Death Throes

Ursa glanced over his shoulder and found that his forces were already thinned. There was barely anything left of his expedition forces, and most of the strong fighters were defeated. The situation was turning against his favor, and for the first time, he felt his back was against the wall.

Meanwhile, Captain Hayes lined up for another attack run in the A-10 Warthog.

"Warthog One, commencing another run," Hayes reported.

Vincent, monitoring the battlefield from the control center, responded, "Copy that, Warthog One. Keep the pressure on him. We can't let that monster recover."

The A-10 swooped down again, its GAU-8/A Avenger rotary cannon roaring to life. The 30 mm rounds rained down on Ursa, each one a potential death blow. Ursa, realizing he was the main target, tried to dodge the incoming fire, but his large frame made it difficult. Bullets pierced his armor and flesh, causing him to stagger and roar in agony.

Ursa, using every ounce of his remaining strength, grabbed another boulder and hurled it at the A-10. Captain Hayes, anticipating the move, skillfully maneuvered the Warthog to avoid the massive projectile. The boulder missed, crashing into the ground below with a thunderous impact.

"Nice try, you beast," Hayes muttered, banking the A-10 for another pass.

On the ground, Nick and Sam watched in awe as the A-10 continued its relentless assault on Ursa.

"He's not going to last much longer under that kind of firepower," Nick said.

"Let's hope so," Sam replied. "We need to be ready to move in and finish the job if the Warthog can't."

Ursa, now heavily bleeding and barely able to stand, felt the crushing weight of defeat closing in. His forces were decimated, his strength waning. He knew he had only one chance left - a desperate, final assault to take down as many enemies as possible before he fell.

With a primal roar, Ursa surged forward, his massive form barreling through the remaining defenders. He swung his giant ax with reckless abandon, determined to cause as much destruction as possible in his final moments. Soldiers scattered, some being caught by the deadly swings, while others tried to regroup and mount a counterattack.

"Warthog One, he's making a final push! We need to stop him now!" Vincent's voice crackled over the radio.

"Understood, Shadow Actual," Hayes replied, steeling himself for the decisive strike. The A- 10 lined up one last time, its cannon aimed directly at the rampaging Ursa.

The GAU-8/A Avenger rotary cannon unleashed its deadly rounds, each one finding its mark. Ursa's advance faltered, his body riddled with bullets. With a final, agonized roar, the Demon King General collapsed to the ground, his ax falling from his grasp.

"Is he dead? All Shadows, confirm the status of that monster over," Vincent ordered.

"This is Watchtower 04, verifying the status of the target," Nick volunteered.

He approached Ursa's fallen body cautiously, his rifle trained on the massive demon. The surrounding soldiers mirrored his movements, forming a tight circle around the seemingly lifeless form, their fingers hovering over their triggers, ready to respond at the slightest

movement.

"Is he really dead?" Nick muttered, nudging Ursa's leg with the barrel of his rifle. When there was no response, he dared to step closer and, in a moment of boldness, kicked the demon's side.

Suddenly, Ursa's eyes snapped open, glowing with a sinister light. His massive hand shot up, grabbing Nick's ankle with a vice-like grip. Before Nick could react, he felt a cold, draining sensation flood through his body. Ursa's hand began to glow with dark energy, and tendrils of black mist snaked out, wrapping around Nick's body.

Nick's screams echoed across the battlefield as his skin turned dark brown and his body began to wither. His muscles shriveled, and his eyes sank into their sockets. Within seconds, he was reduced to a gaunt, lifeless husk, collapsing in a heap beside the reawakened Ursa.

"Open fire!" Sam shouted, horror etched on his face as he aimed his rifle and squeezed the trigger. The other soldiers followed suit, unleashing a barrage of bullets at Ursa. The bullets struck Ursa, but instead of weakening him, he seemed to absorb their energy. Tendrils erupted from his body, latching onto the soldiers and siphoning their life force.

The soldiers' eyes widened in terror as they felt their strength being drained. Their skin paled, and their bodies grew frail. One by one, they fell to the ground, lifeless and emaciated. Ursa's wounds began to heal, his strength returning with every life he consumed.

Vincent, watching the horror unfold from the control center, was shocked.

"Warthog One, I want you to exhaust all of your armaments on Ursa! Hit him with everything you've got!" Vincent commanded.

"Roger that, Shadow Actual. Engaging with full firepower," Hayes replied.

Captain Hayes banked the A-10 sharply, lining up for another attack run. This time, he prepared to unleash the full arsenal of the Warthog. He armed the AGM-65 Maverick missiles and guided them toward Ursa's position.

"Missiles away!" Hayes announced as he fired the Mavericks. The missiles streaked toward Ursa, trailing smoke. Ursa, still siphoning the life force from the soldiers, noticed the incoming threat too late. The missiles impacted with devastating force, the explosions ripping through Ursa's form and sending him sprawling backward.

Hayes wasn't done yet. He lined up the A-10's GAU-8/A Avenger rotary cannon for another strafing run. The cannon roared to life, spitting out a continuous stream of 30 mm rounds. The bullets tore through Ursa's regenerated body as if it was made of butter.

Captain Hayes completed his final strafing run. Ursa still twitched, showing signs of life. "Warthog One, this is Shadow Actual. Status on your ammunition?" Vincent's voice crackled over the radio.

"Warthog One to Shadow Actual, I'm out of ammunition. Returning to base for refuel and resupply," Hayes replied, his tone professional but frustrated at the inability to finish the job.

"Roger that, Warthog One. Safe return," Vincent acknowledged.

As Hayes began his return, Vincent focused back on the battlefield. Ursa, though severely damaged, was still a threat. Vincent needed to ensure that the demon wouldn't recover. He activated his command channel.

"All ground units, continue to engage, tanks, bradleys, every goddamn thing!"

forward simultaneously, their cannons and machine guns aimed squarely at Ursa. The Challenger tanks, M2 Infantry Fighting Vehicles, and infantry soldiers prepared for a final, coordinated assault.

Seconds later, a deafening barrage erupted as the ground units unleashed everything they had. Tank shells, machine gun rounds, and grenades rained down on Ursa. The battlefield lit up with explosions and muzzle flashes.

The combined might of the ground units was too much for even the mighty Demon King General. Ursa's body convulsed violently, the dark energy around him flickering and dissipating. He tried to rise once more, but the continuous assault pinned him down.

Finally, with a final, ear-splitting roar, Ursa's body gave out. The demonic energy that had kept him alive evaporated into the air, leaving only the shattered remains of his once-mighty form. The battlefield fell silent as the last echoes of gunfire faded.

"Cease fire! Cease fire!" Vincent ordered, his voice cutting through the silence. The ground units stopped firing, their weapons smoking and barrels glowing from the intense heat.

Vincent watched intently as the dust and smoke began to clear, revealing the motionless form of Ursa. He waited, his breath held, for any sign of movement. There was none.