Eve's body felt warm against my back as I carried her through the woods. It was funny to think I now had the burden of protecting the champion who had come to kill me. No, burden wasn't the right word, to be fully honest something felt right about it. Deep inside it only felt natural for me to want to keep her safe and take care of her, though I couldn't really understand why. Despite a lack of consciousness, Eve somehow managed to wrap her arms around me, peculiar, and quite possibly cute, but regardless helpful in keeping the sleeping girl on my back.

"Three days is an awfully long time to sleep," Vox commented as he straggled behind me.

"Yes, it is certainly unusual," I would have been more concerned, if it wasn't for the occasional mumbling she did in her sleep, whining about food or other silly things, which at the very least told me she was very much still alive and her brain was functioning, well as much as it normally did.

"Continue west for four Kilometers, then your destination will be on your left, nya~" a little electra-pixie instructed as it directed us towards the meeting place designated by Belial. We'd strayed rather far from her original intended route, though it seemed Electra-pixies excelled at finding alternate paths on the fly. 

"Sounds like we're getting close," Vox picked up their pace slightly to match my own stride, "want me to help carry her till we get there?"

I shook my head and adjusted my grip on her rather muscular legs, "we'll be arriving at the rest stop soon, I can manage her till then.” Holding onto her, I felt an inexplicable desire to keep her close to me. Who was I protecting her from? Not the wanderer, he was not a threat, so then who? Putting that question aside, I continued to follow the Electra-pixies guidance, eventually emerging from the heavily wooded path onto a long stretch of road that laid beyond the brush. 

Traveling a bit further, our destination for the evening finally came to sight. A small little rest-stop sitting along the road with a dim animated neon sign, waving travelers down and inviting them in. Originally the path we had intended to take would have had us avoid all rest stops completely and make a straight line towards Yericho, but after our encounter with the Champions, Belail wanted to meet us halfway along an alternate route. It was a relief knowing I would have a more competent travel companion. Although, I cannot say I disliked Eves company, in fact I had missed her incessant chatter those past three days.

Inside the rest stop I gave Belail's name to the receptionist, who informed me she hadn't arrived yet, but our room was ready for us.

"Do you think she met complications along the way?" Vox suggested as he sat himself on one of the available beds. 

"Perhaps, though if she did I am certain it is nothing she can't handle," there were very few in the demon kingdom who could come close to matching Belail in terms of strength or combat ability. 

I set Eve down in a bed of her own, tucking her in ensuring she was comfortable and secure. Something felt quite wrong seeing her in such a catatonic state, her usual animated quirkiness replaced by this perpetually sleeping princess. Still, I couldn’t deny she was awfully cute when she slept. I perhaps would have enjoyed it more had I not longed for her silliness, which of course is something I would never admit to her. I reassured myself that it was simply a temporary thing, and Eve would be back to her usual behavior soon.

Before I could walk away, I felt her hand grab hold of my tailcoat, as she mumbled something in her sleep, "Scarlet, I'm sorry, it's all my fault," she grabbed my vest tighter, then released it as she was lulled back to a more peaceful sleep. Whoever this Scarlet was, whatever she did to them, it seemed to be weighing heavily on her mind as I had heard her say the name quite a few times since she had first passed out. 

"Perhaps there are more layers to you than I initially thought," I pushed a strand of hair out from her face, "just who are you really?" Turning to Vox, I inquired about something he'd said to me days prior, "how is it you knew she was part demon?"

"Isn't it obvious? Mismatched eyes are a pretty typical demon trait, aren't they?"

"The lineage of Lilith caries such a trait, but then that would imply she is of demon royalty, and I certainly couldn't think of a way that'd be possible," The Divine Kingdoms were far from a mystery to me, but I was also not very well versed in them, and so there were still many mysterious they held. That being said, my family line and those close to it stayed within the Demon Kingdom since its founding, of that I was sure. “That is not to mention her hair is blonde, but all demons have silver hair.”

"So then, you're saying there are different types of demons?" Vox fixed his posture into a more alert stance, leaning forward with the intrigue of learning more.

I nodded, "of course. There are the true-born demons that come from the lineage of the first demon Queen, Lilith. Then there are those who were made to be demons through the 'Communion of Isarael'."

"Isarael? Huh funny," Vox placed his finger where a lip would have been had he had a face, "I've heard that name before, I think."

"They say she is the true progenitor of the demons. A goddess who came to this world long ago and gave the gift of immortality to my great great, many greats, grandfather," I sighed, "the true story has been lost or altered to time, though records of her existence can be found within the great library in Babel, or so I've been told."

"Another world, she just like me for real," Vox giggled, "hmm maybe I've met her before… or maybe I will meet her. Who knows?" He shrugged and slumped back into his bed. "So what you're saying is, if Eve really is part demon then she's a part of the same family line as you?"

"Not quite, the Lineage of Lilith accounts for all royal families as well as several lesser nobles,” I corrected him, “that means if she truly is one of us she could be descended from any of the Nine Dukes of Abaddon, or the many lords of Nu-Eden.” I yawned and sat myself down in my own bed, “still, I wonder how any of these family lines could possibly see a child born outside of the Demon kingdom.”

“Just how long have the two kingdoms been separate?”

“A millennium, plus a couple centuries on top of that,” I stifled a second yawn and removed my vest, “though two kingdoms is inaccurate, the divine kingdoms are many nations, and the demon kingdom is in itself several smaller principalities that fall under the command of the King of Abaddon. A king who right now no longer exists.”

“So does that make you more like the Queen of Abaddon then?”

I shook my head, “I was denied the right to be king, that is why we are seeking out my fathers heart now.”

“Still going with that story?” Vox chuckled, “I doubt she can hear you in her sleep, ya know?”

“I do not know what you are implying, but if you are insisting that I am lying I would ask you to keep such conspiracies to yourself,” I tried to keep a threatening tone, though found it hard to through the obvious exhaustion in my voice. I laid myself down, facing the wall, my back to Vox and Eve, “I do not wish to speak about this any longer. Good night.”

“Nighty night then,” he answered back, then the room fell silent.

 Having been the first time in the past few nights I had an opportunity to sleep in a bed, I found that I slept rather deeply, you may say I had slept like a log as the saying goes. That is until I was stirred awake by the feeling of something crawling into my bed. I seized the hand that had wrapped itself over me, ready to rip its grip from my body and turn to face the silent intruder, only to feel the hand squeeze my own as a soft voice whispered, “can I just hold you for a little longer, it’s not morning yet.”

“Eve?”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” she nuzzled her face into my back, “I had… I just… can I hold you?” She sounded frightened, perhaps from a long nightmare that she had finally awoken from, or simply from waking up in an unfamiliar environment. Either way, I couldn’t find it in my heart to say no to her, for whatever reason.

“Okay, but only for a little while.”

She clung to me tightly, her face pressed into my back, “thank you,” she said as I felt her warm wet tears dampen my shirt.

By the time the sun had risen, I woke up to see I was once again alone in my bed, Eve sleeping soundly in roughly the same position I had left her before retiring for the night. Did I just dream that? No, I definitely felt her holding me, right? I suppose it was possible that it didn’t actually happen at all, and perhaps it didn’t matter if I dreamed it or not. I spent several minutes fixed on the sleeping girl, observing her for any sign of consciousness, oblivious to the others in the room.

“What, not so much as a good morning to your faithful servant?” a course yet friendly voice coughed from the corner of the room.

“Oh, Belail, good morning,” she stood there reclining against the wall with her arms crossed, hiding a nasty wound that had been crudely bandaged, “so then you did find trouble on your way here?”

“So casual and calm as always, can’t you be a little more concerned for me?” she chuckled, walking over to me, “how have you been kiddo?” she rustled my hair, “that human didn’t give you too much trouble did they?”

“Oh she has been absolutely nothing but trouble,” I laughed.

“So I picked out a good playmate for you then?” she smiled at me then turned to Eve and began to poke her with her long pointy nail, “hey blondey, rise and shine,” she continued to poke Eves face till the girl smacked her hand away.

Eve stretched and gave a big yawn, “oh, Belli, hiya~”

“Don’t call me Belli! My names Belail, if you’re gonna shorten it at least make it something pretty like Bella!”

 “Okie, whatever you say Bella,” Eve scrunched her nose and rubbed her cheek, “careful with those claws of yours Bella, you're gonna scar my pretty face.”

“Pretty face? I think a few scars would be an improvement,” she laughed and poked Eves cheek again.

“Stop it, you’re being mean!” Eve swatted Belail’s hand again, whining like a little sister being bullied by her older sibling, “Lilith, make Bella stop!”

“You will have to fight your own battles, Eve, I am not your mother.”

“Sooo mean!” I had missed this.

***

We sat down at a small table in the little restaurant attached to the rest stop, it was hardly a suitable location for serious discussion, but it would have to do. And besides, I was hungry.

“Lady Agreas has sworn her loyalty to you, my Queen, I am certain we can find safety with her,” Belail had reiterated her point from before.

“And what of the other dukes? How many do we know conspire to take the seat of the king in Abaddon?” 

“From what I can tell, there is no unified push for the throne, those who seek it are allied only with their own lords. That being said, at least three of the dukes wish to claim the throne, including Lord Valefor. In addition to him, Astaroth and Gremory have made their desire for power quite clear.”

“So like, politics are cool and all, but what’s any of that got to do with us?” Eve asked with a mouthful of pancakes.

“In the case of lord Valefor, he sees my queen as a threat to his claim and wishes to remove her as a potential opponent to his rule,” Belail answered, grinding her nails on the table, “it would do you well to sit back and listen without interrupting the adults, little girl.”

“Hmph, Imma big girl,” Eve crossed her arms and frowned, “but also, Lilith doesn’t want to be queen anyways, right?”

That was a difficult question to answer, on one hand, I was already denied my right to rule and it would be simpler to just accept that and move on with my life. Still, I did not wish to see the Demon Kingdom come under the rule of a tyrannical king. There were those among the Dukes my father trusted with his life, and as I had learned, many more that he knew conspired against him. It was a complicated matter for sure, and ultimately put me at odds with my own personal goals. I did not have time to become part of a game of would be kings, I had my wish that I sought to see fulfilled. “Perhaps,” I thought aloud, “should I find a worthy successor, then I could endorse them as the next ruler.”

“My lady, only you are worthy of the throne, if not by birthright, by the merit of your heart!” Belail objected.

“My heart has very little merit, I do not believe my own character to be one suitable for Queen, let alone the ruler of the Demon Kingdom,” no, I was far from the image of a leader that she saw me as, I knew that for sure. 

“Well if not you then who?” Eve shoveled another forkful of pancakes into her mouth, “I mean, ishnt it hard to chewse a leada, sho why not jush do it youshelf?”

“Eve swallow before you talk,” I scolded her, “and being a leader is a far harder task, so if difficulty is your only reason I shouldn’t find another to shoulder the burden, then it isn’t a very strong point.”

She took a big gulp, “okay, but like at least if you’re the Queen, you know that you aren’t gonna be a bad one, right?” her simpleminded faith in me was almost cute.

“No, I am not fit to rule,” I dismissed hers and Belail’s inclinations that I could even remotely make a good Queen just like that.

“Hey, is this really the best place for us to be talking about that?” Vox asked, looking in all different directions for any potential eavesdroppers.

“Perhaps the wanderer has a point,” Belail took a sip from a cup of tea, “besides, there has been another question weighing on my mind,” she set the cup down and glanced around the room with her eyes, “Lilith, why are you seeking the demon king’s heart?”

“To get our wish granted of course!” Eve interjected, holding a fork of food high up like it were her sword.

“Explain, help me to understand the correlation.”

“Well you know, cause the Goddess Abelia said she’d grant anyones wish if they brought her the heart of the demon king,” Eve smiled a sly smile, “she never specified it can’t be the demon king themself who brings it.” 

“That is a horrible plan,” she responded with a terse laugh.

“Nu-uh, Lilly thinks it's a good idea, right?”

I sighed resting my face in my hands with my elbows on the table, “I have chosen a child to be my companion.”  

“Hey, don’t say that!”

Once we finished our meal and made our plans, we set out on route to Yericho. It would have been a half a day by train if we had the option, but of course out there we had no other choice but to walk. A few trucks here and there passed us by while we walked along the dirt road, Eve nearly attacking one the first time she saw it, but other than that the road was fairly empty. 

“Lilly, carry me!” Eve whined as she slumped over me, wrapping her arms around my neck.

“No, you’re too heavy,” I wrangled myself from her clutches.

“But Voxie told me you carried me when I was sleeping,” she managed to grab hold of me again, rubbing her face in my hair.

“You were sleeping, I had to, now you are awake and can walk like a dignified lady.”

“Hmph, you’re no fun,” she huffed, “but, also,” she whispered in my ear, “thank you.” Her hot breath against my ear caused the blood to rush to my face, filling out my cheeks with a deep cherry red hue. Honestly something felt just a bit too intimate having her that close, that is not to say I didn’t like it.

“Hey, don’t be cozying up to her highness like that,” Belail barked playfully, “you’ll get your human germs all over her.”

“Yeah well just remember this human kicked your butt, so nyeee~” Eve stuck her tongue out and pulled back her bottom eyelid.

Belail huffed and grumbled, “you didn’t kick anyone's butt, I let you win.”

“Yeah right, sounds like what a sore loser would say to me, right Voxie?”

“I am an impartial third party here,” he waved his hands shaking his head, “but like, you both have some incredibly high levels of magical energy so, maybe it was a draw?”

“How did Eve get past you Belail?” In all the years that Champions had been attempting to invade, not a single one made it further than the petrified woods, and the few who did were slain by Belail, so I was of course quite surprised to see Eve that first day we met.

“Oh oh, I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you!” Eve hopped around me with a wide enthusiastic grin, her eyes sparkling.

“Very well, then please do tell,” I gave her approval to begin her tale of their ‘epic battle’.

 

****

I found myself on the edge of the petrified forest, a vast army of demons between me and my goal. Their monstrous bodies struck a fearsome silhouette in the darkness of those stoney woods, but I would not be deterred no matter how gruesome the demons truly were. Exhaustion would not stop me, nor fear or hunger or thirst, as a thousand demon enemies still stood blocking my way. Gallantly I charged forth, my divine rapier in hand and cut a path through the army of vile creatures. Their putrid black blood stained my cloak, coating me in a toxic aroma of death, but still I pressed on. They came at me like ravenous beasts, ready to chomp on my bones and feast on my flesh… not in that order of course. My magic was useless against these creatures, for whatever reason my divine incantations just fizzled out, so I swung my sword with conviction, carving a path to glory, leaving not a single surviving demon in those woods. Finally a thousand of the beasts had been slain, or more, I honestly lost count after the first seven days of fighting nonstop. But yeah, I had cleansed those woods of every single last demon! That is except for the woman who now stood trembling in awe before me. She wore a crimson helm fashioned to look like the skull of a dragon, and wielded a massive lance three times the length of my own body. Surely she was an intimidating foe, but it was her who would be intimidated by me!   

“General Belail I presume?”

“I am she,” she answered back, her voice echoing ominously from underneath her admittedly awesome helmet.

“I am sir Everette Odenarte, Champion of the Goddess Abelia, and I have come to slay the demon king!” I announced with a mighty roar, declaring my intentions to the whole of the demon kingdom.

“Then this is where your journey comes to an end, champion of Abelia!” She raised her lance to the sky and challenged me.

We rushed towards each other, locking our weapons as we became engaged in fierce combat. For three days we fought, neither one of us faltering under the pressure of the others attacks, till at long last she yielded, defeated by my mighty magnificents. 

“You are too powerful for me, oh mighty champion, you have bested me, General Belail, surely you are the greatest warrior to have ever lived~”

***

“That’s a load of crap and you know it!” Belail interrupted her story.

“What do you mean? That is exactly what happened, verbatim,” Eve insisted.

“While it is true that you had felled all the creatures that lived within the woods, and that we had fought each other for numerous days, it was not a consecutive seventy-two hours, we took several breaks and even had meals together.”

“You had meals with your enemy?” Vox inquired.

“Yes, we broke for tea, and I cooked her up some dinner two nights in a row,” Belail nodded, “I also made her breakfast, she seemed to really love sparrow eggs.”

“Okay, yeah, we took some breaks to eat, sure,” 

“I also braided your ponytail, don’t forget that,” Belail added.

“Yes, you did, but it kinda came out when I was climbing the mountain to the castle, so like, weeeeeh that’s not the point!”

“Belail, did the two of you actually battle each other?” 

“We did, I needed to test her to make certain she would be a good guardian for you.”

“Guardian, test me? What?”

“You skipped a very important detail in your story, silly girl,” Belail lightly bumped her hand over Eve’s head, “on the first day, when we battled and you began to grow weary, you had said to me, ‘I will not falter, I am going to make my wish come true!’ and so I asked you, ‘what wish is worth killing the demon king?’ and you said, ‘I want to be a girl!’, remember?”

Eve giggled, “whoopsies, I did say that didn’t I?”

“So then, you knew that once she learned of my own wish that she would ally herself with me?” Belail nodded in response to my question, wearing a rather proud smile on her face, “but isn’t that a rather risky gamble? Many people share the same goals and fight over them all the time.”

“Well, yes, it is a rather huge risk, but you see I was convinced of the good in her heart because of the battle that came before ours,” Belail clarified, “those weren’t demons in the petrified woods, those were Malicious, and as you know, those with a wicked heart can not kill the Malicious, lest their blood be tainted and become Malicious themself.”