Chapter Twenty-One: The Storm, Part 1
Mitakihara drowned in the fog. The entire city was swathed in the thick, white miasma. It hung in the air, choking out the street lamps. Long, dark shadows swallowed everything, criss-crossing and pooling in corners. The very texture of air was drawn taut and thin by the fog, reducing the buzz of the city to a dull hum punctuating moments of sudden silence. Cloaked in miasma, the city waited for its prince.
In the heart of the rotting, empty car factory, the ground cracked and broke, one giant's white limb emerging from the miasma and slamming down. One of the rusted, abandoned assembly lines broke as great claws gripped and crushed it. Like breaking a concrete egg, the demon prince emerged, a second arm exploding from the ground along with a great shapeless head covered with mirrors. It looked around sightlessly as scores of lesser demons emerged from the miasma, swaying as they watched him tear himself free of the concrete that bound him. Two more arms burst forth, spreading out and gripping the rusted machinery that surrounded him. In a sudden explosion of power, he tore his torso out of the ground, great wings of bone unfolding like paper and spreading wide. The rest was over within moments as those wings flapped powerfully, machinery and concrete alike shattering as the prince tore his enormous legs out of the ground and planted his feet, tail swinging and sweeping away the wreckage that surrounded him. Clad in shapeless white robes, he loomed over the lesser demons, flexing his long, claw-like fingers. After a moment's pause he took off, smashing clean through the high roof of the factory without changing course in the slightest. Moonlight shone around him as he tore through to the night sky, miasma pouring from his wings.
Homura spread her white wings, her magic eclipsing the light of the moon as she pulled back her bow and took aim. "Return to sleep."
Ritsuko stood on the roof behind the demon prince. Her eyes were closed, but they snapped open as she felt Homura release her magic. Her left hand snapped upwards, the miasma cloaking the roof torn away by a crushing wind as she launched a sphere of negation straight towards the prince's back just as Homura fired her arrow. The two attacks intersected in an explosion that shook the roof she was standing on.
Homura's eyes widened as the demon prince stopped in mid-air behind her, bone wings bleeding white light. His four arms shifted like clay as she turned in mid-air, forming four enormous swords that struck as one. She barely blocked the crushing strike with her glowing wings, the sheer force of the blow sending her crashing down into the roof beneath her. Homura gasped in pain as the cold concrete buckled around her.
"The hell was that?" Ritsuko snapped. She raised her left hand again as the demon prince pointed his four swords at her, golden light focusing on the edge of the four blades and erupting towards her in four incandescent lances. Her negation snuffed that light out in an instant, but the demon prince vanished a moment before her power connected, a flash of white blurring through the air. He appeared behind her, his swords poised to crush her, but Ritsuko was already turning, looking defiantly up at the blank mirror-face. "Don't look down on us!" Her spear shot forwards, screaming towards the demon's chest.
The demon prince parried the flying spear with a single sword, turning the deadly point away. The other three swords crashed down.
"I have this!" Homura raised her left hand, purple light glowing around it as she staggered to her feet. "Now!"
Ritsuko didn't hesitate as the three remaining swords crashed down around her, splitting the roof without so much as cutting her cloak. Her left hand thrust upwards, unleashing a tremendous blast of howling wind at point-blank range. Her attack split nothing but empty air.
"I can see it!" Homura said. She vanished in a flash of purple light just as the demon prince landed behind her, materialising behind it in turn and drawing her bow back. Her wings crashed down, slamming into the demon prince and forcibly pressing the giant downwards. His brow slammed against the concrete roof as she crushed him against the cold surface, sealing his great sword-arms. She fired her bow at the back of his skull.
The arrow stopped a moment before impact, quivering in mid-air, as if sealed by an invisible wall. In the next moment the demon prince tore free, shredding Homura's white wings with the sheer force of its passage as it took off again.
Homura grunted in pain, body quivering as she fell from the sky.
Ritsuko ran forwards, taking flight and catching Homura in mid-air with her left arm. "Let's give up on the fast win," she snapped, accelerating as the demon prince closed on her from behind. Its swords snapped at her heels as she flew upwards in a tight circle.
"Agreed." Homura reformed her wings, breaking away from Ritsuko and trying to circle the demon prince as it flew around her. "Can you follow its movements?"
"Not yet. Give me time," Ritsuko shouted. She raised her left hand, unleashing rapid, light shots of her negation and forcing the demon prince to constantly dodge left and right as it attempted to close on her.
"I can. It's not teleporting, at least! It's high-speed movement!" Homura gritted her teeth. "But what about that defensive barrier?"
"As if I know!" Ritsuko turned in mid-air, plunging directly towards the demon prince. Her negation tore through the barrage of golden lances it unleashed as she closed the distance between them within moments. "This is how we find out!" She rapidly thrust her naginata towards the demon prince's chest, searching for a gap in his defences.
Homura circled behind him, narrowing her eyes as she studied her opponent. She raised her left hand, guiding his blades away from Ritsuko with her magic. This time, he hadn't vanished with high-speed movement. Instead he was trading blows with Ritsuko in mid-air, the two combatants circling each other and breaking off before charging in again as each searched for an opening.
Ritsuko kept her left hand close to her body, warding off his swords with narrow, focused bursts of negation before closing her fingers around the haft of her naginata and thrusting again. He blocked her strike, but she darted out of range before he could counter-attack. His blows was heavy, demonically heavy, but now she was applying constant pressure she could see the pattern. It was purely mechanical, predictable, nothing she couldn't read even if she was up against four blades. She matched herself to that timing, using her left hand to ward off attacks and her spear to probe his defences.
Homura lowered her left hand. Before she knew it, her redirection magic wasn't needed. She drew back her bow, gathering her power. She flew sideways, keeping herself behind the demon prince and taking careful aim.
Ritsuko snapped backwards out of range as the demon prince thrust all four swords towards her chest, her left hand surging forwards surrounded by wind. The demon retracted his guard and she moved into that opening, throwing herself past the four swords and into the shadows of his body. Her spear erupted towards his chest just as Homura's arrow snapped towards his head from behind, but the moment before they made contact, he faded like the wind, materialising between them. Ritsuko gritted her teeth in frustration, retracting her spear.
The demon prince simply hung in mid-air for a second, mirrored face empty and meaningless as it turned its head between the two girls, as if waiting for something. Then its upper right arm began to shift, the white bone sword growing longer and thinner, becoming a great spear. A moment later, it surged forwards, closing on Ritsuko rapidly.
Ritsuko moved forwards as well, flying into close range again. She used the same methods as before, dodging its swords with rapid movements before closing, but this time the spear loomed in front of her, blocking her path. She parried it with her own spear, forcefully knocking the point aside, but the demon prince moved backwards a moment before she connected, preventing her from striking home. She extended her spear but in the same instant it struck its spear, knocking her weapon aside. Ritsuko's eyes widened. That parry had been a mirror image of her own. She swayed backwards out of reach of the inevitable counter-attack, bringing her own spear back to guard.
A heart-beat later the demon prince's spear erupted forwards, extending in length and slamming into her guard. She barely managed to parry the blow as it threw her backwards, sending her crashing through the air. He charged after her, weapons raised with predatory intent.
Homura materialised in a flash of light, firing an arrow directly at the demon prince's head. He disappeared again, flickering through the air before floating in mid-air, staring sightlessly at her again.
Ritsuko gathered herself, flying upwards and stopping next to Homura. "It's playing with us, damn it. How the hell am I supposed to connect with that?"
"Let's give up on melee combat for now," Homura said. "Perhaps we can wear it down with rapid-fire ranged attacks."
"Okay." Ritsuko gritted her teeth. "But be careful." Her eyes narrowed as she watched the demon prince. "I think he's learning."
Homura frowned as his upper left arm shifted in the moonlight, a great bow sprouting from its wrist in place of a sword. The string was a tendon, connecting both ends of the bow and running through a gaping hole that opened in his forearm. "That seems probable," she said.
The demon prince flickered again, stopping in front of Homura. He thrust his spear, missing his mark as she vanished in a flash of purple light.
Homura took flight, her white wings glowing as she strafed around the demon prince, firing flickering arrows with her bow one after the other. Each cut the air sharply, forcing the demon prince to dodge again and again. Her shots flew straight and true, flying forwards without bending as they continued to assail him.
Ritsuko likewise took flight, using her extending spear and small, sharp blasts of negation to continuously press at the demon prince from as far away as possible.
This time, the demon prince's attention was mostly focused on Homura. He flew sideways in a similar strafing motion to her, both combatants circling each other in a crazy helix as they searched for blind spots. The powerful, blasting beams fired from his swords gave way to tighter, sharper shots fired from his unnatural bow. He also steadily tightened his flickers, imitating her crisp short-distance teleportation to avoid dangerous fire without any wasted energy.
Sweat dripped down Homura's face as she continued to stare down the deadly fire of her enemy. She could track all his barrage with her magic, but what was chilling was his ability to dodge her and Ritsuko's attacks simultaneously. He had no eyes, but it wasn't as if he was blind. It was more like he could see everything, no matter where they were. Still, she could see a single ray of light.
"We still doing this?" Ritsuko snapped. "Seems like you're just wearing yourself out here!"
"No, keep going!" Homura shouted, firing another blistering arrow. "We're almost there."
"Fine!" Ritsuko gritted her teeth, continuing to split the air with her negation.
Homura kept firing as sweat began to soak her eyes, dodging bolt after bolt of golden fire. The speed of this lightning exchange of fire was more or less at the limit of what she could handle, but the demon prince was shortening his flickers again and again, as if searching for something. Homura followed his next flying arrow with her eyes, letting it come desperately close to her before dodging with a simple sway of her head. She pulled her bow back, unleashing another glowing arrow.
The demon prince stopped for an instant, swaying his mirrored skull as he dodged the arrow.
Homura's left fingers twitched as she bent the arrow with her magic. The purple bolt plunged clean through the demon prince's skull. "Now!"
Ritsuko raised her left hand, unleashing another storm of wind driven by the devouring course of her negation. This time, her eyes widened as she felt a reaction, her magic rending flesh and bone as it struck home.
The demon prince materialised from his flicker. The silver mirrors melded to his face had been shattered and his lower right arm had been scythed through, the blade and forearm destroyed in an instant by Ritsuko's negation. But his flesh bubbled as it began to reform, the cracked mirrors beginning to smooth themselves over within moments.
Homura stared at that sight, momentarily without words. She remembered Walpurgis Night. Mocking and invincible, a queen who had crowned the sky and simply accepted all her violence without ever doing more than laughing. She'd never wanted to feel that fear again. The fear of being confronted by an invincible enemy.
"Hey, eyes front!" Ritsuko shouted, her voice cutting through the still night air. "He's coming!"
Homura blinked as she shook off that thought before trembling as the demon prince appeared before her. She teleported away in an instant but he followed her again and again, his speed and persistence incomparable to what he'd demonstrated a moment before. He attacked her again and again with a new violence and urgency, constantly and viciously probing for any opening in her defences. She felt that rope tighten around her neck as the strain of consecutive jumps began to seal her magic, each hop covering a shorter distance. Then in an instant she reacted a moment too slowly and she was forced to block his spear with her wings as he tried to run her through. He twisted his spear as he thrust, imitating Ritsuko as he struck with the force of a giant. She managed to slide away from the tip of his blade but it still tore a jagged gash in her right arm. His one remaining sword slammed into her wings, sending her crashing through the roof and into the factory below. She gasped for breath, trying to rise. A dull pain gripped her body and she felt light-headed. When she touched the back of her head, her fingers returned wet with red blood. This was bad.
Another hole was torn in the roof as Ritsuko's negation ripped through it. The white-clad magical girl dropped into the factory, barely controlling her landing. She closed a vicious wound torn in her shoulder with her magic before throwing herself into the shadows.
The demon prince descended from above. His wounds had been healed and he spread his wings wide, tilting his head as if to take in the sight of the lesser demons fighting against the magical girls. He turned with a purpose.
Homura forced herself up, her wings glowing as she took flight and crashed towards the demon prince. She drew back her bow, her lips a tight slash of determination. Even if her body was to break, she wouldn't fail this time.
Kyouko looked up as the demon prince descended into the factory, frowning. Damn, it's big.
Concentrate on the task at hand, Kahoru said. Her silver threads shot through the air, curving around the broken production line they were using as cover and into the ranks of the demons. That goes for everyone. None of the ground members are to attack the demon prince, even off-handedly. If you make yourself a target, he'll come after you.
Well, it's not as if our hands aren't full as it is, I'll admit, Kyouko said. She charged down the demons as they pressed through the gaps in the broken machinery, her spear erupting and curving as it sliced through several demons. The rest recoiled, raising their hands and taking aim at her. Beads of golden light gathered, knotting around their fingers. A moment before they fired, Kyouko planted her feet, weaving a barrier of red threads to block their attacks.
Hitomi took careful aim from her position on top of an abandoned, half-finished car, picking off several demons that moved to flank the trio with rapid, accurate shots. Her brow glistened with sweat as she pulled back the bolt of her rifle, taking aim again. There's no end to them.
Just keep fighting steadily. Don't think of anything else, Kahoru advised. Her lances shot around Kyouko's red barrier as it buckled and began to collapse, piercing several more demons through their masks. Homura, Ritsuko, status check.
I'm fine, Ritsuko said. Moving to flank the prince.
I've taken a hit. Homura twisted through the air as she fled the demon prince's barrage of golden fire, using her curving arrows to prevent the demon prince from closing the distance between them any further. It's getting harder to fight.
Damn. Chiaki, can you link up with them? Kahoru asked. She craned her neck, searching for Homura's white wings. Junction three. It'll have to be quick. Ritsuko, can you hold the demon prince in that time?
I'll be there, Chiaki said. Moving in.
No problem, Ritsuko said. If it's quick.
Kyouko stabbed forwards with her spear as more demons pressed into the gaps, climbing onto the production line and sliding towards her. She forced them back with a rapid flurry of attacks before jumping away to avoid their fire. Hey, Kahoru, pay more attention.
Sorry. Kahoru dived forwards, silver spilling from her book. "Witch Talons." She pushed into melee combat with flying swords whirling around her, Kyouko by her side. Between the two of them, the demons were forced to scatter. Several strays were picked off by Hitomi's opportunistic fire.
We're taking on too many at our first position, Oriko said. We need reinforcement!
Can you hold until Chiaki can get there? Kahoru asked. Chiaki, how long?
Chiaki raised her hand as she caught up to Homura, sending several of her swords flying towards the demon prince. It'll take time. Two, three minutes.
Yuma ran forwards, raising her hand and releasing a vivid pulse of green light. Her magic closed around Homura's arm and head, rapidly regenerating the wounds. "All better."
We don't have that kind of time, Oriko said.
This is the best we can do, Chiaki said. She sent her swords flying towards the demon prince, her eyes widening as he flickered through the air faster than her blades can reach. She summoned two swords behind her as he materialised, lines of pink light running between them and forming a barrier that momentarily blocked his sword. She turned, barely blocking an explosive spear thrust with another of her double-swords. The force of the blow sent her flying backwards.
The demon prince followed through with his bow, unleashing several blazing bolts of light that flew straight towards Chiaki. They were pulled away from their target as Homura raised her left hand, the bolts of light slamming into the ground around Chiaki.
Chiaki landed roughly, digging her sword into the concrete floor to halt her movements. What's taking so long, Ritsuko?
Homura offered her hand as Yuma pressed remnants against her soul gem, following the demon prince as it bore down on Chiaki. Ritsuko! Do something!
An instant before the demon prince struck home, a crashing storm of wind tore through one of the large, rusted robotic arms by the production line, flying straight towards his giant form. The demon prince flickered away a moment before impact. The point of negation flew onwards, tearing a gigantic circular hole in the wall of the factory.
Damn, I was hoping that would connect. Ritsuko burst from the shadows, her spear flying towards the demon prince. Homura, get back to work.
What about Oriko? Homura asked.
We'll get there as fast as we can, Chiaki said. She summoned more swords, her flying swords dancing from position to position as they cut down several of the demons closing on her position. But I can't do fast if I'm doing safe.
Homura bit her lip. Then let me-
No. Kahoru's mental voice stopped Homura short. You need to help Ritsuko. Aiko, how are things your end?
Borderline. We're up to our necks in it, no way we can go helping others.
Homura raised her left hand as the demon prince rounded on Ritsuko and slammed a barrage of heavy blows against her guard, deflecting the spear away from Ritsuko's chest a second before it ran her through. At the least, it was clear she couldn't turn away from the demon prince. Thank you, Chiaki. Good luck. Her white wings flourished as she flew towards her opponent once again.
Kahoru bit her left thumb as she stood, her lances snapping back and forwards to keep the demons at bay. They were gradually coming to react to her attacks, and the sight of her silver threads alone was now enough to hold them back. But their numbers were only increasing with time, as more and more demons emerged from the miasma and pressed around them. We only have one reserve. Retreat to secondary positions as needed, Oriko, Chiaki and Yuma are coming as fast as she can. Hitomi, move to your third position. Use your void. Cover Oriko and Kirika with your fire.
That will take time, Hitomi said.
Kyouko slammed the back of her spear into the ground. Kahoru, you go. You can fly, right? I'll hold here for now.
You and Hitomi alone won't be enough to hold this position, Kahoru said, turning her head and staring at the red-haired girl.
Hah. That's just your logic. I've got guts, I'll be fine. Kyouko turned her head, meeting Kahoru's gaze. Go, asshole. We need to win this battle.
Kahoru nodded, lines of silver erupting from her book and forming wings behind her. "I won't let it go to waste." She took off without saying anything more, dodging the wave of golden lances that rose to meet her and blocking the few shots that connected with her silver shield. She spun in mid-air to avoid the demon prince as he crashed after Homura, sliding past that intense battle and descending towards Oriko and Kirika.
The two girls were struggling on the far side of the factory, hemmed into a small alcove formed of broken cars and machinery. Oriko sent her spheres out to crack and crush the skulls of the demons, and whenever one dared to close on their position, Kirika would erupt outwards and cut them to shreds within moments, but they were trapped in a tighening circle of enemies. Golden fire pressed against their cover, slowly melting the rotten metal.
Kahoru descended towards the circle of demons, lances flying around her. "It's time for a counter-attack, you two! Cover me!"
"If we must." Oriko stood, raising a hand and sending her flying spheres forwards to cover Kirika as the dark-haired girl rushed in.
"Quicksilver Lance." Kahoru bit her lip as she descended in a storm of flying threads, surrounded by disintegrating demons. Chiaki, belay your last order. Go to Kyouko's current position.
What?
Trust me. I have Oriko's side handled. Go, as fast as humanly possible. She landed, two of her lances converging and forming a long silver sword. She closed her book and held it under her shoulder with her other hand as she plunged into melee combat. She doubted that was enough, but it was all she could do right now.
This was as far as plans and cleverness could take you. The rest was violence and despair.
Hitomi hammered back the bolt on her rifle again, blood slick on her fingers where that repetitive motion had torn her skin open. She raised her rifle and fired, shattering a demon's mask and crushing it to dust. She panted for breath, her void draining her face of colour as she desperately suppressed herself. She understood well, with so many demons milling below her, so close she could almost touch them. The moment she released that ability, they would tear her apart. But that meant Kyouko had to survive them all alone.
Kyouko retracted her spear, the segments snapping together as she stepped forwards and drove the tip of her weapon cleanly through a demon's face-mask. She jumped backwards to avoid a barrage of fire. Behind her, her criss-cross lines of red light blocked the fire of the demons pressing in behind her. But the high wall of light she'd raised was buckling slowly, melting under their sustained fire. Kyouko smirked, lowering her spear as the demons before her began to press over the production line, moving towards her with their hands raised. The soul gem in her chest was clouded, shot through with corruption. "Man, you guys don't give up. Even if I kill twenty or thirty, you'll just keep coming at me with no regard for your own lives."
She raised her spear, projecting it forwards and cutting through several more demons. But just as she'd said, the rest fired golden bolts at her without regard for their fallen comrades.
Kyouko lowered her head, feeling the barrier behind her twist, threads snapping as it approached collapse. "Hitomi, don't do anything stupid. Just stay right there."
I'm doing my best! Hitomi said. She slammed a new magazine into her rifle, panting for breath. I can only kill one at a time, but I'm trying. Just hang in there! Kahoru will come back!
Not in time. Looks like this time I bit off more than I could chew. But that's the consequence of my own actions. My own will. Kyouko breathed out, a smile playing about her lips as she faced down the demons. Nothing can take that away from me.
Hitomi bit her lip in silence and fired her rifle again, destroying the leading demon. That was all she could do.
Hey, Homura. Staying with you was fun. Without you there, I might have fallen into despair. Kyouko charged forwards into the mass of demons confronting her. She leapt upwards, her spear extending to skewer several as she kicked another in the face, its glass mask cracking. She landed underneath it, screaming as she slammed her left fist into its robed body and out the other side. These past few weeks made it worth it, somehow. They justified those years of simply surviving.
Homura crossed her wings in front of her, absorbing the shattering impact of the demon prince's twisting spear. Why are we having this conversation in the middle of battle?
Just making sure I have no regrets, Kyouko said. She smiled wanly as she dodged past the foremost demons, swinging her spear in a wide arc to give herself some space. This is that kind of battle, right?
I suppose. Homura teleported away in a flash of purple light, drawing back her bowstring and sending an arrow flying towards the demon prince. What's your status? She gritted her teeth as the demon prince flickered away from her arrow, returning fire with his bow. His lower right hand was already shifting, forming a double-sided sword. Kyouko, what's going on your end? Talk to me!
Just concentrate on the big one. Kyouko jumped wildly, her body stiffening as she barely managed to land on the head of one of the demons. She extended her spear again, her segmented weapon spiralling outwards.
Kahoru, what's your status? Homura said sharply. She flew backwards as the demon prince dived towards her, drawing him into Ritsuko's line of fire.
Kahoru's mental voice replied slowly. I'm taking care of Oriko's side.
What about Kyouko and Hitomi? Aren't you with them? Homura spread her wings as the demon prince rounded on Ritsuko. Several half-finished cars flickered, swallowed by purple light. They materialised above the demon prince's head, crashing down towards him. He tore through them with his swords, parrying Ritsuko's naginata with his own spear.
It was Kyouko's idea. Chiaki is heading her way. That's all we can do.
I'll go. Homura broke away from the battle with the demon prince, her white wings spread wide.
You can't! You're needed against the demon prince. Ritsuko alone isn't enough.
I'm going. Homura shot through the factory, narrowing her eyes as she closed on Kyouko's position.
Kyouko panted for breath, blood pouring from several wounds where the demons had finally seared her body with their lances. She managed to swing her spear, destroying one more demon, but the rest closed on her from every side, hands raised and glowing with golden light. She searched desperately for an opening and found none. She couldn't even extend her spear any more.
Golden fire erupted, forming a strange halo around her. The beams intersected, blistering the air, but when they faded Kyouko was standing astounded and unharmed in the middle of a circle of crumbling, dying demons, cut down by their own blazing lances.
Homura descended towards Kyouko, her white wings glowing. She reached out with her right hand, opening it to reveal a dozen black cubes. "I'll clean up. You rest."
"You shouldn't be here, idiot." Kyouko reached up, taking the remnants. "What about the final boss?"
"He'll keep," Homura said. She raised her bow, firing on the demons that continued to surround them. Three were snapped by a single twisting arrow, collapsing into dust.
Homura, where the hell are you? Ritsuko fired her negation, wind spiralling around her as the demon prince flickered away, reappearing behind her. She turned, managing to turn away his spear thrust a moment before it ran her through. She threw herself backwards as the swords crashed towards her, barely evading his attacks.
I'll come when I can. Kyouko's side nearly collapsed.
That's not good enough! Ritsuko took flight, dodging the golden bolts flying towards her and unleashing her negation. What the hell happened to the plan?
I'm sorry.
Yeah, and screw you too. Ritsuko gripped her spear with two hands as the demon prince flickered towards her again, barely blocking his first few strokes. She unleashed another explosive bolt of wind, but he dodged away again, materialising above her and slashing down with his two-sided sword. The impact shook Ritsuko's arms as she blocked with the haft of her spear, sending her crashing down into a pile of rusted, broken machinery. I can't do this alone!
Neither can Kyouko! Homura said. She spread her white wings, crushing several demons who had strayed too close to her position.
I'm on my way, Ritsuko! Kahoru said. She took flight, gathering her silver lances about her as Oriko and Kirika moved forwards again, driving the demons back. Wait for me.
Ritsuko raised her right hand, her naginata extending upwards towards the demon prince as it charged towards her. He parried her attack with his remaining single sword, unleashing a barrage of golden light from his remaining weapons. Ritsuko released her negation again, a tremendous blast of wind that plunged clean through the bright lances, disintegrating them. But the demon prince himself flickered away a moment before her attack connected, stopping next to the pile of broken machinery where Ritsuko lay. He drove his spear through the rusted metal without hesitation, his weapon piercing her chest.
Ritsuko collapsed forwards, her left hand clutching the haft of his weapon as blood poured from the gaping wound in her chest. "Damn it." She stared into his mirrored mask with defiant eyes. "Damn it all." The concrete in a ten meter radius cracked, devoured in an instant by her negation. The demon prince flickered an instant too late, materialising above her with his spear arm swallowed and broken by her magic.
The demon prince spread his wings wide, beads of light pooling along the bone ribs of his wings as he looked down at Ritsuko. An instant later, he unleashed a tremendous barrage of bright fire that consumed everything beneath him in a storm of light and wind.