the shady file III
the DEMONS and the LAST FAIRY
CHAPTER 5
“My Lord,” AKUMA screamed, as he rode to the Demon Lord’s side and pointed to the large patch of glowing land in the distance, “our hunting ground nears.”
The Demon Lord nodded, and began to pull the reigns of his mount gently. The great white bat began its descent with a large scream that filled the sky. The large ears of the bats the generals rode on perked up, and they immediately followed its trajectory without a second thought.
The great white bat’s clawed feet touched the ground a few moments later. The generals’ bats hovered a few feet above, and patiently waited for the Demon Lord to dismount and walk away.
“Thank you, my great white beauty,” the Demon Lord said, after he’d gotten off his mount, as he held his head against the creature’s.
The white bat closed its eyes and let out a series of soft squeaks as the Demon Lord continued to pet it.
“Yes, my majestic beauty. Stay here until I return,” the Demon Lord replied, as he opened his eyes.
The white bat squeaked again, with a questioning tone this time, and opened its eyes as it nudged the Demon Lord playfully.
“Very well. You may play with the demons once I’m gone. Eat as many as you like, but don’t eat them all. Your friends can have a few too,” the Demon Lord laughed and said.
The Demon Lord rubbed the bat’s chin a few times, and walked away. “Well?” he screamed at the nearest lesser demon. “Inform me of the latest developments, pest.”
“The forest is still sealed, my Lord. We have taken care to ensure that the last fairy is not aware of our presence,” the lesser demon muttered, shivering.
“Are you sure?” JIN asked, as he dismounted.
“Yes, my General. The fairy has made no attempts to break our seal, or leave the forest. She continues to blissfully wander inside.”
“Good. Move now. It is time,” AKUMA said, as the Generals got into formation behind the Demon Lord, and followed him to the edge of the great forest.
The Demon Lord put his hands up and muttered a chant as they reached the edge of the forest.
“Not bad,” he said, as he tested the seal the lesser demons had used to close off the forest. “Not bad at all. They’re getting better.”
The Demon Lord then used his nails to carve a door into the seal created by the lesser demons. “After you, my Generals,” he said, once he was done.
The Demon Lord began to chant once he walked through the door he had created. This time around, his voice was louder, and more urgent. Large pillars of fire suddenly came out of the ground. They curved as they climbed upwards and met to form a dome in the sky above, one that covered the forest in its entirety. The Demon Lord looked up, and let out a large scream as he ended his chanting. The clouds parted and the sky rained down large streaks of fiery thunder. The streaks hit the dome in various places and strengthened it, before sealing it off completely.
“If that doesn’t warn her, I don’t know what will,” ASURA laughed and said, as the Demon Lord and his generals walked into the forest.
“May the best demon win,” the Demon Lord said, as his eyes twinkled, after they had walked for a few feet.
“Best of luck to you as well, my Lord,” YAMA said, as the Generals bowed.
“And so, my Generals, the hunt begins,” the Demon Lord said, unable to hide the excitement in his voice, as he walked past them. “And with it, your opportunity to shuffle the order of succession,” he teased. Once he was a few feet away, the Generals shook hands, after which each of them picked a different direction and eagerly set off, with each hoping that they would be the one to part the last fairy’s head from her body.