8 It came from Down Under

The distorted demon screamed in anger following its broken black shards scattered onto the ground. Jimmy turned to see the other cottages in this part of the hill, the one just above town.

"Cerrit!" it screamed towards Jimmy as it charged at him and jumped. Zaniva threw a powerful punch towards the demon's head, sending it toward the ground, it's body dragging itself due to the force of the punch. It got up immediately, and shook its head wildly.

It charged at Jimmy again, he blocked the demon's claw with its arm. His flesh felt the sharpness of the claws penetrate the surface of his flesh. Jimmy grunted in pain, as he soon saw the distorted demon's red eyes take shape. The demon's eyes were glowing a brighter shade of red as opposed to the dark, harming Jimmy's pupils.

The demon felt another push by Zaniva, her hand forming a fist and forcing the demon off Jimmy.

"Belva!" Zaniva spoke. "Some assistance would be nice! 3 against 1 don't you think?"

Belva stood from the door, and she grinned upon hearing her name being called out. She didn't hesitate to disappear in a sudden ball of light, teleporting herself toward the demon, and sending a kick towards it's face.

The distorted demon took out its claws, and she ducked by the time it threw its claws at her. Her neck narrowly missed the edges of the claws, before she threw a large punch towards the demon's upper chest.

The demon screeched, and it's black mass trapped Belva's arm by the time she had made contact with her using her fist. She grunted in pain and upset, glaring towards the demon.

"Thou should have sided with Malvagia." the distorted demon spoke before it saw Jimmy charging at him, he threw a large punch again toward the demon, but the force of the punch sent it flying and Belva flying, her fist was still connected to the demon.

"Darn." Jimmy spoke as he saw Belva flying mid air and hitting the ground.

"I'm stuck here!" Belva spoke before she saw a thin beam of yellow light penetrating the demon in one of its eyes. She turned to see Velyn with one of her arms out, the beam of light calming from the surface of her palm. A second beam followed, it's sharp edge pierced the demon on the left side of its face.

The demon screeched again, before it pushed itself away from Belva, freeing her fist.

She charged at the demon once more, before kicking it into the air.

"Now!" Zaniva spoke as she jumped into the air, Belva following suit. The two succubi preparing balls of light in their respective hands. The demon looked down upon them, and shards of it's back shot at them.

One of the shards struck Belva in the shoulder, pinning her to the ground. Two shards struck Zaniva in the chest, the energy of the shardes was cold and dark, she coughed up a tiny bit of blood, before the demon struck her by the neck, pinning her to the ground.

The demon was shot again by Velyn's light beam, as Jimmy ran toward Zaniva and jumped high, catching her midair as the demon was thrown to the ground from the light beam.

"Much thanks." Zaniva spoke midway as her eyes widened in surprise at Jimmy's dark eyes. He was looking forward, and she saw the head of a black and white snake on his right shoulder, forming its neck as well. Such an odd sight, she thought. She had mentioned that she was aware of Jimmy's early life, even as a Cerrit but for him to be able to generate a snake?

He wasn't even looking at the said snake as he approached the ground, and placed her down gently. Velyn ran toward the couple.

"It must be one of Malvagia's! Without a doubt!" she started.

"Malvagia?"

"A name I was going to mention in our conversation, before it came." Zaniva spoke as Velyn slowly took out the shards, They were piercing and Zaniva cried in pain.

"Demonic traitors to the underworld!" the demon charged at the trio once more, as Jimmy ran toward the demon, fist clenching and eyes widening.

Both of his hands clashed with the demon's own. A small wave of wind sent the grass flowing, and the succubi feeling parts of it.

"Cerrit." the distorted demon spoke as it caught wind of the snake on JImmy's shoulder. It hissed at the demon. "You shall side with Malvagia, and none of her enemies." it spoke of the succubi behind him.

"No one tells me who to side with." Jimmy argued. "Not even a demon." As he continued to hold himself against the demon's energy, he saw Belva preparing a large ball of light in her right hand.

Jimmy grinned and he pushed his knee against the demon's lower chest, knocking out the demon's grip on his hands and pushing him toward a charging Belva.

Belva's purple ball of light penetrated the demon, and allowed itself to stay inside. Belva swung her right hand, swerving mid air, as the demon felt being slashed multiple times.

Belva soon clashed her hands together, and the ball of light exploded. The force of the explosion pushed Jimmy and Belva slightly. The demon was blown to smithereens it's shards falling all over the place.

"Jimmy." Belva spoke in a concerned tone as she approached the man. He was breathing somewhat heavily, his eyes still dark, and he turned toward the snake on his shoulder.

His eyes widened, and he flinched at the sight of it.

I'm as surprised as you are Jimmy, Belva thought before she looked at the demonic shards fallen all over the field.

"What happened!?" a resident of the area was approaching. He wore a dark green tunic, and he saw the sight of Jimmy. "Goodness! What happened to you!?"

Jimmy took a step back.

"Something has happened." Belva lied. She was still in her human disguise thankfully. "My family and I were just about to help him."

"You must." the resident spoke. "The man here looks like something got to him!"

Dammit, Jimmy thought, before he squinted his eyes: there was a hill with a couple of wooden houses and cottages, and he cursed himself for not knowing about them for the last few years.

Or maybe I did notice them, he spoke in his mind, maybe I was just ignorant.

***

"I apologize for the damages, Jimmy." Zaniva spoke as Velyn started to take the last shard that was a result of the death of the distorted demon. "I'll be sure to fix it later.

"Indeed, and sister, could you leave those snakes for the moment?" Velyn eyed her sister who was still gently petting Fayre and the other snakes ever since Jimmy asked her to take care of them. The snakes became friendly with her. The orange snake with black spots was even there as well.

"Who or what is Malvagia?" Jimmy's voice was raised slightly. His eyes turned back to normal by the time he went back into the cottage with everyone else, the resident who was asking questions went back to his home.

"I swear if that man who saw me spoke to everyone else."

"I'm guessing Cerrits aren't….you know."

"Imagine being born with magic, not knowing what you're dealing with until…" he snapped his fingers. "Just like that, and then spending the majority of your left facing a society who has a hard time accepting things." He paused upon seeing Belva's eyes looking to his right shoulder, he turned to see the black and white snake forming its head and neck again. It extended its neck, before turning toward Jimmy's face.

"Aw heck." Jimmy spoke and sighed. "This is like school all over again."

"Jimmy, if I may." Belva started. "Can you tell us? What happened back then?"

Jimmy eyed at her. "Why do you care? You wanted me for some other cause, did you not?"

"Well I mean-"

"I have not told the other succubi completely about you beyond a Cerrit." Zaniva commented. "By telling them what has happened, the girls would have a better understanding of you, how you came to be like this."

"I speak the truth of mine, and you speak yours?"

"Jimmy, after what happened just now, you deserve to know what the other succubi and I are facing, for it is on its way to your world." Zaniva explained. "And it is not something to turn a blind eye against."