Honorable

Looking at the empty hollow, Archie was befuddled, because not him, nor the daemon had attacked the poor guy, yet he turned into that by just a speech from the red-skin?

Does this vanishing guy had some power which can make the enemy kill themselves or give up just by a little talk? If that was so, then these powers were way too effective, Archie had to get one for himself.

Shaking his head to stop the jokes in his mind, he focused back on the foe and asked in a taunting voice,"See, you killed another one and made him go hollow, am I still their enemy or it was you all along?"

Sighing with pity, the daemon shook his head and replied,"It doesn't matter now, they're gone anyway, fulfilling their purpose."

Archie thinking of ways to escape, probed the vanishing man,"Yeah..., it doesn't matter now what's done is done, so why don't we forget whatever happened tonight and become best friends, I'd maybe agree to be your dueling buddy or whatever in some time."

The Daemon responded with a chuckle,"I'd love for that to happen too, but my employer wouldn't like that at all and I doubt the one employing you would either."

Shaking his head as if disagreeing, Archie, retorted," Nah I doubt my employer even cared, otherwise he wouldn't make me fight six of those smelly rotted and someone like you. Well, let's try to forget all that and introduce each other, I am Archie, a distinguished explorer and your new best friend, although I don't have any of those fancy last names , I am way above them."

Amused with the conversation, the daemon answered,"I thought last names are quite common nowadays, even outskirts rat had started getting one, since the reign of the first emperor of your kind, but it matters not, if you have introduced yourself, then it is my duty to do the same too, My name is Arenes Valefar, one of the blessed, I'd like to be your so called "best friend" too, my friend, but this is farewell,I hope you get blessed by the lord in your next life too."

Suddenly filled with dread, Archie screamed with cold sweat,"Wait, wait, wait, didn't you call me your friend just now what's the point of killing me now, we can act like tonight never happened and I'll go do my exploring you can do your vanishing thing!"

Arenes, the daemon, just chuckled, removed his trench coat and held the short sword in a reverse grip like a dagger, which suddenly apprared out of his hand from nowhere, his stance low with his sword hand a bit forward than his empty hand.

Archie seeing no way to escape from his predicament, quickly changed his plan, started revolving the rope-dart in his right hand and his left hand was empty, fingers bent like he was about to grab something.

He had already reloaded the gun after most of the rotted had gone hollow, yet saved using it because of any emergency just like this moment.

But still,he didn't take it out using it as a surprise against the enemy.

Arenes was wearing a simple shirt and had donned a leather armor above his gear, giving him proper movement as per his stealthy powers.

Archie himself looked down seeing his tattered clothes, cursing the Angran who had sent him here without proper protection, focusing once more, he took a deep breath and just as he blinked, the daemon had disappeared.

Startled, Archie quickly took a step back, and sent the rope dart in a wide, low swing as if to falter, or even feel the enemy yet he felt nothing.

Just as his muscles were growing taught from how tightly he was holding the rope,he felt a sudden sound coming from his back, so quickly choosing the best course of action, he jumped a bit to the left, the shortsword leaving a shallow but bleeding cut below his chest.

Taking a quick breath again, he sent the rope dart forward once again, yet it was deflected by the blade, producing no results.

This situation continued for several more moves, and all produced the same results, and hence thinking fast, he abandoned the rope-dart and took out his silver long sword.

The rope-dart was an excellent weapon when used against unaware enemies who had no experience against it, but truly skilled warriors could always find ways to counter it easily.

Hence, in the end he had to take out his sword again, even though it was damaged and battered from the brawl against the undead, for now he only had this to use.

Holding the sword with one hands in a middle stance, he stood still and stretched his focus to the maximum.

Feeling something from his left, he slashed with it in that direction,yet it was just a feint from the enemy, as there was only a small pebble there with no attack.

The real assault was actually from behind Archie, an invisible short sword trying to stab his thigh.

Yet Archie was prepared for both the feint and the real attack, as just as he figured out the enemy's true motive, he thrusted his hand in his clothes and shot the gun towards his back through his clothes.

Unfortunately, the bullet didn't deal any lethal damage, only barely grazing his arm a bit, yet it succeeded in making the enemy retreat and pull back his blade.

Coming out of his apparent invisibility, the daemon appeared staring at the little blood leaking from the small wound and smiled, saying,"I was right when I said your skills were truly praise-worthy, you really managed to make me bleed despite all the disadvantages, what I'd give to battle you at the peak of your strength, but alas."

Archie grit his teeth, looking at all the wounds slowly accumulating on his body, and was apprehensive for a second, before replying in an even voice,"You know, you have been yapping on and on about battle this, challenge that, yet I don't really see you being the least bit honorable. You look hell bent on killing someone who has lost most of his stamina, is battered from his fight against several people already. Is that how all daemons are? what was that saying — uhh all bark and no bite or something like that."

Arenes shook his head and spoke in a matter-of-fact tone,"That is different and this is different, this is my job which is more important to complete, as not finishing it will be a stain in the honor of a daemon."

Archie hearing that, calmed his breathing and smirked, retorting in a voice filled with mockery,"Oh yeah? but to me you really seem like someone absolutely opposite to what an honorable daemon should be. Think for a second, you are working with rotteds, their presence is never a good omen.

Your so called magical powers are absolutely opposite to what any honorable warrior should have and you even attack from behind, you really remind me more of a backstabbing thief, do you also use your powers to peep at ladies bathing? Because if I had them, I'd absolutely do that."

The later part of his argument seemed to have affected the daemon a bit, as his gaze turned sharper and colder at a glance, and his grip on the short sword became even harder.

Staring at Archie for several seconds without any word, he spoke slowly and concisely,"It looks like you are really trying to die faster, but matters not, you won't get to see today's sun."

Glancing at the sky, Archie saw that the sun was about to shine in several minutes, and it looked like the daemon was planning to end it fast.

Holding the empty gun in one hand and the long sword in another, Archie focused on the enemy who had disappeared when he glimpsed at the sky.

Suddenly, he felt the attack, but this time from the front, deflecting it as much as he could, he tried to counter the attack but another stab came, this time aiming at his arm.

It seemed like his words had affected the daemon more than it appeared, as he had changed from attacking from his back to attacking directly head on, trying to prove his skills and honor of a daemon.

Still, this change in pace wasn't as helpful for Archie, it was even worse than his previous cautious strategy of attacking from a blind spot and retreating.

The short sword of the enemy dug deep in Archie's forearm, he couldn't escape it this time as fast as before.

Throwing the empty gun from his other hand towards the retreating blade, Archie took a step back and rolled away even more, he held the bleeding hand, trying to calm his breathing.

The Daemon, Arenes Valefor appeared once more, staring with cold eyes and spoke," Didn't I say? You will not be able to see the rising sun, this night shall be your last."