Guardian of My Heart

Chapter 2: Echoes of the Past

Henri's POV:

My day began as most normally do, leaving a plate of breakfast out for Ameri and brewing myself a nice cup of Hell Grey Tea before setting off to work. Things surrounding the border of the Netherworld have been quiet lately. A bit too quiet for my liking personally. It was unnerving, it made me feel as if I had somehow been missing some obvious breach between our home and the human realm. But I constantly had to remind myself that these thoughts were dangerous to harbor for long. Things were peaceful in the Netherworld, and the existence of humans was a well-guarded secret. Only the most high-ranking demons, mostly limited to the Thirteen Crowns, even knew of humanity's existence. There were exceptions of course, such as powerful demons who worked directly underneath one of the Thirteen Crowns, as well as high ranking demons in Demon Border Control who were required to know the secret. As it happened, I arrived to find myself in the presence of one such demon. "Naberius Narnia, a pleasant morning, isn't it?" The purple haired demon gave a soft and knowing smile in return, holding his own cup of Hell Grey Tea as well as several case files in his off hand. "Likewise, Henri. I must say you're here a tad bit later than usual. You are making sure to get enough sleep, right?"

I held the bridge of my nose in mock annoyance. "With a girl like Ameri being obsessed over by so many boys, I don't have time to let myself sleep. I swear, I can still see their faces if I squint hard enough." Narnia simply laughed at my plight as he held open the door for the both of us. We made our way to our usual stations, dropping the pleasantries and moving onto serious business. "Well, it certainly is good that you're here now at least. One of the patrols last week came back with some interesting findings, a fluctuation in mana in the human realm, concentrated in what we believe they refer to as 'Japan'. Then just 3 days ago, a secondary patrol was able to confirm the readings of the first and pinpoint the origin of the disturbances." This immediately grabbed my attention. If there was significant demonic activity in the human realm, it needed to be dealt with swiftly and with as much discretion as possible. "How many signatures were you able to detect at the point of origin?" Narnia looked slightly mystified as he continued to read off the dual reports to me. "Just one, though it seems both patrols described it as corrupted somehow." I narrowed my gaze in contemplation. "Corrupted? How exactly?"

"The initial patrol group described the event as a series of intense flares in mana followed by utter silence. The secondary patrol further elaborated on these findings, claiming it felt like viewing the weave of mana through murky water. It was unstable and uncontrolled, as if acting on instinct rather than conscious direction from the demon causing it. Whichever demon is responsible, I believe they are a danger not only to the human realm, but possibly to themselves as well." Unstable mana was not uncommon, especially concerning younger demons who lacked formal education or parental supervision, or those demons who suffered from mental disabilities and/or psychological trauma. A healthy mind was key to being able to control your mana, which is why schools such as Babyls received so much funding and support. If the future of demon kind were going to make the Netherworld more prosperous, they needed to learn how to use their power to forge a brighter future for all. Still, something about the reports Narnia read off to me tickled at the back of my brain. I felt as if I was reaching for a memory long ago, shrouded in mist and tantalizingly just out of my reach. "Very well, I shall investigate the matter myself. If any complications arise, I will immediately call for a salvage team to come to my aid."

Narnia's eyes met my own for a moment as he voiced his concerns. "Are you sure it's a good idea to go alone? Not one for sharing company, or do you just like claiming all the glory of a successful snatch and grab for yourself Henri?" The last bit was clearly sarcasm, but I could tell his worry was genuine. "There's a reason I'm able to call myself one of the Thirteen Crowns, Narnia. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a rogue demon to locate. Do try your best to maintain some semblance of order while I'm gone." I didn't stick around to hear his response, but I knew him well enough to know he had things under control here. As for me, I was brimming with a mixture of anger and excitement. Whoever this rogue demon was, their little stunt in the human realm wouldn't be lasting much longer. Once they had been caught, the border would be sealed once again, and they would be interrogated thoroughly. Even though the Netherworld's safety was at risk, I couldn't help but be glad at the excuse to finally do some real work after what felt like an eternity of boredom. Even a tiny disturbance was something that required immediate action, and while others may have been qualified for the task, I certainly had the authority to assign whomever I felt, including myself.