Sael dashed forward as the world around him slowed down. Ranking up had really boosted the effect of his Hasten, enough so that he mostly didn't mind the reduced duration. Mostly. Still he knew he couldn't hold back. 'My normal style of ignoring defense and focusing on attack won't work this time. I can't rely on healing from everything anymore.'
The Demon Lord reacted moving to intercept his charge yet Sael was faster even if only by a small margin. Snaking his spear past the demon's arms straight to his exposed chest Sael was excited to feel his thrust connect. His excitement faded as he realized his spear barely broke the skin of his enemy. Ducking down to avoid a counter attack he coated his spear with silver veined darkness as he spun around before lashing out trying to cut the demon with the razor sharp edge of the spear's head.
The edge chopped into the demon and left a thin line of dark blood that colored the crimson flesh but was barely more than a paper cut. Thus they continued to dance with Sael managing to avoid the Demon's attacks while landing small barely noticeable wounds on his enemy. With each poke or slash that snuck through the demon's defenses the smug smile on his face faded and the fires of rage in his eyes grew brighter.
Before he realized it the world started to speed up and the demon's attacks which had been manageable before suddenly became blinding fast. Rushing forward the demon's massive hooves shattered stone before throwing a telegraphed punch. Even seeing it coming Sael barely managed to dodge taking a clipping blow. His entire body was spun around as he went tumbling back. Rolling with the fall he popped back up.
"Interesting. So it was some ability you were using before. But it seems you are out of both time and luck." He watched the demon grasp the air and a whip of fire burst into existence. Sael was already diving away when the first crack of the whip struck where he'd been leaving a scorch mark and a thin strip of molten stone. Rolling to his feet he tried to dive away a second time but failed to escape as the whip struck wrapping around his left calf. Pain so great even his resistance to it couldn't keep it in check shot up his leg. Screaming out his curses for not getting to raise his fire resistance when he had the chance he was yanked off his feet.
Bouncing off the floor he didn't have time to orient himself before he was flung up and over the demon's head to be brought down to smash into stone with enough force to shatter it. Groaning he managed to check his already depleting health bar. "You are a tough one aren't you! I expected you to splatter like a ripe melon. But this just means I can have more fun!"
Again he was raised up and slammed down causing another chunk of his health to drop away as the flames of the whip continuously whittled it away. On the third slam into the floor his system chimed letting him know he'd gained the once coveted fire resistance as well as a stun resistance. As he was raised into the air a fourth time his head cleared enough for him to react. Calling his lost spear to him he spun it cutting through the whip just as the demon twisted his body downward to slam him again. Freed of the whip and yet still propelled by the extra force he drove his spear down into the demon's back.
This time with the extra force the slender blade of the spear sank much deeper and Sael felt the rush of vitality fill him as he used Winter's Grasp. Kicking off the towering monsters back as he reached over his shoulders trying to grasp the spear Sael landed barely managing to stay standing. He's left leg had healed somewhat from the draining attack but was still a charred mess. Hurling his spear at the demon as he turned to lunge for him it managed to pierce the red flesh of his shoulder only adding to it's rage.
With both hands raised in a double fist the demon sought to crush the now unarmed human. As his hands came careening down the spear reappeared in Sael's hand braced against the floor. Slamming his fist down on the blade of the spear it bent wildly but held as several fingers were severed. Screaming in rage and pain the demon kicked out faster than Sael could dodge on his ruined leg and felt the wind knocked out of him. Bile rose in his throat mixed with blood as he slammed into the far wall. Spitting out everything that had been forced up he drew in a breath that caused sharp pain to ignite a fire of agony in his chest. Stone chips fell from the ruined wall behind him to sprinkle off his hair as he forcefully drew in a second breath of agony.
Stumbling forward his combat awareness still in effect saved him as he summoned in his spear just in time to block a sideways chop from a massive sword of writhing black flames. His spear wobbled and bowed but held as he was lifted off his feet again to be sent rolling away. Sael coughed and gasped forcing himself up as he listened to the determined steps of his attack accompanied by the crunch of breaking stone. 'Fuck… what do I do.'
Gasping for breath he feinted a dodge away only to dive forward rolling between the monsters legs. He thrust his spear up hoping to catch the demon's weak spot but his opponent reacted to fast shifting away. Still he managed to pierce the inner thigh of the behemoth draining away a bit more life and healing a few more wounds. Every breath was agony but at least he felt like he was getting oxygen again.
'If I can just keep holding out. I'm already getting faster and stronger. Normally I just need to avoid getting one shot while healing but…' Silently he cursed his over reliance on Summer's Vitality and started to doubt his choice to give it up. Shaking his head he growled reminding himself he'd just trade risking his life for Ara's had he not.
Drezzel turned more cautious, he too had noticed the human's strange ability to get stronger as they fought. He didn't know what the source was or if it was another ability but he knew trouble when he smelled it. In his hand the massive sword of flames condensed into a small ball that he hurled at the human. Sael dived away seeing the attack coming, it was fast but not fast enough. He avoided the ball only to have it go off like a bomb behind him. Concussive force and searing flames engulfed him to send him sprawling once again. Pushing himself up he saw a second ball of flame streaking towards him. Out of reflex he snapped his spear up trying to parry it away and was shocked when it was deflected upwards to explode against the ceiling.
His joy was short lived as more fireballs followed that one. In a frenzy Sael batted them away struggling to keep up. The air in the room became searing and he was left gasping painfully for oxygen. His only saving grace was that the demon seemed to be having similar problems and as the oxygen was burned away in the room the explosions got smaller. His vision was getting blurry but the last attack had barely sparked into existence before snuffing out.
A cocky grin spread on Sael's face as he coughed out. "That all you got?"
Again the demon thrust out a hand and Sael prepared to parry another fireball but instead of an orb of fire a pillar of black ice shot forward. He tried to parry the pillar instead but was forced to dive away. Still his spear struck it and the glowing metal let out a high pitched whine of stress as it suddenly cooled. A second pillar shot forth and off balance he had no choice but to use his spear to block the attack. He intercepted the pillar against the shaft of his spear only to be pushed back until he slammed into a wall. For a moment he was pinned trying to hold the pillar back before with a final scream of protest as the metal of his spear went from almost molten to freezing cold it shattered like glass.
As the pillar slammed into his chest knocking what little breath he had left he was bounced off the wall to collapse face down. Vaguely he heard the shattering of stone as the monster's footsteps grew closer but he couldn't draw a breath. His vision was so blurred he couldn't see the floor on which his face was pressed. Struggling against pain, fear, and despair he tried to move but his body wasn't responding. 'I don't want to die….'
**********
Ara beat on the stone wall in front of her horrified at what Sael had just done. With the sudden rush of fear she felt stupid and childish for what she'd done. She wanted her first love to be like the old ballads of love. To be something magical and perfect. When the human had rescued her, when their desperate gamble had worked letting him defeat the demon general she thought it the start of a grand tale. She wanted them to grow close, for him to grow fond of her and fall madly in love. In the bard's tales that was how it always worked, perfectly with no complications. When things didn't go the way she wanted instead of adapting, of compromising, of working for the relationship she truly did want. She'd stubbornly held out wanting it to be perfect. Wanting his feelings to bloom on their own into what she believed a perfect love story would result in. Instead they'd grown no closer. Rather than admit that reality was never like the ballad's she'd so loved and that a true relationship was never perfect but no less valid she clung desperately to her childish dreams.
She'd known he would eventually figure out the truth. She'd dreamed of it, picturing how finding out would force him to realize his true feelings. How he would say those words she longed to hear and kiss her just as he'd done. What she never expected was what came next, that he'd break their bond to fight an impossible battle. 'He finally admitted how he feels, I don't, I can't lose him now.'
Helplessly she screamed out begging her mother to open the way. Demanding and bargaining, promising everything and anything if she would just lower the wall. Even had the Summer Queen heard her please she would never have complied. She turned to each of those with her hoping to find some glimmer of hope. Each face she gazed into held the same helpless fearful expression as her own. Hot tears filled her eyes and rolled away as he wailed. "Please there has to be something we can do. Please…"
Each person returned her pleas with heavy silence not knowing what to do. Nee gently touched the center of her chest over her heart. "He is still fighting. I can feel him using Winter's power." Still her words did little to comfort the others as the seconds crawled along into minutes.
Ara begged, pleaded and tried to bribe her mother calling out to the walls around her. The others joined in each offering any payment if the queen would just help them. To save their friend. Silence continued to greet them as the castle began to tremble. The fight beyond the wall had escalated to the point they could feel powerful shockwaves shaking the stone floor beneath them. Ara stood facing the wall that blocked her from where she knew she belonged, her hands grasped in prayer before her. She pleaded with the castle and hoped beyond logic that somehow she could overcome her mother's attunement.
Then the world erupted in stone shards and blistering heat.