I find myself face-to-face with the leader, which was my aim. Mung Demons work as a pack, and with their leader down, their orchestrated attack will become chaotic, making it easier for us to overpower them.
I face off with the giant Mung Demon.
“You had your chance, God,” it snarls.
It runs at me, claws outstretched. I jump back just in time to avoid being disemboweled. I stab out with my dagger, but the leader jumps to one side and manages to scratch its claws down my side. Red-hot pain grabs me and I grit my teeth and try to ignore it. We circle each other, both waiting for our moment. A lone Mung Demon catches my eye to my right as it scurries closer to me. Without taking my eyes off the leader, I wait for the right moment, and when I sense it’s about to grab me, I swipe out with my knife and slit its throat.
The leader moves in closer as my knife is busy with the other Mung Demon. I throw a punch that connects with the leader’s chest, but I honestly think it hurts my fist more than it hurts the demon. I move my knife back in front of me and stab toward the leader. I manage to get the tip into its stomach, but it’s not enough of a wound to slow the leader down any.
It keeps coming at me and I back up a little, still waiting for my chance to take it down. It laughs and runs toward me. I stick my knife out, hoping it will impale itself on my blade, but it sees the move coming and swipes the knife from my hand. I am suddenly falling as my feet get tangled up in a vine that grows across the forest floor, hidden by the long grass.
I go down hard and the Mung Demon leader throws itself on top of me. Its claws are dangerously close to my face as I press my hands against its chest, holding it off. I can feel the heat inside of me as my body begins to burn, and I realize I’m looking into the flaming orbs. I blink and force myself to look away from them and my body cools down before I can burst into flames. I punch up at the leader’s face as a claw comes flying toward me.
From nowhere, a foot flies in and smacks the leader in the temple. It goes flying to one side and I jump up and grab my knife from the ground, sticking it straight through the Mung Demon’s chest.
Jinx laughs. “Remind me again why you think Sailor needs your protection. You’re the one who needed rescuing, and I swear she’s on fire.”
I follow Jinx’s gaze. Sailor is surrounded by four Mung Demons, and while my natural instinct is to run to her side, I am so mesmerized by her movements that I hesitate. The couple of seconds I hesitate for is all Sailor seems to need to prove she’s anything but weak. She jumps into the air and kicks out, taking down two Mung Demons with a boot to the face. She lands and spins and her dagger finds the eye of the third Mung Demon. The fourth one reaches for her but before its claw can make contact, she cuts its arm in two and then finishes it off with a swift kick to the face.
“Well shit,” I breathe.
“Yeah. Looks like her training paid off. It’s brought out the natural reflexes of the Paradox.”
A Mung Demon spots Jinx and I and runs toward us. A quick flick of Jinx’s wrist and the demon falls to the ground writhing in agony. Killing the leader worked like I hoped it would and the Mung Demons no longer attack in organized groups. They flail around, attacking when they see fit and making easy work for the team.
Aziza and Ya-Ya are moving through the remaining demons in a pair, showering the ground with bodies as they go. Mel and Grace are doing a similar trick on the other side of the clearing.
A small pile of Mung Demons are gathered in the center of the clearing, and Jinx and I work out what’s happening at the same time. We both shout Sunday’s name and run toward the pileup of demons. I swipe out with my knife, cutting through Mung Demons as Jinx does the same. We drag their bodies away, throwing them to each side until finally, we reveal Sunday at the bottom of the pile.
I have to look away for a second as bile floods my mouth. Sunday is a burnt-out wreck, skin hanging off him all over. His leg is bent in three places and one of his eyes is leaking yellow pus down his cheek.
I look back toward him and spot a Mung Demon walking toward me. I reach out with my knife and suddenly, I am surrounded. Even without their leader, the Mung Demons can sense that Sunday is almost dead, and they seem to instinctively know if they can keep me away from him, then he’s dead.
I swipe out blindly with my knife and the rest of the team run to help me. We manage to kill the remaining demons, but it’s taken time; time Sunday didn’t have. Mel drops to her knees beside Sunday, screaming his name. She is trying desperately to heal him but her emotions are getting in the way. Sailor puts her hand
