Without thinking, Desmond reacted.
A few sparkles of electricity slipped out into the tightened wind pressure.
Then—
A sharp tiny crack snapped through the atmosphere.
"Huh?"
A moment.
Just a fraction.
It seemed like the pressure around him had diminished.
Slightly.
He gasped in air.
But then—
The pressure slammed down on him again.
Harder than the first.
Desmond was struggling with the crushing force once again.
But even then, his thoughts were wandering.
'What was that? For a second there, I could breathe.'
He shut his eyes, frustration building up again.
'Dammit. Can I make it happen again? I don't even know if I'm the one who did it.'
Then out of frustration, he blazed.
Lightning surging—
—Uncontrolled.
Multiple cracks sounded.
A ripple tore through the pressure.
Desmond's eyes widened—breathing in slightly.
'The pressure is unstable now. Wait, it reacted?'
Then he gasped.
'That's it.' His grin returned.
"So that's how it works, huh?" He said, looking back at the demon.
"Huh?" The demon lifted a brow.
Desmond's grin stretched further.
'Let's test it then.'
Lightning surged violently around him—
Again, multiple cracks sounded.
The air distorted slightly.
Now
He moved forward—
Arm and blade splitting apart, shoving through the unstable field—
Forcing the demon back.
Then he dashed forward, his blade swiping at the demon.
The demon parried.
But Desmond's other hand was free—
Fist charged with lightning.
The punch blitzed into the demon's chest.
Breath knocked out of the demon as it got blown away.
Desmond—not wasting any time—shot after it, moving between branches.
The demon flew through several branches as it turned around—
Then grabbed on to one branch, swinging and landing on another.
Desmond sped past it, glancing behind him.
'Dammit. I moved past him instead.'
The demon went after him.
Soon, they were brawling it out again while moving through the trees.
Blades flashed as steel rang.
Lightning sparked and wind burst.
For a moment, they were moving so fast it looked like blue and purple light rays moving and crashing into each other.
Desmond studied the demon as he leaped.
'I have to wait for the right timing to do it. I can't waste away much energy in the state I'm in.'
He landed on the ground, blasting forward.
The demon also landed, trailing after him.
Desmond glanced back, frowning.
'Dammit. How do I know when he's going to use it?'
The demon brought its hand to its back, wind compressing on its palm.
Then released, blasting itself forward—
Its blade flashing into its grip.
Desmond quickly turned—blocking the demon's strike with his blade—
But couldn't stop the wind pressure that blasted him away.
The demon advanced after him—using wind to propel itself through the air.
— —
The masked, white-haired girl came to a stop, breathing softly.
"It's moving away." She sighed, taking off the mask.
But only the lower half of her face was visible.
"I can't believe someone else aside me managed to hold it off for such a long time. And from what I sense, it's not the energy level of a master."
She stood there for a while.
Didn't say anything.
Just gazed into the distance.
The she clicked her tongue before putting the mask back on and running forward again.
— —
Jean came to a stop, glancing ahead.
Myla stopped by his side, looking up at him.
Jean frowned, the blue and orange flame in his vision shrinking.
'They're moving away.'
Myla tilted her head—
Confused.
Jean brought his fingers to his ear. "Suz. Are the healers going through with the preparations?"
"Yeah." Susanna answered from her end on the shore.
She looked behind.
A couple of people were setting up blankets on the ground along with first aid kits.
They wore white shirts and white tracksuit pants(but white skirts for some of the women)
On their backs were green capes with a bold white cross on them. Each cape had a number on its collar.
[Professional Healers.]
Susanna turned away, facing the sea.
Jean spoke. "I might be a little late. Begin once the injured are brought to you."
Susanna sighed. "Got it. I don't know what's going on at your end but I trust you can handle it."
Jean nodded, turning to Myla. "Get on my back."
He said, hopping from toe to toe several times before going down. "I don't want you to get left behind."
"Huh?" Myla jerked at the sudden rush but quickly recovered.
"O-okay." She stammered, getting unto Jean's back.
She knew better than to hesitate.
Jean got up as Myla locked on. "If we don't hurry, it might be too late."
Gold energy flared out around him.
Myla gasped—
Eyes wide.
Then shut them as Jean zapped straight forward—
Eyes wide—
Sharp. Focused.
Myla clung tight to Jean as he made his way through the woods.
— —
Desmond was blown away again by the demon's compressed wind pressure.
He flew through the air, landing roughly—his feet dragging backwards to a stop. "Damnit I can't figure it out."
The demon was already falling towards him—blade lifted.
He noticed just in time to block it with his sword and arm guard.
But again, a strong pressure feel on him, forcing him onto both knees.
His chest tightened.
Teeth clenched.
Eyes squeezed shut.
Sparks of lightning burst outward, disrupting the wind pressure.
Desmond gasped in air first.
Then pushed forward—shoving the demon back.
Right after—he vaulted toward the demon.
The demon stepped forward to meet him.
Desmond's gaze sharpened, steadying the demon.
'Now.'
Lightning sparked wildly as their weapons crashed.
But the demon only spun using the recoil—
Too fast
Desmond gasped, the demon's blade almost at his neck.
But then he ducked—barely missing the attack.
Right after, he jumped back, landing a few meters away from the demon.
Then he took his stance, gaze focused.
'Dammit. I thought he was going to use but he didn't. This is so frustrating. When does he use it? Any little hint could do. I don't have much energy left.'
They charged in at each other again.
Blades raised.
They got close—ready to strike.
But then—
Everything slowed down.
Desmond's gaze sharpened. 'Come on. What's the hint. Is he going to use it?'
Slowly, their weapons got closer, almost touching.
Then—
Desmond closed his eyes.
His expression calmed.
He breathed—deep.
Then opened his eyes again.
Sharp.
Concentrated—trying to pick up any signs.
A glimmer of purple flashed in the demon's eyes.
And it didn't go unnoticed by Desmond.
His gaze only sharpened more—his eyes glowing blue.
Then he saw it.
A surge of purple energy steaming from the demon.
His eyes shot opened.
'Now'
Lightning flickered around his weapon as the two blade collided.
Then the lightning surged around him—flickering in all directions.
For a second, a purple pressure was falling around Desmond.
But multiple ripples tore through—
The pressure became unstable.
The demon, not expecting it, had its guard dropped.
Desmond noticed—
A grin crept up his lips.
Then he deflected the demon's blade.
The wind pressure burst apart from loss of control.
Desmond lunged forward, driving his knee into the demon's face—
Lightning exploding upon impact as the demon was launched away into a rock—
The rock splitting into several fragments.
Desmond landed, breathing heavily, the grin remaining.
'I get it now. A surge before the impact, huh?.'
The demon staggered back to its feet, spitting out blood.
"Don't get cocky kid. I don't know what you did but it won't work twice."
Desmond straightened out. "You mean how I can broke through the pressure?"
A chuckle escaped him. "I don't blame you. You don't understand science after all."
He took a stance. "I'm not better at it though. But I'm glad I was able to keep that theory in my head."
The demon's brows kept twitching. "Quit spitting nonsense."
Then it growled, lunging forward. "Just shut up and die."
Desmond met him, grinning again—eyes glowing blue.
They began clashing again.
The demon was attacking ruthlessly while Desmond countered each of them.
His eyes brightened. "What's wrong? You seem to have lost your cool."
The demon scowled, raising the intensity of each blow. "Shut up... Shut up... Shut up."
Desmond's focus turned serious—
But the grin remained.
Then—
His grip tightened on his blade, his grin faltering just a fraction.
'I have to finish this before I run out of energy.'
He kept countering the demon's attacks with his blade and arm guard... not striking back—
As if he was waiting for the right moment.
Meanwhile—
The demon's frustration was rising to a breaking point.
Desmond stepped back, dodging an attack—
Then moved forward, striking back.
The demon quickly blocked, the crash forcing their blades apart.
But the demon spun instead of moving back, blade almost slicing Desmond.
Everything slowed down again.
It looked as if Desmond couldn't escape this time.
But he had a plan of his own.
He gazed straight into the demon's eyes, noticing the purple flicker again.
His grin widened, blue energy brimming around his arm guard.
'I've been waiting for this.'
He tilted in the opposite direction of the attack, bringing his arm in the way.
Lightning flickering around the arm guard.
His brows furrowed—
Noticing the invisible surge of purple energy around the demon as its blade crashed into the guard.
'Now!'
His eyes shot wide open as lightning surged outward from the guard.
This time—the pressure didn't even settle.
It shattered instantly.
Multiple shards of purple pressure fell.
The demon's eyes widened at what just happened.
Desmond pushed the blade away—not giving it time to recover—
And stepped forward.
The demon was left vulnerable as Desmond's blade descended upon it.
Just at the last second, it backed up—
Just barely.
The blade carved a sharp line down its chest—adding to the already existing cut into an X.
The demon groaned.
Blood spilled.
Desmond sighed, stepping forward again. "Why do you always..."
He pulled his other hand back, balling it into a fist.
"Always find a way..."
Lightning glittered around the fist as it launched forward. "To escape my blade."
The punch snapped against the demon's jaw.
Clean. Heavy.
Without a break, he spun—
Delivering a back kick to the demon—
Sending it flying into a tree.
Desmond stood, head bowed—breathing softly, clutching his blade.
The demon got on its knees, breathing heavily.
Its gaze rose slowly, settling on Desmond.
Desmond's breath stabilized as he proceeded to walk over to the demon—the sword glitching out of his hands.
The demon watched him, eyes wide.
Shock? Fear?
It was hard to tell.
Desmond's gaze was calm—
But dangerous.
The demon shook its head, getting back on its feet—clutching its blade like a lifeline.
Then it ran towards him, attacking desperately.
Desmond sidestepped, dodging the first attack—
Then stepped back, dodging the second.
He ducked, dodging the third.
Then rose, right fist charged with lightning—delivering the demon an uppercut.
The demon stumbled back on shaky legs—stopping just a meter, supporting itself with its blade.
It went in again, swinging its weapon anyhow.
Desmond dodged all of them with ease as they lacked pattern.
After dodging the last, he punched the demon in the chest.
It staggered back just slightly—
And stepped forward again, swinging its sword down at Desmond.
Its eyes flashed purple.
Desmond noticed—
And brought his arm in the way—guard giving off electric sparks.
The blade struck the guard—lightning flashed outward—
And again, the space around them broke into shards of purple pressure.
The demon growled in frustration, stepping back.
Then moved forward again.
Desmond blocked the second strike, lightning surging outward.
The place shuttered again.
The demon followed up with multiple strikes again and again.
Desmond blocked all of them with lightning crackles.
With each block, the place broke into several shards of wind pressure—
Again and again.
Now the demon was just striking with pure desperation.
Desmond caught the shift in mood and grinned.
He jumped, sword appearing in his hand—and twirled around, redirecting the demon's next strike into the ground.
He kept twirling, charging his foot with lightning—
Then kicked the back the demon's head, rumming its face into the ground.
Desmond landed behind it, dashing away.
Then turned around at a far distance from the demon—
And darted toward the demon again, lightning blitzing outward.
He pulled back his blade, ready to end it.
'You can't escape this time.'
The demon got on its knees, turning around to face Desmond, breathing heavily—its expression lacked life.
Desmond jumped the moment he got closer, twisting around—sword slicing toward the demon's neck—lightning flickering around the blade.
The demon looked helpless now.
Nothing else it could do.
Any second now and the demon was decapitated.
But just then, a heartbeat vibrated through Desmond.
His breath hitched.
The lightning surge ceased and vanished.
His sword and arm guard disappeared.
The demon noticed it, brows creasing.
Then it tilted to the opposite direction of the attack, bringing its blade in the way—blocking Desmond's strike.
— —
Jean frowned as he ran with Myla on his back.
'It vanished. The boy's energy flame.'
— —
The masked girl's breath hitched as she also sprinted in the flight's direction.
'I can't sense his energy anymore. Was he killed?'
— —
The demon grinned shoving Desmond back.
Then before Desmond could land, it lunged forward, stomping Desmond in the stomach.
Desmond gagged as he went flying into a tree.
The demon picked up a stick, imbibing it with purple energy and threw it.
The stick came soaring at an incredible speed, piercing through Desmond's shoulder—
Pinning him into the tree.
The demon's weapon gleamed back into its grip and it vaulted forward—using wind to propel itself through the air.
Desmond gritted his teeth, trying to pull out the stick but to no avail.
'Damnit. Just when I was so close to ending it. Why now?'
The tides had completely turned against Desmond.
Now he looked helpless and the demon had already closed in, blade slicing through the air at him—so close to ending things.
Desmond squeezed his eyes shut.
'No. I can't let it end like this? I can't die right now? I can't.'
Then—
Everything dimmed.
Desmond opened his eyes again—
And he was falling.
Falling through a dark space.
He lifted one hand as if reaching for something.
'I'm... losing consciousness.'
Then slowly his eyes closed again.
But before he could fall any further, something caught him.
A blue glowing hand of a certain blue glowing figure.
"Seriously! What am I ever going to do with you?" The figure spoke with a smirk.
Lightning flickered.
Then surged uncontrollably.
The dark space around them cracked.
Then broke, leaving them in a white space.
"I won't allow you to die no matter what. I've placed all my bets on you, boy?"
— —
The blade was just inches away from slicing Desmond's torso into two—
But then—
Clang!
Another blade came in the way, stopping the attack.
The demon gasped.
"What?"
Desmond slowly opened his eyes—half lidded.
"I won't allow anyone to kill him. Not now."
The demon scowled. "Huh?"
Meanwhile—dark clouds started gathering above them, thunder rumbling.
Desmond exhaled softly and grabbed the stick in his shoulder, pulling it out effortlessly.
His face showed no pain.
Then he pushed the demon back.
The blade disappeared from his grip as he lifted his left arm up.
Lightning directed from the sky, gathering around his arm.
The guard reappeared back on his left forearm as he took a step forward.
The demon stood, brows twitching, watching as Desmond stepped forward again.
"You. What are you?"
Desmond looked in his right palm—
Clenching and unclenching it.
"Desmond." He spoke and smirked.
"You've still got a long way to go."
His eyes lifted—cold, cutting into the demon.
"I'm not supposed to say it now. The kid hasn't mastered the power he's supposed to wield."
Jean's eyes went wide with shock as he kept running.
'What is going on?'
The blue flame had returned in his vision again.
But it looked different.
It looked—
Bigger.
The masked girl's lips parted slightly.
'The guy's energy force returned. But it feels different. Like it's above a tyro grade warrior. Almost elite.'
The demon's body shivered—blood boiling, rage spewing out in dark pulses.
It growled, lunging forward again, attempting to strike.
Desmond just lifted his left arm, the lightning still crawling around it.
The demon's blade crashed into the arm guard—
The sword bounced back.
But the demon redirected the recoil into a spin, blade striking back again from the other side.
Desmond ducked, the blade slicing over him.
Then rose quickly, his sword appearing back into his grip.
Before the demon could step away, he sliced its only remaining arm off.
The wolf headed demon howled in pain.
The arm fell.
Blood sprayed from the detached area.
'I should limit the power so this body stays intact.'
His eyes still held that calm gaze.
Then he channelled the lightning from his left arm into his right arm, the sword disappearing from his grip, fist clenched.
Without a second thought, he stepped in, fist colliding into the demon's gut.
The lightning channelled again from his arm, running into and through the demon—blasting it into the sky.
He lifted his left arm.
Lightning directed from the sky, gathering around it.
Then he leaped after the demon—sword appearing back in his right hand.
The demon soared to a point before falling back down.
As Desmond got close, he pulled the sword back—tip pointed at the demon—the lightning channelling from his left arm into his arm and into the sword.
The demon watched on, completely opened.
Too late to even move out of the way.
Desmond thrusted the blade into the demon's chest.
The lightning on the sword bolted forward into the demon and out of its back, surging outward.
For a few seconds, the demon kept screaming as the lightning kept blitzing through its chest.
Even from a far distance, one could see the lightning roar into multiple blots.
And this time...
This time the demon wasn't going to escape death.
The lightning slowly receded until it stopped.
Both bodies came falling from the sky—
The demon with a gapping hole in its chest.
It fell hard to the ground, body going limp immediately.
Desmond landed on his feeth, expression still calm.
"You have... to get... stronger."
He said with a strained tone.
Just then, another heartbeat vibrated through him.
He screamed, falling to the ground with his head in his hands.
"What..." He said, his voice shaky. "What happened...to me?"
His body quivered as his vision started fading once more—
Until he fell unconscious.