The battlefield was chaos, mud, blood, and fire. The villagers fought with everything they had. Shovels, pitchforks, bare fists. They were dying, yes but they were living in that fight. Every fallen comrade only fueled their fury.
Ice roared,
"Keep pushing!"
The humans answered with a primal cry, and the tide turned. Demon bodies littered the ground. The heroes Ice, Sophie, Fred were relentless, cutting through the horde like legends reborn.
Then the air shifted.
The Demon Prince entered the fray.
A Sloth, crowned in bone and gold, moved with eerie calm. His staff danced through the crowd, striking vital points with surgical precision. He killed without emotion. Without effort. Like death was a chore he'd mastered long ago.
Ice charged, sword raised.
He leapt for a back strike
Blocked.
The Sloth didn't even turn. He felt Ice coming.
Sophie appeared with a flying kick
Dodged.
The Sloth spun his staff, creating space. Now Ice and Sophie stood face-to-face with the Prince.
No words. No expression. Just a cold menace.
Then he attacked.
His staff blurred, striking both heroes with impossible speed. Ice tried to read his footwork with perfect angles, flawless balance. Dodging wouldn't last.
Then
Boom.
Ice was tripped.
"Sophie, watch out!"
Too late. The staff cracked against Sophie's skull. She dropped.
"SOPHIE!" Ice screamed.
Fred charged from behind, pitchfork raised.
Blocked.
Crack.
Fred collapsed, ribs shattered, gasping.
Ice saw his chance. He swung.
The blade connected barely.
The Sloth twisted just enough to avoid a fatal blow.
Now the Prince was angry.
He pointed at Ice.
Thumbs down.
Then came the barrage ferocious, relentless. Ice was knocked back, swarmed by demons. They dragged him down, biting, clawing.
"They're eating me…" Ice thought, panic rising.
"This is bad. I need "
Then the roar.
Everyone turned.
From the tunnel, a massive demon worm surged forward its body coiling, its mouth wide.
And riding it
Luke.
Ice blinked.
"Give me a break…"
Luke stood tall atop the worm, sword gleaming. The Prince leapt into the air to avoid the beast.
But in the air he was vulnerable.
Luke jumped.
Midair. No footwork. No defense.
Slice.
A perfect cut. The Demon Prince split in two.
Luke landed hard, rolled, and rose swinging. The remaining demons scattered, fleeing into the dark.
Humanity had won.
Ice staggered to his feet, blood dripping, bite marks fresh.
"Glad to see you," he said.
Luke grinned.
"Things changed. So I came back."
Ice glanced at the worm.
"And the worm?"
Luke shrugged.
"Weird story."
Ice chuckled.
"I can see that."
The worm slithered away, disappearing into the shadows.
"Should we kill it?" Ice asked.
"Nah," Luke said.
"I think it's got a soft spot for humans now."
Ice nodded.
"This is a great victory."
Luke looked around at the villagers cheering, crying, hugging.
"They fought well. They took a stand."
"There's hope after all," Ice said.
Luke's smile faded.
"Yes. But I think this is just the beginning…"
The two heroes stood in silence, watching the celebration behind them knowing the war ahead would be even greater.