The next day brought a series of fresh challenges for everyone. Nord and Lailah were both quite worn out, and did not want to rise early for their trek up the mountainside. Maou and Urushihara, while civil, seemed oddly stiff and formal while talking to each other. Alas-Ramus and Acies-Ara were bickering loudly about which of them had better parents, and Rika and Chiho, sadly, were unable to walk in their boots.
It turned out that their boots hadn't been broken in before they dove through the gate, and after walking all day yesterday, their feet were raw, red, and blistered. Every step they took caused them to wince in pain, and hiking up the mountain would be impossible for them.
"I will carry Rika," Ashiya offered quickly.
"Um, are you sure? I mean, you don't have to carry me," Rika said.
"Nonsense. With my strength returned to me, carrying you will be no problem at all," Ashiya bragged. He raised his arms and flexed like a bodybuilder, but it was no use. His human form was just not as impressive as his demon form, which bulged with muscle mass and was far too perfectly sculpted to be considered human.
"I suppose I can carry Chiho," Urushihara sighed.
"What? Uh… really?" the high school girl asked.
"Well, duh. I mean, no one else here can carry you as easily as I can, and Maou has to carry Alas-Ramus, so…"
Suzuno blanched. Somehow, the thought of Chiho riding piggyback on Urushihara, with their bodies pressed so firmly against each other, made her incredibly jealous. She glared at Chiho, who smiled lamely, looking quite unhappy with the thought of being carried by Urushihara.
"Are you sure you want to carry Chiho," Maou asked. "I mean, you can carry Alas-Ramus if you want."
"No, it's fine. Really." Urushihara tried to smile but it looked a little unnatural. In any case, he was determined to show the others he was useful. He would do what was right, and spare Chiho the pain of having to walk.
'Score one for the Lightbringer,' Urushihara thought savagely, taking a sense of pride in his chivalry. He looked to Suzuno for support, but she crossed her arms and turned up her nose at him.
'What the hell?!' he thought, stunned by her rudeness. 'She's the one who told me to do the right thing!'
Once camp had been cleared away, everyone hoisted on their packs and prepared for the journey up the mountain. Emi took point once again, and led the way off to the right, where Urushihara and Suzuno had kissed the night before. A small trail wound up the side of the mountain, but much to the dismay of the entire group-
"You idiot," Emi said, "you threw a tree right on the path!"
Urushihara, who was already weighed down by Chiho and her pack, seemed to grow even shorter where he stood.
"My bad, guys," he muttered quietly.
He stepped forward and bent, as though peering at the tree. Chiho tried to look at what he was doing when he suddenly stood straight up, lifting the tree as though it were nothing, and sending it tumbling down the mountain.
"Geez, Mister Urushihara," Chiho muttered, shaking from the surprise of almost being thrown off of his back, "you're so strong!"
Suzuno growled in her throat, but no one seemed to notice as she gave Urushihara the death stare. He blushed from Chiho's praise before going back to the group, where Emi nodded appreciatively and took the lead once more.
The path seemed to wind around the mountain like a corkscrew. Emi had thought it would only take about an hour, but in reality, it took almost three. She decided the discrepancy was likely just a side effect of being young and carefree during her previous visits. After all, time always went faster for children. When Chiho laid her head against Urushihara's back, Suzuno felt her jealousy pang once more, but she said nothing. That was when she remembered the halo in her bag, which would allow her to speak directly into Urushihara's mind with her own.
'Do you enjoy having another woman's legs wrapped around you?' she hissed mentally.
Urushihara missed a step, causing Chiho, who had been slumbering, to jolt awake.
"Are you ok?" she asked, rubbing her tired eyes.
"Zoning out," Urushihara mumbled, turning to find Suzuno smirking. "Tripped on a rock."
"Please don't drop me," Chi mumbled under her breath.
The sun felt quite warm, though a chill wind did make it hard to maintain any body heat. Soon they had reached a forested outcropping, which quickly fell away at an abrupt edge. Nestled in these woods, next to a bubbling stream that ran down from on high, was a little cabin.
"It's still standing," Emi muttered in disbelief.
"I shielded it from attack when Nord and Acies-Ara hid here," said Lailah. "It seems I inadvertently shielded it from the elements, as well."
"This also means that it hasn't been tampered with," Nord smiled. "It's still secret, just as I thought."
The interior of the cabin was dusty, but it was still whole and unharmed. It was large, for a cabin, with a couple small rooms and a large main room. Though it was somewhat rustic, it was very livable and cozy. There was a dinner table with chairs, a long wooden bench in front of the fire place, and the walls were lined with fishing trophies.
Even with the size, there wasn't enough room for everyone, so they all set up their tents outside, and made a campfire in the old fire pit out back. An hour later, the sun had disappeared behind the mountain, leaving everyone feeling rather tired, given how early in the day it was.
"Good work starting the fire," Ashiya said curtly to Urushihara, who nodded absently.
He was having a heated mental debate with Suzuno, who, as it turned out, was the jealous type. Doing the right thing apparently did not extend to giving Chiho piggy back rides up the mountain, even though the high schooler was still hobbling around rather pitifully, trying to help get camp situated.
Maou and Emi were both feeding Alas-Ramus, who seemed quite at home in the wilderness. Her large violet eyes darted this way and that as she tried to take in her surroundings as she chewed her food.
"So, are you two going to go off and train?" Lailah asked Emi and Maou.
They looked at each other. Their eyes were rung in dark circles. Their clothes were travel-stained and worn. They both needed a bath, and Alas-Ramus was in a rambunctious mood.
"We'll start training tomorrow," they agreed.
Nord and Lailah retired to the cabin shortly thereafter, taking Acies-Ara with them. Ashiya and Rika left to go fishing, with Ashiya looking quite excited to break out the new tackle. Chiho went to her tent to rest, taking Alas-Ramus with her. Urushihara went for a walk, muttering something about looking for more wood for the campfire. Finally, Maou went to his tent, which he had carried off down the path that led to the base of the mountain. He'd positioned it well, so that he could poke his head out and keep an eye on the path. No one would be able to sneak up on them unless they were to come down from the sky, which he sincerely hoped wouldn't happen.
Emi watched Maou's retreating back, wondering how he could seem so nonchalant. A part of her was seized with the urge to race up to him and tackle the Lord of Demons to the ground. She wanted to pin him down and demand an explanation. She wanted to hear his reasoning for killing those Templars… but instead she simply shivered before turning back to stare at the fire.
"You look preoccupied, Emilia," Suzuno noted. "Would you care to talk?"
"How do you think he does it?" Emi asked. "How do you think he can kill people… and just act like nothing happened?"
Suzuno gave it some thought, but the answer Emi sought eluded her.
"He is the Demon King," Suzuno sighed, "perhaps guilt and sorrow are solely the burdens of humanity."
But even as Suzuno spoke, she knew her words were untrue. She'd seen guilt and sorrow etched into the face of a demon only the night before… perhaps the Demon King well and truly didn't care.
"Maybe you're right," Emi said quietly.
The Hero bid Crestia Bell farewell before getting up and walking off to the cabin, where she hoped to lay out a sleeping bag on the bench by the fire and get some rest. As Suzuno sat alone at the campfire, she felt herself quake in anticipation. She'd been waiting for everyone to leave so she could go after Urushihara. After checking that no one else was in sight, she pulled the halo from her bag and slipped it under her thick leather jerkin before heading off after the fallen angel, who she located easily enough using their mental connection.
Try as the Hero might, sleep did not come to her easily. She was woken, again and again, by nightmares of battles past. In each one her enemies were cut down, until she came to a nine foot tall demon with horns and goat legs. No matter how she might want to, she could never finish him off, as Alas-Ramus would appear and scold her.
After the most recent nightmare, when she'd slaughtered an entire unit of demonic Templars with Olba's face, she decided that sleep was overrated. She dug out her winter coat and put it on, along with her boots and her long black cloak. She crept out of the cabin, where night had not yet completely fallen. She paused for a moment, wondering how she should spend her extra waking hours when the familiar gurgle of the stream called to her. Emi smiled, and with slow, teetering steps, she began to follow the water.
A pathway ran along the winding stream, leading down a steep hillside before levelling out once more. The riverbed widened and formed a large pond of cool, clear water. Emi smiled to herself, kicking up mud as she remembered how she used to walk the path with her father. He would carry their poles and fishing gear, and he would even bait Emi's hook for her, as the worms made her squeamish. She turned, following the path that led to the pond when she heard a loud giggle. She knew that it was Rika, but why did she sound so… jovial?
Emi crept forward, walking on the balls of her feet as she left the path and dodged between the trees. Another giggle rose from the pond. Farther downstream, where the level mountain fell away, the dull roar of a waterfall was heard. The Hero, who was creeping around in a most un-Hero like fashion, peered through the underbrush, only to blush violently and cock her head, as though she couldn't quite understand what she was seeing.
Laid out just off the edge of the trail was a blanket, where Ashiya and Rika were supposed to be fishing, though what they were actually doing could hardly be called such. Rika was sitting in Ashiya's lap, laughing and smiling as he placed kisses on her neck. Every now and again he would gently bite her shoulder, causing her to gasp and laugh. They were both fully clothed, but the sensuality was not lost on Emi.
"Rika…"
Ashiya's voice was hard, as though broaching a sensitive topic. Emi perked her ears up and listened even more closely.
"Yes, Ashiya?"
"When we leave for Heaven, I'd like you to stay here at camp."
"We've been over this," Rika said, pulling herself from his lap to turn and face him, "I'm going with you."
"But what if we do not succeed," Ashiya asked, twirling a lock of Rika's hair around his finger.
"Don't talk like that," she uttered, straddling Ashiya's hips and pulling his head to her chest.
"Mmph."
"Whoops, sorry. I keep forgetting that I can actually smother you with my chest," Rika laughed.
Ashiya smirked, running his hands over Rika's body, which, now that Emi had a good view of it, had gotten much more voluptuous.
"I must admit, I did not think you could get any more beautiful," Ashiya muttered, "but I stand corrected."
Rika smiled and pulled herself off of Ashiya again. She sat beside him and laid her head on his shoulder, their hands overlapping. Emi was glad they finally stopped being so lewd, but she couldn't sneak away now that they were being quiet.
"Have you thought of any names," Rika asked.
"No. I'm reserving judgement until I see what the future holds."
"Aww, come on! Why do you have to be such a pessimist all the time! This is your child, too, you know! Try to be more thoughtful!"
"I didn't mean it like that," Ashiya said quickly, "I mean… well, what if we decide to raise it in Japan? It will need a Japanese name to avoid suspicion. Or what if we raise it here? Then it will need an Ente Islan name… and we still don't know if it will be a boy or a girl."
Emi gasped and had to cover her mouth with her hand. The couple didn't notice, so she took the opportunity to leave before she could listen in on their conversation anymore. When she got to the turn in the path, she took off running, tears streaming down her face as she processed what she'd just heard. Rika Suzuki was pregnant with Demon General Alciel's child! Emi ran as fast as she could, feeling with her mind for Suzuno, who might be able to help her come to terms with what she had overheard. The inquisitor was wise, but had she ever seen a demon-human hybrid? Would she know how to deal with the situation? At the very least, she would be able to calm Emi down. She whipped past the cabin at high speed and raced into the trees that decorated that side of the mountain.
Emi's horror was quickly redoubled, however, as she heard an odd noise that no forest animal could make. She came to a stop, and she heard it again- the sounds of suckling, and the smack of someone's lips. This time Emi was fortunate, as she very nearly ran right into a clearing. There, in the center, Suzuno stood with Urushihara, both of them locked in a fierce nonverbal battle. Their lips met with ferocity and force. They pulled apart only to gasp and rest their jaws before reconnecting once more.
The Hero turned as white as a ghost.
Suzuno, the Bailiff of the Inquisition, was kissing Urushihara as though he were the air, and she had just surfaced from underwater. It was passionate, intimate, and so disturbingly carnal that Emi felt unclean just watching. The Inquisitor broke away from the fallen angel long enough to push him to the ground and pounce upon him. He yelped, but his pain was quickly relieved by Crestia Bell's tender kiss.
Emi turned away and fled the scene, but now she felt directionless. She had nowhere to go. Her world had just been turned on its head. How could she have been so stupid? She replayed everything up until that point, reevaluating every interaction between Ashiya and Rika, and Suzuno and Urushihara. Something else came to mind, as well. The Demon King had known all along about Rika and Ashiya. Was it possible he'd known about the inquisitor and the fallen angel, as well? Fuming, irate, and teary-eyed, Emi turned her fleeting footsteps to the path that led down the mountainside, where the Demon King kept his vigil.
Maou smirked to himself. He had picked the perfect place to keep watch, and his tent was pitched in such a way that it would be nigh invisible from above. With a wicked grin, he looked from side to side and pulled something from within his pack that no one, not even Ashiya, knew anything about.
It was a pair of very expensive binoculars. They were digital, with night vision and adjustable zoom. Maou had been dying to test them out from the moment he'd snuck them into the cart at the camping supply store. He powered them up and turned them on, grinning ear to ear as he traced the pathway leading up the mountain. All was clear, but that didn't stop him from enjoying the experience. He had paid almost forty thousand yen for the binoculars, effectively maxing out his credit card for the first time since he'd bought the laptop. A set of heavy, clunking footsteps were fast approaching. Maou zoomed out quickly, but he still saw no one approaching his tent. He realized, all too late, that they were coming from behind him.
Maou stood up and turned, still holding the binoculars to his face. His vision was suddenly filled with an eerie emerald image of the Hero's face, with blinding white eyes and a terrifying scowl. Maou fell backward with a howl, tumbling down the mountain path before coming to a stop, flopped on his belly. Next to him, his binoculars seemed unharmed. Emi stood up by his tent, glowering down at him. Her eyes were filled with tears, and her hands were on her hips. Even without night vision, she still looked like hell.
"Demon King," she called, "we need to talk."
At first, Maou had been worried that the Hero was angry about his night vision binoculars. The reality, as it turned out, was much, much worse.
"So, you found out, huh?" Maou asked.
She seemed to be taking things pretty well, considering what she'd just discovered. Both of her friends were romantically involved with demons. One of them was expecting. It wasn't every day you got news like that.
Maou and Emi were sitting together in Maou's tent as the wind on the mountain was bitter cold now that the sun had set. Maou had a fancy kerosene lantern burning for heat. The enclosed space seemed rather intimate for Emi's taste, but she simply figured it was because she'd been so disturbed by what she'd seen.
"So you did know," she hissed, leaning forward to stare Maou in the face.
"Well, duh. It's not that hard to figure out. I told you Ashiya and Rika were together, and she seemed pretty well versed on her baby facts." Maou reasoned.
"And Suzuno and Urushihara?"
"Admittedly, I didn't know about that one until recently," said Maou, scratching the back of his head. He looked more like a child who had forgotten to study for a test rather than a person who was guarding a secret.
"And?" Emi asked reproachfully.
"And what?"
"You didn't bother telling me?!"
"What they do isn't any of your business, Emi," Maou reminded her.
"I'm the Hero."
"It doesn't matter," he shrugged. "Do you really think they care? It hasn't stopped them thus far, has it?"
"Demon and humans can't just-"
"Apparently they can," Maou rubbed his chin, "though truth be told, that still messes me up a little bit… I mean, I know basic biology, but you'd think there would be complications, given our true nature…"
"You don't care that your Demon Generals are involved with humans, then?" Emi posed.
Maou shook his head. "They're all adults, Emi. You can't force them to do anything."
"I can kill them," Emi threatened, trying desperately to get a rise out of the Devil.
"And risk our mission? Somehow, I don't think you'd do that… why is this so important to you, anyway? They're happy, right?"
Emi didn't answer. She folded her arms and pouted, staring at the light of the lantern, which burned exceptionally bright and warm. Maou leaned forward, trying to catch her eye as realization took him for a ride.
"That's your problem," Maou said quietly. "They're happy, but you're not. That's the real reason you're so upset."
"Stop reading my thoughts, Demon King!"
Maou grinned. "I didn't have to. You just told me how you felt."
Emi growled. Before Maou could gloat about his masterful scheme to reveal the Hero's feelings, she had lunged and pushed him to the ground. Something within her seemed to have burst due to his callous disinterest. First he'd killed the Templars and he didn't care… now his subordinates were fraternizing with Emi's best friends?! She put a hand to Maou's throat, but he made no move to stop her. He just stared into her teary green eyes, looking as though he knew something she didn't.
"How do you do it," Emi asked through gritted teeth, "how can you be so apathetic?"
"What are you talking about," Maou asked, sounding as though he could breathe quite easily, even though Emi had his throat in an iron grip.
She gripped his throat tighter, putting as much pressure as she dared on his windpipe, but apparently the Devil's body was not quite as fragile in Ente Isla as it was in Japan, for he kept smiling.
"The Templars… Sir Henric… how do you kill people and feel no remorse? How do you watch the whole world pass you by without a care?! Tell me, how do you kill and not feel a single god damned thing? Is there some kind of trick to it? Tell me!"
The smile melted from Maou's face. Emi drew back a hand and made to strike him, but he caught her wrist and held it fast. No matter how hard she pushed or pulled, she couldn't break free of the Demon King's grasp. Her eyes widened in shock. It was as though her nightmares were coming to life.
"Maybe I do feel remorse," Maou said under his breath, his face inches from the Hero's. "Maybe you're just so eager to make me out as the villain that I let you blame me. Maybe I'm used to being the scapegoat. Maybe, just maybe, you don't want a Devil that feels or thinks… you want a monster to blame for your problems, so I'm giving you one."
Maou released Emi's hand and it fell, unused, to her side. He looked pained, and she could see anger in his eyes. Somehow, through some miracle or another, Emi had broken through Maou's external shield, revealing the vulnerable Demon King beneath.
"That sounds like self-enabling philosophical bullshit to me," muttered Emi, her voice shaky.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night. I don't really care what you think," Maou growled, turning away from the Hero, who was still pinning him down. After a moment, it dawned on Emi that the Devil has likely let her tackle him, given his returned fortitude. If he'd really wanted too, he could've simply thrown her off… but he let her be, for whatever reason.
"Maou-"
"Demon King. I'm the Demon King."
"Maou."
He remained silent. He covered his eyes with the crook of his arm, but he couldn't hide the shudders raking his body, nor could he completely staunch his tears. There was so much he had wanted to tell the Hero. Now, however, it seemed his plans had been dashed. He felt something thump his chest, and he looked down to find Emi had buried her face into it. She sobbed noiselessly as Maou did his utmost to ignore her, but he couldn't do it. He cared for the Hero far too much.
He reached up and around, gently holding her as she cried even harder.
Emi was so alone, so helplessly alone. The Demon King seemed to understand her pain, and yet he was her arch nemesis. Why was he so insistent upon furthering himself from her? Why were they wrapped as intimately as lovers? And why was Sadao Maou shedding tears?
In a strange way, Emi found she loved Maou, and all his idiosyncrasies. But that didn't change the fact that she was alone… or was she?
"Maou," she breathed into the Demon King's ear.
This time, he responded.
"Yeah?"
"I don't want to die alone," Emi whispered sadly. She found Maou looking up at her, his eyes filled with fruitless emotion. Their bodies were tingling, and their faces were closer than ever. The Hero found her head was so heavy, it needed a rest… and the Devil's lips were slightly parted… if she leaned forward just a bit…
Emi fell upon the Demon King, and her lips pressed against Maou's. Time stopped, and their hearts seemed to skip beats as they thudded out of their chests, like lions fighting to get free of their cages. How had it come to this? One moment, Maou was sure the Hero would try to kill him, and the next they were… they were….
Emi began to kiss him furiously, as though taking out her aggression on the Devil. He felt friction on his navel as the Hero rubbed herself against him. She broke away and sat up, peeling off her shirt and revealing her bra. Maou had seen her body before, of course, but now, as she straddled him and blushed, there was something there that hadn't been before.
"How about this, Demon King? Do you feel anything now?"
Maou didn't have to answer. His body did that for him, reacting to the Hero's subtle seductive inflection. Emi smirked and blushed a little deeper as she felt something rise from beneath her.
"The Demon King rises again," she mused, falling into Maou's embrace once more.
The Devil fumbled with her bra clasp. He'd mastered complex magics, multiple languages, and he could rule a kingdom full of the most terrifying creatures in existence… but it seemed that defeat was inevitable when it came to the Hero's brazier. Just as he lost all hope, he felt the elastic bands grew slack, and the clasp came undone. Emi tugged the bra free and threw it aside. Maou sat up, wrapping his arms around her as she moaned. The Hero was half naked and exposed before the Demon King, but he wanted more- so much more. With shaking hands, he frantically worked the drawstring of Emi's breeches, pulling them off to revealing a pair of plan white underwear. The Hero gasped as Maou rolled, putting himself on top of her. Something ancient and carnal rose in his chest, calling out for him to destroy the Hero… though not in the traditional sense, with blades and magic.
"Are you prepared, Hero?" Maou asked breathlessly as he hunched over her. "I'm about to storm your fortress!"
"Let's see if you have what it takes to breach the citadel, Demon King," Emi murmured seductively, biting her lip.
And so the Devil fell upon his prey.
That night passed in a blaze of heat and passion for the Demon King and the Hero. It was a competition of sorts, and an excellent way for them to vent their fear of what lay ahead. Death seemed to be a certainty, but as Emi and Maou lay together, they found that the future seemed to hold no sway over them. The only things that mattered were each other.
When morning came, Maou found that Emi had gone, but on the pillow where Emi had been sleeping, he found a note.
Maou,
I don't know that there's a right way to put this, so I'll just come out and say it. Last night was a mistake. I was feeling helpless, and I guess I just needed a bit of companionship. I have no intention of causing harm to you, Ashiya, or Urushihara (unless you decide to return to your evil ways) but I feel I must make myself excessively clear for you: I have no intention of repeating last night. It was a one-time thing. When faced with the dire consequences of our mission, I had a minor lapse in judgement. That's all this was. I ask that you keep it to yourself and thank you for your discretion.
Your wife,
Emi
Maou's heart sank. Here he was hoping that he and Emi could have some sort of interesting, secretive, taboo romance, but now those hopes were dashed. Maou thought back to last night, where he'd been so happy and so connected with the Hero that it had felt like a dream. Now, for all the gut-wrenching sadness that worked its way through him, it might as well have been. For a moment, he considered lying in bed all day. He thought about abandoning the mission and just lying on that mountain path for the rest of his miserable life, reliving his one glorious night with the Hero over and over until the entire world was dead and cold. Perhaps that might help chip away at the icy leaden knot in his gut.
But he wasn't that lucky. Sooner or later, someone would come looking for him. With a sigh, he dressed himself and put on his boots, stuffing the note from Emi in his pocket. Perhaps he could talk to her about it, seeing as they would be training together in opening a Gate to Heaven later that day.
When he got to the cabin, Maou found everyone already awake, seated around the table. The smell of fresh coffee was heavy, and everyone hung onto their coffee mugs for warmth. Maou's gaze was immediately drawn to Emi, who looked quite tired. She met his gaze for a fraction of a second before staring determinedly at the table. She looked different than before, almost as if what they'd done the previous night had forever changed the way he would see her. In a sense, it had, for the Demon King now realized that he wanted her even more now that he'd had a taste.
"Ah, Demon King, you're just in time," Lailah said, shocking him from his longing reverie.
"For what?" Maou asked.
"Breakfast," Acies said brightly, turning away from the stove with a frying pan in each hand. One was filled with eggs and hash browns. The other was stuffed with sausages. She set the food down on the table before pouring Maou a mug of coffee and thrusting it into his hands.
"You look like you could use some," she smiled.
But Maou couldn't return her kindness. He just glanced at Emi again and nodded. It was hard to explain, but somehow, Emi's note and distant demeanor left Maou feeling worse than he'd thought possible. If what they had done the night before was a mistake, then why had it been the greatest night of his life? Dark and disjointed thoughts clouded Maou's mind, but he took a seat by Emi and Alas-Ramus. Even if being around her was as painful as having his heart ripped from his chest, Maou knew he mustn't make a scene.
"You sleep ok?" Urushihara asked. "You look a little… peaky."
"No, I couldn't sleep," Maou said. "I was keeping watch."
The Devil managed a smile, but it was bitter and false. The only thing he'd watched last night was the Hero's rocking bosom, and the look of pleasure on her face as she'd wrapped her legs around him. He felt the heat of her body, and smelled the scent of her love as he was pulled back into last night.
"More… harder…uuugh, D-Demon King!" Emi had cried, her voice faltering as her body had spasms beneath Maou's greedy touch.
"Emilia," he'd crooned, driving himself as deep into her as he could go.
The way she had felt, the way she'd looked at him, and the innate desire to please her in every way seemed to have imprinted themselves upon Maou, leaving him lost in lustful thoughts.
He was yanked from his visions by Nord, whose voice made him jump.
"Well, I think we'll be safe here," Nord reasoned, "so feel free to rest a bit. You'll need a clear mind if your teaching Emi to control the Gate today."
"Yeah, I suppose you're right," Maou laughed humorlessly. After eating his fill, and downing enough coffee to give a mortal man a heart attack, Maou went back to his tent and laid down. The scent of Emi still clung to his sheets, and with the memories of last night playing over and over in his head, the Devil was carried off into dreams, where he and Emi were happy, together, and unburdened by the constraints of their obligations. As he slept, a single tear fell from the corner of his eye, for even as the most splendid dreams unraveled, a part of him knew they could never be.
"You look kinda tired yourself, Emi," Rika said, "are you feeling ok?"
"Huh? N-never better! Why do you ask?"
"You look a bit off color. Do you need to go lie down, too?"
"NO! I-I mean, thanks, Rika, but no. I'll be fine."
"Emi, I think Rika is right," Nord said, peering at his daughter from over his spectacles, "you look ill. Why don't you give me Alas-Ramus and have a lie-in? I don't want you using magic if it's only going to exacerbate your symptoms."
Emi tried to talk her way out of it, but in the end, she was banished to the bench, where her sleeping bag was laid out to stake her claim. She laid on her side and tried to cry silently as she thought about last night, and how she had done the unthinkable with the Lord of Demons.
'It felt so good,' Emi thought, 'so why does it feel like it's eating me alive?'
She wasn't sure if it was her guilt at actually making love to the King of Demons, or if it was the scathing, insensitive note she had left for him to discover… or perhaps it was that look he'd given her when he'd come in for breakfast, so full of hurt and betrayal. He hadn't expected more from her, had he? Did the Demon King crave the flesh of the Hero as a trophy? Was she just a conquest to him? No, something told her that the Devil was hurting… he wouldn't have looked so heartbroken if all he'd wanted from her was sex… or would he?
Emi sniffled, and with tears flowing down her face, she fell asleep, though it was far from restful. When she woke again, no one was in the cabin. She put on her cloak and boots before making her way outside, where there seemed to be quite the commotion.
"Ah, Emi, you're awake! Chiho, why don't you show Emi what we taught you?" Nord asked excitedly.
The high school girl turned to Emi, who was still bleary and depressed, and growled in the back of her throat. It grew louder, and for a moment, Emi thought Maou had told Chiho what had happened between them. Then, the high schooler raised a hand, and in her palm rose a miniscule sparkle, like a tiny star dancing over her fingers.
"You can use magic, Chiho?"
The girl nodded. "Yep! Rika can, too! She's really good at it."
"Chiho's just being nice," Rika smiled, "I'm not nearly as good as she is. She's just so talented and amazing and cute!"
The taller woman seized Chiho and hugged her tightly, causing her to cry out in surprise. Emi smiled at her friends' antics, but she found that her heart still felt cold and dead. Almost as if he were a magnet, Emi's eyes were drawn to Maou. He was staring at her, but it seemed as though he were looking into the sun, for the longer he looked, the wetter his eyes became. Finally he turned away, causing Emi's heart to pang violently. That was not the look of a man lusting after her body. That was a man who'd lost all hope of ever being happy again.
"No more time to waste," Lailah interrupted, "Emi, go train with the Demon King. Do exactly as he says. Chiho, Rika, I want the both of you to focus on tapping into and utilizing your powers! Perhaps Suzuno could be of some assistance?"
As Lailah directed everyone, Maou led the way down to the stream, where they could see trout swimming effortlessly up and down the current. They followed the trail, coming to a stop at the pond. The sky was bright, even though there was plenty of cloud cover. Maou stood with his hands in his pockets, looking out over the edge of the cliff. The sound of the waterfall was loud, even from up so high.
"Alright," Maou said, "let's get started."
He sounded extremely disinterested, as though he couldn't care less about opening a Gate. For some reason, he didn't seem to want to look at Emi. He just looked right past her, as though he were talking to someone standing just behind her.
"A Gate is similar to vanishing magic, because in opening a Gate, you are creating another plane of existence. This plane is the realm in which vanished objects are stored, as such, when opening a Gate, you are creating a Gate into this plane, wherein you are then able to-"
"Maou, look at me-"
But he did no such thing. He continued talking as though Emi didn't exist. His eyes, which were lifeless and red, remained firmly fixed on the tree behind her.
"-create another opening into a world of your choosing. This plane, however, is yours to control, allowing you to speed or slow the passage of time-"
"Listen, Maou, I'm sorry-"
This time, he raised his voice, doing his best to ignore the Hero and her words.
"-however, as I'm sure you've guessed, this means that you are not just opening a Gate, you are opening two, and keeping this intermediate plane of existence open as well-"
"-please, I didn't mean for any of that to happen! It was a mistake! I was scared and alone, and you seemed like you needed someone, too-"
"-this results in a massive loss of magic power, though you'll have to use celestial force if you plan on getting us to Heaven."
Emi stepped forward, trying to grip Maou's shoulders and force him to look at her, but he stepped away. There was a hard look in his eyes, but his face was blank and emotionless, as if he'd just thought of something unpleasant. Even as he stared over Emi's shoulder, she found that the pain of his indifference was too much. She hadn't meant to hurt the Demon King. How could she have been so stupid? Why wouldn't he listen? Before she could figure it out, Emi was on her knees. Her eyes were wide, and though tears ran from them, she found that she couldn't sob- her breath seemed to catch in her throat. The look in Maou's eyes was so cold and blasé that Emi felt as though her heart might ice over and shatter to pieces.
"I-I'm s-so sorry," Emi gasped, "I never meant to- I just- I needed-"
Maou glared down at her, his eyes redder than the anger that burned within him. Now that Emi had earned his attention she wished he would look away, for the livid fire in his eyes seemed to bore into her soul, piercing her like red-hot daggers. Meanwhile, the words on Emi's note seemed to have seared themselves into Maou's brain. His face twitched, slowly but surely twisting into a sneer as he recalled the lines that cut him to his core.
'Last night was a mistake... lapse in judgement…'
"Demon King…"
'…Your wife, Emi…'
"Hero."
Emi blanched. Maou had called her 'Hero' just last night, but his tone now… it was unlike anything she'd ever heard. It was dark and merciless: the voice of the Demon King that haunted her nightmares, only worse. The gentle, sweet fast food worker she'd spent the night with had vanished, replaced by this cold hearted monster. There was nothing for it, now. She had changed the name of the game… and now Maou was gone, all thanks to her stupidity… her mistake….
Emi stood, genuinely fearing for her life. She willed the sacred sword to appear, and she held it to Maou's throat. He made no move to strike, nor any sign that he even cared. His sneer only deepened. The evil glint in his eyes did not wane, but he smiled, as though Emi killing him was the least of his worries.
"Do it, Hero." Maou seethed, his eyes bright with moisture. "Take my life to hide your mistake."
"I don't want to kill you," Emi whispered, wondering why Maou seemed so fixated on dying.
"Why not? Getting sentimental? Just do it, already!"
"Maou-"
"DO IT NOW! END THIS!"
The look on Maou's face was dire and desperate, almost pleading. He seemed to want it more than Emi could comprehend. She lowered her sword and Maou stumbled backward, falling to the ground. He rocked where he sat, shivering. It had been so hard for him to stay strong, but being alone with Emi after their night together was more painful than anything Maou had ever experienced. Since when could emotional and psychological pain become so real and physical? As the Demon King, wasn't he invulnerable to those sorts of distractions?
"I can't," Emi uttered, kneeling in front of Maou.
"Please, Emi," Maou said weakly, "I've never asked you for anything before… just end me. Please."
"I can't." she repeated.
Maou fell backward and laid on the ground. Somewhere along the way, his will to live seemed to have left him. Perhaps he'd forgotten it in his tent, when he'd woken up and hoped to see Emi lying next to him, but he didn't have it anymore.
"Why can't you?" Maou asked.
"Because I-"
Emi's words caught in her throat. She was about to tell the Demon King about her feelings… but she just couldn't. She was the Hero, and that title wasn't something she could disregard so casually.
"You don't believe it, do you?"
"Huh?"
"You don't believe what we did was a mistake any more than I do," said Maou, sitting up and meeting Emi's gaze.
She couldn't deny it. She had called it a mistake, but in truth, that one night had made her feel more alive than ever before. Not even the violent thrill of battle could compare to it. The morning after their affair, she remembered sitting awake in the dark, watching Maou snore as she contemplated what to do. In the end, she'd written the note in an attempt to save her honor as the Hero, and distance herself from the Demon King she had fallen in love with. Now, however, he was calling her bluff, and Emi felt her house of cards fall to pieces around her.
"I- uh- I mean-"
Maou brushed the hair out of Emi's face, and electricity flew across the contact. Emi shuddered at his touch, and her body seemed to expect more. Every one of her nerves was aflame, and her mind was mysteriously blank. Only one emotion remained, and it was too frightening for Emi to consider, for it required letting go of everything she knew, and giving into the Demon King completely.
"Emi," Maou murmured.
There it was: the voice of Sadao Maou, the man Emi had made love with. His eyes were warm, like burning fires on a cold night. Everything within her pulled towards him, and she leaned forward, locking lips with him. It only took a moment for Emi's overactive imagination to ruin the kiss. In a split second, Emi witnessed the faces of her father and mother pass before her, their expressions filled with disgust as they saw her kissing Satan Jacob. She couldn't stop it there, though, for Emerada was next. Then Alberto. Each of them looked utterly repulsed. Emi opened her eyes and pushed Maou away, leaving him looking dissatisfied.
"I can't," she choked.
Maou stared at Emi. She looked so mentally and emotionally battered It was hard to think she was the Hero who had put a pin in his quest for total domination of the world. The corners of her eyes were filled with unshed tears, and she grimaced as though she were in intense physical pain. Within her, Maou could sense a raging battlefield. On one side was the Hero, destined to put an end to the malicious reign of the Demon King. And on the other side, battered and bruised, was Emi, the woman who had been alone her entire life, and longed for companionship. Maou knew how hard it was to fight against who you were, but it didn't stop him from feeling hurt.
"So you'll fuck me, but when I want something substantial you 'can't'," Maou glowered.
"I was scared and confused-"
"Save it," Maou muttered standing up and stuffing his hands into his pockets before slouching away.
"Maou? Maou, come back! M-Maou!"
The Devil kept walking, ignoring the Hero's pleading cries as they plucked at his heartstrings. He knew it was unfair of him to treat her so poorly, but he found that there was a savage pleasure to be had in leaving Emi next to that little pond, holding herself as she shook and sobbed quietly.
'I'm a demon,' Maou thought, 'leaving her there is totally within my code of conduct. Especially after how she's treated me.'
"Guess again, asshat," called a very familiar voice.
"Oi, this guy."
The Demon King turned only to find himself face to face with… the Demon King? Maou scowled and crossed his arms, eyeing up his nine foot tall self. They struck the same pose, with their arms crossed and their chests puffed out. Aside from a few similar facial features, they looked so dissimilar that they might've been completely different people.
"Now, don't get me wrong, I've done some pretty fucked up shit," the taller Demon King said, "but what you just did back their? Man, you've got me beat by a margin. You'll never get with her now!"
"I was never going to 'get with her' anyway, she's too good for me," Maou reasoned, making to walk right by his conscious, which had used his power to take a physical form.
The shorter Demon King fully expected to be able to saunter right through the arm that his other self had extended. Instead, he ran into a thickly muscled limb as stiff as a tree branch. He turned to stare with incredulity at his conscious, who smirked.
"Whoops, sorry if I knocked the wind out of you," the Demon King grinned, "since we came back to Ente Isla, I haven't had the chance to get accustomed to my old strength."
"Well I have," Maou grumbled, taking his alternate self by the wrist.
He squeezed, using all of his demonic power to vent his aggression. The taller Demon King blanched. His wrist cracked, and with a cry, he stumbled and fell to his knees. Maou's eyes picked up heat, like cherry red iron, straight from the forge.
"I've been through a hell of a lot in the last couple of days," Maou seethed.
He thought about dealing with his mortality, and working up the nerve to tell Emi how he really felt. He thought about how the two of them had slept together in the heat of the moment, and how the Hero seemed intent on calling what they had done a 'mistake.'
CRACK!
"AAAAAARRRRGGGGHH!" Maou's demon side bellowed as his wrist broke for the second time.
"Straight to the point, you're a demon. You have no concept of what's right and wrong when it comes to being human. It doesn't matter if I love her or not, she's not going to lead me on like a god damned show pony. I'm the Devil, for fuck's sake."
The Demon King on the ground panted, frowning up at Maou. He ground his teeth for a moment before a look of dawning crossed his face, and he slowly began to chuckle.
"Aha! Ahehehahaaah!"
"What the hell is so funny?" Maou snarled, gripping the broken wrist more tightly so that the broken bones scraped together.
"I know why the Hero is so distraught," the Devil giggled, "I know why she's fearful. I know why she's rejecting you!"
Maou staggered as the blood drained from his face. He took a shaky step back as the Demon King before him stood back up, flexing his wrist, which had miraculously mended itself.
"You're lying," Maou shook his head.
"You're such a fool," the Demon King murmured gleefully, "the answer stands right before you, but you're so mired in your selfishness that you can't see it! Your human emotions have blinded you, and your love for the Hero is slowly driving you both apart because you are asking the wrong questions!"
Now Maou sank to his knees as the pendulum of power swung the other way. The nine foot tall incarnation of the Devil's consciousness towered over him, his scarlet eyes flashing with mirth as he grew powerful on Maou's despair. He sucked out the shorter Demon King's sadness and doubt. He siphoned away the fear and anger and bitterness, leaving only cold, hard reality.
With his emotions stalled, Maou found his mind incredibly clear. His thinking power increased, and he felt the gears in his head whirring as they picked up speed. After a moment, it clicked.
They were in Ente Isla, where, for the longest time, the Devil and the Hero were bitter enemies. The people they used to be were conflicting with the people they had become in Japan. As a result, Maou's demon side had grown strong enough to take on a physical form.
If the Demon King on Maou's shoulder had grown stronger, it only stood to reason that Emi's internal Hero was gaining strength as well, and that Hero would never allow Emi to love a Demon King. Not without a fight, anyway.
Maou stood from the forest floor and clung to a tree for support. His alternate self had vanished, leaving no traces of ever having existed in the first place. The day had grown old during Maou's struggle with his inner demon, and darkness was encroaching fast as he shivered from the cold. With stiff legs, he ran back to the pond, but Emi was long gone. He growled in frustration and spun on his heel, rushing back to the trail that would lead him to the cabin, where he hoped Emi had gone.
Author's Notes:
Yeah, not really much to say, here. In fact, I think this will be the final A/N until the very last chapter, because I really want to get these posted.