Chapter 229   - More Dangerous

Ray and the other party members were stood in the outpost, just outside the door to the underground dungeon where the demon man, Lenny, and Gary were underground. Just then though, Ray felt a huge surge of energy come from below.

It was the same energy that he had felt form the demon man.

"Did he wake up." Ray thought, "I have to go in."

"You guys stay out here!" Ray said as he burst through the doors and down into the dungeon. As the doors burst open the others could feel the immense heat coming from below.

"You don't think the demon man has woken up do you?" Ark asked.

"If he has, then Ray might need all of to take him on together like last time," Lilly said.

The rest agreed and decided to head down after Ray.

Inside the dungeon, the hammer that had been attached to the demon man was there no longer. It had turned into some sort of liquid as if it was alive and attached itself to Gary's arm slowly forming a gauntlet around him.

"This is very bad!" Lenny shouted.

A shadow seemed to fall over Gary's face. His eyes started to shine bright yellow like a fire was inside. He then held up his gauntlet hand and similar to the hammer, it started to glow blue. The air around Gary started to blow hotter and a radiating power was being emitted from the gauntlet.

"This is a very nice fit for me," Gary said in a voice lower than it once was. As if it was no longer his.

Just then, Ray had appeared to see Gary with the, now Dragon Gauntlet. He knew instantly that it was the same as the hammer form the design. Then Just behind Ray, the rest had followed.

"No it can't be, was he possessed?" Ark said.

"That idiot had to go causing trouble for us," Jack added.

Lenny who stood closest to Gary flung himself forward but before he could reach. Gary lifted his hand in the air and a bright light erupted from the gauntlet, blinding everyone for several moments.

When the group was able to see again. Gary was no longer in the dungeon, he had completely Vanished.

"Put the city on high alert!" Lilly cried. "We need to find the new demon man." Just then as Lilly took a few steps forward, she staggered and fell to the floor.

*****

The city had been informed of Gary's appearance and not only were the guards on a lookout for him but also the Guild members. There was a temporary block put out on the city blocking all of the exits trying to make sure he wouldn't escape.

When Gary had been possessed by the Gauntlet at the same time his system had declared that the contract had been broken. There was no way for Ray to contact him anymore. However, he had learnt now that what had happened with Monk, meant it was most likely he wasn't dead but perhaps a similar situation had happened to Monk.

Slyvia and the others had yet to notify him what was going on at Avrion and Ray was too busy to find out as he had his own urgent pressing matters.

Lilly had been taken to her castle where a white mage would perform healing magic to the best of their abilities. It was a painful ordeal for Lilly but it was the only thing they could do to delay the spread of the shadow.

The city had an odd feeling behind it. They had just suffered a betrayal from one of their biggest guilds. The mayor's daughter who was in charge of most of the city duties was now bedridden and there was a powerful enemy on the loose and they had no idea where he was.

As Days went past, Ray was finally informed of what had happened to Monk. Ray felt a little guilty that he wasn't there to convince him but Monk had made his own choice. While Slyvia and the others were planning to bring him back.

Ray was preparing his mind for a confrontation with a dear friend. if it came to it and Monk chose the Dark guild over the Red Wings, Ray had to choose the Red wings.

The investigation team continued but it now had weakened significantly. There was Lenny, Ray, Jack and Ark. With no clues, the four of them decided to head to the person who was once the demon man before. The man known as Vercy.

Vercy was bedridden for a few days after the hammer had been removed from his hand. Once the hammer had disappeared it seemed like his hand had regrown. It was an amazing feat that the doctors didn't understand.

After some integration by the city guards, they found out that Vercy was a harmless man but was to be kept watch while in the hospital.

Inside the hospital room. Ray and the investigation team had entered for some questioning.

"I see you're finally awake?" Lenny said.

"Who are you guys?" Vercy replied.

"Ah it looks like you don't even remember us, that's not good." Said Lenny, "Let me ask you, do you know anything about the hammer that came into your possession?"

"The hammer, ah yes, I worked as a miner you see. One day we were extracting minerals from a cave in a mountain. That's when it sounded like something was calling out to me. I decided to leave the crew and investigate thinking that it might have been a lost child. But in the end, all I could find was a hammer. I thought I had gone mad but I was sure the hammer was calling out to me. When I touched it, that was the last thing I can remember before being here."

"Is that everything?" Jack asked.

Ray was beginning to feel a little impatient and decided to cut to the chase. He walked up to Vercy and looked him in the eyes.

"Dragon's truth."

"Now tell us, who are you?" Ray asked.

The colour in Vercy's eyes went white and he started to reply in a monotone voice.

"I am a simple miner for a small village near the town of Kelberg. My name Is Vercy Krang. I am 28 years old and look after my sick mother."

After finishing their questions, the group then left the hospital room to step outside.

"So Vercy was just a normal human being?" Ark asked. "Doesn't that mean that immense power that he had all came from the hammer?"

"Yes, this is very bad." Said Lenny. "Before the hammer had possessed a simple man with no skills. I think Gary will be a far more dangerous foe, especially with all his skills and power."