[Lucifer's POV]
I wasn't about to give them that luxury.
A cold smirk crept onto my face as I assessed the situation. The Hellfire coursing through my veins was a potent weapon, but I couldn't rely on brute force alone. These creatures, smaller and faster, would exploit any weakness if I gave them the chance.
"Let's see how you handle this," I murmured, lowering my stance.
I reached deep within, summoning the infernal flames once more. But this time, I didn't let them explode outward in a wild blaze. Instead, I visualized the fire condensing, compacting into a controlled, searing sphere in my palm. The Hellfire pulsed with restrained energy, the air around it shimmering with heat.
The first creature lunged, faster than I expected. Its claws aimed for my throat, its speed blurring its form. But I was faster. With a flick of my wrist, I hurled the concentrated Hellfire orb straight into its chest.
The impact was devastating. The sphere detonated on contact, a controlled explosion that sent the creature flying backward. Its body disintegrated mid-air, consumed by the flames before it even hit the ground.
[+1 Exp]
The remaining creatures hesitated, clearly unsettled by the display. I could see their instincts battling their hunger. Good. Fear was a powerful tool.
Taking advantage of their hesitation, I clenched my fists and summoned two more orbs, one in each hand. The heat was almost unbearable, but I embraced it, letting the flames feed on the remnants of my anger and determination.
"Who's next?" I taunted, my voice steady despite the tension in my muscles.
Two of them charged at once, flanking me from either side. I pivoted on my heel, sidestepping their coordinated attack. As they passed, I hurled one of the orbs at the creature on my left, hitting it square in the back. The explosion sent it sprawling, its body dissolving into ash.
The second creature snarled and spun to face me, but I was already moving. I ducked under its swipe, driving the remaining orb directly into its torso. The fire erupted, consuming it instantly.
[+1 Exp]
[+1 Exp]
The remaining creatures growled in frustration, their coordination faltering. They were wary now, their movements less aggressive, more cautious. I could feel the shift in the air—the predators were starting to doubt their advantage.
But I can't wait for them, as I focus my control on Hellfire and summoned four crude-looking lances, I tried for more but it seems my control over the Hellfire was limited for now. Four is the maximum I could manage, and it would have to suffice. The lances hovered around me, crackling with infernal energy, their edges sharp and jagged like molten obsidian. I clenched my fists, locking my focus on the creatures.
The pack hesitated, their collective instincts warring with their hunger and fear. They moved in jerky, uncertain patterns now, as though trying to reassess their strategy. But I wasn't about to give them the luxury of time.
With a sharp gesture, I hurled the first lance toward a creature on the outer edge of the group. The Hellfire spear pierced through its chest, pinning it to a tree before detonating in a burst of black and crimson flames. Its agonized screech was brief, silenced as its body crumbled to ash.
[+1 Exp]
The remaining creatures snarled in unison, their hesitation breaking into frenzied anger. They surged forward as one, a chaotic swarm of snapping jaws and slashing claws. My heartbeat quickened, but I held my ground, the remaining three lances spinning around me like deadly satellites.
Two more lances flew from my command, striking down another pair of beasts mid-charge. The explosions were blinding, leaving smoldering craters where the creatures once stood.
[+1 Exp]
[+1 Exp]
But the remaining seven were upon me before I could summon more lances. They closed the distance with terrifying speed, their snarls deafening as they lunged. I sidestepped the first, its claws grazing my arm but failing to find purchase. The second came from my blind side, forcing me to twist awkwardly to avoid its attack.
I retaliated with a desperate burst of Hellfire, the raw energy blasting outward like a shockwave. It wasn't as controlled as the lances, but it was enough to send three of the creatures flying. They hit the ground hard, writhing as the flames consumed them.
[+1 Exp]
[+1 Exp]
[+1 Exp]
The remaining four regrouped, their movements more cautious now. I could see the fear creeping back into their glowing eyes. My chest heaved with exertion, the toll of wielding such volatile power catching up with me. But I couldn't afford to falter.
"Come on," I growled, spreading my arms wide in challenge. "Let's finish this."
One of the creatures, likely the leader, growled something low and guttural—a sound that almost resembled speech. It was enough to send a chill down my spine. These weren't ordinary beasts; they had intelligence, perhaps even a hierarchy.
The leader stepped forward, its blood-red eyes locking onto mine. The tension in the air was suffocating, but I refused to back down. I raised my hand, summoning another orb of Hellfire, letting its searing heat radiate as a warning.
The leader lunged, its movements faster and more fluid than the others. I barely managed to dodge its first strike, its claws slicing through the air inches from my face. It was stronger, faster, and far more dangerous than the others.
But it wasn't invincible.
I poured every ounce of focus I had into the Hellfire, shaping it into a whip of burning energy. The weapon lashed out with a snap, coiling around the creature's neck. It thrashed violently, trying to break free, but the flames only tightened their hold.
With a sharp pull, I brought the creature crashing to the ground. Its snarls turned to shrieks as the Hellfire consumed it, leaving nothing but scorched earth in its wake.
[+2 Exp]
I fell on my knees as I felt like the very air around me was thick with the weight of exhaustion. The toll of using so much Hellfire was immense. My body trembled, my energy reserves running dangerously low. My chest heaved with ragged breaths, and for a moment, the world around me seemed to blur and spin.
And it looks like seeing me on my knees, the remaining three creatures filled them with a bloodthirsty frenzy. Their instincts, sharp and predatory, saw my weakened state as an opportunity to strike. They moved as one, their eyes glinting with malicious intent, hungry for the kill.
I could feel the pressure mounting, the air around me thick with their presence. My heart raced, but my mind stayed focused, forced to keep going despite the overwhelming fatigue.
The first of the creatures lunged at me with terrifying speed, its jaws snapping as it aimed for my throat. I barely managed to raise my hand, summoning the last vestiges of Hellfire. The flames roared to life, but my control was shaky, the fire sputtering weakly as I thrust it toward the beast.
The creature recoiled, its face singed, but it wasn't enough to stop it. It growled and came in again, claws raised. I staggered back, my legs unsteady, but I couldn't afford to retreat any further.
In that moment, something deep within me snapped. Rage, desperation, and instinct all surged within me like a tidal wave. I was Lucifer, and I would not fall like this—not to these creatures, not to anyone.
A guttural roar tore from my throat as I pushed everything I had left into a final, all-consuming explosion of Hellfire. The blast was more raw and uncontrolled than any before it, a chaotic eruption of molten energy that tore through the air with a deafening boom. The creatures were engulfed in the inferno, their screams swallowed by the roar of the flames as their bodies disintegrated into nothingness.
[+1 Exp]
[+1 Exp]
[+1 Exp]
The last of the creatures fell, its smoldering remains vanishing into the smoke. The battlefield fell silent, save for the crackling of the fading flames.
I collapsed to the ground, my body a broken shell of what it had been moments ago. The Hellfire that had burned within me now felt like an exhausting weight, every breath a labor. I fought to stay conscious, my vision swimming in and out of focus.
I had done it. I had won.
.
..
...
[To Be Continue]
***
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