Witch's Daughter And The Devil's Son

The young king let out a shaky breath to calm himself and held the ceremonial dagger against his arm. \'It doesn\'t matter. Three drops of blood? I won\'t even mind dying of blood loss if that will save Megaris.\'

The High Priest started chanting an obscure prayer while King Theron stood there with his eyes closed, focusing on the prayer that the High Priest was saying.

Inside the hall used for worship, Esther could not stop herself from pacing, unable to calm herself, and she continued looking in the direction of the ritual chamber restlessly. She knew, in exchange for help, there was always something that one needed to pay.

It was a universal truth regarding the all-powerful Devil, an inviolable rule that restricts him in order to maintain the balance of the world. As it was impossible to create something out of nothing, it was also against the laws of nature to interfere with death without giving up something equal in return.

For the curse to be lifted, then the Devil would demand payment of equivalent weight. She didn\'t know what her husband would have to pay the Devil for his help, but she prayed it wouldn\'t be something that requires a sacrifice that would ruin his life.

The moment three drops of red blood dripped off his arm and hit the symbol painted on the floor, King Theron felt a strange shift in the air. The atmosphere became suffocating. It was as if every particle of dust around him was alive, as if every flame from the burning torches were greeting someone\'s arrival. Not only was there movement inside the ritual chamber, but also outside the temple and even the entire kingdom itself, they felt as if the entire world was gaining sentience.

As there were no windows inside the ritual chamber, King Theron didn\'t see the clear sky turn ominous with dark clouds and lightning, but he was able to hear the loud thunder raging outside. When he opened his eyes, he saw the High Priest on his knees, bending his body towards the direction of the elevated platform, his eyes fanatical as he looked at the place between those seven pillars.

King Theron could hear the old man mumbling in a trance, "...he\'s coming…the prayer was answered…he\'s coming!"

Black smoke engulfed the stone platform—no, it wasn\'t smoke, but some kind of dark-colored energy that had the wispy appearance of smoke. The dark energy spilt out of thin air as if it was a living creature before it compressed itself and took the shape of a man\'s figure. It was as if a shadow of a man became a living creature, wearing a long robe as black as the darkest shadows. Though no one could not properly take in the unholy appearance of the man due to the wispy dark energy surrounding him, the first thing that anyone would think of was the word \'perfect\'.

No one, not even the most ignorant person, would ever think he was human.

In front of the otherworldly figure, the High Priest dared not even lift his head from the floor. "T-The Guardian of the Living! This lowly human greets you!"

King Theron didn\'t know if he should also kneel. He couldn\'t believe the summoning ceremony actually worked. In confusion, he simply bowed before the summoned being but didn\'t know what he should do next and left everything to the High Priest.

However, he could not help but take another peek at the Devil. The moment the High Priest mentioned about the Devil, King Theron had his aides look for books in the royal library that mentioned any lore about him.

The dark being in front of him was the opposite of everything the books described the Devil to be like: horns on his head, sharp teeth with fangs, long razor-like claws and a terrible ghoulish appearance.

\'Is he really the Devil?\'

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a slow yet heavy, authoritative male voice echo inside the chamber, causing all the muscles in his body to freeze.

"Who summoned me?"

The High Priest threw a light nod to signal King Theron to personally answer the question. Despite trying to not lose composure, his reply was shaky, "I-I did. I, Theron Ivanov, summoned you, Guardian of the Living."

Although King Theron had his head lowered and couldn\'t see the Devil on the platform, he felt the gaze of the unholy being seemingly land on his body. He could not stop himself from trembling.

After a short silence of observing the young man, the Devil looked at the High Priest. "The reason?"

The High Priest answered without his voice shaking this time, "Guardian of the Living, we beseech your help, asking for your almighty self to lift the Devil\'s Curse that has befallen our Kingdom of Megaris."

Silence once again enveloped the dark chamber, and only the sound of flickering flames from the torches could be heard. King Theron and the High Priest sneaked a glance at each other, confused by what was happening.

Worry was obvious in King Theron\'s eyes. \'Can\'t he do it? Is this not a solution? What—\'

Once again, the slow and heavy voice of the Devil echoed in the chamber.

"What will you give me in return?"

Hope sparked in King Theron\'s heart. Remembering his sick father, the gloomy royal court, the reports of the dying people…

"Anything!" It was his responsibility to answer it as he was the one to ask for Devil\'s help, and in excitement, he even forgot his manners and lifted his head to stare at the Devil in earnest. "I will do anything that is in my power to repay you if my kingdom will be saved from the curse!"

The Devil stared at him.

"Human, are you sure you can give me what I ask you for?"

King Theron had nothing to lose now and all he wanted was for his kingdom and people to not suffer anymore.

"Even if you ask for my life, I am willing to sacrifice it," King Theron replied with grim determination.

There was silence once again on the Devil\'s side. As the two could not see the Devil\'s expression as his face was surrounded by dark smoke like energy as if like in shadows, they could only guess what this unholy being was thinking.

Neither of them counted how long the stifling silence went on, but when the Devil finally spoke, rather than relief, the two humans felt horror.

"A son."