CHAPTER 37: The Wolf and Panther 6

"After I break your bones, I will finally find out how two 'Forgotten' creatures made their way back to this realm".

The two assassin's roars showed no fear ans so with a lunge the wolf and panther attacked.

A large slash tore through the skies aiming for the bovine entity before it. The demon simply raised an arm in the faint blue line's trajectory.

*SWISSH*

A large obsidian arm fell to the ground; surprisingly dry with no blood leaking out. "That at least confirms one of my suspicions" The demon bellowed, smiling as black threads arose from the wound; each weaving until they ended with another arm. He clenched a few fingers and with a grin raised his left hand, blocking a clawed kick and making the two assassins to retreat a little in order to assess their opponent a little.

*AWOOO!

Bethran charged swiping and biting in a bid to rip his opponent's throat to shreds. The demon didn't make a move of his own and kept on dodging as Bethran's attacks even grew wilder; all sense of tactic gone and instead replaced with savage bestial fury. "What is happening? Leo frowned cursing that Bethran's werewolf side seemed to be getting the best of him.

Seeing that a deadly attack was heading for his friend's head he struck the demon's shoulder; stabbing it and in the process saving Bethran from being crushed by a deadly punch that would have been easily avoided had he fought with Leo in synergy according to how they had trained on so many occasions.

The fight from that point continued in that same manner.

A hoofed leg aimed for the neck of a snarling Bethran, missed entirely, a faint blue line severing it, and protecting Bethran from being crushed by another killing blow. Unfortunately, Leo finally paid the price for looking out for his friend as a dark fist coated with malevolent mana sent him crashing into the rubble.

The demon also was caught unaware when a wide maw possessing dangerous fangs clamped around his neck in what would normally be a killing blow.

Bethran clamped harder with his jaws, going into a small frenzy when he tasted what would be considered the demon's blood. The bloodlust in his eyes even blinded him from noticing that the demon hadn't uttered so much as a cry neither had he tried in whatever way to dislodge the werewolf from his body.

Leo staggered to his feet, glad that a quick cross of his thick furry forearms had saved him from getting crushed entirely. What he saw in front of him however made his joy to be short-lived.

"I have to get out of here" Leo gulped when he observed the silhouettes just meters away from him. The azure eye dimmed turning back into a tired right eye and revealing to Leo what the demon had just done.

Bethran's teeth were attached to the demon's neck, no longer clamping down but still as though the wolf had died while sinking its teeth into their enemy's neck. The dark tattoos flowing from the demon's neck to Bethran's body was enough proof that his friend had just entered another precarious situation while trying to help him.

" All I can do is Run".

And run he did, not turning back for even a minute as he headed for the gates. To his annoyance and ultimate frustration, the 'Azure' eye had refused to awaken again; a clear sign that peering into space again might be too dangerous for the assassin's already weakened body.

He really also hated the fact that he had been forced to abandon Bethran, but deep down Leo knew that a demon and a possessed comrade were two things he couldn't attempt to handle on his own. *Thud*

Leo shielded his eyes from the dust that rose up from the ground upon the demon's impact with the earth. Not waiting for another annoying monologue or give room for Bethran to catch up, Leo called upon a last burst of energy before he shifted into a dark blue panther and made a deep right turn as he narrowly dodged a werewolf that ended up growling in pain when it struck hard rubble upon missing its prey.

Seeing that the demon wasn't going to allow him to escape out of the castle, Leo headed for the rest of it in a vain hope of playing cat and mouse until help arrived.

"Not so fast kitty"

Leo leapt to the side, dodging a massive fist that left a crater behind its wake. And then with a jump that only feline grace could achieve, the assassin dodged a raging werewolf that crashed into the floor.

"It seems he can't perform any spells as of now" mused Leo. "Meaning I should do fine since neither of them seem to be able to perform any long ranged attack though if any of them hits me even once It will be all over".

"But still how long will my body last in this game of cats and mouse".

If it had been a different situation maybe Leo would have laughed on seeing the irony that he as a feline was now playing the role of mouse.

And then finally Leo made it to the castle, entering what would have been the main kitchen judging by the blackened fireplace, scattered pots and even utensils but no bodies; which meant most of the castle's inhabitants had been evacuated through the castle's fabled secret passageways.

Getting access to that meant heading for the far dungeons; a place he couldn't reach with the weakness he currently felt.

Some stone stairs captured his attention and up the assassin went, rolling through rubble occasionally in order to hide whatever he could of his scent.

Approaching snarls and growls made Leo jumpy and after much searching he continued up the tower until only a large black door laid in front of him.

Clawing through he gave a sigh of relief when he found himself in a room of light surrounded by bookshelves and scrolls; all intact despite the nasty explosion.

Closing the door felt stupid and instead Leo continued through the shadowy maze of shelves.

*AWOOO!

He tensed up, holding a breath when loud noises of sniffing came around the corner. Moving away felt like the right thing to do but training with Bethran had proved to him that the green eyed wolf's ears were just as capable. And so he could only hope.

"Fine".

A voice bellowed, no doubt the demon's.

"Come along mutt" came next followed by a pained whine that made Leo's heart tremble.

"WE have a princess to hunt before dawn"

"And so the assassin will come later" the demon added.

Leo would have given a sigh of relief if not for the fact that he had picked up an acrid scent.

"SMOKE!

Coughing loudly, Leo moved further into the library away from the bright orange behind him. In his panic he didn't notice when the 'Azure' eye had opened, revealing to him an opening behind a group of shelves glued to the wall behind him.

"I'm coming Bethran, just hold on".