Chapter 3 – Crushing Epidemic – Finale

I stare off against this Demon-like creature with the setting of the sun crossover the horizon; the peak of night sets upon us as the entire town is pelted with waves of wind slash, some as large as buildings and small as birds.

I effortlessly step in and out of the way of all the attacks while maintaining my entire focus on this creature.

Tooj: "Your skin bleeds a dark red, and you have the curse of the 1st dynasty; tell me who you are and what your purpose for this destruction is!"

Loading, my voice echoes across the destroyed land, exhibiting my apparent pain and anger.

Cleric: "What do I care for, you spoiled creatures who have benefited from a life built off the backbone of the superior race!

This land belongs to US, throwing his hand over his chest and ripping into his skin slightly as he exudes pain and an attitude of superiority."

Tooj: "It is clear to me you are no Cleric; tell me.

How does a foul creature like yourself escape your prison of eternity and dare blame the current population for your historic crimes?!?"

Cleric: Anger floods from his eyes as they stretch, and his mind slips of what sanity he has left to show what he deems as ants beneath him:" I AM! NO, WE ARE THE RIGHTEOUS RACE! I WILL STEAL YOUR SOUL, AND YOU WILL BE THE CATALYST FOR OUR ESCAPE!"

Tooj: "I see, that's all the information I needed" Closing my eyes and starting my chant, "Holy divinement, I CALL UPON THE POWER, TIME REWIND MAXIUMUM!"

Snaping my fingers, creating a sphere of gold as small as a pebble and, within the speed of light, expanded to cover a field of 10 miles reversing time in this radius by ten minutes.

The landscape, buildings, and roads all look new, and an exhausted Tooj stands tall, pulling out a stone creature similar to an earth squirrel but showcasing stone-like qualities. "Rocky, Relay my message to the inner village!"

Shrink the barrier by 20 feet and hold the barrier as long as possible. EVEN IF THEY DROP DEAD, I DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT BARRIER FALL!"

Looking up, I see the Demon launch itself toward me. Summoning immense spirit energy into my arm, I launch the stoned creature toward the inner city.

Spinning just in time to catch the Demon's hand so our eyes lock as he summons his strength and attempts to overpower me.

It's clear this creature is physically a monster, "Your reign on this land will be short-lived," I yell at the creature, who just huffs back in defiance, summoning up enough energy to slam my foot into the ground, causing us both to be launched roughly 5-10 feet from each other.

Sweat dripping down my head, I think to myself that physically, he has me overmatched easily, and I'm already drained of spirit energy.

Even my large pool is just under 20% remaining after such a large summoning. Regardless there is only one option.

Cleric Demon: "Allow me to show the devastating might of the most superior race!" bending my knee and taking a running stance in a blink of an eye. I push off the ground, leaving a 2-inch crater from my foot, and in an instant, crashes my knee right into the chest of Lord Tooj, who manages to catch the speeding shoot with both his hands palmed over it.

Tooj: What devasting power, He can't be allowed to roam free any further, I think, as he begins throwing more blows in such precision even as I attempt to dodge his subsequent blows that come in quick succession.

I scream out in pain as he manages to slip a punch into my side and follows it up with a straight jawline punch to my chin finishing his combo off with a roundhouse kick sending me to the ground.

Demon: "Such a weak race; you all talk a big game, and in the end, you are all the same, just punching bags and vermin that attempt to sit at the top of the throne."

Pulling out a dagger with an empty vial attached to the end, he picks Lord Tooj up by the neck, mocking him with his words, "I guess the short life belongs to you failure of a "lord," This world will see the true might of a lord once he is set free and back on his throne!

Tooj: Struggling to breathe with blood leaking from his lips, mutters out, "At least give my dying memory the satisfaction of knowing my killer."

Kizuki KO: Plunging the knife into Lord Tooj's stomach, he whispers into his ear, "I am Kizuki KO, Offspring of the true king of this world, and once the barrier is broken, he will place himself at the top where his majesty belongs!

Tooj: "Now, that is all the information I need" "HOLY REVERSAL!" The snap is heard as I snap my fingers against the Demon's ears as it stretches around us both, and once the golden haze vanishes,

The Demon and I switch spots, and I have him by the throat, "Sorry if I lied to you with my exhausted expression. I have plenty of tricks up my sleeve. I just needed some more information before sealing you away!

Kizuki KO: "NONSENSE" Ripping himself free from Tooj's weakened grip, taking a swing at Tooj as he easily dodges and delivers a crushing elbow to the face leaving me bloodied. Angered, I screamed ENOUGH! Attempting to slam a fist into the ground.

Tooj: "How about we stop with the damage now." Catching his fist with the edge of my foot encased in spirit energy, sending a shockwave throughout the distant area.

The Demon jumps back, taking the knife out of his stomach, and his wounds slowly heal, confirming these cursed beings are genuinely immortal. Gritting my teeth as I see this creature recover fully.

I summon up my energy, knowing I will need to weaken him once more for a chance to seal him. This confirms he is a weaker creature who can sustain heavy damage at least. A swirl of energy surrounds me, cloaking me in a golden haze.

As if lighting extruding my eyes, I blitz the Demon in a blink of light, delivering a dozen blows to his chest, forcing him to slide inches back and swing his arms about to avoid my strikes.

"What you have me beat in strength, I have you beat in speed. Trust me when I say the worst opponent for yourself" Basking in a golden glow, many villagers look on, and a few whispers call out the name "The Miracle Fighter," and a host of other names echoes as the Demon stands in silence, dropping his guard and blankly shutting his eyes.

Pulling an empty vial from my pocket, I dash toward the Demon, appearing behind a blow to his back, breaking him to a knee; attempting to grab him by the shoulder but fail as he further caves into the ground, plunging his knee further and further until he has fully buried himself.

Thinking he might be trying to escape, I let my guard down and focused on making a sprint in any direction I saw him go. Still, as I gather up my energy to sprint, he shoots out of the ground like a rocket crushing my golden aura, and a purple inferno erupts from him as he plunges his rock-encrusted elbow into my chest, crushing my ribs.

I quickly raise my arm as my vision slowly dims from spirit exhaustion, going to slam the vile into his neck. He slices my hand and slams me down to the ground by my neck.

Blood shoots out of my sliced hand. I smirk out to him as Kya appears behind him, riding a stone wall with an exhausted Toki struggling to breathe about 20 meters away, with the boy Arlo keeping my sliced hand in the air.

Kya, with a fierce look in her eyes and riding the rock wall created by Toki, summons fire to her feet and screams out, "Holy flaming spiral wheel," before kicking the vile with a needle at the end, extruding from it into the neck of bloodied demons, neck.

Kizuki KO: "What!? When did you have the chance to call for backup?"

Tooj: "An explanation of my powers to you is pointless. Enjoy your cage of hell! I will see to it you never escape again."

As if turning into liquid, the Demon slowly disintegrates into a purple/red liquid that fills the empty vile before sealing it shut.

Tooj: "Thanks, kids. Sorry to have gotten you all involved in this mess." Gasping for air as he grimaces and falls to one knee, he holds his sliced-off hand, cursing to the Demon.

Holding the hand over his wrist, he whispers a small chant, and his hand is reattached within a shimmer of light.

Kya: "How did you know where we would be, and how did you know we knew what was going on?"

Tooj: "My spirit energy allows me to rewind time on myself infinitely for 10 seconds as long as the version of myself still has spirit energy left. I knew your friend Toki would have already seen these events, it" -- grabbing my chest in pain, the lack of spiritual energy takes over, causing me to fall unconscious.