Devastation

On C- Tier planet #67886...

I was excited. I had just ascended to the rank of Proficient in wind magic, which I found was my attunement on the first try. To make it even better, I was only 16, making me the youngest on this planet to ascend along with probably being the third strongest here. Pride flooded through my body at the thought of that.

The only downside was that I was Tier D, meaning my mana reserves were low. Although I knew five spells in wind magic, realistically, I could only cast six before growing tired. It didn't matter that much, though, as I had more than enough time to improve it. I wanted to know more spells instead of increasing my mana or decreasing my chanting time. 

I finally made it home, a town called Dulbarn, a progressive, sprawling town known for its produce. I was born and raised here but soon; I would have to leave. As I ran past the field, a nostalgic feeling washed over me as I appreciated the wheat swaying in the wind one last time. I run to a wooden cabin, just outside the town walls. 

Opening the door, I'm instantly attacked in hugs by my little brother and sister. "Robin!" Returning their hug, I look up to see my mom and dad come around the corner. My dad didn't have his knight's uniform on because he took the day off for my evaluation. 

"So? How'd it go?" My mom asks expectantly. 

I put on my saddest face. "Well, I tried my best." My parents share a sad look. 

"Oh. Robin. I'm sorry. Don't worry, there's always next year. We're proud to call you our daughter regardless of the result." My dad says to comfort me as they embrace me in a hug. 

Smiling, I reveal, "You can call your daughter a Proficient wind mage now." My words hang in the air for a second as they process them. Then, understanding hits their faces as they begin cheering. 

"I knew you would pass. I remember the determination on your face as you would spend hours a day practicing the same spell." Mom says.

"Come, we have a celebration planned for you at the tavern." Her dad announces. In excitement, everyone goes to get ready, which takes us about half an hour. Apparently, everyone was anticipating my ascension, as even the guards had a pleasant greeting for me as we entered the town. Random people whose names I didn't even know would walk up and just give me gifts.

Making it to the tavern, outside, my tutor is there waiting for us. I rush forward to give him a hug. 

"You worked hard, Robin. Enjoy your days now before you have to leave." He explains. A bit of sadness washes over the family as they hear his words. Until my dad steps in. 

"Bah. How about we make it hard for her to leave by making the best memories." Which brings smiles to our faces as we head inside. As I enter, cheers erupt. My ascension to Proficient would make this town all the more famous. Regardless, I decided to follow my tutor and dads' orders and had the time of my life. I even tried ale for the first time, before wisely deciding it wasn't for me. It wasn't until the sun was beginning to set before we started to go home. 

We slowly made our way down the city streets as they celebrated as well. My brother was in my mom's arms, while my sister rested in my dad's arms with my tutor speaking to them. Looking at them, I silently wished that this day wouldn't end, and I didn't have to go.

Then, I felt it. An unknown power filled me with a sense of dread as I started looking around for its source. Making eye contact with my tutor, I could tell he too felt it. All around us, people got the sense that something was wrong, as uneasiness settle on the crowd. A nearby scream makes me look as a woman looks fearfully at the sky, which directs my attention as well.

My heart drops as I see a literal crack in the sky. We could see through them into the void beyond, sending chills down my spine. Then, fear grips me, as long white fingernails grip the sky, pulling it back to spread further. We watch as a shadowy figure with curved pointed feet step out of the void, as the sky pulls back closed behind it. 

This presence, this aura, its form, it had to be a demon. There was no doubt about that. But I've never heard of one being so huge. The demon looks at the various people in the street before it takes a thunderous step down the street, making people go back on alert. My tutor springs into action, as he begins chanting. The demons' eyes snap over to my tutor, as it opens its mouth. A long tongue whips out towards him, and my tutor stops chanting to dodge the attack. 

Recovering, my tutor rolls back to his feet before looking at the confused faces on the street. "What are you guys standing around for? We're getting attacked by a demon!" He shouts. His words send everyone in a panic, as they seem to just begin running around frantically, even though the demon was extremely hard to miss right in front of them. 

The demon responds with its tongue whipping out and wrapping around a random person, who it brings screaming into its mouth. The persons scream cut off as its jaws close shut around them. People realize where the demon is now based on that action and begin to run away from that direction. The demons tongue speeds up, grabbing person after person as they struggle to get away from it. 

As I stand watching this go down, petrified, a nearby scream snaps me out of my stupor. In their panic, the crowd who was rushing to get away, knocked into my parents, who dropped my brother and sister. My mother reaches out for one of my siblings, as the demon's tongue wraps around her leg. We can all but watch as she is brought to the demon's mouth, with the teeth closing around her.

Tears stream down my eyes, as without even knowing it, I hurl my best spell at the demon. A wind blade arcs and slices at the demon's mask. Connecting, the wind blade dissipates, not even affecting the demon and its eyes flick over to me. My tutor stares at me stunned, as he mutters, "You just cast that without chanting." His words go over my head, however, as I can only think about my mom.

My father grabs the sword from a nearby knight. "Look at its footprint, it's right in front of us. Men, on me." He says rallying them to him. They begin their charge, as my tutor and I provide support for them. He chants, while in rage, I send wind blade after wind blade at the demon. 

Using its fingers, it flicks the wind blades away from itself nonchalantly as it looks down at the approaching soldiers. They reach him, and blindly strike out in the air in front of them. My father stabs at where he thinks the demon is, only for his weapon to stop and snap in half. 

I watch as the demon merely raises its foot. Knowing what it intends to do, I scream out, "Watch out!" As I continue to send wind blades to distract it. They bounce off its mask or just get absorbed into its dark cloak, as the men begin to scramble away from it. I watch in horror as I lock eyes with my father just as the demon brings down its foot. 

Despair floods my body, as I fall to my knees on the ground. The demon walks forward, his tongue continuing to grab random people who are running from it as it nears us. My tutor looks over to me, then back to the demon, before saying a quick chant. Wind surrounds his legs as he rushes over to me, grabs me, and starts running away from the demon. As he runs, I spy my little brother and sister, still crying on the street, getting further away from me.

"Wait. We have to go back for them." I plead to my tutor.

Without turning back, he replies, "You're more of a priority. You can cast chantless spells. Right now, you're our best hope to defeating that demon until the church arrives."

Refusing to accept his answer, I pound on his back in protest until I feel a dark energy, making me look at the demon. Its eyes are locked onto us, as it channels mana in front of its mouth, which gives me a bad feeling. Before I can say something to my tutor, the demon swallows the orb, and a beam of negative energy sweeps down the street, causing explosions as it passes.

As it nears us, I hold out my hand and a gust of wind knocks me and my tutor out of the beam's direct path, but the explosion sends us flying further. The beam continues laying waste to the town, as it reaches to the edge of the other wall then back towards the center. Nothing stands in its way, as I look in horror at the devastation it's capable of. 

Within seconds, everyone, and everything was being decimated by this creature who only certain people could see it. And he wanted me to face this? Next to me, I hear a painful moaning, which brings my attention to it. My tutor stirs from the wreckage of a destroyed building, and I help him up. His entire left side is burnt from the explosion, but the approaching footsteps of the demon signals that we have to escape. He was all I had left, and I didn't want to lose him too. Slinging his good arm over my shoulder, we escape the destroyed town into the nearby woods. 

We run for a couple of minutes before he falls to the ground, breathing hard. "Stop right here, I need to rest." Leaning against a hollow tree, I try to not think about what just happened as tears continue to fall down my face. Then I feel it again, that horrible aura. Looking up, the air folds back as the demon steps out of the sky once again. Fearfully, I fall to the ground at its sudden appearance. 

"No matter what happens, Robin, you need to survive. Avenge us." My tutor says. Before I can stop him, he struggles to his feet and runs towards the demon, chanting. In a panic, I scramble inside the hollow tree to hide from the demon. From inside, I can vaguely see the fight, as my tutor unleashes a tornado that doesn't even affect the demon. I close my eyes as I watch the demon's tongue whip out and bring a figure to its mouth. 

Not hearing it go away, I open my eyes to find it looking in my direction. My breath stills as I hope it doesn't see me. Its footsteps shake the ground as it walks a closer to my hiding spot. I hold my breath, and don't move as its eyes search the area around where I currently am. That horrible dark energy begins to gather at its mouth once again, as I begin to grow scared, recognizing that attack that meant nothing but destruction. 

A beam of destruction passes through my area, launching me from the tree I was hiding in, as it continues throughout the forest. Landing heavily on my back at the demons' feet, I watch as the beam sweeps across the forest, leaving nothing in the distance. Pain racks my body, as I feel it's dark aura by how close I to it. Luckily the remains of a tree cover my body as its haunting eyes survey the area. When it looks at the ground at its feet, my breath stills, as I find myself wishing that it puts me out of my misery. 

Closing my eyes, not wanting to see my own demise, there is nothing but silence as I wait for it to finish me off. After a couple of minutes, I hear a footstep, then another as the demon begins to walk away. Opening my eyes, I can see the demon walking north slowly until it's nothing but a speck in the horizon. Even after it disappears, I don't move in case it's a trick. In fact, I don't think I can move, as pain keeps me laying on my back. With nothing but the night sky to look at, I don't even notice as I black out.