72 Broken family (1/2)

Part 1

”I'm going to kill you!! Do you hear me??? I'm going to tear all your limbs and feed on your corpses!!!”

”...” x 5

The whole group was staring at the screaming demon banging her hands and legs against the energy bubble created by Auren and Ria. Ria stared at her friends and was hit by curiosity after seeing Evlin sleeping on top of Gustav's horseback, Daren holding his monster form during the day, Lilith looking like she was about to throw up and Auren fixing his empaled shoulder.

”What in the world happened while I was unconscious...???”

Gustav just looked at her with a tired face that said ”It's a long story...”. He proceeded to catch up Ria on everything that happened. About how while she was passed out after being traumatized by the spider-cave, the dryad started to try taking over Ashely's body by feeding on the negative emotions released from the pain of the members of the group.

Ria was surprised to wake up in the middle of a fight and seeing Ashley attacking everyone out of nowhere. Luckily, Gustav noticed Ria waking up and quickly came up with a plan using his telepathy to caught her off-guard using Daren as bait.

”Gustav, Lilith... Let me help you two with your wounds...”

”Thanks, Auren...”

Auren was finally done fixing his own shoulder back to normal and attended the other two who were injured. Ria was still confused about Evlin and Daren.

”OK, that explains what happened to Ashley, but what about these two?”

She pointed at Daren who was staring at his body looking just as surprised as she was.

”I'm not sure myself... I think my curse gets stronger in this place for some reason... It feels kinda weird...”

Ria was watching him carefully and realizing she never really took a good look at Daren in his lion form since he always did it at night and made it very hard to see what he actually looked like.

”Whoa... You're way more intimidating than I imagined...”

”Huh... Thanks... I guess...”

”And what about her?”

Gustav approached her and tried to clear her remaining confusion after Auren finished fixing his wounds.

”I think she is suffering from magic exhaustion... She should be fine in a couple of hours. Just let her sleep a little longer. The threat is over now.”

The plant-demon slammed her hands against the energy bubble after hearing that comment.

”Is it?”

Gustav and the rest watched as she started to burn her hands while pressing herself against the shield.

”W- What are you doing??”

”Since I failed to beat you guys, I might as well just take one down with me... Say goodbye to li'l' old Ash!!”

Drya started to push her own body even further against the bubble and the blessed energy started to burn her. Gustav and the rest watched this scene and began to scream.

”Stop!!! Are you crazy!!!???

”Crazy??? Are you kidding me?? I have never been saner in my whole life!!”

She pushed even further and the energy became even stronger.

”The feeling of pain you all will send towards me while you watch stick-girl's sister going up in flames will be the best snack I've ever had!! The perfect final meal!!! Come on!! Its time to make ASh turn into literal ashes!!! Hahahahahaha!!”

”Stop!!! Stooop!!”

Gustav didn't know what to do. Drya was trying to kill herself and taking Ashley with her. He needed to do something before it was too late.

”Ria!! Auren!! Release the barrier!! Do it now!!!”

”O- Ok!!”

The two panicked and followed the command and the energy bubble disappeared. Drya landed on the snow beneath her feet and looked at them with a wide grin.

”Suckers!!!!”

She extended her arms after turning them into vines and pulled herself towards the top of a building.

”Looking forward to playing more with you all! Until next time!!”

”Waaaait!!!”

Gustav yelled at her in despair while Ria and Auren tried to entrap her again. However, Drya managed to dodge it this time and disappeared into the city.

Gustav fell on his knees with a defeated look on his face.

”No...”

Daren came closer and placed his claw on his shoulder.

”Don't worry! I'll track her scent and catch up to her with my speed!”

He was about to rush towards the runaway dryad, but before he even moved, many demons and monsters began to approach. They all started to come out from inside of the buildings and houses as if the presence of Drya was scaring them off. Many abominations of nature who looked like unnatural combinations of parts of the human body with different animals of every size and color.

The group gazed upon the horde of beasts moving closer and closer towards them and realized that they were in a bind. Daren could catch up with Drya but none of the other members were in a condition to fight so many enemies at once without him.

Daren tried to find Drya in the distance, but she was long gone already. He exchanged a look with Gustav and the others and realized that they would have no choice but to go after Drya later.

Ria and Auren joined his side wearing their energy shields in hand, and the three charged into the horde to start the fight.

Gustav them looked at Evlin who was still in deep sleep and whispered a few words after accepting his failure to secure her sister.

”I'm sorry...”

Part 2

The group finally finished cleaning up all of the demons that were attacking them and started to follow Daren to their original destination.

”... It's here...”

Daren signaled to the building in front of them that they were searching for for so long, the church of the south god.

The team entered the place and fell on the chairs that were inside to finally catch their breath and take a little rest.

Gustav in his centaur body, Lilith in her harpy body, Auren as a minotaur, Ria as a dragon-lady, and Evlin still sleeping in her griffin body. They all felt like they were taking part in a marathon ever since they entered the mountain and that this was the first time they could catch a break.

Daren was also looking like a monster still in his lion form, which caught Ria's attention.

”Daren, the monsters are gone... You can turn it off now...”

”... I can't...”

”...?”

”I can't change back to my human form...”

”What...??”

Daren looked at his own hands that were now a pair of black-haired claws.

”I'm not sure... I think I absorbed too much cursed energy...”

”... Maybe you can change back after we leave the kingdom...”

”... I hope so...”