None of it worked.
It barely made Thanatos pause.
Growling, Zarek rushed him.
They fell to the ground fighting. Zarek kicked and punched with everything he had.
Thanatos was getting bloodier, but then, so was he.
"You can't kill me, Dark-Hunter."
"If you bleed, you can die."
Thanatos shook his head. "That's only a myth humans tell each other to feel better."
Zarek kicked him back and unsheathed his retractable sword. He pressed the button in the hilt, extending it out to its full five-foot length. "Dark-Hunters are myths too but if you cut our heads off, we die. What about you? Can you reattach your head?"
He saw panic flicker in the Daimon's eyes.
"I didn't think so." Zarek arced the blade up.
Thanatos ducked and twirled away from him. He pulled a large, ornamental dagger from his belt.
Zarek's sword skills were a bit rusty, but as they fought, his memory came back to him.
Oh, yeah, he remembered well how to skewer things.
He cut Thanatos across the chest. The Daimon hissed and stumbled back.
"You look afraid, Thanatos."
He curled his lips. "I fear nothing, least of all you."
Thanatos attacked him before he could pull back. He caught Zarek's sword arm and twisted it. Zarek hissed as pain sliced through him.
But that was nothing compared to the stab wound Thanatos delivered to his left arm.
He cursed.
His arm numb, Zarek couldn't hold on to the sword.
Thanatos knocked him to the ground.
He put his knee on Zarek's spine and pulled his hair until his neck was exposed.
Zarek tried to buck him off, but there was nothing he could do except wait for Thanatos to cut his head off.
The dagger's blade cut into his neck.
Zarek held his breath, afraid to move lest he help the blade slice his throat.
Just as the blade cut into his neck, a blast of light flared across the snow, hitting Thanatos and knocking him back.
Zarek collapsed facedown in the snow.
"No, no, no," Simi said as she appeared in human form beside Zarek. "Akri said you can't kill Zarek. Bad Thanatos."
His body aching beyond belief, Zarek rolled over onto his back as Thanatos rose to his feet.