Chapter 35: Desperation
Right as the demon emerged, Brutus swung his axe into his chest, knocking the monster backwards into the void it had stepped out of. A moment later, and another slash tore through the fabric of reality a few paces away. This time, the demon managed to emerge, launching two more strikes nearby, opening up more scars.
Before Jagón’s longsword could reach it, he slipped back into one of the shadowy voids. Again, the demon cut a new hole but the bull was already upon it, swinging his mighty axe right down the center of the tear. His weapon never met the mark. Suddenly, the monster appeared behind the minotaur from one of the previous marks, slashing at his back.
Jagón immediately knocked the attack away, making the demon retreat again. This time, however, Brutus lunged after it, reaching his hefty arm through the rip. Just as he felt the demon’s stony armor in his grasp, the portal snapped shut, completely slicing off the great warrior’s left arm without warning.
As the minotaur staggered forward in pain, the fiend sliced through the air once more, coming out directly beside the beast, bringing his sword down upon the minotaur. Brutus, as a true warrior, did not hesitate. He swung his entire body behind his right arm, driving his axe into the chest of the demon mere seconds before being completely cleaved in half himself by the hefty sword.
Aster watched on in horror as the giant beast’s insides were splattered across the dirt with a horrendously wet splat. A loud roar of sorrow erupted from another minotaur currently fighting to protect the prince’s vicinity.
The demon only faded back into the void with the axe still in his chest, barely avoiding another lunge by Aster’s father. The human realized in horror that the demon was merely toying with them still. This thought evaporated instantly as a tear appeared in the air right above his father now.
Jagón rolled out of the way right as the blade came crashing to the ground where he had just stood. As the demon went to take a step backwards into the fresh scar, it felt its back against Aster’s shield, blocking its exit and giving Jagón just enough time to dash forward and behead it in one single slash.
The demon disintegrated where it stood, leaving the heavy axe of Brutus Rixator to fall to the earth where it stuck in the ground, almost like an eerie tombstone for the now fallen minotaur.
Aster let out a small sigh. His father was at least safe from that monster now. However, before the human could even react, another scar appeared before him, faster than ever. The demon stuck its head through the tear, seemingly unharmed, and Aster found himself staring up face to face with it.