"Stop."
"!"
The demon froze, its entire body paralyzed by the chilling voice that echoed through the air. Its instincts screamed danger, but before it could even turn, a suffocating mental attack struck its mind like a hammer. Despair flooded its senses, and visions of failure, eternal torment, and the dark abyss of nothingness filled its consciousness.
Hallucinations overwhelmed the demon, showing it scenes of endless torture, the faces of its enemies laughing at its demise. It clutched its head, staggering as the weight of the illusions pressed in on its sanity.
"No... not like this... not now..." the demon groaned, struggling to breathe, its thoughts clouded with pain and fear. It could feel the life force of the girl in its grasp, a faint warmth amidst the suffocating darkness. That, too, was slipping away.
But somewhere deep within, an iron will sparked. It was too close to lose now.
