Damien's POV
The humanoid demon who looked nothing like a human now roared, its guttural cry echoing off the stone walls as it lunged toward us. Its claws swiped in blinding arcs, slashing through the air. We scattered, each of us striking back with whatever weapons we had, but it moved like smoke—slippery, unpredictable, and untouchable.
I swung my sword with precision, aiming for its torso, but it twisted, my blade grazing only air. Matt loosed an arrow, the shaft whistling through the cavern, only to be batted aside like a twig. Around me, hunters shouted commands, trying to coordinate our attacks, but the demon was always one step ahead.
Its claws lashed out, and a hunter beside me screamed as blood sprayed from his shoulder. Another slash narrowly missed Dad, who retaliated with his twin daggers, the silver glinting in the dim light. The demon snarled, ducking low, then surged forward, raking its claws across another hunter's leg.
"Keep attacking!" Dad shouted. "Don't let up!"
We pressed harder, forcing the creature to backpedal. My grip tightened on my sword as I saw an opening. I dashed in, aiming for its exposed side, but the demon twisted again, sweeping its arm in a wide arc. I ducked just in time, the force of the blow brushing past me like a gust of wind.
Matt, standing several paces away, notched another arrow. This time, he took careful aim and fired. The arrow flew true, embedding itself deep into the demon's arm.
The creature froze, its molten eyes narrowing as it turned toward Matt. It growled, a deep, menacing sound that sent chills down my spine, then charged at him in a blur of red and black.
"Matt, move!" someone yelled, but it was too late.
The demon reached him in seconds, its clawed hand wrapping around his neck. It lifted him effortlessly off the ground, his feet dangling as he struggled to breathe.
"Let him go!" Dad shouted, his voice breaking with desperation.
The demon ignored him. With a sickening crunch, it drove its claw through Matt's chest. Blood gushed from his mouth, his eyes wide with shock and pain as life drained from his body.
"No!" Dad's cry echoed through the chamber, raw and filled with anguish.
The rest of us froze for a brief moment, the horror of Matt's death sinking in. Then, like a collective understanding, we knew—we couldn't win this fight.
"Fall back!" Dad commanded. "We have to get out of here!"
The hunters turned and ran, their footsteps pounding against the stone floor. I adjusted River on my back, her weight a reminder of why we couldn't afford to stop.
"Go, go, go!" I urged as we raced toward the throne room's exit.
Matt, even in his final moments, hadn't let us down. As the demon advanced toward us, he had hurled the portal remote with the last of his strength. Dad caught it midair, clutching it tightly as we sprinted away.
The demon roared again, and the sound of its pursuit grew louder behind us. By the time we reached the throne room's massive door, its clawed hands were already tearing through our defenses.
"Seal it!" someone shouted as the remaining six of us shoved the heavy doors closed. We didn't stop running. Seconds later, the sound of the door shattering echoed through the halls.
"Keep moving!" Dad barked.
River groaned softly against my shoulder, her voice barely audible, but it gave me the strength to push harder. We were close, but the demon was faster. Its growls and the thunderous pounding of its pursuit grew closer.
Mr. Richard, one of the older hunters, slowed beside Dad. He placed a firm hand on his shoulder.
"I'll buy us some time," he said quietly.
"No," Dad protested, his voice cracking. "We've already lost too much. You don't have to—"
"We both knew this was going to happen someday," Mr. Rogers interrupted with a sad smile. "It's better I die for a good cause than of a heart attack. Go."
Dad's face twisted in grief, but there was no time to argue. Mr. Rogers turned and sprinted back toward the creature, his battle cry echoing through the corridor.
The rest of us didn't have the heart to look back. We reached the portal site, and Dad activated the remote. The glowing doorway shimmered into existence, a beacon of salvation.
"Go!" Dad ordered, ushering the others through.
I stepped through last, still carrying River. As the portal shimmered shut behind us, Dad hit the detonation button.
The monitors at our base lit up moments later, showing a cascade of explosions rippling through the demon's lair. The screens flashed with bursts of light as the bombs detonated, the shockwaves obliterating everything in their path.
"They're gone," one of the hunters said grimly. "Every last one of them."
"Are we sure they're all dead?"
"The monitors showed us that all the bombs exploded. Even if they shoved the bombs in a closet, the impact is enough to obliterate a planet. As long as we have confirmation that it detonated, we can be certain that they all died."
"That's a relief. At least their sacrifices weren't for nothing."
Dad stood silently, staring at the now-empty portal site. Tears glistened in his eyes as he finally spoke.
"They died as heroes," he said quietly. "We'll give them the burials they deserve."
One of the hunters clapped him on the shoulder, a somber gesture of solidarity.
I shifted River's weight and started toward the exit.
"Where are you going?" someone asked.
"To my apartment," I replied. "She needs a hospital."
"Take care of her for us. A lot was risked to get her back here."
"I'll keep that in mind."