That's So Wizard

Chapter 78 - Contained

Standing at around the same height as the stone beasts before was a creature completely black from head to toe. He had cat-like eyes, teeth like daggers, muscles that could grate cheese, curved horns, and claws the length of swords coming from each finger, but the head on top was tiny in comparison.

Beside him was a car nearly cut in half by claw marks that pierced the metal like a warm knife through butter. When he turned, his tongue lashed out, but a grin of absolute glee was always present across his face.

Deena and Daveon ran up, then Renatta landed beside them.

"You've got to be kidding me," cursed Deena.

"Who's this?" Renatta looked to her. "A friend?"

"No. We faced him before. Remember the Elixir of Strength? This was one of the first to drink it, during that whole debacle."

"So this is the demon Eldrian mentioned, way back," spoke Daveon. "I heard of a demon who got in and out from that city. I guess he escaped with the rest."

Rend flared his nostrils. "You smell familiar. But all humans do, I guess. No. There's something more. Something nostalgic."

Deena wasn't in the mood for smalltalk. He stepped down a boot, and from her hand, she whipped a smaller ball of swirling shadow than normal, like a baseball. It exploded over the side of his head, shattering his horn to bits as it detonated with crackling power. However, it started reforming shortly after. Shadow Ball!

"Damn it!" Rend yelled out. He started sprinting towards them, like a feral animal, with claws ready to strike. "Across the land of elves, demons, humans, and more. I will kill them all. Never again will I be trapped. All will fear... Rend Devilclaw!"

His blade-like fingers sliced into the asphalt, as Deena had blinked behind him. She had a calm composure, and one hand in the air, with fingers pointed skyward. The red eyes beneath her cap squinted. "You still talk to much."

"Wait." He sniffed. "I do remember this. That cold exterior. There's more on you too. It's a smell I hate the most. Eldrian." His eyes widened, and then he screamed, "Where is Eldrian?"

She clenched her hand. Beneath him, the trap set off, and black bands wrapped up his legs and to his hips, to bind them together like a constrictor snake made of darkness. Not only did they hold him in place, but they were painfully tight—enough to suffocate an ordinary person. Shadow Snare!

"Nowhere you need to know," she replied.

"You think you can stop us like this?"

"Who's us?"

Rend clenched his teeth. Finally, he wasn't speaking.

From the shadows came their fire-dancing assassin with both of her chakrams still at the ready. With a pivot of her hips, she let loose one, and it burst into flames in the air as it neared the bound demon. It sliced through his arm, beneath the left shoulder, lopping the limb to the ground. It dissolved.

"Damn it!" he cried. With enough struggling, he finally burst free from the bindings, but the strike had taken its toll. His arm regenerated but he was panting, perhaps moreso with rage than exhaustion, however.

From Daveon's hand came a lengthy vine covered in thorns and he held it like a whip. "Who are you working with, huh? Is this about the Elixir again?"

"No, you fool! Nobody knows what happened to that. It probably shattered."

The creature leapt at Daveon. Though he had a keen eye, at least enough to watch the other two, he didn't think enough to notice the chakram returning to its owner. It stuck into his back, but he was still able to slice a single claw over the skin of the druid's arm, tearing the fabric of the sleeve. It drew blood, but he was still in one piece.