Sarah used the ice crystal of her sword to convert her mana into ice and shoot ice spikes at the imps trying to flank them. Much similar to how Erin used her staff to convert her mana into electricity.Michael shot his exploding arrows to the other side, preventing that the demons surrounded them.
"Kid! Wake up!" Paula shook Sebastian by the shoulders.
He blinked twice then looked around.
Vanessa and Eric were busy fighting the Marilith. Alone, neither of them had a chance. But together and working in tandem, Vanessa using her extreme speed and Eric his absurd strength, they managed to keep the greater demon at bay.
"They won’t last much longer. You got to act." Paula pointed at the few imps behind them. "Raise that shield of yours Captain. Fight!"
Sebastian acted on instinct. He stepped forward and used his shield to bash an imp to the side and take a step forward. As soon as his foot planted on the floor, he stabbed at another imp piercing its heart.
His senses seemed to improve. He felt lighter and stronger. A warm blue light covered him momentarily.
It was Paula, she used her spells to enhance the stats of everyone.
Sebastian finally breathed on his own. He woke up from his despair after feeling the warmth of the boosting spells.
"Retreat!" Eric shouted while using his large word like a shield to absorb the impacts of the Marilith’s barrage of attacks.
Dodging 6 swords all coming from a different angle was a challenge to any adventurer. If it wasn’t for Vanessa’s timely interventions attacking and retreating with fast movements, Eric wouldn’t be able to defend himself.
In the same fashion, with Vanessa’s Strength, she could not parry any of the Marith’s attacks.
It was Sebastian that led the charge away from the greater demon by slicing through the imps behind them. Paula clicked the heels of her fancy stilettos and flew in the air at ground level after him.
Michael shot a couple of arrows at the Marilith to open an opportunity for Eric and Vanessa to escape. When both of them turned around, Michael started to run as well.
Sarah ran at the same time as the archer, raising an ice wall in hopes to deter the greater demon long enough for them to flee.
However, the Marilith exploded the wall with a fireball she spat from her mouth.
She slithered on the floor at an impressive speed, quickly reaching them before they could get away.
She aimed at Sebastian, who was the one farther from her. She passed the others with blinding speed and came down with her sword against the kid.
Sebastian only had time to raise his shield, but the Marilith’s sword cleaved through the metal as if it were butter. It took away his arm in the same motion and hit his chest right over his heart, opening a nasty wound.
He screamed loudly in pain and fell back.
Before he even hit the ground, another sword came in and stabbed his gut.
His mouth filled with blood and all strength left his body.
The Marilith smiled and lifted him from the ground, bringing him up to her face. She looked him deep into his eyes and licked her lips, enjoying the sight.
Paula shot a sharp icicle at the demoness trying to make her release the boy. But all she did was to draw attention to herself.
That was the window for Vanessa to jump in, using her 217 Agility she appeared behind the Marilith and sank her dagger on the demoness flesh. Her Sneak Attack skill showed her where the Marilith’s Vital Shield was weaker.
The greater demon moaned in pain and let go of Sebastian who fell on the floor with an ugly thud. Paula ran to the boy, and immediately started to heal him.
"You’re going to be fine. You’re going to be fine." She repeated over and over, not trusting her own words.
Vanessa dodged with expertise when the Marilith tried to slash her with 3 swords at once. But could not dodge the demoness’ tail that hit her like a whip and sent her flying towards a convenience store, breaking the wall and falling inside.
The next moment the Marilith was slithering on the ground in the direction of the hole in the wall with her face filled with anger.
Sarah ignored the demoness and rushed to Sebastian and Paula.
"Calm down." Sarah said, looking at his wounds.
Paula simply looked at her with desperate eyes while healing the kid.
"Focus on the belly wound. I’ll close the arm and chest." Sarah knelt beside them, she was just as nervous as Paula, but could act better.
Sebastian’s consciousness had already slipped away. He was limp on the floor while both women tried to save his life.
At this moment, a thunderous sound rang around them.
Eric, using all his Strength added with his Strength boosting skill, kicked the floor launching his body forward as a missile while holding his sword like a jousting lance. He intercepted the demoness before she could enter the building after Vanessa.
The angle he hit the serpent woman made both of them collide with the convenience store wall, bringing it down completely with the roof and the sign on top of them.
The Marilith retaliated by slashing Eric’s body multiple times. His Vital Shield held against the worst of it, but deep cuts covered his skin. While she moved with all her arms striking the big man, the debris on top of them flew to all sides.
With expert aim, Michael started to shoot at the Marilith’s head making his arrows explode. With each one, the demoness head flung to the sides as if she was being punched with extreme force.
When she had the opportunity, she spat a fireball at the archer forcing him to jump for cover as the fiery explosion covered his position.
Eric took the opportunity to try and cut off one of the Marilith’s arms, but she dodged it and hit his head with two swords, making his roman styled helmet fly away.
The demoness lifted another sword aiming to cut off his head, but Vanessa joined the fight stabbing her on the back, in the same place her Sneak Attack skill pointed out before.
The blade sunk in the Marilith’s skin. She turned around in a fast motion slapping Vanessa away. The dagger was left inside the wound as Vanessa fell and rolled on the floor. In the next movement, she got up and threw 3 knives at the demoness, who used her swords to deflect them with ease.
But it was only a distraction to give Eric time to bring down his sword at her snake part, breaking some of the metal plates protecting her and sinking deep into her flesh. Her blood was yellow and smelled like sulfur.
Eric pulled his sword and, as if cutting timber, he tried another strike at the same place.
The Marilith pulled her tail away creating space between her and the man only to be assaulted again by Michael arrows from afar.
She spat another fireball at him and charged the archer’s position, leaving Eric and Vanessa in the middle of the convenience store’s debris.
Michael drew his sword and managed to block the first three attacks, but then she sank her blade in his leg on the fourth.
When the demoness stabbed at his neck, Vanessa managed to get there at the precise moment, using her other dagger to deflect the stab that took a chunk of his neck’s flesh, but missed his vital parts.
The Marilith roared in anger and slashed at the woman cutting her torso, opening her armored biker jacket, her Metallica t-shirt and her bra while opening a clean cut on Vanessa’s torso that bled profusely.
However, Paula was quick to heal her brother and Vanessa from afar.
Sebastian was now well enough to be treated by Sarah alone, leaving the Ice Witch free to heal the others and cast ice spells on the ground, making it slippery.
A slippery ground worked really well against snakes, because it made it extremely hard for them to move while walking was a bit easier.
The Marilith slithered quickly on the ground, but couldn’t find enough friction to move as fast as before. She tried to reach Paula, but moved far too slow.
Suddenly an iron rod, debris from the convenience store flew and pierced the Marilith’s shoulder blade. Eric threw it with all his strength before charging her.
His blade met hers with a loud noise and she slid back on the ice with the force of the impact.
Michael shot some more arrows at her, making her recoil to defend herself.
The Marilith started to spit fireballs all around herself to melt the ice and hit the party, forcing them all to seek cover.
She hissed and spat a fireball at Paula when the witch tried to freeze the floor again.
Vanessa rushed in at high speed and slashed open a wound at the demoness’ exposed skin.
But this time she didn’t move away fast enough. She was hit again by the Marith’s tail and flew away landing on top of a house, piercing the roof inside.
"Ness!" Eric screamed.