Chapter III

Instantly after hearing her title, Clairra’s guard alerted, and within a second appear her bow and arrow ready to shoot. She was aiming at a tree. At first, you will not see anything in the shadows but long enough, crimson red eyes appeared.

“Who are you?” she asked, her voice sturdy like the string she pulls.

“I’ve always stared at that tower, wondering what glory it holds to be standing so tall.” His voice was deep and calm, yet there was something in it that Clairra finds alarming. 

“I asked, who are you not why you were here, demon!” 

The demon laughed mockingly and jumped down but remained in the shadow of the big tree.

“Then I shall call you, human,” he says while stepping into the light. 

He had such human features that Clairra could not help her eyes widening. Demons can take any form but why is this one so human? Even his eyes weren’t red! He has marble electric blue eyes. Where did the crimson go?

“Show me your true form!” She demanded.

“True form? Is this not true enough to you, human?” He smirks at her. “You seem terrified to see me looking so ‘human’, aren’t you?”

“Terrified is not the word, disgusted is,” Clairra hissed.

“And here I thought humans had such love in them.”

“You don’t know that word!”

“And so do you, human.”

There was silence between them but their breathing was loud. Their stares were piercing into each other like they were in a battle. 

Clairra could release her arrow and let it fly into the demon’s heart but she sure knows how fast he can dodge it.

Love? How does this demon even know that word? Demons don’t know how to love! All they do is fight each other, betray each other for the throne, trying to conquer the world they live in!

“I will ask for the last time, demon, who are you?”

The intention to shoot her arrow was obviously written in Clairra’s face and there was no other thing a demon likes but to play games and keep your fire growing. He looks up grinning at her.

“Then you leave me no choice, demon!” She let go of her blessed arrow.

He didn’t move and yet the blessed arrow couldn’t come close by an inch to his chest. It was in the air for some seconds until it gradually lost its glow and it fell down to the ground.

“What will you do now if I attack you, priestess?” he questions. “Can I dig my nails into your skin? Claw you? Or maybe… I can tear you up and eat you!”

“Demon…” she muttered, her nostrils flaring. How did he manage to repel a blessed arrow? No one, no demon has ever done that. 

“I’m not interested in fighting with a weak priestess. I have what I came for.” He flashed her a charming smile which Clairra hated. “You ask who I am, I am the Demon King. It’s disheartening to meet your acquaintance with an arrow, priestess. We shall meet again.”

A few steps back in the shadow and the Demon King had disappeared, leaving Clairra more shocked than ever. She didn’t even know she was holding her breath until she fell to her knees, her bow down on the ground.

“He is no ordinary demon,” she whispers, finally seeing the tree the Demon King was once up. She looks at her bow and scoffs. “I will need to see the Sage of no name.”

***

All night long, Clairra spent reading to find clues about the sage. Eyaren tried to tell her to rest but the sun had risen and she was still in the big library. 

“Take a rest, Clairra. You’ve been reading all night!” Eyaren told her while she delivers fresh milk to the priestess.

“I am out of books, Eyaren. The elders have no idea where to find the Sage, I too, have now just heard of him and even the reagent has no idea of such!” She waves her hand in the air frustratingly. “I faced the Demon King last night and my arrow could not even--”

“The Demon King?!” Eyaren exclaimed, interrupting Clairra. “Good heavens! You are alright! What does he look like? An ox? A monkey-like face?”

“N-No! He is…” she looks away and recalled what the Demon Lord looked like. “He… he looked pretty human to me.”

“Ha?” Eyaren scrunched up her face for a second. “Are you sane? Is what you saw the Demon Lord or just a human pretending to be a demon?”

“I know what I saw, Eyaren! He was powerful and I have no match for him! This is why I need to find the Sage!”

“He could easily crush you. Why didn’t he?”

It made Clairra stop for a moment. Yes, why didn’t he do that? But then again, even cats like to play with the mouse first before taking the life out of it entirely. A demon could do more.

“I don’t know, Eyaren. Maybe he waits for the right time.” She sighs heavily. “In the meantime, let’s not waste our time and look for the Sage.”

“Perhaps the old mage knows of the Sage of no name, my priestess? They do rhyme.”

“What a brilliant idea!” Clairra’s face glowed and her eyes twinkle. “I should visit old Heije! He knows better than the priests and priestesses! Come! Let us--”

“After you clean yourself, priestess! I forbid us going there barely presentable!”

Clairra giggles and nodded her head slowly. How lucky she is to have a best friend like Eyaren, taking care of her always. She would not let any demon hurt her friend and all her innocent subject.

You wait, Demon King…