Chapter 4: The Demon King

The Demon King rarely ventured beyond his domain. The last time he crossed the boundaries of realms was with his father, the previous king, centuries ago. Reluctantly dragging his closest advisor along, they decided to take a break by the Lubuk Tuna waterfall. It held a special place in my memory, for it was where his father passed the kingdom's reins to him.

As they arrived through a portal, the 6’3” tall young demon stretched and yawned, feeling the weight of his title – all the eight hundred years he had toil for the Demon Kingdom. "I've been working and slaving away for far too long," He complained.

Damon, his advisor, chimed in, "I told you it's high time to take a break. How do you feel now? Rejuvenated, huh?" the green-eyed demon playfully poked his liege’s ribs.

"Hey! Show some respect," The taller demon rebuked. Damon had always been a lazy bugger. If he weren't the second strongest demon after me, he would probably be wasting away in some hole.

"What? I used to do this all the time when we were kids. You know how much I respect you," Damon retorted.

"I mean respect yourself, my mighty General," The Demon King clarified.

"Whatever...let's go for a dip," Damon said, rushing ahead without a care.

While Damon eagerly rushed ahead, the Demon King lingered a bit longer to ensure none escaped through the portal. The last time that happened, it caused a great commotion in the human world.

Finally, he made his way towards the waterfall, only to spot a figure sitting by the pool. Who is that? Shouldn't this place be empty at this time of year? Damon must have miscalculated again...That demon has no brain for simple maths sometimes!" He was about to turn and leave when a captivating scent reached his nostrils. It was sweet and alluring, giving his royal demon a sense of peace, one he hadn't felt in a long time. It tugged at his soul, calling out to him, singing a song of promise.

Curiosity overcame him, and he crept closer to see a human crying. Normally, the Demon King despised the weak who refused to fend for themselves, but there was something unusual about her. An aura, a multitude of colours, surrounded the human, emanating from her heart.

Having witnessed every type of aura and power in existence throughout the heavens, multiverses, and even in hell, the Demon King approached her, intrigued to read her thoughts.

"Gone forever, trapped in a loveless marriage to a cold, stone-hearted workaholic. Help..." the human whispered.

Oddly enough, a pang of pity for her coursed through his soul, something he hadn't experienced in a long time. It was a feeling he had pushed aside the moment he was chosen as the crown prince, for in the demon world, any form of weakness meant certain death. It was suicide to feel anything other than ambition and strategise every waking moment.

In a strange way, perhaps he understood what she felt deep down, as if she was thinking and feeling on his behalf. Without thinking, the Demon King draped my arms around her, hoping to lend her strength and fortitude to persevere.

To his amusement, the human looked around and giggled. "Maybe I'm about to catch a flu with all this stress...right before the wedding. Ha! I wonder what they would think about that," she mused, her thoughts taking an odd turn.

She gazed at the pool of water lapping at her feet and thought, "Oh, whatever...I might as well have one last taste of freedom." Making sure no one was in sight, she started undressing, stripping down to her underwear, and entering the water.

Her body appeared average in his eyes, passable at best. There were far better demoness in his kingdom. However, the aura that grew as her mind calmed and relaxed was the most beautiful thing he had witnessed in his thousand years of existence.

The aura beckoned him to comfort her, and so the royal demon heeded its call. Entering the cool water, he sat beside her for a moment, absorbing the serenity she exuded. As she fully submerged herself, the human decided to take a swim, revelling in the wonderful feeling of letting go. The water in the Demon Kingdom was foul and toxic, capable of killing lesser demons. Although it posed no harm to me, he saw no reason to subject himself to such foolish waste.

Suddenly, the human rushed out of the water, seemingly afraid or skittish. Had she seen me? The Demon King observed how she hurriedly put on her clothes, thinking to himself, "There's no way in fresh hell I would go near one of those creepy crawly things.” Oh, my human, hell is not fresh at all. What an odd duck she is.

"Oh great! I forgot I'm still wet!" she exclaimed, struggling to squeeze out moisture from her clothes and hair. It amused the Demon King to watch her, it reminded him of a cat that had just leaped out of a bath. "A little wind would be great now..." she muttered sarcastically.

"Hm... very well. I shall grant you that." With a flick of the finger to make the wind blow, he instantly dried her. It was a trick he often used on himself.

"Weird...So..very...weird. GHOST! RUNNN!!! Like...was that truly just the wind? Could it have been supernatural...or maybe paranormal? If so, was it trying to frighten me? Play with me? ... Help me even? But come on. Think rationally. Why would any spirit, demon, or ghost help to dry me? It doesn't make any sense."

What fun she is! The Demon King smiled, leaning on a nearby rock, finding myself more and more drawn to her like a moth to a flame. Demons were forbidden from consorting with humans, a law passed down by his father to maintain peace between the races. "But I am not consorting. Merely studying," He told himself.

"I might as well check if my treasure is still behind the waterwall," Stripping his finery, the Demon King started swimming towards the cave. Everything remained as it was, untouched. He had expected some pesky human to have disturbed his childhood hideout. "Glad to know they either know better or are too stupid to venture here."

Tapping on a few rocks on the ground, his secret stash was revealed – the coveted Ring of Solomon, his father's ring. They had hidden it here during their last visit, promising to return for it the next time they ventured to the human's world together. It was too late for that now, but at least he still possessed something that truly belonged to his beloved father.

The former king had once given this very ring to King Solomon, and it held a protective spell, granting its wearer the ability to see all types of spirits.

"Ma'oz, one day, you will find a worthy human to give it to. Protect this valuable treasure, my son." He remembered his father's words as he walked out of the cave, admiring the shine of the ring under the sun.

"Shit... I don't care if it’s my imagination or not. I'm out of here!” Great... I frightened her. Ma’oz ran after her to see if she could really see him. But then again, I have always been known for my good looks. It can't be that she saw me and ran. He thought to himself.

Thank GOD! HELP! Hearing her scream for help, the Demon King rushed at super speed towards her. Is she alright? Why is she asking for help? I decided to follow her in the large vehicle.

"Is everything alright, miss?" The man in front asked.

"I'm totally fine. Could we just head back to the resort quickly?" She spoke hurriedly, her heartbeat thundering like galloping horses in the wild.

"Of course, miss. Is there anywhere you would like to stop by first?"

"No, no. I have everything I need back in my chalet."

"Ah! I see. Don't worry, miss. These seats are all leather. You can have my jacket to tie around your waist if you need." Seeing the scene before him, Ma’oz’s hands balled into fists.

"Oh! Erm. That won't be necessary, thank you."

He couldn't suppress a chuckle. He thinks you ran because of your monthly courses. Of course, she couldn't hear me. Or see me for that matter. That, I was sure of. Otherwise, her eyes would have gone wild when I spoke.

To ensure her safety, or so Ma’oz convinced himself, he continued to follow her as she ran towards a cluster of smaller houses. "You let her out in this heat? She doesn't have proper clothing. What if she gets dehydrated?" the demon super hearing detected a man's voice ahead.

"...Hi." The human said to the man I had just heard and an old human.

"Hi. Are you alright? Where did you run from?" The man ushered her to a chair and got a glass of water.

When she didn’t respond, the man continued to demand in a tone that agitated me, "where did you go?”

"Just to Lubuk Tuna." The woman answered quietly.

"You went to the waterfall? Alone?!"

"No. I went with the concierge."

"Why ever do you want to go during low season? Don't you know it’s dangerous? Not to mention the heat this time of the year!" The man raised his voice, and I was ready to smite him to ashes.

Saved by the bell, a sound rang out. He opened a small metal device and placed it to his ear. What manner of technology is this? Have the humans progressed so far that they now have fast-moving vehicles and long-distance communication devices?

The Demon King watched the man walk away while the woman continued muttering in her mind. "Wow...what a man! And I don't mean it in a good way. It seems like in every interaction we have, he is all domineering and demanding."

"Will you need me to help you, granny?" She asked the old human.

"Not at all, my dear. Robert will help me. You go now and freshen up as well before we leave."

"Yes, granny."

Sitting under the shade, the Demon King made it his mission to watch this woman's life unfold.

"Did it follow me? I hope not. No no no... Journee, think rationally. Not emotionally. Once we fly over the ocean, whatever this thing is will no longer follow us. Remember, mommy said they are bound to the laws of the spirit world. The sooner we leave, the better."

"So..you fear me. You are right to, human. But I won't hurt you." the Demon King told her. But naturally it fell on deaf ears.

"My Lord. Where are you?" Damon mind linked.

"I am... studying something." Or rather, someone.

"I'll join you."

"It is not necessary. Take this as a vacation well earned, Damon. We shall part ways for a week or two." The Demon King instructed.

"Wow! Who are you, and what have you done with Ma'oz?!"

"Very well then, report back to the Demon Kingdom and bring me...." Before the Demon King could finish, Damon's voice rang out in my mind again.

"Alright, alright. Thank you, my Lord. I shall see you in a week."

Turning his attention back to the scene before him, HE watched another human man bring the luggage out, and the two human women followed.

Where is she going? He followed them from a distance until she entered a plane. Wait...they now have planes? Since when have the humans used this demon invention? Surely, they do not have the brains to think this through!

This human woman, who I now know as Journee, is leaving this land. Entering another's area without first knowing where she is going is a risk. I could end up going to war with another denomination of beings. Perhaps I should just leave her be and return to my kingdom. Those words tasted bitter in his mouth. Each word stabbed at his very being. Why? What is this?

As the plane took off, the Demon King found his very being pulled along. A red string had attached itself to his heart. "Shit!"

The former king had warned Ma’oz never to grant wishes without using his head. Now, he was bonded to this little human. All because he dried her clothes with a little wind.

"Shit! Damn! Bloody fool! Blasted demon!" He cursed himself for this folly. "What am I going to do? My father died before he could tell me how bonds with humans work." This is something that had not happened for the past 10,000 eons. No one in the demon world truly knew how this worked. It was passed down from father to son since then, but he was now the first Demon King not to know the facts about it, not even the twisted partially inaccurate version. He had become Ma'oz, bonded to a human!

Seated on the aeroplane’s wing, Ma’oz muttered to himself, "How typically human, desiring what they cannot attain, instead of seizing it for themselves. Weak! Foolishly weak!" Though born into a lineage of mighty demon kings, I had to ascend through blood and battle. Each challenger for the throne had to be defeated in raw combat. It was a matter of kill or be killed. That's how I honed my strength and abilities, with every punch, cut, and fractured bone.

Yes, demons possess physical form too. Most humans find it absurd, assuming our protective barrier renders us invincible. But they bleed just like humans, just their constitution is far sturdier; they heal swiftly, possess greater strength, and each bear a unique power that defines their soul’s essence.

“I, Ma'oz, son of Zaltar, am the Master of Death... but now, I am bound to a feeble being!” He clicked his tongue in annoyance.

Within the confines of her gilded cage, Journee’s heart was in her throat, stifling my breath. The air within this luxurious plane suffocated the very essence of her life, slowly prolonging her torment. She is like the phoenix, meant to thrive and return home when set free. Now, a prison fashioned by her father’s hand awaited her.

Even the dark prince no longer visits my dreams, and yet, his presence would bring some solace. With him, her life could be bearable, having an escape to the dreamworld at her fingertips, a life of partial happiness. That would be an acceptable compromise... alas... alas... alas... If wishes could come true and I remain trapped, then I wish Montgomery would maintain his current detachment and keep his distance, just as he does most of the time.

She had always a dreamer, a hopeless romantic. Yet now, all those aspirations remain mere echoes of the past.

With a sigh, she shut her eyes, holding back the tears. The dreams of a blissful life with her soon-to-be husband have shattered, crushed by his recent behaviour. He embodies everything she despised in the male species, from his rudeness to his arrogant imposition of opinions upon others. How I long for...yearn for... an escape. To spread my wings and soar away, perhaps even to return home...

"Blast it!" Ma’oz powers surge involuntarily. He had no other choice but to grant Journee’s wish. She is his master.