Slay the Hierarchy

Spring Ball Pt. III

Alternate title: You're Next

Where others saw a threat, he saw prey.

Where many felt fear, he felt rage.

Where all cowered in terror for their lives, he stood fearlessly in the face of peril.

Such was the Doom Slayer's determination. One that rekindled in him the instant he felt the pounding, familiar footsteps of a big boy. A heavy demon.

A Hell Knight, he instantly recognised from over the back of Daisy's head. It was headed straight for them; its massive body charging through the garden like a raging bull, grunting and roaring in a mad frenzy.

The following few moments passed by like a blur; the Slayer's mind and body functioning with inhuman speed and accuracy. The princess might have stumbled away from the path of danger, but at that rate, he knew she'd never make it out in time. He didn't think he'd have to do this again, but the Slayer grasped her by the arm and - as gently as the pressing situation allowed - shoved her out of harm's way.

Though disoriented and shaking, Daisy hadn't lost her balance; her legs twisting and turning in a desperate attempt to stay on her feet. And just when she scuttled across the gravel and into the brambles, turned in time to see the Blazkowicz nobleman pull something out of his elegant tuxedo blazer.

Something she quickly realised was a weapon as he cradled it comfortably in both hands, firing without a shred of hesitation. The sound was enough to dispel everything else that followed. Her ears rang; the roar of the beast quiet as it staggered, pounding the ground in rage before it took to the air in one mighty leap, descending on its assailant.

Daisy's jaw dropped as she watched the scene in part terror and part awe; her hearing returning seconds later. Her eyes were fixated on the Blazkowicz young master who dove out of the creature's trajectory, that when it landed, pounded a crater into the gravel pathway. The attack sent a vibration through the entire estate, she had no doubt, for it crawled its way up Daisy's entire body, gripping her with a newfound, stone-cold fear.

Demon? This was a demon? There were other kinds? More than what she saw that day in the forest? Demons this... huge and terrifying?

It was her first instinct to escape. She needed to get to safety and fast, if she had any hopes of coming out of the Spring Ball alive.

It took all of her willpower to tear away from the battle before her; Daisy turning her head every which way, searching desperately for a way out. The bottom of her silk dress was in tatters by the time she made a mad dash out of the thorny plants; her legs burning from cuts, she had no doubt; but she could hardly find it in her to care. All she concentrated on was praying desperately not to catch the attention of the foreign giant... 

A prayer that was certainly answered. Because unbeknownst to the princess, she instead caught the attention of something else entirely.

The Hell Knight breathed deep with every strike of its massive claws; the Slayer dodging each volatile attempt with either a deft side-step or leap. And every window its large attacks provided, he fired. Each shot blasting chunks of meat into the air, and from this close proximity, seemingly knocking the thing's brain around too.

Because the Hell Knight groaned and staggered for a time between each blow before returning to this ritual. A tedious method the Doom Slayer could easily have bypassed had he his entire arsenal at his disposal, but alas, all he could sneak away with this evening was the Super Shotgun. It went without saying that he carried the Pistol too since he could fit it, but how useful it would be was up for debate.