Issaic led Maoh back into the eerie forest, following a well  worn path that looked like it was made by small animals such as a deer or goats trotting down to the water. Then they departed from the trail. Maoh followed him through a cluster of dense shrubs. "Almost there." Issaic said after what seemed like forever.   The air was damp and musty, it even seemed like a fog might be blowing in.   Issaic kept going until he stopped in front of a cliff face. Roughly fifty feet of sheer stone proceeding up into the sky. "Here we are!" Issaic said "Now all we have to do is climb!" Issaic turned to look at Maoh.  Maoh's expression remained unchanged, however somthing about him seemed to be amused, as he slipped his hands in his pockets, unfurled his wings, and jumped off the ground into flight. 

  "You lousy bastard!" Issaic yelled as he pulled himself onto the cliff top, panting like a dog some ten minutes later.    Maoh, who had been patiently waiting at the top found himself suppressing a smile."It would have been a lot easier if you had just carried me!" Issaic complained "Sheesh."         "So is that it?" Maoh asked tossing his head at a cluster of great oak trees growing peacefully in a field of long golden grass. The whole scene was illuminated by the light of the sinking sun making it look 1000 times more majestic. "It is." Issaic replied regaining his composure. "Welcome to our cliff Haven. The one place on the island monsters can't get." 

As the two approached, Maoh realized just how enormous the trees were, then when they were even closer, Maoh heard laughter. But not just any laughter, the laughter of small children.      

 He looked at Helios. "The people who put us here kidnapped children too, not just teenagers." He said darkly.    When they reached the circle of trees, the sun had vanished below the horizon, plunging them into semidarkness. Issaic walked up to a discolored, rectangular part of the closest tree, and knocked three times.  Then looked at Maoh "Check this out."  

After about a minute, the discolored  door like piece swung outward and most unfortunately bashed Helios in the face.  The pretty girl who opened it gasped "Oh Issaic! I'm so sorry!"  The girl continued to fuss over Helios even though he kept insisting he was fine through a heavy nose bleed. This brief moment allowed Maoh to observe her.  She looked about his age, and had long orange hair that hung to her waist line, her expressions so far were all very cute, and her eyes were blood red.  Currently, she was wearing a tattered brown dress with dirt and grime smeared into it. Maoh's analysis was interrupted. "Well, well, well, Who is this Issaic?" The girl said slyly finally turning from him and looking Maoh up and Down.   "Another demon." Issaic replied "A Endodrake, and a powerful one at that." Issaic replied "How do you know? Although I'm guessing it has something to do with that dried blood on your face." The girl said grinning "He shattered my field with one blow." Issaic said gravely "What? No way!!" The girl said shocked "Were you holding back?"    Issaic laughed "Do I look the type to hold back?" "But that means, with him..."  the girls voice trailed off "It does." Issaic said with a satisfied smirk "Sweet!" The girl exclaimed excitedly pumping her fist. " So, new guy, what's your name?" She asked. " Maoh Kanazuki." He answered "And this." Issaic began gesturing lazily at the girl "Is Liza Shiragami, she's a spectral demon, and is only good at cooking." He said.  Liza's face broke into a warm smile "That's me! The chef! Well anyway, welcome!" She beamed. She turned back to Issaic who was yawning "You should go say  hi to everyone, it's been a few days scene you came back. Nest even thought you were dead." She said  then she gasped "Why don't you take Maoh with you?! You could introduce him!"  "Whaat?! Why?!" Issaic exclaimed "Why are you acting like this? Are you mad at Maoh because of your face?" She said playfully "No,I-" "Then go introduce him, Oh, and dinner's going to be ready soon." She added then turned back to Maoh and said"It's been a pleasure, hope you enjoy your visit!" She smiled again, then turned and walked away between the roots, her black scaley tail writhing  around her.     "Well c'mon then." Issaic said, "Let's go check in."

As they navigated around the massive roots, Maoh looked around in awe. They were at the center of a massive tree circle, so tight that It formed a sort of pocket in which he now stood. "How long have you been here?" Maoh asked "That's none of your business," Issaic said then "Were here." Issaic stopped at a doorway that led into A massive hollow tree. The inside was practically the size of a living room, and it had four or five kids who looked around 10 or 11. (Hard to tell when your dealing with demons) "Issaic! Your back!!!" A little girl with short silver hair exclaimed spotting him.   Instantly, Issaic was swarmed by kids asking him questions "What did you see?","Did you kill anyone?","Who's the purple guy?" Were just a few of the questions.

"You seem popular."Maoh said after they left, leaving the kids to play. "Yeah, I'm the only demon   left who's powerful enough to leave the haven these days." Issaic sighed, he seemed strangely relaxed for some reason "There used to be another Exodrake like me, in fact, he was even stronger than me, but the gods killed him about a month ago." "I'm sorry to hear that."Maoh said, then asked"gods?"   "The beings that sent us here." Issaic said sitting down on a stump "go on, get comfortable, it's a long story, but we should have enough time before dinner." Maoh slowly sat down, not realizing how tied he was until he finally got to rest.

"Ok." Issaic began "I was first sent here about 3 months ago, I swam to shore, only to be greeted by a person in a dark cloak. This person was The guy I mentioned earlier, the Exodrake, his name was Ignis."

"I didn't know how long he had been there, and I still don't know to this day, all I know is that under his jurisdiction, the captured demons stopped killing each other for food. Under his rule, we banded together and created this hide away.   The reason the gods brought us here is mostly a mystery, but the rumor is that they bring extremely dangerous creatures here, and bet on which demon will survive the longest."   "That makes sense." Maoh said "Shut up!" Issaic said "don't interrupt. Anyway, one day, Ignis revealed his plans. He said that the only way to escape this island was to storm the gods realm." "Couldn't you simply build a raft or something?" Maoh asked "No, anyone who tried were swallowed by monstrous waves before they were out of  sight." Issaic elaborated "Now stop interrupting.  So in two months we had amassed a force of more than sixty demons, that had been sent here. And marched to the desert." "The desert in the middle of the Island?" Maoh asked "Yes, that's were the gods have anchored the portal to their dimension." Issaic said exasperated "Gods have to anchor the portal somewhere, otherwise they couldn't interact with this realm.   Entering there kingdom was easy, but gods are called "gods" for a reason.  Upon entering the gate, we were engaged in combat with Devastators, they serve the lesser gods, and resemble green scale covered beasts." Maoh remembered what he called a "Goliath".   Issaic continued "It was sixty of us against at least twenty of them. And It was a brutal battle that lasted hours. Yet the battle was in our favor, as a unit we forced the devastators all the way back to the throne room,and that was when the god showed himself.He was tall with a sleek face, and a gold robe. Ignis and I, being the two most powerful attacked him, and in less then a minute, I was incapacitated with broken limbs. Ignis must have realized his mistake because he shrieked for us to retreat. I didn't want to leave him, but the remaining demons, didn't feel that way. After all, if the god could decapitate me so easily, what chance did they have. I was honestly lucky enough to be grabbed and taken with them. I still remember Ignis attempting to buy us time, I thought that maybe he would pull one of his last minute escapes, but that hope was ruined. As we retreated back to the portal, the god appeared in front of us and dropped his body at our feet.  The god then proceeded, much to our dismay to terminate our strongest fighters." Issaic's face was ghostly in the dim light as he spoke "Why wasn't I killed? Perhaps because I was in such a horrible condition that he didn't recognize me, but I think it was to remind all the demons he let escape of there failure.  When we finally escaped, we realized that only twelve had returned.   Because of my magic, I healed myself and everyone's bodily wounds the next day, but there minds could not be healed, and several more committed suicide over the next week."

"Whoa, that's dark." Maoh said  "Very, I kept my sanity only because I told myself that I would someday kill that god myself.  That and the fact that more demons started showing up three weeks ago. They needed courage, and myself committing suicide wouldn't help."

"So who here fought in that battle besides you?" Maoh asked his face as blank as ever "only one more remains that fought, the others left, there probably still on the island somewhere.  there were a few demons who didn't fight though, Lannette for instance, the little girl with silver hair. She's too young to be any real use in a battle, so we left her and a few others behind with Liza." Issaic said "well anyway, dinner should be ready by now, let's go." Issaic stood up and headed off by himself twards a little trail of smoke rising from the other sine of the hollow. But Maoh remained, thinking in the darkness. Issaic, Maoh could sense his sorrow despite him trying to hide it under his smack talk. It was clear that he had suffered severe mental trauma.  Maybe he would check out this "portal" tomorrow, mabye, but first.. dinner.  He then stood up, and followed the winding path Issaic had taken towards the delicious smell of food.

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There it is, part 3, sorry for the delay. However, I am going to say that the next part may take awhile with school starting back up and everything. Hope you enjoyed it,  until next time. :)

Sincerely, the last Knightwalker.