Having a sports lecture thrice a week was the way for any elementary school to make their students discover their talents. Between the sport's teacher's hands was a record that Ray couldn't understand. By having many glances as he sprinted behind her he had seen a table of different topics, and no students' names were written. 

Having sprinted the third lap on the field Ray stopped to the whistling of the teacher. Beside the lunging point sat the students who waited for their turn or cheered for the runners.

"you excelled in track and field, football, basketball, volleyball, and even tennis. It's a waste for you to be a doctor honestly," the sports teacher said, observing him from his feet to his head "you are also 165 cm, you would make a great runner or a basketball player. Always think of these."

"I will!" Ray said, raising his head and wiping the sweat from his forehead. 

For sure he excelled, however, his intention was to be normal. He couldn't decrease his overall strength more than this. still, he should be happy, even though he was better than others in records, he was still within the normal humans’ range. He succeeded in not appearing as a superhuman,  just your typical alpha male.

"you should be sweaty, right?" a blond girl approached as she extended a towel with both hands. Ray took it and smiled "Thank you."

Mary’s cheeks pinked up as her eyes sparkled. However, Ray didn't give that much attention, he observed the girls behind Mary, ignored their stares and inspected each of their faces…

It had been a week since Emily stopped coming to school. Ray had asked Marie if she knew anything but she looked honest when she gave a negative answer. Ray thought that Emily was tired, but that for two days. Next, he thought she was sick, but by now, she should have been better, a week wasn't a short time after all.

The sports lecture passed and a short break took place, having his lunch with a few friends Ray kept inspecting the cafeteria looking for Emily. For someone who used to follow him everywhere, he missed her presence. It should be the time for him to really worry for her and go knock her home door and see her for himself. But, he didn't need to have such an honest excuse. Because in the following lecture the teacher asked the students about her.

"It looks like they changed their number, I have delayed her home works and quizzes but I need someone to give her this news and handouts. Is there anyone who lives near her house?"

Actually Mary and her friends didn't gape their mouths when Ray rose his hand and took the handouts about a vein popped up Marie's forehead, still, all of her despise and hatred vanished when Ray smiled back at her. She made sure by now that Ray was a kind boy, unlike the rest he always did what he wanted and would always notice the absence of the boys he hung out with.

Would he come to my home if I don't come as well? 

She thought, and looked back at the board, she should think of a way to hang out with him, maybe a club… But she wasn't very sure of what he liked… After all, he excelled in every sport and was a serious scholar when the exams approached.

As the break started she walked up to his desk and asked him to have some of her lunch. Ray waved his hand but as soon as she opened her box the colors triggered some saliva in his mouth and he gave in as she pulled a seat and sat beside him.

"You have a tendering smile," she said, "Warmer than my family's"

"Your smile is beautiful as well," he giggled "It has such a high-class vibe, like a princess."

He then spotted her hand dropping the fork, her face covered with pink lines. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"y- yea, fine, let's continue."

Ray wasn't a bold boy in nature, but he took this feature from the old man and the demons he was meeting, demons had an honest feeling, even if they were bad, they would just tell you that they were eating or killing other creatures. He inherited his old man's confidence as well, a man who always faced him with direct speech and language. 

"By the way," Marie rose her fork, "Did you hear about Mash?" 

 Ray shook his head twice "What is mash?"

"Huh!" Marie rose an eyebrow, "it is a small town on the coast, in the north not far from Ronald."

"hmm, what happened there," said as his fork hunted a piece of steak.

"The whole town turned red," said Marie "five million people died within two days. the ground was filled with blood-written messages that said one thing, the human reaper is coming."

Ray glared at Marie "Five million?" and asked again.

"Yea the whole town, it's not the first though, a year ago a similar thing happened to a bigger town and ten million people died."

Marie poured some juice into a disposable cup and offered it to Ray, "That's not normal right?" Ray asked.

"My mom told me that these unreasonable things happen from time to time, she told me that the government prevents people from entering the forests to decrease such tragedies."

Ray sipped some of the juice.

The government prevented crossing the forests around the country, a similar law might be applied in other countries. That meant the humans had known about the presence of demons, but their knowledge was limited. Ray was a bit happy for that, it meant that humans would accept the demons' presence and it would be easier to create a place for both races to live together, with no problem. A place where the law would prevent any race from harming the other would be a fine paradise.

But a crime like killing millions, wouldn't make humans love demons so much… 

Ray flicked his forehead trying to get rid of such anxiety and focused on the meal, but then he noticed that he had already eaten the whole box.

"hahaha," Marie giggled, "You are a fast eater."

Ray smiled back at her, "it's because your lunch was so delicious." 

"..."

Her face pinked up again.

……….

 

five million, and ten million… those numbers were great wherever they were. If they were money they would be a fortune, if they were cells they would make a good respective creature.

If they were humans, a good part of them would have a good future and a successful career. But those numbers were annihilated. Ray stared at the sky and thought to himself, was god satisfied with those happenings?

Ray believed in God, why not? There were demons, a God or two should be up there somewhere… However, was that god satisfied?

"You won't know anything by staring up." 

Ray looked at the pavement side, a small wooden stall. Inside of it was a guy wearing a cloak with a square cape, nothing apparent of his head, only pure darkness.

"You look confused, let this man help you out."

The man waved at him telling him to come closer.

"I'm a wandering demon, and I like this place. It's peaceful, and no demon hunters anywhere."

"Demon hunters?" Ray asked.

"Ohohoo, Interested?" 

Ray approached, "What do you mean hunters?"

"You should pay me first."

"How much?"

"I don't accept money," the guy rose his hand, pointed at Ray, and continued, "Pay me with your body."

Ray took back every step he approached with and spit on the ground, "Disgusting."

"Well well, aren't you misunderstanding something?"

Ray rose an eyebrow in puzzlement.

" knowledge with knowledge. Let me take a peek at your head, and I give answers to one of your questions?" the cloaked guy pointed to his head.

"Only one?" Ray asked.

"If your memories are interesting I might answer a second question. This is my rule, I'm a wandering demon who will only stay here for a few days, my services won't be applicable when I leave."

Ray looked at him with half-opened eyes for seconds, then he approached again.

"I have no secrets so I think I will go for it."

The box head leaned at Ray, told him to extend his hand, and then he touched it with both of his tanned vascular hands…

"I see, I see. Your mom died because you were too heavy for her, reasonable, very reasonable. You father attempted suicide after that, miserable, very miserable." Ray widened his eyes, the demon was spitting out the truth.

"Hmm, no one liked you, I can understand, you are a unique existence after all. Hmm, a woman sealed most of your power, very interesting. I see why the country isn't taken by any berserk demons, your power used to be overflooding." The demon kept narrating Ray's past and commenting at some parts until the demon's hands sweated as his voice trembled.

"Ohohoo, taken by a great demon. No, amazing demon-like him, what a lucky creature. So your name is Ray, good good. I see good school life, Emily and Marie how popular… "

He then released Ray's hand, placed his palms on the table, and with a small flex he said: "two questions, ask."

"Are there people like me?"

"Yes, there are two or three with glowing eyes other than you. All of them of honorable birth, you are the only mutation. And, there are many more people with lower strength but are still able to see demons, I call them hunters, others call them by other names."

"Where Can I meet them?"

"Is that another question. I've already given you a bonus with the first question, I won't give you any bonus with this?"

Hearing this Ray bit his lower lip.

"Why only two, I'm sure I'm worth more."

"in the future may be, now no."

Ray paused for moments then asked "Where are these people?"

"They reside the great kingdoms, the closest one being Ronald."

Ronald. I've heard people talk about it.

He thought as he rubbed his chin with one hand. But still, how would he reach Ronald? and how would he meet these people? It wasn't like he wasn't satisfied with his current life, he was happy to be beside the old man, but he wanted to try and talk with humans similar to him, he wanted to understand the world beyond normal humans, the world that his old man hadn't told him anything about.

"Now shall I give you simple advice?" the guy said "I'm a demon of high class, even humans can see me, and I see how amazing of a being you are. If you are a demon I wouldn't hesitate to be by your side… But here is my advice, human!" 

The guy inhaled a deep breath and continued, "Don't forget that you are a human and you belong to the human race in the end."

Ray looked back from the corner of his eye "What do you mean?"

"Well, that's something for you to understand. Now that I know who is the lord of this region, I will pack my stuff and wander somewhere else." 

The guy got out of the stall, put a wooden slab on the ground, placed each of the stall's walls on it and waved at Ray, "Oh I forgot to mention," said the man, "Gods have eccentric tastes, they live in a place where everything is reachable, but sometimes they wander here and there for a cut of the cake."

The man then placed the slab's straps over his shoulders and moved. Ray bowed at him with gratitude.

Ray wanted to ask him more, but for now, the information he had got wasn’t lacking at all. But he lacked a document that he needed to reach Ronald, a passport. 

Ray decided to ask the old man about these things later, but for now, he had to meet a girl. Ray walked for some time, passed through a shopping street, bought some chocolate for Emily, and widened his steps.

In no time he was in front of her door.