"Listen up. There isn't any adequate cover once we are near the centre," Sirus glanced down at Selvynee leopard-furred legs. "Since you're a leopard, I'm counting on you to be agile on your feet, yeah?"
Sirus took his gaze off her and locked eyes with the red ogre.
"Heh. You can bet I'll be faster on my feet than you." Selvynee teased.
"Let's put it to the test shall we?" Sirus glanced back with a smirk.
Without warning, Sirus leapt from cover, dashing towards the red ogre in a wide arc.
Selvynee startled by how casually he broke from cover, she gave her cheeks a light smack and took off in the opposite direction of Ashfang, also going in a wide arc. Dashing towards the red ogres weak point.
…
The red ogre's nostrils flared as it caught Sirus's scent-ash and something far more terrifying. Its glowing eyes, once dull with bloodlust, widened with a flicker of primal recognition This wasn't any ordinary prey.
This was something else. Something is wrong. It snarled, tusks dripping with spit as it took a step back, confused by its own fear.
"Demon!" the red ogre bellowed, its voice guttering snarl of confusion and dread. Taking another step back, fist tightening as its gaze traced the unnatural gleam in the demon red glowing eyes, the eerie calm etched into his face. "No…no…" It muttered to itself. A demon shouldn't be this far out. Not one that's unleashing such crushing bloodlust, mixed with the demon overwhelming aura. The red ogre saw a hallucination. The demon appeared much larger than itself. Blood. Blood pooled around the demon's feet. This wasn't any ordinary demon.
Its instincts warred with the tremble in its bones.
"What have I done to have offended you demon!" It roared, voice crackling with primal fear as it staggered back.
Sirus' eyes blinked side-ways. Momentarily puzzled by the red ogre reaction. He glanced at Selvynee-swiftly circling behind the ogre-and gave her a subtle nod.
Then he stopped, twenty meters away, the distance precise and deliberate. He narrowed his eyes, choosing his words carefully.
The red ogre knees buckled to the stone floor with a sickening thud. Stone cracking beneath its weight like brittle glass.
Siruss took a slow breath, crimson eyes glowing faintly as the air around him shimmered with quiet menace. The red ogre already broken-its mind flooded with memories it never lived, warning passed through bloodlines.
"You have not offended me ogre," Sirus spoke calmly. Staring with a calculated stare. "I'm here simply for your head." He spoke, taking small steps towards the red ogre
'I haven't met an ogre before. Much less this one in particular. A similar situation happened a while back. With that goblin named… Big Glob? Do these sentient monsters all fear demons instinctively?' Sirus slowly approaches-stopping 5 metres from the red ogre.
"You see, while I am here for you head. I was hoping for a worthy fight, I got my blood all boiled for nothing. Tch."
The red ogre slightly parted its tusked jaw-with an audible gulp.
The red ogre's breath hitched as it sensed movement behind it-quick, light and purposeful. Its eyes darted back to the demon, then shifted in panic toward the side.
There, just barely visible in its peripheral vision, a snow leopard girl closed in.
"No… please," the ogre muttered, trembling. Its claws fumbled at its lower back, ripping apart the bone-stitched gem at its lower back. With a choked howl, it plunged its massive claws into the cavity, just above its tail bone, skin tearing, bone cracking.
Sirus didn't move. He only watched, silent and unreadable, as the red ogre roared in agony, blood spraying across the stone like a fountain of shame.
With a final wrench, the ogre yanked out a glowing red gem, slick with gore. Panting, it turned-arms extended, trembling-and held it towards Selvynee, with its head down.
"I give! Take it, please. Please, I hope this is enough in exchange for my meaningless life!" It croaked, eyes no longer burning with bloodlust, but wide and pleading.
Selvynee slowed, lips parted in surprise, her mismatched eyes-blue and white-reflecting the ruby gleam of the gem.
Sirus tilted his head slightly, his voice quiet-surprised.
"Well… that's a first."
Even he couldn't hide the flicker of confusion, marking his face
'What kind of demon did this ogre think I was? No, it's not me but what I am.'
The red ogre, mistaking the demon's confusion, bowed further and gently placed the gem in front of his feet.
Its voice still guttering but with respect. "I give this ruby gem, within it holds great magic. If you devour this gem. You, as a demon, will inherit its fiery powers for your own," Still not daring to lift up its head, it spoke further with plea. "I wish this is enough, my lord. To spare my life." It pleaded with visible fear.
"I can inherit fire powers?" Sirus whispered, now even more confused by the situation. Shaking his thoughts. He replied. "I will accept this offering, but as I said, I came for your head. But seeing you like this," Sirus' crimson eyes glanced at the red ogre fingers. "A finger of your choice will suffice. I need proof of your defeat."
Selvynee, still shocked-and confused by the situation, walked beside Ashfang and whispered into his ear.
"Why do you need it's finger as proof?" She whispered, her voice laced with pity
Sirus glanced to his side and murmured back. "I'll tell you later." He replied. Waiting for the red ogre reply.
"Of course, m-my lord." The red ogre raised its hand, pointing shakily to its right ring finger.
Sirus nodded, retrieved his dagger from Selvynee, and looked up.
"I'll make it swift." He spoke with calm, swinging the blade like a whisper. One clean cut.
The red ogre pulled back its hand towards its chest as it let out another guttering roar. Blood splattering all over Sirus's chest, staining his bare chest.
He turned, walking back down the mountain with measured steps, he spoke out. "Selvynee, let's go. We're done here."
Selvynee taking one last glance at the pitiful ogre, before hurrying to Ashfang side.
The red ogre's whimpers echoed faintly down the mountain. The forest reacting to its ple.
"I feel bad for the ogre, Ashfang. Did you really need to take its finger as well?" Selvynee whispered, her voice laced with pity.
Sirus not replying straight away, as he stared at the hand sized red gem in his clawed hand. His thoughts unknown.
Without looking at her, he replied softly. "I came here because of a request from a mayor, who wanted its head as proof. But a finger from the ogre shall suffice," This time looking at her. "We're heading to a human town named kurts. I believe it's the same one your slavers were taking you to?"
Selvynee's heart skipped a beat, her voice trembling as she frozen-mid step. "You're not… planning to get rid of me? Going to s-sell me are you. Ashfang?" Her voice cracked with fear.
Sirus stopping in his tracks, glancing back with visible confusion on his crimson eyed face. Without hesitation, he walked back and pulled her into an unexpected-firm hug. He spoke with clear determination.
"You serious?. Why would I ever do such a thing? I promise, I would never discard you like a thing only to be sold off to some fucking human slavers," His voice low-fierce. He pulled back, clawed hand resting on her shoulders, eyes burning. Gently spoke-looking at her mismatched eyes, tears swelling up in her gentle face. "Don't ever. And I mean ever. Think you're some useless thing to be discarded whenever. As long as you choose to stay beside me. You will always be welcome to stay with me. That's a promise."
Sirus gently let go of her shoulder and continued walking back down.
Selvynee wiped her tears, eyes shining with relief.
"Hmm!" she chirped softly, falling into step beside him once more.
'Now I need to get all of this shit off myself. Tch' He lamented as he glanced down at his bloodied figure.