| Dead Arrival

"Do you think you could possibly win against me?" the demon asked Argus. "You know it's futile. You can sense my power, can't you? You know you can't win." The demon boasts. Argus glares at the demon, clenching his fist in anger. Hachiro and Enzo are both on edge after witnessing the scene, neither willing to move. "Do you have anything to say? Are you feeling nervous? Are you trying to think of a way to take me down?" The demon comes closer to Argus. "Go ahead, give it your best shot."

"Uggghh!" Argus threw a barrage of punches at the demon, forcing him backward, but the demon evaded them all. "Didn't I say this was futile?" The demon remarked and kicked Argus down. "Ha! For someone so cocky, you're not the brightest," chuckles Argus. {Crimson Cage!} he shouts as a bright red dome of radiant energy covers Argus and the demon. "I see. You forced us away from your comrades so you could encase us in some barrier," The demon says to Argus.

"Hachiro! Enzo! Get out of here now! Run to the base as fast as possible. I'll take this bastard on myself," shouts Argus. {Crimson Armor!} Argus is enveloped by bright red neon armor, which has blades on its elbows, spikes on its knees, and a rhino-like horn on its helmet. He extends his arm, and a long double-bladed staff manifests in his hand. He throws it down in front of him like a flag. "In all my days of living, I've never wanted to end a life so eagerly." Argus picks up the blade and points one end towards the demon. "This is how House Crimson deals with diversity. We face it head-on! Now come at me! You wanted to test your strength. Well, come test it!"

"We can't leave him here alone!" Hachiro tells Enzo. "Don't you feel them! They are like Titans. If we get in the middle of that, we'd die for sure. Let's get back to base and inform the captain." Hachiro looks at Enzo and yells, "I'm not leaving him! I'm not a coward like you! I don't care how powerful they may seem; I'm strong too!" Hachiro charged towards the barrier with one thing in mind - killing that demon. "You damn brat, this isn't the time!" Enzo shouts. "Hachiro!" Argus calls from inside the barrier. Hachiro stops in his tracks to listen. "Leave and report to the base with Enzo! Something like this isn't a coincidence. It was orchestrated.

Now go!" Enzo grabs Hachiro's shoulder and turns him around. "We're leaving," he says. Enzo looks down at Xabier and mourns. He grabs Xabier's sword and takes off to the exit with Hachiro. Once they reach the top, they glance back at Argus and the demon as they ready themselves for battle and then start their journey out of the cave.

"Are you done?" the demon asked sarcastically. Argus stared down the demon. "Are you prepared to DIE?" Argus rushes the demon with his double-bladed staff, swirling it at an accelerated rate. The demon swiftly dodges the attacks with ease. "My turn," the demon muttered as he manifested a dark-bladed dagger. He timed the swirling pattern perfectly and jabbed the dagger into Argus's chest, but his armor absorbed the blow, resulting in no penetration.

Argus released his two-hand grip and swung the staff with one arm, causing the demon to jump backward to avoid it. "Don't run! You talked a big game, so don't tell me you can't back it up." Argus mocks. "You impertinent creature. Don't you dare mock me," the demon utters in annoyance. The demon charges at Argus with incredible speed. The demon strikes him with his blade, but Argus is protected by his Crimson Armor, which absorbs the attack again. Argus counterattacks with his staff, but the demon dodges it and kicks Argus, sending him flying and crashing into the barrier. Argus coughs up blood from the impact. He slowly stands up, showing apparent discomfort and pain.

He's too quick. I can't swing my weapon in time to hit him, even when timed perfectly. What can I do? Eventually, he'll pierce the armor. If I keep engaging like this, it's over. "Don't tell me you're done already!" The demon rushes Argus; he holds his blade in his left hand and places the palm of his right hand on the bottom of the hilt, forcefully pushing the blade into Argus's chest. The impact caused the crimson barrier and the armor to crack, but the blade did not penetrate it. He raises his arms, holding the blade with both hands, slamming it down onto Argus. Argus used his staff to block the blow, but the force snapped the staff into two. "Ha, that works." Argus chuckles. Argus swings one of the halves at the demon with all his might, slicing the demon's shoulder.

"Why didn't I think of this myself? Now you're dead!" Argus launches a series of attacks on the demon, using the two halves of his weapon like daggers and slicing the demon repeatedly. Despite the demon's attempts to dodge, Argus' speed made it difficult for him to avoid the attacks. The demon is being pushed back towards the other side of the barrier and realizes this. "Can't keep up? What happened to all that speed?" Argus boasts. After a few more swings, the demon attempts to counter Argus with a kick, but Argus anticipates it and catches the demon's leg. "You did this the last time, you one-trick pony!" Argus swings the demon's leg to the right, leaving the demon off-balance. Argus then throws a front kick, sending the demon flying into the barrier. The demon falls to his knees, and his blade withers away. "Don't tell me you're done already?" Argus smiles at the demon with a big grin.

(Hachiro and Enzo)

"Dammit! Enzo, keep up! You're forcing me to move slower!" Hachiro shouts. "I can't run as fast as you, dipshit! I'm only a human, you angel dweeb!" Enzo argues back. "We don't have time for this! I'm going ahead. Just meet me there." Hachiro suggested. "No, wait! I can keep up; just let me bind with Xabier's blade." Enzo pleas. "Bind with his sword? What does that mean?" Hachiro asked. "Just watch," Enzo replies as they both stop moving.

Enzo drops his own sword and picks up Xabier's sword. He kneels and places the sword across his palms. He pricks his thumb and slides the blood on the bottom of the hilt of the blade, thus binding the sword to himself. The sword pulses in a bright light, indicating the binding as completed. "These aren't ordinary swords," Enzo tells Hachiro. "They are swords that boost the users' abilities from Utopia. Now that I have two bonded, I should be able to keep up with you."

(Utopian weapons have the ability to boost users' abilities. Each weapon has a unique boost. For instance, Xabier had a sword that enhanced his speed and power, while Enzos' weapon increased his speed and reflexes. If a user has more than one weapon bound to them, the boost will multiply based on the number of weapons. For example, since Enzo now has two weapons, he will be four times faster, two times more powerful, and two times more reactive. The only way to be unbound is to relinquish the blade or die.) "Let's see," {Flash!} Hachiro shouts as he flashes ahead towards the base. He looks over his shoulder and sees Enzo right behind him with a smirk on his face. 'I guess those blades do help,' Hachiro thinks to himself.

(At the base)

Juri and Danny talk while eating at the cafeteria. "So, you and Hachiro are getting along with each other? Danny asked. "Yeah, we talked for a bit when you left yesterday. I told him about what happened that night." Juri replied. "I have a question for you, Miss Juri," Danny states. "Hachiro felt some connection towards you. Maybe he thought you were pretty or wanted to see how you were doing health-wise since he saved you. But the more he visited, the more I realized he meant it when he said he felt some weird connection with you. Do you also feel that?" Danny asked. "I'm not sure if I know what feeling you're talking about," Juri replies. "Sorry, I had to ask. It's like he's so protective of you yet doesn't even know you," Danny remarks.

"Yeah, I can see that he even let me sleep with him last night," Juri tells Danny. "What! Sleep with him? You guys are moving way too fast!" Danny says, flustered. "NO! Not like that. I just slept in his room. He slept on the floor, and I was on the bed." Juri explains in embarrassment. "Phew, you kids worried me for a second." Danny laughs nervously.

Boom! An explosion goes off, shaking the base.

Everyone in the cafeteria looked around. "What was that?" Juri asked Danny. I—I'm not sure," Danny replied. Everyone in the cafeteria was dead silent, waiting to see if they'd hear something again. Instead, they felt a rumbling that sounded like it was getting closer to the cafeteria wall. And then it stopped.

Boom!

An explosion suddenly rocked the building, causing a gaping hole to form in the cafeteria wall and debris to fly toward the people. The shockwave flipped tables, throwing Danny and Juri from their seats. Shouts of "EVERYONE TAKE COVER!" echo through the room as five members charge into the cafeteria. "Danny!" Juri yells frantically as she sees shards of the wall impaled into him. "I'm fine. I don't think anything vital was hit," Danny replies, trying to keep his cool. They both quickly hide behind the flipped tables as the members shoot into the smoke, hitting anything on the other side.

"Where are your mister Rona!" A raspy voice shouts from the cloud of smoke. " I need that head of yours!" A figure begins to walk through the smoke. "Stay back!" A member shouts and starts to fire his weapon at the figure. "Oh, don't worry, I'm not here for you. So, I won't waste your time." A beam of red energy shoots from the smoke, piercing the member's heart and causing him to drop to the ground. The demon fully ascends from the smoke. He was a man-like being in white armor with a red cape, two black horns, and a black tail. He stood in the middle of the cafeteria scanning the room and chuckles. "I, the demon Orlon, would like a word with a man known as Rona. I hear he's the captain of this base. Speak if you know of his whereabouts. If not, kneel, and I will end your life swiftly and painlessly." Orlon promises.

"Who are you to demand anything around here?" one of the members shouts. Orlon points at the man who spoke out and shoots a beam directly at his chest from his finger killing him. "Let me make something clear. If you know the location of Rona, speak up. But if you don't, kneel." Orlon says with a severe expression on his face. The other members were standing in shock, not willing to kneel as they knew it would mean death. They also refrained from speaking as they didn't know the captain's whereabouts. "I know of his whereabouts," Danny says from behind the table. Danny slowly stands up with his hands up and blood dripping from his lab coat.

"I'll tell you where he is, but you have to let everyone here go." Danny proposed. "Oh, I see, Mr. problem solver." Orlon laughs. He shoots a beam through Danny's shoulder. "Ahhh!" Danny screams in pain. Orlon shoots another one below the previous. "Tell me where the captain is. Or I'll keep blasting until that arm unattaches itself from your shoulder. I'm not here to negotiate," says Orlon. "You will negotiate," Danny implies. "If you didn't want to, you would have killed me already. I'm the only one here that knows where he is. Who's to say he's even at the base? You need to know his whereabouts, right? Then, let them go. And I'll tell you." Orlon thinks about the offer and agrees.

"Alright, you have yourself a compromise. Now tell me," Orlon demanded. "Everyone out," Danny commanded, and everyone quickly ran out of the cafeteria. Juri stood up and looked at Danny, who urgently asked her to hide him from Hachiro. "I...I don't know what to do," Juri replied frantically. Suddenly, Orlan shot a beam between them and shouted at Juri to leave. "Go. I'll be fine," Danny said with watery eyes. Juri ran out of the cafeteria, leaving only Danny and Orlon alone.

"Do you know what's next?" Danny asked Orlon. Orlon looked at the smile on Danny's face. He knew that he was tricked right in that moment. "I guess I do from those words," Orlon replied. "Before I send you on your way, there's one thing you should know," Orlon exclaimed.

"March!" Orlon shouts.

"WAR...KILL! WAR...KILL!" An army of soldiers enters through the hole into the cafeteria. "We didn't just come here for Rona. We came to wreak havoc." Orlon walks up to Danny and pulls out a dagger from his waist. "I should have known you wouldn't speak. Oh well, I was going to kill them all anyway." Orlon shoves the dagger into Danny's gut and then slides it out. Danny drops to the floor, gasping for air. "Scavenge the base and kill anyone spotted. I'll look for Rona myself. The army's presence was felt like a powerful current that swept through the halls. Those who appeared in sight were swiftly and efficiently eliminated, leaving no chance for resistance. Orlon's words cut through the air like a knife. "Pitiful," he said, his voice filled with disappointment. "You had the chance to be someone useful, but you let it slip away." He looked down at Danny, bleeding out, before turning and leaving the room.

"This is bad. I need to get out of here," Juri thought to herself. Without wasting a second, she rushed outside, only to be met with soldiers heading straight towards the base. "There's more?" she questioned, feeling a wave of panic over her. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm herself down. "At least these guys are weaker than that other demon," she muttered, trying to find a glimmer of hope in the situation. "I must try this again," Juri thought to herself. She uttered a spell, {By the Gods, Flame in Light, Disperse,} enchanting her attack. She aimed the blast at the soldiers, held her arm to control the energy, and released the conjured power, hitting them. " I need to find this captain before they do," she says worriedly.

(Back to Argus and the demon)

"Stand up and face me! Or is this battle over," Argus roars at the demon. "Your brutish ignorance is revolting. It disgusts me to see you believe that you hold the upper hand in this fight," the demon barks as he rises to his feet, and a cloak of darkness starts enveloping him. "This is just the beginning of the battle; it's far from over. Let's break free from this cage," the demon exclaimed with a menacing laugh as he charged up his ki. "Ugggghhh!" he shouted, ready to unleash his power. 'Unbelievable!' exclaimed Argus. 'He's becoming stronger by the second. How much more powerful can he get?' The demon's relentless power shattered the crimson cage, causing rocks to shake and crumble down from the top of the cave. "You better be prepared, you house crimson hellion," the demon taunted.

Argus and the demon charged at each other. Argus swung and slashed his blades while the demon dodged and countered with punches. "Ha, you're too slow!" the demon taunted, landing a punch on Argus' gut that cracked his armor even more. Despite the blow, Argus kept pushing forward. He lunged at the demon, attempting to slam his blades down by pulling his arms back, but missed by an inch, causing the blades to slam into the ground and crack the cave's bottom, lifting debris and rocks into the air. Argus then threw one of the halves at the demon, catching him off guard, but the demon's speed and reflexes proved too great as he caught the blade by the handle and threw it back at Argus. The blade penetrated Argus' shoulder, completely shattering the armor. "AHHHH!" Argus screams out in pain. "Don't you cry. Aren't you a warrior of house crimson? Show me more of that diversity you conquer." The demon mocks.

With a sharp tug, Argus withdrew the blade from his shoulder. "This is nothing," he dismissed. However, the demon materialized behind him before he could react, taunting him with a sly smile. Argus swung his blade with lightning speed, but the demon vanished in a puff of smoke. Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced through Argus as the demon's attack connected. "UGH!" he cried out, gritting his teeth and persevering through the pain. "How? When did you take the blades from me?" Argus asked in confusion. The demon slides the blades deeper into his lower back. Argus screams in excruciating pain. "Death calls for us all at some point. Especially when you're against me." The demon says to Argus as he coughs up blood. The demon pushes Argus down and stares in pity. "You were better than I expected. I'll give you that, but I'm here for the boy. I let you have enough of my time." The demon says as he walks away to leave the cave.

A beam of red light suddenly pierces through the cave, reaching up into the sky. The demon turns, casting a sidelong glance at Argus. The atmosphere inside the cave becomes dense and heavy, while rocks start falling from the roof. The beam is so powerful that it catches the attention of Enzo and Hachiro, who witness it with utter disbelief. It's as if a volcano had erupted. The beam breaks through the clouds, creating a breathtaking opening that leaves a lasting impression.

"Is that Argus's Ki?" Hachiro asked in amazement. "I think so. I never knew he was this powerful, Enzo replied. Come on, we're almost at the base; we just need to get over the hill."

The demon looks down in disappointment and walks over to Argus. Argus rises from his knees, filled with rage. The demon's voice changes abruptly, becoming deeper and raspier. "The famous dying breath of a crimson," he says. "I thought it was just a myth."

"No, it's not a myth. We, Crimsons, never fall without putting up a fight. The pride of past Crimson's runs through our blood! Didn't I tell you? We face diversity head-on! We, the gods of war, House Crimson, would never fall to someone like you," Argus states.

His strength is comparable to that of a guardian. The demon contemplates, "If only my power weren't greater, I would be nervous." The demon gazes into Argus' eyes and says, "It's time for you to sleep," as he passes his hand through his chest. Argu's eyes begin to flutter, and his body starts to shake. "How...did-who are you?" Argus's body slides from the demon's arm and collapses onto the ground.

"This is troublesome. That desperation of his just made things difficult. My utmost apologies, Zane, but this operation has been compromised. Which means I don't have to hold back any longer. The guardians definitely felt that power of his so let's see how far I can push this body. I'm sure those Guardians will be headed this way anytime soon, so I will dance with him before leaving. The demon laughs deliriously as he heads for Hachiro.

Hachiro and Enzo stood in shock as they gazed upon the base engulfed in smoke and with caved-in walls. Enzo muttered, "What the hell is going on?" while Hachiro's eyes were wide with concern for Juri. They both sprint into the base, fighting off any demons in sight. "Juri! Juri!" Hachiro screamed in the halls of the base in search of her. They entered the infirmary side of the base to see the demon Orlon holding the nurse captive down the aisle. They take cover behind the walls leading down to the infirmary. Enzo whispers to Hachiro, "That guy looks like he's some general." Hachiro responds, "Yeah, we can take him. I can tell he's not as strong as that other demon from the cave." Enzo suggests they split up, with him taking on the general alone while Hachiro looks for Juri. Hachiro asks if he's sure, to which Enzo confidently replies, "Yeah, after binding with these blades, I want to test my combat ability. Just don't die, dipshit," with a smirk. Hachiro nods his head, runs back down the hall, and heads to the other side of the infirmary.

Enzo reveals himself and confronts Orlon with a fierce intensity. "Who are you?" Orlon asks, taken aback by Enzo's sudden appearance. "I'm asking the questions," Enzo replies, his tone sharp and direct. "Do you work for that demon? The one in black, the one from Witcher's cave?" Orlon denies any knowledge of the demon, but Enzo is not convinced. "Liar!" Enzo attacks Orlon with incredible speed, his blades cutting through the air like a whirlwind. At that moment, Orlon realizes that Enzo should not be taken lightly.

"I know of the demon," Orlon remarks. "For you to even be standing here in front of me after seeing "him," you must have turned tail." Orlon mocks. "My comrades...my friends...DEAD!" Enzo shouted. "If you're that "things" ally, I will do to him as he did to me." Enzo relives the deaths of his comrades in his head. "Your fate is sealed," Enzo threatened. "These blades will be the last thing you see."

"But don't be too hasty." Orlon fired a beam of energy from his finger, but Enzo dodged it effortlessly. "So slow," Enzo taunted. Orlon unleashed a barrage of energy beams from his hands, tracking onto Enzo. But Enzo was too quick for him, dodging most of them and reflecting the rest. "I warned you," Enzo sneered. "You're nothing compared to that demon from the cave."

Orlon begins to feel nervous as he faces Enzo. "Do you really believe that's all I have to offer, you swine?" He shouts {Hellraiser!} as he summons five mid-ranked demons to fight by his side. The demons rush towards Enzo, but they are no match for him. Enzo easily cuts them down and charges towards Orlon. As Enzo approaches him, Orlon shouts, "Inferno!" A tremendous wall of flames erupts, trapping Enzo. However, Enzo quickly slices through the flames with his blade. This enraged version of Enzo is too strong for Orlon to handle. Enzo places his sword across Orlon's throat. "Didn't I say it'll be the last thing you see?" Enzo slices up, decapitating Orlon. Enzo looks down at Xabier's blade with Orlon's blood dripping down it.

"You'll always be with me, Xabier. I'll carry on your will," Enzo says as he wipes his tears. "Are you guys alright?" Enzo asked the nurses. "Yes, we're fine," one nurse replied. "Find the captain," another nurse commented. That's who they were after." Enzo thinks to himself, 'The captain? Why do they need Rona?' "Thanks, you guys find a place to hide. I'm sure there are still a few demons around," Enzo told the nurses. "I guess I'll check the office."

Enzo successfully reaches the captain's office but realizes that the door is sealed with magic. He knocks on the door infused with magic and shouts, "Rona! It's me, Enzo!" to get his attention. The barrier was then released, and the door swung open, revealing the captain, Juri, and three kids inside. Enzo expresses relief and says, "Captain, thank goodness you're safe, sir." Rona then asked, "Where are the others?" Enzo looks away in grief and responds, "Hachiro and I are the only ones who came back. The others didn't make it. Argus stayed back to buy us some time to escape." "What? What could have caused this? Rona asked franticly. "There was a demon. A demon with power unimaginable. So strong that Argus most likely will not come back either."

"Where's Hachiro," Blurted Juri. "Are you Juri?" Enzo asked. "Yes," she replied. "We split up. He went out looking for you while I fought that demon in white."

Juri remembered what Danny asked her before he died. "No...no, this isn't good. We need to find him before he sees Danny." Juri says with a concerning tone. "Danny? Don't tell me he-" Juri stares at Enzo. "I understand. But what's so bad about him seeing him?" Enzo asked. They both stared at Enzo. "Hachiro is-" Rona interrupted. "It's okay, Juri, I'll tell him. Come here." He tells Enzo. "What is it, sir?" Enzo asked in confusion. Rona whispered into Enzo's ear, "The boy is extraordinary, yet unstable. The power he can truly possess must be hidden and contained. I'm afraid that his emotions can release that power, causing the boy to be consumed by it. If he finds Danny, he could possibly lash out, destroying more than just this base. He could destroy all the realms if not controlled."

Enzo backs up and looks at Rona. "What the hell does that even mean? What is he some freak?" Enzo demanded an answer. "He's a taboo child. I was sent from Utopia to keep this boy a secret, to keep him from knowing his own identity. I'm afraid that a mastermind has found out about his being, thus why I was being hunted. Killing me, someone who has taken care of him all his life. That would start an outrage no one could control." Rona declares.

"Mastermind, could that have been the demon we faced in the cave? He said he wanted to test Hachiro's strength." Enzo tells Rona. "The demon knew his name? This is worse than I could have imagined. Not even the deities of Utopia or the guardians know of him. How do these demons know so much?" Rona wondered. "There's no time! We need to find him now!" Juri shouts. "Okay, let's just head to wherever Danny's body remains. We can keep watch from there, and if Hachiro comes around, well, direct him elsewhere." Enzo suggested. "Okay, that sounds like a plan," Juri responds. "I'll be back, kiddos. Captain Rona will keep you guys safe, okay." Juri tells the little kids before she leaves with Enzo.

Juri leads the way to the cafeteria. "It makes sense now," Enzo says randomly. "What makes sense?" Juri asked. "The boy and that monsteras power of his. If he's some ticking time bomb of power...he...he's dangerous." Enzo tells Juri. "He's not dangerous. He's kind. He's not some killer." Juri says, defending Hachiro. "He's the reason we are being attacked right now. If they are after his power...he's the reason my comrades died. He's the reason these kids, these innocent civilians, Danny-" "Stop!" Juri shouts. "Don't blame him for others' bad intentions. He didn't choose to be born this way! So, stop blaming him!" Enzo looks at Juri's teary eyes. "I'm sorry." Enzo apologized.

They walked in silence for the rest of the way. As they got closer to the cafeteria, the atmosphere became denser. "What is this?" Enzo asked. It's like someone is putting weights on my shoulders. "Yeah, it's getting harder for me to walk," Juri tells Enzo. "Yeah, I feel that." "There's the cafeteria." Juri pointed as she slowly lifted her hand. "I can't keep going. Juri tells Enzo as she crouches down from the weighted feeling. "Here, grab my hand." Enzo reaches out. He walks over to the door, bringing Juri with him. "It's...too late," Enzo says, leaning onto the doorframe to stay standing.

Debris and rocks are floating in the air, and the tables are split and broken as if gravity has ceased to exist. Hachiro is enveloped by an all-black, red-outlined aura so thick that his body isn't visible, leaving only a black silhouette behind. The aura stretches to the top of the ceiling. Hachiro holds Danny's lifeless body in his arms, with his back facing Juri and Enzo. They both stand in stunned silence, and Juri whispers in fear, "Hachi...". Horns begin to protrude from Hachiro's head, and black wings unfurl from his back. Hachiro discovers Danny's body and descends into a bottomless pit of sorrow. He has become completely insane, consumed by feelings of rage, sadness, and a thirst for revenge.

"We need to leave this place immediately," Enzo whispers to Juri as they stand near the cafeteria entrance. Suddenly, they both feel a substantial weight pressing down on them. Enzo falls to a knee, and Juri drops to all fours, trying to crawl away from the force. However, the weight keeps increasing, making it impossible for them to move.

They end up lying flat on their stomachs, and Enzo shouts, "Ahh, I can't move!" Juri also yells in pain, suspecting that this is Hachiro's doing. Hachiro's rage fills the air, suffocating the two of them. Hachiro, please. Juri thinks to herself as she is about to fade out of consciousness.

Boom!

The demon from the cave slams down into the cafeteria like a comet.

"Hachiro!" The demon shouts in excitement. "Yes! Yes! Please show me what that power of yours is capable of! Fight me! Let's finally get a taste of that power." The demon smiles deliriously.

Zip!

"I don't understand," the demon says as Hachiro holds the demon's face with his palm in the sky. The demon smiles and asks himself, "How did we get up here?" Suddenly, Hachiro slams the demon onto the ground, causing him to slide across 60 yards before throwing him down. He then uses beams from his eyes to laser the demon. He floats down and lands on the ground. The demon stands up and laughs again. "Going all out aye. I'VE BEEN WAITING TO GO ALL OUT MYSELF!"

The epic showdown had finally arrived. The demon finally got the fight he wanted—against a being that shouldn't exist.