As the battle raged on, Renn felt a surge of desperation coursing through his veins. With a sudden transformation, he shifted into his fox form, his agile body darting around the battlefield with the grace of a predator. Clutching his great sword and dagger, he lunged at the putrid demon, aiming for any vulnerable spot he could find.
The demon only laughed in response to Renn's ferocious attacks. "Ah, now this is more like it! A true battle of strength and will," it taunted, its voice dripping with sadistic glee.
But just as the demon prepared to deliver a devastating blow, Lyria's arrow found its mark, piercing the demon's eye with uncanny accuracy. With a roar of pain, the demon staggered backward, momentarily stunned. Seizing the opportunity, Renn unleashed a powerful strike, sending the demon reeling with a deafening impact.
For a fleeting moment, it seemed as though victory was within reach. But the demon's regeneration was swift and merciless, and before Renn could react, it descended upon him with renewed fury.
Cornered and outnumbered, Renn fought valiantly against the relentless assault, but the demon's overwhelming strength proved too much to bear. With a brutal swipe, it sent Renn crashing to the ground, his body trembling with exhaustion and pain.
"Now, this fly is starting to get annoying," the demon growled, its eyes narrowing on Lyria as she rushed to Renn's aid. With a terrifying speed, it closed the distance between them, its clawed hand poised to strike.
But Renn, summoning the last reserves of his strength, rose to defend her, interposing himself between Lyria and the demon's wrath. "You'll have to go through me first," he gritted out, his voice strained with effort.
The demon's laughter echoed through the air as it delivered a devastating blow, sending Renn hurtling towards a nearby wall with bone-crushing force. "I'll deal with you later, fox," it sneered, turning its attention back to Lyria with chilling intent.
Helpless to intervene, Lyria watched in horror as the demon advanced upon her, its twisted form radiating malice and hunger. With a surge of adrenaline, she braced herself for the inevitable impact, knowing that her fate, and perhaps the fate of all, hung in the balance.
As the putrid demon's clawed hand arced towards Lyria, poised to strike her down, a sudden flash of blinding light erupted from the building where Alex lay unconscious. The brilliance of the light halted the demon's attack mid-motion, its malevolent gaze momentarily diverted by the unexpected spectacle.
The demon recoiled, its eyes narrowing as it beheld the source of the blinding light. Amidst the dissipating glow stood Alex, his once dark hair now shimmering with an otherworldly white radiance. His eyes, filled with an intense determination, locked onto the putrid demon with unwavering resolve.
The demon's sneer faltered for a moment as it beheld the transformed figure before it. "Well, this is unexpected," it mused, a twisted grin spreading across its grotesque visage. "Your transformation is certainly... amusing."
Ignoring the demon's taunts, Alex rushed to Lyria's side, his aura pulsating with newfound power. With a gentle touch, he helped her to her feet, his eyes conveying a silent promise of protection and reassurance.
"Are you alright, Lyria?" Alex asked, his voice tinged with concern as he surveyed her for any signs of injury.
Lyria nodded, her gaze locked with Alex's. "I'm fine, thanks to you," she replied, a mixture of relief and awe evident in her voice.
"Stay here, Lyria," Alex instructed firmly, his voice carrying a steely resolve. "I'll be back. Just wait a few moments."
With those words, Alex turned away from Lyria, his gaze fixed squarely on the demon before him. With purposeful strides, he approached the malevolent creature, his every movement radiating an aura of righteous fury.
The demon, sensing the impending confrontation, braced itself for battle, a malicious gleam in its eyes. "Ah, now this is more like it," it chuckled darkly. "A battle worthy of my talents, and apparently, your newfound image change. How delightful."
But Alex paid the demon's words no heed, his focus solely on the task at hand. With a swift and decisive motion, he drove the demon into the ground, pinning it beneath his formidable strength. And as the demon's laughter echoed through the air, Alex's resolve only hardened, his eyes burning with an unyielding determination to vanquish the darkness that threatened their world.