The Crimson Devil

*Gasp* *Gasp* "Dammit... what fuck just happened."

William knelt on one knee, barely keeping himself up by using his sword as a crutch. His head was bleeding, warm blood flowed down his face. The blood trickled down to his left eye, temporarily blinding it. His armor had large cracks all over, some parts of it already chipped off, leaving his torn undershirt and skin exposed. His shield was already long gone, shattered into hundreds of metal scraps all over the battlefield.

William looked at his comrades lying on the ground. Fortunately, they were all still breathing, but they were in no condition to continue fighting. He wanted to take their unconscious bodies out from the battlefield, but he himself could barely move. His Aura was completely dried up, which could prove fatal.

He glanced back at the monster that created this scene. The black goopy mass was long gone, as it spawned a monster. It was a bipedal 3-meter tall skeleton, but its legs were hooves and its head was akin to a bull. It had 3 horns, one on each side and one on the forehead. The bones, instead of the usual white shade, were colored as dark as night. Its body was set ablaze by an indigo fire, but it didn't harm the monster, it was a part of its body.

*ClackClackClackClackClackClackClackClack*

The monstrous skeleton couldn't speak, it only produced clacking sounds. William felt that the monster was laughing at him through its clacking. It raised its right arm, the indigo flames moved. It concentrated on the skeleton's palm, seemingly about to burst.

'Shit! I gotta avoid thi-...!'

William was about to move away and dodge the attack, but he noticed that the skeleton wasn't even aiming at him. The concentrated ball of fire was aimed at the unconscious and barely breathing Blande 2 meters away from William.

"NO!!"

William concentrated the remaining Aura he has left into his legs. He kicked the ground and reached Blande right before the skeleton unleashed a pillar of flames onto Blande.

'I have to make an Aura shield! No... I don't have enough for a construct. I don't have a choice, I gotta block it with my body!", The Aura in his legs quickly moved to his arms as he crossed his arms.

The flames reached him. As it hit his desperate defense, the flames parted ways. The heat burned his skin and flesh. The constant stream of searing hot flames drained his Aura until there was nothing left.

But just after William's Aura was completely spent, the skeleton stopped its attack. William went wide-eyed. The skeleton was toying with him.

"Dammit, Bevok... no... are you still even Bevok?"

A moment of silence passed after William questioned the skeleton. The skeleton clacked, seemingly laughing at William.

"Whatever... hehe... you're fucked now..."

The skeleton stopped its clacking and turned its head sideways as if it was confused at William's statement.

Then, out of nowhere, a figure wearing deep red oriental robes and a red oni mask. The masked man put his hand on William's shoulder and whispered, "That's enough... rest."

The masked man turned his head and gazed at the skeleton. He sighed and stretched his palm. Crimson Aura wrapped around his hand, forming a blade.

The skeleton was uninterested by the newcomer and simply shot another pillar of flames. But before it could even reach its target, the masked man swiped his hand. The flames were instantly dissipated. The masked man snapped his fingers right after.

The flames covering the skeleton were suddenly extinguished, and soon after, the skeleton was sliced into millions of pieces, almost turning into dust. The pieces fell to the ground, forming a small black pile of sand-like material.

The masked man immediately disappeared from the scene. But right before he left, he spoke some words to William, "Good job."

"Hehe..." William chuckled as he finally lost strength and fell to the ground.

Back in the city, Elijah was helping around with menial tasks. Elijah was supposed to be recuperating in the infirmary, but he didn't like being idle and doing nothing.

"Chief! It's over."

"What?!"

"The battle's over sir."

"Tell me what happened!!"

The soldier recounted everything that happened after Elijah retired from the battle. Including the skeletal monster and the appearance of the mysterious masked man.

"WHAT!? A HORNED RED MASK?!? ARE YOU SURE ABOUT WHAT YOU SAW?"

"Y-yes, sir..."

Elijah stood up and grabbed the soldier's shoulders.

"Are you sure...?"

"I-... I don't have reason to lie to you, sir. You can confirm it with the other witnesses that were with me."

"I... I see..." A bead of sweat rolled down on Elijah's face. His eyes were shaking.

"Sir... could you please let go. My shoulders hurt."

"Oh! Forgive me." Elijah loosened his grip on the soldier. He didn't intend to exert too much force. It's just that the news startled him.

"What about William and the others?" Elijah inquired about the four 3rd Stage knights that fought the skeleton.

"Fortunately they are safe. If the medics were even a second late in administering first-aid... we would've lost them. Currently, they are being treated in the infirmary."

Elijah sighed in relief. William has been a good friend to him for many years. He would've been struck with immense guilt if William died fighting to protect the city that Elijah was supposed to protect.

"That's a relief. That darn brat can't die before me."

"Sir... can I ask you something?"

Elijah raised an eyebrow, "What is it?"

"Why made you react so strongly when I mentioned the masked man?"

Elijah sighed again. He looked down and pondered what he should say. Soon, he scratched the back of his head and made up his mind.

"He's someone you shouldn't be messing with."

"Who exactly is he? Do you know him?"

"No... I don't know who he is. I do know the moniker he was given though..."

The soldier listened with anticipation. Elijah opened his mouth and spoke...

"He's called the Crimson Devil."