CHAPTER 41: The Elders and Demon Clash

"What in Fang's name happened here? Cassandra asked out loud; mouth open as she came to understand that the castle was in a far worst state than what they had assumed.

"This will take years to rebuild" Alexandre sighed, while inwardly praying that all the castle's inhabitants had gotten away safely.

"It's a good thing we suggested those secret evacuation passages" Alicia smiled. "lBut funny enough I still can't sense the mana signature of Patricia or any being for that matter" she added while her originally glowing eyes turned back to their turquoise hue.

"Over here! Vince called out. "Look", long fingers pointed at two feline footprints etched deep into a large piece of stone.

"It should be Leo" Cassandra assumed but eventually became unsure of this, because she was pretty sure that Leo's panther form had 'four' paws as large as a man's hand but the footprint in front of them was two and also larger in every proportion.

"Maybe he unlocked this bipedal form? Vince said nervously.

"It seems like another creature joined the fight at the gates" Alexandre said, drawing their attention to another set of bipedal footprints that no doubt belonged to a canid of some nature; the dew claws on the digit's being a dead giveaway.

"This is quite strange for last time I checked werewolves were the only canid like werebeasts and they haven't been seen for centuries" Cassandra pondered.

"it seems the creature was on Leo's side for some time" Alexandre pointed out, bending down to better understand the stories the numerous tracks tried to tell.

"But", at this point Alexandre moved to the set of footprints heading towards the ruined castle.

"Leo ended up being chased by whatever had these hooves and the mysterious werewolf which for some reason had decided to change sides".

"Wow! Alicia exclaimed, "Your tracking skills is simply amazing".

"That's why we call him the 'Hunter' at the Night" Vince smiled, giving of a love-struck schoolboy kind of grin that made Cassandra unintentionally roll her eyes.

"Meaning all three should be in the blazing tower over there" Alicia added.

"Blazing? The night elders asked in unison.

"Yes the weird light coming from that window isn't candlelight but flames" Alicia replied. "Which was probably started by the demon possessing Wulfe".

"Demon?

"Yes! Alicia replied, this time in annoyance as though she had expected the Night elders to understand what to her looked so simple.

"Those onyx shards earlier were one of Wulfe's trump card, meaning in normal circumstances he wasn't supposed to be able to fire more than two rounds".

Alicia continued with an approving nod "This means Leo is really strong for him to have been able to push Wulfe towards establishing a 'forsaken' contract".

"Perhaps too strong" she muttered under her breath.

"So instead of relying on the natural mana in Wulfe's blood, the demon decided to use a more powerful source.

"His soul".

She added with a somber tone before placing a palm against her jaw as they began to walk towards the tower

"Still all of this would probably soon be over" Cassandra sighed in relief, for a streak of light could be vaguely seen in the sky.

"Great, now we have to battle a demon" Vince smirked

"Magnus would have killed to have such an opportunity to kill an elf and a forsaken creature at the same time".

"We should at least be glad that the dwarven stone used to produce that particular tower is practically impervious to flames" Alexandre stated. "which makes you wonder why the rest of the castle was constructed with regular ones".

"That's because dwarven stone is way too expensive even for a kingdom" Vince explained. "Due to the fact that only Antium tools can be used to excavate them.

Vince would have continued with his explanation, probably in a bid to impress the uninterested Alicia, but at a point his wide mouth stopped for like the others he too could hear the approaching footsteps not to mention the loud pants coming from the steps above them.

"Brace yourself! Alicia shouted, not a moment too soon before a massive humanoid bull creature nearly slammed into Magnus who had only dodged the bone crushing attack thanks to a somersault that brought him out of harm's way.

"Our of my way mortals! The demon bellowed.

"Or die!

"You seem to be in quite a hurry demon" Alicia smiled, her teeth flashing in the light of the ivory wand pointing at the demon.

"Why yes, and I should have been out of here if not that possessing a werewolf while maintaining a mortal body isn't that easy of a task" the demon replied in a huff that was followed by the tensing of giant obsidian muscles that prepared for action.

"OUT OF MY WAY!!

The demon hollered, tainting the air with smoke that surged from his nostrils.

Charging forward with surprising speed, the demon's head tilted in an effort to impale the chanting mage in front of him.

But instead the deadly horns crashed into the tower walls sending huge shockwaves that rocked its entire foundations.

*Whizz*

Before the demon could even turn around to launch another attack, two arrows; one green and the other dark red, tore through the air before they buried themselves into his flesh.

"That hurt! The demon shouted in a roar that was accompanied by a stream of red flames that headed for the two archers.

"This will hurt even more" was what the demon heard before he crashed into a stone step;his flames snuffed out almost instantly.

Getting to his feet, he fumed with even more rage upon seeing that the mage had been the one that delivered that attack.

"A spatial spell" the demon sighed "How annoying".

*AWOOO!

A large white bipedal wolf as if on cue jumped down from the stairs, jaws and claws aiming for the two archers below.

But then as fast as lighting Alexandre emerged seemingly out of nowhere, kicking of a step as he headed straight for the descending wolf.

The wolf noticed the assassin a little too late, no doubt because of the cloaking spell that covered all traces of the assassin's presence.

And so the wolf collapsed with a thud onto the ground; bright red blood spewing from a nasty bruise, courtesy of a pommel strike that made the wolf see black.

"Smart" The demon smiled while dodging two arrows and leaping back from an enormous fireball.

"It seems you had an idea that he was one of your own".

For a brief moment the Midnights turned towards the shrinking werewolf that in seconds became a huge naked male that they all recognized.

"Bethran?