"Hold your fire until it's in range!" Captain Zak’Sho’s voice echoed over the sound of the battle.

The demon's tentacles stretched out from the rift towards the ground, like the fingers of some great monster reaching for its prey. The head of the demon, a giant eye, the size of a house, peered out. It blinked, and then opened its mouth and released a shrill cry.

It squeezed itself further out of the rift. Its tentacles thrashing in the air, and then it fell, spinning in the air like a spider. Bloodied mud splattered everywhere, as the demon hit the ground, its tentacles thrashing wildly.

"Fire!" The captain shouted, his voice cutting through the din of the battle.

The archers released a volley, but the tentacles seemed to anticipate the attack, wrapping themselves around the shafts of the arrows. With a single flick of its appendages, the demon sent the arrows hurtling back towards the archers.

"Take cover," the captain yelled.

The arrows smashed into the walls, some piercing the wooden palisade, others falling short.

"Concentrate your fire on the eye," I shouted.

A volley of arrows whistled through the air, followed by Eliaria's golden javelin, Flint's [Rift Bolt] and my own [Toxic Barrage].

The arrows and spells slammed into the demon, its flesh sizzling as the venom burned.

But it was too little, too late.

The demon's tentacles struck out, wrapping around the walls and the defenders. With a single motion, the demon tossed the soldiers aside like rag dolls.

"Fire at will!" the captain yelled.

The screams of dying soldiers filled the air as the demon crushed them, their blood spattering the ground.

"We need to get in close and cut those things off," I said, running towards the demon.

Flint and Eliaria were by my side, the three of us charging towards the beast. The demon's tentacles swung in, smashing into the ground and sending a spray of mud and stone into the air.

I leapt, dodging the attack and rolled as I hit the ground. I sprung to my feet and continued to charge forward.

I was close enough now that I could smell the rotting stench of the demon. The tentacles shot out, but I was ready this time.

I slashed out with my dagger. The blade sliced through the tough flesh of the tentacle, leaving a deep gash in its side.

The demon let out a cry and tried to pull its tentacles back. I took advantage of its momentary weakness, and slashed again, cutting a second wound.

Eliaria's golden javelin plunged into the demon's head, but the projectile seemed to piss the demon off more than anything else.

"We need a plan," Eliaria said, her voice panicked.

"You're the plan guy, Bastion," Flint said.

"I’ve got nothing," I replied, rolling to the side, as a tentacle smashed into the ground.

Captain Zak'Sho and Sergeant Rhy’Lath came up beside us, their weapons drawn.

"We will take care of the tentacles," the captain said, "you deal with the eye."

"On it," I said.

"Go," the captain ordered, hurling his axe at the demon.

It struck a tentacle holding a ven'thik scout and pinned it to the ground. The sergeant was moving too fast to even think, her blades slicing through a tentacle, her speed a blur.

"You heard the captain, let's go," I said.

I shot forward, dodging and weaving between the tentacles, my feet finding purchase in the mud. Six tentacle arms reached out for me, coming at me from every direction. I ducked, rolled, and spun, avoiding their grasp and slashing out when I saw an opening.

I glanced back and saw Flint, Eliaria, the captain, and the sergeant. They were keeping pace with me, the four of them cutting and slashing their way through the demon's appendages.

Eliaria cast [Crimson Chains] and the spell wrapped around the tentacles, pulling them tight. Captain Zak’Sho and the sergeant severed one of them, the green liquid spraying across the ground.

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"I need to get up there!" I yelled, gesturing at the demon's head.

Flint nodded and cast [Float] on me, the magic lifting me off the ground and into the air. I rose above the battlefield and hovered near the demon's head.

The giant eye looked at me, its gaze unblinking, its pupil the size of a manhole cover.

"Hello, big boy," I said, giving it the middle finger.

The eye blinked, and its tentacles thrashed around, trying to swat me out of the air.

It was hard to move while floating, but I managed to twist my body out of the way.

"That's right, come and get me," I said.

The demon opened its mouth and black smoke spilled forth like a cloud of death.

"Bastion," Eliaria shouted, a note of panic in her voice.

"I see it," I yelled.

I could have cast [Shroud Form], to save myself from the toxic cloud, but if I was going to kill this thing with a single blow I'd need the spell to be maximized.

I dived into the thick black smoke. My vision blurred, pain searing through my body. I ignored the burning sensation in my lungs, and held my breath.

"Flint!" I yelled, "I need those caskets now!"

I heard him call out a reply, but I was too deep in the smoke to make out what he'd said. I streaked through the smoke and entered the mouth of the demon.

It was dark inside, the only light coming from the moonlight streaking between the gaps in its teeth. I summoned [Candlewick Sprite] and the creature burst into flames, lighting up the darkness.

"Flint!" I yelled, hoping he'd be able to hear me.

A few moments later, I saw him materialize a few inches in front of the demon's eye. He slammed his staff into the pupil, and it burst, a geyser of fluid spurting forth.

I felt the demon's body thrashing beneath me, its tentacles writhing and flailing.

Flint's portal opened above the demon's mouth, and out poured caskets of venomous gasses, bouncing off jutted teeth and falling into the monster's gaping maw.

The demon's bloodied eye turned towards Flint, and a tentacle shot out, slamming into him and knocking him out of the air.

My body felt like it was on fire, my lungs seared as I struggled to breathe. I pushed through the pain and focused on the task at hand. I raised a shaky hand aiming at the pile of caskets, and cast, [Toxic Barrage].

The spell shot from my fingertips, the force of the blast propelling me backwards. I flew through the air and commanded the fire sprite to ignite the venomous gasses.

A wave of heat and pressure erupted from the demon's mouth, and I cast [Shroud Form], and a cool relief flooded through me. The explosion tore the beast's head apart and sent me soaring through the air, the world rushing past in a blur.

As I fell [Shroud Form] ended, the shadows retreating back into the darkness. I braced myself for impact, my mind racing. There was a thud and I hit the ground, rolling across the battleground.

I lay there, my chest heaving, the cool mud pressed against my face. I looked up and saw the demon's body lying dead, a massive hole where its head had been.

My body felt like one big bruise, but I was alive.

Above the monster, high in the sky, sat the rift. There were no more demons falling from it, but it remained in the sky like a gaping wound, leaking evil.

Flint's face appeared above me, a broad grin on his face. "I don't know if I should call you an idiot or a genius," he said, a hint of laughter in his voice.

"Is it over?" I croaked, my lungs still burning.

"The demons are dead," the captain said, offering me his hand, "but the rift remains open."

I let him pull me to my feet and staggered forward, the world spinning around me.

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"It means it's not over yet," Flint said, his smile faltering.

I looked up at the rift, a sense of dread creeping over me.

"The battle isn't over yet," I said, feeling the weight of the words.

I turned and saw the survivors, the ven'thik, and the remaining members of the guard, standing together. They were battered and bloody, but they were still alive.

"We'll keep watch," Captain Zak'Sho said, "make sure nothing comes through."

"I need a drink," Flint said.

"I'll join you," Eliaria said, exhaustion lining her face.

We stumbled towards the camp, the adrenaline fading from my system. As we walked, I could feel the ache and pain of my wounds, my body protesting every step. What would come through the rift next, I didn't know. All I knew was that if Patches was involved, it wouldn't be good.

Eliaria took my hand and looked up at me, her eyes tired but warm.

"Well, we did it," she said, "we survived another day."

I squeezed her hand and gave her a weak smile.

"Yeah," I said, "I guess we did."

"You don't seem happy about it," she said, her brow furrowing.

"I'm just tired," I said, "and my body hurts all over."

It was the truth, but not the whole truth. Something was bothering me, and I didn't know what it was. It felt like there was something important that I was missing, but I couldn't figure out what it was. Patches was not some psycho killer, he had a plan, but what did attacking this village achieve, why throw all these demon lives away?

Whatever the captain was hiding from us, was at the heart of this mess. If I wanted to put an end to the attacks, I would need to figure out what he was hiding.

"You know what would make me feel better," I said, a wicked grin on my face.

"I hope it has something to do with bathing," she said, a hint of mischief in her voice. "You smell like demon guts."

"It does," I said, leaning in and kissing her on the forehead. "Maybe you could join me, and make sure I don't fall asleep in the bath."

"Oh. I'm sure I can think of something to keep you awake," she said, her lips curling into a smile.

I pulled her close, my arm around her shoulders.

"But first," I said, "I think we should have a little chat with the captain."

***