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"Oh, so it's you this time."
Ray gasped.
Ray slowly looked around at his surroundings, quickly taking a defensive stance. He gained awareness of where he was. The scenery wasn't what he was expecting. He was expecting it to be cold. Dark. He was expecting a place of malice. Yet when he looked around, he saw the warmth of the sun and the comfort of the moon. The place of night and day. Despite never having been here before, he knew exactly where he was, and whom he was looking at.
"Yo, it's me," Ray said with a smirk, taking a few courageous steps closer.
Despite his brave talk, his heart was going a mile an hour. The palms of his hands were sweating, and he couldn't get rid of that lump in his throat. After all, he knew exactly who he was talking to. He looked nothing like the pictures back at the temples. He was way smaller than Ray would have ever imagined. But with his immense presence and that crazy dragon behind his back, how could Ray ever mistake him?
He was talking to The Demon King.
This was what Ray wanted. He knew he would be able to do it. He just had to believe. Just like what Emma said.
Blacken out his head...
Stop time...
Make it go back...
And it worked.
"How did you get in here?" The Demon King demanded an answer.
As intense as that sounded, Ray couldn't feel any murderous intent. Not yet, at least.
"You didn't make it last time. So I repeat, how did you get in here?" The Demon King repeated.
Ray gave a chuckle in the face of death. How could he do that? It wasn't like he wasn't terrified. He was honestly shaking, sweating. His head raced with a thousand thoughts. He knew that with a flick of his finger, Ray could be killed off at any time, without a doubt. After all, Ray was in his domain. His world. He was as powerless as an ant.
"It wasn't that hard," Ray choked out, a small smile forming on his lips. As bold as he wanted to sound, it came out more strangled than he was expecting. He was scared. It was in his voice. But Ray persisted on. "It wasn't that hard," Ray repeated, "I just had help from a little friend."
"Emma..." The Demon King said with a slow nod of his head. Ray could tell from the tone of his voice that he was mildly amused.
Ray hated hearing her name come out of his throat. He hated how he said her name. But what good would it do to tell him that? No, Ray could only stare at the demon as he floated there without a care in the world.
"Why did you not bring Emma with you?" The Demon King asked Ray, "She knows that the reward is soon due."
"That's right, she knows," Ray confirmed.
Tomorrow, in fact. The reward was due for tomorrow... and up until the very end, Emma never told anybody what the reward was.
What a silly girl. Ray couldn't help laughing at her last antics. Up until the very end, she was going to hide it away and make it seem like it was no big deal. She was always like that. She always hid her worries, caring more about her family than her own well-being.
But well... Ray wasn't going to let that happen.
The last time he saw her, she was sleeping in Ray's arms. The pair stopped Norman's plan in time. They hurried the cattle children to the human world and closed the gates. Both Ray and Emma were exhausted. Didn't Emma collapse right there and then?
Yes, her first step into the human world was a faceplant into the ground. That night, she was the last one to go through the gates before they shut. But before even turning around, her face met the ground. Ray immediately whirled around, knelt to the ground, and took her into his arms.
Emma was breathing heavily. She wasn't dying, but she was mentally and physically exhausted. Moving all the children for hours without sleep put a strain on her body, so she fell over once she felt the sweet relief of freedom. And so Emma laid there in Ray's arms. Ray moved her head gently, making himself a human pillow for her as her face smothered into his chest.
Emma smiled weakly at him. "We did it," Emma breathed out, looking at Ray with loving eyes. Her finger twitched but made no move. He could tell that she wanted to reach out and touch him, to caress his face.
Ray slowly nodded at her words. He remembered almost crying right there and then. All the stress was spilling out of him, too. He was just as relieved as she was.
"We did," Ray said to her, just as softly, touching her face instead. "You did well, Emma. Get some rest."
Then Ray saw Emma's eyes flutter. She slowly closed them, and Ray heard the soft breaths ease out of her lips. She fell asleep right there and then. Right into Ray's arms.
Ray remembered the feeling in his chest as he watched her sleep. He adored how comfortable she was by his side. She left her worn-out body to him and only him. He squeezed her body closer to his chest. He could feel her heartbeat as if it was his own. She trusted him with her life. How could he not do the same?
That's why, as soon as she fell asleep, he planted a kiss on her forehead and slowly put her on the ground. He looked at her. Emma was sleeping peacefully. Ray knew that even if he left her here, she had support. He had to move now and do what the had to do. That's why after searching her bag, Ray was able to start walking away. Well, that's what he was about to do when he felt a finger tap his shoulder.
"Ray, what do you think you're doing?" Don asked him in a low voice. Ray's eyes glanced behind Don to see children. So many happy children that he both knew and didn't know. His heart swelled up in happiness for them. For the children he was able to protect.
But then Ray looked back at Don and saw the look on the man's face. Ray couldn't help but give a chuckle and put a hand on Don's shoulder. "This isn't over yet," Ray told Don in a serious tone. He saw Don's eyes widen. At once, the playful brother Ray had turned just as serious as he was. It was times like this that Ray knew he could always trust in his family.
"Don't give me that look," Ray told him, a small tap on Don's head with the back of his hand. With a reassuring smile, Ray added on, "I'll be back soon."
'Promise' rang through the back of his head. A word Ray used more often than not. The word remained as a lump in his throat, a word he forced himself to swallow down.
That word wasn't something he could say this time.
That's why Ray started to run. Run before he could be questioned. He had no idea where he was going. These were his first few steps in the human world, after all. All he knew was that he needed to get out of there and find an isolated place. A place no one could find him.
And that's when he took a glistening jar and a knife out of his hand.
"Well I'm here now," Ray slowly told The Demon King, glaring at him with all his might. His palms were still sweaty as they were curled into fists. The Demon King made no move. He just stood there, and somehow, that was more threatening to Ray than anything else in the world.
Ray swallowed the lump in his throat. He tried to make his voice as smooth as possible despite his fear. "It's me who's here. Not her. And I have a promise I want to make too."
"You are not the one who I want, leave this place," The Demon King mocked. "Who I want is the girl, and you are not her."
"I can't do that," Ray replied, threatening him as much as he could. Ray's lips curled up in a smile as the next words came out of his mouth.
"After all, aren't you planning to kill her?"
A dreadful silence took place for a minute. With all the quiet, Ray was started to fear that he didn't guess right. But Ray was so sure of it before he got here.
Then he heard a low chuckle escape the demon's throat.
"Ah, did she tell you?" The Demon King asked. Ray swore he could sense a smile on the demon's face. "No, not Emma. She wouldn't tell you. Tell me, how did you figure it out?"
The words rang through his ears. Ray could feel all the color drain from his face.
He held his breath. He didn't want to believe it, but somehow he just knew it. It was a guess he didn't want to make. He wanted to be proven wrong. Why in the world would Emma not tell him about this?
Ray couldn't help the chuckle rising in his throat again. It disgusted him how cruel his sense of humor was.
It made sense, after all. There's no way The Demon King would let Emma go to the human world. Not without having a taste of her brain. If the movement between worlds were to be closed permanently, there was no way he could meet her again. That's why he'd kill her before letting her go.
"Somehow I just knew," Ray said with a small smirk on his lips. "It's just like her, after all. Yeah... if it's her, she'd keep a secret like this to the very end..."
He just didn't want to believe it. He didn't want to believe that she'd keep this from him. There was so much trust between them. But well... if he were to be honest with himself, he'd do the exact same thing to her.
That's why he could figure it out.
"That's why I'm here," Ray yelled out, placing a hand on his chest, "I beg you..."
"...Let me take her place!"
"Rejected," The Demon King said instantly, "Emma's brain is wonderful. Delectable. A brain with no limits. That's what I want. Your's doesn't even compare, child."
"I can offer you something better!" Ray shouted back, "I know just how much you adore Emma! Don't you want to know what makes her tick?! You've seen what lengths she would go for her friends!"
This caught The Demon King's interest. He gave an amused hum, inching a little closer to Ray. Ray couldn't take a step back. He froze in place.
"What is your offer?" The Demon King asked him.
Ray took in a deep breath. He came prepared for this question. His legs won't stop shaking, and the sweat continued to drip down his face. Though as much as his mind wandered before, now his goal was crystal clear.
"Me. I offer myself," Ray repeated once more, "I came without telling Emma. She'll come looking for me. Don't you want to see how far her limit is?"
"Are you telling me to drive her to her limits? Are you that important to her?" The Demon King questioned.
"I am," Ray replied with no hesitation in his voice. His lips curled up into a smile. No matter how much has changed between them, and no matter how badly he'd leave her, Ray knew this was the one, sole truth that would never change.
"I am," Ray repeated, just a little softer. The Demon King didn't miss the flash of warmth in his eyes. "I'm important to her."
"I see..." The Demon King said. "Yes... driving her insane... would be interesting indeed."
"It's okay," Ray thought to himself, despite the thumping in his chest. "You've planned this out."
The walls were closed. Ray took away Emma's golden water. There was no way Emma could see Ray ever again. All this demon could do was watch Emma from wherever in the world they were. She would live on in the human world with no way back. It was better to drive her insane than to have her killed.
And Ray wasn't afraid of dying. Not for someone as precious as her.
She was as pure as snow. A heart full of gold. There was no way Ray would let her get killed.
"Ray, oh Ray," The Demon King said, making Ray snap out of his thoughts. "I accept your wish. Though don't think I can't read your thoughts. Did you think you could fool me?"
"W-What do you mean?" Ray asked. He couldn't hide the trembles in his voice. He felt an ominous feeling surrounding the demon.
"Yes... I accept..." The Demon King repeated. He slowly reached his hand out and pointed a finger out.
"But my reward is having Emma watch you die."
"What?" Ray choked up.
A bolt like lightning came out of his finger. Ray froze on the spot. He thought he was going to get killed right then and there.
But then a groan came from behind, right where the demon pointed at. Without even turning around, Ray knew what had happened.
"Ray...?" Emma moaned.
Ray quickly spun around to see Emma in the same position he left her as, only now she was sitting up and rubbing her head. She was looking around anxiously. Ray felt the color drain from his face.
No...
This wasn't supposed to happen.
He wasn't supposed to see her again.
That was supposed to be their last meeting.
Emma's eyes flickered onto Ray's. Ray could see the confusion register onto her face. "Wait, why are you here?" Emma immediately demanded to know. She quickly got up and grabbed Ray by the arms. He could only stand there dumbfounded as she shook him.
She wasn't supposed to be here.
Ray didn't want to cause her this much grief.
But this was the whim of The Demon King. He wanted Emma to watch Ray die in her place.
"Ray, answer me!" Emma hissed out, shaking him as if her life depended on it. "Why are you here?!"
"Well you see, Emma," The Demon King said, making her stop. Immediately they both turn to look at him. "Ray here has decided to take your place."
Ray felt a pang in his heart. He glanced at Emma and saw her lips quivering. "That's not what we agreed on," Emma seethed at The King, "It was supposed to be me and me alone! Don't involve him!"
"Hmm... I like that look on your face," The King said, amused. He was being playful. He was toying with them. "Yes, this is what I want. The boy was right. Your face is quite intriguing right now."
"What does that mean?!" Emma cried out, honestly confused. She turned towards Ray, staring him straight in the eyes. "Ray, answer me! What does he mean?!"
But Ray couldn't answer her. He couldn't answer her without hurting her, and that's something he could never do.
The Demon King started to float closer towards the pair. And for the first time since getting here, Ray felt true fear. After all, there was only one reason why he would summon her like that...
He was going to die. Now.
Ray quickly grabbed Emma by the shoulders, making her flinch. He only had a few seconds left. He had to tell her everything that he didn't even know he even wanted to tell her.
He was fine with the previous departure. He could have been left with a parting memory of her sleeping face. She would have been left with his smile. If he could have left her with one last happy memory, he was happy. So why... just why are all these words rushing into his head now?!
"Emma, I didn't want to hurt you," Ray started. Emma could only hold her breath as Ray's words rushed out of his mouth.
"I merely didn't want to hurt you. I couldn't afford to let you be corrupted!" Ray shouted, looking down. "You who shines as brightly as the sun. You and your overwhelming, neverending love. You better find someone you love in the human world. You better wear a giant wedding dress, and he better be able to afford you the biggest diamond there is, or I'll personally come back from the dead to beat him up."
"I want you two to be happily in love," Ray lied. "You should have as many kids as possible. Make your own family. Enough kids to form a baseball team. If they inherit your strength, they're bound to be pro players. They'll go to Stanford with your smarts too. Teach them in a way Mama never taught us."
Ray was starting to choke up. Death was coming closer and closer. He could hear his footsteps. This only made him squeeze her tighter. Her arms probably ached with how hard Ray was clutching them.
"And then you have to grow old. Live for a hundred years, even if you can't walk anymore. Even if you're bedridden. Even if you can hardly speak. You can never give up. I want you to live until your last breath."
"Ray, stop!" Emma started crying, tears streamed down her face.
But he wasn't one to talk.
Because he was crying too.
Memories of when he used to laugh innocently with her by his side. The wind would blow and caress her cheek, blowing his hair away so that he could see her smile in all its glory. Even back then, that smile sent his heart wild. Since when did her laughter become so distant? For the sake of returning her smile. For returning her to as innocent as she once was...
It's okay...
He thought he didn't need anything. His body has realized since the very beginning that we'd all be gone someday. But even now he wanted to live... He knew from the bottom of his heart that the hardest choice would still be the best...
So it's alright...
How could he do it? With these few seconds left... How could he answer his heart?
The words are there, building up inside his chest. He knew his time was up. But he couldn't speak. He could only squeeze her shoulders so tight that he was sure that they'd leave a mark afterward. His heart hurt. It hurt for leaving her with this memory. He didn't want to leave her with the memory of tears dripping down his face.
That's why he smiled. Ray saw a flicker in Emma's eyes as she saw his forced smile. Her face filled with horror as she saw Ray's lips curl up.
"Emma, I've always..." Ray started to say, but he stopped.
Just one last memory...
One last message...
The words in his heart didn't match the ones forming in his mouth. Yet he said them anyways.
"Please remember me..." Ray whispered to her, "...as vivid as I was."
Without a warning, blood splattered everywhere. Emma could only stand there, frozen in place as Ray's head slowly slid off his neck and to the ground. She watched it with horror as the body leaned forward, and she caught it in her arms.
The Demon King never stopped moving. He was always making his way from behind Ray. And as much as Emma screamed at her body to move, she just couldn't. She was frozen stiff. She could only watch as The Demon King snuck up behind Ray. He slowly grew in size until he was his regular demon self. He then raised a finger, slashing Ray with a single nail.
It happened too fast. When Emma looked at the body in front of her, it just didn't seem real.
After all, he was just talking to her.
He was just there.
He was just living.
"It won't taste as good as yours, Emma, but he'll still make a delectable treat," The Demon King said, licking the claw. She watched, petrified as The Demon King took that same claw and stabbed it into Ray's head. He held the head above his own, letting the blood drip into his mouth.
Emma was horrified as she watched the demon licking Ray's blood off his lips. She stood there, holding a headless body. Her friend. Her partner.
The King looked at her, a smile hidden behind his mask. Emma could only shake her head. Deep in her heart, she knew what happened. But she doesn't want to believe it. She didn't want to look to the ground.
"W-What have you done?" Emma whispered. "Ray... He-"
"He died for your sake," The King interrupted. "How does it feel to be the cause of his death?"
Emma held her breath. As much as she didn't want to, not in front of him, she started choking out sobs again. Those words rang through her head.
He died for her.
It was her fault.
She caused his death.
Emma lost it. She heard screams pulse through her head. In her head? Was it in her head? No, she was screaming. Untangible words spilling out of her mouth.
She cried out to the ends of the earth. She grabbed at her head and cowered to the ground, dropping Ray's body in the process.
Through her screams, she could hear a laugh. A low uproar of amusement.
"Yes, yes!" The Demon King cried out with joy and outreached arms. "This is what I wanted to see! The boy was right, Emma! You've gone insane! How amusing! How enjoyable that the strong girl I've been watching would go this crazy over a boy!"
"RAY! RAY!" Emma cried out, shaking her head. Her breaths were ragged, she started hyperventilating. Her eyes remained fixed on the body lying before her feet.
Ray, the boy who's hair shined beneath the tree as he read his books.
Ray, who always knew it was Emma who was coming from behind as if he had a sixth sense.
Ray, the one who'd sacrifice himself for everyone else.
Like he just did.
The Demon King watched as Emma broke down. He laughed at her. He amused himself through her unmanageable pain.
Though as twisted as his personality was, this was quickly boring him. His hands dropped to his side as he watched her cry at the ground. He gave a sigh. Perhaps he didn't want to see this after all. Perhaps he's simply seen all that he's wanted to see.
Or perhaps... it was time for his meal.
"Be on your way," The Demon King demanded, pointing a finger at Emma. She looked up, horrified. Emma quickly grabbed at Ray's body and embraced it as The King said his last words.
"Now, Emma, let us never meet again."
Emma's eyes snapped open. She looked around, quickly gaining awareness of her surroundings. She looked down at her arms and sensed an emptiness that shouldn't be there. She recognized where she was sitting, she was right where she fainted. On the other side of the wall. She was in the human world, and her siblings were all there, staring at her with shocked, crying faces.
"Emma!" Gilda yelled, running towards Emma with tears in her eyes. "Where were you?!"
But Emma zoned her out. She wasn't listening at all. She could only focus on the pain on her arms.
Emma quickly made a move, she unbuttoned her collar and proceeded to pull down her sleeve, much to Gilda's dismay. Gilda was about to stop her but gasped when she saw Emma's arm. She covered her mouth with her hands in shock.
"E-Emma..." Gilda whispered with a quivering voice. "What are those...?"
Emma's eyes widened as she stared at her arm.
Bruises.
As if someone had been grabbing them.
Emma quickly looked around, scanning the area.
Not here.
Not here.
Emma's heart was unbearably pained. Quick flashes of what happened entered her head, giving her a terrible headache.
"No..." Emma started choking up. "No!"
Emma turned around and smashed herself on the wall. She curled her hands into a fist and started hitting the wall with all her strength. Her hands quickly started to bruise and bleed, and despite people trying to pry her off the wall, Emma wouldn't budge.
"No, let me in!" Emma cried as she was getting dragged away. "Let me back into that world! Give him back to me! Give him to me! I need him!"
The boy who was gone.
Her heart and her mind told her different things. Deep inside, she knew which one was right, but she just couldn't accept it. She couldn't accept that he wasn't in her arms despite holding him in their last moments together.
"At least his body!" Emma sobbed, falling to the ground as people surrounded her. "Give me something, anything!"
But there was no way for her to see him again.
Not even a fragment to remember him by other than the marks he left on her skin.
Because that was the rule of The Demon King and his sick, twisted nature. He enjoyed playing with the lives of humans. And sadly, neither Emma or Ray was an exception.
So all Emma could do was cry as she thrashed against the gates.
Cry for the one who she'll never see again.