03 Atavism of the Ifrit Read online

  A gigantic crimson sphere hummed into existence and it easily floated above the ground by an inch, but was over thirty feet tall.

  A portal to Demon World.

  Vitalli let go of Kanade as soon as his beloved nodded she had a solid grip and moved to uphold Ethan’s bulk. Dallare wiped her brow as opening a portal of that immensity wasn’t easy.

  “I will secure the area, Master.” Panther said as planned and got the nod.

  Unlike all other demon Transcendent, Balam didn’t require the same method of weakening. Not like what his masters endured. A momentary burst of Demon Energy switched him for a nine foot tall humanoid to a seemingly ordinary black housecat with clear blue eyes that didn’t glow anymore. He looked back as everyone followed and leapt into the sphere to vanish without a sound.

  Baldr readied his sword and shield beside Magnus before leaping in ten seconds later followed by the Naga couple with glowing weapons. Kira was holding a small bag close to her breast and went in alone. Ethan and Vitalli were next. Ethan took one look back to find Dallare lifting a bag over her shoulder that could hold no more than three softballs, but he already knew they were tears Kyoko shed from her late husband, the only time before meeting her two new loves that she last cried. He said “Let’s get it over with.”

  “Thou took the words out of my mouth.” The Centaur stallion said with a bit of cheer and with his help they fell in.

  Pressure unlike any before squeezed Ethan. He knew what it would be like to experience thanks to Kyoko’s memories, but it still hurt. Imagine plunging into the ocean with a three ton boulder chained around your neck and got sucked down. Every foot lower placed more and more pressure onto the body. Red energy filled every particle of ones vision. And was so bright closing your eyes did nothing to help. Still more pressure. Hearing popped and bones felt as if they were next. The barrier between mortal to Demon World was almost like a living entity that tested who could pass and who could not. The stronger one was, the harder to pass. Being beyond a certain level like Ethan was, would prevent passage. But forcibly weakening allowed the pressure to not barricade from complete access. It only made the pain more unbearable. A reminder of the price to ever think about crossing again.

  Just when Ethan roared out in pain and knew any more would crush him into a pulp did it abruptly end and the consuming reddish light vanish.

  It was the first moment entering Demon World and if not for preparation Ethan would have been assuming again. Assuming being what he was known for. Assuming wrong.

  Vibrant colored trees weighed heavily by thick leaves surrounded a rather small clearing deep within the Everglow Forest. Vines crawled up and across trees. Bioluminescent grass glowed under their feet and made Ethan think it somewhat resembled the movie Avatar, but ten times more wild and untamed. Insects hummed loudly around, almost like cicadas, but instead of annoying it was more like a threat. What looked like a crow sat on a branch, but was five or six times larger and its beak had serrated edges that looked more like curved teeth. A deep breath through the nose brought forth the sense of smell. The area smelled like a forest after a rain. Earthy, moist, pungent. Delicate flowers was like lavender and rose mixed. The canopy seemed alive with bird and insect activity, but seeing through the cracks was by no means an ugly realm. It was breathtaking. Red, green and blue light writhed through the sky like the aurora borealis, or Northern lights. But no stars twinkled up high and never had. The lights of Demon World didn’t require suns or stars, especially since Armid the Spirit King was the physical embodiment of all stars in the mortal universe. But the dark sky didn’t seem empty at all. It seemed like endless possibilities.

  Deep down, Ethan felt home.

  The demon side knew where it belonged.

  Then a whiff of blood drifted on a change in the wind and Ethan turned to find a dead Goblin at the clearing’s edge and Panther back in his Balam form. By the separate pieces as if the Goblin had been sliced by multiple blades proved freakishly long claws had done the deed. Thankfully the thick luminescent grass hid most of the evidence.

  It was why Panther went first. Lesser demons were opportunistic. They would eat and attack anywhere a portal opens since Demon Lords were at their weakest when crossing. Basically a free meal where practically everyone eats each other.

  But the trees were too thick to see around.

  Vitalli and the others were just as surprised, but moved out of the way as Kanade, Ellen, Nell, Kyoko and Dallare came through.

  “Babe, we need to do it now.” Groaned Baldr as he began feeling lightheaded.

  It was then Ethan’s slower mind turned to the subtle tingle of energy and auras to realize with so many Demon Lords and Transcendent energy that nowhere was safe. Even one within a solar system’s range would kill spiritual beings. And Ethan knew there was more than one around as soon as he focused.

  Kira’s hands shook as she began feeling aura oppression killing her body. But she managed to pull out eight vials with the equivalent of a shot glass of more black glowing potion. She tossed them to the seven others, pulled off the stopper and took the mouthful to promptly swallow.

  Vitalli and Ellen had to drop their burden and drink with the others. Magnus barely got his down the hatch before collapsing with first.

  A greater rustling in the trees alerted Panther who vanished to slay a host of winged vipers about thirty feet long who came at the scent of blood from the dead Goblin. Panther’s round ears swerved round and round on alert.

  The area seemed to go silent as the team began screaming and bursting into bright silver flame. Only Dallare had to get way back due to the heat. Ethan managed to sit up and watch as Kanade and Kyoko crawled through the grass towards him. Kanade said “The pain is gone, but I’m so weak. Can we regain it?”

  “Not till it’s over. Can’t chance it on them in this condition.” He said without clutching his chest so hard. The poison was lifting.

  Fire raged, but Ethan as a master of the element kept it from igniting the grass and forest around. Their screams were louder due to the flames pouring from their bodies and only got louder as changes were underway. Serious and risky changes. All that could happen now was to wait, which was hard with all the screaming. Never had he heard a Naga or Ogre scream in pain. It happened now as they all remained conscious of what it felt like. Pain the likes none of them had ever experienced. Not only of body, but of soul as it too had to change accordingly.

  The screams lasted little more than two minutes, but seemed far longer since nothing would help.

  And just like that it all came to an end, Magnus being the last to go out. Each one was deathly still. Only rising chests for breathing gave sign of life. Life they all retained, much to ease Ethan and Kanade’s profound worry.

  Great physical changes had taken place.

  Blake, once six foot six, was now eighteen foot two. His once long whip-like tail, even beneath the armor had thickened more like an alligator’s with two ridge lines going down, but at the end had grown four spikes on the end like a stegosaurus. Brown claws curved more like a raptor’s talons and were bleached-bone white. His other proportions had not changed. Armor and his three swords also grew along with him, something Kanade barely had the power to do for everyone at the time. He still was built lean like a sheathed sword. Fast. Slim. Efficient. Deadly.

  Reevy beside him shot up to seventeen feet even. Her tail was marginally thinner, but with two spikes rather than four. They were thinner, longer and sharper though.

  Close by laid Baldr who was a shade over six feet tall, but had become fifteen feet six inches. Wide shoulders seemed ever greater spaced and his chest barreled with pronounced muscle. Legs exploded like tree trunks. His horn was much longer and curved slightly up like a single edged sword, going from five and a half inches to an impressive one foot nine inches. And the horn glowed as if hit by a black light.

  Magnus was no slouch either. He was marginally shorter than Baldr at fourteen foot eight, but had a longer, two foot c
urved horn that was fractionally brighter. The club Zaxis no longer looked like a regular club, but more like a tree trunk shaped into a giant’s club rather than closer to a large baseball bat.

  His Nymph wife Nell remained the shortest woman, but went from five foot five to spitting distance of a dozen. Her pointed ears were more pronounced, but not quite as an Elf’s. Fair alabaster skin shone faintly even upon the grass. The once Dragon Horn longbow hadn’t changed and was now a short bow across her torso.

  Kira’s hair turned from auburn to a bright, ripe strawberry red. Even with eyes closed those staring saw green blazing beneath. She was now fourteen foot eleven and proportionally as she was with her knockout figure.

  This leads to the largest pair by far. Centaurs were naturally bulky. Transcendent Centaurs were nothing to laugh at. They didn’t glow or have any new physical attributes. But they were clearly enormous. Ellen still had thick, dirty blonde hair and a mare’s white body. But from hoof to the top of her head was twenty two feet, nine inches tall. Vitalli was even more a monster standing twenty six feet and an inch. The ancient charger style armor did little to cover up their muscular bulk.

  “Well I’ll be damned!” Whispered Ethan.

  Everyone else was speechless, even the general.

  Kanade’s eyes narrowed as her mind reached out and concluded in awe “Darlin, they survived. More than that… they are strong enough to resist deadly aura with ease.”

  “Then I won’t be needing this anymore.” Ethan grabbed hold of the burning medallion tucked under his shirt, gave a swift jerk to break the chain and threw it out into the forest. Without it he felt his power gradually returning.

  Kanade’s finger glowed as she turned the gold medallion fitted with Kyoko’s tears around and undid the spell. The orange flame fizzled out and looked normal. As soon as it did her feathers ruffled and momentarily shone.

  Kyoko pulled out a pin she had kept in her hair all the time and began heavily feeding off Ethan to regain her strength. Each breath would have killed everyone in Tokyo, but it didn’t faze him remotely. His power was coming faster than a zillion Kyoko’s could consume. Already more sparks began swirling around the ivory horns and staying lit.

  In a ten minutes he regained enough to stand unaided and gently smacked his first martial arts mentor’s cheek. Up closer Ethan noticed the scales were more like bony plates now. Blake looked much more fierce than ever before.

  Dilated brown and golden eyes snapped open and claws wrapped around Ethan’s throat. The curse on his back brought pain and forced him to stop. Pain also ended as soon as he let go and took a moment to orient. Blake said “Ethan?”

  “I’m here, Blake. How do you feel?”

  “Like a Pegasai herd trampled my…” Blake’s pupils contracted as he sat up and took stock of himself. “I’m different.”

  “You can say that. Touch my mind. You can do it now. All Transcendents can.” Blake knew the idea behind extending ones consciousness, but was impressed he succeeded on the first try. Thoughts and multiple conversations flew and in moments Blake understood all he needed.

  “Help the others. I’ll tend my mate.” And crossed to Reevy.

  Pain and headaches were common amongst the eight and between Ethan and Kanade rapidly regaining their full strength, the eight quickly discovered their new mental capabilities. Kira learned all the remaining runes denied to her and all in a matter of a second and in the next one she learned their connections and those that didn’t. Her burning green eyes were eager. The only thing was it was impossible to distinguish iris or pupil. It was as if her entire eyeball gently glowed emerald.

  Blake and Reevy spent five whole minutes meditating and to them it was as if they had spent centuries mastering their newfound bodies and mind. As they stood it was as if they hadn’t experienced a single change. New minds already disciplined made a huge difference. The others, like Ethan and Kanade, awkwardly stumbled to relearn their new bodies and depth perception.

  But with their combined power, they all began to sense the near limitless depths of Ethan’s. And they weren’t alone.

  Ethan was the first to notice it. He stood suddenly and spread his wings to say calmly “Six are incoming. They are extremely powerful.”

  Arms were gathered. As soon as Nell thought to grab her bow she never expected what came next. An evergreen energy enveloped her left hand and created the bow of her dreams. Between the fingers on her other hand crafted an arrow of pure blue Spirit Energy. Blake found out it too happened and a perfect set of ethereal katanas appeared. With another thought the katanas melded together into a broadsword. He grinned and removed the three he always carried. He knew right away he’d never need them again. Reevy got strange daggers with three blades. Two struck out either side of her fist and the third was more like a ring over her knuckles specifically for punching. Both of Kira’s fists glowed curse-yellow and as if practiced for decades she crafted lethal curses she never dreamed of making. And the power of even her simple wrist needles were beyond destructive. The rest didn’t get powers, but their weapons activated without needing to be spoken to. It was as if weapon and master became one.

  Panther smirked “Rest easy all of you.”

  Ethan didn’t understand right away till his mind sensed what came at twice the speed of light. The six were running over treetops easily the distance between what would be Earth to Mars in terms of distance and slowing. In a moment he realized what kind of demons were on the way and raised an eyebrow to the general who casually smirked again and flared his whiskers.

  Within seconds dropped six Balam females wearing nothing but their pale white fur. They all stood close to eight and a half feet tall, had a pair of round breasts of rather small size and all their eyes glowed. It was hard to distinguish from one another, but Ethan knew why. They all came from the same litter and were sisters. The six pale furred females were even more sleekly beautiful than Panther, took stock of everyone, weapons aimed and were unconcerned. Then as soon as the six females laid eyes on Ethan’s form they took a knee and bowed their heads to speak in unison “Master Ethan, we are yours to command.”

  “Rise.” He said and they did with a grace only women possess. “Names.”

  From the one on the right stepped forward as weapons lowered, but not disappearing. The female had a soft voice that was more a purr. Softer than Even Kanade’s. “I am General Panther’s First Mistress Sacnite.”

  She stepped right back into her original footprints and such precision wasn’t lost on Ethan. The one next to Sacnite likewise stepped forth. “I am General Panther’s Second Mistress Xochitl.” By stating their mate first, before rank and name was how it was done. Only the king’s or heir’s female could state what mistress they were without need to say to whom they belong. She returned to her place.

  “I am General Panther’s Third Mistress Nelli.”

  “I am General Panther’s Four Mistress Nenetl.”

  “I am General Panther’s Fifth Mistress Patli.”

  “And I am General Panther’s Sixth Mistress Teicuih.”

  Each one had a slight change in their voice which would come in handy to differentiate between the six of them. Ethan held their gaze and could tell they were more than good at their job. Their precision and auras were terrifyingly intense. These weren’t timid, meek women. These six were warriors and not to be trifled with. Their unconcerned reaction to eight former Order warriors showed any one of the six would toy with them.

  It was a relief.

  Ethan put a hand behind his wife’s vibrantly glowing wing and lower back to say “It is a pleasure to meet the mistresses of my guardian. Allow me to introduce you to your sole mission from this point on. This is Kanade Volorum.”

  “First Mistress.” They bowed at the waist and spoke as if using one voice.

  “Rise.” Kanade spoke with the air of royalty as she was taught. They did as commanded.

  “And this is my Second Mistress, Kyoko Volorum. Until we reach the palace a
nd she gains protection you are to safeguard her as well.”

  “As you command, Master Ethan.” They bowed slightly less before First Mistress Sacnite stepped forth to say “Master, Mistresses, this will not hurt much.” Three claws over a foot long appeared from three fingertips as she came close and nicked the skin just enough to wet the deadly natural weapons. Blood from the three stained the long weapons. Kyoko and Kanade winced as they slapped a hand to their neck as if cut by a shaving razor. It didn’t bother Ethan. Sacnite licked a drop of blood from each claw before holding it out for her sisters to do likewise. As soon as they did, Ethan got six new points of light in his mind. Now all six had their scent and swore internal loyalty from that moment on. The claws retracted back up into her forearm.

  Nelli the Third Mistress said next “Master, why have eight Order warriors come?”

  “This is my team from when I fought for Order. They will come as my advisors and extra protection. They are allied to me, not Armid and his cronies. They know the rules and consequences should they instigate an attack.”

  “It is true.” Panther told them. It was enough to not ask for further information.

  Xochitl the Second noticed “An Elf. Good. Now I will not need to hunt one down. This will make our journey much more swift. We came as soon as we felt your great power, Master. It was wise to come here in this forest to grow strong again. Elf, transfer us sixty miles from our king’s grand palace.”

  Then the six seemed to vanish, but reappeared around Kanade and Kyoko.

  “Wait a minute, Dallare. There is something I must do now that I’ve got my power back.” His tone turned to anger as he knelt and jumped up and above the canopy. A glowing forest as far as the eye could see spread untamed in every direction. A lone dragon soared hundreds of miles away on the hunt. She looked, but flew away as she realized all the power emanated from him. Looking up into the dancing light show in the sky Ethan sent his mind out far and wide. It was easy to cast beyond Demon World and out into both the material universe and Spirit World.