Two days have pasted since their battle with the beast. From that battle, they gained much experiences on teamwork and they work very well for the next few battle. They are about to reach the borderline between the Kingdom of Aaron and the dune, which then to the next kingdom, just a few more town to visit.
"Alright, we are about to reach the borderline, lets get prepared before entering the dune, for those of you who don't know, dune are a huge area full of sand and the temperature is very high that is able to kill you(desert in the realworld). " Raye explained to the gang as they walk towards the next town.
"Dune are NOT to look down on," Al added.
Will:"So, what do we need?"
Raye:"I have never been to the dune before, lets ask the nearby town for advise and information about the dune, I bet the guild there would have gossips,"
After 30 minutes, they have finally reached the next town, they don't plan to stay but continue toward the borderline, time is precious when you don't know when the SUN cult is going to attack. Though Raye expected the Esperia would hold them back. After all, the king of Hiden wouldn't have tasked Raye with this task if all Esperia are present instead of doing what they are doing now, which is fending of the SUN cult from causing any ruckus in the Kingdom of Hiden.
They first decided to stop by the clothes store to buy some clothe made for the dune. Towns near the borderline should have items like that in stock.
Raye:"Hello sir, may I ask what you suggest to wear that is suitable for the dune?"
Store owner:"The dune? Well my friend, I got you, I suggest you should purchase the loose long-sleeve robe and some lightweight trousers, for a hero like you, a leather belt with a pouch to hang your sword and put your coins, a head wrap to cover yourself from the sun, preventing sunburn,"
Store owner:"Same goes for the priest over there and for the mage,"
Will:"Same for me too, I can keep my staff myself,"
"Alright then, we have the expensive set which provides better quality and more endurance, as for the cheap, eh" The store owner twist his wrist left and right as he mention cheap,"
Raye:"Is that so, then.... We will purchase the cheap set,"
Al was shock as so as the store owner. The store owner try to negotiate but failed to convince Raye to buy the expensive set. The store owner seems annoyed but sold the cheap set to Raye.
Raye:"Alright, now we are going to see what gossip are there about the dune,"
They then entered the guild and Raye began scooping out gossips.He walked toward a table with men and woman gossiping about the dune. He then blend in with them and got their tea.
"I heard recently someone got burned alive in the dune due to the weather being too hot,"
"I heard that they tried to build another city inside the dune,"
"I heard that the dune have dangerous beast that adapt to the temperature of the dune,"
"Is that so, that sound scary,"
The men and woman sitting around that table turned toward Raye who said that last sentence. A builded man then asked:
"Who are you? Interrupting our conversation,"
"I'm just also sharing my knowledge about the dune recently,"
"I don't know who you are pal but-"
"Wait, aren't you that rookie hero party that killed a beast that is said to be own by one of the warlocks of calamity?"
Someone then interrupted from their table.
"Thanks to you, we are able to safely travel through that road,"
Someone from another table added. The whole guild turned their head toward Raye and the party and started cheering.
"Thank you very much,"
"I thought my journey just ended there,"
Raye:"Uh, You're welcome,"
The builded man who was originally talking to Raye suddenly change his expression and treat him with great respect.
"I apologize, Mr uh Raye was it? Thanks to you, my party is also able to travel with that road and reach this far, tell me, what do you want to know about the dune,"
Its dusk. Raye and the party walked out of the guild.Now that they are prepared, they are continuing their journey toward the borderline.
Al:"Its nice that our group is getting quite the name now,"
Raye:"Yes, maybe we could be more famous from doing quest like those, though the main purpose is to join alliances with other kingdoms, now that we have all the information, lets continue,"
Al:"Wait, continue? Its almost dusk, shouldn't we stay the night?"
Raye:"No Al, the borderline is waiting for us right there, we must reach it before broad daylight,"
Al:"That's not possible and it seems that your enthusiast for the dune is big,"
They leave the town and head toward the next. After the next town, they should be able to arrive to the borderline.
The night is silent. The only sound Will can hear is their footsteps and others. They aren't the only hero party that is traveling at night. Raye decided to break the silence and start a conversation.
"So, what should we do when we reach the dune, I heard that there is not much of towns inside the dune due to their hot weather,"
Al:"I heard that there is a huge city that was build under a skeletal of an ancient beast, maybe Will know about it,"
Will:"Ancient beast? I think I do remember about the legendary hero party slaying a gigantic beast in the dune,"
Raye:"The legendary hero party sure did a lot back then huh,"
Suddenly, a huge roar sounded. Few group of hero parties run backward as if something were chasing them. Raye look forward and saw a dark figure.
Will:"Demon,"
Al:"What?"
Will:"That's a demon, I know when I see one,"
Raye:"Will's right, that's a demon,"
Al:"If then, I think we should run, demon are much more powerful than ordinary beast,"
Will:"We are fighting it,"
Raye:" Yea, get ready,"
The demon raised his arm and then hell flame shot out of its palm. Raye dodge it and ran toward the demon and try to slash its right arm. The demon easily dodge it and use some kind of psychic magic and hit Raye to a tree.Will fly up and use shadow magic by covering the ground with his shadow and striking the demon from the bottom. The demon flew up and dodge every attack. He flew in front of Will face to face snd spoke.
"a black magic user, this must be the party Master have be talking about,"
Will was then set on fire which shocked Al and Raye but he then turn into shadow and sneak up behind the demon.
"Shadow magic,"
The demon spoke again.
Raye:"Damn it, this demon isn't any ordinary one but a powerful one, having an owner make him even stronger,"
Will:"Fear not, we will defeat him before dawn,"
Suddenly, the demon's wing got grabbed by the demon's own shadow and the shadow try ripping it off. The demon use psychic power and the shadow fall back.
"Shadow mastery to shadow manipulation of others, you must be the shadow sage, the dark sage who die together with the demon king,"
Will:"How rude, addressing me dead while I'm still standing here,"
"You will die tonight,"
The demon shot another hell flame toward Will but got devour but his shadow. Will then shot him down with tiny and sharp shadow shaped like a dagger. Raye then dashed toward the demon who now injured his left wing and try to cut off his head but failed by being shot back with psychic magic. The demon stand up and point his arm toward Raye's direction and shot multiple hellfire. The demon then use psychic power and try to shot Will down, interrupting him from protecting Raye. Raye dodges defended with his sword though its hard since hell flame and regular flame is much different. The demon then raised both arm and shot hell flame upward, trying to burn everything around. Will then summon shadow and devour the hell flame before it could reach the ground.
The demon trap Will inside a sphere made out of psychic energy and then burn his left arm using hell flame. Raye hold up his sword, getting ready. The left arm of the demon gradually transform into a flame liked sword. The demon then use his right arm and grab that sword and flew toward Raye in the speed of sound. Raye barely block it since one of the demon wing is injured. They then have a sword fight though the demon have quite the upper hand since the sword he is using is made out of pure flame. The demon strike Raye and he parry it but later got kicked in the belly that send him flying toward the direction of Al. Raye used his sword and try to lower the impact. Al then rushed toward Raye and heal him. The demon didn't miss his chance and flew infront of Raye and Al and used the sword to strike them. Al summon a protective barrier to deflect it which it work. Al then cast a sphere liked barrier to protect him and Raye as shadow shot down toward their direction. The demon got shot.
Al then cast a buff spell on Raye which gives him a temporary boost as he rushed to the demon and sliced his right arm. The demon stood up injured, he then ignites himself with hell flame, turning himself into a fiery walking corpse. Al was shocked and Raye stood up, gripped his sword tightly.
"Damn, never thought I be in an life or death situation like this,"
Raye muttered to himself as he broke a sweat. The demon and Raye both get ready. Raye to a breath and, sword clashed. The demon use both his arm striking Raye as he parry and strike back. Raye seems to be adapting to the demon, moving in the speed of sound. The demon kick Raye but got parry. Raye dashed and sliced of the demon's arm. The demon then used psychic magic and try to control Raye but failed. Raye strike as the demon parry.
"It seems that I notice you gained more energy every strike you made,"
"Yea, that's my ability,"
Raye slashed the demon from the top but the demon flew up, dodging it by an inch. He then jumped backwards as he try to used the flame on his body to grow bigger. He tried but failed. He look above and saw Will, floating above. He then look behind him, his own shadow grabbing him, stopping him from moving. He then fought his own shadow that was manipulated by Will.
"So this is the capability of the shadow sage,"
The shadow then turned into somewhat a snake and tied around the demon. The demon tries to burn the shadow which it work but he failed to notice Raye, who just finishing charging up his attack. A blinding beam of light erupted from Raye's sword, so bright that it look liked a saint have descended from the above. The demon realized that it was his demise,
"Looks like I had failed you, Master,"
Raye raised his sword above and strike it down:
"EXCALIBUR!"
The attack slashed the demon in half, turning into dust just as the sun rosed. Will descended and gathered together with Raye and Al.
Will:"I said we defeat him before dawn,"
Al:"That was a closed one, I thought we were done!"
Raye:"We were able to made it thanks to each other, we still have a lot more to improve,"
They laugh and continue their journey to the borderline.