章 25: Maximus

"What is this?!" The barkeep yelled. "How can glass shatter on a human's skin, you do not have scales!"

"Look like I said." Zell continued. "I am only trying to get a room for tonight, I need to meet with the demon lord and bring an end to this war."

"He means to kill the demon lord!" The barkeep shouted.

The patrons of the inn stood up and drew their weapons. Orcs, goblins, and other non-humans were now poised to attack Zell.

"Stop it everyone!" Kaitlyn yelled.

"Don't listen to her!" The barkeep cut her off. "The human probably has her under some sort of enslavement spell."

"She's a friend." Zell said. "I would never stoop as low as to have a slave."

"It's true!" Kaitlyn pleaded. "Zell only seeks to bring peace."

"Enough of this farce!" A patron yelled. He summoned a strong gust of wind and ejected Zell outside, chair and all. He followed out after him, to find Zell still sitting in his chair completely unharmed. "Impressive, but unfortunately for you, I am one of the demon lord's top generals. I was on my way to the forest to try and recruit the beast folk once more, I had hoped they would listen now that the war has started. Regardless I am glad that I got this diversion, this trip has been ever so boring."

"Nice to meet you then." Zell said, still relaxed in his chair. "I need to speak with your boss urgently, it is a matter of grave importance. The fate of the world hangs in the balance."

"Well, aren't you a self-important human?" The general scoffed. "No matter, you won't be alive much longer." The general rushed to Zell's position and punched Zell in the chest. The shockwave of the impact moved the grass behind Zell, leaving nothing but dust. Zell's tonic was torn to shreds from the impact and left him bare chested. Zell however remained perfectly still and unphased.

The shock on the general's face slowly changed to agony as the pain from his hand reached his brain. Every bone in his fist had shattered to dust and the bones up his arm cracked and splintered.

"You done?" Zell asked.

"What are you human?!" The general asked. I have brought down giants and walls with this attack, yet you are unphased."

"I'm just a human." Zell said. "Now if we are done, I would very much like to go rent a room now."

"We are not!" The general yelled. He grabbed his broken arm and ripped it from his body. He then yelled and regenerated the arm. "I hate to use this on a human, but I have no choice." The general unsheathed the sword from his back. The blade was pitch black and the handle was leather wrapped. As he held it, small back flames emanated from the blade. "This is the blade of the black flame. Anything that is cut by this blade shall burn into nothingness. It is a sacred treasure of the demon race gifted to me by his lordship."

"That sounds troublesome." Zell said, uneasy about the blade. "How about we make a deal?"

"I don't make deals with human scum." The general replied.

"You didn't even hear the deal yet!" Zell protested. "Look if I take the blade from you, you have to admit defeat, and help me meet with the demon lord."

"What would I even get out of such a deal?" The general asked.

"You would get to remain amongst the living." Zell teased. Zell reached down and picked up a few pebbles. "So do we have a deal?"

"No deal!" The general yelled. He charged towards Zell, determined to slash him with his magic sword. Suddenly he found himself falling to the ground. Zell took a pebble and flicked it at one of the general's legs. The leg exploded from the force, and the general was on the ground before he even knew he was attacked. Zell flicked another pebble at the general's hand, and it as well exploded from the impact. The sword flew up into the air and rotated multiple times, before falling to the ground next to the general's body.

"Look, I am trying really hard not to kill you." Zell said. "I seriously just want peace; how can I make you see that?"

"Why?" The general asked. "Why do you want peace? No human has ever wanted peace with our kind."

"Hatred because someone is different than you is just stupid." Zell said. "The world is made up of so many different types of people, why should we hate one another, when there is so much we can learn from one another. I want to end the violence, the slavery, and the misery of your people. The human's have treated you all so poorly, and for that I apologize."

"You are such a strange human." The general replied as his leg and hand regenerated. He stood back up and addressed Zell eye to eye. "My name is Maximus, I have never given my name to a human, you should consider yourself honored."

"The name is Zell." Zell replied. "It is a pleasure to meet you Maximus. So, are you going to stop this needless attack now?"

"It would seem to be pointless to continue. What is your level if you don't mind me asking?" Maximus asked. "Mine is seventy-five thousand. I am a demon in which a powerful wind spirit resides."

"Ah, explain the wind spell." Zell said. "I am sorry I cannot tell you my level. Not because I am trying to hide it from you, I simply do not know what it is."

"Do you not know how to bring up a status screen?" Maximus asked. "I thought even humans knew how to do that simple of a task."

"My status screen doesn't work." Zell explained. "It is all just symbols and glitches."

"I have never heard of that, but your strength is real." Maximus said. "I have never felt so outmatched." He picked his sword off the ground and sheathed it. "Come, I will buy your room tonight to make amends."

"Alright." Zell said as he got off the chair and picked it up.

The pair walked back inside, and Zell placed the chair back at the bar.

"Barkeep get this human a room." Maximus said. "Put it on my tab."

"Yes sir." The barkeep said nervously having seen the one-sided match up outside. "Also, as a way of an apology I shall find you some new clothing human, you seem to be in need of a new shirt. Here is your key you will find yourself and your companion in room Two, it is on the second floor to your left. Would you care for any ale, or juice before you retire to your chambers?"

"No thanks." Zell said. "Come Kaitlyn, let's get some rest."

"Okay." Kaitlyn said as she followed Zell up to the room.

Maximus sat down at the bar and slumped in his chair. "There is something going on with that human. I wonder if he was sent by the gods, as our demon lord was. Perhaps he is a human lord? Is there such a thing?"

The barkeep just shrugged his shoulders and poured a tall stein of ale for Maximus. "Do you think he is the human who killed Xalrend five years ago?"

"I could see of no other human that could." Maximus said. "His presence is why the lord has kept all of his powerful soldiers off the front lines. He knew someone scary was out there, it's nice to finally know who they are. Although if that human wished it, he could probably wipe all of us out without breaking a sweat, much like I could do to the humans."