Gary cautiously approached the shrinking mass, ignoring the unknowing gazes of four teammates. His steps were light enough that they didn't leave an echo in the reverberating room. He hurriedly combed his fingers through his tangled black hair and tucked in the bits of leather hanging from his body to make himself more presentable.
Though he was unaware of demonic etiquette, it wouldn't hurt to look more presentable.
As he picked out a clump of dried blood from his locks, the spread of the inky fluid grew in size, it's dripping increasing in volume with each second the chain further dissolved.
Taking in the situation, his poor attempt at grooming grew increasingly frantic. Fingers wove through the knotted strands and palms forcefully rubbed over his dusty clothes, only removing the most obvious dirt and grime before time ran out.
And what little time he had left. As the chains vanished into light, a dark sphere was beginning to be revealed. Previously hidden underneath layers and layers of the imprisoning spell, it was now able to fully release whatever ilk that now poured from its surface.
Towering over Gary and his team, the jet-black mass began to undulate, with each upheaval releasing a deep groan that shook the room.
After one final, mighty swell, the black ball unfurled itself, with the dark ooze flowing and rearranging itself, forming the outline of some giant creature. But even with the emergence, the groaning that quacked the floor and walls continued, only growing in fervor.
Tightly pressing his palms against his ears, Gary watched on with a palpitating heart. A horrified look of realization began to dawn on his face, realizing that the sound that struck at his very soul did not originate from the black mass.
No, it came from the place itself. The ground did not tremble from the force of the sound; it was the source. It was not a cry of horror or menace, but one of jubilant glee.
Whatever... thing, this castle was, it was celebrating the return of its master.
The viscous liquid seemed to speed up its formation, heeding the cries of its servant. Soon, lines of veins and muscle began to appear, violently twitching as the ooze turned into something more resilient.
First was the torso. Then the legs. Arms quickly followed. Fingers, toes, joints, all of them formed in frightening fashion.
Standing frozen on the spot, it was only when the deep violet eyes opened that Gary realized the magnitude of what he was facing.
The eyes that were not even ten seconds old blinked in confusion, before gaining a light of sharpness and clarity that only wiser species could ever possess.
And once that clarity filled the dark pupils, their gaze never left the creature that fearfully hunched below it.
While this was happening, the 'Gold Guards' did not sit idle. Each member stood in formation, weapons ready to either slice or blast the infernal being. Fingers twitched in suspense, fighting the natural urge to kill the thing before it had formed.
Though each member felt the same inclination, none acted upon it.
For one, something told them that any hasty attack would do little to harm it. Rather, all it would achieve would be pissing off the damn thing.
The other was Brandus, who had signaled to the cohort to hold their attacks. He did not seem too hopeful of Gary's chances, but he wouldn't ruin the opportunity by immediately starting hostilities.
But if the worse did come to pass... he would be ready. His hands wound a little tighter around his weapon, resolving himself to whatever came to pass.
The Demon King looked on as the team squirmed under his pressure, before finally stomping his feet down on the familiar floor.
Now, he stood before them fully formed. It was then that his eyes met Gary's shaking pupils, pausing for a moment as he considered what sort of creature had wandered into his home.
Gary, on the other hand, was doing his best to gather himself. Lying required a level of confidence. Confidence that he currently lacked in spades.
The Demon King was a gargantuan being, standing over ten feet tall in all of his dark and gloomy glory. His skin was the color of charcoal, with muscles that were fueled by bulging purple veins. And on his skull sat two pairs of milky white horns, spiraling straight above his head in a regal manner. Wounds that could only be attributed to his past battle still remained on his body, with the same dark fluid that coated the floor seeping from the many gashes.
Try as he might to allay his fears, it did little to silence the fact that he was attempting to bamboozle a literal demon.
'Hah... this is gonna go sideways so fucking fast.' He bemoaned, before steeling himself for what he was about to try. He needed to call on all of his years of experience to even have a chance.
Ignoring the eyes that burned a hole through his skull, Gary threw his head up and ogled at the Demon, his black eyes shining with awe and worship.
"My-- my lord," He weakly choked out, to both the Demon's and his friends' surprise. "Finally, after all these years... after all the hardship and suffering, we are finally blessed with your dark and foreboding visage. Oh! to see you now, it was all worth it!"
Throwing himself to the floor, Gary desperately crawled forward with a face covered in tears and snot, as if overwhelmed by the emotions that had washed over him.
"The looks, the pain, the persecution. None of it matters, my lord. None of it can compare to the honor of seeing you walk this earth once more. Please--" He begged, much to the shame of the team. "Please, allow us the great honor to stand at your side as you burn this sad little speck they call Vecora."
He finished his declaration with a deep, reverential bow. His sweat-soaked body almost lying prone on the cold stone floor, leaving both his team and the Demon King speechless at his display.
Hidden from sight, Gary's face-- still smeared with tears and mucus --had a smile slowly etched onto his face as he stared down at the cracked floor. Out of all his stunts, this one was by far his most proud work.
Replacing his resignation to fate, came just a single thought.
'Damn, I'm good.'