...maybe a kiss."

 "Wait what?" Corissa said as she turned back around.

 "But like I've gotta report this to my superiors." Alec continued, "And I was going to keep Corissa out of it but then you had to barge in and, well, what am I supposed to do with you? I can't just keep you out of the report as well, you think this guy can keep secrets? He's a demon!"

 "Okay racist." Alder scoffed.

 "Look, all I'm saying is that it's going to look real weird now if I don't at least try to kill you a little for the reports." Alec finished, "But like, no offense to you alright?"

 "For once we agree." Roko tapped the shaft of his spear onto the ground, "I for one was ready to kill you the moment I stepped into this grove."

 "Roko!" Corissa cried, "You don't have to do this!"

 "But I want to do this." Roko leveled the spear at Alec, "He's has this coming."

 "But..."

 "Corissa, stay on the side, okay?" Alec said.

 Corissa looked conflicted but she reluctantly made her way to the side of the grove. Roko gripped his spear tightly as he glared down at Alec. Alec just continued to sit there on his rock, unperturbed by Roko's animosity with an almost smug smile.

 "By the way, when I say 'I have to kill you', I mean Alder has to do it."

 "Of course." Roko and Alder sighed at the same time.