’They think I’m one of them, so that means I’m safe, no?’
Syndra’s mind went blank for a moment.
’This fucking brat...!’
Seeing the Succubus take the male baby back, the Incubi charged at once. ’I will lend you my strength so you can fight, but we are not leaving.’ Asmodeus asserted. ’Also...’ Syndra’s lips curled upwards at the corners as she felt strength being funneled into her. ’Do not call me a brat.’
Syndra turned towards the closest Incubus right away.
’You can read minds? Why didn’t you tell me?’
’I can read your mind now.’
’I don’t understand but...’ Syndra’s hand moved to grasp the incoming punch. ’That’s not important right now.’
The Incubus frowned in confusion as the Succubus seemed to have suddenly grown in strength. He tried to free his fist from her grasp, but was entirely unable to.
His confusion was cut short as Syndra’s nails and fingers pierced his throat.
’If you’re dead set on staying here, then fine, I’ll fight.’ The bleeding Incubus collapsed to the ground. ’You’ll need to supply the needed energy.’
’Fine.’
’I’ll need more energy than this, especially in between.’
’In between what?’ Asmodeus asked as Syndra dodged another barrage of projectiles.
’If I manage to fight them one by one, I can win.’
’You seem more confident than earlier.’
It was frustrating, but true.
Syndra dodged the numerous projectiles with grace.
’My confidence might be at an all-time low after spending so much time with Nyl and the others, but I fended for myself perfectly well before they found me.’ She explained, rushing towards the closest Incubus. ’I’m quite strong...’ Her shin connected with a four-legged Incubus’s stomach. ’Actually.’
’I see. Careful behind you.’
’I’ll need more energy for when I’m going for the next-’
Asmodeus climbed down, his tiny hands grabbed onto Syndra’s clothing as he lowered himself.
"Arghhh!"
A flaming whip struck Syndra across the back.
"You little shit!" She shouted through gritted teeth. "You’re next!" Syndra rushed towards the whip’s wielder as Asmodeus climbed back up her body.
Asmodeus raised an eyebrow as Syndra made a sudden turn upon reaching halfway to that Incubus.
’Now!’
’Don’t even try to make us leave.’
’I won’t. I already know you can mess with my magic!’
Asmodeus pursed his lips, thinking it over for a second, before handing over more of his energy.
A massive rock was falling from above, aimed at her head, a sphere of fire was coming from the right, and a blade of mana was cutting through the air, aimed at her left side.
Syndra’s hands came together, and she disappeared alongside the baby on her shoulders.
The confusion following her disappearance only lasted a couple of seconds as the whip-wielding Incubus collapsed.
’Interesting.’ Asmodeus thought.
The Incubus lay on its stomach, yet its face was turned toward the sky. Its neck had been twisted and its upper vertebrae broken.
’You don’t need to mark areas to teleport over short distances.’
Unbeknownst to Syndra, Asmodeus had laid a hand on the Incubus before it had fallen.
"Onto the next." The Succubus whispered while licking her lip.
***
Syndra did a great job switching from rushing the Incubi and teleporting to them, keeping them on their feet and guessing.
Six Incubi lay on the ground, and Syndra was planning to put a few more down to rest.
’No.’
"What do you mean, no?!" She shouted.
’I can’t give you any more.’
"HA?!"
’My energy is being used. On your right.’
"Used for what? We need to-"
A powerful swing.
’Shit...!’ The Succubus noticed it too late.
The fist collided with her side, and pain immediately shot through her body.
"Arghh...!"
The blow was powerful enough to knock Syndra off her feet, and send her a dozen meters away.
"Finally," The burly, overly muscular Incubus sighed. "That should calm her down a bit."
As Syndra rolled on the ground, the Incubi pressed on.
She disappeared from view as smoke covered the area.
’Oof.’ Asmodeus shook his head as he heard Syndra’s screams through the smoke. More blazing spheres and blades of mana were being shot in quick succession.
Asmodeus had hopped off just before the punch landed.
"Think she’s dead?" An Incubus asked.
"We’ll know when the smoke clears." Another shrugged. "No need to waste further energy."
"Succubi disgust me. Let’s just kill her and get it over with."
"It’s only natural." Another interjected. "We disgust Succubi as well, that’s what makes fucking her so fun."
"So we’re supposed to subject ourselves to her body to mess with her? I don’t know if..."
None of them even noticed the child.
They didn’t really care about the baby Incubus. They didn’t even care about their own children.
’Their attacks weren’t aimed so as not to land on me.’ Asmodeus thought. ’They could have hit me earlier. In fact, they seem to have forgotten about me completely.’
Indeed, the most that the Incubi would have done for the baby was leave it to fend for itself after torturing and killing the Succubus.
’I won’t be able to reach Asmodeus right now. The frugal fuck gave me just enough energy to use at a time. I’m completely depleted right now.’ The injured Syndra thought as she sighed. ’If I’m dead, they’ll still mess up my corpse, but they won’t touch me. If I act dead, they might kill me quickly.’
She had all but resigned herself.
’Once the smoke clears, they’ll think I’m dead, and kill me for real.’
It wasn’t the worst thing in the world.
’Dying in one’s sleep is the best death, I heard.’
With that thought, Syndra closed her eyes, did her best to get her breathing under control, and rested with her hands crossed over her stomach.
’Guess I’ll take a nap.’