"A human…? An outworlder human…?"
Jack heard a feminine voice from the demon who stood not far from the flameless nightmare in captivity. She was the lone red dot staying near the white dot. She was wearing a mage robe. She was probably the demon mage Wotai mentioned in his story.
Jack used Inspect on her. Her name was Saakir. She was a level 72 rare elite demon. Her level was higher than his, but Jack believed he could take her on with no problem.
"How can you be here on this plane?" Saakir asked. Next to her was a floating dark red orb that seemed to be swirling with strange flames. Jack sensed a similar aura to Pandora from that orb.
Jack didn't bother conversing with the demon. His mission was to save Luna, which meant taking out her demon captor.
Jack used Wind Slash. Five wind energies rushed to Saakir.
Saakir's one hand remained close to the orb, while she put her other hand to her front. The air in front of her was distorted. When the five wind energies came, they vanished within the distorted air.
"What…?"
Jack's surprise turned to shock when he sensed strange mana movement at his back. He then sensed his wind energies from there. He immediately used Roll just as the five wind slashes hit the floor where he stood a moment ago.
"Displace?" Jack asked. Displace was Mage Knight's level 45 skill that was able to redirect range attacks.
"No. Whatever she did just now, it wasn't a skill," Peniel said.
"You are right," Saakir said. A wand appeared in her hand and she cast a Fireball spell.
Jack used Flame Slash and destroyed the fireball. He then shot Ice Bullet, Electric Bolts, and Tracing Beams back-to-back.
As the numerous projectiles came at Saakir, the air again distorted around her. All of Jack's projectiles disappeared before they could hit the demon mage. Jack then sensed the mana around him stirred again.
Jack's projectiles came out of empty air and headed to him from multiple directions. He had to use his Eight Diagram Illusory Steps to evade them all.
"It truly is not a skill. It got no cooldown… How did she do that?" Jack asked.
"I don't know. Probably that strange orb… I think she is harnessing the nightmare's power using that orb," Peniel said. "A nightmare had the power to cross over planes. Perhaps she modifies it using that orb to give her the ability to bend space."
"Haha. High fairy, you are rather knowledgeable. Let me capture you and study your mind," Saakir laughed.
"You think you will win just because I can't hit you with ranged attacks? Think again!" Jack exclaimed as he activated Strength of the Wild and Life Burning Art. His stats greatly increased. He used Shooting Dash. Within an instant, he was already in front of Saakir.
Saakir was startled by Jack's speed. She didn't expect this lower-level outworlder to be this fast. But she wasn't someone who easily panicked. She tapped into the orb's power. When Jack's sword came slashing, she vanished.
She then appeared some distance away.
"What…?" Jack looked over to where Saakir was now.
"She not only can displace ranged attacks. She can teleport herself as well," Peniel said.
Saakir was grinning as she cast her spell. A group of flame spears shot at Jack.
Jack also cast a spell. He completed the casting of Teleportation when Saakir's flame spears arrived. He teleported to right beside Saakir. But when he slashed his sword, she again disappeared and appeared somewhere else in the hall.
"Damn it! This is like she had a teleportation spell with no cooldown," Jack cursed. He couldn't catch up to her in melee due to her constant teleporting. All his ranged attacks were returned. He had no way to defeat her!
Saakir continued throwing her spells at him. All Jack could do was just defend and dodge.
While Jack was out of ideas, he heard a loud explosion from downstairs. The place also shook heavily.
'Was that explosion from the teleportation chamber getting destroyed or something else?' Jack thought.
While he was wondering, Pandora suddenly appeared beside him.
"Another nightmare?!" Saakir uttered with amazement. "Great! If we can catch you as well…"
Pandora was staring at Luna once she appeared. She had sensed it when Jack came near Luna. That's why she unsummoned herself from the cat-and-mouse game with the demons. Although the mythical-grade Xelvorath was fast, it was not easy to catch a speeding nightmare. After unsummoning herself, Pandora summoned herself out to Jack's side.
Seeing her sister's miserable condition, Pandora stomped her foot and neighed loudly. The flames on her blazed with wild abandon. Even Jack, who was normally immune to her flame, felt strong heat from those blazing flames.
Pandora then turned to Saakir. Her eyes suddenly turned white. It was only a split second but she suddenly reeled back while shouting, "Away from my mind, you fiend…!!"
Jack immediately saw it as a chance and fired Mana Beam.
He must admit he was amazed by Saakir's swiftness, though. Even though she had just suffered a mind attack, she was still fast enough to manipulate the power orb. She managed to displace the beam just a short instant before it hit.
The beam came back next to Jack, at an angle that should hit both him and Pandora. Jack had warned Pandora when he saw the air distortion before his mana beam hit, so the two successfully dodged the beam.
Pandora looked at the orb in Saakir's hand before turning to Luna. She then ran to Luna.
"What are you…," Saakir was puzzled by Pandora's act.
Pandora arrived before Luna and then stomped her feet hard. Her flame wrapped around Luna. It could not free her from the dark light that surrounded her, but what she did also stopped Luna's power from seeping out.
Jack saw the floating power orb next to Saakir turn dim. The flames that used to swirl around it were also gone.
"You…! Get away from her!!" Saakir yelled and fired dark energies from her wand.
Those dark energies were destroyed midway as Jack stood between her and the two nightmares.
Jack was grinning. "Let's see how you fare now without that space-bending power."
