Chapter 02 [arc zero]

"So, the old broad thinks that this time it's the one? I doubt it, boss." Lilibet muttered in the passenger seat of the man's car.

The ogre king pulled up to the gate of the shaman's village. The lanterns were lit, signaling that the woman was about to start. "I feel the same, but there's always a chance, Lili. We need to see."

After this, the blonde kept her thoughts to herself. The gate opened, a disciple on either side pulling as the woman demanded it. They watched the king drive in and bowed in respect. Everyone in the village was a demon, and they worshiped the ground the royal family walked on. Over the years, the respect the royals got had waned in some places, but not here. They believed that the ogre king would bring forth a new golden age to the world. And that everyone who stayed loyal to his bloodline and mission would be rewarded. The reward would vary from person to person. All that mattered to them was being determined to stay under his gaze, obediently till their deaths.

The two demons were met with what looked to be a festival. Demons of all ages and sizes wore ceremonial robes, dancing in the street. They cheered at his entrance, screaming until their throats hurt. Some ran up to the car and pounded their hands against it. Their faces were full of excitement to see the famed king of all demons. The shaman must have announced that they had a vision of the sacrificial maiden. The village easily bought into the idea of the perfect maiden arriving every time she said it. Just like the king, they believed that the maiden would save them all. That her presence would make them all-powerful.

The man had thought the same as a child. His mother told him stories about an angel who would descend to save Earth. That she would have hair that resembled the flames in her heart and her voice would shake mountains. He fantasized about meeting such a woman and ruling by her side. Every royal did. The story had existed since the beginning of time in their bloodline. The maiden would be their savior and they loved her dearly. Demons saw her as a mother earth type figure, while humans who knew her saw her as Lilith. Either way, the maiden was someone that they needed to survive the hell that the world was becoming.

They managed to find a parking space far enough from the crowd and got out. The air felt humid with the nearby pond providing plenty of moisture. Rusty internet and electricity cables swung above them, hanging onto their poles by mere threads in their old age. The village had adapted to the technological advancements of the world while falling into the war. Its infrastructure was outdated, and they never bothered to fix it. Instead, the shaman commanded them to just keep building on what was left. This left the two demons in a rusty, dirty maze. The sidewalk was lopsided, and the houses were overcrowded. It was a dingy collection of the old and new societies.

"When was the last time you came here?" Lilibet asked as she followed him. Her hands were in her pockets and her nose scrunched unpleasantly.

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The ogre king thought for a moment as they neared the shaman's house before replying. "Twenty, thirty years. The girl she saw was a baker's daughter who died in the war."

The blonde nodded and stepped over some trash that was discarded on the ground. "Oh. How did she die? Combat, or was she a bystander?"

"Bystander." He opened the door of the shaman's house for her and she stepped in. It slammed shut, shaking behind them.

Inside the older woman's house, it didn't look much better. There was a stranger stench that hit the two and knocked them off of their feet. It led them through the cracked halls of the once-grand townhouse. Cockroaches piled up atop large bookshelves and nightstands that hadn't been touched in years. The man knew that the woman hadn't been on her feet properly since his last visit. She had been wheelchair bound by then, just like her mentor and the man that came before them. Still, he had assumed she wouldn't be such a hoarder inside her home. By his side, Lilibet didn't bother to hold back her disgust at it all.

They finally managed to make their way to the woman's master bedroom. In it, they could see the light from a computer monitor blurring outward. She owned hundreds, using them to explore the possible futures her customers had. The man didn't bother knocking as the door was partially cracked. He knew due to the circumstances, one or two of her disciples had to be in there with her. The king saw he was right as he watched a robe-clad woman beckon them forward. She had her eyes covered with a blindfold and her feet were bound. The two demons looked at each other before walking in. She was dressed exactly like an apprentice, meaning the shaman was at her end.

The king felt his chest tighten at the sight of the older woman. She still had hair, thankfully, but it was thinning, turning from brown to something else entirely. Her legs, now useless, sat sprawled under all the cords connecting her to the monitors. Screens showed down various movies, television, and game scenes around her. If someone had been staring, they would catch that she was barely breathing. Still, despite having melded with the house itself, she was at peace. Her eyes opened and revealed black eyes. There were no irises or pupils in sight. Just pure darkness that grew as she felt around. The blonde scoffed quietly behind him and looked with disbelief.

"I may be blind, but I'm not deaf." The monitors spelled out the sentence hundreds of times. The woman glared at nothing, her eyes blank.

Her apprentice helped direct her to where the royal stood with their hands. A pleasant look of relief blossomed on her face, and she grinned. "I was worried you wouldn't come. I went searching through the cables recently and found her."

The man nodded his head as the blonde glared and questioned her. "Are you sure it's her?"

The screens switched channels as she started to gather her thoughts. An image appeared to be composed of each screen. One by one, they flickered into the image of a woman. The surrounding buildings and people of her location were too mundane for the city. "She had been hiding this whole time, but I found her."

The blonde spoke out this time, her voice mocking. She had stopped believing in the maiden many years ago. "Where?"

With her blank eyes, the shaman hesitated. She looked fearful as her malnourished body struggled to take in another breath. "Another world."