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Incubus: Virgin Virus

-By FurryYunSeong/AitosSaibankan-

-Chapter Twenty-one-

• Last Chapter: -

Hoyt and his chosen entourage were recruiting help at Paul's base, one located at the arid center of the demon realm. Inside, the group was ambushed by some crazed demons that posed as soldiers. Many of them lost their dignity, and now they had knowledge that something else was afloat.

---

So, we find ourselves in a very complicated situation. We all were hurt and on the ground, scattered and tired. An army of some onyx black puppets were sent against us, and we would take one out and another instantly replacing it. Only recently did they stopped popping up. Now if any of us could actually move...

Our enemy's motivation was hard to pin. They weren't trying to outright kill us. Sure, we infiltrated their fancy building. But, they wanted us alive, it seemed. I was starting to think that this was a planned dance to make us trip into a test tube. Why?...

We had time to think; that's all we could do. It was easy picking to kill us now, all laid on the floor with no strength left. The marionettes were gone, a black mess of chippings and pieces on the ravaged floor. The lady that made them was just staring at us coldly, emotionless, and just plain bored.

This wouldn't have happened if it Xeno was with us. Mr. Xeno, a very powerful werewolf, was our trump card. They may have planned this thing, but they surely weren't counting on a superpowered wolfman to be helping us. Lestat appeared out of nowhere; no one expected him to be in this place, out of any. Still, he managed a last minute ace of his own, by teleporting Xeno with himself to another place or another dimension. Surely they weren't dead, but where were they?...

Now we could only wait for the wolf to pop back here. And for Hayden and Gai; they were getting reinforcements. Thanks to Xeno, the dark demon was convinced that he could effectively warp between dimensions and into specific locations with that ability of his, darkness manipulation. In the midst of the marionette rush, I asked them to just go and get Hoyt and the rest. It was unknown how possibly that really was and just how wrong an idea it might be, but it was probably the only other option we had.

For the time being all we could do was think and try to recuperate. Try to remember what went wrong. Everything went wrong so quickly...

***

• "This place is well defended. You all may be stronger than any human, but their weapons strike out any advantage we might have if they spot us." - Xeno was explaining, talking about fire arms.

We all were on vantage point where the whole west wing was visible. It was the middle of the day. Let me tell you, it was a huge complex.

The werewolf had laid out a sort of plan. We were to enter through one of they vehicle gates, since that way we would be most hidden. Xeno was focusing a lot on Hayden, his powers of darkness were perfect for stealth. The dark demon was a little shy with his powers, and wasn't sure of what he could do.

• "Understand that your powers are an extension of you, your aura. The same way you manipulate your body with your mind, you can manipulate the shadows. Bodies have pretty strict limits, but something as abstract as the darkness knows little limits." - Xeno said to Hayden a few minutes later. The dark demon looked unsure.

• "You can do this." - Gai also urged him.

As he continued with the plan, we were to hide behind a truck's shadow, at the only guard's blindspot. Hayden would make us fully invisible with a cloak of darkness.

Twenty minutes passed before a truck appeared, we slowly made our approach through the vibrant green jungle before it arrived. Xeno told Hayden to cast us thirteen in a shroud the moment we got out of the tropical trees that surrounded the installation, to reduce any chances we might have of being discovered before we found ourselves under the cover of the truck. As Hayden told us, we would look like a big, dark indiscernible mass, suspicious but unidentifiable. For an improvised cloak, that was as good as it got.

Quickly we shuffled into position, as sounds could not be masked by darkness. The large truck with all of its heavy mechanical sounds and the terrible exhaust smoke, it stopped for inspection, and we waited at the side opposite of the guard. Once the metal gate opens, we stroll in at the vehicle's pace, Hayden keeping us under the shroud.

• "This was simple enough." - Rude comments.

We followed the slow moving truck into the sleek base, and found ourselves in the cargo room. There were still few guards. Looking around, I quickly began thinking of Nuenbergs base. This one was shinier and had more shades of blue, but they were similarly sterile.

• "We have to keep moving, as soon as the gate closes". - Urged Xeno.

• "Which way should we take?" - I asked.

• "The only path you see available." - Xeno answered, pointing at the only door in sight, northeast of our shadowed position.

The gate closed and the light dimmed. The sound of it closing caught my attention, and I looked in its direction. Glancing at Hayden as I did, he didn't seem to be strained as he kept us hidden in the darkness. Then my eyes focused a moment on the large truck beside us, and I only wondered what it carried.

• "Let's hurry." - Xeno motioned us, slowly stepping away from the truck's shadow.

• "Wait, Xeno. Umm, in plain sight my darkness won't hide us very effectively. They'll see a big lump of darkness that's suspiciously unexplainable." - Hayden seemed worried.

• "We have to move quickly then. I know that over time, you'll be able to control the darkness in ways you never imagined. Don't worry about this now." - With that said, Hayden remained pensive, but sighed and continued.

• "Follow me." - Xeno sneaked towards the door at a swift pace.

He held it open for us to follow, him entering last. Once past the door, we found ourselves in a long hall, lit with bluish lights. It reached a dozen feet or more to and from our position. Looking up, we could see security cameras. Of course.

• "Oh, we're being watched." - Aoi said nervously, pointing a finger at one of the cameras that was directed towards us.

• "I can easily jam their signal." - Raiko snorted.

• "Not to worry, the shadow still keeps us impossible recognize." - Hayden assured.

• "We continue this way." - Xeno pointed up the hall, a right turn from the door we just came from.

Forward we moved, quickly but silently. Along the opposite wall, some of us peered through the glass into the rooms on the other side. It was a division of labs, similar to what Oscar has.

These were more expanse and with many scientists working, them tinkering around busily. It was hard to tell what each team of researchers were doing; one could only wonder. But... before I could wander further in my thoughts, Xeno has us slow down.

• "Hold. Some guards approach." -

Indeed they were, clad in black, tight suits and kevlar plating, rifles in hand. They seemed to look in our direction, but unable to see anything.

• "Keep moving. If any of you get close enough, knock one of em' out. - The werewolf added.

Raiko wanted to engage in such mischief. As he sneaked along with us, he seemed quite eager, and his ears perked up when Xeno made his suggestion.

Not much later the guards stop before us. To them, they just see a dark cloud, thanks to Hayden.

• "What is this?" - One of them asked, his voice altered because of his helmet.

• "Is it smoke? It smells like something." - The one beside him wondered.

• "It doesn't smell like smoke." -

I couldn't hide my slight worry, they did have their guns pointed at us, trigger finger ready. Aoi was giggling to herself, her mouth covered by Yuri's hand. The black clad humans took slow steps around us.

But one of them steps on Raiko's big toe...

• "Aarggh!" - Raiko growls of pain, grabbing the offender by the arm. His claws dig into the human, who is filled with a quick surge of electricity. The guy goes out like a light, meeping and twitching. He tenses and collapses.

Then the fellow guard cocks his rifle.

• "Ffffuuuck!" - He curses in a desperate, drawn out breath.

From the guard's point of view, his gun is suddenly gripped by the dark cloud, then tugged along with the gun before being flicked between the eyes with energized fingers.

That was Anshel's doing, and it hits the ignorant one with the force of a semi, without the massive damage. Guard number two is out, and we resume our way.

...

• "That was..." - Yuri whispered, but trailed off, and Aoi giggled. Yuri had an amused but surprised face.

We kept our movements silent and subtle, all for the sake of being inconspicuous Personally, I couldn't keep my eyes off the glass window. There was something that vaguely bothered me. It may have been my imagination, but the scientists at the other side seemed to be working on incubae... It worried me, but I simply couldn't tell for sure and just kept it to myself. If anything, I would eventually find out the truth, I had to know...

Further walking resulted in us encountering a gate. To both our sides were smaller doors, and the left one seemed to lead into the labs that we could see from behind the window. However, that really wasn't the path we would take, it being too crowded.

Some security cameras peered our way, but Hayden's cloak kept us confident and effectively hidden. No alarms were sounding off, so far. Close to the gate and each door were a set of consoles, with keyboards and a small screen, they were probably the mechanisms used to open them gates.

• "How do we get through?" - Anshel addressed a pensive Xeno.

• "Opening the door isn't really the problem. It opening in an incorrect way will alarm any guards. And even if we do open it correctly it might be trouble. Maybe Hayden could warp us through and bypass the inconvenience. - Xeno looked past us, looking at the darkness demon.

• "Wh... but, I'm not sure I can... I mean." - Hayden looked overwhelmed; Gai squeezed his shoulder trying to calm him.

• "If you are to ever realize your potential, you need confidence in yourself. Tell me, does the cloaking you have cast on us fatigue you?" - Xeno spoke to him and the rest just looked.

• "No, not really." - Hayden replied a bit more calm.

• "Darkness is not a taxing power to manipulate. The gap between here and past the gate is a small fraction of what your portals can cover." - Xeno assured.

This werewolf was really knowledgeable, maybe I should ask him about my peculiar situation...

• "Ok... I'll try." - Hayden stepped beside Xeno, in front of the metallic barricade.

With a hand extended and an entranced breath, he conjures a spiral formation of darkness. One would expect some magical sound or feeling, but dark energy is soundless and impossible to sense. What could be sensed was Hayden's concentration. He turns to us and opens his eyes.

• "Good job." - Xeno tells him.

• "Ah well, let's... try it." - Hayden mutters.

• "You go first." - Gai tells his lithe mate, adding a kiss to the forehead.

Hayden nods and vanishes through the portal, then we all follow suit. And it was like stepping through a curtain of thick smoke, just like with the dimensional portals.

If I recall correctly, Hayden does work with his powers from time to time, but sometimes by accident and he always seemed kind of ashamed when he does it. This time he looked proud instead. It was a little thing, but still.

The section we were now in had some tubes, pipes and exhausts going all around the walls and ceiling. Those made odd noises, almost in a constant hum

• "We just have to warp past that other gate, no?" - Ari asked, pointing at the large door a few yards in front at the other end of the passage, much like the one we just slipped past.

• "Indeed." - Xeno confirmed. Then we take a few steps further, noticing a lonely camera on the ceiling.

• "Are we still cloaked?" - Rafael asked, as if he read my thoughts.

• "Yes... I think so. - Hayden said.

That's when the door we were approaching opened in a split manner. In padded in a dozen of guards like the ones we knocked out at the other hall, all of them following a yellow haired demon, instantly recognized by Raiko.

• "Lestat!" - Rai exclaims in a whisper that is almost too loud. Anshel quickly covers Rai's muzzle.

I had seen this guy before, and so did most of us. And it sparked a general discomfort. Why is he here? Why are the guards following him?

That demon always had a devilish demeanor that exuded him, from the two or three times I saw him. Back at Hoyt's base, I recall. And I remembered that Raiko mentioned that name a few times, that they were brothers.

Lestat paused, audibly sniffing.

• "Smell that?" - He said to one of the guards behind.

• "That's just exhaust gases, harmless." - The guard shrugged.

Lestat raised a brow.

• "You humans and your underdeveloped snouts. Whoever designed you is a fool." - Lestat turned on his heel, muttering with distaste.

• "You see what I see, gentlemen?" - The lightning demon asked his entourage.

• "A dark cloud?" - One of them answered.

• "Perhaps it is more than that. And wouldn't you think a random dark cloud is a cause for concern?" - He inquired, staring at our cloaked group.

In that small period of time, we were a bit nervous. Had that devil really found us out? What would happen?

Raiko, Anshel and Yun were battle ready, in case it all goes to hell. Such case appeared very likely.

• "Maybe it's a leak. But leaks are not our job. At least not a minor one." - Another guard spoke, and Lestat carried a killing gaze to the guards.

• "I'll strongly suggest Fabien to tighten all aspects of security. Do remind me of that." - Lestat then growled.

• "This not a dark cloud or a random escaped gas..." - As Lestat spoke, he suddenly pulls Hayden from our group by the throat.

The dark demon gasps and suddenly we had a dozen rifles pointed our way.

• "But a little demon with powers. See them now, hmmm?" - Lestat hissed acidically.

He glanced our way, with our friend in his grasp, and his mean smug wiped when he saw Gai barreling straight at him in order save his mate. The lightning demon is impacted by the ribs, the hit knocks him on his back, sliding a bit with an added cry of pain.

That alone makes Lestat release Hayden, who quickly dashes to his lover's embrace. That same instant the guards were positioned to fire their rifles. Raiko seizes that moment by blasting the humans with the blue flash of an electromagnetic pulse, both hands extended before him. The suited men lose their balance and drop their guns.

• "H-hott!" - One of them exclaims.

Raiko's energy pulse probably superheated their weapons.

• "Who are you?" - Xeno asked, lifting Lestat from his downed position, while Rai and Anshel watched over the stunned men.

• "Hack! I can't- " - Lestat could barely utter and Xeno then grips the demon's arm.

• "Do I need to repeat myself?" - The werewolf snarled.

• "You're really hurting me, dog." - Lestat mumbled.

• "Should I rip your arm off then?" - Xeno jerked the devilish demon.

• "Ah! No, no! I'll talk..." - Lestat held Xeno's gripping arm.

• "Who are you? What's your business here?" - The lycan asked.

• "I'm Lestat, and I was summoned." - The captive demon could not hide the pain that Xeno caused.

It might have seen unfair at one point, but this one was definitely not to be trusted.

• "By who?" -

• "Fabien." -

• "Fabien? Why would he need you for? And how does he know about summoning?" - Xeno seemed truly puzzled beside that anger.

Lestat remained silent, but another jerk had him talking.

• "Ah! I don't know, ask him! Take the gate after this one, straight ahead." - Lestat signaled with his eyes.

• "Is Dr. Oscar there?" -

• "Yes." - Lestat nodded with slight despair.

• "Then we should get moving then." - Rafael said, and we agreed.

• "What are you going to do with that bastard?" - Rude asked, pointing at Lestat who still remained under Xeno's grip.

• "I'll- " - The werewolf began to answer, but then Lestat's bright blue energy surrounded them both.

Lestat had the face of a cunning devil drawn.

• "So long, haha!" - The sound of electricity expanding and then contracting echoed, the bright energy focused, and as the last of Lestat's cackle is heard, all that dissipates, along with both of them.

...

• "Did Lestat just spirit away Xeno?" - I asked, stupefied.

• "I think so..." - Ari mumbled.

• "Just great." - Yuri growled.

• "Hey! monsters! What'll you do to us?" - One of the stunned guards asked in their helm-muffled voice.

• "Are you going to rape us?" - Another added.

They had all our eyes cast upon them, they flinched. I wanted to say - "Right through your pants." - ... but that response seemed out of place.

• "You should've run for it." - Raiko snorted.

• "If you are thinking of getting raped, I'll oblige." - Yuri wore a sly look and mischievous demeanor as she stared at the suited men.

That got mixed reactions from the floored guards, and a giggle from Aoi.

• "Why not just put them to sleep?" - Anshel suggested.

• "Kill them?" - Rude asked.

• "No, no. He means to knock them out." - Raiko cleared up as he readied his power, hands open over the stunned men.

With a quick jolt, the men are left immobile on the ground, silent and harmless.

• "We'll figure out what happened to Xeno later... Let's just move." - Rafael said.

Using some care to not step on the bodies, we walked through the gate, which opened for us without trouble. Hayden had us cloaked in the blanket of darkness once again.

The room we found ourselves then seemed like an area for experimentation. above were several glass windows and more surveillance cameras, it was also brightly lit. At the opposite side a twin door was blocked by a cell gate. To the sides were a pair of doors, but those seemed like they were locked. It just looked like we met a dead end and had to turn back.

Lestat's suggestions are indeed not to be trusted.

And the fact that even with the cloak we had to remain silent and subtle was going to make it hard to figure out what to do next. That bastard had warped Xeno to some other place, and we really needed him. I hate to admit that the guy seemed to know how to come afloat in any situation, from the brief moment we've been spending with the lycan.

• "What now?" - I had to ask.

• "Do we turn back?" - Rafael wondered.

Then into our view someone appeared, a woman in lilac silk. She held a closed umbrella held near her heart, her eyes were cold, piercing. She focused our way, and that made me skip a beat. This lady is not human.

Her night black hair partly covered a side of her face. I keep looking at her, and it just produces that ominous feeling. She uses her other hand to slide that lock of silky hair behind her ear, revealing here rosemary eyes, then points at us with her closed umbrella.

No, she points at Hayden.

There is little time to react to what follows. A black, brittle projectile fires from the umbrella's tip, flying at the dark demon with the speed of a bullet. It is only thanks to Anshel that it is averted, he quickly steps in the way and shields him with a wall of green energy. The projectiles crashes against the shield as it disintegrates

• "Nice save." - I thought.

...

• "Hiding in smoke? How novice." - She says with mock and malice.

• "Don't just stand there contemplating me, children. It will get you killed!" - She then exclaims, and her pale face takes on a truly menacing appearance.

From her opening umbrella, eight dark shafts shoot and rapidly burrow through the metal floor. Beneath our feet they pop out as deadly black spikes, forcing us to scatter and lose our cloaking. She could see us either way.

The spikes retract back to the umbrella, which she holds above her head as she takes a few steps forward.

• "Hmm? Ah, I can see you all better. I'm glad you dodged that one attack. I don't really want to draw your blood." - The mistress spoke nonchalantly, slowly eying all of us.

• "This woman... she's very powerful." - Anshel mutters.

• "I see a trio of females among you. I thought that virus got rid of them all." - The mysterious woman said when she saw Aoi, Nina and Yuri, who all snarled.

Then Raiko flings a bolt at her face, only to see it blocked by a piece of that black material she controls with her umbrella.

• "You really don't want any business with me now, son." - She assured, facing Raiko now.

• "What the hell is your problem, lady? Why are you attacking us?!" - Raiko snarled, taking a more prepared position.

Anshel, Yun, Rude, Rafa and me followed suit.

• "Didn't you all enter this place without permission? You all deserve punishment." - She said matter-of-factly.

• "Bullshit." - Raiko growls and takes that moment to lunge at the woman with an electrified claw.

In a single hop he cleared the gap between them, and his attack finds her face. Nothing happens. She had the demon's neck in her grip, having stopped him mid swipe and before any of us could figure what had just happened.

• "Reckless, mindless, Moronic. That what your bunch are. Even the humans enslaved in this establishment. It rots with incompetence, which I'm frankly to old for." - She says without releasing our friend, keeping him off his feet.

Raiko struggled heavily, trying to pry himself off with both hands, but she seed to have a bionic grip. And the way she spoke and moved, they had a certain touch of grace and elegance. It was a combination of all that added to her sheer confidence that created an awespiring air, menacing as it was.

• "Let him go!" - I scream at the top of my lungs, finding both arms near my chest, and that makes her turn to me.

• "Fine, just don't come near me. I don't wish to sully my hands with the blood of demons." - She lets go of Raiko, who stumbles to his rump.

He rubbed his throat and recovered his breath, and Anshel approaches to aid him. The mistress just watches, and in the blink of an eye another of those shafts is produced from the inside of her open umbrella. The visual cue and the sound of rending metal and split rocks allow Raiko to steer out of the way of the resulting spike that protruded where he laid.

Then the spikes hides as quickly as comes out.

The area around her was already filled with holes made by those... things. They certainly weren't tentacles.

• "I was asked to delay you all. I wont be doing that personally, though. If any of you die, I will not be held accountable." - She declared.

• "I have some toys you can all play with." - She then added with a light chuckle.

Before our eyes a large group of humanoid figures were formed out of the black material this lady wielded.

• "These are marionettes, feel free to try and break them. They'll do their best to break you otherwise" - She finally stated, sitting then on a chair that her umbrella produces with the black material.

...

• "This is messed up." - I tell Rafael.

• "I know hon. Not near what anyone expected." - He replied.

• "That lady doesn't seem to be playing around." - Anshel said thoughtfully.

• "Oh, I think she is actually." - Rude said.

Rafael and I both gulped. A yawn slips from her mouth, and the black statues spark to life, creeping towards us with haste.

These were smooth, faceless constructs, probably hard as steel. The only way we could end that dilemma was to get rid of the witch behind all of that. And it presented itself an arduous task.

We had to defend ourselves. There was no running.

A dastardly tune was playing and we had to dance to it...

...

The puppets came at each of us, jumping with the grace of a leopard. Each one of us could self-defend, even the girls, each with their own style.

Rafael met one in mid lunge, clashing and using its own momentum to smash it against the floor. One came at me bringing a sharp swipe, I avert it by grabbing its arm and countering with a punch to its face. Chips of that black material fall off where I hit and it makes the thing reel, but it really hurt my knuckles. A glance at them and they were swollen and sore.

Anshel used full advantage of his plasma wielding, not having to lay a hand on the things. The marionette wasn't cut to ribbons with his energy, only dented. Raiko gave one marionette no chance to fight, lashing out at it madly, sparks flying.

Yun's expertise with his sword meant that he didn't have much trouble dealing with the black figure he faced. Rude dealt with two, not wanting Ari to get in harms way. Ariyoshi's time wielding was not going to be of much use against enemies as resilient as those, and he feared that even the witch might not be affected. Rude used his powers over the earth to solidify his arms with granite, making his arms very effective weapons.

Gai had a similar situation with his mate. Hayden was nerve-wracked and couldn't really defend himself, so the bigger, burlier Gai dealt with a duo of those black things. He used his natural strength to fling them about and smash them int each other.

The girls were a bit more careful with the puppets they encountered, using aura infused abilities to avoid direct contact. Thankfully, succubae were naturally more proficient at manipulating their aura. They mostly concentrated on evading.

And such this dance was...

It dragged on. We would manage to get rid of one puppet, but another immediately replaced it. We needed Xeno, we needed reinforcements.

• "Gai! Hayden! Warp to where Hoyt is!" - I glanced at the duo while struggling with a persistent puppet.

• "What? How?" - Hayden exclaimed while Gai continued to deftly avert and counter any strikes directed at him or his lover.

They would fling their sharp claws at them, reach for Hayden, only to get thrown into another puppet, the ceiling or the wall. Then they'd get back up and rush at us with the same ferocity they had the first time. These things knew no fatigue, they only had a prime directive and the means to carry it through. If they didn't overwhelm us, they'd outlast us.

• "Hayden, just envision them. Envision Hoyt and concentrate. Will yourself to him!" - I shouted, partly because I was pinned under a puppet and trying to get out.

Knowing how to control portals wasn't in my knowledge, I had just blurted out what seemed logical to if I were suddenly able to control dimensional gates.

• "Don't worry about us, we can take them. Just get Hoyt and the rest of gang!" - Anshel said as he too clashed with a puppet. There simply was no room to breathe.

• "But what if it goes wrong?" - Hayden was full of worry and looked agitated.

He really wanted to help but didn't feel confident enough.

• "We'll live." - Gai told his mate, busy still defending him.

• "Gai..." - Hayden muttered.

The burly demon makes that instant his, turning to his lover, finding their faces together and sharing an ardent kiss, just as Gai's grip crushes the head of one of the puppets.

The dark demon takes a deep breath and closes his eyes, finally convinced of what he had to do. Then after a brief moment, he embraces his lover's back, dark energy engulfing them quickly and seemingly liquid, then it all compresses as they vanish.

• "He did it." - Rafael whispered.

• "Well, only halfway. We just have to survive..." -

***

Time passed and the puppets where exhausting us. Those animated tools were not skilled, but they didn't stop. Half an hour passes and we were all bruised up, fatigued. But the marionettes keep coming.

The room becomes a mess as the black puppets get thrown and smashed against everything. And the one responsible, the lady in lilac that sat on a black throne. A logical thing would've been to attack her, but she was illogically powerful.

No doors allowed for escape. No escape. Doom loomed certain.

...

• "You children know how to truly make a mess." - the mistress stood from her throne, which compacted back to her umbrella, her apparent source of power.

• "Onyx isn't the most durable mineral, but it sure is elegant." - She mused as she walked.

Nina, Aoi, Yuri, Rafael, Anshel, Raiko and me were just laying there. I was unsure of who was conscious and who wasn't

• "Hmm... I wonder what-" - She whispered to herself, but was interrupted.

A show of light and sounds abruptly took form. I couldn't tell what precisely was happening, but it definitely sounded like crackling electricity. Then the roar of thunder and a brilliant flash fill every sense for a second.

Lestat flies out of nowhere, crashing on the battered floor of the room. His fur was stained and messed up, he had cuts and bumps all over, as well as singed spots and dried blood. Xeno follows, landing at the center with grace.

The werewolf had a few scrapes, but nothing more. Maybe the fact that his shirt was just a rag, and the black jeans he had were severely ripped at the bottom. His big wolf tail swishes gently as he scans the room with a glance. He looked mildly exhausted.

• "Lestat... ?" - The lady in lilac approached the beat up lightning wielder, who struggled to get up.

• "Arthenodora, we must go." - His voice faltered due to the pain.

• "Who is the pup that beat you so badly?" - She asked coyly while looking at Xeno in a challenging way.

• "What are you?" - Xeno asked with a growl.

• "Me? I'm not human, if that's what you ask." - The lady answered with mockery.

• "What are you?" - Xeno repeated with more ferocity.

• "You tell me first. You are not a werewolf, I'm sure." - She said as a fact.

• "Let's just go, woman! That... thing can kill you, believe it or not." - Lestat snarled at the mistress Arthenodora...

• "Fine, darling. If he is so capable as you say, then we must take our leave. Your plan certainly went to hell, love." - She said after a light chuckle as the two embrace.

Xeno howls and punches the air, and just like before, an invisible giant version of his fist destroys the gate before him and just wrecks everything, the twisting metal complaining loudly.

But they were gone. Lestat proved his incredible escaping abilities once again....

***

• "What happened here?" - Xeno asked as he helped each one of us up.

We all remained seated. The room truly was a mess, there were holes and twisted metal everywhere. Curiously, it seemed that the whole rumble was no cause for alarm in that base.

• "We would like to know the same with you." - Raiko said.

• "That foolish demon took me to your world, and he challenged me." -

• "He thought he could take you down?" - Rafael asked.

• "Lestat sensed my powers and decided eliminate me personally. He is powerful, but no match for me." - Xeno sighed.

• "Well, some lady a popped out of nowhere and she could see through the cloaking. She attacked us and the sent an army of some black robots or something. I tried attacking her, but I couldn't even get near her." - Raiko expressed with exasperation.

• "That's... not very good. That demon apparently is involving other supernatural beings that should not take part in any of this." - Xeno stated.

• "Lestat is clearly someone we need to take down." - Rude said.

And that was the truth. Lestat seemed to be more involved in this than we thought.

In the back of my head, there was an echo.

["...You're not a werewolf, I'm sure"]

Arthenodora, the lilac lady. She probably knew something we didn't. Something Xeno wasn't telling us.