Chapter 61 - Bastian verses Zython

Matt and Jenny tore down the path back to the entrance of this foreign battlefield, their breath ragged, their hearts hammering. They expected Zython's heavy boots to pound behind them, but when they glanced back, Zython and his two lapdog demons weren't following. Instead, the trio had halted, standing their ground as Bastian and his group of angels advanced toward them.

The air grew thick with tension. The angels slowed their run to a confident stroll, their eyes locked onto their prey. Bastian's expression was unreadable, but the slight smirk tugging at the corner of his lips said it all. This was going to be fun.

Zython, ever the showman, raised his arms high in the air, his voice dripping with mockery. "Behold, my wrath!"

Silence.

Nothing happened.

A flicker of confusion crossed his face. He flapped his arms once. Then again. Still nothing. The grin slipped from his lips as he glanced down at his hands, flexing his fingers as if expecting something to happen.

Bastian and his angels exchanged bemused looks. One of them let out a snort. Then another chuckled. Within seconds, they were all laughing.

Zython scowled and turned his gaze toward Jenny. "Sorry, sweetheart," he said with a shrug. "Looks like my powers don't work in here. Guess we're gonna have to do this the old-fashioned way."

With that, he pivoted back to Bastian and cracked his knuckles. "You have no idea how much I've been looking forward to this."

Before Bastian could react, Zython swung a fist and crack! His knuckles connected with Bastian's jaw, sending him sprawling to the ground.

That was the spark that ignited the fire.

A second later, the area erupted into chaos.

Five angels. Three demons. No powers. Just pure, brutal hand-to-hand combat.

Fists flew. Grunts and curses filled the air. The sound of flesh hitting flesh echoed through the winds. Bastian was back on his feet in an instant, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip before launching himself at Zython, tackling him hard. They hit the floor with a thud, rolling over each other in a tangle of limbs. One of the demons grabbed an angel by the collar and slammed him against a boulder, but the angel countered with a vicious knee to the gut. Another demon went for a low sweep, but the angel he was targeting jumped, landing a solid punch to his jaw mid-air. In this Etherial Battlefield, they were like mortals - easy to hurt, easy to bleed and worse, easier to die.

Matt watched with wide eyes, hands itching to join. He took a step forward, excitement coursing through him, but before he could move any further, Jenny grabbed his shoulder and yanked him back.

Matt turned his head, frowning. "What?"

Jenny just shook her head, her eyes serious. "Nah uh."

Matt scoffed. "Oh, come on, Jenny! They're having all the fun! And I know how to fight."

"I know you know how to fight," she said evenly. "But you should fight when necessary." She gestured at the absolute brawl unfolding before them. "This? Completely unnecessary."

Matt narrowed his eyes, then looked back at the fight. She had a point. None of them had their supernatural abilities, and yet, Zython was holding his own. For a demon without powers, he was shockingly fast.

Bastian threw a punch, but Zython dodged it with ease, twisting just enough to avoid the hit before countering with an elbow to Bastian's ribs. The other angels weren't faring much better. The demons fought like cornered animals, relentless and vicious. They weren't just surviving the fight—they were thriving in it.

Matt tensed. Something wasn't right.

Then he saw it.

A flicker. A distortion in the air around Zython, like heatwaves rising from asphalt. It was subtle, barely noticeable, but it was there.

"Oh, hell no."

Jenny followed his gaze and immediately stiffened. "No, no, no, that's—"

Zython turned his head and grinned. "Oh, you thought I had no powers?"

His eyes burned red. The heat around him intensified. The area seemed to darken, shadows stretching unnaturally across the ground and rocks.

"Oh, sh*t," Matt muttered.

Bastian stumbled back, panting. The other angels halted, their gazes snapping to Zython in alarm.

A slow, cruel smile spread across the demon's face. "Yeah. That's right."

With one sharp movement, he raised his hand—and the ground shook.

The boulders cracked. The floor lurched beneath their feet. The air grew thick with static electricity, making the hairs on their arms stand on end.

Zython's grin widened. "Round two."

"Enough," a thunderous voice commanded.