Liam Getting giddy: "Look, Erin! A town, I can't wait to see what people live like!"
Erin puts her hands behind her head: "Be prepared for disappointment."
The town wasn't far off, just a mile down the road. Erin eyes up Liam just realizing what he is wearing.
Erin pulled him aside into a forest treeline just out of sight: "Liam wait."
Liam can't hold his excitement: "Come on Erin, we are almost there!"
Erin looks down the road: "Look Liam, *She points at the guards* people are not friendly towards outsiders, and you bud, are the most distracting outsider I have ever set my eyes on."
Liam gives a puzzled look: "I don't get what you mean?"
She waves her hand at his shiny armor: "This is what I mean, look at you!"
Liam: "Are you saying they might attack me for standing out."
Erin was relieved he got something so basic right: "YES! Ever since the demons came back, humans have turned on themselves."
Liam looks like a child asking for guidance: "Then what do we do?"
Erin pulls a book from her satchel: "Let's take a look in the spellbook shall we?"
Skimming through the pages of the notoriously lewd wizard's spells, after turning the page of "how to sleep with a dragon" a spell catches Erin's eye.
Holding her finger on it: "That's it! Cloak of a lady killer. It reads 'use this spell to make a quick escape behind clothes', it must hide your armor under clothes."
Liam hops back preparing himself: "I'm ready!"
Erin: "Okay, repeat after me. After a one-night stand."
Liam: "After a one-night stand."
Erin: "And my lovemaking is over."
Liam tries to concentrate: "And my lovemaking is over."
Erin holding it together to the best of her abilities: "I must take my leave and ditch this princess."
Liam: "I must take my leave and ditch this princess."
Clothes start to appear on him, seamlessly hiding his armor like he wore nothing but his birthday suit. The clothes were magic, completely hiding his holy white paladin armor. What is left in front of Erin is a casual-looking noble who should be ranked at middle-class wealth. Erin admires how good he looks, eyeing him up until Liam asks her something.
Liam pulled his shirt: "How do I look?"
Erin was caught zoning out: "Uh oh uh mmm you look like a real stand-up guy!"
"Thank god Liam is so dense to realize I was staring."
Liam revigorated: "Come on Erin! We have no time to lose!"
He snatches her by the arm, racing to town as Erin holds on for dear life.
#
Back at the throne room of the underworld
Demon lord unable to keep an indoor voice: "How is my soon to be daughter-in-law!"
A robustious body sways through the courtroom, a very odd detail about her is the color of her skin. She is not red like the demons or grey like Nylelith but of a light brown complexion. She can be easily mistaken for a barbarian just from her clothes. A dead giveaway of her being a demon is her black sclera wrapping around her bright red pupils. A smokey grey-haired muscly-built demon princess. And what she has with her solidifies what she is.
Princess tossing her gift at the demon lord's feet: "A gift to me to you. The king of the south! His fear is still painted on his face."
The demon lord leans over to pick up the raisin-sized head: "HAHAHA! You are a remarkable demon! You will make a great queen!"
The princess steals glances from standing guards: "If I may?"
Demon lord nods: "Do you know where the prince is, I would like to visit my betrothal before we become official."
The demon lord scratches his head before answering: "He has headed west, aiming for the strongest leader if he hasn't done it already."
She kneels quickly before taking her leave: "Happy travels Maia, give my son my blessing."
#
Erin: "Okay, Liam, you have to act like a noble if you want to even attempt to get in."
Liam shrugs: "That shouldn't be a problem."
Erin directs his focus back to her: "Seriously, Liam, if you even stink of a demon it is the dungeon for you."
He focuses on her eyes, staring into her soul, and with the close of his eyes. Liam's demeanor clicks, his eyes narrow into a cold stare: "Stay beside me."
The two walk their way to the entrance, two guards stand at the gate holding spears.
Guard one sees Liam walking towards them holding the most gut retching stare possible. He instinctively bows his head in his wake as does the other guard. Erin and Liam walk past without trouble, metal crashes to the floor as Liam keeps walking on, Erin looks over her shoulder to one guard completely unconscious and the other puking. She turns back to see Liam staring at her, his pupils widening back to their normal state. In that few seconds of him staring, she felt as if death has already taken her soul and left a walking husk behind.
Liam has worry on his brow: "Is something the matter Erin?"
Erin breathes out: "No nothing. I was just surprised we got in so easily."
Liam's mannerisms completely did a one-eighty: "Come on Erin we have a town to explore!"
She gulped hard thinking to herself: "So that is the power of the new age demon lord, I can't believe he acts like a child while holding onto a trump card like that."
They find themselves choosing between two places the pub or a grand library.
Erin turned Liam's head towards the pub: "We are going there, no excuses."
Liam: "Do you know I could just cut our contract right?"
Erin walks forward: "Well you can just kill me, I need a drink first."
Liam let out a sigh: "Great a drunk translator."
Following behind the cheeky grin of this woman as they enter the pub. To Liam's amazement, the pub was lively, full of colorful people of all races.
Liam under his breath: "Maybe the pub was the right choice."
Erin races for the bartender who looks classy for a small pub.
Bartender: "What can I do for yeah missy?"
Erin's eyes glow: "Give me your strongest!"
Bartender: "Coming right up."
He goes to get a few ingredients, and Liam dodges his way through the happy people catching a lady and sending her on her way to the next man. His attire stands out like a sore thumb, everyone in the pub wears peasant clothes or they are guards on break or just off work. Eventually, he gets to the bar sitting in an empty seat next to Erin. From the way everyone looks, they made peace with death and enjoying their last great time. The bartender comes from a cellar holding a few items along with a bottle of gold.
Liam spots a familiar drink: "Oh that is the devil's anus."
Erin snorts: "Why the hell do they call it that!"
The bartender answers as he pours the drink: "It is because the king shoved a bottle up a demon's ass and one of the transcribers watched the sight in horror as he drink from said bottle afterwords. The king said 'it tastes like gold'."
Liam laughs: "Man that gets me every time! That demon was such an idiot too."
Erin shared that laugh with him.
Bartender: "Sir, anything you like to drink away with."
Liam: "Nah, nothing here is strong enough to wash away the shit I did."
Bartender nods and leaves for the next customer.
Erin downing the whole bottle: "What did you do that was so bad anyway?"
Liam stayed silent: "Fine keep your secrets."
She pouted, Liam didn't bother to fall for her charm to open up. Liam looked around admiring all the happy faces, the men and women dancing around to a jig of a bard. Some clapped along with the song others cheered holding their rum in the air.
Liam got off the barstool: "I think I will join them."
Erin choking: "Wha-what! You! Dance?! Don't be serious!"
Liam moves into the crowd taking a beer from a barmaid as she goes by giving a smile. Liam hikes up the front of the crowd dancing his way in. Shaking his hips as he swings a lady by her hand. Jealousy crosses Erin's face as she takes another swig of her drink. Liam's training in the double-bladed scythe comes in, he dances with a lady moving his feet in a rhythm. He swings her to the next fella as he slowly dances to Erin with his smile charming her.
Liam holding out a hand: "Come on Erin, I know that blood of yours could never let down this."
Erin laughs: "Of course it can't!"
She hops to it grabbing ahold of his hand as they join in together swinging all around the pub. Both shared a wild smile coming closer together, wrapping each other in their arms. She giggled as he let out a happy grunt as she hit his chest.
Erin in such bliss: "That was amazing!"
Liam smiles: "I never had that much fun before."
Before anything else pops into their head a giant explosion rocks the town. Liam covers Erin holding her underneath him.
Screams coming from outside the pub: "Demons! Demons are invading!"
Erin notices his clothes spell wore off, his armor shined bright humming to life as everyone stared at him in awe.
Erin urgently but trying to keep quiet: "Liam, your armor!"
Liam uncovers her and looks at his armor, it is glowing. He sits her down on the stool rushing outside, he gives her one last look at the door, smiling at her before leaving to investigate. Everyone in the pub gives her a look as she sits there thinking to go or not.
Liam gets to the gate, and the soldiers are shaking: "You two, retreat back, get everyone to safety, I'll handle this."
The portcullis falls behind him locking their protector outside. The town had walls that were there to keep small forces at bay but the demon army is never small if they want to pillage something. The stench of blood followed them along with an ugly sky as they take everything they wanted without remorse.
Sunset hits leaving him as the beacon of light in the dark.
Liam: "I have one more day for this spell before I go into a deep sleep, I need to make sure this place is safe before I go."
Guards layer the castle's walls drawing their bows back, Liam pulls a second scroll to get distance from the castle.
Liam: "I used one scroll of the black hole which leaves me with one and a perception spell."
Laying out the last black hole scroll he reads the incantations: "Vie hin sun!"
Black abyss holes surround the castle walls protecting them to the best of his abilities. The next scroll is rolled out, and the symbols start to flow from the parchment to his eyes, his eyes widen like he has taken some sort of drug.
Liam: "Wow that is a new feeling!"
His eyes zoom in on the area around him, demons hide beyond the treeline. no one important in particular just some lowly demons looking for a woman to get their grubby hands on. The demons shuffle out of the trees, catapult rolling through readying another shot. Liam summons his darts wrapped around his armguards, the demons stop, holding formation as their leader makes their way through the army.
Liam under his breath: "Shit."
Maia stands in front of her army ready to send them to attack.
Liam shouts to get her attention: "Hey Demon!"
The words come to shock her as she looks like a normal person from far away. She struts to him, her barbarian physique shining bright. Making it to talking distance she talks first, her height quickly becomes apparent as she looks down. Liam is tall standing at six foot three, but Maia and her lion coat with her chiseled abs stand at seven foot two. A wolf pelt covers her hips, "My soon-to-be wife, god we would never work out, how am I supposed to get along with a childhood friend I haven't seen in eons."
Maia: "So you are their protector."
His eyes look down admiring her scars, he gives a shy chuckle: "Beautiful scars you got there."
Maia is intrigued, her eyebrow goes up: "Nice eyes, I don't see many of them around here."
Liam holds out a hand: "Liam."
Maia is skeptical but takes his hand: "Maia."
She shakes his hand firmly surprised Liam is matching her strength.
Liam: "I have a deal to make with you."
Maia smirks: "What, to spare your life and let everyone else-"
He cuts her off: "No, I want you to give me six days to prepare for war, I will make it worth your while."
Maia crosses her arms: "And what should be worth the wait."
Liam smiles: "I'll give you a fight no one but the demon lord can."
Maia laughs: "Hahaha! You are a funny human, I like you. I will accept your deal but no more than that. BUT, I get to test how strong you really are."
Liam: "Fine, let's do this beautiful."
Maia smiles: "Oh a charmer, alright let's see what you got."
A platoon surrounds the two, placing torches around them to give proper light, the demons roar and cheer for their leader.
Liam: "Weapons or no weapons."
Maia holds up her fist in a stance: "It is up to you."
Liam's darts fade away, and Maia gives a toothy grin for his bravery. Just standing there she gives off the feeling of fighting a dragon, fierce and intimating to no end.
"I hope Liam is okay."
Erin rushes to help people, sending them to the castle: "Get your kids inside! A hero is here!"
Her words give some people hope as they pick themselves off the ground and help others around them. The guards help take the children to the castle as the men put barrels behind the walls. A shout from one of the guards on the wall immediately notifies Liam is okay. She picked up the pace racing all the women to the castle. After the people have been taken to a safe place, she burst up the steps, up the walls and peers out to see Liam completely ignoring the guard's orders.
Guards: "Look! Holes are surrounding the castle walls!"
The black abyss spell wrapped around the castle, Erin sees Liam walking to the forest where fire emits.
Erin nabs a spyglass: "Is he really going to fight them?"
He squares off with the amazon-sized woman: "He is going after their leader."
"I guess I don't have to ask him to help us."