Chapter 89 - The Showdown
The demon was too strong for the Bloodsoaked Queen. Cloudhawkâs best option was to create as much distance between them as they could. He considered submitting before making his decision, though. He thought maybe he could beg for his life â he was no hero, no powerful warrior. He was just a scavenger who wanted to live.
But then a series of faces marched across his memory; Slyfox, Mad Dog, Woola, Cooke, and all the rest of the Tartarus mercenaries.
Mad Dog had given his life so they would have a chance.
Slyfox made Cloudhawk promise to avenge them moments before his death.
But now the one who was responsible stood before him â could Cloudhawk gain that vengeance? The answer was clear: No, he could not!
Ten Cloudhawks, a hundred Cloudhawks together wouldnât be enough to defeat this demon. But he couldnât bring himself to bend his knees and ask for mercy. He couldnât watch the demon murder the Bloodsoaked Queen before his eyes.
Artemis wouldnât understand his thinking. It was what made him different from every other wastelander â he couldnât ignore what was in his heart. Heâd rather risk his life to save the Queen than sell his soul. He would have his revenge. The Queen couldnât die!
Cloudhawk poured all of his psychic energy into the invisibility cloak, which in turn boosted his speed so that he could try and flee the demonâs grasp. Only, as Cloudhawk ran he could feel a sinister gale whip around him. Suddenly a dark figure blocked his path. The young man paled as he rushed headlong towards the monsterâs groping hand.
The demon was too fast. Cloudhawk couldnât get out of the way.
Cloudhawk could feel the power pulsing from the creature before him. It washed over the boy and permeated every corner of his body, threatening to change every fiber of his being into grains of sand.
This power was several orders of magnitude stronger than the Queenâs, Cloudhawk couldnât resist. Yet just as he was about to succumb something the demon did not expect occurred â a strange vacuum force was revealed within the wastelanderâs body.
âHm?â Confusion flit across the demonâs eyes as he explored what seemed like a black hole drawing in his power from within the child. It began to turn just as he was on the verge of transforming the child into a pillar of silt and drank deeply of the demonâs power, even drawing from the demonâs body himself.
A demonâs eyes could see through clothing, so those hideous red orbs picked out the stone against Cloudhawkâs chest through his armor. The once-ordinary stone was now bursting with blinding light as it neutralized enough power to kill Cloudhawk ten times over.
Cloudhawk himself was drenched in a cold sweat. It wasnât the first time something like this had happened, though. Heâd felt the specter of death when he saved the Bloodsoaked Queen. In the darkness of his shack sheâd nearly burnt him to a cinder with her burning angels. The stone had saved his life that night.
Cloudhawk didnât have time to sit there like an idiot and think of the past. Holding the Queen over his back with one hand he thrust his staff at the demonâs chest with the other. The demon was of course more than capable of deflecting the boyâs feeble attack⊠and yet, he seemed frozen in place, dumbfounded.
Bang! Cloudhawk put all his strength into the thrust, driving it into the demonâs chest. In that instant his exorcist staff belched its power and sent the monster flying backward dozens of feet. However, despite the ragged appearance of the cloak that protected the demon, Cloudhawkâs attack didnât seem to displace even a single thread.
That hit would have put any normal wastelander out of commission, but it didnât even wrinkle the demonâs clothes. Unbelievable. Yet more surprising was that this child, with only minimal ability, was able to knock the demon back even when the mighty Bloodsoaked Queen couldnât land a single blow. The scene was nothing short of bewildering.
While the onlookers were shocked, Cloudhawk himself knew he had no hope to defeat the demon. After creating some space between him and the monster he fled without thinking.
âHow interestingâŠâ
The demon slowly got back to his feet. There was a sinister glimmer in his scarlet eyes, but no one could fathom what was going through his mind. Ever so slightly he turned up his right hand to which the nearby piles of sand began to react. They gathered together to form a long half-moon shaped khopesh sword. Though made of sand it was sturdy enough to cut a slab of metal the size of a man in two.
The hellspawn brought his arm back, ready to throw the weapon when suddenly a bullet the length of a finger came tearing his way.
Crack!
The bullet struck the demon in the center of his chest. It didnât hit him with the same force as Cloudhawkâs staff, so he only staggered backward a couple of paces. However, it was fast, sharp and compact, and fired from an upgraded sniper rifle that made it even deadlier.
Cloudhawkâs exorcist staff hadnât done any damage, but this sniper bullet managed to insert two-thirds of itself into the monster â or, more accurately, into the shell-like armor that covered him. A cold and lethal light crept into the demonâs eyes, but before he could react the second bullet was already on its way.
âDo you think these piddling human trinkets can harm me?â The demon reached out, and with his dark red nails plucked the bullet from the air. He stared toward where the attack had come from. His supernatural vision cut through the ruins to fix on a tall and slim figure who bore a lengthy rifle. After the second shot he was up and running.
With as much concern as one might remove a mosquito the demon pinched the bullet buried in his chest and pulled it free. It left behind a small indentation, but otherwise there was no indication itâd done any damage.
The wind began to violently blow. The demon rose into the air amidst the gusting winds, preparing to chase after the sniper. However he paused as he floated by Artemis. Without looking at her, he spoke. âYou are the outpostâs new leader?â
Artemis was overwhelmed by the menacing, ice-cold demeanor of the monster as he drew near. She could feel droplets of nervous sweat trace lines down her cheeks. Any thought of confronting the demon was gone from her mind, and in fact all she could manage was a meek response. âI⊠I am.â
âYou shall have a chance to live.â His words were cold as the grave. âThe other two have not yet escaped. Find them, bring them to me. Whether you live or die depends on the success of this mission.â
Artemisâ eyebrows knit tight as she scowled. She was more than happy to kill the demonhunter, but Cloudhawk⊠her hesitation was evident.
At last the demon turned his head and looked at her. As its evil gaze fixed upon her, the hesitation fled from her heart like smoke in a tempest. She went from a fierce leopardess to a frightened kitten. All uncertainty and resistance vanished: âI will!â She waved her hands at the soldiers gathered nearby. âLetâs go, find them!â
The demon said nothing more, rising into the air to pursue the figure that had fled into the darkness.
After taking two shots at the demon Mantis made for the relative safety of the night. As he fled he felt a strong breeze rise up from behind. He couldnât see what was coming from behind him, but Mantis knew the speed and power of his foe. Heâd captured the attention of this monster. There was little chance of escape.
Mantis stopped and slowly turned around. His expression never changed, even as he saw the savage figure and his murderous red eyes approach. He looked back, perfectly calm.
The demon stopped a few feet away. For several seconds he looked the assassin up and down searchingly. They simply stared at each other this way for a time while a strange sense hung in the air.
At last the demon spoke, breaking the silence. âIt really is you.â
Mantis pushed his glasses higher on the bridge of his nose. âItâs been a long time.â
Discontent was thick in the demonâs voice. âYouâve known for quite some time, I imagine?â
He was silent for a moment. âSo then... what are you planning to do?â
***
Cloudhawk ran with wild abandon towards the outpostâs exit. When he got there he saw it was thick with figures barring the path. He skidded to a halt and it was then he heard the footsteps catching up from behind. Artemis, hammer raised, was almost on them.
Cloudhawk stared at the predatory wasteland woman, glaring at her with a dark expression. âArtemis, do you have to kill us?â
She looked fiercely back at him. âYou fuckin' liar! You said you wanted to stay, that youâd help me lead this place! You broke that promise when you decided to save the demonhunterâs life.â
Cloudhawk was speechless.
He couldnât remember agreeing to anything. He said heâd think about it!
âThis is different. Whatâs between me and the demon is personal. I canât just surrender.â Cloudhawk shook his head. âIt has nothing to do with you. Let me go!â
He ventured a step toward the exit, but the warriors that had surrounded them raised their weapons.
Artemis heaved her hammer high and rushed toward him. âThe demon told me to bring you back. If you escape heâs gonna kill me! I canât hold back this time, watch out!â
Cloudhawk leapt back and Artemisâ hammer slammed into a nearby wall. The stone collapsed under the force. Half a second later she was back on the attack and swept her massive hammer toward him. He staggered to the side to avoid her.
âThen come with us!â Cloudhawkâs face was grim. She wasnât playing. âThe demon had this place now. Youâd be nothing but a puppet, donât you understand? Is it better to live here under his rule than to come with us? We can find somewhere safe and start again!â
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