The first thing that caught my eye when I turned to observe what Lulu and Pik were seeing was the long segmented body of a wingless creature. By rough judgements I’d have had to place the monstrous creature at well over one hundred fifty feet in length. The width of each segment along creature’s body measured the height of a full grown human male. Every segment of the creature possessed a pair of jointed bug-like appendages, each one connected to the next in line by a fleshy canvas membrane. Closer to the head of the demonic beast its body and the jointed membrane bordering both sides of it became larger and thicker, closing in abruptly and disappearing entirely at the base of the monster’s head. The head of the beast itself was covered in bony plated scales with a large protruding ridgeline along the top of its head underneath which a multitude of deep glowing purple orbs were lined up. Four enormous ridged horns sloped outward from the base of the creature’s head, splaying out in right angles. Each horn curved forward menacingly, daring anyone to try and get in the demonic beast’s way. The jaws of the monstrosity were joined in the middle by a pair of long jointed mandibles and lined with several layers of sharp jagged teeth. A slithering, sinewy tongue rolled out from the exposed cavity to lick at the air.

                “Here, drink this.” Lulu ordered, not giving me the chance to be distracted or worried by the menacingly looming doom hanging above. She handed me a glass bottle containing a brilliantly red colored liquid.

                “Is that, a healing potion?” I asked in astonished bewilderment as I took the bottle. Video games had these things but I’d always thought they were a trope exclusive to such platforms.

                “Just drink it, and put this on Pik.” Using the same hand she’d given me the potion with, Lulu awkwardly pulled a circlet off her head and handed it to me as well. Why she didn’t use both hands to do so was immediately apparent when I caught the glint of steel reflecting from a sword she held in her right hand.

                Setting the potion down to take the circlet, I returned my attention to Pik whose features were drawn white with terror. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the goblin girl. Here I was, incomprehensibly sane and coherent in the face of whatever this demonic threat happened to be, and yet there was Pik, soiled and frozen from fear. I placed the circlet over Pik’s head and immediately covered my ears from the pain caused by Pik’s subsequent scream.

                Pik drew breath and I immediately capped her mouth to prevent any further outburst but my response had come too late. A gurgling, bellowing shockwave shook the entire area as the demonic monstrosity released a roar, announcing to the world that it’d noticed us.

                “Lyssa needs to get away from here. Lulu will try and buy some time.” Snapping the longsword out to her side Lulu stepped forward and approached the monster.

                Get out of here? Right! The potion! Grabbing up the bottle I uncorked it and gulped downed the strange liquid. It tasted nasty and I nearly gagged when the flow of the fluid touched on my tongue, but I held my nose and continued drinking the concoction. “Euck.” I uttered after finishing the bottle. I’d expected pleasant cherry or strawberry flavor, what I’d gotten instead had tasted like a mixture of bark, mud, and leaves all rolled into one. Feeling the pain in my leg diminished to nonexistent, I couldn’t presently protest the drink’s flavor.

                A bright blue arc of light pierced through the darkened air. Propelled by Lulu’s swing the supersonic energy shot up to the monster and struck the creature square under the jaw. The resulting blow caused its upper body to reel up. Having caught the demonic beast’s attention it trained each glowing orb onto the blue-haired Lulu’s form as she dashed towards the bathhouse. Had it been a spell or an ability? I couldn’t tell. What I could see though was that Lulu’s attack hadn’t held enough power behind it with which to damage the monstrous demon.

                The monster’s menacing maw opened and as it did, visible energy began to emanate from the creature’s maw, casting an earie black light across its scaled features. Pik knowingly whimpered and I clutched her close as the beast arched its segmented body back, the same eerie black light seeping from between segments closest to the monster’s head.

                Lulu braced herself against the impending attack while the demonic beast stretched wide its maw and a glowing black flame jetted forth, aimed directly at her. Dodging out of the breath attack’s path, Lulu shot forth a second arcing attack at the monster. She followed up by rolling behind the bathhouse to gain cover from the demon. Lulu’s attack traveled wide, missing its mark. The beast didn’t let up, turning its head to follow Lulu’s retreat while continuing to spew forth black flames.

                Black flames engulfed the bathhouse, spreading to encompass the entire structure. The large wood building immediately caught fire but instead of just burning, I could see another change afflicting the wood beneath the flames. Anything the fire touched not only burned but also rotted away as well! I watched on in disbelieving horror at the speed with which the flames consumed the organic material of the building. Even the metal supporting the structure wasn’t safe from the behemoth’s attack. Black flames licked against the metals, simultaneously melting and reducing what remained into piles of rust.

                “Mother!” Pik cried out. Breaking free from my grip, she ran toward the burning bathhouse. I could see what Pik was trying to reach at the flaming structure’s entrance. Staggering, and screaming in pain Pok’s cries were choked out by the flames that burned into her throat.

                Returning to my feet, I gave chase. It was pretty obvious to me just how deadly the black flames were. This fire also came from a being I had no understanding about. Could those flames even be put out by conventional means? If they couldn’t then Pik would be running headlong to her death if she tried to save her mother from that hellfire!

                “Don’t come over here!” Lulu barked at Pik. Slashing out with her sword, a wave of light blue energy splashed against the ground, causing a jagged frozen barrier to shoot up, barring Pik’s path. Just as she raised the icy blockade, the bathhouse exploded. Splintered wood and twisted metal flew in all directions. Having chosen the optimal path to reach Lulu, the monstrous demon had opted to bust through the structure standing in its way instead of going around it. Black flames engulfed and licked at the demon’s body as a result but otherwise appeared to leave the creature unaffected. Debris flung by the destructive force ended Pok’s suffering in an instant.

                “Mother!” Ignoring Lulu’s warning, Pik patted her hands along the barrier of ice, making her way around to the wall’s edge. The length of ice proved just enough for me to catch up and I grabbed the young goblin around the waist.

                “She’s dead Pik, you can’t save her!” The words I shouted in between Pik’s own cries and attempts to free herself from my grip were harsh but true. There wouldn’t be anything the goblin girl could do for her mother by entering those hellish flames herself. Death was only something I’d read about. Death was something I’d only witnessed in mindless games where you killed and slaughtered enemies. Death was what one came to terms with when at a funeral… This was my first time seeing death happen in person… I swallowed hard against the sickness rising up from the pit of my stomach.

*             *             *

                Lulu leapt backward, wincing in pain. Black flames seared over her body as the monstrous demonic beast crashed through the bathhouse in order to get at her. Toothy maw held wide, the distance between the monster and Lulu dangerously shrank. Flesh burned and flaked, she wouldn’t be able to hold out long if she allowed the necrotizing hellfire to continue running its course. Focusing her mana, Lulu pushing out from within. A frozen mist manifested through her skin, snuffing out the flames. Eyes glowing blue, Lulu focused all the mana she could into a magical offensive as the behemoth’s gaping maw closed in around her. Conjuring the form of a spiked pillar of ice, Lulu forced the creation into the roof of the demonic monster’s mouth. Pain spiked throughout the blue haired demon’s body and a red seal burned itself into view on Lulu’s forehead.

                Reeling back in pain from Lulu’s direct attack, the demonic beast roared. The raging sound mixed with the creature’s pain, forming into a shrill shriek that pierced the area with an ear shattering crescendo. The giant beast flailed about, causing destruction in the wake of its movements. Nearby structures turned into piles of debris while Neth’Lareese citizens who hadn’t been wise enough to vacate the area were crushed by the flying debris and falling buildings.

                The demonic monster’s body slammed about chaotically and Lulu breathed, collecting herself in the brief moment of peace before bracing herself for the creature’s violent backlash. It came faster than she anticipated. Lulu placed the flat of her blade between herself and the creature’s flailing tail. The sword split in two from the force directed at Lulu and the small demon girl found herself sent flying.

*             *             *

                In the wake of the monster’s second roar, Pik stopped trying to fight against my grip on her body. Instead she redirected her efforts to covering her ears. My own ears felt the piercing pain and rang from the shrill octave of the beast’s outburst. I turned in time to see the enormous demon lash out in Lulu’s direction and watched in horror as Lulu’s body flew at least a block before colliding with a building.

                I wanted to offer my help in some way… but what could I do other than run away and keep Pik out of this danger? I’d barely been able to survive a fight with a minotaur. How the hell was I supposed to lend a hand to someone when they were fighting a creature easily a hundred times bigger!?