Devil's Advocate

Episode Two: The Demon King

The devil is not a small man covered in a red cape, sporting a forked tail. He comes as everything you've ever wanted.

The pair had been flying for hours. The soft sea breeze blew through Hani's curls. If the Demon King wanted him dead, he certainly would have killed him back on the island. "Where are we going?" Prince Hani called up to the dragon, who ignored him outright. "Excuse me, your highness!"

The demon growled lowly at the human in his grasp. "I am taking you to my kingdom. If you thought you were the only royal in the world without one, you would be horribly wrong," He flew faster. "Now, human, ask no more questions. I will explain more when we arrive." This made the prince satisfied enough to where he relaxed into the dragon's claws. After another hour or two, the prince felt the creature stop his flight. They lowered to the ground, and the dragon let him go.

Despite what the young prince had imagined, the demon's kingdom was utterly beautiful. It appeared to be in a constant state of midnight, and all of the buildings glowed. The buildings came in all shapes and sizes- turrets, sky bridges, domes; it was a bit of an architectural overload. It was entirely different and suffocatingly refreshing. The bright red that the buildings glowed almost seemed like they were actually on fire at first, but it was all an illusion. The prince wasn't sure if the Demon King had any say in the designs, but if he did, clearly the creature was brilliant.

Where they had landed was the tallest tower attached to what was presumably the Demon King's castle. A small group of beautiful elven-eared creatures with pearlescent skin ran up to them.

"Your majesty!" A guard brandishing a glorious black set of armor and a babbling round man with a long mustache approached. "You know staying in your dragon form too long tires you so!"

The prince frowned, turning to look at the dragon. What he saw, however, was no dragon. Whom he saw standing there was no less than the most handsome gentleman he had ever laid his eyes on.

The man, who stood nearly a foot taller than the prince, was extremely pale in complexion. He was muscular and had silky, jet-black hair that was just at the nape of his neck in the back and framed his face in the front. His face, for lack of a better phrase, was easy on the eyes. So much so, in fact, that the prince felt more nervous than he had been the whole journey here. The demon's lashes were long and his eyes were a piercing blue color which seemed to nearly glow in the dark. His eyes were narrow and seemed to droop with the weight of his lashes.

"I am fine, Shinzou," the handsome Demon King sighed as the servant placed a red silk robe upon his shoulders. "I will get some rest after my prize and I speak." He turned to the prince, who stammered in surprise.

"Y-You are talking to me?" The prince asked, getting swatted in the hand by the round servant called Shinzou.

"How dare you question the Demon King!"

"Now now," The king's voice was as smooth as honey and as deep as a cello. He gently placed his hand upon Shinzou's shoulders, who sighed and bowed. "That's not how we treat a guest."

"I apologize, your majesty," Shinzou got on the ground, kneeling with his face to the floor. "I am ashamed."

The Demon King turned to the prince. "I'm sure you have a lot to ask me. While I am not normally privy to such small talk, I think in this case we must discuss current events. Do you agree with that, prince?"

Hani nodded, and the Demon King smiled. "Good boy. Shinzou, prepare a bath for the boy and have him washed up and sent to my chambers."

"B-But sir, I-"