Shi stood at the edge of the burning forest not moving an inch. The flames spread but none dared touch his frame. He sighed and looked down at his wrist-watch, the seconds ticking to midnight.

“Tsk.” He stretched his arms over his head and yawned, “Another failure,” Flames roared with renewed vigor, pushing against the unaffected zone.

A contempt smirk spread as he hung his head. The flames weren’t backing down instead rebelling against the invisible shield. Shi lifted his right hand to his opposing shoulder and with a sudden jolt flung straight out. The flames’ bellows quieted to whispers, their monstrous power burnt up. Soon all that remained was a flaming spark left at Shi’s feet. Shi rummaged through his bag, “Sacrificing yourself to the flames, not a bad choice; but a flame elemental isn’t what I wanted.” He found a jar and scooped the spark inside.

“You even tried to bite the hand that fed you. You weren’t capable of suppressing your emotions relinquishing command to the flames.” He analyzed the spark before shoving it inside the bag. He faded into the wind the world around him was burnt to crisp, but where he stood was a lush green.

Shi found himself inside of a girly pink room. He walked around to get a better idea of the situation. The windows were tall. The bed was perfectly made, plushies organized from largest to smallest along the wall, while a study desk was a disorganized pile of papers. Outside the large closed door, he heard the clinking of heels on a form of tile. He immediately looked for a place to hide. He calmly searched the room his eyes landing on accordion doors. He silently rushed over and hid inside, the only sound being the squeak as the door rolled along the track.

The footsteps grew louder before stopping, shortly followed by the sounds of metal on metal as they shimmied the key. Her hair platinum white, with shining hints of blue. She immediately paused after her first step. She raised an eyebrow her light blue eyes intently focused on the floor. She blinked a few times and her eyes mellowed, she removed her heels and hit the switch next to her turning off the lights.

The room was pitch black, but Shi dared not moved the squeak from the door engraved in his mind. The room was dark for a long-time tempting Shi with every moment.

“Are you going to come out?” Her bored voice called from the darkness.

There was no reply, so she spoke again more irritated, “I know you’re there. Footsteps were leading to the closet but not the door or window. Meaning you are still here.”

The squeak of the accordion door answered her explanation. Shi was embarrassed as he answered, “I’ve been found out.”

He walked over the door and flipped on the lights.

She sat at the edge of her bed her thin lips curved in a smug smile, her chin resting on her knuckles and elbows on her pale white legs. “So, are you going to not? I was hoping you would act when the light went out, you’re a strange one.”

“I don’t understand what you mean Miss, I was just waiting for my chance to leave. I never intended to do anything.” Shi explained himself but the nervous tone likely didn’t sell his story.

“Oh, you snuck into my room the single most secure zone in the palace; but you are meaning to tell me this was an accident? Lie better, I won’t fight you unless that is what you want. Everyone wants different things.” She flung herself back her tone nothing but exasperation.

“Palace? Wait, are you the princess?” Shi didn’t hide his shock at the turn of events.

“Yes, I’m the princess, and you are the thief who snuck into my room. Blah Blah Blah, let’s just get on with this.” She waved her hand and swung her legs her patience waning.

“No, No. You got this wrong! I’m only a nomad whose teleportation spell brought them here.”

“I thought I told you to lie better! No magic can be used in this room! If you were to try and teleport in here, the surrounding field would redirect the spell into the prison. Now stop the lies and get on with what you came here for. I want you to, it is beneficial to me as well.” She shot back up her eyes fiery the aura around her suppressive.

As her eyes met Shi’s the room froze, the light bulbs shattered with a bang. Princess felt an invisible force suppressing her aura.

“Now let’s not resort to violence, we can talk like adults.” Shi’s voice was calm, but Princess knew if she acted her fate was sealed.

“What do you want?” She questioned in a stupor.

“I was intending to leave once I could use my spell again, but I’ve changed my mind. What did you expect me to do?”

“I expected you to rape me.” Her voice was slow, each word heavier than the last.

The darkroom was immediately lit up brighter than before. Her cheeks were bright red, and she was fidgeting in place. While Shi was left in a stupor from her words. They echoed word afterword, the weight grew with every relocation of the somber tone.

“I’m sorry…” He offered his sympathies.

“I don’t want your sympathies! I want to be free!” She cried out her eyes glossed over.

Shi didn’t answer her, he walked over each step leaving indents in the plush carpet.

Princess tightly closed her eyes and released a breath to calm herself. This was the moment she was waiting for the moment she desired but dreaded.

But there was no force pushing her down, no sensation of cold air, just a pair of large hard arms wrapped around her. Her eyes instantons opened and were wide unable to contain her emotional state of disarray. Her small figure easily captured against his chest; her strawberry scent assaulted his nose with his chin laid on her head.

“Then I’ll bring you freedom,” He declared in a whisper, but it held more confidence than a shout against the heavens. Princess wailed, each tear gut-wrenching as they pounded against his chest. Her thin frail arms embraced the man she only just met, but she didn’t think twice. She felt safe, she felt she would be free.

The preface of Genesis Dawn was the longest of all the students, “Teacher was the devil, is the devil. I don’t understand him, but he is who he warns of. Maybe not him precisely but his kind. Maybe every god watches a single devil, and his god fell asleep. But why is he helping humanity? What is there for him to gain from this situation? That is the motivation I yet to grasp. Maybe I never will comprehend. The story of Teacher is a string of yarn twirled and spun, crumbled and matted, the Gordian knot. But you can’t bring a sword to solve it, there is no simple solution. I followed Teacher the longest. I’m not insane, it’s just, he brings it out of me. The one thing I could never grasp, the legend of Teacher. I solved the riddle of God and stood at the crest of magic, but Teacher’s truth eluded me. But you want to know the greatest truth? I respect him the most. Despite being the Devil, he saved me. He is the savior of humanity, even if death is something that follows him at every step.”