Fire raged around the two fighters, the gathered onlookers shielding their eyes from the intense heat as the two pushed against each other, each one trying to force the other back to gain an advantage.
Suddenly Barabtos twisted his blade, directing Ifrits pike to impale the ground beside him. Not even a second later the titanic fire demon threw its head back in a roar of pain, stumbling backwards as molten magna sprayed from the wound that Barbatos had scored on the left side of its face.
Before the gunbreaker could press his advantage, ifrit threw a claw forward his pike reacting to its master's commands as it pulsed with energy. Barabtos dove to the side, the pike exploding with tremendous force as he was thrown off its feet, tumbling across the scorched field.
Twisting as best he could, the gunbreaker stabbed his blade into the ground, skidding to a stop as he crouched, his legs tense and wasting for Ifrits next move. The fire demon gave him no quarter, charging across the field like a mad bull, tearing up the scorched soil with its booming stomp of its claws.
Leaping forward, the gunbreaker fell into a low slide, just avoiding the fire primals swinging claws as it ripped the ground apart, fire scorching through the air to turn the white haired man to cinders.
Twisting in his slide, the gunbreaker pushed off the ground, leaping into the air as he swung his blade down on the beasts exposed back, pulling the trigger of his gunblade as the hammer mechanism ignited one of the cartridges within the barrel.
The blade hit, the scorching hot energy of the cartridge allowing the bladed edge to score another more sizable wound on the demon spine, making the primal roar in rage at being hit once again by the small mortal.
Bringing its claws down onto the ground, the fire demon unleashed a hellish torrent of fire, sending the gunbreaker flying across the clearing. Before he could even land, the fire demon had already launched itself towards him. Its claws curled into a fist as it brought tis arm down on the man's chest with an echoing crunch making the gathered townsfolk wince in fear.
"We have to help!" Lyra all but screamed, trying to break free from Syr's grip as she held the werewolf at bay from leaping into this fight. And most likely getting herself torn to ribbons by the fire demon.
"What do we expect we do, that...we can't fight that!" Syr yelled, watching in horror as the demon brought another arm down within the dust cloud it had created, another echoing boom making everyone turn away, unable to watch as the white haired young man was crushed to death with each hit.
"Syr, we don't need to, get you bow ready I have the rest of the guard stationed to attack" her captain's words surprised the young elf, making to look up as the stern glare the older captain wore never left the monsters form.
"Once its distracted, my girls will swoop in and get Barbatos out of there, hopefully he's not too hurt" Mileena chimed in as both the elf and werewolf noticed the three harpy girls waiting in the air for the best moment to get the man out of the fight.
Before the captain could tissue the order, Ifrit was suddenly thrown off its feet, stumbling onto its back as the sound of another cartridge being used within the dust cloud. A swipe of the shining steak blade dispersed the cloud, letting everyone see the man leap into the air, his sword coursing with red flaming energy as he brought it down on the struggling demon.
"Come on, you can do better than that!" Barabatos challenged, scoring another hit on the primal as Ifrit roared in rage, fire brimming from within its throat as the gunbreaker moved to bring his sword down on the demon's neck.
Only to be blown backwards by a stream of red hot blade, just barely bringing his blade up to block most of the attack as he skidded back across the field, getting his teeth in pain as the primals fires licked across his body, hungrily waiting to turn him to ashes if he wasn't careful.
Narrowing his eyes, the gunbreaker dove to the right, avoiding the claw coming to impale his chest as he moved to strike out with his sword.
Only to have ifrit twist towards him, a devastating crunching booming on impact as the demon fist sent him flying across the clearing, hioss body crumbling on the ground as the white haired man coughed up blood, feeling his ribs crack as he struggled to breath.
Ifrit snarled cruelly, creeping across the clearing as its pike reformed within its claws.
"You've beaten me far too many times mortal" he snarled, flame-like energy flowing around its form as the heat its mere presence gave off increased in intensity. "But not now, with this world's aether, I can take in all I want and you will be unable to meet my power" it snarled, slamming its free hand down on the man's spine, scorching his coat and burning his skin with intense red hot flames.
"I'm going to enjoy this" it snarled cruelly, bringing its pike up to carve the gunbreakers head from his shoulders as slowly and painfully as possible.
Before he could get his revenge, a barrage of arrows suddenly struck the demon's face, throwing off its aim as its pike impaled the ground beside Barabatos's head. Before ifrit could turn to rip the offending attackers to shreds, two Harpy girls swooped down, their talons roughly kicking the side of the primals face, sending it stumbling off balance.
The final strike to force the monster away from Barabtos was Lyra, shoulder charging the primals exploded chest, sending it stumbling across the clearing as she landed beside Syr, the elf taking aim with her bow as the others moved to take aim as well.
Lyra didn't hesitate to rush to Barabtos's side, looking on in horror as she took in the burnt coat he wore, the smoldering hole in the back revealing the charge blackened flesh from where Ifrit was torturing him with its fire.
"Lyra move!" Mileena called out, just getting the werewolves' attention before she was back handed across the cleaning, an explosion of fire sending the other monster girls and elves flying in all directions.
Shaking her head, the young wolf looked to see the flaming monster bearing down on her, its jagged fangs parting to reveal the smoldering hot flames that were being gathered within its throat.
"You dare!" the primal snarled, a claw slamming down on the young women as she felt the full agonizing pain of its flames coursing over her flesh. "Try to rob me of my victory, mortal! I will rend you limb from limb!" it roared, crushing Lyra's chest against the scorched ground as she cried out in agony.
Behind the beast, the elves were firing everything they could, doing nothing against its scaled hide as the arrows harmlessly bounced off, not even getting any sort of attention from the monster of flames.
Mileena and the harpies couldn't get near the beast either, the intense heat building up around the monster was pulsing with chaotic fire, burning their wings when they attempted to help the trapped werewolf.
Lifting its claw up, the Ifrit bore down on the injured monster girl, relishing in her agony as it brought its claw tips together, preparing to impale her with one swift strike.
"Die knowing that little warrior will join you in the void soon, along with the rest of this pathetic village!" the primal snarled, thrusting its arm forwards as the others called out for the monster to stop.
Lyra closed her eyes, waiting for the agony to erupt from her chest before her life was snuffed out. She only wished she could have spent more time with Barbatos before this all happened.
A second ticked by and when she didn't feel anything, Lyra peeked and eye open to see the back of someone standing between her and the fire primal. His once white coat was falling to pieces around him, the back of his armoured chest plate was scotched and revealed the burnt flesh underneath.
Standing defiantly between her and the claw that was going to end her life, was her husband to be.
Barabtos gritted his teeth, blood flowing down the side of his lips as one of his arms hung loosely at his shoulder. The other holding up his gunblade and just barely holding ifrits claws from impaling the two of them.
"Oi" he growled, a faint greenish glow forming around his figure. The white haired gunbreaker pulling the trigger of his gunblade as everyone watched the energy pulse around him.
Healing his wounds and allowing him to once again match the monster strength.
"Hands off the werewolf" he added, bringing his blade downwards and forcing ifrit to stumble forward. Only to be flung backwards with a cry of pain as Barabtos viciously headbutted the primal with as much strength as he could muster.
"Oh that felt good, come on now I'm just getting warmed up flame brain" the gunbreaker snarked, hopping from one boot to the other, discarding the rest of his coat as he stabbed his gunblade into the ground beside him.
Across the clearing, ifrit leaped back to its feet, snarling angrily at the mortal, bringing its pike to bare as its legs tensed to make a charge at him.
Smiling viciously, Barabtos grabbing his blade again, pulling the trigger as a amber energy coursed over his body, his eyes sharpening towards the demon as the barrel cycled another cartridge into the chamber.
"Die you pathetic whelp!" ifrit roared, lunging forward as Barabtos met it halfway. His blade meeting the flaming pike as fire exploded around the two. The gunbreaker twisted his blade and he stepped forward, dragging the edge up the monster arm and cutting through the primals claws.
With a vicious twist, the man jerked the blade upwards, severing half of ifrits fingers as the primal roared in agony, stumbling away to cradle its ignored hand.
Barabtos gave him no room to breathe, leaping forward as he struck out with a wide kick to the monster's chin, and then coming down on the primals exposed knee and he pulled the trigger of his blade again.
"Crushing fang!" The man roared, his blade super heating as the not white hot edge severed the primals limb with ease, sending ifrit tumbling onto its back. Trying to swipe at the gunbreaker with its pike, Barabtos brought his sword to bear blocking the pike as azure energy coursed over his body.
With the pull of the trigger, the man surged forward, breaking Ifrit's hold on its pike and sending it flying away from them. With a growl, Barbatos brought the sword down on the primals shoulder, removing the limb with a crunch as the primal cried out in agony.
Before it could move again, Barabtos stomped on its chest, the tip of his blade pointed at the monster's throat as his now glowing eyes stared at the primal.
"Answer me Ifrit, are the rest of the primals here?" he demanded, keeping his blade ready to end the monster mortal form and send it back to the aether once again.
The primal chuckled lowly at the mortal's words, " you think I'm the only one that formed you little pest" it snarled, glaring at the man as heat started to build within its chest, smiling cruelly at the gunbreaker.
"You won't survive us all again warrior of light, you will die, and I will make it slow" the primal finished its fangs curling into a grin as Barbatos had no time to react.
A second later the monster's chest exploded with a supernova of fire, sending the man flying into one of the burnt buildings walls, landing with a painful crunch. His eyes were blurry as he caught sight of numerous people rushing towards him.
Hopefully to help him cause damn that was a good fight.
Before he fully blacked out, a grey and black blur reached for his head, the feeling of soft fur cradling him as he slipped into unconsciousness.
Guess it was too much to ask for a little bit of a break before fighting a primal again.
Oh well at least he didn't have to deal with any political fall out this time.