Jason Cosmo: Hero Wanted

Chapter 10

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We dove from our saddles. The sickle caught me in mid-air, cutting the back of my chainmail and what was left of my tunic from waist to collar. I hit the ground with an ugly, burning welt across my back.

Angry that he missed, Babbadabbas beheaded my horse. That was enough to send the other steed running straight into the wall of demonfire. The hellish flames incinerated it instantly. 

Babbadabbas alighted in our midst. He scooped up Rubis with his huge free hand, holding her aloft like a squirming doll.

"Unhand me, filthy demon!" shouted Rubis, beating at his hand. "And stop pawing my—"

"Rubis!" cried Sapphrina. She lunged for the demon. I intercepted her, pushed her behind me, and raised my sword.

"Run, pathetic insects!" boomed Babbadabbas, stamping at me with his massive foot. I leapt away, pulling Sapphrina with me. We almost fell into the wall of deadly demonfire. "You cannot escape me! Oh, this is grand sport!"

"Glad you enjoyed it," said Merc, defiantly standing his ground. "Because the game is over."

"Indeed it is!" agreed Babbadabbas. "You are mine!"

"You don't understand," said Merc. He raised his hands. A sudden updraft punched through the supernatural cloud cover, letting the bright morning sun shine full upon us.

"Nooooooo!" screamed Babbadabbas. His flesh sizzled, blistered, and burst. Sulphurous smoke filled the air. His huge form shrank. Babbadabbas lost fully half of his stature before the hellcloud reformed.

As the dwindling demon's hand shrank, Rubis squirmed free and fell to the ground. Babbadabbas snatched her up again, holding her in the crook of his still-massive arm. "You're not getting away, my pretty! As for you, wizard—that hurt!"

"It was supposed to. Pure sunlight is deadly to your kind."

"I know that!" said Babbadabbas.

"Let me go!" said Rubis, kicking and struggling.

"Never!" said the demon. "You are my shield!"

With that, he sprang at Merc, swinging his sickle. A blaze of demonfire split the air. The wizard nimbly dodged the blow. Babbadabbas pursued, slashing again and again.

"Cosmo, your sword would be useful about now!" Merc shouted.

"You said it was useless!"

"Now it isn't!"

I hacked at the demon's massive leg. Babbadabbas thrust Rubis into the path of my blade. I checked my swing just short of cutting her in half. Babbadabbas counterattacked. Sickle met sword with a clang. His hell‑forged weapon snapped my mortal blade like a dry twig.

"Now it's useless!" I cried. I hit the dirt as the sickle sought my neck.

"Good enough!" said Merc. With the demon distracted, he sent another burst of mental force upward, again punching through the hellcloud. Sunlight transfixed the demon. Babbadabbas screamed as his body smoked and sizzled and shrank to human size.

Keeping Rubis in his hold, Babbadabbas brought the flaming blade of his sickle near her neck. "Stop, wizard, or I'll sever her pretty head!"

"That won't stop me," snarled Merc.

"No!" cried Sapphrina. Dodging his bat-like wings, she pounced onto the demon's back and wrapped both arms around his throat. I lunged for his weapon, holding his arm with both hands to keep the infernal blade away from Rubis.