“Hey, Vual, can I ask you a question?” David inquired.

“Of course,” the demon replied. They were standing at the mouth of the hallway, making idle conversation as they waited for the point where they could safely assume that the Priest had fallen asleep.

“At times, when I feel despair, I think of how we know that the world has to be at least a few thousand years old and how I didn’t exist for any of those thousands of years. And there will likely be thousands, if not many more, years after my life where the world continues to not exist. From that perspective, I’m able to bury my despair, at least temporarily, comfortably in the knowledge that any suffering I feel is temporary. Even within the expanses of Hell, well, everything changes, and if Hell can only last for millions of years out of billions… I suppose you get my idea.”

Vual nodded and grinned as if deeply amused. “You see, I encounter Humans in hell who maintain that perspective. It’s a noble one. In fact, it’s one of the few mindsets that Humans have come up with one that interests me in any way, shape, or form. However, your ideals and your ability to live up to them have a distance with more breadth and depth than any ocean on this planet between them. No Human thinks like that after twenty years in Hell or ten years anywhere else.”

David nodded. “I understand. And how do you endure despair?”

“You have to understand that the despair you’re thinking of is a distinctly Human feeling. Although I am in your sister’s body, I am no human. Any sadness I feel is just another form of pleasure, any pain I feel is a form of grace granted onto me, and when I die, I experience for a moment the limitless joy that can be felt by a mortal being losing its last grasp to this plain before I return to Hell and begin anew. So I have as much commentary on despair as a fruit fly, which perishes within the week, can tell you about the difference between the spring and the summer.”

“That would make sense. So why bother with your plans here on Earth?”

“It makes me happy.”

“I feel as if I understand you more now. That was my mistake.”

As the pair continued to make light conversation, Emily stumbled into conversation with a young, drunk man who was sitting on a bench near her tree.

“And they denied my research request!” he finally exclaimed. “Bastards who’d rather play politics than help unlock the secrets of the universe… I hope Hell claims them all!”

Emily nodded and patted the man’s back. “I understand. Such setbacks are deeply frustrating.”

He smiled at her, his slanted brown eyes and wide smile intersecting his prominent dimples. “My name is Jiajun. What’s yours?”

“Emily. You attend the local University, don’t you?”

“I do, unfortunately. I should have stayed in Fanyang… I miss my family…”

Emily frowned. She hated it when humans felt this way. They were so easily made miserable and despaired over things outside of their control. And so she did her best to make him feel more at ease. “I’m sure they are very proud of what you’re doing here. And when you finally make those people at the University see what you’re working on and how important it is, I’m sure that they’ll appreciate you as much as your family does.”

Jiajun smiled again, and he sat up straight. “You’re right. Despair does nothing but hold a genius back. You’ve been a great help. Say, how about I do you a favor?”

“I enjoy favors,” Emily replied, having never received one before.

“I’m going to put you in the University’s guest book. Stop by and visit whenever you want. I’m sure you’ll get along with everyone.”

“Delightful!” Emily exclaimed before approximating a hug on Jiajun. “I’ll visit promptly.”

“I should get back, but I look forward to it,” Jiajun said as he stood up. “See you soon, Emily.”

Emily watched as Jiajun walked away, and his route back to the University took him back by The Wolf Den, where inside, David and Vual made sure that no one was watching before they opened the door to the Priest’s room and gingerly stepped inside.

Vual wasted no time, jumping in the air and harshly landing with the full force of Ayata’s body onto the Priest’s midsection. The woman’s eyes flew open, and she sat up slightly as the wind was knocked from her body, and by that time, Vual had already begun holding her down. David watched as the demon began to recite some kind of incantation, but then he saw the Priest hold up her hands; fists clenched together tightly. A flash of light nearly blinded everyone in the room, and Vual flew off of the bed, colliding with the ceiling and crashing down against a dresser on the opposite side of the room.

Stolen novel; please report.

The Priest sat up, attempting to cry out, but she still couldn’t properly breathe. David, realizing he had precious few moments before she’d alert the entire Wolf Den to their attack, leapt across the room, raised his fist, and sent it crashing against her forehead. She flew back, cracking the back of her head against the bed’s headboard, and when she tried to sit up again, he hit her again. Vual stood up and smiled at the violence in front of her before she began her incantation once more. David, realizing what this meant, grabbed the woman’s wrists and pinned them to her chest. She caught her breath enough to begin speaking weakly, but by that point, it was too late. David watched her eyes roll back into her head as Vual penetrated her psyche. Every chunk of what made this young woman herself was slowly ripped out of her brain and dumped into a deep, dark place from which none of it would ever emerge intact. Vual delighted in how she was just conscious enough to beg for mercy the entire time. That was something about humans that Vual never fully understood. Every animal on Earth had some kind of built-in defense mechanism to shield itself from predators, and yet, all humans had was begging; something that only worked on other, weaker humans. It was a wonder that humans could retain such power with such a terrible natural gift.

Finally, Vual and the Priest both collapsed, going limp on the ground. David took a step back and waited, and the Priest sat up first, looking around before smiling at David. “I do believe it worked,” Vual informed him.

David immediately rushed over to Ayata’s side and watched as her eyes fluttered open. He began to cry as she looked up at him with fear. “David?”

“Ayata, oh Ayata,” he whimpered as he hugged her tightly. “You’re safe now. You’re safe in my arms, as you should be.”

“How disgustingly lovely,” Vual sneered.

Ayata looked from her brother to the woman in the Priest’s body, shuddering. “Y-you-”

“Shh, shh,” David muttered as he held Ayata in place. “She’s not here to hurt you now. She helped me bring you back.”

Vual couldn’t help but smile at the obvious manipulation. The truth of the situation would’ve caused the girl to panic at the thought of helping her torturer, but this way, everyone emerged happy. The demon had to admire David’s sense; he was certainly a more clever human than most.

“R-really?” Ayata replied after a moment of silence, clearly lost in confusion.

“Indeed, we came to an agreement. She would help me bring you back and not hurt you, and in exchange, we’ll help her with some favors. Right, Vual?”

Vual nodded. “Of course. My apologies for the torture. It was just my job, you see.”

Ayata just nuzzled up to her brother, clutching him more tightly as she nodded her head. “I see, I see, I see. That… that makes sense. Yes, it makes perfect sense. Thank you, brother. I see your wisdom.”

David helped his sister stand up, holding her in place as she shuddered. “But helping Vual comes later. For now, we rest. I’ve prepared you a room at the building that I stay in, and if there’s anything wrong with it, I’ll fix it immediately. Vual, I’m departing to bring my sister to bed. We will meet again tomorrow.”

The demon waved and smiled widely. “Of course! Enjoy the evening, humans!”

Back at the library, Emily had decided to walk through the wall to enjoy some nighttime reading. After checking and ensuring no one was around, she began to peruse the shelves. But, just as she found the library’s fiction section, David burst through the front door with his sister in tow. Emily crouched down and out of sight. She recognized that people generally preferred not trespassing, but this was different because she wasn’t stealing. Ergo, she felt no guilt about hiding away as David sat a strange woman down in the exact seat his tree patron intended to sit at.

David made sure that Ayata was steady before he spoke again. “Father can’t hurt you, not ever again. Vual will not hurt you, never again. You will never be hurt ever again. I can’t lose you again…”

Ayata began to cry, holding her arms out to hug her brother again. “I’m sorry that I left you… I’m so sorry…”

“Stop apologizing!” David chastised her even as he hugged her back. “It wasn’t your fault. It was that bastard’s fault. But he’s far away, clear back in Breda. We’re in Richardsville. That’s a day’s journey; you know he’s too much of an old, drunken fool to trek down here. We have an agreement with Vual and any demons associated with her, and you know how much those creatures love their damn contracts. We’re safe. You’re safe.”

“Thank you,” Ayata whimpered. “Thank you… I just don’t know how I could ever repay you.”

They separated from the hug, and David made sure that Ayata was looking him in the eyes. “Love means never having to repay someone. You’re my sister, Ayata. When you died, I ran away… and all I could think about was how unfair it was that I got to know what it was like to live without fear of him, and you would never know that. I needed to bring you back. I need you to see how beautiful life can be when you’re not trapped in that damn house.”

“Oh, David,” Ayata managed before sobs overwhelmed her weakened body and mind. “I can’t… I couldn’t… thank you!”

This time, David sat down next to her, letting her cry as he gently tapped the table. “You’ll need time to adjust, but that’s what I’m here for. I manage this library, and I have more than enough to take care of the both of us. Eventually, you’ll help me here, too, and everything will be perfect.”

“That does sound perfect…” Ayata managed to whimper.

David smiled at his sister. “It will be. I’ll make sure of it.”

For a moment, neither said anything, giving Emily enough time to process their words. Reversing the process of death was something powerful, and the fact that David had committed to that for his sister warmed her heart. But she needed to make out the finer details. That man, that house, those had cost this Ayata her life. The only other man they referenced was their father, so he must have killed his own daughter. But that couldn’t have made sense. Certain animals would consume their young or allow them to die of natural causes, but humans didn’t do that. What rational basis could a man have to execute his own flesh and blood? Was Ayata somehow evil? Or was he evil? Emily couldn’t wrap her naive mind around the situation. And she certainly couldn’t ask David about it. That would entail admitting to breaking, entering, and eavesdropping on him discussing necromancy and his childhood trauma, all of which would’ve made him rightfully furious. What an annoying situation, Emily lamented.

And with that, crouching low against the floor, she decided to make her leave; walking through the nearest wall of the library and heading back to The God’s Mangrove to rest.