Selora walked through the library, and she scoffed when she found that it was almost empty. Humans no longer had interest in books. They were so invested in their phones and devices that they completely ignored the numerous treasures hidden within the many pages of books.
With her hands in her pockets, she walked further to part of the library she could tell was abandoned. Humans first avoided these types of books before eventually abandoning books as a whole.
Books on witchcraft and demonic mysteries.
The shelves were dusty. Same as the books. Some even had cobwebs lined between them and the shelves.
"How disrespectful." She sneered before looking up, and her steps came to a halt when she saw a man reading a book.
He looked old. Haggard… and strange. There was something about him that made Selora want to respect him despite how miserable he looked.
There was this instinctive urge to fall to her knees before him and keep her eyes down. The feeling irked her.
Who was this? And why was she feeling that way? She eyes the man suspiciously before looking away so he wouldn't catch her staring.
Is he a threat?
She asked her system, and the soft, feminine voice responded in her mind.
[I can't read anything off him]
What do you mean by that?!
[I can not get access to his information or stats.]
[That is indeed odd.]
Selora looked back up at the man in building panic, only to find his eerie blue eyes now fixed on her, and his wrinkly face cradled in his hand.
Selora gasped as she took a cautious step back, and the white-haired old man smiled at her. Revealing rows of yellow teeth.
"I was wondering how long it would take you to get here," he finally spoke, and Selora eyed him.
It was unusual for her to feel fear for a human. That's too one as misrably looking as this one. But she couldn't get a scent off him, and her system couldn't read a thing about it.
She felt uneasy. And more than anything, she felt the urge to leave. Even Isabel had started stirring within her in agreement.
Whoever this man was, he was dangerous. The kind of danger Selora only felt in the demon realm. The type her father always protected her from, and the type she always avoided.
There was something that seemed powerful about him. Power no human should have access too.
Without sparing him a word or another glance, she turned around. Ready to bolt out of the library. However, the next words she heard turned her to stone.
"You're a lot like Zarus. He would be proud."
Selora felt her mind go blank, and she whipped her head back to the man only to see a much younger, finer version of him.
This was no human… It was a demon.
"Sit, Selora."
The man spoke as he opened his hand towards the chair in front of him.
And despite how scared she was, she obeyed. It felt like she knew better than to disobey. Everything in her screamed to obey this man, and for some reason, she couldn't resist the feeling.
She sat in front of him, and held her breath. She was in the presence of another demon. Soenthing that had never happened in her five years on Earth. But which demon was this? Why couldn't she get an aura off him?
"Who am I speaking with?" She questioned cautiously as she sat.
"A homeless begger who has a passion for ocultic books." the man replied but Selora could tel a lie when she saw one.
"No. Who am I really speaking with? I know you've simply taken this human as a vessel. Show yourself." She demanded, and the man smiled.
"Are you sure you want that?" The man questioned with a raised brow, and Selora swallowed. Weighing her options.
"Yes. You know who I am. It's only fair, I know who I am talking to." She responded, and the man smirked.
"Quite the businesswoman, too. You're indeed Zarus's spawn." The man laughed, but Selora found nothing he said funny. She had questions swirling in her mind, and this demon better start answering.
"Very well, then." He spoke when he saw that his words didn't amuse Selora.
He sat upright, and Selora watched as human skin began to fade away.
Revealing black… Skin so black it seemed to drink the light around them.
Selora's jaw dropped as she stared at the black hands and the runes on the back of the hands. She knew only one demon with marks like that.
She looked up at his face with fearful eyes, and sure, it was him.
Night dark face, glowing red eyes with stripes of red along his cheeks, forehead, and neck. Massive blood-red horns curved like that of a ram. Fangs as sharp as daggers, and a dangerous allure that spoke of the deceptive beauty of evil.
"Father of darkness!"
She exclaimed as she pushed herself off the chair, to the ground. She got on one knee in respect and kept her head bowed.
He was Orrameth.
The Demon King. Ruler of hell!
What was he doing here?? Wasn't he dead? He died with all the top demons of hell.
She would know. Her father was one of those who died in that war against heaven.
"Oh, please. Enough with the formalities. We're on earth now." He spoke, but Selora refused to look up.
It was abominable to upon the face of the ruler of hell. She had just done that by accident, and she wasn't intending to repeat it.
This was her first time ever conversing with him. And it created a certain type of fear in her.
"Rise", Orrameth ordered, and Selora obeyed.
"I'm sorry, Master. I did not know you were the one... Or that you were alive." She apologised, and Orrameth chuckled. A dry, humourless chuckle as he stood up.
"It's okay, little nightmare. I didn't wish for any of you to know." He replied, and Seloar's brows knotted.
"Any of… us?"
"You don't possibly think you're the only demon who escaped hell, do you?"
He questioned, and just then, they started hearing voices.
Humans.
They sounded like young boys pouring into the library for some reason.
"We haven't time. You're doing well. But you're not fast enough. This should lead you to the third relic. Get all of them as fast as you can, otherwise it's all over."
Orrameth spoke as he pulled a leather-bound book from his robe and slid it to Selora across the table.
Selora stared at him with wide eyes as she processed what was happening.
"You're helping me find the relic?"
"You want to be the Demon Queen, do you not?" He replied, and Selora raised a sceptical brow.
"But you are the king of…"
"I was. There is no king without his kingdom. Now, hurry. Trouble is coming for you, and you have to be ready." He spoke before standing up.
Selora watched him revert to his old, human form, and he flashed her an unsettling smile.
"Till we meet again, my little demon."
Those were the last words he spoke before walking into the wall behind him and vanishing.
Selora blinked at the empty space and then back at the book in front of her.
"What… just happened?"
[You just met Orrameth. King of Hell. Apparently, a potential ally.]
"But why would he want to help me take his position?"
[That is a very interesting question… which I do not know the answer to]