The demon stared at me, as shocked as the rest of us.
For a moment, neither of us moved then he suddenly disappeared and I barely had time to react before he was already in front of me with his fist coming straight toward my face. I raised my arm and blocked it, the impact still forcing me backward but this time I didn't stumble. Before I could even process that, he attacked again and I moved to the side as his fist passed close to my head before immediately swinging back and connecting with his jaw.
His head snapped to the side, and I froze for half a second. I was keeping up with him.
He turned back toward me and attacked again, but this time I was ready, ducking under his punch and driving my fist into his stomach hard enough to force a grunt from him as he flinched backward. I followed immediately, throwing another punch and then another, and soon we were exchanging blows across the room, neither of us giving the other enough space to breathe.
For the first time since the fight started, I wasn't struggling to see him. My speed had increased, a lot, and I could track every movement now, every shift of his body before he attacked.
But something strange was happening.
Every time my fist connected, a faint burn mark appeared on his skin.
I didn't notice it because I was too focused on the fight.
Henry did.
His eyes widened as he watched the demon's skin burn where my attacks landed.
"What the hell…?"
"What?" Freya asked.
Henry trying to understand dismissively replied. "It's nothing, don't worry."
He barely had time to process it before the demon came at me again. I held him in place and drove my fist into his ribs, another burn mark appearing across his skin as he stepped backward. I responded with more blows before he could recover, throwing everything I could at him while he continued meeting my attacks head-on.
I was faster now, stronger too and even my body felt different. His punches still hurt but I could take them and more importantly, I could keep going.
There was still a problem.
I was keeping up with him, but I wasn't overpowering him. Every time our fists collided, the difference in strength became more obvious, his attacks carrying more weight as I felt the force of every collision travelling through my bones. I blocked another punch and my arms shook from the impact before I countered with a strike to his chest, but he barely moved.
Shit.
I attacked again but he blocked the punch and struck me immediately afterward sending me crashing to the floor. I caught myself before hitting the ground and pushed forward again then we clashed once more, punch after punch, kick after kick. I started to understand that this wasn't a fight I could win through speed.
If it became a battle of attrition, I had already lost.
I was running out of energy.
My breathing grew heavier while the demon barely seemed affected and when I wiped the blood from my mouth, he rushed me again. I met him halfway, our fists colliding and sending a shock through my entire arm but before I could follow up, his other hand caught me across the ribs and pain exploded through my side.
I staggered to the floor.
"James!"
I heard Freya behind me.
She stepped forward, but Henry immediately caught her arm.
"Don't."
"But—"
"We'll only get in the way."
Freya looked back towards me, Henry's eyes remained fixed on the fight.
"At this point, we're a hindrance."
Freya hesitated, clearly hating the idea of standing back but she knew he was right.
I could hear them behind me but I didn't turn around because the demon was already coming. I raised my arms as his fist smashed into my guard, forcing my feet backward and when I tried to move to the side, another punch came at me. I dodged it, blocked the next and managed to slip away from another but each attack pushed me further back and although I was still fast enough to keep up with him, my body was beginning to feel heavier with every exchange.
I was bleeding now, my entire body hurt but I was still standing.
I looked at him. He looked almost untouched, I didn't care anymore.
I threw everything I had into every punch, poured my remaining energy into it.
Striking his chest, shoulder and face and although he blocked some of them, others connected and left those strange burn marks across his body. It still wasn't enough because he was stronger, and when he finally caught my fist, he pulled me forward and slammed his forehead into mine.
My vision blurred as his fist followed and I barely managed to block it. I crashed to the floor, coughing as I tried to catch my breath then pushed myself up with trembling hands.
I looked back and saw henry, arielle and freya.
They were all still there.
If I kept fighting him here, eventually I would lose and when I did, they would be next.I couldn't let that happen.
I forced myself to stand as the demon began walking toward me and as I watched him approach.
I realized what i needed to do, the fight had to go outside.
I took a breath.
Shadow Step.
The world blurred as I disappeared and reappeared behind him with my back turned to his back, i immediately wrapped my arms around his neck then flung him outwards. The demon barely had time to react before his body flew across the distance and crashed onto the pavement.
I shadow stepped outside immediately and watched the demon get up.
The demon looked at me and began moving forward but then something caught my attention.
There was someone getting up from a bench nearby.
Something about the way he moved made the hairs on the back of my neck rise. It was almost as though he had been waiting for us to come outside.
The demon turned toward him. The man raised his arm and that was all. The demon suddenly collapsed, his body slamming into the pavement without even getting the chance to defend himself.
I stared at him in disbelief.
The man brought one hand to his ear, listening for a moment before lowering it and looking directly at me.
"We need to talk."