I already know I can't channel the mana into Ruby, and if I try to hold it in me I will die for sure. I can only think of one other option, and with no time to spare for second thoughts I immediately start channeling all the mana into Blitz and Black Razor.

I quickly realize I am only channeling the archmage's mana but can't spare any attention to try and figure out what happened to the demon's mana. I am in quite a bit of pain but ignore it as best as I can and just keep shoving mana out of me as fast as I can.

Everything goes black for a second and when I blink my eyes open I find myself lying against the far wall of the cave. I can hear sounds of fighting, Ruby needs me! I push myself to my feet and find my left hip hurts, I look down to find my flesh burned and torn and Black Razor is not there. A quick look around shows no sign of it, I guess it couldn't handle the mana and exploded.

That must be how I ended up unconscious and against the cave wall. I shake the thoughts from my head and look for Ruby. I see her dodging the demon's attacks, but she is being pushed back and is about to run out of room. I charge towards the demon, ignoring the pain from my hip. I draw Blitz, glad to see that it is intact, I don't even have time to wonder why the lightning is black now.

I rush at full speed at the demon, I am hardly making a sound, but somehow the demon senses me and starts to turn towards me. I hit the demon at full speed and bury Blitz to the hilt in the side of its wolf body. I bounce back and rip Blitz out and throw myself backwards. I see the demon's hand coming towards me, I am almost out of reach as it passes my face.

Just one claw lightly hits the left side of my face, suddenly my vision is half gone, my left eye stops working. I hit the ground on my back and roll backwards to my feet. I can see the demon is bleeding where I hit it with Blitz, at least I can hurt it. It has a few other shallow wounds that are bleeding a little, those must be from Ruby.

The demon is suddenly right in front of me and swinging its right hand down at me with claws out. I dodge to my right to avoid it, but it was a feint! I completely fell for it and don't even realize it until it's left fist hits me in the chest.

You have suffered a slam attack! Damage 372 HP!

HP: 883/1255

I hear a loud crunch and I fly back until I hit the cave wall, I feel like I just got hit by a truck. My chest armor is lying in lots of little pieces between me and the demon, and from the pain when I manage to pull in a breath I think I have some broken ribs. I look up to see the demon coming towards me, I still have Blitz in my hand so I struggle to my feet.

If I am going to die I will die fighting! Suddenly the demon is engulfed in blue flames, with a roar it turns around to face Ruby. I can't leave her to face it alone, I force myself to straighten up and start walking towards the demon. I really need to hit it and move out of range before it hits me again.

'Dash!'

*Insufficient mana!*

'What?! How can that be? Mana!'

MP: 0/0

'What?!? How can that be? What have I done to myself?'

No time! Have to focus, I start moving faster towards the demon, it is going to sense me and start to turn around again. It turned to it's right last time so I angle towards it's left as I build up speed.

As I hoped, when I get close enough it starts to turn to it's right. So I run at full speed right past it's back legs, as I pass I swing Blitz, slashing across the back of both it's back legs. It lets out a roar and jumps away from me, I skid to a stop next to Ruby.

"Hi!"

Ruby says "Don't 'Hi' me you lunatic! Where have you been?"

"Sorry, I took an unexpected nap. You okay?"

Ruby says "Not dead but not doing so hot either, look out it's coming back!"

I look up to see the demon moving towards me, it seems to be moving slower which is good. I start moving to my right while Ruby moves the opposite direction. The demon stays focused on me, guess I pissed it off.

I stop moving and crouch and let it come to me, right as it gets in range to attack me I see a flash of blue pass behind it as Ruby hits it's already wounded legs. It roars, rears up, and starts to twist around to go after Ruby, seeing an opening I launch myself as hard as I can straight at the thing. I slash Blitz across it's chest right before I slam into it with my shoulder, it goes over backwards with me on top of it.

I jump clear as it crashes to the ground and hit the ground in a roll to make sure I am far enough away when I come back to my feet. The demon is just getting back to its feet as I stand and turn to face it, I can't see Ruby but I don't want to take my eyes off the demon to look for her. I see the demon take a deep breath and even as I see the glow forming in it's open mouth I am throwing myself into a dive to my left.

I feel the intense heat behind me as the demon breathes a cone of hellfire at where I was a second ago, I hear a female scream as I roll back to my feet and immediately charge the demon.

"Ruby??"

Ruby says "I'm alright, I've just never been burned before, it surprised me."

Hearing Ruby's answer I am relieved as I charge in at the demon which is still spewing hellfire, I notice it has its eyes closed to protect them from the glare of the flames. This is my best chance, I charge in under it and slide under it's wolf body, I slash up across its stomach as I slide out the other side and roll back to my feet. I run a few steps before turning to see where the demon is, big mistake!

It is right behind me and I am about to get trampled! Luckily with it's injured legs I am just slightly faster and manage to stay just out of reach. The problem now is I am running right at a wall and don't have much room to maneuver, if I try to turn it will be able to hit me. The cave is mostly round, so the walls are curved, guess I will try something stupid.

I hit the wall at full speed and run straight up it, I do okay right up until the entire wall shakes from the demon running into it, I manage to push off enough that I fall to the floor behind the demon.