CHAPTER 6-BRIK

X stood still and unmoving. Stage 2 demons. Three of them. A single one almost killed his Grandfather. What should they do? They were getting closer by the minute. Should he run like Uncle Ken said, or should he stay and fight? 

'We will help you fight. We can do it.'

Brik mentioned though he himself was scared out of his skin. Stage 2 demons. He had only heard stories about them from Uncle Ken and X. He knew that if he fought them, he would die. Quickly. But at least he could save Uncle Ken. No matter what, he would save Uncle Ken. He looked at X for support, but X just looked down, not looking at him.

'Brik, listen to me carefully. No matter what, do not come back. I have spent years trying to get stronger but was always stuck in Stage 2. But you kids, with your talent, your lives are much more important. So please, listen to me, Brik. Run away. Save yourself. I will be happy, knowing that by saving the two of you, I have helped the world more than I have when I was alive.'

Uncle Brik started to shiver due to anger, and tears flowed from his eyes. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. X knew that Brik would not go back. Uncle Ken was, family, he was like a father to Brik. If anything happened to Uncle Ken, nobody knew what Brik would do. But it was the same for Ken, who loved Brik like his. Besides, he had to keep his promise to Senior Ossibus no matter what.

X held Brik's shoulder and pulled him back with all his strength, but Brik did not budge. Brik was shaking his head, muttering "no" over and over again. WHile he knew that Uncle Ken would most likely not make it, he could not believe it. Uncle Ken held his other shoulder and said

'Your father gave his life to protect me back in the demon nest, now it is my turn to save you. And if I have to give my life, I will. It was a real pleasure to know you, Brik. X, make sure he does not come back here. I would not want either of you to get injured.'

'Stay alive. Please.'

Brik muttered and the others acted like they did not hear it. Ken then threw the both of them up ten meters, above the depression in which the village rested. He turned, and unsheathed his sword, not billowing with flames. He touched a small village house near him with his sword, and from the blade, flames spread. As the house caught fire, Three demons bounded from the woods on four legs. They looked completely different from the Stage 2 demons he had seen in the village. These demons were more akin to dogs, standing on four legs, and sniffing the air. They all had the golden coat of fur, their claws digging into the ground as they moved forward. Three spikes grew from their back, two above their shoulders, and the third one between them both. Muscles rippled while they moved, lean but strong, stretching as tight as a string.

Ken moved from his current location, using the smaller streets of the village to weave a path, burning everything in his way. The demons bounded after him, unfazed by the fire all around them. He stopped at a dead end, a high wall of stone blocking his path. It was created by the Kingdom years ago, to block out demons and protect survivors in case of a demon attack. Ken pushed a single stone brick, one slightly left of the central brick. The wall opened up on both sides and as Ken stepped through, the demons took a turn, reaching the same dead end. The demons rushed towards Ken, who cursed as the brick wall closed up, a little too late. 

One of the three demons had managed to successfully cross the wall before it closed and was now locked in combat with Ken. The fire knight swung his sword, which hit the demon square in the jaw. The demon stepped back, its mouth burnt by the sword. Not giving it a moment of rest, the knight charged, swinging his sword with such proficiency, that the demon seemed to stand no chance. But it was all in vain, as the demon quickly regenerated all its injuries, all of which did not cut through its hard skin, and screaming with wrath, the demon attacked Ken, slicing his right hand, and causing him to lose his weapon. The other demons had started to scale the wall, and a moment later, joined their companion.

Brik shouted when he saw Uncle Ken get injured and started running forward to save him. X tackled the kid, and placing his knee on Brik's chest, he turned his head away from the fight with both his hands. Briks struggled, but he was almost having a panic attack, and therefore his strength waned, and his anxiety grew. X knew why Brik wanted to save Uncle Ken. Even though he too wanted to save him, for the moment, he had to obey Uncle Ken's last words. "X, make sure he does not come back here." So he pushed Briks head away, and watched the fight, hoping that Uncle Ken would survive.

Even though his tricep muscle was torn, even though blood was leaking through that wound like a river, even though he was facing three enemies alone, and even though they were all stronger than him, Ken did not give up. No, he had to defeat as many demons as he could and make sure that the kids were safe. He had to keep his promise to Senior Ossibus. So he picked up his sword and charged at the demons, screaming. The demons were perplexed by his sudden attack, having half-expected him to die without retaliating. The knight used their surprise to attack, catching a demon off guard, and slashing at its chest with his sword, before kicking it back towards the wall.

The other two demons attacked, and he pushed forward, taking the slashes with their claws, and the impalings with the spikes on their back. The wounds marred his body, and blood rushed all over his body, but he did not give up. No, he attacked the demons mercilessly, and made sure that he would kill all of them before dying.

The demon that was kicked into the wall had unknowingly opened it. When Ken had kicked it, its body slammed into the hidden brick, and the wall slowly opened up. Ken saw this, and although he was about to drop from exhaustion, he pushed the demons towards the opened wall. He blocked a slash with his sword, then slashed at the other demon, who was charging at him. His sword slashed apart the demon's hand, metal breaking bone in one clean swing. The demon screamed in agony, but before it could reattach its hand, Ken burnt it, leaving nothing behind but ashes. Holding his two-handed sword with one hand, he punched the demon so hard, that it went crashing through the now-opened wall, and joined its brethren in the burning village. The knight then turned his body, swinging his sword with all that momentum, cutting off the head of the third demon, before stabbing it. Ken then tried to walk through the opened wall, when he realized that the dead demon had got him, the claws in its right hand embedded deep within his stomach.

He could not fall now. He pulled apart the claw, stifling his scream, and blood poured down. He then staggered towards the burning village, feeling dizzy from all the blood loss and exhaustion. The other two demons charged at him, undoubtedly pissed at their companion. He swung his sword, blocking off a demon, but the other one got him. Digging its claws deeper into the knight's unhurt arm, it clamped its jaw on his back, tearing through flesh. Ken dropped the sword, unable to wield it. He placed the other hand on top of the demon, making sure it could not move. Then he walked, straight to the flames. And the fire knight burnt, a Stage 2 demon also burning in his hand. The last surviving demon rushed towards the knight shrouded in flame and blood.

X saw the scene, and when he saw the demon bite Uncle Ken, he could not maintain his strength. At that moment, Brik, who had almost gone mad, turned his head, screaming curses at X. Then he closed his mouth. And watched in horror as Uncle Ken burnt. Watched as he sacrificed his life for Brik. The person who was responsible for his entire life, was practically his father. He watched silently along with his only friend, as the only surviving demon ripped him apart, tearing off his arms, then biting off his head from his body. X closed his eyes, unable to handle the sight, while the village burnt, and Uncle Ken's body was being dismantled. He lost all the strength in his arms, and when he opened his eyes, he saw an expression he had never seen on Brik's face. Anger. Not the normal anger he had multiple times a day. This was cold, steely wrath.

A single scream was heard throughout the region, echoing through the village, and the woods, and the fields. X was thrown aside by Brik like he was a doll. Brik rose, and when he did, his muscles pumped up, getting twice as large, struggling to expand under his tunics. Steam rose from X's body as he got ready to fight, ready to stop Brik from entering that village. But he was too late. Brik jumped in.

He walked up to the demon. The flames that burnt him did not bother him. The scream in his head did not bother him. The sound of his bones breaking did not bother him. Nothing bothered him except for the existence of the demon. The demon noticed him and charged, although it was heavily injured, and exhausted, and burnt. It came closer to the kid. Even closer. It could get its claw into his skin. Brik did not bother. He walked forward, even when the demon was charging towards him. The demon's claws scraped his skin, and at that moment, the scream in his head, and the sound of bone breaking, intensified. His vision went black. He fell down, the flames searing his skin, the demon's body lying down on top of him. 

X used Fire escape and reached the place where Brik was, fainted. On top of him was a demon, dead. Impaled by the bone claws that came out of Brik's knuckles. Brik Ossibus was right. His surname did mean bone. Out of his knuckles, sharper than swords, stronger than metal, his bone rose out, around twelve inches long. Shiny white, It was now covered in the red blood of the demon, and the blood that streamed down his knuckles. 

X removed the demon's body, covered Brik's scraped arm with a torn piece of his robe, and turned back. Walking to Uncle Ken's body, torn by the demon, he knelt, and his arms moved unconsciously, forming symbols in the air, and the body disintegrated into golden light. A fitting end for a hero. He then walked back to Briks house, tears pouring out of his eyes, holding his unconscious friend in his arms.