Ethan drew a deep breath, trying to steady the pounding in his chest. Panic wouldn't help him now—not with that demon looming like a stormcloud ready to break. If he tried to fight head-on, he wouldn't even get the chance to run.
So he chose a different path.
He shifted his stance, centering his breath, pulling his energy inward. A flicker of resolve lit his eyes. Then, with a sharp motion, he carved a massive wheel of sword-light into the air, its edges humming with raw power. His plan: tear open the rift in space and slip through before the demon could react.
But the demon didn't even flinch. He waved a hand, casual as brushing away a fly.
"You think you can escape?" he said, voice smooth and amused.
Light flared at his fingertips. In the next instant, a sphere of energy coalesced midair—dense, radiant, and pulsing with annihilation. It shot toward Ethan like a meteor, trailing a wake of warped space behind it.
BOOM—
