The air was thick with smoke and the acrid smell of burnt materials. Outside, the relentless firing of the MAC-Guns echoed through the abandoned streets of Tarus, their deep, thunderous explosions a constant reminder the battle hadn't stopped, even outside the walls.
The floor was still engulfed in flames, the flickering fire casting eerie shadows that danced across the debris-strewn office. Through the shattered windows, the chaos and destruction outside were painfully clear; distant screams, the roar of engines, and the omnipresent hum of combat filled the air.
Amidst the chaos inside lay the lifeless body of the Hellhound. The monstrous creature had finally fallen, its once-menacing form now crumpled and still. A smoking hole in its side marked the spot where the plasma shot had struck, ending its reign of terror.
For a brief moment, Liam felt a surge of relief. They had survived.
But that relief was fleeting. As the reality of the aftermath set in, a wave of panic washed over him.
"Jax!" he screamed, his voice piercing the oppressive silence that followed the battle.
His heart pounded as he turned to where Jax had been. The sight that met him was devastating. He had been a second too late. The Hellhound's claws had found their mark before it fell. Jax lay motionless on the ground, blood pooling beneath him.
Liam's legs felt like they were going to give way, but he forced himself to move. He ran to his friend, his breath ragged and uneven.
"Jax, stay with me," he pleaded as he dropped to his knees beside him.
Jax's face was pale, his breathing shallow. The wounds were deep, the Hellhound's claws having torn into his flesh with brutal efficiency. Liam's hands hovered over the injuries, his mind racing as he tried to remember everything he knew about first aid.
"Jax, can you hear me?" Liam had to keep his friend conscious, had to make him fight.
Jax's eyes fluttered open, a faint smile forming on his lips. "Liam," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "We made it."
"Yeah, we did," Liam replied, his voice thick with emotion. "But you have to hang on, okay? Help is coming."
The inferno around them raged, flames greedily consuming everything in their path. Liam tore a piece of cloth from his own shirt and pressed it against the worst of Jax's wounds to stem the bleeding. The improvised bandage was far from adequate, but it was all he had.
He ripped another piece of cloth from his shirt, but it immediately turned red as he tried to stop the bleeding. Jax seemed to be losing consciousness, his eyes starting to close.
Panicked, Liam shook him and shouted, "No, Jax, stay with me! You can't fall asleep now!"
He thought frantically. Jax could still be saved, but he had to act fast. Every minute counted. He needed to stop the bleeding and then get help as quickly as possible. That was his only option at the moment.
Just then a terrible noise erupted just outside the window beside Liam. He looked outside – just in time to see the burning Valkyrie Gunship from earlier plummet past him.
It crashed to the ground with a massive explosion, and the enormous form of the winged devil appeared before the window.
The winged one was gigantic. Its wings spread wide, nearly filling the entire view from the window. Each powerful beat sent dust and debris swirling into the air. Its black scales gleamed ominously in the light of the burning Gunship, and its red eyes glowed with fury. Its maw opened, and a deep, rumbling roar made the windows of the building vibrate.
Liam could smell the stench of burnt flesh and sulfur wafting through the shattered window. The demon landed heavily on the street below, the impact making the ground tremble and cracks spiderweb across the asphalt. With another powerful beat of its wings, it sent the surrounding soldiers sprawling, their weapons useless against its thick, scaly hide.
"Not now..." Liam whispered in despair.
But the reality was right before his eyes. He looked down and saw soldiers desperately trying to kill the demon – to no avail. Jax coughed again, but Liam couldn't look at him, for he had spotted something that made his heart race.
On the demon's neck was a smoldering hole in its armor. Maybe something had struck it there, piercing through the thick hide. Now, in that spot, the ugly, raw flesh of the demon was exposed. But no other unit was in position to see or attack it.
Liam had a clear shot. A feeling of exhilaration washed over him.
He looked down, then at the plasma cannon, and finally at Jax.
"Crap," he muttered.
Liam knew Jax was bleeding out at that very moment. He knew he had to stop the bleeding, and the only way that came to mind was to use the fire to cauterize Jax's wound. He could do it. He had to do it.
But then Liam looked down again. The winged devil was directly below, engaged in a fierce battle. The demon had already killed hundreds, and Liam had a clearer shot than anyone else. If he could kill the demon now, he would save countless lives.
But what if he missed? What if Jax bled out while he took the shot?
But... his whole life he had dreamed of becoming a soldier, fighting demons, and defending humanity, taking his destiny into his own hands. The military would surely accept him if he killed the winged devil.
The chance to finally realize his dream was within reach. Adrenaline surged through his veins as he stared at the cannon.
He could be a hero.
And then, without another second of hesitation, Liam ran and grabbed a glowing piece of metal.
His friend lay bleeding on the ground, every breath a struggle. Jax had always believed in him, had supported and encouraged him. Jax could die if he chose to take the shot now. The thought of losing his only friend was unbearable.
He couldn't. He couldn't abandon Jax. He couldn't place his own dream above his friend's life – it would be a betrayal not just of Jax, but of himself.
"Hold on, Jax. This is going to hurt, but it's your only chance," Liam said, his voice firm despite the racing of his heart. Jax's eyes flickered open, and he nodded weakly, too weak to say anything. Liam took a deep breath, gathered all his courage, and pressed the glowing metal to his friend's gaping wound.
A blood-curdling scream escaped Jax, and his body tensed up, but Liam held the metal firmly against the wound. The smell of burning flesh filled the air, and Liam could feel the heat on his face. He had to stay strong, for Jax.
Slowly, he pulled the metal back and saw that the bleeding had stopped. The wound was cauterized, but his friend had fallen unconscious.
"It's over, Jax. You're going to make it," Liam whispered as he knelt beside his friend.
Before he could tend to Jax further, a deafening roar outside drew Liam's attention. The winged demon was still battling, its red eyes glowing with fury. Liam knew the decision he'd made could change his life and the lives of many others.
The window of opportunity for the shot had already passed. The demon had moved on.
He had chosen his friend. Jax was safe, at least for now.
And he would make the same choice again, even a hundred times over.
A single voice behind Liam cut through the chaos, making him shiver.
"You did the right thing, young doctor."
Liam looked up and saw a man walking directly through the flames toward him—the fire seemed to avoid him, as if fearing him. His stride was calm and confident, and the heat of the flames seemed to bounce off him. Liam recognized him immediately.
"You?" he asked in astonishment.
It was the same man he'd encountered at the ceremony. But now he seemed... changed—he wore a long uniform with a large cloak in the black and green colors of the military. Instead of a helmet, he wore an officer's cap adorned with the symbol of a lightning bolt and a bull.
"I told you, you'd be wasted in the military," the man said, smiling as he looked at Jax, "I would've acted differently."
"You… you're an army mage!" Liam exclaimed as the realization hit him.
The man merely shrugged. "Don't be so surprised. How many people do you think can just sit at the ceremony without an invitation? Move aside," he commanded, pulling out his notebook.
He stepped to the window and looked down at the demon. As if sensing the mage's presence, the winged devil turned and let out an ear-splitting roar. The man smiled coldly.
"Out of my city."
With those words, he began writing furiously in his notebook—and a moment later, Liam's entire field of vision was flooded with a blinding flash of light.