PART II: AFTER THE SEALING OF THE BLACK MAGE

Chapter 23: Demon Awakening

(A/N: First off, I hate the fact that the Demon doesn’t have a canon name. Calling him the Demon may as well just be the same thing as calling Mercedes “the Elf”. I remember that long ago, it used to be a thing for fanfiction writers to call him Valfor, similar to how they used Aidan and Luka as the names for the Mechanic and Battle Mage characters. At the very least, I’m a little glad that they decided to start calling him the Demon instead of the Demon Slayer because I always thought that “Demon Slayer” made it seem as though he was a person who was known for killing demons.

The Demon Slayer is the canonical version of the Demon, but both the Demon Slayer and Demon Avenger storylines are identical, with the exception of their 4th job advancement. If there’s any information specific to the Demon Avenger, I’ll include it in the author notes, rather than in the text. To this day, I have no idea why they created the Demon Avenger as an alternative path if they were just gonna make him non-canon. They may as well have just created a new demon branch of warriors, magicians, etc. and made the Demon Avenger a separate character, especially since the Demon only has superficial ties to the Resistance lore.

On a related note, the Demon is technically a Resistance member, which means that he can complete some of the main Resistance storyline. However, since it wouldn’t make sense for these quests to be repeated after the Resistance member does it first, I’ll only be including the Demon-specific quests in this section. The Demon’s storyline begins some time after Vita is rescued, but it has to be before Vita is accused of poisoning the Resistance because Elex makes a comment about how Vita is a victim of the Black Wings, which he wouldn’t have said if he believed that Vita could be a Black Wings spy.)

Over the centuries, the Demon had fallen into a deep hibernation inside the protective egg that he had constructed in order to recover from his fight with the Black Mage. Eventually, this egg was discovered by the Black Wings, who brought it back to Edelstein. Realizing that the egg contained an enormous amount of power, they took it back to the Verne Mine and hooked it up to a special Energy Conducting Device in order to power Gelimer’s experiments. (A/N: This one is different from the one in the Power Plant.)

As the device began to drain his energy, the Demon awoke from his hibernation and quickly broke out of the egg, using the last of his strength to defeat the Black Wings henchmen operating the device. In the shadows, J watched in amazement at the Demon’s tremendous powers. As the Demon fell unconscious, J took him back to the Secret Plaza.

The Demon soon awoke in the infirmary room and realized that all of his power had been drained away. He then overheard J telling the Resistance leaders about his discovery of the Energy Conducting Device, which he described as being similar to the one in the Power Plant, except that it had been connected to the egg. He explained that the Demon was extremely powerful, and that he wouldn’t have brought him back to the Secret Plaza if the Demon hadn’t already expended the last of his strength.

Elex wondered whether the Demon was one of Gelimer’s test subjects, which would make him a victim of the Black Wings, just like Vita. J went to check on the Demon in the infirmary and found him awake. He then escorted the Demon to meet with the Resistance leaders, who began questioning him about his organization, his background, and the wings on his back. The Demon explained that he was a former Commander of the Black Mage, and that he had been born with his wings, as his father was a pure-blood demon.

Claudine was shocked and asked the Demon how he could be a former Commander when the Black Mage had been sealed for centuries. This, in turn, shocked the Demon, who realized that not only had the Heroes succeeded in defeating his former master, but quite a large amount of time had passed since then. Claudine asked the Demon why he had betrayed the Black Mage, but the Demon merely told her that it was a personal matter.

He then asked Claudine who the Resistance and the Black Wings were, to which she explained that the Resistance was an organization formed to drive the Black Wings, a group trying to revive the Black Mage, out of Edelstein. The Demon was pleased to know that the Black Mage may yet return, as it meant that he could finally get his revenge. Just then, Headmaster Ferdi appeared and asked him to join the Resistance, as they both had a common enemy. After considering it, the Demon decided to accept their offer and thanked them for rescuing him.

Back in the infirmary, the Demon began wondering about whether he felt comfortable using the same power that he had once used to serve the Black Mage, or whether he should view his power drainage as an opportunity to cultivate a new power. He ultimately decided to continue using his Demon Fury, telling himself that he would use any means to defeat the Black Mage, even if it meant that he had to use the power that he had once used to serve a betrayer.

(A/N: The other option he chooses is to give into his rage, which turns his hair silver and transforms his mace into a Desperado. I noticed some similarities between his awakening as the Demon Avenger and Damien wielding the Spirit of Vengeance. Damien’s sword contains the Spirit of Vengeance, which is the combined spirits of countless sacrificed half-demons, similar to how the Demon Avenger wields a demon-powered Desperado. The word ‘avenger’ is also rooted in the word ‘vengeance’.)

Having awakened his old power, he returned to Claudine, who recommended that he enroll in Headmaster Ferdi’s training program in order to get stronger. After passing the training courses, Claudine told him that a Black Wings spy had infiltrated the Secret Plaza. With everyone on high-alert, the Demon decided to find the spy himself. The spy was surprised that the Demon had found him, as he had been using the power of darkness to cloak himself. The Demon explained that his demon bloodline allowed him to see through such tricks and proceeded to easily dispatch him, much to Claudine’s impressment. (A/N: The ability that the Black Wings spy was using sounds a lot like Dark Sight. I guess that Dark Sight doesn’t work on demons.)

The Demon then continued training in Edelstein until he was contacted by Checky, who told him that two children had gone missing from the town. He was worried that the children had ended up in the Serpent Path and asked the Demon to find them. Sure enough, the Demon found the two children cowering in fear of the serpents in the area. He then defeated the serpents in order to clear a path, allowing the children to run home safely.

(A/N: The game really missed the opportunity to develop the Demon’s relationship with the people of Edelstein. I have this entire story in my head about his relationship with the kids of the town that I would’ve loved to see in the game. For context, my estimate for how much time passes between the formation of the Cygnus Knights to the defeat of the Black Mage is somewhere between 10-15 years. I would say that the events of this section occur around 3-5 years into the timeline. I like to imagine that after the Demon saves these kids from the serpents, he checks in on them from time to time, which eventually leads to the kids viewing him as a cool big brother and the Demon taking care of them because they remind him of when Damien was a kid and how he’d follow the Demon around everywhere he went.

After the formation of the Alliance, I imagine that the Demon would be away from Edelstein a lot of the time, but he would still visit occasionally and give the Edelstein kids souvenirs and stories about his adventures. After Damien dies and the Black Mage is defeated, he would end up visiting the Edelstein kids, who are significantly older by now, probably around 15-16 years old, which would be around when Damien had been recruited as a Commander and forced into slavery in Tynerum. He’d tell them about Damien for the first time and how he hadn’t been able to save him.

Talking to the kids would then help him realize just how much of an impact he’d had on their lives, not only as an older brother figure, but also because him defeating the Black Wings and the Black Mage meant that he had helped create a better future where those kids didn’t have to throw their innocence and their lives away in battle, and so, even though he hadn’t been able to help his brother, he had still been able to help his chosen family, and that understanding would’ve helped him in the healing process in order to come to terms with Damien’s death and eventually move forward.)

Some time later, the Demon realized that he needed new armor and went to ask Surl about obtaining some. Surl began complaining that people nowadays didn’t understand the value of saving, explaining that many people threw away Black Plastic Bags from the Dust Box monsters without even realizing how many useful things were inside. In exchange for bringing him some of those plastic bags, he agreed to give the Demon a fair price on some armor. After the Demon collected the bags, Surl used the materials inside them to craft new gloves for him.

Soon after, Claudine told him that there were too many Streetlight monsters around Edelstein, which made it difficult for the Resistance to conduct their operations at night. As the Demon began heading to Streetlight Row, he encountered Council President Anthony, who also told him that there were too many Streetlights, and that the city needed to cut down on power consumption. Anthony ordered him to eliminate the Streetlights and bring back their light bulbs directly to him. The Demon realized that Anthony was planning to turn a profit with them, but nevertheless, he eliminated the Streetlights and gave the bulbs to Anthony, who bought his silence by giving him a single bulb. (A/N: Woah. This is worthless!)

As the Demon continued his training, Elex reached out to him and asked if he would investigate a strange monster that was scaring the townspeople. In Edelstein Park, the Demon encountered a purple cat, which immediately began attacking him. While fighting, the cat sensed something familiar and unexpectedly began speaking, calling the Demon “Commander”.

She introduced herself as his servant, Mastema, which made him immediately stop fighting. (A/N: Just like Vita, Mastema is canonically female, although her gender in the game is the opposite of the player’s gender, as she has romantic feelings for the Demon.) Mastema explained that she had managed to deliver his letter to the Heroes all those centuries ago, but Arkarium had arrived shortly after and attacked her. In order to survive, she had transformed herself into a cat and had spent centuries searching for the Demon.

Overjoyed to be reunited with her master, Mastema asked if he remembered the day that they had first met, when he had saved her in the Valley of the Dragons. The Demon told her that he remembered and realized that since no one except the two of them had been in the valley that day, it meant that the cat really was Mastema. He then told her what had happened during his battle with the Black Mage, and how he had encased himself into an egg in order to recover.

Mastema filled him in on how after his fight with the Black Mage, the Heroes had managed to defeat the Commanders at the Temple of Time and seal the Black Mage away. Though she didn’t know the fate of the other Commanders, she believed that they were likely plotting to revive the Black Mage. She also added that the Heroes had disappeared after sealing the Black Mage, but that there were rumors of their return spreading throughout Maple World. The Demon then decided to take her back with him to the Secret Plaza under the cover story that she was his pet.

At the Secret Plaza, Mastema told him that since he needed more power, she could form a contract with him in order to bestow her demon powers onto him. Though the Demon was hesitant, Mastema assured him that the power transfer wouldn’t turn him into a cat, adding that it would also allow them to speak telepathically. Once the Demon accepted the contract, Mastema’s power flooded into him, awakening more of his lost power.

The Demon then left the Secret Plaza and began walking around Edelstein. After sensing that he was being watched, he made his way to the outskirts of the town, where two robed men appeared. The older man told the younger one that it was a bad idea to reveal themselves, but the younger man ordered him to be silent. He then told the Demon that it had been a long time since they had last seen each other, and that he had only wanted to stop by in order to say that it was good to see him again.

(A/N: The younger man is obviously Damien. This quest, and several others like it, were either added or they replaced some of the Demon’s original quests and created a sub-plot of the Demon attempting to find the identity of the new demon Commander, which culminated in Damien revealing himself to the Demon during Heroes of Maple.)

After the pair left, the Demon felt that the younger man’s voice seemed familiar, but he was puzzled by the dark energy that he exuded. Mastema telepathically spoke to him through their bond and asked whether she ought to follow them. The Demon told her not to, as it was too dangerous, and so she decided to instead investigate their identities.

Soon after, the Demon ventured aboard to continue his training. Some time later, Mastema telepathically reached out to him and explained that she had heard rumors of an old man named Alcaster in El Nath, and that he had been alive for centuries. She suggested that he visit Alcaster, as anyone who had lived for so long would likely have valuable information.

The Demon arrived in El Nath and approached Alcaster, who immediately sensed the great darkness within him. Believing him to be a servant of the Black Mage, Alcaster refused to speak with him. Mastema then contacted him and asked what he had learned from Alcaster, but the Demon told her how Alcaster had refused to speak with him after sensing his Demon Fury.

Mastema suggested that he help Alcaster in order to prove that he wasn’t evil and told him to listen for an opportunity. The Demon then overheard Alcaster speaking to himself, saying that he needed Stirge Wings for his research, though he couldn’t make the trip all the way to Kerning City himself. Seizing the opportunity, the Demon collected the Stirge Wings and brought them to Alcaster, promising him that he was no longer in league with the Black Mage.

Though Alcaster was dubious, he nevertheless accepted the Demon’s gift and agreed to hear him out. The Demon asked him about the other Commanders and the Black Wings, to which Alcaster explained that he only had secondhand information about the old war from his master, who had personally lived through it. His master had told him that only Von Leon knew the full story of what had happened at the Temple of Time, as well as the fate of the Black Mage, but added that the Lion King had been hidden for some time.

Though he didn’t know what had happened to the other Commanders, he believed that they remained hidden while building their forces. He also believed that the Black Wings had been founded by one of the Commanders themselves, explaining that they were too focused and organized to be a random cult that worshipped the Black Mage. He then asked the Demon why he had asked such questions, as he would have thought that a former Commander would know more about the Black Mage’s followers than him. Regardless, he told the Demon to take care if he intended to battle those dark forces.

After getting his answers, the Demon continued his training and soon made his way to the Six Path Crossway, where he ran into Mercedes. She immediately recognized him as a Commander, but she also sensed that he seemed different, as though he were aware of his past misdeeds. She told him that thanks to the letter that he had sent all those centuries ago, the Heroes had been able to formulate their strategy based on the troop deployment information that he had given them, which had been the key to their victory.

She also mentioned that Arkarium had appeared and attacked Mastema and the other Heroes soon after she had delivered the letter before fleeing. With the information from his letter, the Heroes had been able to take the most direct route to the Black Mage’s throne room, where they had found the Demon lying unconscious. However, because of his attack, the Black Mage’s protective magic had been damaged, which had been instrumental in allowing them to seal him away.

The Demon was thankful that his actions had been meaningful, but Mercedes pointed out that there was much evil that he had yet to atone for, adding that she doubted that his crimes could ever be forgiven. The Demon replied that he had no intention of seeking forgiveness. Because he had already lost everything that mattered to him, vengeance was the only thing left to him.

Mercedes asked what his intentions were, to which the Demon told her that he would end the Black Mage himself and right all of his wrongs. Mercedes told him that his strength would be needed once the Black Mage returned, and that she was glad that they were on the same side. She also pointed out how strange it was that despite having once been sworn enemies, they were now able to have a simple conversation. Though she couldn’t forgive him, she explained that she no longer hated him, and hoped that the Great Spirit would watch over him until they met again to face the Black Mage.

Some time later, Mastema told him that she had found a way to help him regain more of his old power and asked him to come to Edelstein Park, as they needed a secluded area for the training that she had in mind. When the Demon arrived, Mastema explained that she had created a temporary copy of her past self, and though it wasn’t as strong, she believed that sparring with it would help the Demon in his training.

She then sent him into an alternate dimension, where he fought and defeated the copy of Mastema. Upon returning back to the real world, Mastema asked whether her copy had told him anything strange, which the Demon denied. (A/N: Mastema was hoping that her copy didn’t accidentally reveal her feelings for him.) However, he told her that he had been able to regain more of his old power, which Mastema was glad to hear.

Some time later, Mastema reached out to the Demon again and excitedly told him that she had found a way to change herself back to her demon form. She then asked him to collect Cellion, Lioner, and Grupin tails, which could restore one’s true form if braided together. Though the Demon believed that it was merely a tall tale, he nevertheless brought them back for her. Mastema then braided the tails together and placed the braid under her pillow, claiming that she would return back to normal the next day. However, just as the Demon suspected, the rumor was merely a superstition and Mastema remained a cat.

The Demon then continued his training, but soon after, Mercedes reached out to him again and demanded to know what he was planning. The Demon told her that he had no idea what she was talking about, and so Mercedes explained that a suspicious group of men had been signed in Orbis, and that one of them looked exactly like him. The Demon wondered whether they were the same men who had been tailing him in Edelstein and told Mercedes that he would look into it. She decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and told him to speak with Lisa, who was the one who had seen the group. She also warned the Demon that she would make him pay if he were truly planning something sinister.

In Orbis, the Demon met Lisa, who told him that she hadn’t personally witnessed the men, but rather, she had heard the rumor from Spiruna. (A/N: Great going, Mercedes. Maybe try fact-checking next time before you start threatening someone.) Lisa warned the Demon that Spiruna hated strangers and suggested that he do something for her so that she would be more inclined to humor him. She suggested that he bring Starpieces from the Star Pixies, whose growing population had been irritating Spiruna. Sure enough, Spiruna was annoyed to see the Demon, though she was placated when he gave her the Starpieces. He asked her where the men were headed, but Spiruna told him that he needed to do more in exchange for that information.

After he hunted Lunar Pixies and Luster Pixies, Spiruna was satisfied and used her magic to teleport him to their location. There, he witnessed the same robed men putting Eliza, the Goddess’ pet, under a curse. The Demon quickly realized that the men were also demons. As soon as they spotted him, one of the demons decided that they needed to eliminate him, as he had seen too much.

However, the younger demon from before, who seemed to be in charge, told him that he would handle the situation. He ordered them to disperse and finish their missions, but the Demon moved to attack, vowing that he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. However, the young demon simply told him that they would meet again someday before disappearing, leaving the Charmed Eliza to fight him.

After he defeated the Goddess’ pet, Eliza thanked the Demon for lifting the curse on him before disappearing. (A/N: I thought that Eliza was female all this time, but the Orbis town quests actually reveal that Eliza is male.) The Demon was surprised that there were still other demons in Maple World, as he believed that they had all vanished after the Black Mage had been sealed away. He then resolved to investigate their return.

(A/N: Before the Milestone update, it was revealed in the Stone Colossus storyline that the demons had created and corrupted clones of Eliza in order to infect the Stone Colossus with darkness. However, the revamp to the Stone Colossus storyline removed Damien’s involvement with it, and I’m assuming that they’re going to delete this quest when they get around to revamping the Demon.)