Brianna and Luci were in the sunlit field, their horses waiting patiently as birds chirped in the trees. It was early morning, the peaceful atmosphere a stark contrast to the impending battle ahead.
"So, we're going on a mission today," Brianna said, breaking the silence. "I saw some potential in you, which is why you're coming along."
Luci, seated on his horse, kept his thoughts to himself. *Potential?* he mused. *This knight has no idea I'm far stronger than she could ever imagine.*
"Let's go," Brianna called, snapping him from his thoughts as she jumped onto her horse with ease. Luci followed suit, and the horses began their steady pace across the field.
As they rode, Luci asked, "Didn't you bring holy water?"
"Oh, I forgot," Brianna replied casually. "We only use it to open sealed doors."
"But isn't that the only way you can kill demons?" Luci pressed.
Brianna smiled confidently. "Our swords are forged with holy water. It's more than enough."
Their horses came to a halt before the dark entrance of a cave. The air was heavy with a sense of foreboding.
"We're here to kill some demons. They've been hiding in this cave," Brianna said, dismounting. Luci followed her inside.
As they ventured deeper, the darkness closed in around them. Suddenly, demons lunged from the shadows, their red skin gleaming, horns curling from their heads, and eyes burning like embers.
"Crawler demons," Brianna muttered, recognizing the threat instantly. These demons were twisted, grotesque creatures, their bodies hunched low to the ground with long, clawed arms that dragged behind them. Their red eyes glowed with malevolent hunger, their skin a leathery hide.
Without hesitation, Brianna called upon her powers. "God of Time, grant me your boon: Slow Time!"
Everything slowed around her, even the demons, their movements becoming sluggish. She noticed, however, that Luci was unaffected.
"Why aren't you slowed?" Brianna asked, surprised.
Luci shrugged. "Huh?"
"Never mind!" she dismissed, turning her focus back to the fight.
With the time-slowing magic in effect, Brianna became a whirlwind of slashes, her sword cutting through the demons with precision. Blood sprayed as limbs were severed and heads rolled, the once terrifying crawlers reduced to lifeless husks.
But just as the last of the crawlers fell, another wave of demons emerged—these had a new, deadly ability. They glowed with an inner heat, and when they attacked, explosions followed.
The air was filled with the sound of detonations as Brianna expertly dodged each attack. Her sword danced in her hands, cutting down the explosive demons with ease. Their bodies exploded into gore, blood splattering the cave walls.
Luci stood back, watching silently. He didn't lift a finger to help. It wasn't that Brianna needed it; she was more than capable of handling the demons on her own.
After the battle, the two continued deeper into the cave, their surroundings growing darker and more oppressive. They soon encountered a new demon, larger and more sinister than the rest. This one had red skin, horns, and glowing red eyes, but what stood out were the wings for arms, each feather sharp as a blade.
"Hey, human," the demon sneered. "Pleasure to meet you."
Brianna raised her sword, blood still dripping from her earlier kills. "You're going to die shortly by my hand."
"God of Time, grant me your boon: Predictable Movements!" she called out, her voice sharp with determination.
She became a blur, moving so fast the demon couldn't track her. But when she slashed, something was wrong. All the cuts she intended to land on the demon appeared on her own body instead, blood pouring from her wounds.
Luci watched silently, his crimson eyes narrowed in thought. *Fight, knight,* he mused. *Fight to your death.*
The demon laughed. "You see, when you looked into my mind, you entered my illusion. Now, every time you try to strike me, you slash yourself instead."
Without hesitation, Brianna made a bold decision. "What if I attack myself on purpose?" She stabbed herself with her own sword, and the demon screamed as the same wound appeared on its body.
"Smart," the demon admitted, its voice strained with pain.
But the effort was too much. Brianna collapsed, unconscious, her sword still embedded in her body. The demon, unable to move, called out to Luci. "Hey, you! Slave! Pull the sword from your master, and I'll give you your freedom."
Luci walked over to Brianna's fallen form, silent as ever. He knelt down and pulled the sword from her, the demon's wounds regenerating as it stood tall again.
"Now, I'll kill you, fool!" the demon roared.
Luci, unbothered, sat down on the floor, crossing his legs. He gazed up at the demon with a terrifying calm. "Let me tell you a secret," he said, his voice cold and menacing.
The demon's bravado faltered. "What?"
"I'm going to be responsible for your demise."
The demon laughed nervously. "There's no way you can kill me, you worthless sla—" Before the demon could finish, it found itself airborne, Luci's hand tightening around its throat. A shockwave erupted from the spot where Luci had been sitting, sending tremors through the cave.
The demon's mind raced. *He's so fast… he moved before the shockwave even reached him!*
Luci slammed the demon into the ground with bone-crushing force. Before the demon could even lift its head, Luci grabbed it by the throat once more and swiftly tore its head from its body. Blood sprayed in every direction, the sound of tearing flesh echoing through the cave.
The demon's body began regenerating, but Luci was relentless. He kicked it against the wall, its skull cracking upon impact. As the demon tried to plead for its life, Luci crushed its windpipe with a swift motion.
"P-please, spare me!" the demon begged. "I'll become your slave!"
Something dawned on the demon, a look of recognition crossing its face. "Y-you… you're the devil's youngest son… Luci…"
Before the demon could finish its sentence, Luci's hand gripped its head and burst it open, blood splattering across the cave.
The battle was over.