The Fiend #25

The Fiend #25

link:

https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/50849449

-----

Well, well, well," Durga, a vampire of Alexander Warren's coven in Newark, welcomed the hunter Elizabeth Sharpe and the devil with a human heart Daniella Reynolds, the Fiend.

They were in her presence, amidst her fellow vampires and human thralls under their servitude; in a warehouse just along the aic River on a port.

She had not seen these two in quite some time; her first encounter with them was one where she was left injured by the Fiend, and had been accidentally spared from a true death when the Fiend and Elizabeth first met that half-moon night.

To see the Fiend again, the one who had her near death's door, was both an exciting and infuriating thing.

A rematch was in order and Durga intended to have it against the demoness that allies herself with humans.

"Oh how I waited for this," chuckled Durga at the two, mostly towards the Fiend. "Do you kicking me so hard that my entire sternum shattered? I barely dragged myself out while you bickered with the bloodbag you're now with. Guess you are on good now. Doesn't matter, other than more blood for the collection."

The vampires readied themselves with claws, guns, and fangs all set to be used on the duo who hunts them down.

Elizabeth didn't hesitate to ready herself with the pistol blessed with silver to kill those of the undead. She looked at the Fiend and said, "Think you can manage this?"

The Fiend grinned to this question by her human partner. "These fools are pretending to be a predator of the night," said the Fiend, "while I am a true one. You just be careful, Lisa."

"Heh. Sound like a real she-devil," Elizabeth grinned.

With that did the two rush in, battle-ready and taking on the vampires and thralls head on.

The human hunter was efficient in her aim, as silver rends the flesh of the undead that were in her sights; a bullet for one and a bullet for another, whizzing through the air and cutting through the bodies with ease. Blood splashing from agitated wounds before another bullet pierced the heart to bring upon a finale to undeath.

From the one who housed a human heart in a demon's body was a savage and violent sight for both undead and the living. Her clawed hands tearing apart the heads of those who could not deny by mortal wounds alone, and bashing the brains of the thralls attempting to subdue her with guns and knives; an ill attempt at felling her to no avail as she roars and mows them down like grass.

The battle was grand but one-sided as each vampire were reduced to truly lifeless corpses with their servants following suit.

Durga observed with a gun in hand and a hatchet in the other, and smiled gleefully at the carnage made by their adversaries inside the building.

"And I thought my night was going to be boring." She had said this while eyeing the two and then rushing in to the fray. Her target was for the human woman, raising her hatchet and swinging at her head swiftly to crack open her skull. But in an act of reflexes honed from years of combating these creatures, Elizabeth barely dodged and kicked her away; pistol rising to open fire on the vampire who performed movements that had her like a blur. Every bullet that was fired missed their mark with one of them grazing along Durga's cheek. With a laugh did Durga move on and swipe wildly to hack at Elizabeth that did her best to dodge the blows that led to a fatal end.

The Fiend would see this as she was just tearing out a vampire's heart, crushing it, and then growling.

"Get away from her," roared the Fiend and ran to attack Durga's Blindspot.

However, a smirk appeared on Durga, spinning around with a kick backwards to knock Elizabeth away; and raising the hatchet would she meet the Fiend's fist to block a powerful blow. The ground where she stood had cracked underneath the demoness's attack. A cold sweat formed on Durga as she smiled widely from having defended the powerful blow.

"I'm ready this time baby," she chimed at her larger opponent, "I'll make sure to hack away at you until you can't regenerate!"

"Big words for a dead-man walking," retorts the Fiend with a growl at the end of it.

-----

Richard Holden was standing in front of the window of his home. In his hands were two bottles of beer, their caps popped already to have left a faint vapor from within.

"Now I can't stress this enough when I say that this is important, and that I need it to be done as soon as possible. I can't risk a factor like this after what has happened some time back. So when I made with you, I needed to make sure that you are one-hundred percent legit in your work. And I resll trust that you are legit, Miss...?"

He turned around and saw a tight muscled female, sporting long crimson hair, yellow eyes with slits in them, and markings on her cheeks as she sported a confident smile.

"Jael. Just call me that. And none of the 'miss' talk like I'm some old granny." This woman would grab hold of one of the beers Richard had in his hands. She raised her left index finger along the side of the bottle's neck, and quickly sliced it off without signs of effort in the bizarre act. She then began to drink from the bottle that looked more like a cup.

"Woo~ Tastes cheap, but better than the fancy-schmancy crap I have to deal with from clients."

"I'm glad you like it. Now then, on to business, Miss Jael."

"E~~h. Yeah, yeah, you want me to kill some demon, right? Well what does it look like?"

Richard would take from his pocket a folded up picture to show Jael what he had; unfolding it three times to show the image of someone he knew:

It was the Fiend

Jael observed the photo of the demoness in it, and grinned to it. "That's your demon? It looks more like a naked fool with a bad haircut than a demon. Are you sure this isn't some bit?"

She asked while taking a swig of the beer again. Richard nodded to answer her question and said, "She may not appear much like a demon, but she has the power and strength to accommodate for the lack of features." He sipped his beer and continued by saying, "I need her to be destroyed. Do you think you can handle that, Jael?"

Upon this question, Jael finished the beer and wiped it off her chin. A fire in her eyes and a smile were aimed at the man in response. "Well? Do we have a deal? The pay is fair and I won't go higher if you're attempting to intimidate me. I've faced worse."

"No no no, I'm not trying to scare you, Richie-boy," said Jael, "I'm just curious on why you need a demon dead without the aid of your Order."

"None of your concern nor business, so long as I pay you, correct?"

"... True. Long as this demon of yours can give me a good time, I'm not gonna complain. I'll make sure to have her head for my reward. And i expect that pay to be in full or I'll be taking your head too."

Richard nodded and looked at the woman who remained to be confident in her abilities to take on a demon -- well partly demon anyway.

He had planned this after that month back, knowing that his protege(Elizabeth)had shown a great fondness for Daniella Reynolds; witnessing her be kissed by Elizabeth, and now concerned for Elizabeth's loyalty as one of the Order.

"This has to be done," thought Richard, "there's no other way. The Fiend must be killed...Daniella Reynolds must die for the integrity of the Order. May God have mercy on me for what I have done."

The wheels of fate turn at this very moment.

-----

Elizabeth would have her hands full with two vampires attacking her with claws, swiping at her as she spins around them and fired her gun at one, and holding the other in place with her magic.

"Telekinesis," said Elizabeth to the vampire as it struggled and hissed in place. "I learned this from someone I hope to take down," she continued and lifted the vampire into the air, focusing her will to contort him. A bloodcurdling cry of agony erupts as he was torn apart:

Arms and legs ripped from the ts, before the head of was pulled off as well.

She couldn't help but smile at the brutality of her magic.

Then did she proceed to move through the warehouse to find more and destroy them.

As she had been busy with that, the Fiend was busy with Durga in a clash of deadly claws and a cleaving hatchet. Sparks fly through the air as they met each other with speed and strength that no ordinary man could match with; fist swinging, hatchet cleaving, but a stalemate remained with either side given out.

Durga smiled widely, eyes glowing red from the fun she was having, unable to contain the excitement of her chance of taking down the she-devil that has wrought havoc onto the vampires of Newark.

Her hatchet would finally embed into the taller person's shoulder, spilling her blood. But retaliation was swift as the Fiend's fist smacked right into her jaw to send her backwards and sliding on her feet.

"... Ptoo..." The vampire spat out her own blood with the feeling of a fractured jaw slowly mending itself underneath the skin. She could see the Fiend remove the hatchet from her body, and watched the bloody gash close itself up; a difference in their healing abilities was obvious. Yet she couldn't quit -- not now! Too soon -- too early -- too much fun! It was fun!

Her bloodlust clouded her senses, the vampire's claws sharpened like talons as she screamed loudly with a burst of great speed that caught the Fiend off guard. Four red lines appeared on both arms that guarded against the speeding slashes.

"Fast...," thought the Fiend as her back was the next to be cut. In a mere instant was she in the center of a whirlwind filled with laughter and hissing. Her enemy was enjoying herself in a sadistic glee. A grin soon appeared on her own face, and a growl followed with it.

Harnessing energy that started from her forehead, shifting it to cover her body in an aura of a pinkish glow. And with a loud "raaah!!" had the Fiend dispersed it around her. Durga appeared once more as she was knocked back into the wall and onto the floor. She groaned and saw the Fiend make her way over, saying, "This time I won't hesitate to kill you. Your head will be severed from your body."

"H-Heh...funny. But I knew it wasn't going to be easy to injure you," replied Durga with a smile present. Quickly from her pocket, a detonator revealed itself, and with the press of her thumb, beeping appeared from below the floor they were on.

KA-THOOM!!!!

A great explosion erupted, sending the Fiend down with a roar towards Durga who held onto the ledge. "I doubt that will kill you, but it'll buy me enough time to take out that human friend of yours. Need to feed to heal quickly if I'm gonna go round 3 with you." She picked herself up and winced from the pain in her body, and moved to find Elizabeth.

-----

"Yeah, this looks like a twisted version of a laundry mat. Poor bastards."

Elizabeth stood in front of a large freezer containing men and women packaged like sandwiches in large bags. Tubes flowed with their blood that entered machines that harvested it for the vampires. A disgusted look made itself present on Elizabeth's face as she began to destroy the machines with a crowbar that was lying about on the floor. Sparks and metal parts sprinkled the grounds as she bashed them to bits; destroying them so it could not be used nor the blood in them be saved. After finishing them off, she looked at the people who were no better than livestock to the vampires and sighed softly.

She thought to herself, "There's no saving them. These guys kept them like this for a long time, they're more braindead than alive. It be a mercy to finish them off and leave none left to be used again. Sorry about this."

Her left hand formed a sign and conjured her flames. The flames became a spout that covered the livestock in an undying inferno that took little time to spread to the rest.

"I'm not so religious, but I'd like to believe that where you're going is a hell of a lot better than here."

"Now that's not nice. I thought we were cruel, but you burned those poor souls without as much of a blink. Are you really human?"

Elizabeth turned and saw Durga appear from the doorway, smiling her way with fangs out.

"How did...?"

"Your friend is strong, but stupid to fall for a trap. Gives me enough time to feed and heal before trying again. And your blood happens to be the only thing to patch me right up."

"Feh," scoffed Elizabeth. "Only way I'll let you sink your teeth into me, is with me dead."

Durga chuckled and hissed. "As you wish, girl," she said and ran at her with her claws out, hissing with a violent look in her eyes. It was barely avoidable for Elizabeth who stepped to the side, raising her gun to introduce her to the blessed rounds of her pistol.

Shots fired, each missing their target who spun and ran about like the wind. Durga laughed joyously as as she moved in again, swiping at the human to cut her down and draw blood. It was as if they were following steps to the beat of music known only to them; shooting and slashing but not making it home to their marks.

It was after a whole round of this that Elizabeth's shoulder bled with four marks made by the grazing of those claws. Durga would laugh, grab her by the neck, and slammed her on top of a table that broke underneath the sudden weight forced onto it.

"That was fun," said Durga with a sadistic smile, "but I'm going to drain you of every drop of blood you can offer. Then you may die~"

Her mouth opened wide to show those fangs ready to sink into the base of Elizabeth's throat.

But then, suddenly to Durga's surprise, Elizabeth performed a sign with her hand between their faces.

"You should know when to stop talking and just kill somebody," retorted Elizabeth to the vampire. The hand that performed it's sign would discharge fire right into Durga's face.

A painful cry quickly came out of Durga, letting go of her intended prey as her face was submerged by the flames.

Elizabeth knew that it wasn't going to be be enough, and went to raise her gun. However, in an act of desperation to escape the flames, Durga lunged forward into a window; glass flying through the air with her out of the warehouse and hurdling down into the black waters of the ocean nearby.

"Damnit," cursed Elizabeth at this before turning and seeing the Fiend appear inside the large room. "What took you so long?"

"I got buried under a small mountain of concrete and dirt," answered the Fiend. She looked around to see the burning bodies of the packaged humans. Their scent to her was a sickly sweet smell that both made her look on in disbelief. "Don't think about it. They were already dead and had to be destroyed to severe the vampires' blood trade." Elizabeth had said this, although telling half the truth to her to give the demonic-looking woman a clear conscious about the victims and their unfortunate fate.

"But unfortunately one got away. I burned her good, so she'll probably retreat into whatever hole she has in the city."

"... Then we'll finish her next time," replied the Fiend. She saw Elizabeth's shoulder and kneeled down to observe the wounds. "You're bleeding," she said flatly.

"Nothing cauterizing can't fix" answered Elizabeth, igniting her hand before pressing it against the bleeding wound. Her teeth gritted as her skin burned and closed the minor injury.

They would soon after make their way outside the warehouse, making sure nothing was left to be used by their enemies.

Elizabeth was feeling good. Real good. Having Daniella back with her, even if it were just for the night, felt good; someone whom she felt close with and could truly consider to be a close friend. But what happens now that they are done there? Would they work together again like before or fo their separate ways -- to their own lives that are different, like water to fire. When she looked at the Fiend, who was now Daniella Reynolds again in a sheet covering her body, the blonde felt her heart throb. And she stopped walking while looking at her.

"Ella...?"

"Hm?"

Daniella turned around to see Elizabeth look at her, and stopped to turn around. "What is it? You okay?"

".... Come back to the Order, Ella."

"You know I can't do that, Lisa. Not after what I know, not after what I've been through with them and their lies."

"I get that, but I'm not asking you to come back for their sake; I'm asking you because of me. I... I miss this. I miss having you as my partner. The world can get stuffed for all I care, and same foes for the old men who think they're something on there pedestals. But with you there with me, taking on the monsters of the night with me, I know that I can be happy."

"Lisa... I can't. I'm sorry but I just can't--"

Their conversation was abruptly interrupted by the sound of a loud landing behind them. Dust scattered into the air to cloud their vision.

Daniella and Elizabeth saw something appear from the cloud, a red glowing eye aimed right at them.

"So you're the Fiend, eh? Kind of surprising that a demon can maintain a human form. You must be strong then."

From the cloud, a tall woman with red hair emerged, adorning an unorthodox set of attire with a japanese kaze belt around her waist, markings on her face, and a body that was as strong as an ox. She smiled at the Raven haired woman, and said, "This will be fun."

If one wants to see what transpired between these three, the next installment will answer this.

To be continued

(Image of Jael belongs to the "Tenkaichi" manga)