We sat there on the other side of the wall, Eve completely unconscious after having collapsed during the battle. I struggled to catch my breath for a moment while the wanderer examined my companion.

"Is she alive?" I asked between gasping breaths.

Vox placed his finger on her neck and nodded, "yeah, I think she'll be okay. She just expended a lot of energy using that spell."

The power that silly little human concealed was astonishing, honestly, I was grateful she had not used such a spell during our fight, she could easily have brought down my entire castle had she wanted to. So of course, I had to wonder, why did she hold back when we first fought? Surely I would be dead now if that was her goal. 

I did not have long to contemplate that before my thoughts were disturbed by a great tremor rocking the wall.

"Whoa! Are they trying to tear through the wall?" Vox leapt up to his feet and grabbed his sword.

"Stay your blade, in our present condition it would be better for us to run," I approached my sleeping comrade and lifted her up, "help me situate her so we can flee." Vox nodded and aided in getting Eve on my back. I held her legs underneath my arms, and leaned forward as her arms hung loosely over my shoulder. "I do not foresee them breaching the wall, but if it's all the same I would like to put a great distance between us. Wanderer, try and keep up." 

As soon as he confirmed with a nod, I channeled my eros into my legs and ran. Together we raced through the woods, Vox trailing close behind. We had no heading beyond a vague direction given to me by Belail prior to our encounter, still I needed to cover as much ground as possible till the champions were long behind us. In less than half an hour we had covered several kilometers thanks to our enhanced speed, but I refused to stop till I could no longer sense even an iota of the champion's malice. When at last I felt it was safe, I slowed my pace to conserve eros in case we had any further problems. And again when I truly could not feel even a hint of the champion's presence, I stopped. In just a little over an hour we had achieved a distance that would normally take a day to traverse on foot, and I was exhausted. 

I dropped to my knees as I came to a small clearing in the woods, and carefully lowered the sleeping girl from my back, allowing her body to lean against mine for support.

“It has been a long time since I’ve seen a mortal demonstrate that kinda eros,” Vox’s little voice chirped from behind me as he settled down on the grass, “though, I suppose that the Demon King isn’t technically a mortal.”

“Please, I am not the Demon King, I am only his son…,” I corrected him, “I would like to say daughter, but he never did acknowledge me as such.”

“Doesn’t matter what he did or didn’t see you as, you’re a girl right?”

I nodded, “only by my own words. There are few who know my truth and so it feels hard to truly call myself a girl,” as I sat beside her, Eve stirred in her sleep, and so I laid her down, her head resting on my lap. Looking down at her a small smile formed itself on my lips, she was the exception, her and Belail, and I would be lying to say I did not enjoy sharing this secret with her.

“You’re a girl to me, though I’m not sure if that really matters to you,” Vox chimed in, “if you say you’re a girl, then you’re a girl. It’s pretty simple honestly.”

“So then, what are you Wanderer?”

“Call me Vox, it’s my name after all,” he whined, “and as far as what I am. I guess I’m not really either, or maybe I’m both. I haven’t really figured it out honestly.”

“I see,” Vox was an odd person, it was even possible he wasn’t really a person at all, he had called himself a thing if I had remembered that correctly, so I suppose to assign gender to him was a rather silly thing to do. Perhaps in a way I envied him for that, or pitied, I am not really sure. It was genuinely impossible to gauge how he felt on the matter, whether it mattered to his identity, or if he was indifferent to it all. Had it been the latter, I’d imagine there was something freeing about not being concerned with one's own gender, but that was a mentality I knew I couldn’t have towards myself. 

“So, those Champions were something huh?” he laughed nervously as he reminded me of the more pressing matter at hand.

“Each and every one of them had an incredible amount of Malice inside them,” I said in almost a whisper, “I know not what it is about the Divine Kingdom, but it would seem as though their Champions have managed to be consumed with Malice without letting it control them.”

“That is honestly terrifying,” there was a shudder in their voice, “I wish I had a chance to gauge their power, if I had been there in time I could have helped protect you.”

I shook my head, a part of me flattered I had two companions so ready and willing to protect me, though also perhaps annoyed, “you think of me as weak, but you both underestimate me. I allowed Eve to fight first because I simply wished to use an analyze spell and gauge their power properly. It of course would have been better had she not given it her all, so we could have fought together on equal footing once I had been ready to do so.”

“An analyze spell huh, how much can that tell you?”

“I know their race, their magical capabilities, and a rough estimation of their physical prowess. I will share with you what information I have gathered; it will be valuable to know when we face them again.”

Vox nodded, and so I explained the three stats that we used to quantify combat capabilities. Mind, one's potential for using magic and incantations; Body, physical strength, stamina and endurance; and Soul, the amount of Malice or Eros a person commands. Then I began to list off the enemy's stats.
“First, the warrior in the azure Horned-wolf armor was a Korterman, a race closely related to humans, their mind stat was honestly middling, nothing incredible but certainly capable still. Their might was much higher, though I suppose that was observable even without an analysis spell. Their Malice as I had said before was tremendously high.”

“Sounds like we’re lucky they don’t have a big grasp on magic then, but even still with malice and strength like that… let’s hope they never catch up.”

“Second was the girl with long ears and antlers, a Harepin,”

“Let me guess, high mind, low body, destructively high malice?”

I shook my head, “her body stat was higher than the Korterman, it is even possible that hers was the highest of them all in a single category.”

“I guess I more than anyone should know not to judge a girl on her size,” he chuckled nervously.

“There was also a Dawn-elf hiding inside the woods, his mind was the highest, while his body was relatively weak. And it should be assumed that the soul stat is above average for all five of them.”

“Oh, I didn’t know there were that many.”

“A Dusk-Elf archer also hid inside the woods, their body stat was high, though I assume that was mostly due to agility and endurance. Their mind was also not lacking, though I am not surprised, Dusk-elves are second to the demon kingdom in knowledge.”

“So then what about the last one?”

“A human, but…” I am not sure what had happened, for whatever reason I knew nothing else about him except his race, it was almost infuriating. Why didn’t my spell tell me anything about him? Could he have had some way of hiding his power? I knew nothing about him, and that made him a far greater threat than any of the other champions.

“Ja..Jac…,” Eve growled in her sleep, her hand clutching my shorts while she ground her teeth.

I stroked her hair to try and lul her back to a calming rest, and soon she loosened her grip and resumed her peaceful slumber. As I ran my fingers along her hair I felt her ears, noticing their rather odd shape. Humans were an unusual race to me, honestly the entirety of the races from the Divine Kingdom felt odd. It was hard to believe once upon a time we had all been one kingdom. Without noticing it, I began to laugh quietly, though I suppose it wasn’t something I should have laughed about. There were certain features we demons had that set us apart from the other races, features we inherited from the first Demon Queen, my namesake, Lilith. These traits of course were distinct among us, unmistakable really, in a sense they were what made a demon a demon. Our long downwards pointed ears, our horns, our mismatched eyes. Until seeing members of the Divine Kingdom, I always thought these traits were universal in this world. I was wrong of course, I learned that much from my first encounter with a human, long before I met Eve.

It had been nearly three hundred years ago, when I was still basically a child, shortly before Abelia began to send champions out to Abaddon in hopes of claiming my fathers heart. The castle was much livelier in those days, the same could be said for the petrified forest that laid beyond our desolate valley. Refugees, demon and human alike, had been ushered into our home as the threat of the Malicious spread out of those stoney woods and into the villages along the border. Being but a child, I was instructed to keep myself away from the lower floors of the castle, for my own safety of course. And being a child, my curiosity was stronger than my obedience. I did not really know what was going on at the time, though if father said not to do something, that often meant it was fun. 

Doing very little to conceal my identity I descended to the lower floors of castle Abaddon, lower than I had ever been before, not entirely sure what I would find. Certainly, I did not expect a carnival of all things, or at least that is what my naive young mind had thought it was. Tents and tarps and all sorts of commotion filled the massive space of subfloor twenty-seven, it was a terribly drab carnival however, being that it was of course not a carnival at all. Still having been bored to tears holed up in my room, I wandered the refugee camp with wide eyes, hoping to find something fun to do.

How dreadfully dull, I thought to myself, all around me were whimpers and tears where I had expected laughter and cheers. Oh… please ignore that rhyme, it was unintentional. Anyways, the people that occupied the floor seemed to want nothing to do with me as they went about their business of unloading wagons, pitching tents, and cooking food. I passed by a bushel of apples that had just been set down and decided to swipe one for myself. I was the prince after all, I should be able to take things I wanted that were inside my own castle. A man standing nearby however did not agree.

“Hey boy, did you just take an apple?” he barked at me in kamen, though at the time my own grasp on the language was iffy at best. 

Being practically monolingual at that point of life all I could do is shrug in response. I understood his words, speaking was more the issue I faced. Hoping the nonverbal gesture would be good enough, I began to walk away, only to feel the man grab hold of my arm, pulling me back to face him.

"Put it back," he growled with what felt like the most ferocity this broken man could muster. Sadly, I had already taken a bite, a fact of which he was not too keen about, "pay me, now!"

I shook my head, not because I was unwilling, but because I had no idea how I'd pay him, having no knowledge of transactions or money. This response, of course, invited more malcontent.

"Little thief, don't act like you're above me just because you're a demon!" the man raised his hand to strike me, only to find his wrist held back by another.

"Albias, did I just catch you attempting to strike a child?" A powerful yet elegant man asked, still holding back the other man's arm.

"Lord Ishmael, I was… I was just teaching this little wretch not to steal," the man stuttered, "he needs to learn this lesson while he’s young."

The man he called Ishmael clicked his tongue, "what is a single apple in the grand scheme of things? Let the boy have his treat, we are all hungry and spent after all."

"But Lord Ishmael!" He began to protest, only to be silenced by his fierce piercing glare, "I… I am sorry my lord."

Ishmael closed his eyes and gave a frightening smile, "that's better," releasing the man's arm, he fixed his gaze on me, "dear boy, where are your parents?" He began to speak demon with flawless fluency.

"They’re not here," it was a true, yet misleading answer.

"I see, come along and walk with me boy," he placed his hand on my shoulder, leading me through the camp. As we walked, he began to ask me questions, many of which I had no interest in answering truthfully. Every time he asked something, I only gave noncommittal answers to move along the conversation, until he asked, "what is your name?"

This one question alone I answered, though thinking better of giving him my family name Adamson, I instead gave my lesser-known second name, "Isais," it was the name my mother wished to give me, though for sake of tradition I was named Cain, like my father and his father before and so on. Still, I had at the time preferred that name, as it was more uniquely my own, and I was not yet ready to assume a more feminine identity at that point of my life even though I truly wished to.

"Isais? Such a unique name, though it suits you," he chuckled, "it is a cute name."

Regardless of age, I was not immune to compliments, even when I was only a century old I found myself easily won over with praise, perhaps I was even more weak to such compliments back then. "Thank you," I hid my excitement over being called cute, even if it was more my name and not my appearance that he was complimenting, but my blushing red cheeks betrayed me.

“So, Isais, how did an adorable demon like you end up out here?” to my more mature brain I could see in hindsight the red flags that arose over him, I was not mature enough at the time to recognize such things.

“I was bored so I came to see what was going on,” it was as honest an answer as he was going to get, but vague enough that it wouldn’t inform him of my identity.

  He chuckled and placed his hand on my head, “silly boy, don’t tell me you came through the woods just to see our humble little camp?” The magic of the castle made them believe we were still outside, a detail I myself had not known as the spell didn’t work on me. So I was a bit confused by his response. He cleared his throat, “so, you lost your parents and happened to come across us? If that is so, it is fortunate you made your way here.”

“Why is that?” 

“I have come a long way to see the results of the monsters' carnage on these poor people and see how I can help. In hopes to foster good faith among my kingdom and the demon kingdom I want to provide a new home for demon orphans back in Jeykov.”

“That is rather far, would it not be better if they stayed here?” I was vaguely familiar with the Divine kingdoms and knew that the principality of Jeykov was nearly on the opposite side of the continent. Esriel and Baebion were closer and far more suitable locations if any orphans were needed to travel outside the demon kingdom. 

“Our nation is a prosperous one, we have many resources that can be used to sustain such a large uptick in the population,” he laughed before continuing, “honestly, it’s a little bit much for a boy like you to be worrying about, isn’t it? Though I suppose an inquisitive mind in someone so young is never a bad thing.”

“I am not that young,” I lied, “I am nearly two hundred,” I doubled down on my lie.

“Oh, is that so?” He examined me closely, looking me up and down, then nodded, “it’s fascinating, what is merely a child for demons is more than twice as long as most humans would live.”      

There was something strange about how he said it, less so than what he said, his tone and body language became more and more uncomfortable for me as I spent time with him. Even still, I continued walking with him as he led me to a rather nice-looking tent, at least in comparison to the others present. He held the flap open and invited me in, regrettably I entered just as he instructed. Inside he had a small table set, as well as a decently comfortable looking futon and an ornate chest. I had thought he was simply a dignitary from Jeykov when he first mentioned it, but I began to suspect he was more than that. 

“Sit, and relax, I can have a hot meal made for you if you would like,” he offered.

I shook my head while standing by the entrance to the tent, “I am not hungry, and I should probably be going soon.”

He frowned, “you were hungry enough to steal an apple,” he pulled out a chair by the table, “come, don’t be afraid now. I wish to talk with you some more.”

I should have ran away, but for whatever reason I complied. Truly foolish and undoubtedly too trusting, I took a seat just like he asked. He sat across from me, resting his chin in his hands as he leered at me in such a way it made my whole body feel itchy. “What is it you want from me?” I asked him.

“I am fascinated by you,” he answered, “by all demons, your kingdom remained isolated from the rest of us for so long, I had always wondered just what it was you were hiding here. And now I see that perhaps the greatest treasure the demon kingdom has to offer is its people.” In a way that was true, while I can say many bad things about my father, there were good things I could say too, and one such thing was that he loved the demons who lived within our kingdom. So yes, we were a treasure, though I suspected that Ishmael meant it in a different sort of way. He leaned forward and caressed my cheek, “it is true I wish to help the orphans here, but I certainly will not be doing so without asking for something in return.”

I pulled my face away and turned my head down, “and what is it you plan to ask for?”

He stood up and walked around me placing his hands on my shoulder, “I am no fool, I know who you really are, I have studied the demon kingdom long enough to recognize the crest of the house of Adamnson you wear upon your lapel.” I’d have stood up and ran right then and there upon hearing my name spoken by him in such a seedy tone, but his hands on my shoulders held me down. I struggled once, then a second time, then I caved on my third attempt, “as prince of Jeykov, I hope to find myself a suitable bride, to truly unite our two kingdoms.”

“And what does this have to do with me?”

He leaned his head and whispered in my ear, “what better bride than the child of the demon king?”

“But,” I hesitated, my heart sinking into my belly, then reluctantly said, “I am a boy.”

“All the better, demon men are far more beautiful than any women,” his response was immediate, as if he expected me to say that. 

“I wouldn’t be able to birth an heir though,” a logical reason why his request was nonsensical.

“That is what concubines are for,” he ran his cold finger along my ear, “honestly you demons are just so fascinating, it’s as if you were made in the very image of a god,” his touch made me shudder and his words invaded my ear like a slimy little worm squirming its way in.

“Don’t…” my voice cracked as I protested, “don’t touch me…”

He ignored my plea and continued to rub his disgusting hands on me, drawing with his finger down my face and neck till his hands grasped my shoulders. Thinking quickly as a sliver of bravery blazed up inside me, I grabbed his hand and pulled it to my mouth giving it as strong and painful a bite as I could muster. He cried out in pain as he recoiled, giving me my chance to escape. Without looking back, I dashed out the tent and ran as far as I could, till I reached the portal lift allowing me to escape to another floor of the castle. 

Were I smarter, I’d have told my father what had happened, but I was scared and foolish, so I kept it to myself, afraid I’d be punished for having wondered where I was told not to. As a result, my father made an agreement with Ishmael when they met days later. Thirty-seven demon Orphans were sent away with him to be “adopted”, and though my father of course wouldn’t agree to arranging a marriage between Ishmael and I, they instead settled on marrying my cousin Leah, daughter of Dutchess Beelzebub. Truly a wretched introduction to humans for sure. It was enough to convince me to stay confined in my room for another century.

I grew, and eventually was allowed access to the v-space, where I was introduced to many different people of many different races from many different worlds. Still, I cannot say that being exposed to all these people could ever lift my suspicions of the humans from my own world. Perhaps I didn’t need to trust humans, considering it was during that century I spent hiding away that Abelia waged a new war between the Divine Kingdoms and the Demon Kingdom, so I would not see another human until the day Eve came crashing through my bedroom door. 

I think it is safe to say, Eve was not like Ishmael, or at least in my heart I hoped that to be true. Still, I couldn’t ignore the facts, if it would help her fulfill her wish, Eve would most certainly kill me. Though it was hard to believe the silly girl who now slept with her head on my lap could possibly ever manage to do such a thing. And yet, I saw the power she possessed, and also knew she didn’t use that power on me. Truth be told, I had no idea what to think of Eve. “She’s certainly not a normal girl is she?”

“Not in the slightest,” Vox laughed, “but do you think she even knows?”

I tilted my head and asked him, “Does she know what?”

“That she’s half demon.”