Fate of the Marked

Savior

Kael stood next to me, his breathing heavy, his fists trembling from the strain. He looked down at his hands, the slick, oily residue coating his knuckles still clinging stubbornly to his skin.

"Hold still," I said quickly, pointing my staff at him. A spray of water shot out, the steady stream washing over his hands. The slick didn't completely disappear, but at least the burning seemed to subside.

Kael flexed his fingers experimentally, then gave me a small nod. "Thanks, Thalia," he said, a faint grin tugging at his lips despite the situation.

"Don't thank me yet," I muttered, already shifting my attention back to the grotesque demon. My mind raced, trying to calculate the best approach. Fire? Too unpredictable in this cramped space. Ice? Maybe, but it would only slow it down, and this thing didn't seem the least bit interested in slowing down.

I glanced at Kael again. His attacks were impressive, devastating even—but against this thing, they were useless. The creature hadn't even flinched. Still, there was something I could work with. If Kael's punches weren't doing any damage, at least they were keeping it occupied.

"Kael," I said sharply, drawing his attention. His eyebrows lifted as he waited for the next order. "Keep hitting it."

His face twisted in confusion. "It's not—"

"Just do it!" I barked, leaving no room for argument.

Kael hesitated for only a moment before launching himself forward again, his movements a blur as he closed the distance between us and the demon. His fists crackled with thunder, each punch landing with a deafening boom that echoed through the cave. The creature quivered under the onslaught, but its grotesque grin only widened.

"Yes," it rasped, its voice thick with delight. "Yes, give me more!"

Kael didn't stop. Punch after punch landed with the force of a storm, the air vibrating with each strike. The creature's body rippled like gelatin, its bloated mass trembling with every blow.

That's when I noticed it.

The creature's grotesque form was changing, its bloated body growing larger with each hit. The oily sheen on its skin glistened in the dim light, and its flesh began to pulse faintly, like a grotesque heart pumping with newfound strength. The glow beneath its skin grew brighter, its grotesque boils pulsating with an eerie, sickly light.

"Kael, stop!" I shouted, panic rising in my chest.

It was too late.

The demon let out a guttural laugh, the sound echoing through the cave like nails scraping on stone. "More, more, more!" it bellowed, its voice trembling with ecstasy.

Kael's final punch connected just as the creature's body swelled to its limit. A massive pulse of energy erupted from the demon's bloated form, like a dam breaking under unbearable pressure. The shockwave hit Kael first, hurling him backward with such force that he collided with the cave wall, the air exploding from his lungs as he crumpled to the ground.

I winced as I watched him go down, my heart sinking. "Kael!" I shouted, but my voice was swallowed by the ringing in my ears and the laughter of the demon, now reveling in its power.

The creature shifted its grotesque gaze toward me, its bulging eyes locking onto mine with malicious glee. I could feel the air around it growing heavier, charged with the energy it had absorbed. The faint glow beneath its slimy, bloated skin began to intensify again, signaling another explosion.

It let out a low, gurgling chuckle as its body pulsated once more, the glow reaching a blinding brilliance. This time, I was ready.

Gripping my staff tightly, I slammed it into the ground, the impact reverberating through the cave. A shimmering shield of translucent energy flared into existence before me, just as the creature unleashed its devastating blast.