Chapter 115 - Yrag

Zell and Kaitlyn made their way down the road that led to the demon lord's domain. Along the way they passed numerous small towns and villages that had all been abandoned. The demon lord had pulled all of the outside citizens closer to the castle so that he could protect them from the ravages of war. It was also his way of increasing his experience point gain.

"Zell?" Kaitlyn asked.

"Yes?" Zell replied.

"Are you really going to kill the demon lord?" She asked.

"That all depends on him." Zell responded. "It is not my intention to kill him, but if he has forced my hand, which is another matter."

"Right." Kaitlyn said.

They continued their journey and as the sun set they could see the outline of the demon lord's castle out in the distance. Small huts lined the road in rows, all of the evacuated citizens were housed here. "Looks like we found everyone." Zell said, as they began to walk past the huts.

The guards along the path did not budge, but it was noticeable that they were shaken from Zell's presence. Some fainting from terror as he walked past.

"You have such an effect on people now." Kaitlyn said. "Remember when everyone used to run up and attack you first thing?"

"Ha!" Zell laughed. "Yeah, this is quite a different experience. I don't know if it's the power coming from me, they fear or the fact I am a dragon now, but something has them trembling."

"I would say it's your aura." Kaitlyn said. "It is raging off of you like a fiery eruption that reaches the heavens themselves."

"I thought normal people could not see an aura?" Zell said. "Donovan said it required a special skill."

"It's different from the one he is talking about." Kaitlyn said. "Look at the world as a dragon and you will see what I mean. You are still using your eyes as a human does."

Zell closed his eyes and reopened them. They no longer looked human, instead they were slanted like a lizard. He could now see weak emanations of power coming off of the demons and Kaitlyn. "I see something now."

"Yes, you didn't have one of these when you were human, but now that you are a dragon you do." Kaitlyn said. "It is something all nonhumans have, but it is only visible to nonhumans."

"Then why did Tridon think he could beat me?" Zell asked. "If my aura is that impressive, how could he possibly think he stood a chance?"

"He might have been blind to it." Kaitlyn said. "Some nonhumans are born unable to see it. It is extremely rare among beast kin, but I don't know how uncommon it is to demons. Either that or he was a complete fool."

"I see." Zell said. "Well, it seems there are things I need to learn about being a nonhuman. I am glad I have you here to explain things to me."

"Well, the dragons can help you more than I can." Kaitlyn explained. "It is not like I know a lot about dragons."

Zell blinked his eyes and returned them to his regular human ones. "Still, I am glad you are here." Zell said. "It is good that I have a friend with me."

They continued walking until they got to the front gate of the castle. Zell went to knock on the door but as he did the door creaked open all by itself. It revealed a vast room with another large door in the distance. Dark stone floors and walls with hanging torch chandeliers and torches lining the walls.

Zell and Kaitlyn looked into the room and then back at each other. "Do you think there's a trap?" Kaitlyn asked.

"Most likely." Zell said. "Not that it matters. Stay behind me."

The two of them entered the large space expecting something to happen as they did. As they got to the center of the room the other large door began to open and the entrance behind them began to close. Through the newly opened door they could see the throne room and the demon lord himself was sitting upon the throne.

Zell was impressed that no traps had been laid as he requested. He only hoped that Maximus had been telling the truth about his mother as well. As the two of them entered the room the demon lord greeted them.

"There he is!" Yrag said. "The legendary hero of legend has graced my halls at last. Tell me, did you have a good trip?"

"It had some detours, but I have finally made it." Zell said. "Where is my mother?"

"She is fine." Yrag said. "I have been giving her the royal treatment she deserves, so calm yourself."

"I will calm down when I see that she is fine as you say." Zell said. "Bring her out now."

Yarg waved his hand, and his servants left the room, only to return within a few moments with Zell's mother following behind them. "Where are we going?" Elenore could be heard asking. "Does Yrag need something from me?"

She saw Zell in his new form as she entered the room, but she knew exactly who it was. Her motherly instinct would know her child no matter what he looked like. "Zell!" She yelled out and ran to her son, who now towered over her. "You look so different! You have grown so much!"

"Yes, there is much I need to discuss with you mother." Zell said.

"See I am a demon of my word." Yrag said. "Your mother is unharmed; now can we talk as gentlemen? Or will we be forced to fight?"

"Mother I am going to open a portal to Neuval, please go through it and I will meet up with you later." Zell said. "Kaitlyn go with my mother and keep her safe."

As the women were going through the portal Elenore could be heard asking Kaitlyn if she was Zell's girlfriend. Kaitlyn blushed at the question and Elenore laughed at her response. The portal closed behind them.

"Alright now that my mother is safe, we have business to attend to." Zell said. "I intend to end the war. No more lives on either side need to die. I see that you are a man who cares for his people. Why else would you gather them all away from the front lines?"

"I cannot stop the war." Yrag said. "I have a mission from god that must be seen through to the end. Plus, humanity does not deserve mercy. I know of your past and how your sister and the people of your own kingdom treated you. Join me in the service of my god and let us wipe humanity's influence from the globe. You yourself have departed from your human form, you should join the right and just side."

"The work of the gods is not the work of the just." Zell replied. "They do nothing other than toy in the affairs of men for their own entertainment. They are the reason for this war and all of the suffering it has caused. They are the reason for my sister and all of the harm she caused my people. That same god who sent you sent Rose. You both had the same goal of ending humanity. I know her past of being a murderer. What of yours? What were you in your past life?"

"I don't believe you that the gods are unjust." Yrag said. "I will tell you my story and you will see the god's wisdom and selecting me to be this world's hero.

I was a teenager back on Earth. I loved video games, manga, webnovels, and anime. I always longed to be a hero and hoped that one day after high school and college I could do something with my life to help others. I watched as my grandfather worked his whole life to provide for his family and his selfless sacrifice to provide. He was the man I admired most in life, even more than my own father.

No one was cooler than grandpa. He knew so much about life and just was a joy to be with. I remember the camping trips he would take me on up in the mountains and how we would fish all day and most of the night.

My grandpa was a hero to me, and I wished to be one too. However, on the day my grandpa retired, my whole family and I were murdered, I was robbed of my chance to show my grandpa what a hero I could be. Then the god found my soul…"

"Gary?!" Zell yelled out, tears were pouring from his eyes as he knew who the demon lord was now, the person from another world. His grandson, his namesake. "Is it really you?!"

"Wait, how do you know my name was Gary?!" Yrag yelled out.

"Because you were named after the grandfather you loved so much!" Zell cried. "You were named after me!"