ShadowBound: The Need For Power

The Malgath, standing tall on its two feet, suddenly dropped to all fours. Why? The demon could sense the shift in the air. The aura which Liam was now exuding did not belong to prey but rather to a predator.

The Malgath now regarded Liam as an equal—a fellow predator. Though Liam was battered and bloodied, his presence radiated a deadly intent that hadn't been there before.

'Looks like it has also decided to take this very seriously. With that posture, this is nothing more than a fight for survival now,' Liam thought, his gaze locked on the Malgath.

'Thanks to its attacks earlier, one of my daggers is shattered. Fighting this thing with just one dagger won't be enough.' He glanced briefly at his remaining weapon.

'Flame Concentration and Compression are the only ways out of this.' He exhaled, as he assessed the creature in front of him.

The Malgath crouched low, its body taut like a spring, sizing him up with primal intensity.

"Well, if you won't come to me…" Liam muttered.

In an instant, Liam vanished, leaving behind only a scorching burst of flames where he had been standing. He reappeared directly in front of the Malgath, his dagger poised in his left hand for a vicious slash aimed at the demon's neck.

"…then I'll come to you."

The Malgath reacted with a speed that belied its massive form, twisting its head just in time to bring one of its razor-sharp horns around, aiming to impale Liam through the chest.

But Liam was ready. In the split second before the horn could make contact, he ignited the flames at his feet, propelling himself into a midair twist. The maneuver carried him clear of the deadly strike, his body narrowly avoiding the lethal thrust.

Using the momentum from his twist, Liam channeled his fiery energy into his right palm. With precision and ferocity, he delivered a blazing slap directly to the Malgath's jaw.

The moment his palm connected, the energy detonated in a fiery explosion that shook the forest. The Malgath roared in pain as the force sent its massive body hurtling through the trees, crashing through trunks and splintering wood as it was flung deep into the forest once more.

Liam landed softly on the ground, the flames at his feet dissipating as he straightened. "Its hide is still tough. Makes sense, since its regeneration ability is high."

"I have to use more fire power then."

The Malgath erupted from the forest debris with feral speed, charging toward Liam like a thunderous avalanche.

It swiped its massive claws at Liam in a vicious arc, aiming to rip him apart. Liam, remaining composed, ducked low at the last second, flames bursting beneath his feet to propel him backward.

The ground cracked under Liam's feet as he launched a compressed fireball directly at the Malgath's chest. The fiery orb whistled through the air like a cannonball, detonating upon impact with a deafening roar. Flames engulfed the demon, scorching the earth beneath it, but the Malgath didn't falter.

Letting out an enraged roar, the Malgath burst through the flames, its charred skin regenerating as it leaped at Liam. Its claws came down in a double-handed hammer strike, the force shattering the ground as Liam barely managed to sidestep.

Using the momentum, Liam twisted his body and delivered a fiery roundhouse kick to the demon's ribcage. The explosion from the kick sent shockwaves through the forest, trees trembling as the heatwave scorched the surroundings.

The Malgath stumbled but retaliated instantly, whipping its massive tail in a horizontal arc. The tail smashed into Liam's side before he could fully recover, sending him skidding across the ground. He flipped midair, digging his dagger into the earth to steady himself as flames swirled around him, forming a protective barrier.

Liam charged forward again, his flames burning brighter and hotter as he launched a barrage of fireball. The Malgath snarled as it swatted some away, the others exploding on its body with enough force to create craters. Yet, its relentless regeneration allowed it to shrug off the damage as it closed the gap.

The Malgath lunged, aiming to crush Liam's head with a downward claw strike. Liam stepped into the attack, sliding his dagger upward to intercept the claw. Sparks flew as dagger met steel flesh, and Liam used his momentum to spin into a fiery slash aimed at the demon's neck.

The dagger's edge grazed the Malgath's thick hide but failed to cut deep enough. The demon retaliated immediately, snapping its horned head toward Liam in an attempt to impale him. Liam twisted his body, the tip of the horn grazing his side as he retaliated with a fiery palm strike to the demon's jaw.

The force of the blow snapped the Malgath's head back, flames licking its face as it staggered. But it quickly recovered, lunging forward and delivering a brutal punch to Liam's torso. The impact sent Liam flying, smashing through several trees before he flipped midair and landed heavily, his boots skidding against the scorched ground.

Both combatants stood facing each other, battered but unyielding. Blood trickled from Liam's lips, his dagger trembling in his grip.

'The regeneration is being a real pain in the ass,' Liam thought as he steadied his stance.

The Malgath snarled, baring its charred fangs as it charged again, claws and tail swinging. Liam dodged and parried, his flames flaring with each movement. He aimed his attacks with precision, his dagger slashing at the demon's neck while his fire magic targeted its jaw and chest.

A compressed fireball struck the Malgath square in its core, the explosion sending flames cascading outward in a fiery dome. The Malgath howled in pain, its body momentarily faltering, but its regeneration kicked in, sealing the damage before Liam could follow up.

Liam growled in frustration but didn't let up. He leaped into the air, igniting his feet to deliver a fiery downward kick to the demon's face. The impact sent the Malgath crashing into the ground, but it retaliated almost immediately, grabbing Liam's leg midair and slamming him into the earth.

The ground split under the force of the blow, but Liam's flames erupted around him, creating a fiery shockwave that forced the Malgath to release him. He rolled to his feet, coughing blood.

'I think I just found a way to kill it. If I can't cut off its head and destroy the core at the same time, I'll just have to burn everything from the inside,' Liam thought as he straightened himself, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand.

'This might even burn me up, but this demon has really gotten on my nerves since it arrived. That kind of death is much deserved,' he thought, his gaze locking onto the Malgath, which prowled just a few meters away.

"Well, let's make this our final round," Liam muttered.

He began channeling nearly all of his myst into his right arm. The process was excruciating, as if molten iron was pouring into his veins, but Liam didn't flinch. His entire arm started to glow like molten rock, veins of fiery light tracing down to his clenched fist. He flexed his fingers, the air around him distorting from the sheer heat radiating off his body.

"You are so gonna get roasted."

The Malgath snarled, its nostrils flaring as it sensed the overwhelming power radiating from Liam. But instead of fear, fury drove the demon forward. With a guttural roar, it charged at Liam, its claws gleaming and spread wide, ready to tear him apart.

As the beast closed the distance, Liam exhaled deeply, shifting his stance. His right arm pulsed with fiery energy, the heat intensifying as he drew his fist back. The Malgath's claws slashed through the air, aimed directly for Liam's head, but he moved with a speed that defied its reflexes.

A slight tilt of his head allowed the claws to miss by mere inches, the wind of their passing ruffling his hair. In the same fluid motion, Liam planted his feet firmly into the ground and twisted his torso, using the momentum to launch his glowing fist forward.

The punch connected squarely with the Malgath's chest, the impact detonating like a volcanic eruption. A massive shockwave of heat and force radiated outward, incinerating the surrounding trees and splitting the earth beneath their feet. The sheer intensity of the blow sent the demon flying backward like a cannonball, smashing through trees, boulders, and the ground itself.

Liam stood his ground, his right arm still glowing faintly as steam rose from his body. He coughed, blood splattering onto the scorched dirt, but his expression remained stoic. "That sure did some damage, but I didn't connect how I wanted," he muttered, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

He glanced toward the wreckage, where the Malgath lay among the debris. The creature stirred, dragging itself to its feet with a guttural growl. A gaping hole now marred its right side, dangerously close to its glowing core, yet not close enough.

Liam narrowed his eyes as he watched the Malgath's regeneration kick in. The process was noticeably slower, the damage he'd inflicted taking its toll, but the demon's ferocity was undiminished.

"How irritating," Liam said under his breath.

The Malgath charged at Liam, its claws slashing the air. However, Liam didn't back down; with a grunt of effort, he sidestepped the demon's first swipe, ducked beneath the second, and countered with a devastating kick to the Malgath's ribs, his leg engulfed in flames. The impact created a fiery explosion, sending shards of molten bark and embers scattering into the air.

The demon roared, enraged, and retaliated with a ferocious backhand, its claws grazing Liam's shoulder and ripping through his skin. The force of the hit sent Liam sliding across the ground, his boots digging into the dirt to stop himself from falling. Blood dripped from his wound, staining his tattered sleeve undergarment.

"I hope you've got more of that, cause your death sentence is just a few hits away."

The Malgath leaped toward him, its gaping maw aiming to devour him whole. Liam reacted just in time, twisting his body to evade the attack. As the beast passed him, Liam spun on his heel, his fist blazing with concentrated fire, and slammed it into the side of the demon's head. The strike sent the Malgath crashing into the ground, its body carving a deep trench through the forest floor.

Before the creature could rise, Liam pounced, igniting both legs in flames and delivering a brutal knee strike to the demon's chest. The Malgath howled in pain, its massive frame convulsing as cracks of searing heat spread across its blackened flesh. Still, it fought back, slashing at Liam with one claw. Liam blocked with his dagger, but the force of the blow disarmed him, the blade flying into the distance.

"Just made the work much easier." Liam growled, clenching his fists as his myst surged once more.

The Malgath lunged again, its horns aimed directly at his chest, but Liam was faster. He ducked low, his body weaving under the attack, and delivered an upward punch to the demon's jaw. The flames surrounding his fist erupted on impact, creating a fiery explosion that sent the demon hurtling skyward.

The Malgath soared into the air, flailing helplessly, its roar echoing across the blazing forest. Liam didn't wait. Channeling every ounce of myst into his legs, he leaped after the demon, flames trailing behind him like a comet. He reached the airborne beast, his fiery form illuminating the night, and struck it midair with a devastating spinning kick. The impact sent the Malgath plummeting back to the ground, the force creating a massive crater upon impact.

Landing beside the fallen creature, Liam didn't hesitate. He planted his foot on its chest to pin it down, his right hand glowing brighter than ever, the heat so intense that the air shimmered around it. With a roar of effort, he drove his fiery hand straight into the Malgath's chest, penetrating its flesh until he reached its core.

The Malgath shrieked, its body convulsing violently as Liam's flames surged into its core. The fire spread rapidly, igniting every inch of the demon's body from the inside out. The dark flesh of the Malgath cracked and glowed as if molten lava coursed through its veins. The creature thrashed and roared, its regeneration unable to keep up with the relentless inferno consuming it.

"Shut up and die." Liam growled, his voice low and cold as he twisted his embedded hand, releasing a final surge of fiery myst.

The Malgath's struggles grew weaker, its roars fading into a pained whimper. Its body crumbled under the weight of the fire, turning to ash as the flames reached their peak. Within moments, the Malgath was no more, only a smoldering pile of embers and glowing ash remaining where it had once stood.

Liam staggered back, his breathing ragged, his body trembling from the strain. His right arm was burned and blistered, the skin charred in some places.

"Why do I have to pass out after every fight?" Liam muttered as he collapsed to the ground.