(Main Hall, Redcliffe castle)

Jowan is standing while chanting something.

The other women are behind me.

A hole appears out of thin air. It is hanging in the air near Jowan. The hole gradually becomes bigger until is it as big as a window. 

"If you have make up your mind. Just enter. This link will only disappear once you exit. It's two way link, usable only once."

Once he says that, Jowan collapses.

We check his body. His heart ceases beating and his pulse is gone. This man is dead. 

However, rather than mourning, I have myself to consider.

The girls might be reluctantly let me go but I don't what they will do once I am in there for too long. I am worried they will follow me into this hole"

I turn to them 

"Listen. I will return. So, no matter what, don't enter."

"...."

"Have a safe trip."

I slowly put my leg into the hole, followed by my whole body. 

***

I arrive at a vast hemispherical dome-shaped hall. Four-colored crystal lamps glitters from the ceiling, and there are various niches in the walls. This hall has the features of human world but the feeling is not.

There is set of double doors at the end of the hall. I slowly walk to there.

The majestic set of double doors are over five meters in height, and covered in intricate carvings. The left side is shaped into a beautiful goddess, while the right is made to resemble a cruel demon. 

My caution in reaching for the doors is unfounded. As I touch them, they open by themselves — although they did so slowly, in deference to their massive weight.

The air changes.

Although the atmosphere from earlier was filled with quiet solemnity, the scene before his eyes now exceeds that by far. The air becomes a pressure that weighs heavily on the entire body.

It is an exquisite piece of work.

And in this wide, high room—

The high ceiling and the surrounding walls are a predominantly white colour, with golden decorations as highlights.

The numerous chandeliers which hung from the ceiling are made of precious stones of all colours of the rainbow, and they emit a fantastic, dreamlike radiance.

As I advance through the room that seems to absorb the sounds of my footsteps, my eyes fall on the female figure at the centre of the room.

She is a ravishing woman who wears a pure white dress, and the faint smile on her face is that of a goddess. In stark contrast to her dress, her hair is a flowing, lustrous jet-black that reaches down to her waist.

Although her golden irises and vertically-slitted pupils are somewhat odd, apart from those she could easily be considered a top notch stunner. However, a pair of curled horns sprouted from the sides of her head. In addition, a pair of black-feathered wings originated from her waist.

She wears a golden necklace that patterned after a spider web. It extends from her shoulders down to the tops of her generous bosom.

Her slender wrists are covered in a pair of lustrous silk gloves. 

Perhaps it is because of the horns, but I immediately think she is the demon.

"Are you the demon that cause the problems?"

"Yes and no." Sweet voice comes from her mouth.

"What do you mean?" I straighten my resolve and confront her.

He walks towards me.

"You are not human. Not beast. Not a demon. What are you?"

Her beautiful face draws close to mine as she studies me. A faint fragrance enters my nostrils. The scent seems to restore my ability to think, and my mind, which has been hitherto out of comission, slowly returns to normal.

I still have the feeling that something is terribly wrong about that demon's answer, but I have no way of understanding exactly what the problem is. All I could do in this ignorant state is to suppress my fear, shock, and other unnecessary emotions. However, I am a common person, and could not do that.

"Yes or no. What do you mean?"

She retreats and looks away.

"The disturbance in that village. I have a hand in it but it is not my work alone. And I don't possess the boy."

Her answer makes me puzzled.

"Are they other demons?"

She sighs.

"Your words are misleading. I am a high demon. Which means I am the top of all demons. But there are handful of us, less than ten. A high demon alone could never perform such a feat that you saw in Redcliffe village. There are three high demons involved."

"Three.. high demons?" I purposely emphasize on the high demon as she seems sensitive about that. 

"There are two others involved in that village. Envy and Pride. The one possessing the boy is Pride."

"How about you?"

"My name is Desire. I am one of three high demons wrecking havoc at Redcliffe village."

"Desire?"

She turns back at me and grins.

"I also have a proposal. I will resign from disturbing the village. I will also kill Pride and Envy."

I gulp my saliva and ask,

"What's the deal?"

"Make me your woman. Make love to me. Then, I will be loyal to you."

"I agree." I answer easily as I am running out of option.

"Good. Then.." Once she clap her hands, the room changes.

A slim man with horn similar as Desire stands in the plain white room. 

"Desire. What are you doing here? Hmm. Why do you bring human... Eh... What's that. That's not human."

Suddenly, she disappears and suddenly a clawed hand pierced past the man's stomach from his back. 

"Desire...damn you.."

Black blood drop from his body.

"One high demon, Envy is down. Only one left."

***

This time we are at snowy mountain. There is a man in black suit with similar horns and black wing. 

"Desire. I have been waiting for you "

He turn to us with an angry face.

She chuckles after hearing his words.

"You want to kill me for this man...no...he is not human... Hmm. Intriguing. Oh. That's why you act that way."

"That is my intention."

Aezel grins before she slowly starts floating into the air. Aura swirls around her. It creates strong winds that pushes Pride.

Desire shouts forcefully. She points her finger to Pride, and a burst of red lightning appears that struck Pride. But Pride is prepared. He insta-casts a wall of ice that successfully block her attack.

Desire sneers, and she swings her hand up in front of her. She erects a semi-transparent barrier that shatters together with the sword slash. The blast creates a cloud of powerful magic that shoot into the air.

I gulp after seeing Desire easily blocks Pride's attack. This is their first time fighting a High Demon.

Desire grins, seeing that Pride and I are shocked by her prowess.

We won't let you have him!"

Pride moves his body and floats just above me.  Desire follow him and also float above me.

"I guess I have no choice."

Desire sighs.

Pride and me sighs in relief after hearing her words. They successfully manage to intimidate her.

"...But to use my ultimate move."

She opens her arms into the air and starts chanting.

"W-What is this power?"

Pride and me shivers at the power that is accumulating around them.

Suddenly, a blue projectile hits her. She falls down with black blood at her mouth. 

"Hahahaha. Now it's the time to take him."

Suddenly, same as Envy, a clawed hand pierced through Pride. 

"You..."

Pride falls to the ground and stops moving. 

Desire smiles sweetly at me. 

***

It seems we are back at the Redcliffe castle. We are in a room, luxurious room. Connor is lying down on the floor. 

I check his body. Hm.. He is still alive. 

I carry him. Desire suddenly appears beside me. We descend the staircase to hall the girls are at.

Once they notice, they jump at me. Isolde gets her son back and cries in relief as his son is well and alive.

Other girls are checking my body.

Suddenly, they stop when Desire enters.

"What.. what is that?" The girls retreat. 

"She is a high demon. Her name is Desire. She saves my life and Connor. She killed the high demons that caused that disturbance. From now onwards, she will be with us."

"Wh....what..." The girls almost yell at the same time.

***