Hopefully, I can distract

Purson stepped forward with a swing of his axe. I dodged by stepping to the side before striking with Cerviel's sword. It amounted to nothing. Purson knocked the sword away before striking at Cerviel's side.

"Cerviel, shield!"

The shield formed in time but flickered when the axe struck against it.

"The shield won't last against this type of attack," Cerviel said as we stepped back.

"Figured as much." I readied my stance as Purson recovered from his swing. The axe's tip formed several white spheres when the demon pointed it at me.

"Cerviel, prepare to dodge."

Multiple white beams exploded from the axe. A touch of Cerviel's counter boosters pushed us to the right, but it wasn't enough to dodge every beam. Three impacts slammed against the shield. I thought little of it until the shield turned dark red and exploded.

"Dammit!" I focused on the demon. The worst thing I could do was to let it out of my sight. "Cerviel, can you fix it?"

"No," she said.

I dodged Purson's next attack before striking at its head. The demon dodged with a twist of its head before landing a blow with its free hand.

"Critical damage." Flashing red lights punctuated Cerviel's warning. Pain flashed through my chest as Cerviel stumbled back.

"Fornax!" I took several backward steps as Purson regained his stance. "How far is the evacuation?"

"Two ships have returned to the Valik. The other three have initiated docking procedures."

"Evacuation?" Purson's head turned toward the Patlix dome.

"What?" I felt the blood drain from my face. "How did he..." My gaze fell over an icon inside my visor. One that indicated external speakers were turned on.

Purson heard everything.

"Shit... Fornax! You must finish, now!" I yelled as I engaged the demon. "The demon knows!"

Several white spheres had formed by the time I struck. They disappeared when the demon moved to block my blow. A push from Cerviel's counter boosters helped me dodge the incoming punch, but I didn't retreat. I spun Cerviel's sword and aimed another strike at its chest. The demon growled as it struck with the battle axe. My instinct was to step backward as I'd done before.

Cerviel had a different idea.

My left arm itched as she stepped forward. Cerviel's frame squealed when the axe's hilt slammed against her side, but it gave her an opening to sink both the extended gauntlet blade and her sword in Purson's chest.

"C'mon!" Cerviel extended the right gauntlet blade when I let go of her sword before I slammed it into the demon's chest as well. Purson screeched as it tried to push me away, but the force of Cerviel's counter boosters kept us pressed against its body.

"Attack, pilot Vega!"

I did.

I didn't think about Cerviel pushing the counter boosters beyond their limits. Neither did I worry about the evacuation ships leaving Asbestos. My only concern was to distract the King of Hell.

Which I did by repeatedly my gauntlet blades into its chest, repeated.

Left...

Right...

An impact against Cerviel's right leg sent pain shooting through my own. I immediately felt a newfound inertia as the leg struggled to move.

I ignored it.

Left...

Right...

The ground shook as Purson and I wrestled. Pained colored my body as the haptic suit protested against Purson's blows.

Left...

Right...

I gasped when something struck deep into Cerviel's back.

It didn't matter.

All that mattered was the next blow.

Left...

Right...

"Counter boosters overheated." The pressure against my back eased as Cerviel spoke.

"Keep... on..."

"Insolent pest!" Purson eyes glowed white before two beams struck Cerviel against the head.

"Critical damage!" Cerviel reported as she stumbled. Purson's blow had struck deep. Another blow would likely perforate Cerviel's head.

"Warning - incoming--"

I saw the attack coming. Purson stepped backward before grabbing Cerviel's shoulder and swinging his axe. I believe Cerviel would have dodged if she could, but she could do little with a damaged leg and broken boosters.

"Cerviel, no!"

The axe struck deep into Cerviel's chest.

"Personality c-c-coorrrreee... dam-a-a-a..."

Pain shot through my head as the cockpit turned black.