How I Became the Strongest Sovereign

Chapter 88 - Hostile Takeover

"Nina Noooo!!!!" I shouted through the chaos. A large hole appeared out of the side of the church and a large group of bandits in black attire swarmed the inside. People screamed as they started exiting and running for their life.

"Zereef!!" Nina screamed as people in masks grabbed her and placed a collar around her neck, making her unable to use her magic.

"Let her go! Shackles-"

"Not so fast mr king." A woman appeared in front of me.

I felt a sharp pain in my chest and a blood red, started to seep through my white blazer staining it. Who was this woman?!

She wore the same black mask as the rest of them except she wore heels and held a demon killing knife in her hand. 

Tuck! Tuck! Tuck!

The sound of her heels. I loathed them. If I had the power, I would've given her a painful death FOR TOUCHING MY NINA.

She had stabbed my heart, the weak point of us demons. I felt my strength leave me slowly and my magic energy being lost every second. I will not die here!

I fell to the ground gravelling like a poor, weak, worthless beggar. NO! NINA! GIVE HER BACK TO ME!

Give her… back...please… 

The world started to darken until a black void filled my vision. 

I felt cold. I felt alone in the darkness. 

Then… a voice called to me. Was this the voice of an angel?

"Zeref! Zeref!" The sound was getting louder, "Wake up Stupid!"

I suddenly arose like a man returning from the dead. I took deep breaths, before looking at Jace and Allefin's worried faces.

"Bro, what the hell were you dreaming?" Jace asked, looking at me like I was a madman.

"Are you okay? It seemed like you were having a nightmare." Allefin said, grabbing my shoulder, "I'll get you a glass of water."

Allefin left the room, leaving Jace and I in the room alone.

"You kept saying Nina… Nina… in your sleep. So who's this girl?" Jace asked.

"She's no one, I just had a nightmare that's all." I said rubbing my face with my palms. 

"Are you sure? I've never seen you like that, it's fine bro you can tell me." Jace reassured me but I wasn't feeling it.

"It's nothing."

Suddenly a large earthquake made the foundations of the house shake.

"What was that?" Jace looked at me, holding onto the edge of the bed.

Another tremor shook the foundations of the building, making Jace scream. Specks of dust fell from the ceiling making us cough.

Allefin rushed upstairs and stumbled through the door, his face pale like he had just seen a ghost.

"We need to evacuate!" Allefin said hastily before trampling over his footsteps and walking to the girls room to wake them up.

"Wait, why?!" Jace chased after him. 

I had never seen Allefin in such a hurry. I took this as a worst case scenario so I jumped out of bed and equipped my hunter attire.

"Hurry Kids!" Allefin's father called from the bottom of the stairs.

BOOM! BOOM!

Loud explosions shook the ground, what was going on outside?

The group rushed down the stairs and we all followed Allefin's parents.

"Where are we going?" Malia asked, as we ran out the door onto the main road, the adults didn't answer back and continued running.

AArghh!!!

Loud screams of people swarmed the streets and what once looked to be a peaceful night seemed dystopian and apocalyptic.

"We're under attack, so we're heading to the safe zone." Allefin's father finally spoke up.

"What do you mean? Who's attacking the kingdom?" I asked, looking back at the burning buildings nearer to the city entrance.

"Demons." That word said enough and caused everyone to close their mouths, We all stiffened at the word. How were they able to pass the anti-demon barrier?

"A couple more minutes, we should be able to make it to the safe zone." Allefin's father pointed at a large wall.

It was at a similar height to the entrance gates we had come through the day before, except large swarms of people were entering it. They were thinking of abandoning this section off and encountering the demons, making this part of the walled kingdom a battlefield.

"How did they get in? The anti-demon barrier means it's impossible for them to come through." Allefin asked but the adults didn't answer, making him curse under their breath.

"I've found some strong prey! Hahahaha!" A sinister laugh came from behind and a purple beam was aimed for us. I reacted quickly and pushed the group away, taking the full damage of the attack on.

[You have taken 400 Damage]

"Zeref! Are you okay?" Naz appeared at my side helping me up while Malia jumped over my body, running for her life.

"I'm fine. Listen, I'll hold them off, you guys go to the Safe zone. You know I have 'Godspeed.' I'll be right behind you." I said quickly unsheathing Voadhailis's Claw.

3 distant figures appeared out of the thick fog of dust. I could see their dark horns, making me grip my shortsword tighter.

"NO! I'm helping you." Jace yelled, coming up to us.

"Sorry, I have to do this." I said, taking off my mana dampening bracelets and attaching them both to Jace. He tried desperately to take them off but he couldn't.

"Take these off me Zeref!" Jace exclaimed furiously.

"Allefin take them all to the safety zone. I'll hold them off." I ordered. The 3 demons were getting closer by the second. I looked around for Malia to see she was far away, running towards the safe zone like it was the only thing that mattered.

"I wo-" Allefin's refusal was cut midway as Allefin's father picked him and his wife up and started running.

Jace and Naz exchanged quick glances with me before following Allefin. They had confidence that I'd make it back, staying back would only slow me down.

"Hahahaha! Look at them running. Wow, one of them even stayed behind to sacrifice himself." One of the demons cackled mocking their desperate retreat. 

They were slowly walking towards me, eyeing me down. They were all at my height and had slender figures. They wore a black armour and had red eyes that glowed through the fog of dust.

I released my mana pressure and lightning cackled around me violently. 'Seikuken' and 'Lightning aura' activated at my will. 

"We've found a strong one here." The demons finally appeared out of the fog. The one in the centre had a smile stretching from one ear to the other. 

"But 3 against 1 is a bit sad. He'll just have to accept his fate and die." The demon on the right cackled before blitzing towards me. The others did the same zigzagging across the street. 

Their punches and kicks were co-ordinated and they had a well formation. When I blocked one of their kicks the other took this chance to attack me in a different vital spot. However, their speed was slow compared to opponents I had beaten before, so I was easily coping.

"Wow! I'm impressed." The demon in the centre punched my chest making me tumble backwards.

I quickly got up spinning Voadhailis's Claw in my hand. How could I beat 3 well co-ordinated demons? 

Well, the easiest way was I just needed an opening. One mistake and I could end them quickly. I looked back at The group looking at my fight from inside the safe zone. Good. At Least they were safe.

I didn't get a chance to think as one of them attacked me straight away. This time their teamwork was a bit flawed and only one of them attacked me first without the help of the others. 

That was my opening.

I capitalised this mistake and kneed the demon in the face before slicing down with Voadhailis's Claw. A burning slice of flames cut through the demon, severing the body into several burning pieces. 

[You have earned 5000 EXP for killing a Soldier Demon!]

The other demons grit their teeth in shock. One mistake caused one of their friends to die at the hands of a mere human. A soldier demon huh. These guys were probably the weakest among the army, I got lucky this time.

The 2 demons exchanged looks before nodding and shouting out their battle cries. They charged at me with their full power but I was already behind them. 

[You have earned 5000 EXP for killing a Soldier Demon!]

[You have earned 5000 EXP for killing a Soldier Demon!]

Clank.

I put Voadhailis's Claw back in my sheath swiftly. The 2 bodies fell to the ground a couple seconds later, their bodies cut into small little pieces. I began running for the safe zone, not looking back. 

I could hear the dozens of demons behind me running towards me. Were all the Elven Guards massacred? Where was the Elven Military?

I was the last person.

Sh*t!

The gate was closing; they were closing the gates!

"Zeref hurry!!!" Jace and the others screamed. 

50 metres... 40 metres… 20 metres… I was almost there.

Boom!

My face collided with an invisible barrier at the entrance making me fall back on my backside. Of course there had to be an anti-demon barrier! 

"What are you doing?!" The gates are closing! Hurry up and get inside!" Malia screamed, trying to get free and run to my aid. However Allefin and Jace held her back.

I picked myself up and banged on the barrier several times in desperate attempts with my fist, to get through but it wouldn't let me pass. Just my luck...

"I can't." I said, putting my hands on the barrier, looking down at the ground.

"What do you mean you can't?! Hurry up Zeref!" Jace shouted in anger.

"I think you know what this barrier prevents from entering." My statement silenced them.

The group knew what I meant and their desperate yelps became quiet. I did not want to see their reactions so I turned my back towards them. Did they think I Was a monster?

Clang!

A metal gate finally fell down and shut off all access to the outside world.

Now… I just had to fight an army of demons…