Dark Path to Heaven [Demon Romance]

Chapter 4

Chapter Music: "Wintery Night" by Derek Fiechter

By the time the sun had begun to set, only one more professor had visited me. He was old and kind and his specialty was alchemy. I was happy to discover that it would be easier for a human to compete with a witch or a wizard at this domain because of the minimal use of strength and magic it required. Maybe the latter was more useful but, in any case, a person like me could do pretty well in this area. The old man, Mr. Hibbert, had taken a little time to explain that there were other professors as well but their lessons didn't require any special abilities and their nature was similar to the one I was familiar with from the world I had come from. Thus there was no need for me to talk to them in advance.

I had now finished my shower and placed everything I had found in the box that was delivered to me earlier to logical spots around the apartment. All kinds of things could be found there. Bed sheets, shampoo, neutral-looking clothes, makeup, food, money and the like. Not having something else to do, I changed into my own comfy pajamas and started reading the letter Ms. Meredith had given me earlier. The faster I memorized it, the sooner I would be free to leave that room.

I took a look around me. Now that the day was coming to its end, I felt like the usual melancholy had found me once more. The loneliness started to grow and the darker the sky became, the darker my thoughts. All the questions I had pushed to the back of my head had now returned, demanding answers, threatening... That wasn't good. I wouldn't be able to read the letter properly at this state.

Before I knew it, tears started running down my cheeks as I was letting out the tension of an old life full of worries and a new one full of uncertainties. I rushed in front of the mirror to witness that rare sight. When was the last time I had cried? I couldn't remember for sure. All I knew is that I had managed to peacefully live on my own until I was forced to deal with people again. Social life has always been the root of my problems. And now, once again, I had to deal with terrors like hope and companionship: the balance of a series of selfish desires, unconscious or not. The fear of being left alone, when solitude was the only thing I could fit into.

On top of it all, I could now hear and see outside the first droplets of what I imagined to shortly become a heavy downpour. I quickly opened the window in an attempt to calm myself down taking in the chilliness of the weather. Once the sky had finally reached its darker shade, I heard a knock on the door. Who was it at that time? Had they brought me dinner? I had already eaten a few hours ago and I now had plenty of food in case I was hungry. I hurriedly brushed the tears from my face and rushed to the door, concerned about the unexpected visitor.

In front of me was standing a tall man dressed in a relatively modest, yet impressive military-like black attire. His long and straight hair was also black, leaving a pair of mysterious grey eyes piercing right through me. He must have just come from outside because his hair and clothes were still damp from the rain. What a strange way to appear at someone's door at that time of the day.

"Can I help you?" I muttered, taken aback by his sharp and intimidating aura. He was not as heavily built as Mr. Stanwood but I had a feeling I should be a lot more wary around him for some reason.

"I'm Astar," he glanced at my body, probably noticing that I was already in my pajamas. "You were expecting me, I see," he added in a voice tinged with irony and entered uninvited just like Mr. Stanwood had earlier that day.

Suddenly I became too self-conscious. Was he also a professor? Not only was he late, but he was also mocking me now? However, my bruised ego was held back by the strange admiration his demeanor was causing me. I had just met him but I could already tell that he wasn't the typical happy man. He was bitter and seemed to be confident about it.