“We have movement down on the jungle floor.” “Powerful energy signatures detected.” The analysts reported. 

“What is happening?” Jabu asked, and the bridge commander stammered. “Well?” he roared.

“M’lord we’re being targeted.” An analyst reported, and the ship trembled. 

“By the Universe. They’re following us.” An analyst said. “A large energy signature is gathering beneath us.” Two more chimed in.

“It’s not one energy signature. They’re following us and gathering. Almost like…they’re waiting for us to fa-” a bright wall of light travelled south. It slapped Jabu’s Whale Ship, and the giant large vessel powered down mysteriously. The magical cells died, and the ship crashed into the mountain ranges along the eastern coast.

“I’m detecting movement in the jungle!” an analyst shouted. 

“Hmm? What just happened?” Hugo asked, and his brother’s ship disappeared from the radar. “Prepare for-” he said, and a glittery white pulse knocked his ship out of the sky as well.

“Ascend, thirty-two degrees starboard.” Jane instructed, after taking one glance at the radar. 

“Ascend! Thirty-degrees starboard! Maximum power!” the bridge commander bellowed, and the bridge crew acted swiftly. The Whale Ship rose and turned moments before the pulse struck it.

“Get me as close as possible to that mountain and tell the crew to prepare for a long march.” Jane ordered, and her ship plummeted like a stone.

“What of the civilian crew?” the bridge commander asked, and the two-horned woman stood up. “What of them? Give them a weapon. Whether they take it or wait for help is their prerogative. Everyone is free to choose how they live and how they die.” She replied, and the officers exchanged grim expressions.

*

“Are you certain that will work?” Crane asked skeptically. 

“No. But you have not been blasted out of the skies yet and we have run out of options.” Kagiso replied, and the pirates’ hearts sank into their stomachs. The two-horned man laughed at their sombre expressions.

“I was never concerned about our ability to escape. I am certain we could make it out of here alone if we tried. However, we would not make it far.” Kagiso said, and his eyes glowed. 

“A treasure left unguarded is a trap and the one that set it cannot be too far.” Goldjack deduced and Marauder scowled.

“With all due respect. You expect us to risk our lives and our crew to save thousands of strangers?” the pale pirate asked, and the two-horned man laughed. “No. I expect you and your crew to risk your lives to save your well-paying passengers.” He replied and Bokbaard laughed. “I am willing to wager they would pay a handsome fee for safe passage out of this hellhole.” He added, and Goldjack joined in the laughter.

“It appears we have a few Demons of our own.” Feng said behind her fan.

“Nothing is preventing you from ferrying them out of the goodness of your heart.” Crane replied, and he adjusted his glasses. “I am a pirate, darling. I do not work for free.” She said coldly and the pirates smiled from ear to ear.

*

“Kagiso, you were right. The Demons are fleeing to the jungle.” Duke reported, and he watched the powerful energy signatures disappear into the dark grey flora. 

“This darkness…it is there doing?” Raymond realised, and he scanned the terrain.

“You are only starting to notice? We are running out of time. I am sending twenty ships to your location-”“-no, we will not abandon our ships. Not yet. Duke and I sail past the first mountain and crash to the west. The rest are scattered along that line. We are then surrounded and boarded.” Raymond prophesied, and he shared the vision of their failure with Laurence, Gloria and Duke.

“Do they know that?” the three-horned man wondered, when he noticed the direction the Demons fled in.

“No. They are running towards Jane’s ship. She abandons her people. They all do.” Raymond said angrily. “Sacrifices must be made. First the ships, then ourselves.” He whispered, and the glittery barriers sparkled.

“Prepare to set sail. This will be a grueling march. Many of us won’t make it, but we must abandon this position if we want to save our and if you want to survive.” The three-horned man instructed, before he vanished. 

Raymond, Gloria and Duke ordered their legions back onto their respective ships. Laurence, Gloria, Duke and the Candidates stood on the beach and waited. However, the Demons did not return.

*

“Hold the line!” A warrior roared, while the Demons battered and pushed against the barrier. Jane glanced at them, and the monstrous bodies combusted. “Keep moving or we’re leaving you behind!” she roared, and the red flags were raised.

The bannermen and women gripped the shafts tightly and marched forward. The warriors on the flanks turned to face the Demons and the two-horned woman’s legion made their way deeper into the jungle in a long line.

“W-what do we do?” a young medical officer asked, before he heard a series of gunshots echoing throughout the passages. 

“You either take matters into your own hands…or you hide, and hope help comes.” The senior officer replied.

“Hope? There is no hope here!” “Shut up.” “Can’t we call for help?” Shut up.” “What about the other ships?” “I said shut up! Don’t you understand?” the senior officer snapped, and the legions marched further away from the ships. The barriers and their influence waned, and the ravenous Yokai pounded on the locked doors.

“It is already too late.” The senior officer whispered, and a foul smell shot up their nostrils. The Demons had surrounded them. 

The monstrous smiles grew wider, and the senior officer placed the barrel against his temple. He pulled the trigger, but nothing happened. The old doctor looked down at his hand and his wrist was gone.

*

“Hold the perimeter!” the warriors shouted, and they unloaded a storm of glittery white bullets down the passages. 

“Why didn’t you just leave?” an engineer cried out. The Demons climbed and crawled over their mutilated comrades, before the stream of sparkly Eraser rounds cut them down as well.

“We do not abandon our people! Help will come! Just…stay down!” the gunner shouted over the symphony of supersonic booms. 

“I’ve got them!” a warrior called out from the other end of the passage. He adjusted the stack of thick metal round shields on his back and looked past his comrades. Standing at the very end of the tall and wide passage was a towering behemoth.

The horned Demon resembled a hairless minotaur. He walked behind the smaller ravenous monsters and spread his arms slowly. The Demons screamed and snarled before they ran up the walls and along the ceiling.

“Retreat!” the gunner shouted, and the warrior charged to meet them halfway. He fought against the invisible tide and watched as the passage stretched ominously. 

The horned Demon approached steadily. His heavy feet shook the floor, and his breathing grew more laborious, with each step.

The minotaur wheezed uncontrollably, when he was only a few steps away. He reached out and the waves of Demons descended on the gunners and the engineers. They dropped from the ceiling, leapt from the walls and pounced from the ground.