The demon’s great tongue lolled in the air, lapping up the faint mist of blood that lingered—a final insult to the pathetic priest who had summoned him. Only the smallest particles remained; the priest’s body was obliterated, and his fate sealed the moment Morghadus breached the veil.

  The priest was a fool. The girl had been a trap—a fucking Demana. Damn, the Sa Kamal and their lies. They had claimed eradication and boasted of wiping every last one of these vermin from existence, yet here she stood, her vile blue eyes blazing with defiance. Proof of their failure. When he returned to their realm, they would answer for their incompetence, and the price would be steep. He would extract it claw by claw, savoring their screams as they begged for the mercy he would never grant.

  He lunged at the girl, muscles rippling with unholy strength, but her power lashed out like a tidal wave, forcing him back. He dug in, bracing against the surge, his talons carving deep furrows into the stone beneath them. The girl sneered, her expression mocking, her gaze alive with the thrill of battle and a lust for his destruction. At least, he could appreciate that—a shared hunger for annihilation. She craved his death as much as he craved hers.

  And her death would be exquisite.

  She would feel the slow crush of his jaws, her bones splintering like twigs, her flesh rendered into pulp. He would savor every scream, every gasp, feeding the slurry of her remains to his baby rocs. He’d keep her eyes—pluck them from her shattered skull and shove them into his nostrils. Let her watch, helpless, as he split her body in two, devouring her piece by trembling piece.

  But then, something else caught his attention.

  A link. A foul, shimmering thread of mana binding her to another. The stench of it clogged his senses—intimate, potent, and sickeningly pure. He sniffed the air, his gaze swinging toward the wall, where a hunched figure quivered in the shadows.

  A human male. Weak. Pathetic. An ugly, pulsing lump of flesh, writhing in terror, bile pooling around his trembling form. He reeked of fear and unspent power, his love for the girl radiating from him like an open wound. She cared for this sniveling creature. She loved him

  Morghadus’s lips curled into a jagged smile, his jagged teeth glinting in the flickering light. He would kill the man—with malice. Devour their bond. He would savor the sweetness of their love as he crushed it into nothingness. Then, when it was over, he would leave their shredded connection in a pile of rotting filth, festering with maggots. He would make her watch as he turned her love into the most meaningless, vile waste imaginable.

  Let her see what true power meant.

  The demon stalked toward Jack, its massive, jagged jaws spreading wide with a bone-chilling creak, ready to snap him in half. Its crimson eyes burned with malice, twin pits of incandescent fury that seemed to sear through flesh and bone. Each ponderous step sent tremors rippling through the ground, knocking loose debris from the abbey’s crumbling walls. The vibrations echoed in Jack’s chest, rattling his already frayed nerves.

  Behind the hulking creature, Jack caught a fleeting glimpse of Kleo. Her hands moved in a precise, fluid motion, weaving an intricate spell that coalesced into a shimmering wave of force. The air around her rippled, charged with unseen energy. Jack’s breath hitched as realization struck—it was the same technique she had practiced with him.

  His instincts took over. Planting his feet, Jack braced himself as the energy wave hurtled toward him. Time seemed to slow as the force struck, washing over him with a tingling, electric heat that surged through his veins. The sensation was intoxicating—wild and untamed—but Jack tightened his focus, pulling the energy inward, harnessing it with a flick.

  With a guttural shout, he released the wave, redirecting it back toward the demon. The impact was devastating, colliding with the creature’s chest like a battering ram, throwing it backward with a deafening crack. The demon let out a guttural snarl, staggering as its colossal frame swayed. Its grotesque head jerked wildly, and for a surreal moment, Jack thought it might sneeze. He raised his hands defensively, muttering, “ Oh no, please don’t sneeze on me.

  The demon’s shoulders heaved as it steadied itself, a feral growl rumbling deep within its throat. Its fiery gaze shifted past Jack, locking onto Kleo. The fury in its eyes boiled over, a murderous intent ignited into a blazing inferno.

  Then it moved, lunging forward with horrifying speed, its sinewy neck extending and muscles rippling beneath its blackened hide. Its gaping maw stretched impossibly wide, rows of jagged, black teeth gleaming like shards of broken glass.

  The roar came next—a sound so primal and thunderous it seemed to reverberate through the very fabric of the abbey. The force of it was more than noise; it was raw, oppressive energy, a crushing weight that drove Jack to his knees and sent loose stones tumbling from above. He clamped his hands over his ears, but it was useless—the sound pierced through him like a physical blow, rattling his mind and clawing at his sanity.

  Through the chaos, Jack saw Kleo standing firm in the face of the onslaught. Her eyes burned with a fierce determination as she met the demon’s glare, unflinching. The beast focused on her, its body coiling like a predator preparing to strike. Jack’s pulse thundered in his ears, his thoughts a jumble of fear and desperation.

  Kleo, don’t you dare fail now.

  Kleo locked eyes with Morghadus, the air heavy with shared hatred. Her fingers flexed as she braced for his attack, adrenaline coursing through her veins. The demon struck with feral speed—faster than she had anticipated. She dodged to her right, but his massive wrist clipped her thigh, sending her into an awkward tumble. She rolled and sprang to her feet, testing her leg with a grimace. That’s going to leave a mark.

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  The pain was sharp but manageable—a mistake, but a small one. She couldn’t afford another. This fight wasn’t about survival but ending Morghadus for good. Their plan depended on precision, timing, and Jack. She cast a glance toward him and felt a pang of worry. He was on all fours, struggling to rise, his breath ragged. His face was a mask of determination, but his body seemed unwilling to cooperate.

  Goddess, help him, she thought, swallowing the lump of doubt threatening to choke her. Then, their eyes met. She made the signal with her right hand, a deliberate flick of her fingers, and saw his eyes widen with recognition. Fear flickered in his gaze, but he nodded. She knew he would come through—he had to.

  Morghadus’s gaze shifted between them, his grotesque maw curling into a cruel mockery of a grin. He understood. He could feel their bond, the way their energies intertwined. He growled, his burning eyes settling on her. He knew she was the greater threat, and like the Dark Wolf before him, he would charge her with relentless fury.

  But Jack moved first.

  The crack of impact echoed through the room as Jack’s sphere of force struck the demon’s ribs. The crunch was unmistakable, and Morghadus let out a bellowing snarl of pain. Its head snapped toward Jack, its fury ignited, but it was all the opening Kleo needed.

  Ignoring the searing pain in her leg, she sprinted forward, counting her steps. One. Two. Three. She launched herself upward, drawing on the force within her core, propelling herself higher than any human leap could carry. Time seemed to slow, the world narrowing to the terrible maw yawning wide to meet her, teeth glinting like jagged, obsidian shards.

  She saw Jack’s orb—a radiant, pulsating sphere of pure energy—hovering between her and the beast’s jaws. It radiated with warmth and familiarity, embodying their bond and shared resolve. To her, it wasn’t light—it was love, their love, forged through their trials, strengthened in the fires of trust and faith. This was their weapon, and it was beautiful.

  This has to work, she thought. It must. If they failed, there was no second chance. Death would not be the end—not for her. She would face corruption, the slow, insidious decay of her soul. And yet, even in that fleeting moment of dread, she knew she wouldn’t allow it. Kadas Shadoom would not allow it.

  The orb pulsed, waiting for her. She stretched her arms wide, clasping it in both hands and drew the energy into herself. It flowed through her body like molten light, filling every vein, nerve, and fiber. It was overwhelming, yet she wielded it with purpose.

  Time snapped back to full speed as she opened her mouth, releasing the divine light in a blinding torrent. It surged forward, a pure, unrelenting force, pouring directly into Morghadus’s gaping maw. The demon froze, its soulless eyes widening as it realized, too late, the inevitability of its end.

  The light seared through him, consuming him from within. Smoke and ash erupted from his mouth and eyes as the divine force burned away his flesh, his essence, his very existence. His death cry was drowned in the roaring light, the sound of it breaking like glass against the radiant tide.

  And then it was over. The great form of Morghadus collapsed into a blackened husk, his hulking body reduced to ash and embers. The ground beneath him quaked one last time before falling still.

  Kleo’s mouth closed, and the light extinguished. Her body trembled, spent and heavy with exhaustion. She felt the world tilt as darkness closed in around her. The last thing she saw was Jack, his face etched with relief and terror, rushing toward her as she fell.

  She surrendered to unconsciousness, trusting he would catch her before she hit the ground.

  Jack clambered to his feet, his legs shaking uncontrollably, threatening to betray him as he lurched forward. His heart pounded in his chest, his body rebelling against the torrent of adrenaline coursing through him. Kleo had given the signal—it was time to act. He forced himself to steady his stance, breath ragged as he summoned the energy from his core, molding it into a small, brilliant mana sphere.

  The orb pulsed in his hands, potent and raw, its light casting sharp shadows in the blood-soaked chamber. This was it—the plan they had formed in desperation. Simple, untested, and terrifying. Jack’s role was to distract the demon long enough for Kleo to execute the killing blow. The memory of their first encounter with his magic flashed in his mind—Kleo had accidentally redirected his magic back at him that day, and it had launched him into a shelf. Now, she would redirect that same power into herself, channeling it into a surge of unstoppable force.

  Or so they hoped.

  The theory was sound. The execution? He had no idea. It had to work—it was their only chance. But the thought of watching it fail, watching everything unravel before his eyes, made him want to turn away. He couldn’t. Not now.

  Jack pushed the sphere forward with everything he had, and the orb streaked through the air like a comet, slamming into the demon’s chest with a resounding crack. The impact shook the room, eliciting a guttural snarl from the monstrous creature. Jack heard the crunch of ribs breaking, a sickly, satisfying sound. He couldn’t revel in it. Kleo was already moving.

  She sprinted forward, her every movement precise and deliberate despite the pain that lanced through her injured leg. Her leap was breathtaking, her body a blur of motion as she propelled herself high into the air. Jack’s breath caught in his throat as he saw the demon lunge upward to meet her, its massive jaws opening wide in a hideous display of primal hunger. It was going for her, determined to consume her whole.

  Jack’s stomach twisted with rage and fear. He pulled again, summoning every last ounce of energy he had, forging it into a second orb that burned hotter and brighter than the first. His hands trembled as he released it, his voice tearing from his throat in a primal scream. The orb soared upward, its radiance cutting through the gloom like a miniature sun hovering before Kleo.

  The moment froze, suspended in time. Jack watched as Kleo reached out, grasping the orb with both hands. The light enveloped her, infusing her with its power, and when she opened her mouth, the divine radiance poured forth. It was beautiful and terrible—a brilliant, searing torrent of pure energy that cascaded over the demon, consuming it entirely.

  The beast thrashed violently, its marble-black flesh blistering and bubbling under the relentless assault. Its eyes erupted in grotesque pops, dark smoke billowing from the empty sockets. Its snarls turned to agonized howls, then faded into silence as its body collapsed in a smoldering heap. The ground shook with the force of its fall, and the room was filled with the acrid stench of burnt flesh.

  Jack sank to his knees, his chest heaving as the weight of relief crashed over him. He had done it—they had done it. Goal achieved. But his elation was short-lived.

  Kleo.

  His eyes found her in time to see her body go limp, her arms falling to her sides as her strength gave out. She began to plummet toward the unforgiving stone floor. Panic surged through him. He flicked his right hand desperately, his force spell sputtering weakly as he tried to cushion her fall. It wasn’t nearly enough.

  She fell fast, and Jack’s heart dropped with her. She hit the ground with a hard thud.