The showdown between Gary and the Demon moved at rapid pace, with both parties none too eager to receive a blow.
The fight was almost a pure one-on-one, with Brandus still recovering and the two long-range attackers low on arrows and mana.
But right now, that was all Gary wanted.
The sword in his hand glowed in resplendent light, pushing back the encroaching fog and keeping the Demon on the defensive. Right now, HE was controlling the pace of battle. A fact that filled his soul with palpable exhilaration.
The tables had tilted in his favor, and Gary was more than willing to take the spotlight.
"What's wrong? Are you scared that it's 'my turn to make you bleed'?" Gary taunted, not even bothering to hide the sarcasm that tinged his voice.
"Oi, aren't you suppose to be a Demon King? Why don't you quit running and face me, you coward! Come on, come to Papa!"
"YOU!"
"Oh, just keep your mouth shut if that's all you have to say. 'You' this, 'You' that: How about you try saying 'I'm so sorry for thinking I could ever beat such a brave and handsome man such as yourself!' Maybe then I'll let you live."
The Demon King turned a darker shade of purple with every word that was spat out of Gary's foul mouth, yet continued his elusive movement.
As much as Gary hated to admit it, the big fella wasn't a complete moron. Avoiding a direct hit was in his best interest, and he was doing so while having to put up with the avalanche of taunts and curses that came his way.
Something that very few of Gary's opponents could claim to have done.
As Gary chased after the fleeing Demon, an old friend joined his side.
"If you give up now, I'll let you stay by my side! Like-- like a pet! Yes! Just think about how wonderful it would be, being my mount as I march into Lassai-- oh, hey Brandus." Stopping himself mid-sentence, Gary glanced to his side as Brandus stepped into his peripheral, though he looked worse for wear.
"Hey Gary..." Brandus feebly greeted, dragging his blade behind him.
Gary met his averted eyes and noticed with a cruel glint that he kept sending quick glances at his new weapon.
"Like my new sword? It's pretty awesome. Last thing I know, I am flying through the air, and the next, I find this bad boy in the wall. You know, I thought this day was pretty awful, but guess what? I take it back. I--"
"Yea, good for you," He muttered half-heartedly. "It's good that you... wait-- you found it in the wall?"
After catching that sentence, Brandus snapped his head to Gary with a demanding expression.
Did he really just... stumble across this kind of weapon?
His intense stare threw Gary off, leaving him scratching his head awkwardly at the question.
"Yea, it was just stuck there. Nothing to it, to be honest."
"Were there others?"
"Other weapons? Not that I saw. but I didn't really look." He dismissively said, before he realized what Brandus just said.
'Wait, are there other weapons? If so...'
"Shasa! Edwin!" He shouted, barely able to contain his excitement. "Check the walls! Look for anything that looks like you can fight with it!"
Shasa sent him a look of disbelief, before glancing at him and his new blade with a hint of understanding.
Gary couldn't see Edwin, but he figured that the ranger would follow the command. Even if he didn't get the point at first.
Besides, if he wasn't convinced by Gary, then the Demon's would.
The body language of the Demon took an immediate turn, freezing in place before crying out "No!"
His steps-- which had only focused on creating distance between him and Gary --now carried him toward the sorceress with a burning zeal, intent on preventing whatever he thought would come to pass.
"Oh no you don't!"
Gary and Brandus shot in front of the Demon, letting loose a series of attacks that left the Demon shivering from the glowing blade.
The sight of his desperation fueled Gary. If the Demon didn't want them to do it, then it meant that searching the walls had merit.
'So, there are others.'
If they all had a weapon like his... then not only would this fight be over, they would be the best-equipped adventurer team to have ever graced the Rochan Kingdom.
The search did not take long to heed results, as a muffled cry echoed out from somewhere in the room.
The next moment, a dim light of yellow emanated from the southwestern part of the room, where a glowing greatsword could be seen held by a struggling mass of warped space and shadow.
'Good shit, Ed!' Gary pumped his fist up in celebration.
Looking at the sword type, it fit perfectly with a certain dry swordsman he knew.
And that was not the first.
Several other shouts were heard in the next few minutes, all heralding the arrival of a new weapon.
A greatsword, then a bow. A golden bell followed after. A powerful... stick? That one didn't offer anything, but it was probably worth something.
And with each one, the situation of the Demon grew more dire.
Now, his body was covered in wounds; none of them showing signs of regeneration.
It was so easy, Gary couldn't help but begin to doubt the heroes of old.
Those lousy scammers weren't all that special whatsoever! The real hero was whoever made these badass weapons.
"Tsk, tsk," Gary clicked his tongue, doing his best to instigate a reaction.
"Are you some kind of masochist or something?"
This was a genuine question on his part. To think that he had left a bunch of Demon-slaying weapons laying around... It was enough to have Gary crunching his brows over it.
Gary shook his head as another jubilant shout entered his ears, this one coming from a familiar sorceress.
"See? That's-- what --Six we found? Who the hell leaves six weapons that can easily kill them lying around?"
He inquisitively stared at the panting Demon, ignoring the shrill cackling that came from behind him.
"I didn't 'leave' them lying around, you imbecile." The Demon gasped out, feeling miffed at the constant questioning of his competence. "Those were used to keep me caged, to slowly grind away my being. If I had it my way, I would have had those ground to dust and tossed into the ocean the moment I had awoken."
He threw a hate-filled look at Gary's blade as he spoke, lending a bit of credit to his story.
"Is that so?" Gary rubbed his bare chin in thought, feeling a hint of curiosity form in his mind.
After hearing the Demon speak, he had an idea of where the weapons came from.
If his hunch was correct, these weapons were used as the stakes to tie the chains down, fueling the spell with the holy mana that resided in them.
They had found their way into the walls once the spell was undone, violently tossed through the room.
The revelation had made him grow interested in knowing what the Demon had to say. It wasn't every day that you had a millennia-old being at your mercy. Surely he had some form of knowledge that was interesting.
"All but one gifted by the Goddess herself, and all enchanted by the greatest wizard of the era." He continued.
"They spent much to end my reign, both in gold and blood. And it almost paid off. I was defeated by the ones you call heroes, and locked under the layers of magic made to erode myself away."
His giant fist clenched tightly, with his veins nearly bursting from the emotions he felt as he hung his head low.
It was unfortunate that the Demon was in the presence of an unsympathetic company, or else he would have gotten some amount of pity.
"Yea, sounds tough. Now, uhh-- about before. The name, Delane." Gary asked, remembering something that irked him still.
The name held great meaning to the inhabitants of Rochan. Today, the Cathonian line ruled from the capital of Ransel. Centuries of peace had cemented their name, but another family once called themselves rulers.
Years ago, when the demons still charged towards the border walls, it was the House of Delane that sat upon the throne. For the name to be put alongside demons was ridiculous.
"You believed it, or at least accepted it. Why?"
"Why?" The Demon chuckled at the question. "Did I not tell you before? I remember all of my servants' names."
"Bullshit. That is bullshit. There was another family, right? From Athios, or Theurgard..."
'That had to be the case.'
Lost in denial, Gary stood frozen in thought with the Demon coolly observing him. Or rather, the agitated mist behind him. It had begun to churn and coalesce, hidden to all but his own eyes.
"There was no such thing," The Demon dashed his hopes the next moment, inviting another wave of confusion.
"Delane, rulers of Rochan; no other bore the name. Tell me, do they still rule?"
His eyes glazed over at the question, recalling the story of the ancient house.
"Ah-- no, Cathon replaced them almost a thousand years ago. The members of the house were all killed, all of them in a single night."
It was recorded as an assassination. A work of the Nightcrawlers, a subset of the demonic race. 'Though, that story... it can't be true.' Not after what he just heard.
"Then, there is your answer..." The Demon's shoulders went up a foot as he gave a nonchalant shrug, though his gaze was still locked just behind Gary.
The room descended into an uncomfortable silence, with the group of adventurers staring at the unspeaking Demon.
He had nothing left to say, and they had nothing more to ask.
And the only movement in the room was not made by the living, but by the cold vapor that billowed behind them, clinging to their backs as cords of translucent white began to form.