6. The Witch

The day after the battle against a President of Hell, the seven Red Capes gathered in the large hall, waiting for the doctor. There were two chairs at each end of the table, one where Rex was seated and one for the doctor, with three chairs on each side. On the right side, next to Rex, sat Hope, next to her was Max, and Rozalia was next to the doctor's chair. In front of Rozalia was Guardiol, in front of Max was Sofia, and on the left side of Rex was Nickolas's chair.

"Ah, what a shame we couldn't find Nick." - Guardiol

"That's because he doesn't want to be found." - Rozalia

"Why doesn't Nick want to be found?" Sofia asked.

"Probably because he was defeated in the battle." Max replied.

"Being the first time he lost a battle, I guess it affected him quite a lot." - Rex

"I just hope he's okay... that he doesn't run into a President of Hell. I'm not ready for that." - Hope, her eyes slightly teary.

"I'm sure he's fine. Nick won't lose again." - Sofia, reassuring Hope, who then calmed down and regulated her breathing.

Dr. Romanov entered the room, took his seat, and said with a determined look: "Go and bring Nick!"

"Are you sure you want to leave Sector 13 without defense?" Rex asked.

"I believe it's the ideal moment to expand our perimeter, even if we won't have a protective wall. I think by keeping a larger area clear, we can more easily prevent the demons from reaching the wall." Dr. Romanov replied.

"We'll bring Nick back." - Sofia

"Let him see what happens when I lay a hand on him." - Hope

"We need to bring a few bottles with us." - Guardiol

"Rex, the decision is yours. The last notifications received from the scouts indicate that Nick might be about an hour's journey to the east from where you encountered The President." Dr. Romanov informed.

"All right, get ready for the journey!" - Rex

During the preparations, Guardiol packed numerous bottles into the luggage, Rex placed the presidential sword in a box on the ATV, and his other belongings were loaded into the car. Max's only baggage was the box containing the trident. Rozalia double-checked her weapons, taking more with her than usual, Hope added a photo of her and Nick to her chest pocket. As for Sofia, she had kept a piece of Nick's blue cloak and wrapped it around her neck, even covering her mouth with it.

Gathered in front of the inner circle, all of them wearing the red capes ( Nick's Cape in Sofia's arms ), the six of them didn't exchange a word, all highly motivated for the journey that lay ahead. Max looked at Sofia, trying to say something: "Sofi-..." but she didn't seem to react at all, her eyes appearing very intense, at which point the boy lowered his head, only to shake it and then raise it again with a determined look.

"Let's go! This is the first official mission of the Red Capes!" Rex exclaimed loudly.

"Yes, Captain!" the others echoed in unison, getting into the car, with Rex in front of them on the ATV.

Passing by the area where they had their last battle, they noticed there was not a demon in sight.

"I think we've dealt quite a blow to the demonic forces, considering the area is still clear." says Guardiol, who is driving the vehicle.

"Be vigilant. If the rumors are true, a legion of 10 very powerful demons is making their home in the area we're heading to." Rex warns.

"We managed to defeat the fallen angels; I don't think some demons will give us much trouble." Max says from the front seat of the vehicle. The girls are sitting in the back during this conversation, Hope and Sofia deep in thought, and Rozalia looking at them with concern.

"Guardiol should know; he was part of the Red Platoon's battle five years ago against two very powerful demons. We could have lost the whole platoon back then, but the demons retreated." Rex explains.

"I heard about that event; I was still in training then. However, I can't imagine what kind of demons could do such a thing." says Rozalia.

"What kind of demons were they, Rex?" Max inquires.

"They were incredibly powerful, with their faces concealed. One was massive but fast, wielding a huge two-and-a-half-meter axe. I noticed the number 8 imprinted on the back. The other was feminine, but tall, armed with two daggers, with the number 6 on the left leg. The smaller one didn't have the chance to do much because the giant nearly defeated us all by himself." Rex replies.

"And how did you escape?" Rozalia asks.

"The demons retreated." Guardiol replies.

"I hope that drunk didn't encounter these demons." - Hope

"I'm sure Nick is safe." - Sofia

"How can you know that?" - Hope

At that moment, the car brakes suddenly, interrupting their conversation.

"What are you doing, Rex?! You braked unannounced." Guardiol asks.

"Demonic hordes right in front." Rex replies.

"I can't see anything." Guardiol says.

"No, he's right, they're there, and there are quite a lot of them." Max says.

"I think I'm starting to sense them too after those sessions with the old man. Let's head over there. Get ready for a fight!" Rex yells, accelerating.

The girls prepare their weapons and lower the car's barrier. After a few minutes of driving, they arrive at the battlefield, and Rex remains silent, recognizing a massive figure.

"What happened, Rex?" Hope asks. When she turns her head, she sees the same expression on Guardiol's face.

"They are..." Guardiol starts.

"The demons from the legion. But why are they fighting the other demons?"

"Come on, girls, let's shoot at the demons!" Rozalia begins firing at the hordes.

"Yes!" Hope and Sofia also start firing.

"SWUSH" - Max accelerates towards the battlefield, opens the trident box, and crosses his weapons with the demon who had eliminated the demonic armies around him.

"This little one has some power, Lycia, I'll have fun!" the demon with an 8 on his back yells.

( Lycia, a demonic woman, tall and powerful, wearing a crown that held her long, blond hair, which was braided at the back, and dressed in shiny Amazonian armor )

"Huh? Really, Miron?" the demon with a 6 on his left leg asks.

( Miron, a bald, massive demon, covered in a black robe )

Soon, the area is cleared of demons, most of them slaughtered, but a few managed to escape. The only ones left are the two numbered demons and the Red Capes.

The girls start shooting at the two demons, but the bullets can't penetrate them, at which point Guardiol joins Max in the fight against the demon with the 8.

"What?! But they're demons." Hope says.

"Very amusing, these humans." Lycia, the demon with the number 6 on his left leg, says.

Rex points his guns at the demon with the number 6 and starts shooting, at which point the demon startles: "Huh?" and begins to quickly deflect Rex's attacks with his daggers.

"Be careful, Miron! I think he can hurt us." Lycia warns him.

"I'm very cautious; it seems like this child could make a hole in my chest with this weapon. I feel some power coming from them." Miron, the demon with the number 8 on his back, replies.

"I'm going into the fight as well." Lycia says, at which point Rex takes out the presidential weapon.

Lycia accelerates, leaving a trail of fire behind her, heading straight for the girls who are shooting from a distance. In the nick of time, Rex arrives to cross weapons with her.

"You won't go any further!" Rex exclaims.

"Do you think?" Lycia grins.

"As she changes her direction 'SWOOSH' and approaches Guardiol, she swiftly stabs him, managing to wound him in the abdomen.

Rozalia screams and collapses on her knees. Hope and Sofia open fire in the direction of the demons.

"Giant!" Rex exclaims, hurrying to assist Guardiol. However, Lycia raises her hand and smiles, pushing him back.

Max uses the trident to create a force field, separating himself and Guardiol from the two demons. He manages to push Guardiol towards the girls, who catch him, while Sofia continues firing.

The two demons hasten to attack Max, but he retaliates with glowing golden eyes. His powers surge exponentially, taking the battle to a new level. The impact of his trident clashing with the demons momentarily paralyzes the onlookers.

"This kid is something else." - Lycia

"I told you he's special; I have to get serious." - Miron, his eyes transformed from black to a fiery red, with many small black lightning bolts swirling around his body, taking the battle to a whole new level. The clash of his weapon with Max's trident briefly paralyzed those watching the fight.

The first to overcome the moment of paralysis is Rex, whose eyes also begin to glow like Max's. As he attempts to attack, Lycia suddenly appears in front of him, launching a swift assault.

"Even if you can use angelic powers, do you really think you're on our level?" Lycia asks.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but I will defeat you." Rex responds.

"I don't even need to use all my power to defeat you, human!" Lycia laughed, meanwhile effortlessly hurling black demon energy waves toward the spot where the girls and the unconscious Guardiol were.

"I'm fighting you! Leave the others alone!" Rex shouted to Lycia.

"Why don't you stop me? You should be stronger than me, right?" Lycia continues to laugh.

"I'll do it now!" Rex exclaims, continuing his offensive. While parrying the dagger strikes with his presidential sword, he takes out his pistol with his left hand and starts shooting at Lycia, causing her injuries.

"Now you've really annoyed me, human." Lycia says, her head tilted down. As dark energy begins to envelop her body, when she lifts her head, her eyes turn red.

Lycia's powers intensify, so in Rex's eyes, as he fires at her, it seems that Lycia is teleporting out of the bullets' path. With a slight hand movement, she creates a larger, more powerful black shockwave that shatters Rex's pistol and severely injures his left hand. Rex takes a defensive stance, using only the sword in his right hand, as his left hand is incapacitated. At that moment, Lycia attacks him, disarms him, and pushes him to the ground with a kick.

"I had no interest in killing you, but you've truly annoyed me, human." Lycia says as she stands with her left foot on Rex's left hand, ready to plunge her dagger into his chest.

Max attempts to change the direction of the battle towards Lycia, but Miron constantly stands in his way. Even the child is at a disadvantage in his battle; the demons are too powerful.

The girls remain frozen, tears streaming down their faces.

"It can't be... it can't end like this..." Hope says, raising her hands towards the sky and uttering, "Caelum, advoca tempestatem et evoca fulgura in hostes meos!" (clouds gather in the sky above them). She then lowers her hands to the ground and shouts, "CRASH!" as lightning strikes the spot where Lycia stands, but she manages to dodge the impact.

"I understand, these cambions are something else. Miron, step back; we're leaving." Lycia said, grinning, as she stopped her demonic powers.

(Cambion = a combination of human and demon)

"Alright, Lycia! Kid, let's play another time." Miron replied with a smile, also ceasing his powers.

The two demons disappeared into a black mist.

"Hope?" Rex, paralyzed on the ground.

"Yes, Rex?" Hope, feeling drained as well.

"Thank you..." Rex replied before both of them fell unconscious.

"Help me get them into the car. Max, you will drive the ATV. We're heading back home, tending to the wounded, and coming back stronger!" Rozalia, nervous and teary-eyed.

"Yes, ma'am!" Max, determined.

Ignoring the two, even the injured, Sofia gazed to the East, wondering in her mind: "Are you alright?"…

After a few moments, to the southeast of the battle site, in a seemingly abandoned village, the two demons enter a large central building. Before entering the main hall, they are greeted by two other demons dressed in black cloaks with their faces covered.

"You seem a bit roughed up. Who did you fight?" the first demon asks. (This one wears two katanas at the waist and a large straw hat.)

"We had some powerful adversaries today. It was quite fun." Miron replies.

"If you want the report, come with us." says Lycia.

"We have better things to do. Let's go!" says the second demon. (Only his long, blond hair is visible)

Lycia and Miron enter the main hall, where three figures can be seen, all wearing black cloaks. The first two have their faces covered. The first figure is the one the two demons bow to, with only their black hair with white strands visible. The second figure stands next to the first, with a hood over their head and a large scepter in hand. The third figure is a bit further from the first two, leaning against a wall on their right. Although their face is not covered, they also wear a hood that makes their face indistinguishable, and he is carrying a katana.

"Lycia, Miron, report!" the first figure demands with a powerful voice that seems to echo.

"Today, while clearing the area of other demons, we encountered a group of humans and engaged in a battle with them, sir!" Lycia responds.

"You know very well that we avoid contact with humans. Why did you do this?" the first figure asks.

"They attacked us. These humans could use demonic powers, and some of them had access to angelic abilities. Not to mention they used magic towards the end of the battle." Lycia explains.

"Hmm?.." the third figure.

"Are they alive?" the first figure inquires.

"We managed to inflict some damage. They're probably all alive." Lycia responds.

"I had a great time with the kid, boss. He was really powerful." Miron adds.

"So, then..." the third figure contemplates.

"They seemed to want to continue their journey; they'll probably reach their territory soon." Lycia says.

"Are you referring to Richard and Atalanta?" the second figure asks.

"Yes!" Lycia confirms.

"I'll want to hear more about these humans, but for now, go rest." the first figure commands.

The two then exit the hall, and shortly afterward, the third figure, heads for the exit.

"Where are you going?" the second figure inquires.

"Let him do as he pleases." the first figure responds, while the third remains silent and continues on his way.