Chrysalis

As cool as he'd tried to play it, Isaac wasn't exactly pleased to be where he was. The ground beneath him felt like fire against his boots and the air itself scorched his lungs whenever he took a breath. Sweat fell in a constant stream from his brow and he'd stopped bothering to try and wipe it from his eyes. There was plenty more where that water came from, the ants had loaded them up with canisters of water before they'd come down and most of the human contingent had knocked the lot of it back before they'd even set foot in the city.

"HOLD THE LINE DAMMIT!" he roared as he furiously worked his spear, trying to hold the demonic push as far from his person as possible.

On either side his fellow soldiers roared along with him as they grit their teeth and dug in their heels, using micro dashes to slam their weapons into the demons whenever they found an opening. The constant drone of the priest behind him was a reassuring sound, since it meant that Isaac and his group wouldn't be without the powerful buff that was keeping their heads on their shoulders anytime soon.

"HOW MUCH LONGER?"

"Captain! Sir! I don't know!"

"THAT'S ABOUT AS USEFUL AS A BARREL OF PLOPS YOU DAMNED MORON! YOU REALLY THINK WE CAN HOLD LIKE THIS FOR LONG!?"

Isaac felt sure his mother would be less than impressed by his tone and his language but he had to say that the current situation was trying his patience something fierce. His squad had been flanking the demon position that surrounded the huge monster that was holding off the Colony on the outskirts of the plate when they'd run into a group of four moving to reinforce the suspected tier seven.

Naturally, he had to cut them off and prevent them from joining the main fight, but that left he and his small group facing against four bloodthirsty tier six demons, which wasn't a fight they would win, or come close to it. The last few minutes had been a desperate, all or nothing struggle to prevent his soldiers from getting eaten, an endeavour in which he'd been successful… so far.

Backed into a corner with spears forward, he didn't like the way the four demons were leering at him, as if they were considering what sides to serve him with.

Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on! COME ON!" he screamed as he raised one hand to present a rude

find out if they understood what the gesture meant. One moment they were there, about to charge into the blade of his spear and rip

his men whispered with awe.

the poor fool

into mist whenever I wanted,

"Probably not, sir."

of him, Isaac collapsed

"Probably not…" he agreed.

from perception overhead, Allocrix looked down on the relieved humans

would wish these

envy demon hissed back at him,

from his mind and continued to make his way toward the billowing mana of Mongu'nin, his recent rival. Allocrix did not yearn for combat, or vengeance, he was not built for such things. Instead, an insatiable flame that hungered for knowledge burned within him, a flame that Grokus and Mongu'nin had stifled and made difficult to feed. For that

powerful nonetheless. A war demon was a force in and of itself. Tall, with an imposing physique covered in devastating spikes and deadly scythes attached to its hands,

help… Allocrix was confident

newly found ally, [I will be able to defeat him, but it

[Doessss he regenerate?]

the faster they will heal themselves. It is necessary that we apply a savage burst of

facilitatesss thissss,] Invidia's eye