Wake the Dragon Lord

Chapter five: The War of Earth and Air

Lightning stroked the high towers of the castle and brought Gunther from his meditative state. He frowned and got up and quickly retrieved his sword and wrapped it around his waist under his cloak. There would be little time to prepare the Maou to leave if he hadn’t already. He rushed towards the main chambers and stopped seeing both Yuri and Wolfram in battle ready form. Gunther frowned and went over.

“My lord, Wolfram, you should have left. You don’t understand how dangerous this will be! A dragon is not to be trifled with! Please, I beg of you, leave!” Both Wolfram and Yuri shook their heads sternly.

“No,” said the young king, his eyes flashing slightly. “We’re going to fight, and we’re going to help you. You can’t fight these dragons alone, you need someone to give you back up. And I’m king so there’s no arguing over it, got it?” Gunther frowned and looked away. If he failed this time, there would not be another chance and the Demon Kingdom would be destroyed. He turned his back to his king and began to hurry towards the doors.

“Gunther? Where are you going?” Wolfram cried to the disappearing form. The taller demon looked back at them with stern but sad eyes.

“I’m going to stop this. If you follow me, you will only be a hindrance, I am sorry to say. Neither of you know of Dragons like I do. If you want to stay and help, then get the innocent people out of the castle and to a safe place. I know that you do not wish to have innocent lives taken in war, and neither do I. Please your majesty...take my advice...for once...” Yuri frowned and came to realize that the innocents must be protected. He nodded and sighed.

“All right Gunther, but you promise me that you won’t do anything stupid! As soon as the maids and other personal are out of the castle and safe, Wolfram and I will come and help you. All right?” Yuri looked sternly at the air mage. Gunther smiled sadly and nodded.

“Go, quickly. There isn’t much time.” The two boys nodded and rushed off. Gunther frowned and hung his head slightly. “I’m afraid I cannot keep that promise, Yuri.” With a sudden roar snapping Gunther from his thoughts, he rushed outside.

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“WHERE ARE YOU DEMON KING!” Yama roared from his perch upon Kami’s head. Yama glared and watched in sadistic glee as the kingdom began to burn. He snorted and crossed his arms over his chest, watching as the commoners fled in fear as his minions devoured them. Guards fired arrows that were burned or did little damage if they hit the soft underbelly of the dragons.

“YAMA! Stop this at once!” Yama growled and looked down at the ground, seeing the light violet haired demon, Gunther Von Christ. He made a motion and Kami landed letting Yama dismount. Yama smirked and looked at the shorter man.

“So, the ‘Great Demon King’ seems fit to send a retired warrior out in his stead? How pathetic of a king.” Gunther glared and stood his full height.

“The King ordered no such thing. I come here upon my own will. Yama, you inhabit the body of my comrade and force his spirit to obey your will! This is unacceptable! I will give you a chance to surrender, and release Lord Gwendel’s spirit and body from your control.” Gunther watched as Yama stared him down with his vicious red eyes. Yama hung his head and began to shake slightly. Slowly, there rose a great and humiliating laughter.

“HAHAHAHAHAHA!!” Yama through back his head and laughed darkly. “You FOOL!” he addressed Gunther, “You think that you can give me orders? You’re nothing but a peon. A poor idiot who follows the orders of a pathetic and worthless king! At least you are good for a laugh; if only that.” Yama smirked darkly and watched as Gunther shook with rage.

“If you can tap into Gwendel’s memories than you know I am not a demon to be trifled with. Vows or not, I will not hesitate to kill you.” Yama smirked darkly and waved his hand, tossing off the demon’s threat.

“You would kill the person whom you love? I highly doubt that. You are soft, demon. You lost the edge of combat long ago when you left the wars to become a teacher.” Yama smirked and watched Gunther deflate slightly. Gunther tensed and looked away and at the ground. His emotions raised and he fought to keep them in check. He would have to be balanced for this battle. Yama smiled darkly and flexed his claws.

“I would...if it meant that his soul and conscious would be clear of the crimes you have forced him to commit! Yama, you say you are the ‘Great Dragon Lord’ but you have done nothing Great as of yet. You were defeated once, and you will be again!” Gunther drew his sword and charged the dragon. Yama waited and then drew his own sword blocking Gunther’s attack with a powerful swing. Gunther winched as his arm and body tried to absorb the shock and stumbled back.

~ He’s much stronger than Gwendel ever was in sparring. Or is it because he’s not using restraint? ~ Gunther glared and took several breaths before moving to attack again, using no restraint upon the monster that controlled the innocent body of Gwendel.

“You are a fool!” Yama easily dodged and sent his blade slicing across Gunther’s back. Gunther yelped in pain and collapsed to his knees before getting up once again, though slowly, his back streaming with blood. Glaring dangerously at the green clad form, the layers of Gunther the pacifist and teacher quickly were shed and his warrior soul shown with little restraint.

Shedding his cloak to provide more maneuvering ability, he held his sword in front of him, the one edge facing Yama. Yama smirked and drew his sword slightly past his head, his one hand with his fingers splayed, pressing the flat of the sword.

“I may be a fool, but I refuse to be a coward.” Charging again, Gunther watched the dragon as he moved Gwendel’s body. Watching the slight shift in one foot Gunther swung and changed his attack, slamming his sword’s blade into Yama’s left shoulder. The dragon roared and quickly used the momentum to swing into Gunther’s side. Gunther barely was able to twist, with his bloodied back to block the swing.

“Ahh!” cried Gunther as his wounded back bled more down the cream colored shirt. He stared into the eyes glowing red of possession. He searched for an opening, to be able to use his magic and spirit to cast him out of Gwendel’s body, but it was futile, the Dragon’s spirit was too strong yet. ~ I have to weaken him somehow...~

“Lost in my eyes are you, darling?” Gwendel’s voice came out and Gunther’s violet eyes widened in shock. He shook his head to try and fight the Dragon’s manipulative game. “Now Gunther, please, do you really want to kill me? Do you hate me so much that you would kill me?” The red eyes faded into sky blue and Gunther felt himself shake slightly.

“Gwendel...No...I don’t hate you...I hate this beast inside of you!” Gunther’s head screamed it was a trick; yet his heart wanted so badly to believe that his best friend and secret love was still able to win back his body. Gwendel reached out and gently brushed a lock of stray lavender hair back behind Gunther’s ear.

“Gunther...my love,” Gwendel moved closer, his lips brushing the lavender haired mage. Gunther’s sword arm dropped slightly, kissing back his eyes closed. Yama’s eyes flashed back to life and a malevolent grin came as he quickly sliced his claws into his shoulder and kicked the demon away. Gunther cried out and stumbled back clutching his shoulder that bled. He looked up and glared darkly, his eyes narrowing, and the pupils becoming slits, as all demons do when they enter a true battle form.

“You son of a bitch...You used him against me!” Yama laughed and licked the blood off of his claws.

“I didn’t use him at all! Gwendel is dead to the world, I simply know how to manipulate a weakling like you. Ruled by love and other such emotions. What can you win with that?”

“He can win whatever he wants!” Came a voice that Gunther wished had never come. Yuri stood his eyes narrowed, Morgif by his side. Behind him stood Wolfram, his aura burning with rage. Yama glared and then looked at Gunther.

“You know...swords aren’t really my style...” With that he encased Gunther in a tight ring of spikes, his sword being broken and swept away.

“YOU BASTARD!!” Gunther glared and mustered up as much force as he could to try and break the stone around him.

“Let him go Yama!” Wolfram cried moving in front of Yuri his sword at the ready, and a fireball prepared to be let loose. Yama shook his head and slammed his fist into the ground, sending a huge wave of rock towards the two young demons.

“Wolfram, look out!” Yuri cried as they jumped out of the way. Wolfram hit the ground hard, his sword flying and his concentration on his fire magic lost. He yelped and scrambled to get up reaching for his sword. Yama laughed and ran a spike through the young fire mage’s hand. He laughed coldly as the blond cried out in pain as his hand was punctured.

“WOLFRAM! YOU FUCKING BASTARD!” came the voice of the Demon king. Yama rolled his eyes and slammed him to the ground with a large wave of rock and earth. It was the first time that someone had actually done something against the demon king, and it would be the last. A sudden burst of wind broke the rock containing Gunther out and away. His hair was darker, as well as his eyes. He left the old facade of a teacher and pacifist behind, and became the warrior demon that men and demons feared for ages.

“Do you think that I will allow you to hurt this country and kingdom? Do you think that you can just walk right in here and take over this place without repercussions?! Yama, you are the fool. You underestimate our strength, and overestimate your power.” Gunther glared darkly at the dragon. A dagger filled grin passed over his face.

“Finally you show you’re true form,” Yama paused and cast off his jacket. His eyes shown red as the blood that was flowing from demons as his minions attacked. “I will feast upon your rotting corpse, and send your soul into oblivion!” The ground beneath the two spiked and brought them to a broken wall. Gunther was startled and was barely able to keep his balance before stepping onto the broken wall of the castle. Spikes of earth sharp enough to behead a great armored dragon surrounded the two fighters and behind Gunther, Kami perched his eyes bright yellow.

“What is this...?” asked Gunther who stared at Yama in suspicion.

“Only one shall survive this battle, Gunther, it shall be me or you. More than likely, though it shall be I. Kami behind you shall act as....I believe you call it referee. Fall off the battle platform and you shall parish, fight me, and the certainty is almost the same. Do you agree to these rules?” Yama, though a beast in his own right, was not going to have an unfair fight. The rules had to be agreed upon by both parties. Dragons were not as uncivilized as much as humans and demons wished to think. Gunther glared and nodded.

“Very well. I agree to your terms.” Yama smiled darkly and watched as Gunther took off his own coat leaving the cream undershirt on.

“Then let us begin.”