Narvari’s body quivered, her knees growing weaker by the second. This thing had not even revealed its true power yet she was already trembling in fear. She forced herself to inhale and exhale slowly. She couldn’t let fear get the best of her at this critical moment. She glued her eyes on the figure effusing the blue-black mist. The energy around the demon slowly vanished.

That was when Narvari saw him — his dark handsome features.

The hell? Peter Khan? She should have known.

Khan’s purple eyes nonchalantly gazed at them. He was too calm. Like this wasn’t even worth his time.

Narvari clenched her trembling jaw.

“Run along now,” said Zemeron. “I’ll take care of this.”

“Is that right?” Khan chuckled. His body began to transform rapidly as muscles bulged, ripping his tailored suit. His form became more and more monstrous. But what was even more shocking was the new body tearing out of him like a mirror image of himself.

What the hell?

“I said run now.”

Narvari took off with the others.

Without warning, the room flipped again. Pheera bumped into Narvari and together they both came falling down. In the distance, Azmel and Yanvirrak lay on the floor.

The flipping continued in an endless frenzy, sending Narvari and her team crashing over and over into the walls, ceiling, floor, and just about every available surface. Her body moved so much that she feared her bones might shatter into a million shards.

Then suddenly, everything was still. All too still. Narvari lay on the ground, not moving. None of them did.

“Is it over?” Yanvirrak asked. “Did Zemeron kill it?”

It was the question on Narvari’s mind. But it was too good to be true. Narvari absentmindedly took Pheera’s hand in hers. She listened closely. But they heard nothing.

“Here’s a thought.” Yanvirrak got up. “Let’s just teleport out of here.”

“And leave Zemeron all by himself?” Narvari glared at him. “Vanquishers don’t abandon their mission until every demon has been vanquished.”

Yanvirrak laughed mirthlessly. “Don’t give me that bullshit. Did you not get the part where he asked us to leave? We can’t fight a royal demon. All we’ll be doing is slowing him down.”

“And what about all those victims? We can’t just leave them here.”

“The medical team will be here.”

“The medical team will be here only after every demon has been vanquished. They’re doctors, not vanquishers.”

“So what, you want to go back and fight the royal demon? You think just because you have a higher order savaz, you’re somehow stronger?”

“Yanvirrak — ”

“Shut it, Pheera.”

Narvari’s eyes darkened. She grabbed Yanvirrak by the collar, her heart thumping in rage. “Don’t ever talk to Pheera like that.”

“Or what?”

“Enough. Both of you.”

“Shut up, Azmel.” Narvari and Yanvirrak glared at Azmel at the same time.

“What has come over you two?” Azmel said. “You think now’s the time to be fighting over pointless things?”

“Oh great,” said Yanvirrak. “I guess dying is no big deal.”

“Maybe I should kill you myself.” Azmel suddenly withdrew his savaz and pointed it at Yanvirrak. Yanvirrak didn’t waste time taking his out. Narvari took out her two savaz and pointed them at both Yanvirrak and Azmel.

“Or maybe,” said Narvari grinning, “I should kill you both. You two are such a pain.”

“Stop it, all of you,” Pheera suddenly yelled. “Get back to your senses. Do you not see something is manipulating your emotions? Snap out of it.”

Narvari froze. Wait, why was she pointing her savaz at Azmel and Yanvirrak? And why the hell was Azmel and Yanvirrak glaring so murderously at each other?

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“Snap out of it.” Pheera’s soothing voice washed over her again.

“Holy shit.” Yanvirrak blinked rapidly. His savaz disappeared as did Azmel’s.

“We need to be careful,” said Azmel. “Something sinister is at work here.”

“But I was having so much fun.” The familiar blood-curling voice returned. Laughter echoed in the dim hallway. “I was hoping you would kill each other while I watched. Pretty fun.”

Khan. Narvari’s stomach caved. If the demon was here, did it mean Zemeron was dead? No, it couldn’t be. Something strange had happened while that demon transformed. That could explain why the demon was here.

The gray monstrosity materialized before them. “But I guess I’ll have to kill you myself.”

“Dream on.” Narvari released her Trinity.

“We’ll capture it.” Azmel released his silver elema. “He’s divided himself so he should be weaker.”

Even still, Narvari did not take the demon lightly. Even if Khan had divided himself to fight them simultaneously, they must not take him lightly. The demon lunged punches after punches at them with all six of his hands, however, Narvari and her team were as slippery as ice. With incredible movements and team coordination, they rained sacros and elema at the demon.

“Screw this,” Yanvirrak shouted. His purple savaz disappeared from his hand as he summoned his flame elema.

Narvari had almost forgotten about Yanvirrak’s new ability. They moved away from Yanvirrak as flames emanated from his body like wildfire. Yanvirrak concentrated his flames in his hands. With his fists fortified in flames, he lunged toward the demon and punched him in the face. For the first time, blood — thick and black — drained from the demon’s face. Multiple strands of thick sliver fluid connected to the demon’s body and kept him still.

Azmel tightened the silver ropes around the demon, holding him in place. His hands trembled, and sweat poured over his face.

“Yanvirrak, burn him,” said Azmel. “I can’t hold him much longer.”

Yanvirrak razed the demon with a great inferno. The demon’s body was set ablaze, his entire body charring. He growled in mania. Narvari and Pheera fired blast after blast of their savaz into the demon.

The more Narvari released her sacros from her savaz, the weaker her body became. Slight dizziness overtook her. From the way Yanvirrak’s feet wobbled, Narvari knew he too was reaching his limit.

After what felt like an eternity, the demon fell, unmoving. Certainly, the demon was not vanquished, or else it would have disintegrated. After everything they had done, how was Khan still alive?

“Shit,” Narvari whispered. Although the demon’s body had been completely charred like a burnt corpse, it was already regenerating slowly. “We need to capture it now.”

“I have the holy cage.” With his right hand keeping the demon in place with the silver strings, Azmel searched his pockets with his other hand. He froze.

“What?” Yanvirrak asked.

“I don’t have the holy cage.”

“What?” Narvari and Yanvirrak shouted at the same time.

Azmel searched his pockets again. Then he shook his head. “It’s gone.”

Narvari turned to Pheera. “You have one, right?” Zemeron had shared the holy cage among the groups; Zemeron himself had one, Azmel had one, and Pheera had one. The holy cage was their only hope of defeating the eleventh-order demon.

Pheera shook her head. “I can’t find mine either. I must have dropped it.”

“Oh fuck, we’re dead,” Yanvirrak said.

“I’m sorry. I had it in my pocket.”

“It’s okay, Pheera,” said Narvari. “It probably fell out after being thrown around so much. It’s not your fault.”

“So what do we do?” Yanvirrak asked. “He’s already healing.”

They all turned to the demon.

“Looks like you’re not strong enough to kill me, vanquishers. Look at you, you’re even struggling to hold me in place.” The demon chuckled. His gaze turned murderous. “You better run now. Because once I regain my strength, I’m going to kill you all.

Azmel’s hands trembled and his breath hastened. His silver strings began disappearing one after the other. He fell to his knees. Then the last of his elema was gone.

“Azmel — ”

“I’m alright. You kids need to go.” He collapsed to the ground. “He’s still weak. You have time.”

“We’re not leaving you here alone,” said Narvari. She and Yanvirrak helped Azmel to his feet. “We’ll get you back to school.”

Narvari tried to activate the portal but her xuul blinked red continuously.

“Shit,” she muttered. Could things get even worse? “I run out of sacred energy. I can’t open a portal.”

Yanvirrak looked at his xuul. He tried to open the portal too but nothing happened. “I run out too.”

“Me too,” said Pheera.

Narvari rubbed her forehead. “I guess, we’ll have just have walk out of here.” Of all the technology Agon had, why the hell would they depend on sacred energy to power their xuul?

Narvari and Yanvirrak supported Azmel on each arm.

Then the room flipped. The force violently swept Narvari off her feet and slammed her into the wall. Something went right through her chest, nailing her to the wall. A coldness stilled her heart. At first, there was no pain. All she felt was the cold, threatening to tear out her heart. She glanced at her chest. A thick black spear protruded out of it. She had never seen so much blood before, let alone from herself. And then the pain began to register. The room flipped over again, but this time Narvari could not move. And now, instead of the wall, she was on the floor.

“Narvari.” Someone screamed her name. Was it Pheera? “No, no, Narvari. No.”

The person knelt by her side and took her hands. It was the only warmth Narvari felt.

Tears stung Narvari’s eyes as she stared into those beautiful blue eyes. The warmth of Pheera’s hand was not enough to stop the coldness growing in her heart.

“Pheera.” It only came out as a whisper.

“Narvari, stay with me.” Pheera squeezed Narvari’s hand. “Narvari.”

“Phe — ”

“No. Don’t say anything.”

Narvari clenched her jaws, the pain drowning her. Pheera broke the long end of the spear and then clasped both hands on Narvari’s chest. Narvari felt her consciousness slowly waning. All she wanted to do was close her eyes. It really was the end. She was going to die.

“Stay with me, Narvari.” Pheera’s voice slipped her out of her unconsciousness for a fleeting moment.

“One down. Three to go.” It was the demon. He cackled. Had he healed so soon? What did it matter, she was dying. “Soon, your friend here will be dead. Don’t worry. You’ll be reunited with her.”

No. Run, Pheera. But Narvari was too weak to say anything. She couldn’t even move her limbs. She was dying, and she knew it. Pheera didn’t leave Narvari’s side, holding onto her hand. At that moment, Narvari was most grateful. But the pain in Pheera’s eyes hurt Narvari’s heart more than the spear.

Even more so was the pain of dying without telling Pheera how she felt. Tears flowed freely on Narvari’s face as she slowly sank into oblivion. The last thing she saw were those beautiful blue eyes.

Pheera had captivated Narvari until her very last moment.