With his deep purple cape flowing behind him, the demon’s leader stepped forward to meet Atasimon. A sonorous voice emerged from beneath the bestial visage of his helmet that carried easily to the goddess’ ears. “It appears I am blessed with the most outrageous fortune. To slay two gods in one day? The Demon King favours his champion beyond belief.”

Hefting his crescent-bladed halberd in one hand, he pointed the tip right at Atasimon, despite her concealment. “Petty tricks will not avail you. Come and meet your end at the hands of Meztraxia, rightful lord of all demons.”

Head tilted haughtily back; he maintained his pose until she was almost within striking distance. In a single stride, he drew back his halberd and brought the blade crashing down on Atasimon.

The haze that surrounded the goddess darkened and the halberd cleaved into its now tangible form. Where the darkness tore, clinging strands sprouted and wrapped around the weapon, ensnaring it.

Twisting her body, Atasimon went around the haft of Meztraxia’s trapped halberd and stabbed into his right armpit. It punched straight through the mail protecting the areas his plate didn’t cover, and continued through to his vital organs.

She followed up with a quick thrust at his face, and Meztraxia, releasing his grip on his weapon, caught the shaft of Atasimon’s spear in his gauntlet. The hardwood shattered in his grasp and Atasimon dropped her now useless stick.

“Well?” Meztraxia asked, pulling his halberd free from the strands of decaying shadow. “Have you run out of tricks already, godling?”

Despite the wound Atasimon had dealt him, the Demon Lord hadn’t shed a single drop of blood. Stepping back, Atasimon frantically searched the area while trying not to take her eyes off Meztraxia.

“I didn’t expect much, but this is just pathetic.” The Demon Lord shook his head, and a torrent of dark purple liquid sprayed from his gauntlet. Atasimon threw herself to the side, and instead of hitting her dead centre it caught only her leg.

The liquid resolved into a swarm of tiny armoured forms, each with vicious claws. They wrapped around her limb, hardening while others formed chains anchoring her to the ground. She pulled with all her strength but the demon’s minions held firm.

Meztraxia raised his weapon again and the same shadowy veil that stopped him before appeared around the goddess. “That won’t save you,” the Demon Lord said, “not this time.”

Glowing purple, his halberd struck Atasimon’s defence and the shadowy veil melted away upon contact. Had she not contorted her body to get out of the way she would have sliced in twain, as it was the heavy blade still left a deep gash in her chest.

“I’m sorry,” Atasimon muttered within her mind to Derzina, who woke from her stupor.

Taking in the situation, she was about to forgive the goddess for her defeat when she realized that wasn’t what she meant. The remaining shreds of Atasimon’s veil reformed around her leg, just above where Meztraxia’s magic held her, in a thin band. It tightened, forming razor-sharp blades, and cut off her leg.

Ducking beneath the Demon Lord’s next strike, Atasimon used her veil to carry herself across the ground. She fled toward the city, leaving a trail of blood behind her. Seeing their goddess retreat, the surviving Paladins ran for the postern.

“I’m beginning to see how my sister was defeated,” Atasimon said within her mind, sounding exhausted.

“What happened?” Derzina asked. She could recall only scattered fragments of the battle.

“He possesses a strange power, capable of negating my magic entirely. I’ve never encountered it’s like before. Even the Demon King wasn’t capable of such things.”

“Then we are doomed.” If he was beyond even the Demon King, then they hadn’t the faintest hope of defeating him.

“Not necessarily,” Atasimon said, nearing the gate, “potent as his power may be, it’s far from unassailable. From what I saw, it either has a very limited range or he can maintain it for only a short span of time.”

In a flurry of shadow, she set down beside the gate. “Now, I must rest. I shall return as soon as I am able, but until then you must do your utmost to survive.”

“I understand.” Derzina would have continued, but she could sense that Atasimon had already gone dormant. Control of her body, and all its associated sensations, came rushing back to her. She experienced an instant of incredible pain, in which her leg appeared to be aflame, before falling unconscious.