Surrounded

Berk didn't answer Asher right away though, instead he led Asher to the next hiding spot first. Once he felt like they were safe for the time being and couldn't move due to the demons blocking their way, Berk reckoned he could talk.

After all, until the demons moved, they couldn't really continue onwards. Thankfully enough, the demons lost interest soon after killing the humans. While they did eat some of them, they got full quickly considering their size.

They were far too interested in the thrill of the hunt than a feast.

"No. They were the last ones to be affected. I didn't know that the demons were coming out of the mine, but now that you've told me I'm sure that the same happened in the north too." Berk spoke. "Those quakes weren't natural at all… They were all caused by the demons. They were probably digging their way out." He guessed.

"If that's true then, doesn't that mean we're surrounded?" Asher said after remembering the locations of the mines.

The Crude Lands were surrounded by hills on all sides that also had the mines in them. There was only one main exit in the south that was under constant surveillance. There were no restrictions on entering the crude lands, but exiting was not easy.

It may as well be a one way entry at this point as the only time someone had left the crude lands was either by being picked by the overseer and other staff for their skills, or having the talent to be a Mage. This was also the only way Asher could leave was by escaping.

Though now escaping seemed to be a distant dream.

"Yes… We are most likely trapped here." Berk said the difficult fact. "Most of the guards that went to fight the demons have already died. Those that are alive are struggling with the surge of more demons and probably won't be able to live for long." He stated.

"But, aren't they one star warriors?" Asher questioned in disbelief.

"One star warriors are nowhere invincible against demons. They might be fine against these smaller demons, but they are just hornless demons. Even a normal person can kill them with a little effort." Berk replied, reminding Asher of how the one eyed man had beheaded a demon earlier.

Asher knew very well that Berk was no warrior. While he might have a lot of experience and was stronger than most people, he was still not at the level of a warrior. Similar to him, Berk had lived in the Crude Land most of his life at this point and thus had no chance to become a warrior.

But even he had managed to kill the feared demons. 

"The problem is the Horned Demons… You said you saw bigger demons coming out too?" Berk questioned.

"Yes, they were four legged and had a large horn on their head. Oh and they had small eyes that I could barely see." Asher answered hurriedly.

"Yeah those are one horned demons. They are stronger than hornless demons and unlike them have a tough carapace on their body." Berk informed him. "Even for One star warriors breaking through their carapace is difficult. Only by using a weapon would they be able to do this, and even then there would be a chance they could get overwhelmed.

Many of the guards died for this very same reason. They managed to hold up against the winged hornless demons, but once these horned demons started to charge in, they couldn't fight back for longer." He explained.

Even though Berk knew this would be hard hitting for Asher and might put him in despair, it was not the time for sugarcoating things.

"What… Do we do then?" Asher was feeling greatly lost.

"What do we do? We survive." Berk said firmly. "As long as possible." 

"Will there be help coming from the fortress?" Asher asked in doubt but Berk merely shook his head.

"Considering that the demons were coming from that direction too, there's a high chance the fortress might have fallen already. It could have started from there and spread all the way to here." Berk said before hearing a sharp noise. "Get down!" he pushed Asher.

~Rip~

A tearing sound was heard before the cries of demons could be heard.

Berk peeked out from a hole in the hut's wall and saw that a few winged demons had arrived who were now ripping into the body of a half dead man, finishing him off.

"Ugh… Damned demons." Berk gritted his teeth.

Asher held his breath and waited for the demons to finally give up and move on.

"It's fine now," Berk said, confirming that the demons had flown away.

He then got out from the hut and checked the skies, finding no demon above them. 

"Are they all gone?" Asher questioned. 

"Looks like it… but I'm more worried about where they might have gone." Berk said before turning in a certain direction. "Let's go, we should head to the cellar as well." 

The two of them walked for about five minutes before they started to hear the sound of a clash.

~GRRR~

"Hold it back!" 

"Attack the back of its neck, it isn't covered by carapace!" 

~THUD~

Asher and Berk finally saw a small group of guards fighting against a single One Horned Demon. It was the same type that Asher had seen before. 

The guards looked to be injured too, but were trying to kill the demon. They had managed to inflict several wounds on it, and had even poked out one of its tiny eyes. But the Demon was still able to fight back.

"Should we help?" Asher questioned.

"No… let them be." Berk answered.

"RUAAAAAAAAAAAA!" but it was at that moment that a loud cry was heard.

~WHOOSH~

A large creature flew through the sky before landing on top of a guard.

~SPLAT~

The guard was crushed under the creature's weight which then looked at the other's with a fanged smile.

"A TWO HORNED DEMON!"