Liam stared at the demon across the small stone room, his chest still heaving from the earlier scrap.
The air smelled like damp rock and something sour, like old blood.
The demon’s lips curled into a slow smile, the kind that didn’t reach its yellow eyes.
"Oh, it’s you," the demon said, voice smooth and amused. "The one Simon warned me about."
Liam’s fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword until the leather creaked. Simon.
The name hit like a punch to the gut. He lifted the blade, keeping it steady even though his arms already ached.
"Simon warned you about me?" he asked, the words coming out sharper than he meant.
The demon nodded, smile widening into something nasty and pleased. "Yes," it answered.
"He told me to kill you... and that little bastard of his." Its gaze slid sideways, locking onto Beatrix with obvious hate.
Beatrix’s face hardened. She glared right back, fists clenched at her sides.
Then she turned to Liam, voice low and impatient. "Why are we still talking to him? Let’s kill him already."
Liam didn’t need to be told twice. He sprang forward, sword swinging in a wide arc. The demon met him halfway.
Steel rang against claw, and the impact jarred all the way up Liam’s arms. He was fast, but the demon was faster.
Every time Liam pressed in, the creature pushed him back a step, then two.
It wasn’t just strength. The thing was level forty, Liam knew it in his bones after all the grinding he’d done in the house wilderness.
He had clawed his way to thirty, fighting tooth and nail through every wild patch and ruined hallway, but the gap still felt huge.
And then there were the tentacles. Thick, ropey things sprouted from the demon’s back, whipping through the air like extra arms.
One slammed into Liam’s shoulder and sent him stumbling. He caught his balance just in time to block another strike.
This is bad, he thought. I’m already breathing hard and he’s barely trying.
"Girls!" Liam shouted without looking back. "I need you!"
They didn’t hesitate. Pyra stepped up beside him, hands glowing with heat.
She pulled her arms back and hurled a huge fireball straight at the demon’s chest.
The flames roared through the air, bright and hungry.
One of the demon’s tentacles snapped up, wrapped around the fireball, and sliced it clean in half.
The two burning pieces hit the wall and fizzled out.
Pyra cursed under her breath. "This monster isn’t dying!"
Crya moved next. For the first time Liam had seen, she lifted both hands and called out her signature spell.
"Cryo spear!" A long, glittering shaft of ice formed in front of her and shot forward like a javelin.
It struck the demon’s side with a solid thunk. Cracks of frost spread across its hide, and the creature slowed for a second, limbs stiffening.
Liam saw his chance. He jumped in, sword flashing, and brought the blade down hard on the nearest tentacle.
The edge bit deep. The tentacle dropped to the floor, twitching once, twice, then lay still. Dark fluid leaked from the stump.
Liam wiped sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. His shirt stuck to his back. "Good," he panted.
"We need to keep this up!" He glanced over at Crya. "Any more of those kinds of spells?"
Crya shook her head, breathing hard. "I can’t. Those spears drain too much mana. I can only do it three times a day."
Liam looked back at the demon. Of course this won’t be easy, he thought. Nothing ever is.
Beatrix spoke up, voice tight but sure. "I’ll prepare a massive necro-type spell. It’ll take time.
You three keep him busy. When I launch it, you need to go in and finish him."
Liam nodded. "You got it."
He and the girls threw themselves at the demon again.
For the next hour they fought without stopping. Tentacles lashed out, forcing them to dodge and roll.
Pyra kept throwing smaller fireballs to distract. Crya stabbed with her spear whenever she could.
Liam swung and slashed, trying to stay between the demon and Beatrix while she worked her spell in the corner. His shoulders burned.
A tentacle caught him across the ribs once and left a stinging welt. He tasted blood in his mouth but kept moving.
Every few seconds he checked on Beatrix. She stood with eyes closed.
Her hands moving in slow patterns, muttering words he couldn’t hear over the clash of steel and the whip of tentacles.
The girls stayed right with him, never complaining, never slowing down.
That steady support kept him going even when his legs started to feel like lead.
Finally Beatrix’s voice cut through the noise. "The spell is ready!" She stepped back quickly, giving herself space.
Liam and the others jumped clear. Beatrix thrust her hands forward. A dark wave of energy rolled out, thick and heavy like smoke.
It slammed into the demon and wrapped around it.
The creature’s movements turned sluggish. Its tentacles drooped. Its yellow eyes widened in surprise.
As expected from a knowledgeable half-succubus like Beatrix, Liam thought. The spell worked perfectly.
They charged again. This time the demon couldn’t keep up.
Liam hacked at one tentacle after another. Pyra burned through two more.
Crya froze a third so it snapped clean off.
They cut away every limb until the demon was nothing but a bleeding torso lying on the cold stone floor.
The demon looked up at them, chest rising and falling in shallow breaths.
Then it smiled again and started laughing. The sound was wet and ugly.
"This isn’t your victory," it said between laughs.
"The monster race has already infiltrated human society.
There isn’t enough time left for you to do anything about it."
It burst into louder laughter, head thrown back.
Liam raised his sword high, ready to drive it straight into the demon’s neck and end this.
Before the blade could fall, the heavy wooden door at the back of the room creaked open.
A figure stepped inside. In one smooth motion the newcomer threw his sword.
The blade spun through the air and clanged hard against Liam’s.
Knocking it sideways and stopping the killing blow cold.
The demon’s laughter faded into a chuckle. It looked at the newcomer and said,
"Oh yes. You’re that bodyguard Simon hired to protect me.
I only have one complaint, you kinda took your time."
Liam turned to see who it was. His heart hammered hard against his ribs. It was the same black knight from before.
Anos, now standing right in front of him, armor dark and imposing under the dim light.
Anos took one slow step forward, then another.
Liam’s mind raced. Should he jump in and fight him right now, or try to finish the demon first?
The thought spun in his head, heavy and urgent, while the sword in his hand suddenly felt twice as heavy.