I was again back in the demon king’s executive office, but the scene had drastically changed. Last time, there was an air of organized chaos, with scrolls and books neatly arranged on the elegantly curved bookshelves. This time, however, the room was a picture of disarray. Papers of various sizes and shapes littered the floor in haphazard piles, and the desk was so cluttered it was completely unfit for any kind of work to be done.

Gone was the imposing figure who once commanded respect from behind his desk. Now, King Olethros lounged languidly on the marble floor, propped uncomfortably against an empty bookshelf with his arms resting at his sides. His eyes were closed, and it was impossible to tell whether he was aware of my presence.

“Hey!” I greeted him casually. I mean, he was a king, but I wasn’t one of his subjects. Besides, this was my dream. So, didn’t that make me slightly higher on the chain of command? Either way, he didn’t look very kingly at the moment.

He winked a single eye open, peering at me through the disheveled locks of his silvery purple hair that I felt an insatiable need to fix. “Still popping up in places you aren’t supposed to be, I see. What happened this time?” He made no effort to sit up. He had a pale complexion, as if he had been shut inside for far too long.

“Nothing, really. I just wanted to talk.”

“Again?”

“It’s been five years,” I reminded him.

“That explains why you’ve aged, I suppose.” There were nicer ways he could have said that.

“You don’t look so great yourself, you know.” I plopped down across from him on the floor. “You look like you haven’t slept in a week.”

“I don’t sleep.”

“Maybe you should start.”

“It wouldn’t change anything even if I did.” He waved an arm dismissively.

“Do you want to talk about it?” I offered.

“Not really. Just say whatever it is you came here to say.” His tone sounded irritated, like I was too much to deal with. I thought we had left on an amicable note last time, but now I was a bit confused. This wasn’t going the way I expected, but dreams never really do, do they?

“Ah, fine. Something has come up, but it’s not a big deal.”

He let out an exasperated sigh. “What has come up?”

“I have an interview for a job tomorrow.”

“So?”

Wow,  not even a single congrats? I could see he wasn’t exactly at his best, but isn’t that common courtesy?

“It turns out it’s at a publishing company that bought the rights to that web novel I–”

“Do NOT go to that interview!” He jumped up angrily. Startled, I scrambled backward, crab style. I would have taken out half a dozen stacks of papers if I had been solid during my retreat.

“What the heck do you think you’re doing, coming at me like that?!” I jumped up and waved my arms defensively.

“You broke your promise!” Although his tone was still angry, he stopped moving towards me. He was floating off the floor somewhat, and I noticed I could see glimmers of torchlight through the simple black cloak wrapped around him. What had happened to all his fancy accouterments? Even the tips of his horns had lost their golden sheen.

“It was an accident!” I shouted. “I didn’t know about the buyout until Nora told me!”

“Again, with this Nora person… How suspicious…” He paced back and forth in midair.

“Whoa​, I was the one who applied for the job. It’s just a coincidence that–”

“This is not a coincidence!” He exhaled, obviously trying to calm himself. “Ms. Rachel, just don’t go tomorrow. Please.” Oh, now we’re back to using pleasantries?

“No.” I folded my arms.

“What do you mean, no? Do you have any idea what you’re getting us into?”

“Tell me why I shouldn’t go.”

Would you believe he actually hissed at me? Like a snake! So much for those cheap pleasantries.

“Oh, now I get it,” I huffed angrily. “You’re the part of me that’s afraid I won’t get the job. You’re acting like this because you think I will melt down again. I’m older now, though, and I can handle my emotions better. I don’t have any great expectations, but I’ll be damned if I won’t do my best. If I don’t get the job, that’s just too bad, but I’d at least know I tried.”

“You stubborn–” He clutched his chest, releasing a pained breath before gesticulating dramatically with his arms. “You are in danger, and even worse, you’re putting me in danger!”

“I don’t believe you. In fact, thinking you were anything more than just a dream was stupid. Thanks for your help earlier, but I think I’ve outgrown you.” As the words left my lips, the world around me began breaking apart. The walls cracked and buckled, toppling the shelves and spilling their contents into swirling clouds of debris. It all disintegrated into clouds of dust as the marble floor beneath me fractured, its pieces dissolving as everything disappeared into an abyss of black. 

Amidst the chaos, only Olethros himself remained, floating in the darkness with his black cloak blowing in the wind. He was trembling, but I couldn’t decide if it was with anger or fear.

“You’re going to regret this, you know. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!” Suddenly, he flickered out of view, abandoning me altogether.

My alarm went off, and I woke up with my jaw clenched painfully shut. What a way to start the day.