Nox remained frozen in front of the cabin’s destroyed doorway.

Snow fell around the battle while the inquisitor’s flames melted the ground around her.

His heart was still pounding hard.

He didn’t know what to do.

Audrey was outside fighting.

Claws was roaring as he tried to tear the woman apart.

And he...

He was just watching.

Then he remembered that alley again.

Jessica.

Or rather, Emma.

The blood.

The knife piercing through his body.

And himself trying to protect someone even when he knew he could die.

Nox gritted his teeth.

’...Then why am I hesitating now?’

Outside, Audrey let out another furious scream.

The massive dark arrow shot out from her bow.

The inquisitor twisted her body just in time, but the arrow pierced through her shoulder and exploded behind her, sending snow and rocks flying.

"Tch!"

Claws instantly took advantage of the opening.

The enormous bear roared as he attacked from the side.

His gigantic claws collided with the flaming spear, scattering burning sparks everywhere.

The monster was fighting without caring about the pain.

Because he could feel Audrey’s rage.

And he wanted to destroy the one who had destroyed his family.

Audrey kept firing dark arrows from behind while Claws kept the inquisitor occupied.

They were fighting together.

Like companions.

Nox watched the scene.

And felt something strange inside his chest.

’I can’t keep being a burden.’

Audrey was his ally now.

The first heroine who had received his power.

He couldn’t just stand there watching.

Then...

BOOOOM.

The inquisitor unleashed an explosion of fire around her body.

Claws took the impact head-on.

The massive bear was violently blasted into the side of the cabin.

Part of the wall exploded into pieces.

"CLAWS!"

Audrey dropped the bow and pulled out Sienna’s knives.

Dark energy began wrapping around both blades.

Her eyes were filled with hatred.

The inquisitor slowly pulled one of the dark arrows out of her leg.

Blood dripped onto the melted snow.

Then she smiled.

"You’re going to pay for those."

Another arrow was still lodged through part of her back.

The woman ripped that one out too.

"You’re going to end up worse than your sisters."

Audrey’s eyes trembled violently.

But she kept advancing.

Nox quickly looked around the destroyed cabin.

Then he saw another knife on the table.

Bigger.

Probably used for cooking.

Nox swallowed hard.

’...Shit.’

He grabbed it.

And before he could regret it...

He charged toward the inquisitor.

"AHHHH!"

The woman turned in surprise just as Audrey appeared from the other side.

Then both attacked at the same time.

Nox began moving instinctively.

His body was different.

Lighter. Faster. Stronger.

He could keep up.

He leapt forward, narrowly dodging the flaming spear by mere centimeters.

And Audrey appeared behind the woman, slashing with the dark knives.

The inquisitor stepped back laughing.

"HAHAHA!"

Nox lunged again.

His knife clashed against the spear.

’...I can do this.’

He no longer felt like a small useless demon.

Audrey appeared again from the side.

And Nox attacked from the front.

It was strange.

They moved as if they had known each other for years.

As if they knew exactly what the other would do.

The inquisitor started receiving cuts.

One on the arm.

Another on the leg.

But instead of getting annoyed...

The woman kept laughing.

"Now this is fun!"

Then the energy in the center of her spear began compressing.

Nox’s eyes widened.

"...Audrey?"

The inquisitor smiled.

"BOOM."

The spear exploded.

Fire burst out in every direction.

Nox felt the impact tear through his body.

And he was blasted through the air together with Audrey.

The small demon crashed and rolled across the snow.

"AGH—!"

His whole body hurt.

He slowly lifted his head.

And saw the inquisitor, with part of her armor broken, walking toward him through flames and steam.

The woman rested the spear on her shoulder.

"The church sent me to exterminate a demonic plague."

Her reddish eyes glowed as she approached.

"But it seems you’re just a child."

Nox tried to stand.

The woman smiled wider.

"Don’t worry."

The flames around the spear intensified.

"I don’t discriminate by age or size."

Then she raised the spear, ready to impale him.

Nox felt danger approaching.

And his body reacted on its own.

He vanished to the side.

The inquisitor’s eyes widened slightly.

Nox appeared crouched behind her.

And slashed her with the knife.

The blade sliced through both her heels.

"—GH?!"

The inquisitor instantly lost her balance.

And dropped to her knees in the snow.

Behind them...

Audrey was standing there.

Concentrating an absurd amount of dark energy onto her bow.

The arrow was enormous.

Black lightning exploded around it.

"Nox!"

He quickly turned around.

"Get down!"

Nox obeyed instantly.

And in the next second, the dark arrow shot forward like a bolt of lightning.

The inquisitor barely managed to turn her head.

And then...

The arrow pierced completely through her torso.

The impact split her body in half.

The upper half was launched several meters away.

While her legs remained kneeling in the snow.

The inquisitor collapsed onto the ground, still conscious.

Coughing blood.

But even then...

She was still laughing.

"Haha..."

Claws appeared behind her, injured and burned.

The massive bear raised his gigantic claws, ready to crush her.

"Come on..."

The inquisitor barely lifted her gaze.

"Finish me."

But Audrey spoke quickly.

"Claws, stop."

The bear hesitated.

Audrey slowly lowered her bow.

Dark energy still surrounded her.

"If we waste more time here, we won’t escape."

Nox breathed heavily as he stood up from the snow.

"What?"

Audrey looked toward the dark forest behind the cabin.

"...I can hear them."

Nox frowned.

"Hear what?"

"More inquisitors."

The wind blew through the snow-covered trees.

"They’re moving through the forest."

Nox felt a chill run down his spine.

"...Shit."

Audrey quickly turned toward him.

"We need to get down the mountain."

The inquisitor let out another small laugh from the ground.

"You’re not as stupid as I thought..."

Nox looked at her with absolute exhaustion.

"...I’m already tired of hearing this damn bitch talk."

Then he lifted one leg.

And kicked the woman’s torso.

The body went rolling directly toward a nearby cliff.

The inquisitor’s laughter slowly faded as she fell into the darkness.

Audrey stared at Nox for a few seconds.

And suddenly started laughing through her tears.

Claws let out an amused little growl while wagging his tail behind her.

Nox breathed heavily while staring at the cliff.

"...I think now we really need to run."