IRON DEMON ARC
The Iron Demon's eyes glowed like twin furnaces, cutting through the mist. Each breath it took came out as a hiss of steam, the metal of its chest plates shifting like a living forge. The ground trembled beneath its steps.
The group froze. Even the heroes of Lalantia, who had fought countless monsters, hesitated at the sight of the mechanical beast.
Jimmy's eyes glowed faint blue as he scanned the creature. "Armor plating—dense. Core inside the chest. Don't aim for the head; you'll waste energy."
Sharika cracked her knuckles, her gauntlets blazing red. "Fine by me. I'll hit where it hurts."
"Wait!" Jimmy snapped. "Don't rush—"
But she was already sprinting forward.
Sharika slammed her flaming fists into the demon's leg. The impact sent sparks flying, but the Iron Demon barely flinched. It swung a massive claw downward—Sharika barely rolled aside before it crushed the earth where she'd stood.
Selena loosed three arrows, each glowing with magic. They struck the creature's back, leaving faint scorch marks but not penetrating the armor.
"It's not working!" Selena shouted.
Ceila stepped forward, chanting in an ancient tongue. Blue circles of light formed around her staff, firing a barrage of ice spears. The spears shattered harmlessly against the demon's hide.
The Iron Demon turned toward her, steam roaring from its vents.
"Ceila, move!" Alexandra yelled, dashing in to pull her away. A beam of molten energy burst from the demon's mouth, scorching the riverbank where Ceila had been standing seconds before.
Liana raised her hands, summoning a translucent barrier. The beam struck it with deafening force—the shield held for two seconds before cracking like glass.
Adam's chinchilla leapt from his shoulder, its fur bristling with magic energy. It fired a tiny bolt of lightning that struck the demon's arm. The creature paused, confused for a moment.
"Hey," Adam said, half smiling, half terrified. "At least it noticed us."
Jimmy stepped forward. "Enough playing around."
He raised both hands, blue and red light swirling between his palms—fire and ice, merging into a twisting spiral of energy. Steam exploded outward as his scarf whipped in the wind.
"Get back!" he shouted.
The others dove for cover as Jimmy slammed his palms together, releasing the spell.
"Frostfire Burst!"
The blast struck the Iron Demon square in the chest. The explosion ripped through the air, shaking the trees and sending chunks of molten metal flying. The river hissed violently as flames met water, cloaking everything in steam.
When the mist cleared, the Iron Demon stood—smoke rising from a glowing dent in its chest plate. It wasn't dead. But it was wounded.
Alexandra looked at Jimmy, astonished. "You actually hurt it."
Jimmy's eyes glowed brighter, his voice calm but sharp. "I don't plan on stopping there."
The Iron Demon roared, a sound of fury and pain that shook the entire forest.
The real fight had only just begun.
The Iron Demon's roar tore through the forest like thunder. The ground split, trees snapped, and waves rippled across the black river. Its molten eyes locked on Jimmy — the one who had hurt it.
"Adam!" Jimmy barked. "Get the others clear of the water! Now!"
Adam nodded and dashed back, grabbing Liana's arm as the ground beneath them steamed. "Everyone move! It's charging again!"
The Iron Demon lowered its head. Steam blasted from its vents, glowing orange. Then, with terrifying speed, it lunged across the river, claws cutting through earth and stone.
Jimmy met its charge head-on. His scarf whipped like a banner as he thrust his palms forward. Fire and ice exploded together — blue and red spirals clashing with the demon's molten claws.
The impact shattered the air. The shockwave sent dust and sparks flying, knocking the others back.
"Jimmy!" August shouted, shielding her eyes.
When the dust cleared, Jimmy was holding his ground, frost creeping beneath his boots. The demon pushed, molten claws digging deep into his magic shield. Sweat trickled down his face as his eyes glowed brighter — pure blue.
"I told you…" he growled through gritted teeth, "…you picked the wrong fight."
He spun, slamming his elbow into the demon's joint. The creature staggered — for the first time, its armor cracked.
"NOW!" Jimmy shouted.
Sharika charged in, both gauntlets igniting with crimson runes. "My turn!"
She slammed both fists into the cracked armor, shouting, "Rage Fist: Inferno Smash!"The explosion that followed rocked the riverbank, sending molten shards into the air.
Ceila and Selena followed up — ice bolts and arrows raining down, hammering the exposed metal.
For a moment, it seemed to work — until the demon's chest vents burst open. A jet of molten fire spewed forth, sweeping across the clearing.
Liana barely had time to shout, "Barrier up!" as a shimmering dome surrounded them. The flame slammed against it, shaking the ground. Her magic circle flared, cracks spreading.
"I can't hold it much longer!"
Jimmy turned, raising his hand. "You don't have to!"
He leapt forward, planting his palm against the river's surface. His mana pulsed out — blue light spreading across the black water, freezing it solid in seconds.
The flames hit the ice, snuffed out in a hiss of steam.
Everyone stared — even the Iron Demon hesitated.
Adam blinked. "He just froze a river."
August smirked. "That's Jimmy for you."
Jimmy rose from the ice, eyes burning bright. "Let's end this."
He extended both arms. Frost and flame gathered again, swirling violently until they formed a blade of pure energy — half blue, half red.
The Iron Demon roared, its claws glowing white-hot as it charged.
Jimmy met it head-on, swinging the blade in a wide arc.
"Frostfire Break!"
The blade cut clean through the air — and through the demon. A blinding light filled the forest as the creature's body split in two, molten metal spilling like blood. The roar faded into silence.
Smoke rose from the riverbank. The Iron Demon's red eyes dimmed — and went dark.
Jimmy stood still, his blade dissolving into sparks.
The others slowly approached, staring at the ruined remains.
"Is it… dead?" Liana asked quietly.
Jimmy exhaled, the glow fading from his eyes. "Yeah. For now."
The forest was silent again. No roars, no grinding metal—only the faint hiss of cooling steam and the crackle of frozen earth. The Iron Demon's body lay half-submerged in the frozen black river, its molten glow fading into dull gray.
Jimmy stood still for a moment, breathing slowly. His scarf fluttered weakly in the breeze. The others gathered around him, battered and exhausted.
Sharika wiped soot from her cheek. "That was… insane."
Selena lowered her bow, her green eyes wide. "You split that thing in half. Who are you?"
Jimmy didn't answer. He just turned away, his eyes dim again. "We should get back. The trolls need to know it's over."
Ceila helped Liana to her feet, and Adam steadied August, who had taken a hit earlier trying to protect her toad. The little creature now sat on her shoulder again, croaking softly, as if proud.
The group made their way back through the misty woods. The once-dark silence now seemed lighter, almost peaceful. The moonlight cut through the canopy, shining where it hadn't before.
When they reached the Troll Village, the scene had changed completely. Fires burned in clay pits again, and faint songs echoed from the mushroom houses. The trolls had gathered in the central clearing, waiting nervously.
As Jimmy and the others stepped into view, the elder troll straightened. His glowing eyes widened. "You return… alive?"
Jimmy nodded. "The Iron Demon won't be troubling you anymore."
The elder stared for a long moment, then stomped his foot once in a deep, booming gesture. The other trolls echoed it, the sound rumbling through the ground like thunder.
"This is how we show thanks," the elder said gravely. "You have saved our home."
August smiled faintly. "Guess we're heroes now, huh?"
Jimmy shook his head. "We did what had to be done. That's all."
The trolls began bringing baskets—fruits, roots, even handmade charms crafted from mushroom fibers. The elder placed one such charm in Jimmy's hand. It was a small pendant shaped like a troll's cap, glowing faintly green.
"For protection," the elder said. "Our magic weak, but heart strong."
Jimmy bowed his head slightly. "Thank you."
As the group rested near one of the fires, the trolls brought food and warm drinks. Adam bit into a fruit and grinned. "Okay, this is actually good."
Sharika laughed, lifting a clay cup. "To our victory, then!"
Liana smiled softly but looked at Jimmy, noticing how quiet he'd become. "You're thinking again."
Jimmy looked into the fire, his reflection flickering in the flames. "That demon wasn't acting alone. Someone made it—or woke it up."
Alexandra's eyes narrowed. "You think someone is building Iron Demons?"
Jimmy nodded slowly. "Yeah. And if that's true… this was just the beginning."
The firelight flickered in his blue-brown eyes. Around them, the trolls sang softly—grateful but unaware of the storm that was still coming.