Inner Demons

Chapter 15: The Battle

Swords ready, faces steady, hearts racing, the gang anticipated an attack from their foe, The Medallion Demon.

The beast smirked a devilish smile, and launched several of his dark spikes towards everyone. Everyone was quick to dodge and began to race towards the demon. They held their weapons high and prepared to strike.

Cassandra tried to stab the demon, but he evaded quickly. With the flick of a wrist, he sent a wave of shadows that slammed Cassandra against a tree. The rough bark collided with Cassandra's back as she yelped in pain from the impact.

Eugene was quick with his feet and dodged the next row of dark spikes launched towards him. He clutched onto his sword and made and attempt to slice the demon, but failed once The Medallion Demon grabbed him by neck and choked him. Eugene couldn't breathe, he tried to kick and pull out of the monster's iron grip, but started to lose his consciousness. He was about to pass out until he saw a lock of golden hair wrap around the demon's wrist and yank him out.

Rapunzel had untied her hair from its usual braid and let it fall loose. She was speedy to wrap it around The Medallion Demon's wrist to let it go of Eugene. Once Eugene was freed, he scurried away to retrieve to his girlfriend.

"So, uh, Blondie! Got any bright ideas?!" Eugene asked Rapunzel out of breath. Rapunzel looked around, she looked at her hair, she looked at the people around her, and she looked at the medallion. Until, finally, she had an idea.

Rapunzel leaned into Eugene's side and whispered something into his ear, he nodded and ran over to Lance and Hookfoot to whisper something to them as well. Rapunzel rushed over to Cassandra and helped her up, she also whispered something in her ear. Cassandra smirked, "This is going to be good." She thought as she grabbed onto her sword.

Hookfoot pelted his rocks towards The Medallion Demon, but showed little effect. Lance and Eugene quickly swooped in and started to strike with their swords on opposite sides of the demon. The demon was hitting them with waves of darkness and quickly dodging their every move. However, he did not notice Cassandra, who leaped from a tree and landed right on top of him. He tried to shake her off as she attempted to stab him with her sword, still trying to avoid Lance and Eugene.

All of a sudden, a rope of golden hair was being wrapped and mangled over his body. Trapping him and leaving him vulnerable.

The demon was being overwhelmed.

He tried to break out or rip out of Rapunzel's hair but it proved useless once he remembered that it was unbreakable.

"It's over, Medallion Demon." Rapunzel sternly said, holding her frying pan to his face, still having her hair used as a rope around his body.

"You think this is over?" The demon chuckled, "This is only the beginning."

And just like that, the demon manifested right back into a shadow before appearing again behind everyone in his physical form. As they turned around, a wave of dark magic blasts them into the ground, leaving them practically paralyzed.

They all groaned in pain, trying to get up but failing miserably as their bones ached. "C-Come on..." Rapunzel muttered, holding herself up with her arms, but collapsing onto the dirt.

"You've failed, you've failed at saving the boy, and you've failed at saving yourselves." The demon coldly stated, towering over them all.

"You humans are so pathetic. You actually thought you could defeat me? Ridiculous. Well guess what? You can't do it. You are too weak." The demon started to mock.

Varian was still standing, sewing over mouth and mind dazed. "Must he always belittle everyone and make them suffer?" He contemplated.

"You can't save the boy, he isn't worth saving. Why come all this way for nothing? You should've let it all go. He deserves this after all."

Those words left a sickening pit in Varian's stomach. He bowed his head in shame, accepting those words. But something tugged at him, making him question things. "He isn't wrong, but why did Rapunzel go through all of this trouble? I have been nothing but a burden. She should hate me. Does she actually care...about me?" He pondered, attempting to figure out Rapunzel's intentions.

"You are nothing compared to me."

"V-Varian isn't n-nothing." Rapunzel stuttered, still trying to get up.

Varian couldn't believe it, how could he have been so blind? Rapunzel cared, of course she cared, she didn't hate him, she didn't try to make him suffer. How could she have known that the totem would show him his parents and hurt him?

"You do realize how useless this all was, don't you?"

But for some reason, Varian trusted Rapunzel on this journey. He didn't know why, or how, but he did.

"I really thought that the Sundrop would care about things that were actually important."

Shouldn't he try to do something? Shouldn't he care? Shouldn't he stop?

"You are all a waste."

The sewing on Varian's mouth was starting to fade. He had to care, Rapunzel cared, now it was his turn.

"Your stupidity will be your demise." The demon said, raising his claws and creating more dark spikes to throw.

You know what?
Varian was getting sick of this.
He had to try!

Chapter End.