The Dragon's Bounty

Chapter 24

"Split up!" Khan shouted. Dagger smiled and jumped up into the air, locking on to one of the seven demons. This particular one had spiky black hair and glowing red eyes.
Once he'd caught up, he shouted. "Hey, demon!" The demon turned around. To Dagger's surprise, it was a woman.
"Well, hello, darling." She said with a grin.
Dagger rolled his eyes. "Look, let's set the pleasantries aside and just start the fight."
The demon shook her head. "I like to get to know my victims." Dagger sighed and launched himself forward, coating his fists in dark energy. "Dark power?" The demon asked before laughing. "Don't you know anything about demons?!"
Dagger laughed as he took a swing at her, which she expertly dodged. "Actually, I know a lot more than you think." He said.
The demon smiled. "Well, dear, my name is Exgranus, and I'm a member of the Dark Order, council to the Great One himself, which means my dark power outweighs your's!" She took her own swing at Dagger, which he blocked with his armor.
"I haven't told you my rank yet." He said. "I'm Dagger by the way."
Exgranus smiled and nodded. "Well, then, Dagger, what is your rank?" She asked.
Dagger thought for a moment, blocking every swing she took at him. "I don't know yet. I was thinking I would find out later. I'd let you know when I figure it out, but, we both know you'll be dead."
Exgranus laughed. "Well, then, I guess I'd better let you in on a little secret." She jumped back, a sword materializing in her hand, which she launched at him like a spear.
Dagger simply sidestepped it. "What's that?" He asked, playing along.
"I've never lost a fight in my life!" Exgranus shouted with a laugh at the end.
Dagger chuckled as he dodged sword after sword. "Who says I have?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. He knocked some of the swords from the sky, but most he simply let pass him. After a few moments, Exgranus smiled.
"Well, it's been fun, but I think I'd better get back to Probos."
"You're just gonna leave me?" Dagger asked. "Aw, but I was just starting to have fun!"
Exgranus grinned. "Actually, I was thinking of something else." Dagger heard a shuffle behind him. He turned to see an array of swords pointed at him.
"Oh-" He was cut off by hundreds of swords impaling his armor as he fell backward. Exgranus laughed as she walked toward Dagger's lifeless suit of armor. She kicked his head, but to her surprise, it came off.
"What?!" She shouted. She looked down at the empty suit of armor. She kicked the helmet as hard as she could. "But how?!" Suddenly, she was launched forward. She turned around to see a hulking suit of royal armor. "Troll armor?!" Exgranus shouted. A mechanical voice echoed from the suit of armor.
"Sure, it was the closest." Dagger said. He pulled up his fists. "You ready?" He asked.
Exgranus smiled. "Let's dance!" The two jumped at one another, swapping attacks and hits. The armor began denting whenever Exgranus would punch it. "So how'd you pull this off?" Exgranus asked.
Dagger laughed. "Don't you know how dark energy works?" Dagger chuckled. "Shadows fill in spaces. So I don't have to fit into this suit."
Exgranus smiled. "Nice trick. That's something I didn't know you could do." Dagger nodded. He pulled his fist up and slammed it down. Exgranus jumped backward. "You sure are slow in that big suit." Dagger held his arms in front of his face as swords bounced off his armor, sometimes sticking through. When he put his arms down, Exgranus was gone. He heard a small sound behind him, but was too late. Exgranus came down on his neck with one of her swords, which cut clean through his neck, down his chest, and taking his left arm with it. Exgranus laughed as she looked into the armor.
"Mew." She stopped laughing and opened her eyes. Inside the armor was a thick purple goop with two yellow eyes and a w shaped mouth. Ripsaw began purring.
"You tricked me again?!" Suddenly, a blade came out of her stomach. It was coated in dark energy.
"Say hello to Tenebrius." Dagger said from behind her. She turned to see him wearing only an arm guard, black leggings, and a pair of black boots.
"You're crafty." Exgranus said with a smile.
"This was a lot of fun." Dagger said. "I haven't had a challenge in a while."
Exgranus laughed. "Well, you are the superior warrior, I guess."
Dagger nodded. "Good fight." Dagger said, pulling out the sword. Exgranus chuckled as she faded away.
"So this is what it feels like to lose, huh?" Dagger smiled.
"Little secret, I have lost a fight before."
Exgranus laughed. "Well, guess we're both losers, huh?"
Dagger laughed. "Ah, get out of here." Ripsaw jumped up onto his shoulder. Exgranus faded away completely. Dagger patted Ripsaw on his head. "You did good, buddy." Ripsaw purred and rubbed his face. Dagger looked over to his suit of armor, which now had plenty of holes in it. "Well, guess this works." He turned and looked to the castle, locking eyes with the princess, who was staring down at him. He noticed her eyes had grown dark. "Oh, hey Kathrine." He said with a wave and a smile.
Kathrine sighed. "What are you doing here?!" She shouted.
Dagger was taken aback. "Since when do you shout?" He asked.
Kathrine turned her nose up. "I have nothing to answer for. I'm asking the questions here."
Dagger shrugged. "Well, I'm helping."
Kathrine glanced down at him. "Why would YOU help us?" Dagger chuckled. "After all we've done to you and your friends."
Dagger looked at Ripsaw. "I guess it's just our way of proving we're not like people say we are." He looked around at all the cowering civilians. "Maybe we aren't the best people in the world. We've all made mistakes. But that's why we're here. We want to fix our mistakes, even if it's impossible."
Kathrine's eyes brightened a little before returning to darkness. "You killed Harold!" She shouted.
Dagger frowned and sighed. "Yes, and not a day goes by where I don't see his face as he fell. I know it sounds like a lie, but it was not my fault."
Kathrine's eyes brightened all the way. "I wanted to believe that was true, but for some reason I couldn't."
Dagger nodded. "Based on prior information I've gained from looking at the frozen knights, I'd assume the demon in charge, Probos, has some sort of mind ability. I'll bet he messed up your mind, and the king's. But lucky for you, I came along to fix it." He smirked.
Kathrine laughed. "How could I ever hate you?" She asked, leaning on the windowsill. Dagger held out his hand. Ripsaw jumped on it. He tossed Ripsaw up to Kathrine, who caught him.
"I will return, but until then, Ripsaw will keep you safe."
Kathrine nodded. "Be safe!" She shouted with a wave. Dagger nodded as he raced on toward the center of town, where the castle entrance was.