Ness held his baseball cap tight to his head and stood his ground as the fierce winds threatened to throw him off the edge of the cliff. He squinted his eyes at the massive figure in front of them, an enormous red beast with four legs, slick pointed yellow eyes, tiny black wings, and a row of unreasonably sharp and jagged fangs. He looked to his right to see the twins Lucas and Claus, still standing firm in the face of their foe. “Guys!” he called out to them over the winds and the thunder. “Go around the sides distract him! I’ll hit him high!”

Claus gripped his sword & looked at Lucas, and with a big grin on his face shouted back to Ness,” Ready!”

Lucas looked unsettled as lightning flashed across the black sky, but nodded back at Ness nonetheless.

Ness turned his attention back to the beast in front of them, which was rearing up on its hind legs and now roaring at them, adding to the chaos. “He gripped his bat tightly with his free hand. “Now!”

Lucas and Claus suddenly burst forward as the creature’s front came back down, and split around each of its sides as it landed. The beast looked from one to the other in surprise and took a few steps back. By the time it realized what was happening, Ness was already above it.

The glowing bat burned in his hands as he bore down on the beast from above, and he swung it with all his might down into the monster’s left eye. It popped with the force of the blow, and Ness was thrown back in a shower acidic, black blood. He hit the rock hard as he landed, and his whole body was badly burned. The beast screamed in pain and focused his remaining eye on Ness, preparing to smash him with a massive foot.

Down below, Lucas and Claus had about-faced and were sprinting back between the creature’s front legs and under its head. Claus grabbed Lucas by the arm as they ran. “Brace yourself!” he said to his brother.

“Wha?” Lucas squeaked as Claus swung him around, then hurled him with great force toward Ness.

“Lucas?!” Ness barely managed to stop him in time, and fell to his knees with the effort.

Lucas quickly turned around to face the monster about to crush them. He thrust his arms up toward it and shouted, “SHIELD!”

A bright yellow light eminated from his palms, spreading in the air between them and the beast. It’s foot came crashing down on it, but was stopped in the act.

Lucas cringed under the weight, then shouted as the shield shone brightly and repelled the monster’s foot.

Ness got back to his feet and staggered over to Lucas while the beast suddenly jerked its head around to look behind itself. “Thanks,” he said.

Meanwhile, Claus had run farther behind the beast and gave one of its hind legs a nice cut to buy the others some time. Unfortunately for him, its tail was very heavy and swinging madly, and he was backed against a wall.

Lucas’s shield dissipated and he nodded before placing a hand on Ness’ shoulder. He closed and eyes in concentration as soft green light flowed from his hand and into his friend.

Ness relaxed as he could feel the burns disappearing and was surveying the monster turning about in front of them. “Lucas!” he said as he realized what happened. “Your brother!”

Lucas opened his eyes, and could clearly see Claus brandishing his sword at the monster’s flailing tail while its head slowly turned around to his back.

Ness raised his left hand and pointed his open palm at the beast’s now exposed neck, while Lucas did the same with his right by Ness’ side. “FIRE!” they shouted together. Their hands glowed a bright red, and a brilliant orange light shot forth directly at the monster, which connected solidly with the side of its neck.

The demon shrieked in pain and its tail stiffened as its neck burned. Claus seized this opportunity to leap forward into the air, and slash the thing