Nightmares of magic and organs descended on the remaining forces of the Parasyte. In their laughter and their screaming, in their colours and their chaotic forms, they were the polar opposite to the Shapeforms.

Dozens of demons piled on top of the Shapeforms. One of the undetailed creatures swung its sharp claws, catching an infernal, dog-like creature by the chest. Five deep, thin cuts steamed the black particles of congealing demon blood. The wound was sealed by the time the claws left the demonic flesh, muscles and bones glueing back together at a rapid speed.

The Inevitable party observed first hand the truth of the organic purpose of the denizens of the Hellroots. They were not stronger than the knights had been. Most of them appeared much weaker, in fact. Yet they threw themselves at the enemy without fear. The thin and deep cuts of the Shapeforms did not harm them, their healing factor so much closer to the humanoid slime than a standard denizen of the Leaves. Even if they were to perish, their Sparks would return to the realm below.

The four Shapeforms were buried under the swarm, while a singular demon advanced towards the party. It was a jittery creature of grey-tinted, white skin, covering too little flesh in one moment and too much the next. Arms and legs sprouted from its mass in random intervals, jutting out and being re-absorbed into a semi-liquid core in split seconds. Yellow eyes opened and disappeared similarly, although there were always at least two and never more than seven. Its mouth was the only consistent feature, forming a wide, sharp-toothed grin on top of its shifting body.

"Kill the Parasyte!" The demon took hold of several tree branches. Arms stretched, then relaxed, the creature launching itself at the Parasyte.

The silent voidborn was struck in its centre. A chaotic wrestle of black and greyish white ensued, the monster from nothing chomping away at the demon with its petal-like teeth.

No order was needed for the party to follow Apexus. Aclysia seared away one of the Parasyte's tentacles before it could strike the demon's back. Reysha and Apexus were at the front next, stabbing and slapping away the other remaining tendrils – all to give their heaviest hitter her opening.

Korith leapt beneath the Parasyte. How the creature sensed, she did not know, but it had its limitations. Unnoticed, the kobold grabbed her hammer with both hands. Ki filled her muscles to the utmost. A curved swing pulled the stone head of the weapon upwards, delivering it into the Parasyte's exposed centre.

The creature rose a full metre, before the weight of itself and the demon stopped the momentum. Inside the Parasyte's mouth, the adventurers' impromptu ally flexed. Grey-white goo hardened into new limbs, ripping the damaged voidborn apart.

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A wet squelch later, the heavily injured demon lay on the floor. The halves of the Parasyte hovered in the air, its form attempting to reject its being. In an instant, what had been the body of a horrific monster turned into plain, grey stone, dropping to the ground with a loud thud.

Fluids seeped from the demon's torn open body. There was no consistence to it, some was extremely thin, some was extremely viscous. 'Looks like a horrifically botched attempt at melting cheese,' Reysha thought.

The demon attempted to suck its vital fluid back inside, but the damage to its skin was just too severe. "Spark returns to roots far down, for the demon shall return to…"

A soft, red light upon its form turned the creature quiet. Aclysia knelt above the creature, hands channelling healing magic. She had not been able to save anyone mortal, but she could keep an ally of the Leaf alive.

Assisted by magic, the demon recovered rapidly. Liquid retreated beneath the sack of skin, joining the impossible construction of loose bones and muscles that had stayed where they belonged. "Why, thank you, thank you a whole lot," the demon cackled, rising on many limbs. It shivered intensely once it was 'upright' again. "Fully healed, fully healed indeed."

The surrounding demons let out a cacophony of annoyed grunts at that fact.

"Ya sure about that? You keep spasming."

"Jittering! I am a Jitter, I jitter." The creature grew a single-fingered arm just to bow. "I am Bulubu and you are too strong to be food."

"Charming…" Korith muttered, only for her mouth to fall open when she saw what the rest of the demons were doing.

"Do not!" Aclysia screamed.

The declaration was entirely ignored. In the absence of fighting the living, the demons had begun to rip open the dead. No honour was given to the fallen knights, their innards turned into soft treats for the infernal creatures. Apexus was contemplating how he could stop a crowd this large, exhausted as his party was.

"STOP!" Bulubu shouted. That got the demons to at least hesitate. "Idiots. Stupid things. This is why I am leader." The Jitter eyed the Inevitable party. "You survived. You are strong. You might be actual aid against… Spark Eaters."

"SPARK EATERS!" "SPARK EATERS!" "SPARK EATERS!" The demons screamed out, incensed by the mere mention.

"You are strong. Strong like me… they were not as strong." One of Bulubu's short legs pointed at a mutilated corpse. "Still, pity. Better as warm bodies than fresh meat. Better as rotting meat than no allies…?" Bulubu tilted what qualified as its head. "If you are allies?"

"Are you threatening us with further desecration of the dead if we do not join you?"

"No threat intended, no, no," Bulubu assured. "Dead flesh is food, it is the nature. We do you the favour of not eating them, if you are with us." It bounced in a manner that resembled a shrug. "Soooo, what is it? Are you quitters? Are you fighting alone? Are we allies against the hated nothing?"

The party looked to Apexus. Although he did want to preserve the dignity of these men, he would not let that be the deciding factor on whether he continued to risk the lives of his loves in this space. Was he resolved to try and do the best for this Leaf he could? The answer to that remained unchanged. Was he willing to work with demons to that end?

'Factually, there is no more apt fighting force against this enemy,' he thought, then gave his answer. "Allies."

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