Sophie gasped awake, blinking through the haze. Stuart knelt beside her, eyes wide with relief.
"Sophie! You're okay?"
She sat up slowly, trying to make sense of the chaos around her.
Across the battlefield, Riot screamed, "Ice!"
Ice stirred, groaning. "What happened?"
Riot grinned. "You almost got eaten by flies or something."
Ice squinted at him. "What are you doing here, brat?"
"Long story short we saved you," Riot said proudly.
"We?"
"Yeah. Me and Stuart. He's over there with Sophie."
Ice turned, stunned to see Stuart waving at him. "Stuart?"
"Glad you're awake," Stuart said with a grin.
Riot pointed. "Okay, we gotta help Luke. He's over there fighting that demon fly thing."
Ice stood, sword in hand. "The demon prince…" He turned to Sophie. "Let's go. You two brats stay here and hide. That's not a debate."
Ice and Sophie sprinted toward the fight. Sophie clutched her bow, only a few arrows left. Ice gripped his sword tight.
They found Luke bloodied, barely conscious, the Lord of Flies hovering above him.
"Well, well," the prince sneered. "Didn't expect you to get back up. Those little cockroaches must've helped."
Ice stepped forward. "You abomination we're ending you."
Sophie raised her bow. "Huh!"
The prince smirked. "Give me your best shot, peasants."
He darted forward, wings slicing the air. Sophie fired arrow after arrow. A few hit. Her final shot pierced his forehead, leaving a hole.
The prince staggered, snapped the arrow, and roared, "You cockroaches are going to die!"
Ice charged, sword flashing. The prince dodged every swing. Sophie flanked him, swinging her bow like a bat.
Then Ice kicked the prince's leg crack. The demon dropped to one knee, catching Ice midair and holding him back.
Sophie came in swinging again and again, relentless. Then the Prince flew high up and looks down on the heroes.
The prince shrieked, a twisted sound that made their ears ring. The moon darkened. A massive swarm of flies filled the sky.
"You mortals are impressive," he bellowed. "But I refuse to be part of your destiny! I am an immortal Prince! Ruler of nations! I am the Lord of Flies!"
He gestured, and the swarm surged toward Ice and Sophie.
Then thwack. A rock hit the prince.
"Not you brats again!" he snarled, turning to see Luke standing tall, slingshot in hand.
"You're a prince," Luke said. "But I'm a rebel."
He fired a smoke bomb direct hit.
"Ice! Sophie! Triangle!"
They moved instantly. The smoke blinded the swarm. Ice climbed a nearby building, leapt, and sliced the prince's wings clean off.
The prince crashed to the ground.
Sophie emerged from the smoke, swinging her bow like a hammer smash!
The prince roared, refusing to die.
Ice struck from the side punch. Gone in the smoke.
Luke kicked him from behind vanished again.
The prince panicked. They're using the smoke to strike… I can't track them.
Sophie swept his leg and fell hard. On his knees.
Ice followed with a kick to the head thud!
The prince saw stars. Lucifer… you were right. These mortals… they have power. Not as one but as a whole.
Then he looked up Luke descending, sword raised.
Almighty… I see why you care about these humans.
Luke's blade cut clean through.
The Lord of Flies Head bounced away in the dark smoke.