Don't call me Demon

Orion

"Y-y-you're...alive?"

Vox casually nodded his head before he continued his nonchalant stroll towards the trio. What surprised Orion greatly was as soon as the trio saw the approaching boy, they immediately became subservient. Their wings folded inwards as they cordially bowed their heads before they descended onto a single knee.

"Young Lord!" The trio spoke in unison.

'Y-young...Lord?' The scene before him was beyond absurd, but as he deeply held the current picture within his conflicted gaze , slowly, his shock began morphing into self ridicule.

"Buahaha..hahahaha-of course...of course we were betrayed, of course hahaha of course..." His laughter filled the silent clearing within the forest.

Vox slowly turned around again to face him. His scarlet eyes gleaming like two jewels of blood. There wasn't a shred of emotion left against his face. Merely the look of slight disappointment.

Orion couldn't utter a single word, his already fractured mind was on the verge of collapse whilst he stared at the boy. Those eyes he thought...

'B-but why? I treated you like my own...' his mind wrestled with reality and the fleeting memory of a shy youth who struggled to keep up during their journey.

After a tense silence, Vox finally spoke.

"Betrayal?" He exhaled a deep sigh before smoothing back a thick mop of his raven black hair.

"I was never with you people. I thought my eyes would've been a dead give away but your Queen and others alike merely saw me as a special...special boy."

Orion felt anger crawling up his spine, despite being in a state of shock to the point he held no energy to no longer do battle. His heart couldn't take the truth unravelling before his very eyes, such a thing, it was cowardice... where was the honour!

"Your eyes tell me you still don't understand. But let me remind you of something you once told me Orion the brave. This… is…war."

Vox took a few steps towards him and with each step he took Orion finally understood . The picture of that once shy youth was complete a façade. The youth slowly approaching him now, was no mere boy, nor a rookie within his sights. His back seemed sturdier. His movements, subtle and graceful like a cat. And once he finally arrived before him, his aura almost towered over him like a giant.

Vox slowly raised the tall golden staff into the air. Orion closed his eyes, preparing for the worst. But instead of the **** he assumed would come, he heard a soft hum singing beside him. His eyelids slowly opened as he beheld a bright green light covering Kalfa's body. Her wounds were being healed at an incredible rate whilst her pale face slowly filled with a healthier colour. His trembling brows lowered in confusion. He couldn't help raising his gaze towards Vox with a helpless look.

"Our Lady wills to keep you alive. Afterall, our goal was to always understand the borrowed powers bestowed upon your chosen people from the Gods...So have no fear Orion the brave...your **** shan't arrive just yet."

After Kalfa's wounds were healed Vox turned away, not even giving Orion a second look as he done so. He reached the trio again when Orions fragile mind **** his mouth open once more.

"WAIT THERE!"

Vox held his footsteps and slowly turned around again. That expressionless look beheld Orion.

"Tell...me...H-how...HOW CAN A DEMON WEILD THE BLESSING OF OUR GODS!" Spittle flew out of his mouth as Orions deep rage had finally simmered over its edge. Ryuu moved swiftly from behind but he was quickly held in place by a single wave of the hand from the red eyed youth.

And for the first time a menacing scowl creased against Vox's fair features.

"That word again....demons? why are your people so obsessed with demons. They're dead no? your kings and great armies saw to that many-many years ago, and yet still, you live in fear of them-fufufu- and that's why you'll lost this war Orion the brave...because you thought demons were the ones to be feared. But my clan have existed for just as long...if not longer..." He purposely held the tall golden staff before Orion, who couldn't shake away this terrible feeling he carried whilst he observed the relic some more. Suddenly his eyes snapped open as a familiar faced middle aged woman appeared within his mind.

"N-no...T-tell me that's not what I think it is..." His mouth was trembling as the once powerful warrior was completely shell shocked at this moment. A playful smile finally emerged across Vox chilling still mask.

"Took you long enough. I imagine there isnt a Gold ranked Knight across the kingdoms who doesn't know what this is. Well indeed it is the one, the holy gear...'Dalphir's Moon of dreams.'"

"That doesn't make any s-sense...S-sh-shava?"

"Uh-huh. This was once in the possession of the great magus Shava Watermoon( Refer back to the earlier Chapter - Journey to the mainland). But you see, my master wouldn’t be needing this where she’s gone, and so I've taken ownership until she finds her way home again." He chuckled playfully like a child saying that.

"Y-you killed a Grand Magus? Just wh-what kind of demon are you..."

Vox laughter ceased as his brows narrowed into a chilling gaze.

"Don't...call...me...demon."

The young man begun to slowly remove his cloak before tossing it to one side. He wore a dark leather vest underneath, on top of the lower half of a martial robe. The youth held out his two hands and a stillness formed around them.

Vox softly closed his two eyes and fell into a deep focus. The sounds of writhing flesh drew an uncomfortable glare from the watching Orion. Vox was noticeably in discomfort and continued to tightly press together his eyelids, whilst something was loudly fighting against his skin.

Suddenly he gasped as his eyes flashed open and a set of pitch black wings tore out from his back. And quickly followed by the appearance of a scaly long tail as thick as Orions arms whipping away the dust around them all.

Vox took a few moments to gather himself. He slowly regulated his breathing until he was finally able to open his eyes again without discomfort.

"Demon? Oh-no-no-no...Your people will never see us coming Orion the brave...for we are Draconian...and we are dragons."

Some time later

VOX POV

The clearing had returned to its unusually calm atmosphere. Orion was subdued and placed into a deep sleep alongside Kalfa.

Vox felt slightly exhausted at this point but he was glad he could finally remove the mask away for a short time. After he finished stretching his muscles he took a deep gaze into the blanket of azure settled above them. The warmth here felt truly nice against his body.

"Whats the deal with this island?" he asked no one in particular.

"Young lord, they say this was the burial for one of the elder dragons 'Myhtozullor' He was chased here by the three Elven Kings from the northern tribes and killed here." Ryuu responded. Meanwhile Edna was busy giving Vox a back massage whilst trying to sneak playful nibbles and kisses against his face. He avoided each one of course but Edna was persistent. "Y-young master Edna's been a good girl so you think you could...play...with...Edna" Vox felt her firm breasts pressed against his back. He squirmed a little but ultimately pretended as though he didn't notice what she was trying to do.

After receiving no responses, Edna could only pout whilst continuing to smooth his shoulder joints and muscles very carefully. Chusi had knelt down in front of him, currently giving his jade feet a thorough massage in complete silence. She even refused too meet his eyes.

"Hmm Elves huh. We will need to draw a plan to deal with them when the time comes. But for now that Queen might be a little difficult to get too." He pondered remembering the concerning news he heard around the capital about the Elves and their plights around the kingdom. Many of them were becoming Knights at a rate faster than anyone would’ve expected. That was slightly concerning, especially when he had also understood the role they played in subduing the demon races all those years ago.

"They say she possesses the talents of clairvoyance." Ryuu said.

"I doubt that...otherwise she wouldn't have sent half of her army to eventually die in the Kingdom of Lucia. Oh how's my mother...she still being a bitch?"

His words drew an uncomfortable heckle from the two woman. Ryuu could only just sigh.

"Our lady is doing well Young Lord. She burns ash wood in the garden of Drusella daily! And prays for your safe return and for your triumphant victory."

"Hmm-of course-of course...anyway the first phase is done. We can begin approaching the phase two of the plan. Ah that reminds me, fetch me those storage rings if you wouldn't mind." He remembered not having the time to go through his masters storage ring before he sealed her. Storage rings were usually protected by high caliber spells but using the holy gear he obtained from her, he was able to read her mind and decipher the trick into exploring her sealed ring.

Ryuu delicately placed the silver ring onto Vox's open palm. He took hold of the sapphire plated ring and inspected it for a few moments.

Vox uttered an incantation which brought a dazzling bright light shimmering over the ring. Sensing what was going to happen next he lightly tossed the ring to the an open space not too far away from them. Befor the ring could touch the ground a large amount of items, scrolls, weapons and potions piled in a large heap.

"Oh my...Young master is rich" Edna exclaimed jubilantly .

Vox wasn't expecting to find anything nearly as valuable as the holy gear he had obtained from his master. He was merely trying to kill his curiosity a little. "Wait...*Sniff-sniff* Do you smell that..." he mind was suddenly on alert.

Edna dutifully started snorting large mouthfuls of the surrounding air.

"Young master...it smells like...An Elf..."

Vox closed his eyes for a few moments and held out his right hand towards the pile. He became as still as a leaf, seemingly concentrating on something. Once he suddenly snapped his eyes open he clicked his two fingers and a small scroll shot out from the pile and hovered towards his call.

He exhaled a satisfied breath as the scroll covered in an azure seal of clouds fell into his grasp.

He pried open the hardened wax sealing the scroll and eagerly scanned through its contents. The trio observed him in silence, they knew better than to disturb him. Vox's eyes drew intriguing emotions whilst he read through the scroll.

And in a few minutes he finally finished reading it and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curve into snide smirk.

"Chusi...how long has it been since our last rendezvous?"

"about...9 months ago young master...w-why do you ask."

"haha nine months. That should tie in with when those Elves arrived in the capital...hmmm I wonder why I never met him. Perhaps...perhaps he never made it to the capital!." An idea flashed through Vox's thoughts.

He swiftly busied his hands into his robe pockets and found a map he had been given from Orion, there was a brief pause as he took a look at the map before his eyes trailed towards where a sleeping Orion was laid .

He shooed his helpers away and unfolded the map onto the ground. With the scroll still in his hands he whispered another incantation, this one looked to have caused him some discomfort.

"Young master!" The two women spoke out in distress

"Its nothing...heh…heh… just watch." He panted before burning the scroll into a potent blue flame conjured from his open palm.

The scroll disintegrated into tiny granules of blue ash. After he dispelled the flames away he poured the ash against the map and muttered.

"Find me the scent of its bones. Flesh of the flesh...blood of blood. Find it...show me where the scent lies..."

The ash he poured started to move on its own whim. Circling around the map as though it possessed a will of its own. The ash eventually formed two round metallic balls settled on two distinctive points across the map.

One of the balls had stopped a little north of the Lucien Kingdom. Whereas the second ball had stopped in an unnamed part of the southern land, not too far away from the mountainous regions.

Vox creased a knowing smile as he watched his scrying spell bring fruition.

"Y-young master" Edna called out to him again

"Wh-who is that you're looking for" she said pointing towards the two silver balls sitting on the map

"Ah? ahahaha well...it seems there's an interesting fellow who might have gotten a little lost my beautiful Edna. And since my master isn't here to receive him, shan't I be the doting big brother and give him a nice welcome...ah yes- I may have found someone quite intriguing judging by the contents of this scroll addressed to my master.

The trio shared concerning looks amongst one another. Ryuu cleared his throat and eventually asked the question lingering on their minds.

“Young master, Who is this fellow you speak of?”

“ A half ling boy who goes by the name of... Thorjen.