Was this how it ended?

Maxilin's POV.

Is it really possible that I'll lose this war? The thought gnawed at me, but I shoved it aside as I took a deep breath, steadying myself. My hand clutched at my chest, the pain sharp and persistent. With a deep exhale, I rose, lifting my sword once again.

The Nuckelavee's mocking voice cut through the smoke. "Do you still think you can defeat me, Maxi?"

"You'd best be ready to detach your head from your body," I growled, gripping the hilt of my blade tighter. My vision tunneled, focusing on the spear in its hand.

With a swift motion, I flung my machete sword at its arm. The blade cut through the air, biting deep into the creature's flesh. The Nuckelavee howled as its hand was severed cleanly from its body. But in the blink of an eye, another hand began to grow in its place, just like before. This bastard won't stay down.

I didn't wait. Charging forward, I aimed to finish the fight before it could regenerate. But just as I got close, it lashed out with its other arm, flinging me backward like a rag doll. Pain exploded in my head as I collided with a stone, and I cursed under my breath. Damn it!

Dazed, I scrambled to grab my sword, but before I could reach it, the horse kicked it out of my grasp, sending it skittering across the sand. The beast's hot breath was so close now, I could feel it on the back of my neck. Black smoke poured from its mouth, swirling around me, thick and suffocating. I coughed, trying to block the acrid smoke from reaching my lungs, but my chest already felt like it was on fire.

I've got to move. Forcing myself to stand, I strained to see through the swirling haze. My heart hammered in my chest, the pain growing worse with every beat. Focus.

"Maxi." His raspy voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. My pulse quickened. I scanned the darkness until—there, through the smoke—I saw a faint glow. My sword. Its gem was shining, cutting through the fog like a beacon. I had to get to it.

But as I moved, something tightened around my leg. I glanced down, realizing too late that a thick, snake-like rope of black smoke had coiled around my ankle, pulling me to the ground.

The Nuckelavee's voice echoed through the mist. "It's not going to be easy, Maxi." His cruel laugh filled the air as the pressure on my leg increased, dragging me down.

Struggling, I reached for my blade, my fingers clawing at the sand, desperate to break free. The weight of the smoke pressed down harder, and for the first time, doubt slithered into my mind. Was this how it ended?

In a split second, the Nuckelavee yanked me toward him, his grip like iron.

"Ahhh!" I struggled, but I couldn't break free. His strength was overwhelming, and the pressure on my chest made it harder to breathe.

"I told you, Maxilin," the 9-foot demon growled, his voice sending shivers down my spine, "you were destined to be like us. You must obey our lord. But because you're such a stubborn little badass, you need to be punished."

Before I could react, he slammed me to the ground. Damn it! Pain shot through my body as I hit the cold, hard earth, and everything around me started to blur. My head throbbed, and a tingling sensation crept into my mind, turning the world murky and dark.

I felt myself being dragged across the ground, the sharp rocks and sand biting into my skin. Where is he taking me? My thoughts were a haze, and I blinked rapidly, trying to stay conscious. I glanced up, barely able to make out the massive figure of the Nuckelavee moving ahead of me, his grip still tight around my ankle.

Where's my sword? Why isn't it responding? I reached out in desperation, but my weapon seemed far away, unreachable in this moment of weakness.

Then, out of nowhere, a shadowed figure appeared before me. My vision was hazy, but I could make out the shape of a warrior, armored and ready. The figure drew a sword, and in one swift motion, slashed at the long, grotesque arm that held me captive.

The Nuckelavee's scream was deafening, and I watched as the severed hand burned, disintegrating into ash before my eyes. Someone threw something—a burning projectile—and it struck the Nuckelavee with precision. His agonizing screams echoed around us, but this time, they were filled with pain and defeat. Slowly, the monstrous figure began to retreat, vanishing into the darkness.

Everything went quiet. My chest heaved as I tried to catch my breath, pain radiating through my ribs. The masked figure knelt in front of me, their eyes piercing through the darkness, staring straight into mine. Something about those eyes... They seemed familiar, like I had seen them somewhere before, but my mind couldn't focus. I tried to speak, to ask who they were, but the words wouldn't come out.

Exhaustion washed over me. My body felt heavy, too weak to move, and the dull ache in my chest grew worse. Why does this always happen after a fight with a demon? I wondered, barely able to keep my eyes open.

The last thing I saw before the darkness claimed me was the masked figure leaning closer, those familiar eyes still watching. And then, I drifted off into unconsciousness, the pain fading as everything turned black.

When I opened my eyes, the room felt unfamiliar, but the faint scent of herbs and wood gave it away. Alex's house. I blinked a few times, narrowing my eyes to adjust to the soft light streaming through the window. What am I doing here? My body ached, especially my chest, and I propped myself up on my elbow, trying to shake off the drowsiness.

"Maxilin?" a soft voice startled me. I turned my head to see Elizabeth rising from a chair beside the bed. Her face was etched with worry.

"Elizabeth," I muttered.

"Maxilin, what happened to you?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

I frowned, my head pounding. "How did I end up here?" I mumbled, lowering my gaze to the floor. My hand instinctively went to my forehead, massaging my temples. The events of last night were foggy, but the image of that masked figure flashed in my mind. Who was that person?

Elizabeth cut through my thoughts. "I don't know, Maxilin. I just woke up and found out you were unwell. I told you not to open the window last night, but you didn't listen."

I rubbed my temples harder, trying to piece together the fragments of my memory. Before I could respond, the sound of the sliding door interrupted us. Mr. Alex walked into the room, his face a little paler than usual.

"Are you okay, Maxilin?" he asked gently, offering a reassuring smile.

I nodded, though my head was still foggy. It felt like I'd drunk too much the night before.

"Mr. Alex, how did I end up here?" I asked, tapping my brow in frustration.

"We found you right in front of the door," he replied.

"What? Was I alone, or was someone with me?" I pressed.

Mr. Alex shook his head. "No, you were alone."

Elizabeth chimed in, "Maxilin, are you hurt anywhere?"

Ignoring the question, I asked urgently, "Where is my sword?"

Mr. Alex pointed toward the corner of the room. "It's always been with you."

I rushed to the sword and examined it. It was fine, but sand clung to its hilt. The fight... it really happened.