Damien's boots skidded against the stone as Baran rose into the air on his drake. The massive beast's wings beat with thunderous force, kicking up debris and dust. Its eyes burned with ancient fire, and its maw glowed with gathering heat.
Damien darted behind a stone pillar just as the wyvern opened its mouth.
Flames erupted...not ordinary fire, but something ancient and hungry. The pillar absorbed the brunt of the attack, its surface glowing red and cracking under the heat. Damien could feel the warmth even through his shadow armor.
Baran circled above, his laughter echoing through the chamber. "Hiding already? Ashborn would never have hidden. He would have met the flames head-on and carved through them like they were nothing."
Damien said nothing. He moved to the next pillar as another torrent of fire swept across his previous position.
"Come now, little monarch," Baran taunted. "Is this all you have? Running from a Wyvern? How pathetic."
Damien's eyes tracked the wyvern's movements. Its pattern was predictable, circle, bank, dive, fire. Circle, bank, dive, fire. The rhythm was almost hypnotic.
'He's not even trying' Damien realized. 'He's playing with me'
The wyvern banked again. Damien prepared to move
Baran's sword crackled with blue energy. He swept it downward in a wide arc, and a massive current of lightning erupted from the blade. It slashed across the chamber, carving through stone and melting the floor. Damien threw himself aside, rolling through the debris as the lightning passed within inches of his body.
He scrambled behind a fallen pillar, breathing hard.
"Too slow!" Baran shouted from above. "You are far too slow!"
Baran laughed wildly, his sword dancing in his hand. He brought it down again, and another slash of lightning carved across the chamber. Damien dodged again. Another slash. Another dodge.
The pattern continued, fire, lightning, fire, lightning. Damien moved from cover to cover, his shadow armor holding against the heat but his patience wearing thin.
'He's mocking me. He's treating me like a mouse and he's the cat'
Damien dodged another lightning arc and rolled to his feet. He saw his opening. The wyvern banked low, its belly exposed.
He leaped.
His claws drove into the wyvern's neck. The beast screamed, thrashing wildly as Damien's claws dug deep into its scaled flesh. He held on, his feet kicking against its side as it tried to shake him off.
Baran's sword came down. Damien twisted, the blade passing through empty air where his head had been. He climbed higher, his claws punching through scale and muscle as he ascended toward the wyvern's head.
"You pest!" Baran roared.
The wyvern opened its mouth...flames gathering in its throat. Damien saw the glow and moved faster. He reached the beast's eye just as the fire erupted.
The flames washed over him. His shadow armor screamed, cracking under the assault. He endured, his claws driving into the wyvern's eye socket. The beast thrashed, its fire cutting off as it screamed in agony.
Damien climbed onto its back.
The wyvern rolled.
Damien's feet left the beast's back as it spun, its massive body twisting through the air like a serpent. He scrambled, his claws digging into the scales, holding on by sheer force of will. The wind howled past him, the ground spinning below.
Baran was already there.
His sword came down in a brutal arc. Damien threw himself to the side, the blade carving through the space where his head had been. He rolled across the wyvern's back, using the beast's spines as handholds to pull himself upright.
Baran advanced.
His blade slashed horizontally. Damien ducked, the edge passing so close it cut a strand of hair from his head. He countered, his claws aiming for Baran's ribs. The demon king twisted, avoiding the strike by a hair's breadth.
"You're desperate...." Baran observed, his voice calm despite the chaos. "Desperation is a sign of a weak man....unfit to be a Monarch....."
"Fuck being a Monarch" Damien snarled, driving his knee into Baran's gut.
The demon king grunted, stumbling back. His heel caught on a spine, and he nearly fell. He caught himself, his sword swinging up to block Damien's follow-up strike.
Their blades locked. Faces inches apart.
The wyvern banked hard, and both of them nearly lost their footing. Damien's left hand shot out, grabbing a spine to anchor himself. Baran did the same, his sword still pressed against Damien's claws.
He shoved forward, breaking the lock. His claws slashed across Baran's chest...a shallow cut, but enough to draw blue blood. Baran hissed, leaping back.
The wyvern dove.
They both scrambled, their feet slipping on the beast's slick scales. Damien grabbed a spine to steady himself. Baran planted his foot against the base of the wyvern's wing and lunged.
His sword came down like a lightning strike.
Damien twisted, the blade grazing his side. He felt the sting, felt the warmth of his own blood. But he did not stop. He dropped low, sweeping his leg across the wyvern's back. Baran stumbled, and Damien drove his fist into the demon king's face.
Baran's head snapped back. Damien followed up with an elbow to the throat, then a kick to the chest that sent Baran stumbling toward the wyvern's tail.
Baran caught himself on a spine, his eyes blazing with fury. He lunged again, his sword becoming a blur of blue light. Damien met him blow for blow, his claws deflecting each strike.
The wyvern rolled again.
This time, Damien was ready. He planted his feet and used the momentum to launch himself at Baran. The demon king's eyes widened as Damien crashed into him, driving his claws into the demon's chest.
They tumbled across the wyvern's back, rolling, sliding, their limbs locked in combat. Damien gained the upper hand, his knee pressing into Baran's throat.
"Yield," Damien growled.
Baran laughed. "You're a fool."
He drove his sword upward. Damien twisted, the blade passing between his arm and his body. He used the momentum to grab Baran's wrist and twist.
The sword clattered from Baran's grip. Damien caught it.
Baran's eyes widened.
Damien slammed his foot into Baran's chest, sending the demon king flying off the wyvern's back. But before Baran fell, Damien's hand shot out....and grabbed the sword.
The blue lightning crackled against his palm. His shadow armor screamed. He held on.
He turned to face the wyvern's head. The beast was still thrashing, its one remaining eye filled with rage and pain.
Damien jumped.
The sword drove into the wyvern's skull. Blue lightning erupted from the blade, tearing through bone and brain and scale. The beast's scream was cut short as its head exploded in a shower of gore and energy.
He crashed to the ground, his shadow armor shattered, his body smoking. He pushed himself up, his daggers....Nyx and Nótt....already back in his hands.
Baran landed across from him, his sword flied from the head of the wyvern to his hand
The demon king grinned.
He raised his hands..the sword exploded...and two daggers of his own materialized in them.
"Now that," Baran said, his voice filled with genuine admiration, "was impressive."
Damien rose to his feet, blood dripping from a dozen wounds.
"You have balls, little monarch," Baran continued, spinning his daggers. "I will give you that."
He lowered into a fighting stance.
"Now you finally look like a Shadow Monarch."
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