The cave’s air was thick with the scent of damp earth and ancient stone. Every breath felt heavy, like the weight of ages was pressing down on them. Belial stood across from Gagamaru, the massive demon’s frame casting long shadows on the walls illuminated by faintly glowing light stones. Gagamaru’s eyes, though weary, now held a spark of something long buried: 

hope.

At the mention of the name, Gagamaru’s eyes had widened in recognition. “The Dancing General…” he echoed, almost reverently. “Yes, he was… a legend.” His deep voice trembled slightly as he spoke, as though the memories of that time were difficult to grasp. “I remember him leading the charge, his movements fluid like water, mesmerizing even in battle. But I can’t recall much more. It all feels like it didn't happen.”

Belial, sensing the weight of the moment, felt a surge of excitement mingled with trepidation. The Dancing General wasn’t just a figure from legend; he was a key figure in the demon realm, a name that almost everyone in the northern side of the demon realm knew. A warrior with a presence so overwhelming that even the other generals hesitated to face him head-on. But he had vanished, disappearing during the last great battle, presumed dead or lost to time. If Gagamaru had truly been with him during those final moments, the implications were staggering. It meant that remnants of the old war still lingered, hidden away in these forgotten corners of the world, along with secrets that could change the course of their current struggles.

Belial’s mind raced. Could the General still be alive? Or was his fate already sealed? Either way, if Gagamaru held answers, Belial had to uncover them.

“You don’t know where your general is now?” Belial pressed, his voice low but intense. He leaned forward slightly, trying to keep his own excitement in check, though the fire in his eyes betrayed his eagerness.

Gagamaru’s massive shoulders slumped, and his expression darkened with despair. “No,” he muttered, the word filled with sorrow. “After I fled… everything became a haze. I lost sight of him. I lost everything. I’ve been hiding here ever since, trying to survive, waiting for something to happen—waiting for a chance to reclaim my honor.”

Belial studied the demon before him, sensing the depths of his despair. Gagamaru wasn’t just a broken warrior—he was a demon clinging to the shattered remnants of a past he could barely remember. But there was still a flicker of hope within him, a desire to be part of something again. To be whole. Belial saw an opportunity.

“This cave..,” Belial said slowly, his voice measured, trying to sound both empathetic and strategic. “You know the dangers that are the world, judging by how this cave looks it should be connected to other caves, .On my name. I’ll help you find your general. If he’s still alive, we’ll uncover what happened to him. Together.”

The silence that followed was thick with tension. Gagamaru seemed to wrestle with the proposition, fear and longing battling within him. His gaze flicked between Belial, the light stone flickering weakly at his side, and the darkened corners of the cave, where his memories of the war seemed to linger. The hesitation in Gagamaru’s movements was palpable, as though he were afraid to hope again, afraid to believe that there might be more to his existence than the endless hiding and regret.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Gagamaru nodded. It was a small movement, almost reluctant, but it was a step forward. “I will help you, and hopefully we can go home..” he said, his voice quiet but resolute. 

Belial nodded, feeling a sense of purpose ignite within him. This was it—an ally who could help navigate the dangers of this place and a lead that could unravel the mysteries of the past. “Agreed,” Belial said, his voice firm. “We’ll figure this out. Together.”

Gagamaru stared at him for a moment longer, his brow furrowing as if something had just occurred to him. His large frame tensed as curiosity flashed in his eyes. “But tell me,” the demon began, his voice laced with confusion. “How did you even come to the human realm? The barriers between the worlds… they’ve been sealed for over a century. How are you here?”

Belial hesitated, considering how much to reveal. The truth was complicated, layered with events that Gagamaru might not fully understand—or might be shocked to hear. He weighed his words carefully but decided to offer a glimpse of the truth, enough to satisfy Gagamaru’s curiosity without overwhelming him.

“I’ve been searching,” Belial began, his tone measured. “Searching for the remnants of our people. The war didn’t just end—it left scars, unanswered questions. I came across an ancient artifact, something powerful enough to pierce the veil between realms. It allowed me to find a way into the human realm. I’m here to uncover what’s left—if there are others like you. Demons who survived.”

Gagamaru’s eyes widened slightly, disbelief clouding his features. “An artifact?” he repeated, his voice tinged with awe. “Something powerful enough to break the seals of a king of angels? That’s… impossible.”

Belial shook his head, his expression calm and resolute. “Nothing’s impossible. Not in this world or the next. The artifact I found is old, from a time before the war. It holds a power that even I don’t fully understand. But it brought me here, and it’s helping me find the remaining demons.”

Gagamaru mulled this over, his expression torn between skepticism and wonder. His eyes flickered with hope for the first time in what seemed like ages. “So… you truly believe there are others? Others like me? Like… the General?”

“I do,” Belial said confidently. “The war may have ended, but not everything was destroyed. There are still pieces of our past scattered across this realm, waiting to be found. The demon king's army is strong, the fact that you’re here proves it.”

Gagamaru’s expression softened, the flicker of hope growing stronger in his eyes. “If you’re right,” he said slowly, his voice trembling with the weight of his thoughts, “then maybe… maybe the general is still out there. Maybe he’s waiting for us.”

“Maybe,” Belial agreed. “But we won’t know until we uncover the truth.”

For an unknown amount of time , the two demons stood in silence, the weight of their shared past hanging heavily between them. Finally, Gagamaru nodded, a faint but determined smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “Very well,” he said. “I’ll help you. But remember your promise. If you can… please try to look for the general.”

Belial placed a firm hand on Gagamaru’s shoulder. “I will. We’re in this together now.”

Gagamaru looked away for a moment, the flicker of hope in his eyes giving way to a grim determination. He was ready to fight again, to reclaim what had been lost. And Belial, too, felt that same fire burning inside him. They weren’t just searching for answers—they were searching for redemption.

The silence between Belial and Gagamaru stretched on for a moment after the question. There was a shadow that passed over Gagamaru’s features, a weight in his expression that Belial could immediately sense. Gagamaru’s massive form shifted slightly as he nodded, his gaze moving away from Belial, almost as if he were unwilling to meet his eyes.

“Earlier, you mentioned your squadron,” Belial asked gently, trying not to press too hard. “What happened to them?”

For a moment, Gagamaru stood in silence, his breath slow and measured as though he were wrestling with old memories that had long since been buried. Finally, he spoke, his voice quieter than Belial had ever heard from him. “They’re down here.”

Without another word, Gagamaru turned and began to walk deeper into the cave. Belial followed, his eyes narrowing as the light stones dimmed slightly, casting long shadows against the jagged walls. The path they took was narrow, rugged, and difficult to traverse, the ground uneven beneath their feet. The air grew heavier, and with each step, a sickening scent began to permeate the air—something foul, like old rotting flesh left to decay in the forgotten depths.

Belial wrinkled his nose in disgust, the pungent stench burning his lungs as they descended deeper into the cave. The light stone he had  provided little relief against the oppressive atmosphere but it seemed that gagamaru dint need it, its faint glow casting eerie shadows that flickered like ghostly figures on the walls. The further they walked, the more the cave seemed to close in on them, the ceiling lowering until they had to stoop, squeezing past jagged rocks that jutted out like crooked teeth. It felt as though they were being swallowed by the earth itself.

The path was long and rugged, winding through tight corridors and narrow openings, until they finally arrived at a dead end. Belial’s sharp eyes adjusted to the dim light,and what he saw sent a chill down his spine.

It was a small chamber, no larger than a  6 by 6 , a simple small room, caved in at one side where the stone had collapsed. But what caught Belial’s attention were the three crude graves nestled against the far wall, marked only by rough stone slabs placed at their heads. The ground around the graves was uneven, as though the earth had been disturbed long ago and never properly settled. A suffocating stillness hung in the air, amplifying the heavy, melancholic silence.

Gagamaru stopped just before the graves, his broad back to Belial as he gazed at the makeshift burial site. His massive form seemed to deflate as though the weight of the past had finally crushed whatever strength he had been holding onto.

“They were all I had,” Gagamaru said, his voice thick with grief, though he tried to mask it. “My squadron… we were sent on a mission, during the war, to secure this cave system as a fallback point. It was supposed to be a routine operation, nothing too dangerous.” He let out a bitter laugh. “But everything went wrong. The angels found us before we could even set up a perimeter. It was chaos.”

He paused, looking down at the graves, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. “They fought bravely. All of them. We were outnumbered, overwhelmed. I… I couldn’t save them.”

Belial remained silent, allowing Gagamaru to speak. He could feel the immense sorrow radiating off the demon, a grief that had been buried as deeply as the bodies before them.

“I buried them here, where they fell,” Gagamaru continued, his voice quieter now, almost a whisper. “I didn’t know what else to do. I couldn’t leave them. They were my brothers. My family. And I left them to rot in this cursed place.”

Belial’s gaze shifted to the graves, and his chest tightened with an emotion he rarely felt. These demons, forgotten by time, had fought and died for a cause they believed in, only to be buried in the cold, unforgiving darkness of the earth, their memories fading with each passing year. There was something unbearably tragic about it.

“You didn’t leave them,” Belial said softly, stepping closer to the graves. “You stayed. You survived when you could have run. That takes strength. It’s what they would have wanted.”

Gagamaru didn’t respond. His eyes were fixed on the graves, lost in his memories.

Belial knelt before the three graves, his hand gently brushing the dirt that had settled on the rough stones Drawing a crescent moon. The atmosphere in the cave was heavy, like the world had paused to honor the fallen. For a long moment, he said nothing, simply allowing the weight of the silence to speak for itself. Then, quietly, he began a prayer, one that he hadn’t uttered in years. It was an old demon’s prayer, a rite meant to honor the dead, to send them off with dignity, even when the world had forgotten them.

As Belial spoke the words, the cave seemed to respond. The faint flicker of the light stones grew brighter for a moment, casting a warm glow over the graves, as if the earth itself was acknowledging the souls that lay beneath it.

“They fought bravely,” Belial whispered, his voice carrying the weight of his emotions. “And they deserve to be remembered. Their sacrifice wasn’t in vain.”

When he finished the prayer, the light dimmed once more, and the stillness returned. Belial stood, his heart heavy but resolute. He had given them the only thing he could offer: a proper send-off, 

Gagamaru remained silent, but there was something different in his posture now, a slight loosening of the tension that had gripped him for so long. Belial turned to him, meeting his gaze.

“They’re at peace now,” Belial said gently. “You gave them that.”

For a moment, Gagamaru said nothing, then he nodded, his voice rough with emotion. “Thank you,” he whispered, the words almost lost in the shadows. “Thank you for giving them that. ”

Belial nodded silently, then turned back to the graves, feeling a deep sense of melancholy settle over him. They had much further to go, and many more battles to face, but for now, in this quiet corner of the world, they had honored the dead.

And for a moment, that was enough.