Aerith was just beginning to add pressure to the trigger when black smoke entered her field of view. She pulled away from the crossbow's lens to take a full view of the clearing. Surprise rippled through her, though her body did not show any signs of shock. Instead, she returned to the lens, observing.<br/><br/>Aerith decided in the next moment that this new threat was more dangerous and realigned her aim. Her breathing stopped and there was a snap as the first bolt was fired and the whirling as the wheel reloader fed the next bolt into the groove.<br/><br/>Nine more times she fired, barely blinking before feeding new bolts into the mechanism and stowing the weapon on her back and drawing her sword, landing with a rustle of armour as she dropped down the small cliff.<br/><br/>She looked at those who lived pointedly, walking to the first body, still moving and stabbed the blade down, black smoke caressing the grey steel as the demon ceased to live. Aerith repeated her actions on the bodies that remained.<br/><br/>"So," she turned around when she was done ensuring that the creatures were dead, "What are you children doing in the forest?"