The Price of Greed

Trust is an interesting thing, for some it could take a lifetime to be formed or for idiots like Azemo doing the same mission was enough to create it.

"What do we need to talk about?" Azemo asked Short hair.

"Oh, we were trying to decide how to split up our dead party member's share of the reward."

"I don't really care as long as I get the agreed upon amount." Money was not really something Azemo was thinking about in the moment.

"One more thing, how much would it cost me to buy your gauntlets?"

"I won't sell them." That was the only response the usually chatty Azemo gave, because the gauntlets were his precious companion.

As Azemo was talking he was suddenly hit in the back by a great force, Nose had unleashed a high powered wind blade at him. Azemo toppled over thanks to the power behind the enhanced attack.

"You were so easily distracted it gave my partner time to fully cast his strongest spell." Short hair gloated. It seemed that the two actually knew each other and had put on an act to fool Azemo and Long hair.

As she was talking Short hair removed the gauntlets, that had now returned to their bracelet form, from Azemo and tried them on.

"Activate." Nothing happened. Short hair clapped her hands. Nothing happened. Short hair focused really hard on her hands. Nothing happened. She tried anything she could think of but still nothing happened. Finally in a fit of anger she threw the bracelets on the ground and stamped on them.

This was too much for Azemo to take and his eyes lit up with spectral flames. His body slowly caught aflame causing both Nose and Short hair to look over him. As the flame slowly started healing him, it was (skill) Flames of Death, he dropped (skill) Incognito and began to reveale his true form as he got to his feet. Because his tome had been open the whole time to keep (skill) Incognito active, Azemo had access to every ability in his arsenal and he had already use (skill) Retaliate.

Retaliate, user inflicts bonus damage to anybody that managed to hit the user. Bonus damage scales with damage received.

After feeling the full force of Nose's most powerful attack a silvery shadow was coalescing around Azemo's form. Nose could practically feel the power radiating off of Azemo as Azemo slowly turned to glare at him.

What Nose saw was a monster. Azemo's horns were fully visible, his mouth had fangs protruding out and his eyes gave Nose the feeling of endless suffering. Nose quickly stumbled back before casting his shield of ice with a scroll.

But Azemo was extremely angry and this anger contained all the anguish and suffering from the massacre of the demon race. After he was facing Nose, Azemo ran straight at Nose before Short hair could even realize what was happening. Azemo did not even bother drawing his knife and instead just aimed a ferocious punch at Nose's face.

"You really think a mere punch will be able to break my barrier." Nose laughed but Azemo did not respond.

Instead Nose felt a sense of panic as Azemo's fist sailed through the barrier as if it was paper. Not even slowing in the slightest the mighty punch continued onward into Nose's head. The silvery energy gathered on a single point on Azemo's hand before rushing through Nose's head completely obliterating it.

In three seconds Azemo had killed Nose with the power of a (skill) Retaliate infused blow and then he turned to face Short hair.

Even though to other demons Azemo seemed almost human like, to humans Azemo's demon form was terrifying. Short hair's knees wobbled before she pulled out her spear, after seeing the speed at which Azemo had killed Nose she knew there would be no escaping.

Luckily for Short hair the silvery energy that had gathered around Azemo had dispersed in the strike that ended Nose. However, that did nothing to cowe Azemo in the slightest as he slowly walked towards Short hair. Soon he reached the bracelets that she had thrown on the ground and Azemo bent to pick them up.

Short hair saw this as her opportunity and quickly unleashed a desperate thrust at Azemo but a glowing green gauntleted hand caught the spear head. Azemo had managed to put on and activate his weapon.

Short hair quickly pulled back the spear before Azemo could get a good grip on it and shouted. "God damn monster prepare to die."

"..." The only response Azemo gave was him baring his fangs before going on the offensive. Short hair quickly put up her guard trying to block the rain of blows that Azemo directed at her. She managed to block a few with the staff part of the spear but the unending torrent of strikes was slowly overwhelming her and she felt wounds opening all over her body. She also felt a malicious mana slowly eating away at her life force. Azemo had cast (skill) Degrade.

On one of her last breaths Short hair thought of a plan. 'If I can destroy his skill book I will stop his skills and greatly weaken him.' She stopped any attempt at blocking and sent her spear directly at Azemo's tome. She was sure it would connect but at the last second the book suddenly moved out of the way on its own. With the help of (skill) Hover, Azemo could easily move his tome out of harm's way.

As Short hair saw her spear miss despair started to well up but she was not ready to give up yet. She instantly dropped her spear and two daggers jumped into her hands. She quickly slashed out at Azemo a hundred times but each blow was blocked casually and for every attack she made Azemo threw out three of his own.

"You forced me to do this." Short hair screamed at the silent unfazed Azemo. In a last ditch effort Short hair was struck by a beam of light and she slashed out with both daggers aiming for Azemo's face. Azemo reached up with only his right gauntleted hand and caught the two blades.

With a smile Azemo used pure strength to slowly push the daggers away from him towards Short hair. Soon Short hair's tightly clenched fists had been forced back onto her chest but she was still struggling. However, Azemo's right hand, still clutching the two blades, was nearly touching Short hair and all of a sudden a green blade was sticking out of the back of Short hair's neck. Azemo had activated the blade on his gauntlet and had swiftly brought an end to the fight.

As Short hair's blood fell to the ground Azemo slowly regained his senses and all the emotions he was feeling were left without anger to channel them. He sank to his knees almost to a point of despair until he heard a voice.

"That was pretty hard core." Imagine and Bellania were exiting the room bag.

"Yeah that was awesome, one day I will be as powerful as you." Bellania was a little in awe of the ferocity that Azemo had just displayed.

The simple words of the two monsters had warmed Azemo's heart and he almost let out a smile as Imagine snuggled into him and Bella licked the blood off of his hands.

"You two are the only party I will ever need. Let's go get some food."

After collecting all of the valuables from the dead humans Azemo walked into the forest with Bellania and Imagine, it was time for them to eat lunch.

As they walked Azemo felt his tome burn as his magycka began to upgrade.