https://www.wattpad.com/440920840-the-roach-of-ook-section-two

There was a person ahead. He had his head away from Joanna, but he turned and looked at her when she approached. His face was empty, though. He had a mouth, nose, eyes, and all of it - but there was no expression. He blankly said "Hello," to her without moving.

Joanna approached him cautiously and peered into his eyes. Sure enough, they had no pupils.

The demon just had big green irises. Its mouth curved upward at the edges as Joanna drew her sword.

"Okay," it said at her before moving its legs stiffly forward in a walking position.

Joanna held her ground, her stance not wavering. The atrocity snarled at her and started running now, its arms uselessly flailing out in front of it.

The wide forward arc was easy for Joanna even in her weakened state, and the thing's head was lopped off. Before it even hit the ground, Joanna was off again, dashing to the small central area of the town. This is where most of the stores were held up, and there was a large mass of people here. Some of them were demons from Hell no doubt, and the rest were villagers who were screaming in panic as they tried to escape the town.

There were a few men in armor near the blacksmith. They were back-to-back, and a dozen snarling fake people were massing on them. Even with the swords and shields of their enemies, the things were able to bite and claw their way to victory.

Three of the things saw Ellette and Joanna, and stalked their way toward them. "Stand back," Joanna said. She approached the demons steadily, her arms postured outward in a defensive stance. They all snarled at her in unison, but the first's snarl was cut short by a sharp black sword in its eye. The other two rushed forward and tried to bite at Joanna's arm, but she quickly pulled her sword out of the dead abomination and leaped back. She blocked the bite of one of the things with her blade and pushed it back, before slashing out at the third that was going for her neck. That killed it, but the one that she pushed back recuperated in no time and feinted to the left, before instead lunging at her right side. Joanna wasn't expecting that, but she still blocked the blow and finished it off in righteous fury. That was when she heard Ellette scream.

She looked behind her and saw two of the things on top of Ellette. "No," she said to herself, but it was too late. As quick as Joanna tried to run, she knew that she couldn't reach the girl in time, and she cursed at herself for not keeping an eye on her. Still, she tried to reach Ellette in vain.

The things snarled, their mouths turned upward in victory. One of them went to bite at Ellette's throat, and it succeeded, its mouth reaching the pale skin of the village girl. But before the skin could be broken, a steel blade was lunged into the head of the unholy beast. It was then thrust out, and it quickly executed the other demon on top of Ellette.

The girl looked up at her savior and saw the same red-haired woman from the clearing. Lee Clarke's face was one of great sadness, but her eyes were sharp and full of rage.

"Lee!" Joanna breathed in excitement. She rushed ahead, where Lee was pulling up Ellette.

"Madam," Lee stiffly said.

"Enough of that," Joanna said, her eyes hurt. "Please, forgive my prior acts of sanguinolent perfection."

Lee was surprised, but she didn't show it. "It's unlike of you to apologize, Joanna. But indeed, the crisis ahead of us cannot be empowered by mortal grievances." She looked over her liege. "Seems the girl was more of a problem than you expected."

Joanna cracked a wide smile and laughed. "Verily, my friend. Now let us end this degenerate plague once more."

Lee nodded. "With honor, my lady. But the girl needs an escort - however of a yare lass she may be, she cannot withstand an enemy of this strength."

"Lee-"

"Take her home and secure her," Lee rudely interrupted, her tone almost one of a commanding officer. "I can deal with these locusts myself."

Joanna was scowling now. Her eyes wet, she turned away and cursed again. Then she looked back up at Lee and nodded, now with fire in her eyes instead. "I will carry as much haste as the wind itself. Meet me at the chapel." She spoke up, urgency in her voice. "And Lee - I beg you to not leave me here on this world alone. Remember that as much as you need your heart, you need your head. And above all, your life."

Lee was silent for only a moment. "I will do what I can." And with those words, she took off to the main square, leaving Joanna and Ellette for themselves.

Lee ran to the plaza, hoping to quell the wave of darkness that had maligned itself upon this poor city. When she reached the modest town square, she saw that she had work to do.

There was a line of people down on their knees. Armored demons paced back and forth before them. Suddenly, Lee saw one of the ghastly abominations touch the head of a kneeling woman.

"Do You Accept The Responsibility?"

"Yes," the woman breathed. Immediately, her pupils went up and out of sight. She shook, foaming at the mouth, before her eyes secreted a thick black goo. The goo was sentient, however, and slithered away from the scene. Lee was infuriated at this sight.

The knight approached this scene with her sword drawn. "Your slime will infect no more!" Lee shouted, brandishing her sword.

All of the demons looked at her. They smiled.

The conglomeration of seized human bodies all rushed towards Lee, and she dispatched their uncoordinated efforts with struggle. Slice after slice, block after block, it all started to fade together for her. But when the minute turned, a dozen demon corpses lay at her feet.

The people kneeling scattered, but Lee tried to rally them in vain.

"People of Coventry! Pick up your blades and lend me your aid in this storm! These Satanic shadows shall never overtake us, for we wield the light of God! Make no folly, the rapture for these monsters is held on this day."

But this wasn't enough to rouse the people into fighting. Lee screamed internally as the last of the villagers tried to abandon their home, leaving the square deserted. But doubtlessly, there were more of these shadows throughout the city. Lee had to put this sickness down.

With every monster she purged, she knew there was one more to deal with. Her physical condition meant nothing to her anymore, she had to keep going.

But Lee soon saw that she wasn't battling the initial scourge anymore, those demons that wore clothes of the old times. It was now the newly infected - the people of Coventry. This was a nightmarish realization for her. Captured bodies were one thing, but the mania-inducing visage of the One was too much for a simple woman like Lee.

She slew her way through the town, assuming that Joanna would alert the King's army soon enough. She stopped plenty of infections, but still, she was just one person. Her energy was drained and her body screamed in pain with every step she took and every swing of her sword. Hours passed, and Lee was glad when she noticed the demon presence thinning out.

Once she saw General Rosler and his men on the horizon, she knew the fight was over. But the orange cloud above had moved north, up to Birmingham. Lee took a minute to rest, then went to greet the General.

Rosler was surrounded by guards in the finest steel armor, and his long black beard was lavishly kept. He spoke hollowly. "What ilk is this, Madam? I am a holy man, and I do not wish to retaliate against a punishment He has decreed we deserve."

Lee shook her head. "This is the work of the devil, my lord - and we are God's blade today. This plague is a puzzle for His children to solve, lest He be required to descend His angels onto our world."