Outer Demon

They really weren't Julie's wings! They were his arms! And the claws that topped them were his hands!

"Yes," Julie cooed. "That is you...is it not lovely? Are you not perfect?"

By the gods, his hands were massive! A single one was large enough to reach from Julie's shoulders all the way to her abdomen!

Well, there was one thing that he had to try right away. Julie hummed in anticipation, following his thought process.

Reaching his monstrous hands around her, he firmly gripped Julie's breasts, pinching and kneading them with his fingers. The actions drove his ooze that was already coating her further against her skin, making her gasp and shudder in delight. He unconsciously willed the slime coating her waist to rise up like tentacles, slapping against her wrists and binding them to her hips.

I can do that?!

Oh, this was fun.

"You-" Julie started, but was interrupted when he shifted the slime covering her nipples, making her break out into a long moan.

"You see," she giggled softly. "It comes to you so easily. We are a perfect match."

Maybe, he admitted. But we don't have time to play around.

To her dismay, he released her breasts and wrists, and moved his hands to rest on her shoulders.

"Yes," Julie nodded, serious again. "You are right. Try making a fist, and hit the cave wall with all of your might."

Won't that hurt?

Joshua clenched a fist, flexing his fingers experimentally.

"What is there to hurt?" she countered. "You have no flesh to bruise, no bones to break."

I guess that's true.

Joshua drew back his fist and slammed it into the wall with all the strength he could muster. His blow carried far more force than he could ever call upon as a human, and the impact made a rumbling sound that sent up a puff of dust, scattering small pebbles.

And there was no pain whatsoever.

Joshua's pink sliver of a mouth curled up in a vicious grin. If his fists were strong enough to dent rock, then he could knock an armored knight clean off his feet. A band of drunken thugs? Dealing with them would be trivial.

"Do not get overconfident," Julie said firmly, chastising his thought process. "We are strong, but we are not invincible."

About that. Are we going to fight like this? Aren't you a bit vulnerable?

His ooze could obviously blunt the force of impacts, but it would do little to stop piercing attacks, like spears or arrows. And while he might have been made entirely of ooze, his 'mount' was not.

"We will not fight in this exact form," she admitted. "I know what to do more than you do, so just let me lead you...like a dance, okay?"

You said you could never access this power without a husband. How do you know what to do if it's your first time using it, as well?

"Instinct," she shrugged. "Any my mother instructed me on how to act when this day finally came."

I'll follow your lead, then. So what's our plan? Sneak into their camp and smash their skulls in while they're asleep?

"Absolutely not," she snapped. "We will not kill anyone."

Julie, they enslave and sell people for fun. They're vermin. Did you know? My original plan was to burn them alive while they slept, and I wouldn't have lost a wink of sleep over it.

"That is a reckless claim," Julie said coldly. "You do not mean it."

He wanted to make a snide remark, but restrained himself. It was true, he was no soldier. The only lives that Joshua had ever taken were those of deer and rabbits, wolves and mountain lions. Could he say with confidence that he could burn men alive, slaver filth or not, without an ounce of hesitation?

...he couldn't.

Fine, he mentally sighed. Then how do you want to proceed, if we can't kill any of them?

"We will restrain them," Julie said. "Knock them unconscious, pin them to the ground with your ooze. It will be an easy matter to incapacitate them with our combined strengths."

I don't like the thought of using it on anyone other than you.

"Neither do I, but remember that this is for the sake of everyone in those cages."

Right.

Julie cocked her head backwards and gave him a serious look.

"We will not bring them death," she nodded. "You already know what we will bring them."

Pain, Joshua grinned. Terror.

"Justice," she finished.

The two walked out of the cave as one. They leaped off of the rocky cliff and fell towards the waiting pine forest below. Extending his wing-arms, Joshua slowed their fall. They landed onto the ground with a fierce impact, but Joshua's slime absorbed all of the force, sending ripples of motion up Julie's black-covered legs.

"Stuck the landing," she said proudly. "Now, let us begin."

As she had claimed, Julie instinctively knew what to do, and began to shift their combined form into something new...

Oh, this is good, Joshua laughed. He no longer had a face - neither did Julie, for that matter - but he knew that they could understand each other.

Again, you understand so easily, Julie sighed happily. Our compatibility is wonderful.

Their new form took off, prowling towards the marauder's campsite. The slavers wouldn't know what hit them.

********************

Yawning groggily, one of the slavers reached a hand behind his back to scratch his stiff shoulders. Of course he had the luck to draw the short straw, having to stay up and serve as the first sentry while the others slept their drunken asses off.

"Bah," he spat, smoothing his boot around in the dirt. "Bunch of fuckin' lightweights. Bet they won't even wake up when it's their turn."

Well, it wasn't like they didn't have cause to celebrate. The raid on Brunswick went perfectly, and their merry little gang had made off with ten defenseless saps. Good stock, too. The men looked healthy enough for years of hard labor, and some of the women were pretty good-looking, good enough to fetch a fine price in the dark elf slave markets. He wouldn't have minded having a sample, but...well, the last time someone in his group had tried to have a slave girl for himself, the boss nearly beat him to death. Nobody was going to be spoiling the merchandise on his watch.

"Oh well," he sighed, crossing his arms. "Just gonna have to get a whore once we're back in town."

He trained his eyes out over the forest. Seriously, what was the point? Did the boss actually think anyone was going to try something? Those villagers were pathetically vulnerable. If they couldn't defend themselves in their own damn town, what were they going to do now?

"There are dangers besides the villagers," he muttered, mimicking his boss's tone with a healthy dose of venom. "Wolves and shadowcats are still a threat, blah blah blah. Oh wow, I'm so smart and such a great fuckin' leader. Which bastard should I beat within an inch of death next? That'll really inspire the troops..."

He spat onto the forest floor again. His boss was a piece of shit, but so was everyone else. And he did get them out of that situation in D'Artagnan. Seriously, what were those Tenebrae cunts thinking? Exclusively taking monsters as prisoners? Obviously, they weren't as strong as they thought they were, seeing how the monsters had broken out and claimed the port town as a staging post.

A rustling in the ferns.

He lazily turned his eyes towards the source of the noise, expecting a squirrel to dash out.

He barely had time to scream as a black mass collided with him, knocking him onto his back. Massive force collided with his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. As he gasped, something slipped over his eyes and into his mouth, and he gave one last muffled scream before his consciousness faded.

A quadrupedal creature composed of a semisolid black mass pinned the man down until it was sure that he was incapacitated.

The creature had a sleek, muscular body, similar to a jungle panther. It was about the size of a horse. Its head had no eyes or distinguishing features, sporting only a pair of purple-tipped horns and a mouth, which was curled up in a vicious grin. Its long tail bobbed in the air behind it, awaiting its moment. The creature's wings sprouted out from its shoulders like a pair of arms, extending several feet to each side with its claw-like protrusions extended, ready to be smashed down upon foes.

It was ready to fight.

********************

They heard him, Julie warned. Get ready.

Two men stumbled out of their tents, wiping the sleep from their eyes with scowls on their faces. What the bloody hell was that scream they had-

They froze when they saw Julie and Joshua's bestial form, invisible eyes glaring at them with terrible menace.

Let's go, Joshua declared, moving his shared body forward and charging at them.

One of the men must have been too drunk to react in time, or he was simply too confused by the insane creature that was rushing at him.

"Wha?" he blinked, grunting as the creature slammed one of its wing-fists into him, sending him crashing backwards into his tent and knocking it over.

"Attacker!" the other man shouted, stumbling out of the way and drawing a viciously sharp, steel scimitar. "Attacker in the camp!"

Shouts and groans stirred in the other tents as the other slavers heard the cry.

The man pointed his scimitar at the creature, the sharp point trembling as he quivered with fear. His eyes were wide-open, revealing the horror in his expression. And yet he was prepared to fight.

How brave, Joshua snarled, charging at the slaver. He rose his left wing-arm high, preparing to bring his enormous fist down upon the man. The slaver yelped and dodged to the side with a roll - which was exactly what Joshua wanted.

Joshua slammed his arm down into the ground and used it to pivot and change direction, throwing all of his force around and body-slamming the man with a shoulder barge. The man grunted with pain and collided into the collapsed tent, and lay still.

Joshua laughed madly, delighted at how easily he scattered the vermin like toys. Such power he had!

Do not lose control of yourself, Julie reminded him. There are still nine more.

Shouts ran out, and the camp was filled with the sounds of more weapons being drawn.

"Thirty gold pieces to whichever man brings me the beast's head!" a fierce voice shouted.

A screaming man charged at them, a silver-tipped spear held parallel with the ground in front of him. Not good - that could easily pierce their body.

Then we just won't get hit, Joshua snorted, turning to face the charging man. He waited for a second, allowing the slaver to close the distance. Then he quickly swung his body to the right, using the momentum to swing his powerful tail out. His tail collided with the slaver's legs, knocking the man off his feet and sending the spear clattering uselessly to the ground. Joshua turned around again and brought his wing-fist down onto the man's face, coating his face with a dark ooze, rendering him blind and useless.

Pathetic, Joshua sneered. Pathetic!

There are more, Julie warned, her mental voice calm and steady.

Two more men were charging at them. One from their left, and another from the right. And further back, towards the southern edge of the camp, a third slaver was nocking an arrow onto a longbow. The left man held a massive two-handed broadsword, while the right held a sword and a shield.

Take the left one first, Julie advised.

Joshua snarled his consent and charged towards the slaver with the broadsword.

"Die, demon!" the man shouted, hefting the bulky weapon over his shoulder and preparing to bring it down. He never got the chance, for Joshua's left wing-fist reached down and grabbed his arms, picking the man up like a cat playing with a mouse. Joshua's face twisted into an eager grin, and he violently pitched to the side, throwing the screaming slaver at the man with the sword and shield. The two men collided, and he heard the satisfying crunch of bones breaking against metal.

Vermin, Joshua grinned. Vermin. Vermin! You're all vermin!

He slammed both of his wing-fists down onto the ground and let out a loud hiss, practically a roar. The sound echoed through the forest, bounced around by the pine branches. His very face split apart, spraying drops of black spittle and revealing the rows of sharp teeth in his new mouth. Violet ooze began to drip from his claws as he fell deeper into rage, urged on by bloodlust.

Pain! Terror!

Another man that was preparing to charge at them with a battle-axe clutched his head in terror, dropping the axe and falling onto his rear.

Joshua, no! Julie shouted, wrestling with his mind. Contain yourself! We cannot afford to lose control!

Joshua's malevolent grin stared down the archer at the southern edge of the camp, whose hands were shaking so badly that he could not even finish nocking the arrow.

They should die. They should all die!

"Hah!" a voice cried. Joshua felt something fall on top of him, several sharp pinpricks of pain rushing into his body. While the rest of the camp had pissed themselves and fallen over in fear, the leader of the marauders had moved around to Joshua's backside, and threw himself on top of him, mounting his back. The man swore at the demonic creature, thrusting his dagger into its back again and again.

Joshua slammed his wing-fists into the ground and bucked himself forward, trying to throw the man off his shoulders, but his grip did not relent. With an annoyed hiss, Joshua thrashed his body to and fro, furiously trying to shake him off. The slaver did not let go, using all of his strength to hold on. It did mean that he no longer had the opportunity to stab him, however.

Allow me, Julie insisted, reaching their shared tail around to the back of their body. In the blink of an eye, she coiled the tail around the marauder leader's stomach, constricting him like a snake surrounding its prey. The man gasped as he felt his ribcage creak in protest, and his grip slackened for just a moment. The dagger slipped through his fingers and fell onto the forest floor.

It was all the opportunity that Julie needed, using her flexible tail to rip the man off of her back and slam him onto the ground. Joshua glared at the man as he coughed and tried to get up. The leader failed and collapsed back onto the ground, one arm outstretched, fingers grasping for the dagger that he had lost.

"Guess the rumors are true," he laughed painfully, wincing at the motions. "Go on then, monster..."

Hatred burned through Joshua's body, filling his veins with fire. This wretch beneath him was the real monster! He ruined lives for profit! He would have taken everything from him!

Joshua's fingers clenched. Violet ooze fell onto the wounded marauder's leather armor in slow drips.

No, Julie insisted. I will not let you do this.

He deserves it!

He deserves justice, and this is not it. You are not a killer.

Joshua hesitated, fist held in the air.

And then he let out another roaring hiss, spraying drops of black spittle right into the slaver's face. Joshua brought his fist down hard, using enough force to make a small crater in the dirt.

Blinking, the marauder leader turned his head and looked to his right, where Joshua's fist had landed.

"Ah?" he mumbled, not understanding.

A massive, demonic hand covered his face and enveloped him in ooze, incapacitating him.

Thank you, Julie said. You knew that you would regret it if you had killed him.

Talk later, Joshua snarled. Five left!

Two of the slavers had collapsed into puddles of their own urine, rocking back and forth and gibbering incomprehensibly. One other stood tall, still holding his weapon, and the last two...were running away. Running in the wrong direction, Joshua noted. If they continued south, they were going to run right back into Brunswick.

He could hunt them down in a moment. First, he had to deal with the one that still had the will to fight.

The final slaver eyed him warily, holding a halberd at a low angle. Silver tip gleaming in the moonlight, the weapon shone with lethal promise.

Joshua approached him at an angle, circling around the man. He let his wings fall to the ground, dragging along behind him and covering his body like a cloak. The slaver with the halberd grit his teeth, but stood his ground, maintaining a firm grip on the shaft of his weapon. He turned as Joshua did, never allowing his back to face the enemy.

Joshua completed a circle around the slaver and moved to begin another.

The fleeing pair are getting farther away, Julie reminded him.

I'm aware.

The last slaver clearly wasn't going to lose his nerve anytime soon. This man used his fear as an edge, using it to keep himself sharp and his weapon steady. He did not allow his fear to break him, as the others did.

If he hadn't been a despicable slaver, Joshua might have had a shred of respect for the man.

Unfurling his wings, Joshua lowered his body to the ground. The last man adjusted his combat stance, but Joshua did not move to charge at him. Instead, he slowly drew his wings back, raising them high into the air...

And then he thrust them forward again, projecting a powerful blast of air at the man. It wasn't strong enough to knock him off his feet, but it threw him off balance, the tip of his weapon turning away as the man fought to regain his balance. Joshua took the opportunity to charge forward and swept at him with his right fist, knocking him to the ground like a pile of blocks. Pressing his fists against his face, he covered the slaver in ooze and removed him from the fight. He repeated the process for the two men who were insanely babbling to themselves, too far gone to even notice his approach. They offered little resistance as he thrust them into darkness, seeming to welcome the reprieve of unconsciousness.

Let me take over, Julie suggested. I will hunt down the final two. You rest.

Agreeing without a word, he relinquished control, suddenly feeling weary. Julie took off to the south, bounding around fallen trees and nimbly stalking her prey.

Gods, he was tired. Even having given control to Julie, he could still feel the soreness in their mutual body. His back and shoulders were especially painful, aches of pain pulsing and sending unpleasant ripples throughout his mind.

Are we going to have a bunch of stab wounds when we turn back?

No, Julie answered, leaping over a large rock. He could hear their prey, now. They were not managing their stamina very well. From the sounds of their ragged breathing, they had already stopped to catch their breath.

Joshua's nonexistent eyes were beginning to droop, exhaustion dragging them down. Gods, he had never felt so tired in his life. He...he wanted to sleep...

We cannot maintain this form for much longer, Julie said, aware of his fading strength. I will end this quickly.

Julie pitched her arms forward and planted them on the ground, using them to spring up and propel herself forward. With a mighty flap of her wings, she flew forward, landing with a thundering impact right in front of the two slavers. One of them let out a shrill scream, falling onto his rear and scrambling backwards. The other took off in a sprint for the other direction, back towards the campsite.

Oh, please, Julie huffed. Reaching out, she pinned the first man down and silenced him with the ooze.