396. The Boots of Alexander
“Hello there, mortals.”
[Imp - Lvl. 147]
The Demon that stood before Saffron was short and stout. He had four arms, onyx black skin, and an impish smile on his face that matched his appearance. He had no horns, but his teeth were sharp like that of a shark, with layers upon layers of spindly spikes over each other. His hands were claws, and he only had three fingers and a thumb.
Lofus grunted as she faced the Archdemon. She stepped forward as Saffron found herself backing up warily.
“Well, I thought you lot ran off, but it seems not all you Demons are cowards.”
The Broken Berserker of Bherein wore a vicious grin on her face. She hefted her war axe— one that was quite literally as large as her, and she was a large woman— and loomed over the [Imp].
“Unfortunately, you’re not very smart are you? A little [Imp] like you thinking you could defeat me.”
Saffron bit her lower lip as she watched this confrontation. Her father, Crocus Merryster, stood protectively over her. And while every fiber of Saffron’s being told her to run, she couldn’t. Instead, she turned to Anya Veridian who was still bent over mourning her husband’s death.
“Lady Anya, we have to get out of here.”
Saffron urged the elderly Matriarch of the Veridian Family. But Anya didn’t budge. The bloodlust radiated from Lofus and the [Imp] was practically palpable. Saffron’s legs wobbled as she stumbled back.
“My name is Avaritia. Pleasure to kill you, mortal.”
The Archdemon smirked as he rubbed his clawed hands together. Lofus frowned.
“Kill me? You won’t even be able to hurt me.”
She raised her war axe dangerously. It doubled in size in an instant— the artifact’s enchantment taking effect. He shook his head.
“We’ll see.”
And with that, he vanished. Crocus’ eyes widened. He leapt over his daughter as he started.
“Get back—”
But a shockwave knocked them both back. Even Anya went tumbling from the powerful gale. Lofus held her war axe up as the [Imp] stood before her, his four claws clashed with the metal edge of the giant weapon. He smiled at her.
“Not bad. Not bad. I’m surprised you could even keep up.”
Lofus clicked her tongue as she shoved Avaritia back. The [Imp] lithely landed a few feet back with a grunt. The Broken Berserker of Bherein narrowed her eyes.
“Pretty strong for a little [Imp], aren’t you?”
“And fast, too. Aren’t you surprised?”
Avaritia sneered back at her. Lofus nodded as she strode forward.
“Perhaps. After all, one would think a little [Imp] your size would be a lot—”
And with a single step forward, her war axe grew ten times in size. It crossed the distance between them in an instant. Its growth was fast. And it came crashing down at Avaritia before Saffron even understood what was going on.
“Try and dodge this— [Mountainbreaker Blow]!”
The earth shook. A tremor cracked through the ground, sending the broken rubble up into the sky. A crater former where Avaritia had been standing as Saffron tightly clung onto her father as he stood his ground.
Lofus laughed as her war axe receded.
“That fool thought he could match my strength…”
But the weapon didn’t pull back, even as she tugged at it. Her eyes narrowed, and a chuckle left the crater. Saffron’s eyes widened as she watched the little [Imp] walk out of the giant divot, holding the flat of the axe with his four arms.
“Now who’s the fool?”
“How…?”
Lofus backed up with wide eyes. Her arms trembled as she tried to pull back her weapon. Avaritia gritted his teeth as he held it back. He struggled with it for a moment but ultimately triumphed in strength.
“Perhaps you weren’t as strong as you thought.”
Saffron watched the [Imp] draw closer to the Berserker. His body rippled and shifted as he approached. Each step he took, he grew taller. His arms grew longer and burlier. A pair of goat-like horns curved up from his forehead as his face lengthened.
“What is going on?”
Crocus stared in horror. Avaritia scoffed as he towered over the Elite, now ten feet tall. He had the face of a goat, and the body of a Cyclops. He had hooves for legs, while his shark-like teeth had only grown more dangerous.
“Did you really think I was just an [Imp]? Please—”
He walked forward and clinked his legs together. There was a metallic clink. And Saffron realized that he was wearing a pair of boots. But not just ordinary boots. It shimmered faintly, exuding an almost familiar aura. One that made Saffron tremble just from standing in its presence.
“The Boots of Alexander…”
Anya breathed. The Matriarch of the Veridian Family had gotten to her feet, and she was staring in terror at the glimmering metal boots that the former [Imp] wore. Saffron got to her feet, quickly identifying the Demon before her. But she knew whatever it was… was a lie.
[Hellbeast - Lvl. 147]
“It’s a [Changeling]! Ignore its looks— it’s meant to deceive you!”
Saffron shouted as Lofus glanced her way. The young Vampire looked frantically towards Avaritia who just shook his head.
“It’s a good little trick to get your guard down. But also…”
In the blink of an eye, he blurred forward again. No slower than earlier. Lofus stepped back to defend herself, but his claws raked across her stomach. The Broken Berserker of Bherein went flying as blood spilled from the wound in excess.
“Lofus!”
Saffron called out. The Broken Berserker of Bherein didn’t go down easily, though. Lofus landed on her feet, her eyes burning with rage. A crimson aura wisped off her as she looked up in anger.
“How dare you— [Melody of Fury]!”
She unleashed a barrage of attacks that ripped apart the earth and broke the rubble and debris. Lofus moved like a terrible tempest across the battlefield as strong winds threatened to knock Saffron off her feet.
The young noble wasn’t a pushover. She was a student of Mavos Academy. But in the face of this battle— she could only look on helplessly.
Lofus attacked Avaritia in a wild frenzy, but the Archdemon dodged all her swings with ease. He countered and cut deep into her stone-like skin. It was like her flesh wasn’t even there. Lofus flinched, even in the haze of battle, eventually stumbling back when she’d taken enough damage.
“She can’t hit him…”
Saffron whispered. The Demon had all the speed of an Elite [Rogue], and the strength of an Elite [Warrior]. And while his strength was his own, his speed was bestowed onto him by the boots he wore.
This was the power of a Mythical Grade artifact. It turned what could’ve been a close battle into a one-sided beatdown.
Lofus screamed a blood curdling cry as she charged the Demon again. Avaritia just stepped back as his form changed once more. He grew shorter. Smaller. More like a Human. But he still kept his obsidian-colored skin. The horns on his head receded in size but remained there. His four arms became two, yet the claws on each of his hands grew sharper.
[Incubus - Lvl. 147]
“Saffron.”
Crocus stepped forward as the two clashed again. He turned to her and Anya Veridian, raising his sword.
“Take lady Veridian and get out of here.”
“But—”
Saffron sputtered. Unfortunately, she didn’t have time to argue.
Lofus lunged at the Demon, and he ducked under the attack. He brought his hand forward in a stabbing motion. The attack pierced through her abdominal muscles to the other side of her back. The Broken Berserker of Bherein coughed out a mouthful of blood, wheezing.
“Get Helena Warshade, now!”
Crocus Merryster yelled. Saffron blinked a few times. Then she moved. She helped Anya Veridian to her feet as Avaritia turned his attention towards them.
“Oh, what’s this? Our audience wants to leave us.”
He spoke to Lofus, although the Broken Berserker of Bherein wasn’t able to speak. She lay there, eyes rolled up as blood poured out of the wound on her stomach. The Demon nodded.
“You’re right. I’d much rather them stay here.”
“I will not let you touch my daughter!”
Crocus charged for him. Meanwhile, Saffron made a break for it with Anya Veridian in her arms. She poured mana into her feet, and a burst of wind propelled her forward. The ground glided beneath her feet as she practically skated away from the battlefield.
Avaritia just tilted his head.
“I don’t need your permission to do anything, mortal.”
And he appeared next to Saffron. She spun around with wide eyes, but the Demon was already swinging for her head. Avaritia laughed.
“Die—”
But before his claws could make contact with her, the world grew dark around them. The shadows moved like tendrils, converging between Saffron and the Demon. A figure emerged and swung for Avaritia.
The Demon cursed as he pulled back at the very last second.
“Fuck—”
But the blade still cut across his chest. Orgaf, the Thief of the Golden Scales, drew the Demon’s black blood with a single slash. Then he swung with his second blade, aiming for Avaritia’s neck. But the Demon managed to leap out of the way.
Saffron blinked as Anya staggered back.
“What…?”
Where did Orgaf come from? The question hung in Saffron’s mind as she reeled back. But the Thief of the Golden Scales offered no answer.
“Even with the Boots of Alexander, you’re too slow.”
He spat at Avaritia. The Demon narrowed his eyes. He looked down at his wound then up at Orgaf.
“And that was but a scratch.”
Avaritia snarled back. It wasn’t a small wound by any means, yet he didn’t look any more burdened by it than Lofus had been by her first dozen or so wounds. Orgaf twirled his daggers and shook his head.
“Perhaps it was. But I wonder if you can survive a hundred of those.”
He spoke dangerously. Saffron was still processing this when a blast of lightning shot out. It thundered past Orgaf, headed straight for the Demon. Avaritia leapt into the air as the lightning strike swerved towards him. Saffron thought it would’ve hit. Then, midair, the Demon changed directions.
Avaritia kicked off something invisible and swiftly avoided the spell. He landed, still standing in the air as he wiped at his forehead.
“That was close. Now that would’ve been dangerous.”
“This ends here.”
A voice boomed down the broken hallway. A powerful gale shot out, dispelling the black flames burning up the palace as a figure floated out. Helena Warshade floated out, carried by a thundercloud.
“Uh-oh.”
This time, Avaritia gulped. He hopped back, ascending an invisible staircase as she turned her gaze towards him.
“Perish, Demon.”
She pointed at him, sending another lightningbolt up. This time, Avaritia didn’t move. He just stood there, frozen for whatever reason. But as the attack reached him, a rift in space opened up before him. It swallowed up the spell before closing. But the rift remained there— a fissure that hovered in the sky.
A pair of figures appeared behind Avaritia. Like he was made of a black mist. Saffron stared at the black flames wisping off him and knew he was the one responsible for the blast here.
[Jinn - Lvl. 147]
But it was neither of them that faced down Helena Warshade. A woman appeared, rotund and port. She was shaped like a Human, yet she had sickeningly yellow skin and the eyes of a snake. She raised a hand and smiled.
[Fiend - Lvl. 150]
Level 150? Saffron stared. Even Helena Warshade looked slightly nervous. Orgaf himself just looked annoyed in the face of these new Demons.
“More of them? So that makes six total…”
He grunted. Saffron looked at him, still in a daze. Still sorting out all of this information.
“Six…?”
But it was the Demon who spoke first. The [Fiend] at the front of the trio flying above them.
“Hello, Humans. I do apologize for the commotion, but we simply wanted our presence known.”
She gave them a wicked smile as the rift opened back up.
“Now it is our time to go, so that’s it for the show.”
Saffron blinked, then Helena’s eyes grew wide. The Great Tempest Archmage of Mavos Academy yelled.
“Get down!”
And her blast of lightning— the one caught in the rift— shot back towards them. She raised a protective barrier as Saffron covered Anya Veridian. A dome quickly covered the area, but the lightning strike flashed out. A blast that ripped apart the barrier.
The shockwave itself pushed Saffron back. As powerful as the ones from the battle between Lofus and Avaritia. And when the smoke cleared up, the Demons were gone.
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396. The Boots of Alexander
“Hello there, mortals.”
[Imp - Lvl. 147]
The Demon that stood before Saffron was short and stout. He had four arms, onyx black skin, and an impish smile on his face that matched his appearance. He had no horns, but his teeth were sharp like that of a shark, with layers upon layers of spindly spikes over each other. His hands were claws, and he only had three fingers and a thumb.
Lofus grunted as she faced the Archdemon. She stepped forward as Saffron found herself backing up warily.
“Well, I thought you lot ran off, but it seems not all you Demons are cowards.”
The Broken Berserker of Bherein wore a vicious grin on her face. She hefted her war axe— one that was quite literally as large as her, and she was a large woman— and loomed over the [Imp].
“Unfortunately, you’re not very smart are you? A little [Imp] like you thinking you could defeat me.”
Saffron bit her lower lip as she watched this confrontation. Her father, Crocus Merryster, stood protectively over her. And while every fiber of Saffron’s being told her to run, she couldn’t. Instead, she turned to Anya Veridian who was still bent over mourning her husband’s death.
“Lady Anya, we have to get out of here.”
Saffron urged the elderly Matriarch of the Veridian Family. But Anya didn’t budge. The bloodlust radiated from Lofus and the [Imp] was practically palpable. Saffron’s legs wobbled as she stumbled back.
“My name is Avaritia. Pleasure to kill you, mortal.”
The Archdemon smirked as he rubbed his clawed hands together. Lofus frowned.
“Kill me? You won’t even be able to hurt me.”
She raised her war axe dangerously. It doubled in size in an instant— the artifact’s enchantment taking effect. He shook his head.
“We’ll see.”
And with that, he vanished. Crocus’ eyes widened. He leapt over his daughter as he started.
“Get back—”
But a shockwave knocked them both back. Even Anya went tumbling from the powerful gale. Lofus held her war axe up as the [Imp] stood before her, his four claws clashed with the metal edge of the giant weapon. He smiled at her.
“Not bad. Not bad. I’m surprised you could even keep up.”
Lofus clicked her tongue as she shoved Avaritia back. The [Imp] lithely landed a few feet back with a grunt. The Broken Berserker of Bherein narrowed her eyes.
“Pretty strong for a little [Imp], aren’t you?”
“And fast, too. Aren’t you surprised?”
Avaritia sneered back at her. Lofus nodded as she strode forward.
“Perhaps. After all, one would think a little [Imp] your size would be a lot—”
And with a single step forward, her war axe grew ten times in size. It crossed the distance between them in an instant. Its growth was fast. And it came crashing down at Avaritia before Saffron even understood what was going on.
“Try and dodge this— [Mountainbreaker Blow]!”
The earth shook. A tremor cracked through the ground, sending the broken rubble up into the sky. A crater former where Avaritia had been standing as Saffron tightly clung onto her father as he stood his ground.
Lofus laughed as her war axe receded.
“That fool thought he could match my strength…”
But the weapon didn’t pull back, even as she tugged at it. Her eyes narrowed, and a chuckle left the crater. Saffron’s eyes widened as she watched the little [Imp] walk out of the giant divot, holding the flat of the axe with his four arms.
“Now who’s the fool?”
“How…?”
Lofus backed up with wide eyes. Her arms trembled as she tried to pull back her weapon. Avaritia gritted his teeth as he held it back. He struggled with it for a moment but ultimately triumphed in strength.
“Perhaps you weren’t as strong as you thought.”
Saffron watched the [Imp] draw closer to the Berserker. His body rippled and shifted as he approached. Each step he took, he grew taller. His arms grew longer and burlier. A pair of goat-like horns curved up from his forehead as his face lengthened.
“What is going on?”
Crocus stared in horror. Avaritia scoffed as he towered over the Elite, now ten feet tall. He had the face of a goat, and the body of a Cyclops. He had hooves for legs, while his shark-like teeth had only grown more dangerous.
“Did you really think I was just an [Imp]? Please—”
He walked forward and clinked his legs together. There was a metallic clink. And Saffron realized that he was wearing a pair of boots. But not just ordinary boots. It shimmered faintly, exuding an almost familiar aura. One that made Saffron tremble just from standing in its presence.
“The Boots of Alexander…”
Anya breathed. The Matriarch of the Veridian Family had gotten to her feet, and she was staring in terror at the glimmering metal boots that the former [Imp] wore. Saffron got to her feet, quickly identifying the Demon before her. But she knew whatever it was… was a lie.
[Hellbeast - Lvl. 147]
“It’s a [Changeling]! Ignore its looks— it’s meant to deceive you!”
Saffron shouted as Lofus glanced her way. The young Vampire looked frantically towards Avaritia who just shook his head.
“It’s a good little trick to get your guard down. But also…”
In the blink of an eye, he blurred forward again. No slower than earlier. Lofus stepped back to defend herself, but his claws raked across her stomach. The Broken Berserker of Bherein went flying as blood spilled from the wound in excess.
“Lofus!”
Saffron called out. The Broken Berserker of Bherein didn’t go down easily, though. Lofus landed on her feet, her eyes burning with rage. A crimson aura wisped off her as she looked up in anger.
“How dare you— [Melody of Fury]!”
She unleashed a barrage of attacks that ripped apart the earth and broke the rubble and debris. Lofus moved like a terrible tempest across the battlefield as strong winds threatened to knock Saffron off her feet.
The young noble wasn’t a pushover. She was a student of Mavos Academy. But in the face of this battle— she could only look on helplessly.
Lofus attacked Avaritia in a wild frenzy, but the Archdemon dodged all her swings with ease. He countered and cut deep into her stone-like skin. It was like her flesh wasn’t even there. Lofus flinched, even in the haze of battle, eventually stumbling back when she’d taken enough damage.
“She can’t hit him…”
Saffron whispered. The Demon had all the speed of an Elite [Rogue], and the strength of an Elite [Warrior]. And while his strength was his own, his speed was bestowed onto him by the boots he wore.
This was the power of a Mythical Grade artifact. It turned what could’ve been a close battle into a one-sided beatdown.
Lofus screamed a blood curdling cry as she charged the Demon again. Avaritia just stepped back as his form changed once more. He grew shorter. Smaller. More like a Human. But he still kept his obsidian-colored skin. The horns on his head receded in size but remained there. His four arms became two, yet the claws on each of his hands grew sharper.
[Incubus - Lvl. 147]
“Saffron.”
Crocus stepped forward as the two clashed again. He turned to her and Anya Veridian, raising his sword.
“Take lady Veridian and get out of here.”
“But—”
Saffron sputtered. Unfortunately, she didn’t have time to argue.
Lofus lunged at the Demon, and he ducked under the attack. He brought his hand forward in a stabbing motion. The attack pierced through her abdominal muscles to the other side of her back. The Broken Berserker of Bherein coughed out a mouthful of blood, wheezing.
“Get Helena Warshade, now!”
Crocus Merryster yelled. Saffron blinked a few times. Then she moved. She helped Anya Veridian to her feet as Avaritia turned his attention towards them.
“Oh, what’s this? Our audience wants to leave us.”
He spoke to Lofus, although the Broken Berserker of Bherein wasn’t able to speak. She lay there, eyes rolled up as blood poured out of the wound on her stomach. The Demon nodded.
“You’re right. I’d much rather them stay here.”
“I will not let you touch my daughter!”
Crocus charged for him. Meanwhile, Saffron made a break for it with Anya Veridian in her arms. She poured mana into her feet, and a burst of wind propelled her forward. The ground glided beneath her feet as she practically skated away from the battlefield.
Avaritia just tilted his head.
“I don’t need your permission to do anything, mortal.”
And he appeared next to Saffron. She spun around with wide eyes, but the Demon was already swinging for her head. Avaritia laughed.
“Die—”
But before his claws could make contact with her, the world grew dark around them. The shadows moved like tendrils, converging between Saffron and the Demon. A figure emerged and swung for Avaritia.
The Demon cursed as he pulled back at the very last second.
“Fuck—”
But the blade still cut across his chest. Orgaf, the Thief of the Golden Scales, drew the Demon’s black blood with a single slash. Then he swung with his second blade, aiming for Avaritia’s neck. But the Demon managed to leap out of the way.
Saffron blinked as Anya staggered back.
“What…?”
Where did Orgaf come from? The question hung in Saffron’s mind as she reeled back. But the Thief of the Golden Scales offered no answer.
“Even with the Boots of Alexander, you’re too slow.”
He spat at Avaritia. The Demon narrowed his eyes. He looked down at his wound then up at Orgaf.
“And that was but a scratch.”
Avaritia snarled back. It wasn’t a small wound by any means, yet he didn’t look any more burdened by it than Lofus had been by her first dozen or so wounds. Orgaf twirled his daggers and shook his head.
“Perhaps it was. But I wonder if you can survive a hundred of those.”
He spoke dangerously. Saffron was still processing this when a blast of lightning shot out. It thundered past Orgaf, headed straight for the Demon. Avaritia leapt into the air as the lightning strike swerved towards him. Saffron thought it would’ve hit. Then, midair, the Demon changed directions.
Avaritia kicked off something invisible and swiftly avoided the spell. He landed, still standing in the air as he wiped at his forehead.
“That was close. Now that would’ve been dangerous.”
“This ends here.”
A voice boomed down the broken hallway. A powerful gale shot out, dispelling the black flames burning up the palace as a figure floated out. Helena Warshade floated out, carried by a thundercloud.
“Uh-oh.”
This time, Avaritia gulped. He hopped back, ascending an invisible staircase as she turned her gaze towards him.
“Perish, Demon.”
She pointed at him, sending another lightningbolt up. This time, Avaritia didn’t move. He just stood there, frozen for whatever reason. But as the attack reached him, a rift in space opened up before him. It swallowed up the spell before closing. But the rift remained there— a fissure that hovered in the sky.
A pair of figures appeared behind Avaritia. Like he was made of a black mist. Saffron stared at the black flames wisping off him and knew he was the one responsible for the blast here.
[Jinn - Lvl. 147]
But it was neither of them that faced down Helena Warshade. A woman appeared, rotund and port. She was shaped like a Human, yet she had sickeningly yellow skin and the eyes of a snake. She raised a hand and smiled.
[Fiend - Lvl. 150]
Level 150? Saffron stared. Even Helena Warshade looked slightly nervous. Orgaf himself just looked annoyed in the face of these new Demons.
“More of them? So that makes six total…”
He grunted. Saffron looked at him, still in a daze. Still sorting out all of this information.
“Six…?”
But it was the Demon who spoke first. The [Fiend] at the front of the trio flying above them.
“Hello, Humans. I do apologize for the commotion, but we simply wanted our presence known.”
She gave them a wicked smile as the rift opened back up.
“Now it is our time to go, so that’s it for the show.”
Saffron blinked, then Helena’s eyes grew wide. The Great Tempest Archmage of Mavos Academy yelled.
“Get down!”
And her blast of lightning— the one caught in the rift— shot back towards them. She raised a protective barrier as Saffron covered Anya Veridian. A dome quickly covered the area, but the lightning strike flashed out. A blast that ripped apart the barrier.
The shockwave itself pushed Saffron back. As powerful as the ones from the battle between Lofus and Avaritia. And when the smoke cleared up, the Demons were gone.
MelasD
Start of the new month! Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.
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