章 22: Battle won

Ezra's body screamed in protest as he pushed himself forward, his muscles burning, his breath ragged, but he couldn't stop. Each step felt like he was moving through molasses, but still, he surged ahead, using every last drop of his willpower to close the distance between himself and the demon. He swung his sword, unleashing a series of rapid aether slashes—each strike crackling with raw energy, a blinding display of power that cut through the trees around him.

But Zyrion was faster. With a flick of his hand, the demon deflected each and every strike effortlessly. Ezra's heart pounded in his chest, his body aching, but he didn't relent. He couldn't afford to stop now. Every attack he launched, every inch he gained, was met with an immediate, brutal counter.

With a vicious swipe, Zyrion sent Ezra hurtling backward again. The force of the impact slammed him into the trunk of a massive oak, the air leaving his lungs in a harsh exhale. Pain exploded through his back as he crumpled to the ground, dazed, gasping for breath.

The demon loomed over him, a monstrous figure of dark power. "Pathetic," Zyrion sneered, floating above Ezra like some unholy apparition. "You're not even worth the effort."

But as Ezra struggled to push himself to his feet, a roar echoed through the forest—a deep, guttural sound that shook the very earth beneath them. Ezra barely had time to register the noise before Korr charged in, his form now a massive beast, swelling with newfound power. The beastman's aether surged around him in a violent wave, and with a mighty swipe of his massive paw, he cracked the air with a thunderous explosion of force.

The impact was like a meteor hitting the earth.

Zyrion, momentarily caught off guard, was sent sprawling backward, crashing into the trees with a howl of frustration. His once-unshakable form staggered for the first time, and Ezra's heart leapt in his chest. Korr had done it—he'd landed a blow that actually made the demon falter.

"Damn right, Korr!" Ezra thought, gritting his teeth as he staggered to his feet.

The beastman didn't hesitate. With the speed and power of a juggernaut, Korr rushed forward again, moving faster than Ezra thought was possible for someone his size. His claws, imbued with aether, crackled with energy as he leapt, smashing them into the ground with an earth-shaking punch that sent shockwaves through the air. Zyrion staggered once more, trying to raise his hands in a defensive stance, but Korr's relentless onslaught showed no mercy.

Ezra could feel the tides of the battle shifting. He knew Korr's power was immense, but this was the first time he'd seen him fight like this—raw, primal, and relentless. Each blow Korr landed chipped away at Zyrion's defenses, leaving the demon off-balance and reeling.

The beastman roared in fury, his power swelling with each strike as he pummeled the demon into the earth. Zyrion, disoriented and struggling to regain control, shot off bolts of dark aether in retaliation, but Korr ignored the blasts as though they were nothing more than flies buzzing around him. With every swipe, Korr grew larger, his form shifting further into something far beyond even his usual monstrous size.

"Impressive," Ezra muttered under his breath, his gaze fixed on the battle. His body still burned from the fight, his movements sluggish, but he couldn't afford to fall back now. Korr had given him an opening, and that was more than enough.

Ezra charged again, moving in sync with Korr's relentless barrage. His sword flared with aether as he unleashed another rapid series of slashes, aiming for Zyrion's unguarded sides. The demon, still stunned from Korr's previous blow, failed to react quickly enough, and Ezra's blade tore through the air, leaving searing cuts along the demon's skin.

Zyrion hissed in pain, a flicker of frustration crossing his face. "You're…you're stronger than I thought," he growled, his voice like the scraping of nails against stone. "But it won't be enough!"

Ezra and Korr, now working in perfect tandem, pressed the attack. Korr's massive paws slammed down with destructive force, while Ezra's blade danced like a streak of lightning, cutting through the air. Each attack was like a symphony of destruction, a harmonious clash of raw power and precise strikes.

But even as they pushed forward, Ezra couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't over yet. Zyrion was far from finished, and whatever trump card he was holding back could turn the tide in an instant.

The demon, now visibly enraged, gritted his teeth and raised both hands high, summoning a surge of dark energy so intense that the very air around them warped. Ezra's instincts screamed at him to get out of the way, but before he could react, Zyrion released the torrent of dark power, a black beam that sliced through the forest like a blade through flesh.

The world seemed to freeze for a heartbeat as Ezra and Korr were forced to leap backward, narrowly avoiding the destructive wave. The trees behind them were obliterated, and the earth trembled under the sheer force of the attack.

"This ends now!" Zyrion roared, his voice filled with murderous intent as he gathered more dark energy. But Ezra wasn't done yet.

With a grunt, he steeled himself for what was coming next. The fight wasn't over. Not yet.

The battle had reached a fever pitch. Ezra could feel the overwhelming weight of the fight pressing down on him, his body battered and bruised, but he wasn't about to give up—not with the demon still standing and Korr pushing forward with relentless fury. Zyrion, his face twisted in a mask of rage, gathered more dark energy, the very air growing thick with his power. His eyes glowed like embers, his hands crackling with raw, untamed force.

The ground beneath them shook as Zyrion's form shimmered with dark power, his aura a swirling vortex of black energy that threatened to devour everything in its path. His mouth curled into a sinister smile as he began charging even more energy, his body trembling with barely contained power.

"You're both too weak," Zyrion spat, his voice a rasping growl. "I'll take you both down in one final blow. Prepare yourselves!"

The demon surged forward, his fists crackling with raw dark aether, and exchanged a series of brutal blows with Korr. The impact of their fists sent shockwaves through the forest, trees splintering and snapping as if they were mere twigs in the wake of their fury. Korr grunted with each punch, his massive frame barely flinching under the force, his claws raking at Zyrion's skin, but the demon's dark aether protected him, coating his body like an impenetrable shield.

Ezra staggered to his feet, his vision blurred and head pounding from the earlier blows, but he refused to give in. He could barely see Korr now, his focus fixed entirely on the chaotic battle unfolding before him. Every move, every strike, felt like it was a test of survival. The air crackled, thick with energy and the sound of their devastating fight.

Korr roared as he dodged another strike from Zyrion, ducking low and then swiping his claws across the demon's chest. The blow landed with a sickening crack, but Zyrion barely flinched, his twisted grin widening as he unleashed a vicious counterattack. The ground shook beneath them as Zyrion's fist slammed into Korr's chest, sending the beastman reeling backward.

"Enough," Zyrion growled, his voice like the groaning of the earth itself. "I've had enough of this. This ends now!"

Before Korr could react, Zyrion raised both hands high, channeling an immense surge of dark aether that twisted around him like a living serpent. The air crackled with raw, destructive power, and Ezra's instincts screamed at him to move, to run, but it was already too late. Zyrion had already begun the final phase of his attack.

The demon's body began to glow, his horns now an intense, molten gold. A massive explosion of dark energy began to swirl around him, cascading through the forest with such force that the trees began to bend and snap under the pressure. The ground trembled violently beneath them, and a terrifyingly cold smile crossed Zyrion's face.

"This is the end for both of you," Zyrion sneered, his voice barely audible over the growing crescendo of his power. "Say goodbye to everything you know!"

Ezra's heart raced. He knew that if they didn't stop Zyrion now, everything would be obliterated. He had no choice but to act. Without hesitation, he gathered every last ounce of his remaining aether and prepared to charge, but before he could even move, Korr acted.

The beastman roared and threw himself forward, moving faster than Ezra thought was possible for his large form. In an instant, Korr collided with Zyrion, his body slamming into the demon with earth-shattering force, knocking the man off balance. The massive beastman wrapped his arms around the demon's torso, pulling him into a crushing embrace, just as the dark energy around Zyrion reached its peak.

"No, Korr! Get out of the way!" Ezra shouted, panic flooding his chest. But Korr only growled in response, his grip tightening around the demon as the energy flared.

With a final, unholy scream, Zyrion detonated. The world seemed to shatter as the explosion of dark power consumed everything in its wake. A wave of violent, black energy exploded outward, tearing through the landscape with such force that the ground itself cracked and splintered. The blast seemed to freeze time for a moment—Ezra's body was thrown backward, his vision a blur of black and red as the power of the explosion surged through the forest.

But Korr held on.

The massive bear-man's body began to glow with a fierce, golden light as he fought to protect his comrades, his aether surging to protect him. The explosion ripped through his form, but his massive frame absorbed much of the blast, taking the brunt of the attack.

When the dust finally settled, Ezra struggled to his feet, coughing and shaking, his body aching from the force of the blast. His vision cleared, and he saw Korr.

The beastman was on his knees, his body smoking and scorched from the explosion, but he was alive. Barely. His massive form was torn, his fur singed, and his eyes barely open, but he was still breathing.

Ezra rushed to his side, his heart pounding in his chest. "Korr... Korr, are you okay?"

Korr's chest heaved with labored breaths, his voice weak but steady. "I'll be fine... just need a minute..."

Alfira, still in shock from the explosion, slowly got to her feet, her eyes wide with disbelief as she looked at Korr's battered form. "He... he took that for us."

Ezra nodded, his voice gruff with emotion. "Yeah, he did. And we're still here because of him."

The forest around them was nothing but ruin—trees shattered, the ground scorched and blackened by the dark power that had erupted. But they had survived. Korr had saved them.

For now.