1 Meet the Demon Lord

  "Rawr!" Michael shouted as he cleaved his foes in two. It was the middle of a great battle in the forest of the demon lord and Michael was the chosen hero. He had worked his way up training his body and his mind every day to master his swordsmanship. He spent countless hours honing his muscles so that they would act without him being able to think. He went through epic adventures to reclaim the Holy Sword Excel. He had everything he needed for his final push on the demon lord's forces. Years of planning and training had come to this moment. The entire kingdom was counting on his victory, he thought of all the faces of his friends he made his way through the army of demons.

  The battle was a sight to behold. Michael sliced his way through demons as if it were a knife cutting through butter. Excel truly lived up to the legends. "With this sword I can do it." He thought to himself as he rended the legions in front of him. Finally, after two solid weeks of demon slaying, Michael finally made it to the lair of the demon lord. The area was completely different than what he had been experiencing for the past two weeks. It was an open meadow in the forest, with a small cabin and pond next to it. Michael had expected the demon lord to live in a well-fortified castle, this was completely different than his expectations. Surveying the area, he spotted what appeared to be a woman tending a garden beside the cabin.

  "Excuse me?" Michael asked. "Isn't this supposed to be the lair of the demon lord? Do you know where I might find the demon lord? Who are you?!" Michael kept asking questions, his mind was racing as fast as his heart. His body was covered in the blood of demons from the battles he had before this point.

  Finally, the woman who was tending her garden stood up. She was so beautiful that words would fail to describe her. Her Silver hair flowed down from her down to the center of her back. She had a slender figure and piercing red eyes. Her outfit was simple overalls and a white tee shirt. She turned to Michael, and saw him covered in blood, still holding his sword at the ready. She could tell he was confused and did not know what was going on. "So many questions." She smiled as she answered "What's that you asked? A demon lord? That sounds so scary! Would you protect me sir knight?"

  Michael is even more taken back by this. He did not expect her to have such a sweet-sounding innocent voice. "I swear it mam, there is a demon lord in the area!" Michael tried to compose himself. "He has caused countless to suffer from his invading armies. Killed tens of thousands of our people! How could you not have heard of this?! This meadow is completely surrounded by the demon lord's forces. I have spent the last two weeks in combat with them. If it were not for my holy sword Excel I would have perished long ago." Michael pauses for a moment to allow the maiden to respond. She just continues to look him over. "Ma'am, if you could at least tell me where I am and who you are, that would help put my mind at ease."

  The mysterious woman closed her eyes and gave a big smile. "My name is Vanessa; I am pleased to meet you sir knight." With that she gave a little bow before Michael and straightened back up. "As to where you are, well that's such a difficult question. I mean all I can you tell is that this is where I live. There's my house, there's my pond, this is the garden and all around me are my woods." She pauses for a moment. "Are you saying my woods are filled with monsters, sir knight? Did you really kill so many on your way here? I mean you are just so covered in blood."

  "Vanessa, did you just say my woods?" Michael asked while tightening his grip on his sword.

  "Oh, that's a scary face sir knight!" She teased him. "Are you afraid of little ol me?"

  Something was off and Michael could sense it. By his recollection it should have been nighttime, but here he was in the daylight. Also, he had to constantly be aware of his surroundings for the past two weeks and had become quite adept at sensing the danger around me. He felt nothing from the forest. He did however have a great sense of impending doom coming from the woman in front of him. He trusted his senses and knew that she was a threat. He charged at her, not knowing if she was the demon lord's wife or lieutenant or whatever. He just knew he needed to fight to stay alive. In an instant Michael was upon her and swung his blade with all his might, aiming for a killing blow. He closed his eyes, although he had killed thousands of demons in the past, the fact that he was not a hundred percent sure she was a demon made him not want to see her death. He felt the sword connect, or rather stop abruptly. When he opened his eyes, he saw her still smiling, holding his blade in her hand.

  "Guess there was no fooling you for long, sir knight" Vanessa said with glee, as if this was all just a game to her. "Such a fine sword you have there. What did you call it? The Holy Sword Excel?"

  "What, how, what, why, just what?!" Michael was lost for words. She must be a high-ranking demon to be able to touch the holy sword. Lower ranked demons turn to ash at its mere touch. She had it stopped between two of her fingers like it was nothing at all. Just holding it there smiling.

  "Oh dear, sir knight you seem so worried." She teased him a bit more. She put her mouth next to his ear and whispered. "Is this the first time a woman has grabbed your sword?"

  Michael blushed, understanding the double meaning of what she was saying. "No!" He yelled out. "I have had plenty of women!"

  "Oh, I see." Vanessa put out her hand and finger flicked Michael in the chest. She was still holding on to his sword, but with the force of the flick he was flung far back, all the way to the edge of the meadow. "So, this sword is the reason you were able to kill so many of my babies?" She questioned while looking the sword over. "Doesn't look all that special to me." With that she grabbed the hilt of the blade and used the two fingers she was holding the blade with to bend the blade with ease. "Such a weak blade." She then tossed it aside as the trash that it was.

  Michael was still on the ground, the impact from the flick had left a major dent in his plate armor. His plate armor that was made just for him, blessed by the holy church, and made of the strongest materials in the land. It was said to be indestructible, yet with a single flick of her finger she was able to dent it. Michael began to cough up some blood. He knew his ribs were broken, and he knew if he did not have that armor, he would have exploded from the force. Trying to speak, Michael was finally able to form words. "Who are you…?" Michael asked, trying to stay conscious.

  "Oh, you haven't figured it out yet, sir knight? I am what you called the demon lord." She smiled again while slowly walking towards him. "Though I am rather upset you called me a man! However, should I punish you?"

  Michael was losing his ability to keep his eyes open; each blink was getting longer and longer. "I'm sorry everyone I have failed you." The last thing Michael saw was Vanessa standing over him. At that moment, the world faded to black.