Chapter 04

Flames roared like crazy around the cabin, a wall of fire that left no way out. The fire ring, like it was showing off the angels' rage, had the small cabin surrounded. Monica stood there quiet, her eyes blank but full of fight. She knew it was time for another sacrifice, just like before. It was the destiny she knew too well.

She took heavy steps towards the door, the sound soft but like it meant something big.

Before she got to the door, the little girl grabbed her leg, sobbing hard. Her little hands were wrapped tight around her mom's leg, and you could see the pleading all over her face.

"Mom, don't go... They're gonna kill you."

Monica stopped. It took her a sec to look down at her daughter. Her eyes were calm, but you could see the heavy sadness in them. She slowly knelt down and ran her hand through her daughter's hair, gentle and full of love in every move.

"Remember when I said you'd have to find your dad one day?" Her voice was like a soft breeze, but you could feel the pain in it.

The girl slowly shook her head, choking back a sob. "Yeah, but not now..."

A sad smile touched Monica's lips.

"Now's the time, sweetie. You gotta go to the royal palace. There are people there who'll take care of you. Stay alive, be strong. Don't let that old man find you. Find the angel of death... and..."

The window shattered with a loud crash. Flames burst in from the window, and fire took over everything in a flash. Right then, the cabin door was thrown open, and angels rushed in. They grabbed Monica, took her hands, and dragged her out of the cabin.

"Run!" Monica yelled, her voice with a mom's strength that wouldn't take no for an answer.

The girl, even with tears blurring her eyes, ran through a small hidden door under the cabin floor. She hid among the crowd shouting outside, looking for her mom.

The execution square was filled with real horror, with the crowd yelling angrily.

"Execute the devil!"

"Burn her!"

The girl, small and helpless in the waves of the crowd, tried to get through. But the big bodies of people were like a wall she couldn't get past. Even with all her trying, when she finally got to the guillotine, what she saw broke her heart.

Her mom was kneeling under the blade. Her hands were tied, but her face was strangely calm. Her long, dark hair was like a curtain of night over her shoulders.

Monica's eyes found her daughter in the crowd. For a quick moment, there was a little hope shining in her eyes. She smiled, the same smile that always made her feel safe, but this time it was a goodbye smile.

She whispered softly, "My little princess... stay alive. Don't choose death this time. Choose love... and live good."

The guillotine blade came down with a sharp, quick sound. Monica's head was cut off from her body, and her long, wavy hair scattered in the air, like the wind was taking away her last memories. All that was left of her was a heavy silence and a head in a bucket of blood.

The girl fell to her knees. Her tears ran non-stop and mixed with her mom's blood on the ground. The sound of the crowd yelling slowly died down, and the angels, their job done, left the square. Now, the square was cold and empty.

She whispered softly, "What do I do now?"

Suddenly, she felt someone heavy behind her. A huge, scary shadow made the air around her feel heavier.

"Who are you?" His voice had a shake of fear and anger in it.

The person behind her said, in a calm but strong voice:

"Get up. You gotta listen to your mom and go to the royal palace."

The girl, with shaky hands, wiped away her tears and slowly stood up. She went to the bucket of blood and carefully took her mom's head out of it. Even in death, Monica's face was peaceful, like she knew what was gonna happen and had accepted it.

"You're the archdemon, right?" The girl asked, her voice quiet but sure.

The person behind her smiled and said, "Finally, someone's not scared to hear that."

The girl looked at her mom's face and said, "My mom always said you were inside her. But I only figured it out when she died."

The person behind her answered sarcastically: "Weird that you forgot me so easily. But it doesn't matter now. What matters is you stay alive. That old man's never gonna give up on you."

The girl gently put her mom's head in the coffin the villagers had made for her. She kissed her forehead and said:

"Can you destroy my mom's energy core? I don't want them using it."

The person behind her paused, then raised his hands. A red glow was pulled from Monica's body and absorbed into him.

Monica's body slowly started to disappear. Shiny bits broke off and floated away, like they were turning into a distant memory. In minutes, nothing was left of her.

The girl whispered softly, "Mom, I promise I won't break my promise. It's my turn to live now."

She turned to face the person behind her. His face was hidden under a mask that covered his eyes. His white hair flowed in the air, and his eyes, under the mask, were red – like bowls full of blood.

The person reached out his hand and said:

"From now on, call me Sura. This deal lasts until you die like your mom. After that, I'll pick my next host. I only came here 'cause your mom told me to. So try to get along with me – I'm not your mom."

The girl, with a heavy but determined heart, shook his hand and said:

"I get it, Sura. Hope we can get along."

From that moment on, the deal between them was done. The air around them shook with a power you couldn't see. The girl's life wasn't just hers anymore – she was part of something bigger and unknown.

And that's how her journey started.

Three days had passed since Monica's execution, three days that felt like forever. During that time, they turned paradise upside down trying to find any sign of the "Demon Angel."

The Emperor, hearing about Monica Darkenen's execution, immediately ordered everyone involved arrested – even the farmers who'd been tricked by the saints' promises. He was super mad. Now, he'd ordered Monica's daughter found, no matter what.

The girl, thinking by herself, had a different plan. She wanted to get to the royal palace. But with all the Emperor's forces looking for her, every step was dangerous. To get to the palace, she had to find a way to meet the Crown Prince first. If she didn't, she and her plan would be screwed.

In the history books of Paradise, it said that in seven days, Crown Prince Ilirian Karenlimus, heir to the throne, was gonna travel to a faraway village. He wanted to check out how demons had gotten into the church.

Near the village was a hidden forest known for its thick fog. But in that forest, there was a bad plan waiting for the Crown Prince. Knights who'd been paid by an old man in the shadows were getting ready to ambush in the dark. When Ilirian showed up, one of them would stick a poisoned dagger in his shoulder.

During the attack, the Crown Prince would get hurt but would barely escape. The knights would search the forest for two days trying to find him. But he, alive and tired, would get back to the palace with help from the villagers. From that day on, the Crown Prince's life would be changed forever. His jeweled eyes would get weaker, his healing would go down, and light would become his enemy.

But this time, things were different. The girl knew about this and knew where the Crown Prince would hide.

"Did you find it?"

Sura tossed a white cloth at her and leaned against the wall, all cool.

"This cloth heals. Just put it on the wound. In about an hour, maybe less, your wound'll be good. 'Course... depends on your luck."

The girl picked up the cloth. The gold designs caught her eye – a diamond pattern twisted among flower branches. The fancy embroidery had her staring.

"Thanks, Sura."

Sura smiled a little. "What do you want it for? You're not hurt."

She crumpled the cloth in her hand and slowly stood up. She brushed off her clothes and looked straight at Sura.

"Can you make a portal to the village I tell you?"

Sura shrugged. "Depends. How far's that village? The farther it is, the less chance of making a portal. But there's always a way."

The girl paused for a sec. The village name was gone from her head. Out of all the villages, which one was closest to the forest?