Without hesitation, I charged forward. The one thought in my mind was clear and absolute. The demon in front of me would not escape. From around it’s feet formed the lesser kin of it’s kind. Shapeless monstrosities and twisted forms of animals leaped forth.

The first few were cut away, yet one managed to leap upon me. It’s tendrils, like that of some squid wrapped around my arm. Stingers along the length of the appendages drive into my skin. I could almost feel the poison following in. Yet that feeling I could not identify remained stronger. Whatever venom it had burned away, leaving yet more pain.

I raised the ghostly blade and hacked away at it. No care was spared for my own well being with each strike. Another, shaped like some horrid mix between a rabbit and a pit bull went for one of my leg as the demon on my arm slipped off. I stopped it’s head repeatedly as the self-inflicted wounds on my arm melted away.

The devil stood there with a wide, uncanny smile as it taunted, “What a horror you have become in your own right. Are you sure you are-”

I whipped around and shot a bolt of lightening directly into it. It stumbled back slightly with the flow from beneath it ebbing for a moment. It frowned and said, “Rude.”

As I got near, it reared back one of it’s massive arms. Before I could dodge, one of the demons grabbed hold of my leg. The larger slammed down it’s arm, dragged me across the ground, and threw me right into a pile of corpses. I heard several cracking noises along the way from with in me.

The pain would have knocked me out normally. Yet, whatever power was coursing through me kept me fully and completely awake. The pain from the strike was multiplied by the healing. It drove away every thought beyond the screaming desire to kill.

The demon that had hold of my leg was splattered somewhere along the way. More still where charging me though. Rising, I let loose torrent after torrent of flame. The melting ice gave way to a growing smell of gore and burning flesh of the previous fight.

With a growl the devil cut the flow of lesser ones off, lifted it’s foot, and crushed what few had escape. It said, “All that hatred flowing from you is so very interesting.”

The demon’s long arm reached down to a pile of corpses. Without any desire to hear it continue to taunt me, I let loose another bolt of lightening. The large, furred thing tossed the body, letting it take the brunt of it. The monstrosity spoke, “Crude. It wasn’t the poison that killed that toy of yours, was it?”

I dashed forwards. It threw another corpse, but I managed to duck away. When I was close it went to club me with another. I slashed at it, but the blade didn’t cut through like it had before. Once more I was thrown. It spoke, “Those adventurers you were with screamed a lot when I got a hold of them.”

As I stopped rolling, those words drove me even further into my blind rage. When I went to get up, my hand was on something. Without even considering for a moment what it was, I threw it at the demon. The charred bag of medicine slapped against it’s body impudently. The clattering of it hitting the ground seemed to echo as my eyes momentarily stayed on it. It continued, “Did that horrid elf teach you how to do that twisted trick?”

It leaped forward and kicked me as I rose. Once more, I rolled across the ground. It didn’t stop there. Quickly, it stepped over and drove it’s claws right through me. I couldn’t stop my screams of pain from rending their way out. The devil laughed as it lifted me, saying, “Even with this y-”

I grabbed hold of the arm to keep hold and drove the blade directly into the demon’s chest. It tried to throw me, letting out a noise like some form of animal. Yet still, I held on. Again I stabbed it. Then it slammed me into the ground. For a moment my vision blurred. I kept hold of it and slashed. Again it slammed me into the ground. Then, it stomped upon my legs and ripped the claws free.

I slashed at the leg as it came down directly on my chest. It felt like every done had broke. I could feel organs rupturing. Had there been air left, I would have screamed bloody murder. Then came the pain of it healing as the demon backed off. It’s mouth was twisted into a horrific up-side-down U shape across it’s entire form. It hissed, “Do you even understand my words anymore?”

It didn’t move as I thrashed on the ground screaming. The phantom sword had disappeared somewhere during it all. I didn’t know how much more I could take of it. Every worse the wounds, the worst the pain in magnitude. Part of me was screaming to just die, yet the anger? It roared like a fire that consumed everything in my head. The demon had to die. I had to kill it. The longer time moved on, the more the desire grew.

I writhed on the ground as the devil merely watched. When done, I rolled and my stomach emptied onto the disgusting snow. My entire formed shook, as I glared at the demon. Then, I pushed off the ground. The demon’s face suddenly lost the expression it wore. It let out a long sigh and said, “Perhaps I should call you Barghest at this point.”

For a moment, I paused at the word. Something about it seemed off, like I should know it. Then I charged again, almost on all fours. The devil went to take a swipe again, but I threw myself to the side. I slid across the ground, letting loose a constant flame at the demon as I went.

When I stopped, I didn’t relent. On my knees then, I let the fire flow freely. The long arm of the monster reached through and grabbed hold of both of mine. It snapped both and turned them flames away. It leaned forward, an almost bored look on it’s face as it’s fur burned. It muttered, “What is the Silent Watcher see in you?”

My breathing was little more than a ragged, panting. Even with the healing, I was slowing. My eyes darted all around. Anything to kill it. The demon grunted, “Almost done yet, Hound? I’m growing bored.”

It slowly lifted me off the ground as it stared. I had to kill it. Anything and any way that I could. A bitter sort of chuckle started to form as I thought of one last gambit. The demon’s entire form tilted slightly. I began pulling as much magic as I could.

A vague memory of the dangers of magic had returned to me. For a moment it merely stared at me, confused. Burning to death was notable. Demon possession was always possible. Misana had mentioned so many. Yet one, sudden and horrific way, was what I focused in on in that moment. In a moment of clarity, I wondered if it would hurt.

The tiny eyes widened in horror as my chuckle turned into a demented laugh. The mouth dropped opened as it let go of me. It’s long arms began to turn into those wings, but it was over before I even hit the ground. Ironically, exploding was perhaps one of the least painful ways I had ever died.