Something Unexpected (1)

Against the demonic creature, Aahan stood alone. His heart pounded in his chest as he faced the Rakshara.

The ground beneath his feet was like hot coals, scorching through the soles of his boots. Sweat trickled down his brow as he peaked at the demon through the helmet's visor.

The Rakshara's twisted grin revealed sharp, jagged teeth. Its grotesque form shifted and twisted as if it was made of living shadows. Aahan could barely make out his shape, as it seemed to change with every breath the creature took.

'I found the fucker... now what? Am I supposed to choke him or what?'

Aahan was no warrior. He was just a young man, an amateur fighter who had learned a move or two to protect himself in juvie. But whatever he had learned, there wouldn't be enough to kill the demon as instructed.

Clad in his suit, his fists and legs were his only weapons. He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white beneath the gauntlets that came with his suit.

'Looks like I gotta make do with what I have at my disposal.'

Just then, the Rakshara let out a guttural, chilling laugh that echoed through the crimson landscape. Without warning, it lunged at Aahan, moving faster than his eyes could track.

Aahan barely had time to react as Rakshara's clawed hand raked across his armour, sending him sprawling across the blood-red ground.

Pain shot through Aahan's side as he struggled to regain his footing. His armour had protected him, but just barely. The Raksharaa circled him, its form still shifting and writhing. It spoke in a sinister, echoing voice that seemed to come from all directions simultaneously.

"Little mortal," it hissed, "you dare to challenge me in my realm?"

Aahan gritted his teeth. He had been sent here on a mission to rid this realm of the Rakshara's terror, and he couldn't afford to fail. Because failure meant he might never get to see Vivaan again, nor would he ever know what truly happened that night all those years ago.

With a primal roar, Aahan lunged at the Rakshara. He aimed a punch at its shifting form, but it effortlessly sidestepped him, its body contorting like a wisp of smoke. Aahan's fist met empty air, and he stumbled forward, off-balance.

'Shit!'

Aahan knew his missed attack had exposed his flank to the enemy and quickly scrambled to correct his mistake. But it was too late, and Rakshara was too quick.

The Rakshara wasted no time taking advantage of Aahan's vulnerability. The demon struck him with blinding speed, delivering a kick that landed like a hammer strike.

Aahan's armour absorbed some of the impacts, but he could feel the force of each blow reverberating through his body. While Rakshara wasn't as strong as the Asura, the kick still dealt a bit of damage to the suit.

<The Suit's integrity has been reduced by 3.76%.>

As the text appeared before him, Aahan fought to stay on his feet, keep moving, and not let the pain overwhelm him.

Aahan knew he couldn't match Rakshara's speed and needed to find a way to overwhelm the demon or at least keep striking the damned creature whenever he was struck to level the playing field.

Summoning every ounce of strength, Aahan spun around and launched a roundhouse kick. His boot connected with the Rakshara's face, and for a moment, he felt a surge of triumph. But it was short-lived.

The Rakshara's body seemed to flow around his kick, like water around a stone. It reformed behind him, striking Aahan with a vicious backhand that sent him sprawling again. Pain shot through his jaw as he hit the ground.

Gasping for breath, Aahan struggled to rise. He could taste blood in his mouth, and his vision blurred momentarily. Even with his armour, the hit was enough to make Aahan see the stars.

But more importantly, Aahan didn't know how his kick went right through the damned demon. He was sure his kick would have connected, but in the end, he was the one who got hit.

<The Suit's integrity has been reduced by 1.26%.>

While Aahan gathered his thoughts, the Raksharaa loomed over him, its eyes glowing with sadistic delight.

"Pathetic," it sneered. "I was expecting more from a human, like yourself. But I guess you're one of the weaker ones of your kind."

"Says that fucker who keeps running away from my attacks like a bitch." Aahan responded, but his response earned him a kick in the face.

<The Suit's integrity has been reduced by 4.76%>

<Remaining Durability: 90.22%>

Aahan's mind raced. He couldn't give up. He couldn't let this monster win. With a fierce growl, he pushed himself to his feet, ignoring the agony that coursed through his body. But unlike before, Aahan realised he couldn't rely on brute force alone; he needed a strategy.

As the Raksharaa was about to deliver another strike, Aahan dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding another deadly strike. He needed to be agile, to use his speed to his advantage. He circled the Rakshara, feinting left and right, trying to anticipate its movements.

Then, he saw an opportunity. The Rakshara's form constantly shifted, but there had to be a core, which was probably the centre of its being. At that moment, Aahan thought he had to strike there to crush the heart of the shadowy creature.

With a plan in mind, Aahan attacked the demon again, this time aiming for the centre of the Rakshara's shifting form. However, it seemed the demon had anticipated the move and grabbed Aahan's fist before throwing a punch towards the human.

"Gotcha," Aahan suddenly whispered before wrapping his free arm around Rakshara's hand and pulling him downwards.

The demon was taken aback by Aahan's sudden manoeuvre and tried to break away. But it was too late. Aahan had already wrapped his legs around the creature's hand and dragged the demon to the ground with him.

"So this is what the card meant by stating 'their true form is only revealed when they choose to attack'," Aahan smirked as he tightened his grip around the demon's hand. "In short, I can only attack the demon when it attacks me."