Kunal glanced down.
The cub had done it.
Somehow, the little cub had found his sword and dragged it back to him, its small body trembling but determined.
A faint smile almost touched Kunal's lips—until the dizziness struck.
The world tilted.
His vision blurred.
His balance faltered.
He could barely stand.
But the sword was back in his hand.
And that meant he was not finished.
Not yet.
A violent tremor shook the basement floor.
The demon charged at him again—full speed, like a living avalanche.
Kunal reacted instantly.
He grabbed the cub and hurled it toward the staircase.
Then he rolled sideways just as the demon crashed into the spot where he had been standing.
The impact shattered stone.
Kunal staggered to his feet, chest burning.
In this condition… I won't last long.
He looked toward the basement exit.
"Go!" he ordered the cub. "Get out!"
The creature hesitated for a split second—then vanished up the stairs.
Good.
Now it was just him.
His eyes darted toward the narrow tunnel on the far side.
It was small—barely wide enough for a human.
The demon would never fit inside.
That was his only chance.
He rushed to the wall, inhaled deeply, and forced himself into the tunnel.
The air was thick. Stale. Suffocating.
He crawled forward—
And suddenly—
A crushing grip locked around his ankle.
The demon.
It had reached inside.
Kunal's breath hitched. He had no idea how long this tunnel stretched—or how long he would have to hold his breath.
He kicked violently, trying to free himself.
The demon's grip tightened like iron.
Pain shot up his leg.
Grinding his teeth, Kunal twisted his body just enough to swing his sword.
Steel met flesh.
A sharp slash.
The demon roared.
Its grip loosened—
And Kunal tore his leg free.
He crawled forward with everything he had left, lungs burning, chest screaming for air.
The tunnel felt endless.
Darkness pressed in from all sides.
His vision flickered.
Just when he thought he would collapse—
Light.
He burst out from the other end and collapsed onto solid ground, dragging in air like a drowning man breaking the surface.
He looked around.
No water here.
The basement had been flooded before, but this section was dry.
"Higher ground…" he muttered. "That's why."
Then—
A deep cracking sound echoed from the wall behind him.
The ground trembled.
Dust trickled from the ceiling.
He didn't need to look to understand.
The demon was breaking through.
"I need the book… before it gets here."
He scanned the area frantically, searching for an exit.
There.
A gate.
He ran toward it—
But before he could reach the handle—
The wall exploded.
The demon burst through in a storm of concrete and dust.
Its eyes burned red now.
With one hand, it lifted a massive chunk of rock and hurled it at him.
Kunal dove aside.
The rock shattered the ground where he had stood.
Silence followed.
Then the demon spoke.
Its voice echoed unnaturally, deep and thunderous.
"How long will you run, soldier?"
It stepped forward slowly.
"And how long do you think you can escape?"
Its eyes locked onto his.
"No matter how small or great the problem is… a human must face it."
"If you lose, you leave with experience."
"So pick up your sword."
"And fight me."
Kunal didn't understand why a demon would say something like that.
But something in its tone felt… deliberate.
Testing.
Teaching.
He exhaled slowly.
And raised his blade.
The demon attacked first.
A devastating strike slammed into the ground where Kunal stood.
The impact was so powerful that its arm plunged deep into the earth.
Dust erupted everywhere.
For a second—
Nothing was visible.
Then the air cleared.
The demon blinked.
Kunal was gone.
A voice came from behind it.
"Thank you."
The demon tried to turn—
But it couldn't move.
Its arms wouldn't respond.
Its neck refused to rotate.
A thin line of blood appeared along its wrist.
Then another at its shoulder.
Then its throat.
One by one—
Its limbs slid from its body.
Flesh separating cleanly.
Its head began to fall.
As it dropped, its eyes found Kunal.
And a small smile curved across its face.
Again.
Kunal stared back at it.
Breathing heavily.
Then—
Darkness crept into his vision.
His fingers loosened.
The sword slipped from his hand and clattered to the ground.
His knees buckled.
He collapsed.
Unconscious.
The demon's body dissolved into the air like smoke.
But before it vanished completely—
A trace of its ash drifted downward.
And settled over Kunal's body...
© Kunal Singh
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