Chapter 57

Chapter 57: Terror Demons

(MC POV)

As I moved forward my presence was quickly noticed by a wisp, followed closely by the rest of the demons. Stopping my advance, I quickly jumped to the side. A green blast fired by the wisp flew past my previous location. Pulling the bow from my back, I swiftly knocked an arrow, firing it at a lesser shade that was about to strike one of the scouts.

The fired arrow lodged itself into the Shade's back, giving an opening for the scout facing off against it.

Dodging another blast from the Wisp, another arrow was fired. It flew and imbeded itself in the wisp's head, causing it to fade away.

At this time the others had already engaged the remaining wisps and shades. Moving freely through the battlefield, I stalked the remaining demons looking for openings. Once an enemy made a mistake, I would use that moment to either kill them outright or create openings for the others to do so.

"Lady Cassandra!!" one of the female scouts called.

"Lieutenant?, You're alive!!" exclaimed Cassandra.

"Just Barely." replied the woman.

Just as she spoke two identical demons came from the rift before us. They were tall and slender to the point of looking malnourished, a long tale and pale skin and their only defining feature being Eight eyes all across its face with a mouth full of sharp teeth.

Instantly the information of these creatures surfaced from memories previously long forgotten. 'Lesser Terror Demon'.

Terror demons are a weaker variety of fear based demons and come in both a lesser and greater form. They are subservient to demons of fear.

One incounters them a lot mostly near Fade Rifts. Remembering their abilities I knew they could get annoying to deal with.

Their abilities are:

Inflict: Fear (panicking their foes)

Vulnerability: Spirit

Immunity: Panicked

Terror Demons also possess the ability to phase in and out of the fade, allowing them to surprise their enemies by seemingly bursting forth from out of thin air.

In the game variation it wouldn't even be a challenge but these ones could think for themselves. There was no AI guiding their actions. They could think and adapt allowing them to use their abilities far more wisely.

Knocking another arrow I quickly fired it to one of the demons. The said Demon turned its head at a fast speed. The arrow only scratching the side of its head. The creatures eyes immediately focused on me. Seeing its crouching stance I immediately pulled out my dagger. Using my instincts I defended to my left.

The creature vanished and my Dagger deflected a claw aimed to take my arm. I immediately felt a chill from behind me and I knew I had lost. Reacting quickly I leaned forward and jumped. A sharp pain was felt across my back. Gritting my teeth I used the momentum from the attack of the second creature to get out of there.

The creatures weren't having it however as they immediately took chase their sharp claws closing in. Rolling on the snow I immediately landed on my feet preparing to block. It was too late however as I saw a claw inches away from my face.

At that moment a barrier surrounded me, blocking the strike. Then a shout was heard as Cassandra charged at a Demon. The second jumped back getting impaled in the shoulder by a crossbow bolt.

"Are you okay?!" Cassandra asked using her shield to stop another claw attack aimed at herself.

"Yeah, I'm good!!" I quickly responded.

Looking at the situation, I realized I was the weakest member of this party. Not wasting any time I quickly vanished. Walking around invisible I waited for an opening. One of the creatures crouched once more. Quickly scanning the battlefield, I immediately fired towards one of the weakened scouts. The creature appeared before that injured scout. Before its claw could hit its mark, it moved back it's tail raising up to its face before being impaled by an arrow. It seems it's many eyes weren't just for decoration.

The creature let out a loud yell as it inflicted a fear status on the scout as he abandoned everything attempting to escape. With a leap the creature's claws seperated the scouts head from his body.

The thing turned to look at me only to see nothing. It turned to target Solas. I new it's attempt would be in vein, it was about to hit a brick wall, so I ignored it and went to disrupt the rift. With a pulse of magic from the rift the demons were stunned. Taking aim at the one that had failed to land a hit on Solas. An arrow went right through the creatures biggest center eye coming out the other side. Cassandra removing the head of the other.

Turning to Solas I sent a nod of thanks for the barrier earlier,not commenting on him not dealing with the creature. I knew Solas would never kill it even though he was the creatures weakness. This was due to him understanding their true nature behind the creatures as well. I wouldn't do so either if not for the fact that letting them kill Cassandra and the others would make things more troublesome for myself.

Activating my nen ability my back immediately started healing not taking long at all to completely close. I quickly took of the blood soaked shirt and took out a mercenary coat I had gotten in the pouch of one of the corpses along the way. Done putting it on I turned just in time to see Cassandra quickly look the other way.

Raising an eyebrow, I wanted to tease her to check for a reaction, however before I could, I was interrupted by the the rift behind her. I quickly sealed it before more came through.

"Sealed, as before, you're becoming quite proficient at this." Solas said inspecting the place that the rift was.

"Let's hope it works on the big one." Varric said looking at the big hole in the sky.

I chuckled at his words. Cassandra assisted one of the remaining female scouts onto her feet.

"Thank the Maker you finally arrived Lady Cassandra. I don't think we could've held out much longer." the scout said.

"Thank our prisoner Lieutenant, he insisted we come this way." Replied the Seeker.

"The prisoner?!" the shocked scout exclaimed turning to look at me. "Then you..." she stopped mid sentence.

"It was worth saving you if we could." I answered.

Thumping her chest the scout immediately responded, "Then you have my sincere gratitude."

"The way we came is clear for now. Go while you still can." I said.

The scout girl nodded, with a salute to Cassandra slightly the remaining scouts took their leave.

"The path ahead appears to be free of demons as well." said Solas.

"Let's hurry before that changes." Cassandra replied.

Looking at the drops, there was a 'Fire Resistant Cowl' and a 'Hunting Longbow'. I put my current bow into my inventory and switched it out with the Hunting Longbow. As well as restocking on arrows that were still usable.

With that we continued down the path and came to the temple, what was left of it. My attention was quickly drawn to the crystal like substance protruding from the ground surrounding the place. There were veins pulsing with a green light coming off of them. It was something that was all too familiar, pure magic. Whatever it was it was probably what the people here called fade touched material. I made yet another mental note to return to this place to mine it. If I got the chance I would give some to my dwarfs and see what they could do with them.

After walking for some time we finally came before the entrance. Cassandra stated that it was also the place that I stepped out of the fade from. We continued forth entering the temple.