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Volume 1 bonus – C&D Session
Mami, the rogue, slipped through the entrance of the demon lord’s castle, sniffed out the cold and deserted broad hallway lit by a few candles, and went back to the large doors decorated with demonic beings. Most of them cats. ‘All clear, you can enter.’
Cani took the lead as the warrior, her dragon scale shield and vorpal sword at the ready in her hands, followed by the sorceress Feli, lighting their way with the soothing light of her magical staff, Ara the healer, holding her bandage threads which also served as rope, and Avia the bard in the back, whose spell song Enjoy the Silence suppressed any sound the party made.
Cani peeked into two smaller hallways on each side. ‘Where are the guards? Shouldn’t there be some at the door?’
Feli hummed in agreement. ‘No servants here as well. I’d expect at least one being busy with cleaning this place here.’ She wiped a finger across a black marble pedestal with a yawning gargoyle statue on it. ‘It’s not dusty.’
‘Over here.’ said Avia as she pointed at a blackboard with writing on it next to her. ‘It says the staff is enjoying the annual staff outing today, and any visitors during business hours can report to the demon lord’s hall up ahead.’
The girls looked at one another, and Mami shrugged. ‘Well, it’s still before closing time and we’re here to defeat the demon lord anyway.’
The others nodded and they all followed the hallway until the the next set of large doors, decorated with demonic lambs, chicks, puppies, and hedgehogs. Mami listened at the doors first. ‘I don’t hear anything.’
Carefully, they pushed the doors open and peered into the great hall with thick pillars on each side and statues of mighty demon monsters like the Kitten of Doom, the Black Dragon with the Puppy Eyes, and the Slime Which Eats All Your Cookies When You’re Not Looking. Cani still shuddered at the memory of her first encounter with the latter.
A few steps led up to a platform with the large empty throne made from black marble, fashioned in a mixed bone, claws, and teeth motif, bought with the optional dual monitor stand and reading light. ‘Could it be that the demon lord has gone to the outing as well?’ whispered Ara.
‘Maybe.’ said Feli. ‘But then there should at least be someone to greet visitors today. Otherwise they wouldn’t have put up the sign.’
Mami sniffed the air. ‘I smell food. Something baking in an oven. Like a cake.’
Cani pricked up her ears. ‘Really?’ she said and sniffed as well.
Mami pointed at one corner of the hall where the faint glow of light shone behind a pillar. ‘I think it’s coming from there.’
Cani puffed up her chest. ‘I’ll go ahead and investigate.’ she said and went towards the corner.
‘Not without us.’ said Mami, and the others followed at once.
The light and scent came from a open doorway and the girls peeked inside, watching a young man standing before an oven and closing it. Ingredients and utensils for baking lined the kitchen counter together with bowls and trays with unbaked cookies shaped like skulls, stars, bones, and hamsters.
Cani licked her lips. ‘Can we stay after we’ve done our quest?’
Guy turned around at once. ‘Huh? Why are you heroes here!?’
Mami rolled her eyes. ‘Well dùh! Miss Queen Tesha asked us to subjugate the demon lord. He wouldn’t happen to be home right now, would he?’
‘Oh! In that case, give me a moment.’ Guy said, went over to a large table at the side, placed horns on his head, tied a black robe with blood red lining inside.
The girls blinked. ‘You’re the demon lord?’ asked Ara. ‘And what’s with the horns?’
He adjusted the horns. ‘Indeed. And you didn’t really think I’d have horns, did you? Can you imagine sleeping comfortable with things like that on your head? I couldn’t sleep on my sides, not to mention the havoc they wreak on pillows.’ He went to the counter, reached for the utensils, and thrust one in their direction. ‘So now that it has come to this, I can only say you will fail!’
Feli pointed at his hand. ‘Please be careful with that. I don’t want stains on my robe.’
Guy looked at the ladle with remains of dough on it. ‘Oh. Sorry.’ he said and exchanged it for a knife, and pointed that again at the party. ‘Now, as I said, you will never subjugate the Ruler of All Demons, Terror to Humankind, Master of Darkness and Light.’
Avia held up a feathered finger. ‘Excuse me, I haven’t heard of that last title before.’ she said as she pulled out her her draft songs scroll and scribbled a note. ‘Where did that came from?’
Guy coughed lightly. ‘Ah, that kind of slipped out. It’s more of a local title since we had new torches installed. They turn on and off with a phrase but the builder set it up to only react to my voice, so now I have to go around the castle when it becomes dark to turn on all the lights and off again when it’s time to sleep.’
‘Ohh.’ said Avia and scribbled more on her scroll.
‘Please don’t mention that about me!’
‘No worries. I’ll make it interesting.’
Cani stepped forward. ‘I’m not afraid of any title you may carry. I will defeat you.’ she said and swung her sword at him.
Guy blocked her with his knife. ‘You can’t fight me here!’
She jabbed and he deflected her sword upwards. ‘Why couldn’t I?’
He blocked another swing at him. ‘You almost knocked over the dough for the next batch of cookies!’
Cani noticed she had almost hit one of the bowls with dough. ‘Whoops.’ she said and pulled back. ‘Sorry.’
Guy moved the bowls a little farther back. ‘These are a surprise for my staff when I join them for dinner later. I don’t want this to be spoiled for them.’
‘Of course.’ said Cani and looked around. ‘Is there a better place?’
Guy gestured behind them. ‘The hall will do. There’s plenty of space and not much chance of damaging something.’
Cani nodded. ‘All right.’ she said, and the party moved back into the hall while Guy followed.
‘Here all right?’ asked Cani near the middle of the hall.
Guy nodded. ‘Yes, thanks.’
‘Now then,’ said Cani and raised her sword. ‘let’s continue.’ She lunged at Guy.
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Scifurz 