As Asher arrived at the scene, it was evident the Lucidians weren't here to play around. Their uniforms and complete lack of disguise made it quite clear. Their antennae shapes could easily be mistaken for demon horns, but their eyes are what set them apart. White orbs glowing like headlights with a touch of color towards the edges of their sclera.

The Lucidians were violently interrogating someone, and another person was already dead on the ground. From what Asher managed to pick up from the conversation, they were looking for someone.

“This should keep them from calling for back up for the next five hours.” Katz muttered as he pulled out a pen and threw it at the ground by the Lucidians.

The pen unfolded into some sort of signal jamming device. Asher wouldn't have known what it was if he hadn’t recalled seeing it somewhere.

“We’ve lost connection to base.” Their leader said urgently.

The person the Lucidians were hassling managed to flee during Katz’s distraction.

“What are you doing here?” Katz demanded.

“Is that our target?” One of them asked.

“No, but it is now.” The leader smiled. The antenna on their heads began to glow a dull green. Holographic screens floated around them like shields.

In hardly any amount of time, they began shooting off some sort of lasers from the screens. Katz's shadows whipped around blocking most of it, but it was clear he was outnumbered.

He tried to whip and stab with his shadows, but the shape deteriorated while contacting the screens, he could barely make a solid hit on the Lucidians.

Given how powerful both of their defenses were, it was a matter of attrition. Whoever could outlast their opponent would be the one to win this fight and Asher could tell Orion still hadn’t fully recovered. He was already out of breath and struggling to focus on his attacks.

“I have to do something.” Asher whispered.

After clashing with the Lucidian’s screens a few more times Katz tripped and fell backwards. Asher tried to go to him, but Timothy pulled him back into the shop.

“I need to help him.” Asher tried to argue.

“You can see that aura, can't you?” Timothy motioned towards the other side of the street a strange aura was growing like a path towards them.

“But Orion’s still-” Asher stared out the window trying to get a glimpse of what was happening.

“It doesn't discriminate between friends and enemies during combat. If you go out there, you'll just get slaughtered with the rest of them.” He explained. “He’ll be fine.”

"But-" Asher was cut off by a loud noise. Something was moving towards them at a breakneck speed. It sounded almost like a train.

Before Katz could make it back to his feet, a shockwave knocked everything onto the ground. The window shook lightly but maintained itself, as if it were designed for the sole purpose of defending its inhabitants.

"Did he turn into a dragon?" Diana suddenly popped up beside Asher.

It was hard to see much of anything.

"Diana you can't stand on the counter." Timothy scolded her as he picked her up and brought her back to the kitchen.

As the dust cleared a sole figure stood in the center of it all. It was Orion’s boss, Phalaris, and he appeared to be considerably ticked off.

“I’ve been too lenient with you pests.” He growled grabbing one of the Lucidians by the throat, “Tell your leader if I catch you in my territory again, I will obliterate your whole faction.”

After he said his piece, he threw the Lucidian to the ground and transformed.

The creature that appeared was dark blue in color with those same strange looking eyes that glowed even in the daylight.

It was something akin to a giant centipede with mantis-like claws. The way it moved made Ashers skin crawl.

‘That's his true form…’ Asher thought to himself, ‘I don't think cognivores are supposed to be that big.’

From what he could remember even the larger cognivores were only ever a few feet tall. The man himself was already about seven feet tall, and this creature was almost two or three times that. This thing was truly a monster.

Not only was it huge it was fast. Asher's vision could barely keep up with what was happening.

The Lucidians once again fought with their lasers, but they couldn't penetrate his exoskeleton. Soon they failed to keep up with his speed enough to defend themselves.

Phalaris slaughtered them mercilessly.

Every single Lucidian was cut to bits in the blink of an eye save for the one he had tossed aside earlier. Someone to carry home his warning no doubt.

Even through his dampened fear response Asher was terrified. 

Now that Timothy was too busy with Diana to stop him, Asher slowly exited the bakery and slowly creeped towards Orion. Orion was zoned out completely, Asher didn’t have to get too close to tell that much. From a distance Orion’s injuries seemed numerous as his shadows once more coated the majority of his skin like bandages.

Phalaris returned to his human form, but his claws were still sticking out of his back as if ready to continue fighting at any moment. Asher froze in place; he wasn't going to risk being mistaken for an enemy. Phalaris tore off the patch from one of the Lucidians’ uniforms with his claw and examined it. 

Asher couldn't quite tell what the symbol was. It looked somewhat similar to a crescent moon with lines going through it. He knew he’d never seen the symbol before, and yet it dampened his mind with a sense of familiarity that made him feel ill.

“It was already a pain dealing with Nullity and Exten, now I have to deal with Vacuous as well.” Phalaris growled before speeding off in the same way he arrived taking Orion with him. The force of it knocked Asher backwards to the ground.

“Nullity… Exten… Vacuous…” Asher muttered under his breath. The names rang a bell, but he didn’t want them to.

“Are you alright?” Timothy hurried over to help Asher back to his feet.

“Y-yeah. I think so.” He replied staring off at the trail of aura that creature left behind.

“Is that thing what you’re trying to find out about?” Timothy asked bluntly.

“Sort of.” Asher answered with a bit of hesitance.

“Why don’t you just ask him directly?” Timothy encouraged.

“What?” Asher shuddered slightly. It was glaringly obvious he would never stand a chance if he had to fight against that creature. It was no wonder Orion frequently seemed terrified of even talking about him most of the time.

“He won't hurt you. You’re a demon.” Timothy assured him.

Asher grimaced.

Did Timothy think he was a full demon? Was it really safe for him specifically? Maybe Phalaris also thinks he’s a full demon... But wouldn't he know from Orion’s memories that he isn't?

“Whatever questions you have is better off asked at the source you know.” Timothy placed a hand on Asher’s shoulder.

“Right, okay.” Asher wondered whether Phalaris would even answer him honestly if at all.

Any sort of hope he had of protecting Orion from that thing was completely out the window but was some form of negotiation even possible?

Just like the aura that spread before Phalaris arrived, a trail was left behind. Looking closely at the aura Asher could tell it was different from his usual aura and different from the tripwire in his office. It looked more like a warning sign.

Was there really that many demons here to warrant such a thing? Or was it to lure him specifically? 

Timothy seemed to be aware of it, so maybe there were a lot more demons in the area then he thought.

Against his better judgement he began to follow the trial. All the while he thought about what had happened.

What if he wasn't demon enough to be safe? 

Was it safe to trust the demon he had just met? If Timothy was lying, he would have been able to see it in his aura, but what if he was wrong, what if he missed something. 

What if… What if… What if…

A shadow moving in the distance caught his eye, stirring up visions of Orion’s shadowy tendrils as they covered his injuries.

“Orion. I need to make sure he’s okay.” Asher said to himself confidently. He was far too worried about Orion’s condition to let this train of thought interrupt him any further.