53. To The Death

Richard leaped and started thrusting his spear with all his strength. The Duke easily parried his hits and struck back, scoring three hits on Richard's body. Richard was hurt, but continued the assault, when Isabella and Mazanlold arrived to help him. Isabella and Mazanlold went on the offensive, forcing the Duke to retreat.

Caoilainn arrived and Isabella said:
- "Be careful, Richard" - and then, the four whispered things, before Donisemon said:
- "I will destroy you!" - and he lunged at them.

Richard kept at the center, Isabella stayed on his right side and Mazanlold on his left. Caoilainn was behind them. Donisemon, filled with anger kept his focus on Richard unleashing a flurry of attacks using Noctis and Vespera. Richard tried to defend them and counter attack, but mostly failed. Despite that, each hit that he failed to defend, Mazanlold and Isabella stepped up to defend him. Also, Donisemon used magical attacks on the three, but Caoilainn unleashed a series of fire balls and barriers to counter attack.

Yet again, it was an attrition war. At each step, Donisemon tried to step up his game, increasing the speed and strength of each hit. At the same time, Richard was getting better at defending the hits. Despite that, even when they had windows, Isabella and Mazanlold did not counter attack, waiting for Richard to do it.

Donisemon prepared a powerful magical attack and used his swords to attack both Mazanlold and Isabella. They defended and Richard used this opportunity to thrust his spear into Donisemon's armpit and Caoilainn stepped up to create a barrier. Caoilainn and Richard were successful and made Donisemon flinch and step back.

Richard again advanced together with the others. This time, Donisemon kept avoiding their hits and moving way from range. He used his energy streams and balls at Mazanlold, Isabella, and Caoilainn but they defended themselves. The Duke took the opportunity to attack Richard who barely defended a flurry of hits, but gave time for the others to return to help him. They kept on the defensive as Donisemon attacked, until he tried to thrust both swords into Richard's heart. Isabella and Mazanlold parried the attack and made Donisemon raise his swords. Richard took the opportunity and again thrust his spear into the Duke, making him flinch and jump away.

Donisemon roared and unleashed a curtain of smoke, dividing himself into 4 copies. Again he threw an energy purple ball in the middle of the chamber to separate them and each copy leaped to attack.

Caoilainn, Mazanlold and Isabella took a mostly defensive strategy, and moved about, keeping as safe as they could. At the same time, Richard fought his copy head on. With effort, Richard was defending and avoiding every hit from the swords with his spear. Overhead hits, lower ones, thrusts, attacks that used both swords in sequence and together; Richard was able to defend them all, much to the Duke's dismay, who was visibly angry. He intensified the attacks, but it made no difference, Richard's defense was perfect. Shortly, Richard started to counter attack and Donisemon saw himself on the defense. At each hit, Richard got closer and closer to defeat Donisemon. The demon took a step back and unleashed a strong attack with both swords. Despite all preparation, Richard parried the hits and thrust his spear into the demon's neck. The demon disappeared in a shriek and a curtain of smoke.

Richard then rushed in the direction of Caoilainn who was in peril against her copy. Her copy turned around to defend from Richard and Caoilainn sent a stream of fireballs. The Duke defended with his wings, but not completely and was burned. With that, Richard was able to thrust his spear and destroy this copy.

In that moment, the other two copies reunited in the center of the room. Donisemon was hurt. He cried:
- "I hate you all!" - he turned to Richard - "you must think so much of yourself, now face me!" Donisemon struck both swords to the ground and unleashed a deep curtain of smoke, which separated Richard from the rest. Caoilainn, Mazanlold and Isabella kept trying but could not traverse it.
- "EN GARDE!" Richard cried, leaping into Donisemon's direction.

Now it was Richard and Donisemon who fought in a dance, to each one of Donisemon's attacks, Richard had an appropriate and timely defense. Even the magical attacks, Richard was able to parry or avoid. He moved swiftly and the Duke found no way to hit him. The Duke shouted:
- "You are not even a great warrior, how can you defend my every hit?! No pitiful human would be able to stand against my power in Wazike's body!" - Richard laughed a bit as he kept fighting:
- "You said it well, Duke, I'm no human. Didn't you say I am an AI? Maybe I am, I've already learned all of your moves, Donisemon!"
- "Lies!" - the demon shouted as he increased the intensity. Their weapons clashed, sparks flied, spells were cast, and nothing hit Richard.
- "You have no new tricks, have you?" - Richard smiled - "you are a demon, you don't create things, you are unable to do that. You just imitate. How pitiful!" - Richard shouted as he thrust his spear into Donisemon's left arm.

Donisemon jumped back before unleashing another flurry of hits. It was however useless, as Richard was getting even better at defending and thrust his spear into Donisemon's right leg. Donisemon skipped away limping and went on the defensive with his swords. Richard leaped at him and unleashed a flurry of hits. Donisemon saw a window and tried to cut Richard's legs. Richard however jumped, and used the back of his spear to strike Donisemon's head and remove his balance. As he was back on the ground, Richard thrust his spear into Donisemon's neck.

Silence filled the chamber. The smoke subsided and Richard removed his spear. Now, he turned to Caoilainn, Isabella and Mazanlold, who were relieved to see him. Before they could celebrate, however, a screeching sound filled the chamber. They all stepped back and looked at Donisemon's body. It exploded, unleashing a large curtain of smoke which engulfed the room and circled around them. Horrifying red eyes appeared in the smoke and on the middle a large red eye appeared. Then, it opened as a mouth, revealing pointy teeth and said:
- "It is still not over" - the warriors went into their fighting stances - "I, The Demon Duke Donisemon will punish you for destroying my body, by throwing you into despair!" - as he said that, the big eye disappeared. From the smoke, figures like spears formed and started being hurled at them. The warriors started defending and avoiding those.

Isabella shouted:
- "Let's form a circle to defend from every side" - and so they did. Caoilainn used barriers to contain the black spears while the others parried and defended each hit. Mazanlold turned his morning star into a shield to ease his path and help Isabella and Richard who were beside him. Richard said:
- "Defend and hit the eyes, leave the rest to me." - and so they did, as more spears were thrown, eyes appeared and Caoilainn started to strike them with her fireballs. In one opportunity, Isabella was able to slice through two of them. They kept at it, until the big eye reappeared, roaring.

Lots of spears formed around it. The Duke opened his mouth and said:
- "Feel my spears!" - that was what Richard waited for, he set his right foot behind his left, made a lever with his entire body and threw his spear inside the Duke's mouth. The spear went inside the mouth. In the same moment, the black spears disappeared and the smoke started to recede back to the big eye. It wailed and screeched horribly.

As its smoke was almost gone, it cried:
- "I hate you pitiful humans, I hate you, I wanted to throw you into the depths of despair and I hate you and I will and I hate you! I hate you! I HATE YOU!" - with this last shout, the mouth spit a black dart towards Richard. He wasn't able to react. Isabella however, stepped in front of him and the dart hit her neck. In the following moment, the Duke's eye and smoke disappeared for good.

The chamber was now like when they first arrived. Silent and illuminated by the fires.