"You're the baker's son, right?" Cedric asked as he walked beside Rum, with his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
"The 'late' baker's son, yes," Rum chuckled lightly. "I've seen your face a lot, but I don't think I know you well."
"Ah, sorry about that," Cedric said.
"Things have been quite hard. I'm just not good enough anywhere. After I awakened my ability, I thought I could do something, but… I ended getting a low class again. I'm just tired," Rum added, then he palmed his face. "Sorry, I'm saying too much."
"No no, I understand how you feel. Just… don't let it get to you. I've felt that way too."
"Mm, thank you," Rum smiled. "Anyways. Your name?"
"Well, I'm Cedric. Nice to meet you."
"Mm, you too." Rum nodded.
Just then, the heard a cry from one of their teammates.
"Help!"
Cedric exchanged a quick glance with Rum and they both started running back as fast as they could.
"That's Kayra's voice. I think I know where she went off to during the split," Rum said as they took a corner.
They jumped through a few rubbles and eventually reached their starting point, the Rum pointed at the path the girl followed an they went there.
… …
Kayra stood in front of her injured partner—Finn—who was gripping his shaking bloodied arm. His vial of the Royal Clover potion was all the way behind the demon in front of them where he got attacked.
He had just cleared two low-grades when something just slammed into his side, sending him flying.
In front of them was a D-rank demon.
Both Kayra and Finn were Novice-ranks who were facing a ranked demon for the first time. Whether or not they had the skill to face it and at least be on par with it—which they could—they were already too scared of that.
Kayra already knew about the D-ranks and their intense stares, so she kept swinging her spear at it, so it doesn't focus. It did work, but… the demon soon got fed up and decided to lunge after them.
Kayra remained unmoving as it approached her.
"Attack! What are you staring at?!"
Cedric's voice boomed from the side as he came in with Rum. Kayra quickly escaped her paralysis and swiped towards its head.
It ducked and took a few steps back as Cedric and Rum now stood beside her, weapons drawn.
"Heal him," Cedric ordered as he frowned, looking at the demon.
Kayra nodded quickly and bent down towards Finn, taking out her own vial of the healing potion and opening it to use on him.
Cedric put the sword over his shoulder and tilted his head. "You said you're an ability user right?"
"Indeed," Rum approved, taking off his gloves and putting them in his pockets. His fists engulfed in flames and he picked a fighting stance. "It's not a strong one though. It burns my mana faster than it should, so I have to make every hit count."
"Make it count real well," Cedric chuckled as he charged at the demon, Rum following step behind him like a shadow.
The demon met Cedric midway, with a strike of its claws, but he easily parried it. A small opening was formed and Rum suddenly appeared from behind Cedric, landing a sickening blow to the demon's chest region, before disappearing behind Cedric again.
The force pushed it back and before it could face him, Cedric's sword came swinging and it had to block. Rum appeared from the other side and took advantage of that opening too, landing another flaming blow.
Each strike the demon had to block created openings that Rum would use. When it found out their pattern, they also decided to change tactics and started approaching side by side. Their teamwork was nothing short of magnificent, for two people who were fighting together for the first time.
Though it was Rum who was used to being a shadow. A helping hand from places not seen.
The demon stood as Cedric came from the left and Rum approached from the right. When Cedric's attack came Rum was about to deliver another blow.
The demon locked eyes with him and decided to block Cedric's attack without looking, even if it would get injured. Its plan being to get rid of the sneaky one first.
But—
Rum suddenly hopped and skidded to the other side, sweeping it off the ground, leaving it stunned.
As it went down, Cedric slashed its torso, its blood spraying out, followed by another, to confirm his kill.
"Annoying piece of work there," Cedric said as he sheathed his sword, putting a hand on his waist. "That was brilliant there," he praised Rum.
Rum chuckled. "Ah, no no no. You did most of the work. I just tried to help in whatever way I could."
"Still, you're amazing," Cedric insisted as they walked back to the duo who had been attacked by the demon.
Kayra's partner's arm had nearly finished healing. "Thank you," he appreciated.
"What's a team for?" Cedric waved a hand dismissively. "How did it all even happen?"
"He was killing some low-grades when it suddenly attacked him from behind," Kayra explained, standing up.
Cedric nodded. "Ah, I see. But why did you remain still there? You could have gotten yourself hurt."
"I-I'm not—I just… don't know how strong ranked demons were, okay? The way they are always talked about as if they'll kill you with a glance. I got nervous since it was my first time," Kayra admitted, looking away.
"And that's why Elite Loretta made it clear that this was not a test. You're a Guardian, buckle up and be prepared for anything," Cedric said to her, tone serious, but not unkind.
"Guys," Kayra's partner called out to them as he stood up, eyes wide in shock. "We may have to suspend the motivational talk for some other time."
They turned to him and then slowly followed his gaze, which went behind them.
The demon was getting back up, the cuts in its body zipping up with a soft hiss, its bruises disappearing. The burning rage in its eyes evident.
"What that hell?" Rum mumbled as his fists engulfed in flames once more.
Cedric quickly unsheathed his sword again, "How is this possible?" he said, as they all got readied to fight.
That was when Kayra spotted it. The vial of Royal Clover that had fallen from her partner broken on the floor. It must have fallen on top of it and now the potion healed it.
But that wasn't the real problem. Not that it just healed—its red eyes shrinked to dots, surrounded by a new black.
It was now… Berserk.