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Two Figures walked through a cave, one standing behind the other. The one in the front simply walked forward without a care while he hummed a tune. The jagged walls and stalagmites littering the walls and ceiling of the cavern began to change from stone to metal the further they progressed within.
The first figure began to change his tone now adding words to match the lullaby he sang earlier which continued to rebervate through the walls. The second figure didn’t understand the language used but she paid it no mind simply walking forward behind the first with a staff in hand. Her gaze flickered to everything they passed as she simply analyzed the shaded blue cavern they were walking deeper within. She strengthened her grip on her staff a thought to kill the figure she is following right now as his back was turned on her but she refrained herself from such an action and continued walking. After all this was the first demon she knew nothing about, not a name, not connections, age, or even their level of magic. This demon was Dangerous more so then the Demon king ever was that she was sure. She wasn’t even sure why she was following him.
Finally the first figure stopped the air turning silent as the figure's final step rebervated through the air, an action that caused the second figure to stop. Looking ahead of the first the second figure looked at their reason for their pause, that being a dead end a chill down her spine caused her to stiffen and the wall began to shake the feeling of several eyes staring at her made her fight or flight responses to run on overdrive as her vision began to turn red. The first figure hummed and snapped his fingers causing the wall to shift and morph until it revealed a path forward.
The first figure smiled before taking another step “come now young elf we are almost there”
The second figure began to move albeit slower than before as she cautiously followed the demon further into the dark of the cavern.
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Light soon filled the room, driving away the dark that consumed most of the world around them and now the elf couldn’t help but widen her eyes rows and rows upon rows of books making themselves known to her as she finally seemed to find what she searched for after so long A Grand Library ‘ to think such a thing was in a demons possession ’ she thought to herself grimly before the figure turned to face her a kind yet unsettling smile making its way across its lips before it spoke.
“Now then young elf, why don’t you make yourself comfortable in one of the seats to your right while I prepare some tea.”
The Elf only stared at the demon attempting to analyze its motive and see past this facade of a smile only sighing in defeat when she couldn’t find anything. The Elf sighed once more before sitting down as she was told after all she could spare some time and the demon before her hadn't made a move yet as odd as that was.
The Elf picked up a book near by the image present within interested her, so she simply looked at it before attempting to read the title. She didn’t know the language might be the same one the demon sung in earlier ‘ curious’ she thought to herself before opening the book again the words where in a language she didn’t quite understand but she did notice patterns with the words written so she began to turn the pages seeing if she could find any context within to figure out some semblance of the language before attempting to decipher it if she could. It was here the demon returned two cups and a teapot in hand before handing one to the ‘young elf’ with a smile.
“Here you go young elf” were his spoken words before he poured the elf a drink and then himself.
The elf stared at the cup with her brows furrowed before bringing it up to her nose to smell it in case of any poison or the like. Why she even was entertaining the idea of speaking to this demon let alone following it willingly back to its own domain was beyond her but she was still cautious. The demon laughed before it took a sip out of its own cup and relaxing into its seat.
“Now then young elf, might you explain to me as to your reason for entering my lands? No one has done so in the past fifty cycles and I don't believe I've ever had my lands trespassed by an elf before” the demon finished smiling towards the elf all the while.
“Stop calling me that” She finally spoke, her voice soft and low, her eyes staring at the demon in an analyzing manner.
The demon gave an eye smile “very well then what name would you prefer i call you besides young elf?” The demon finished with a slight head tilt and a light frown.
The Elf analyzed for a moment longer before speaking her name “Frieren” Why was she amusing the demon's questions? She should have killed it on the spot. In Fact she should kill it now!
The demon drank from its cup before finally speaking “Very Well then Ms Frieren following the human custom of speaking one's name after first meeting i regret to inform you i do not possess such a thing as a true name but for the sake of conversation please refer to me by one of my aliases Orion”
Fieren furrowed her brows before nodding “Alright then “Orion” " Why does that name sound familiar? she almost spat the name out before continuing “I was simply here to verify some rumors.”
The Demon still had a smile on its face its eyes still showing nothing but dull blank eyes as it finished sipping its cup of tea “Rumors you say?” It said in an amused tone “So even 50 cycles later the humans haven’t given up in their attempts to steal my land have they?” The demon spoke with a fond tone as its tea cup finally touched the table, its pleasant smile becoming a wide almost evil smirk as its eyes dull and lifeless shone with mirth.
The demon let out a sigh before using its magic to levitate the teakettle and pour itself move tea before continuing to speak “That's Humanity for you greedy and impatient as ever” The demon smiled before shutting its eyes to enjoy the cup of tea. Frieren’s hand twitched but she didn’t move instead she simply took a sip of the tea cup she was offered and felt as the tension in her muscles began to slowly disappear. Why was she revealing weakness in front of a demon? Why did she even drink the tea in the first place?
Frieren took another more greedy sip of the tea she was provided and with a content sigh relaxed into the seat she was provided. The Demon laughed light-heartedly “So then Ms Frieren. Might you tell me what the rumors intel this time?” The Demon asked with a friendly smile. Frieren almost smiled back and her hand twitched again, she took another sip and the twitching stopped.
Why?
Frieren Sighed before she turned to speak to the demon “There were rumors of a great demon living in these woods. It was said to be a tall, lean figure, wearing the suits of nobles, with long and well combed hair that could make noble women envy it. In addition to possessing enough power to wipe a medium sized town off the map with a swipe of its hand. This demon was said to keep humans alive and for sport, tormenting humans in as many ways as it could while keeping them alive and well throughout the entire process.”
The demon smiled “I see. Now what will you do that you found a demon matching that description?”
Frieren’s hand twitched but she otherwise had no other response; she attempted to take a sip of her tea before realizing it was empty. The demon smiled before it used its magic to lift the kittle and pour her some more. Frieren thanked the demon before she took another sip. Why did she thank the demon?
“I’m glad you're enjoying your tea miss Frieren” the demon spoke in a light tone.
Frieren’s hand twitched again this time more fiercely, an action which caused Frieren to stop in confusion before being drawn back to the demon as it repeated its question “But you didn’t answer my question.”
The demon rested one of its hands on the arm rests of the chair while resting its face using the other using magic to keep the tea up floating in the air next to its face.
“What will you do now that you have found a demon matching that Description?”
Frieren’s hand twitched along with a small burst of mana beginning to emit from her body. What is going on?
Frieren sighed “ You're a complete anomaly. I've never heard of you and yet you refer to me as a little elf, in addition to how you're suppressing your mana and seem to be able to perfectly ‘mimic’ human emotions even with the eyes of a demon. You aren’t like the other demons, why?”
The Demon chuckled “You wish to know why I'm not like my race? Let me ask my own question before i answer yours. Don’t you wish for an answer on what is occurring to your body?” As the demon uttered those words Frieren snapped everything seeming to click in place at once and she immediately moved to use her strongest spell but her body refused to follow her commands. “You’ve been under the effects of my mana since you entered my forest, you’ve inhaled the spores created from fungus using my magic, you’ve eaten food from my forest created with my magic, you’ve bathed in rivers affected by my magic, you’ve sleep in these woods allowing yourself to further sink into the effects of my mana. You’ve even drank my tea, you were already helpless after the first day you attempted to enter my forest. I had a thousand years to prepare for your arrival, Miss Frieren. When I realized I couldn't logically prevent your birth or kill the demon king myself so I did the next best thing. I Learned, I Adapted, I Grew, And I Prepared. All to beat you once you entered my forest~ I Always feared your arrival and now I have bested you.”
Frieren grit her teeth “And what are you going to do now” she struggled to speak his words were rubbing off on her the wrong way how would he know of me? How would he learn of my birth? He was old enough to prevent it? Why? He knew about me stopping the demon king before I did? What kind of magic allows one to learn of events so far ahead? And ending with Why hasn’t he done anything if he has that kind of power over time?
The demon smiled at Frieren its eyes dancing with mirth as it stood up and took a knee besides her to look at her in the eyes “There is a simple answer to that question~ I wish to learn further of emotions- and so i wish to follow you in your journey”
Frieren broke “w-what?”
The Demon gazed at her with a smile “You heard me. I wish to study you”
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(1850 Cycles Ago)
The ground was scorched, the air thick with the scent of death, as bodies lay strewn across the village like grotesque ornaments. Blood soaked the earth, mixing with the ashes of what once were homes. In the heart of a burning house, a tall figure stood resolutely, shielding a smaller, more vulnerable one from the encroaching flames. Their breaths came in ragged gasps, the already suffocating air made worse by the oppressive density of mana that choked the village.
Through the thick smoke and fire, another figure emerged. Smaller in stature, its form was that of a child, though its jagged, horn-like protrusions betrayed its true nature. The first figure tensed. This was no child . It was a demon —a being born devoid of empathy, love, or any semblance of humanity. The man knew that this creature was the one responsible for the village's devastation.
As the demon approached, its steps were slow and uneven, its clothing barely clinging to its body in singed, tattered strips. The remnants of the fabric were slowly consumed by the flames, revealing flesh marred by cuts, with blood trickling down its face and shards of metal protruding from its body. The demon’s expression remained unreadable, its eyes void of any emotion as it drew closer to the man and the child he protected.
The demon crouched down, bringing itself to their level. In a voice that was low and raspy, it spoke, "H-h-ello th-there. I-I was wondering i-if you c-could t-tell me w-where I am?" The corners of its mouth twitched into a faint, unsettling smile, though its eyes remained cold and unchanging.
Despite its monstrous appearance, the demon’s inquiry was deceptively simple. It sought to understand its location, but more than that, it was curious —curious about what the humans thought of demons, of other races like Elves and Dwarfs. It wanted to know if the opinions were uniform, or if they varied, depending on who was asked. It craved knowledge , not just of the world it found itself in, but of the intricacies of human thought and feeling.
However, there was one question that gnawed at the demon’s mind, one that lingered beyond mere curiosity. It had memories—fragments of sensations it had never personally experienced, but somehow knew about. Emotion. The demon wondered if it was possible for a creature like itself, one born from darkness and void of a heart, to ever truly feel. It had seen emotions affect humans, elves, and other beings but it also had memories of experiencing them and that along felt like a powerful drug, it was intoxicating and overwhelming for the young demon but it wanted more. Memories can only reveal so much so It pondered why such sensations should be the exclusive domain of other races.
"Why," it mused silently, "shouldn’t demons be allowed a share in this strange, addictive experience? Why should they be denied what others take for granted?"
And so, the demon continued to stare at the human man analyzing the changes in expression and the changes in his posture and breathing, its curiosity deepening with each passing moment, waiting for an answer that might bring it closer to understanding the one thing it had never known but desperately sought to understand and feel such an interesting thing like—emotion.