Demon King: The Werewolf And The Lily

The Dark Forest is a vast area of woodlands so thick that the sunlight hardly penetrates through the canopy. Even when the sun is high up in the sky at noon, the heart of the Dark Forest is only ever as bright as the dawn breaking and never really fully committing to a full morning. Because sunlight barely gets through, the forest gets colder the deeper one goes inside. Because of this and some other reasons, the forest has become home to various creatures that are rarely seen outside. Creatures that could only be known in books and are considered to be merely created by fantasy.

Towering on the north of the forest is a ragged mountain that is hardly accessible. An old castle sits at its peak. It had been said that the castle is home to an evil lord that was vanquished by the hero 500 years ago. When one stands on the terrace of the castle overlooking the forest, one sees a stone altar surrounded by a circular column of large stones and slabs deep in the heart of the forest. The location of the altar is the only clearing amid the dark thicket and no one knows when this altar was made or who uses it. There were rumors that it was used as a sacrificial area for the previous demon lord.

It was on top of this one altar that a young girl – barely 15 years old – woke up. As she opened her eyes, she saw the full moon shining brightly above her. A cold midnight breeze blew and the girl shivered, all she had on her was a thin white cloth that barely covered her skin. Her hands and feet were bound to stubs of metal connected to each corner of the altar and her mouth was gagged with cloth. It took her a minute to understand her situation – the moon, her clothing, the bounds on her foot, and the vast expanse of woodland surrounding her. The growls and distant calls of unknown creatures cemented her previous conjecture. She is in the middle of the Dark Forest and she has just become the sacrifice.

Dread has overcome her and she started to pull her hands and feet, trying to get free from the bounds. The tight knot of the rope scraped against her wrists and ankles and she started to bleed. The horror, the pain, and the coldness made her start to cry. She could not believe the situation that she is in. Just a few hours ago she was with her friends. They were celebrating the harvest festival and she had food too many. Then she wakes up and finds herself bound in the middle of the forest, waiting to be taken by whatever creature is coming for her.

A few minutes passed and her arms and legs started to feel sore from struggling. Her throat felt dry. She wanted to urinate and she has been holding it in for like an eternity. She stopped crying now, she is too weak to even groan. After struggling for a long time, she finally succumbed and surrendered to her fate in the middle of this desolate place. Soon after, she heard the flapping of what seemed to be large wings. The area started to dim as an overcast shadow of a flying creature started to swoop down to where she is. As the creature gets closer, she soon realized that it was not a bird – at least the wings were not made of feathers.

The huge wings looked like overstretched skin framed by long bony fingers. The creature itself seems like a giant bat, except the features are more humanoid. The limbs were thin and springy, the torso was small and rounded at the belly, but the ribs and clavicles were prominent at the chests. The face and the head were even more grotesque. The creature is balding with wisps of hair at the back of its head. The eyes were almost slit-like and burned red. The nose – if you would ever call it – is merely two vertical slits. The creature's ears were long. A short description of it would be like a cross between a bat and a man – in a single word, a gargoyle.

The girl whimpered as the gargoyle drew closer. It seems to be talking to her but all she hears are growls and squeaks. The girl could not believe what she is seeing. It is a creature that is supposed to be just confined in books and stories made to scare off children. It was not supposed to exist unless this was nothing but a dream. 'That's right! This could be just a dream and nothing more,' she thought to herself. She was supposed to wake up anytime soon and would jump out of her bed – just like what happened when she had nightmares before. But she never woke up, she remained awake and the creature is standing right beside her. The pain in her arms and legs only made her understanding of reality even worse.

The creature started to reach out towards her; on its bony fingers are long claw-like nails. The girl almost lost her control from the fear and she finally let go of what she had been holding in. Her humiliation and fear intermingled as warmth and wetness spread along her legs. The piss spread through the altar and flowed towards the edges. The creature did not seem to mind as it was busy slashing up the rope that bound the girl to the altar. This is not the first time anyway, when seen during the day, the altar has dredge marks of different forms of liquid – rainwater, urine, blood, slime – and the creature only has one job: to gather the sacrifice and take it to its master.

The girl's mind has gone to a far-off place now. In her mind, she has already woken up to a new day. In her mind, she is already preparing for the day to help her mother in the kitchen to cook breakfast and pack lunch for her father and brothers, of course, she will include one for her lover as well. Their village is mostly farmland so the boys at this time work in the fields to harvest. In the evening, the harvest festival continues and it will be merry just like the previous night, yes, it was the night when she woke up with a nightmare. That was a very bad dream and she will talk about it with her lover and her friends and they will just laugh it off.

It was all in her mind though, in reality, her eyes have turned glassy and dead. She has become devoid of all feelings. She did not even feel the creature carrying her toward the castle. She did not hear the voice of the Demon King ordering his maid to wash her and replace the cloth on her. She did not notice that the maid pulling her around the castle had a snake's body instead of legs. She did not notice the moving statues leering at her along the hallways. She did not flinch as she was dipped in the warm bath – too warm for an average human. She woke up the next day in a strange large bed in an even larger room. She will stay here for about a year – until the next sacrifice arrives.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Hey! Where's Jessica?!" a girl asked her friends, one of them seems to be missing.

"I don't know. She was talking to someone earlier," answered one of her friends.

"Isn't she just with Carl? The wine she drank seemed to put her in the mood," answered another one mischievously.

"Oh! Right! Lucky her," the girl who first asked replied. The group of friends walked around the festival grounds all through the night. They ate from the food stalls, played games with the others, and met with other friends. They did not know that their friend has already been brought somewhere else. That they would never see her again in not least than a year – unless she kills herself in that place. They did not know that another one will be gone at the next festival.

Inside the village head's mansion, a group of men is in talking about the harvest festival. The sound of the festivities and the voices of the villager can be heard even inside the conference room. Every year, they perform the selection ritual – they will randomly choose the next pure maiden from the list and prepare her for the next harvest festival.

"This has been a ritual since the establishment of our village," the village chief addressed the men in attendance, "This is the only way to ensure that the Demon King would leave us alone."

"The selection that is guided by the hands of fate will now begin," said a person in an older and rasped voice, "I will now pick from the box."

The room was tense and silent. They know that this is an important event for the village but they are still anxious. Most of them have their daughters listed among the candidates. A young girl starts to become a Candidate when she turns 13 and she will be on the list until she gets married or until she reaches 20 years old.

"Oh! It seems that next year's festival is highly favored," the old man said as he read the name, "The village chief's daughter has been chosen!"

No child in the village is not fascinated by the story of The Hero and the Demon King. Even some of the grown-ups are still fantasizing about the tale – men still think about defeating a Demon King and being a hero while women think about marrying a Hero who has defeated the Demon King. Among the villagers, there was one who was the most fascinated about the tale not because she wanted to be the Hero or meet one, she just loves the twists and turns in the story itself. This person is none other than the village chief's only child: Amanda.

Ever since she could remember, she had repeatedly heard about the story from the Village Elders and different adults. Even her mother would read the children's version of the tale before bedtime. She was amazed at how the Hero returned and gained friends to defeat the Demon King. How the gods supported the Hero, and the fact that her ancestors directly came from the Mage who created their village. Having a close historical tie to the Hero is enough for her.

When she turned seven, Amanda was a boyish girl. She would prefer to play with the boys and run around playing Hero. Of course, she would take the role of the Mage. That is not to say that Amanda was not good, though. She was great in all her lessons – arithmetic, history, the sciences, languages, history, and even good conduct. She loves to read and learn, especially about magic. She was kind of sad that after the defeat of the Demon King, the gods took away all unnecessary magic from the world. And so, she ran wild with her fantasy along with the other children in the village.

As Amanda grew up and finally turned 13, the boys started to stay away from her. It was not because Amanda grew strong or ruthless, it was because Amanda grew so beautiful and charming that the boys would not know what to do whenever she is close. She invokes a certain type of emotion in them that they still don't know how to deal with. In their minds, she has become a mage and has learned to cast a spell on them. Because of this, Amanda had more and more female friends. They talk about sweets, fashion, boys, and cute things. Amanda has learned to live in the best of both worlds.

"So, it seems like someone sent you flowers again, Amanda," Jessica said as Amanda joined their group by the riverbank.

"Seriously, how many times do you receive flowers every day?" commented Irene, "I am starting to lose my confidence as a woman."

"It's not like I have been asking those guys for these, you know!" Amanda replied in exasperation. She might not like getting flowers but she still likes flowers anyway.

"See? It's that attitude that makes me more jealous!" Irene replied, "She does not like all the attention but she gets the, anyway."

"Well, as what you would expect with the mage who cast a spell on the boys," Jessica replied, picking one flower from the bunch and taking a sniff at it. "Although, Lilies are still the best of all the flowers."

"Purity, isn't it?" Amanda said, looking at the flowers with discernment, "Do you also know that they mean the restoration of one's innocence upon death? That is why this flower also means rebirth."

"There you go with your lectures again!" Irene retorted, "Gah! If the boys only knew that you are more like the village Grandma than a pretty girl."

"If you only read more books, you could have learned that too, Ai," Jessica jokingly reprimanded.

"Shut up! All I need to know is how to cook and serve my future husband. I just need a rich merchant or a noble and I'll be set for life!"

"And that is why you never get any flowers," answered another girl from behind.

"Grace! You are late again!" Irene exclaimed as she turned around, "And you don't get to say that just because you are the second most popular girl here!"

"Not my fault that people keep asking me out!" Grace said, "I am giving me all just to fend them off every day. I ran late today because of another one of those confessions! I just wish they settle with giving flowers like they do for Amada."

"What is up with these boys anyway?" Amanda said, "Ever since Jane left last year they have been more aggressive with their approach."

"Well, a girl keeps going out of the village every year, right? They are either married off to rich merchants or hired by nobles as maids. So the guys are afraid that all the girls may disappear from this village and they don't get to marry anyone." Jessica explained.

"Guys are so stupid. I don't have any plans of leaving the village any time soon. Unless a noble comes looking for me," Irene responded, kicking the soil with the tip of her shoe.

"It's kind of mysterious though, isn't it?" Amanda said, contemplating.

"What do you mean?" Jessica asked, trying to figure out what her friend is talking about. The other two went silent.

"I mean, there is always one girl who leaves the village every year, right? And it is always after the harvest festival. It's kind of becoming a pattern." Amanda replied, looking at her friends.

"Well, maybe because nobles and merchants come to our village during the festival and they meet the girls from there," Jessica said, offering her thoughts.

"Well, you have a point. But still. . ." Amanda replied, her voice trailing off.

"Ah! God! I was thinking what the matter was and it was still another one of your sleuth thing!" Irene said, frustrated by where the topic has led to.

"Fufufu . . . Irene really can't stand conversations like this," Grace replied, "let's talk about something else. Have you heard about the new crepe shop that opened in town?"

"Right! I heard of it! There is a lot of delicious food in there! They have meat too!" Irene exclaimed, gaining traction on the conversation of her choice.

"See? It's all food about you. Why would any guy want a girl like that?" Jessica replied.

"Shut up! You don't get to say something because you already have a lover! You traitor!" Irene said. They all laughed.

"I bet your lover is looking for you right now. Won't you go see him?" Grace said, still smelling the Lily stalk that she took from the bunch. She is the most feminine of them.

"Well, I already saw him this morning. I want to spend this afternoon with you girls," Jessica replied.

"Awwwwe! Bitch, I love you," Irene said and hugging Jessica tightly, "You are still a traitor though,"

"What?" Jessica said and they laughed again.

This has become a daily event in the lives of these four women. They have always been together since they turned 13 and they are almost 19 now. Life has been great and they each have the things that they love doing but they still get together like this from time to time. It seems like they will be living like this for a long time. What they did not know is that they will lose one of them this year, and by the time they reach 21, only 2 of them will remain.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Are you fine with this, Village Chief?" asked one of the council members.

"With what?" the Village Chief asked. The smoke from the incense fills up the chamber where they have gathered.

"Your daughter will be the next sacrifice. She is the Lily of this Village, you know!" said another council member. He is the youngest of the group.

"Too bad. She is a year away from being safe though." Said the elder who drew the lots.

"Gentlemen. You seem to have your priorities reversed," The Village Chief, Felipe, bellowed, "It is true that my daughter is precious not just to me but to the rest of the villagers as well. I have watched her grow and I know that she is intelligent and beautiful. She also loves the village with all her heart. This sacrifice will be her way of serving the village that she loves the most. It is regrettable, I admit. But this is for the sake of the rest of the village and our bountiful harvest! For the sake of our village, this is but a small price to pay." Felipe addressed the whole council, "Besides, you have your daughter's names there as well. I believe that this year's sacrifice is your daughter isn't it?" He continued, addressing the council member who questioned the decision first.

"Amanda will surely keep on asking me about your daughter to no end and this might also free us from her inquisitiveness." Felipe continued, "Please understand that we are not doing this for our enjoyment. All of this is for the sake of the village!"

"For the sake of the village!" the council repeated in chorus. It has been a long time since the village has been offering sacrifices. At this point, they have become almost like a cult that worships the Demon King. The only person who has access to the road toward the sacrificial altar is Felipe, the chief. The village may be safe from the grasp of the Demon King, but its flower is on her way to a very bleak future.

"Every year, we have been blessed by the bountiful harvest that would fill out coffers with gold and our bellies with food and wine!" the Village Chief began his speech as he addressed the villagers for the Harvest Festival.

"More than 30 years ago, I have prayed and prayed, alone in the forest, begging the goddess of the earth to aid us," Felipe continued, "and soon enough she heard our calls and gave us a bountiful harvest. And so we celebrate this Festival every year to honor the goddess of the earth and her blessing!"

The village chief paused and looked around, there seems to be fewer and fewer females, they need to invite more from other villages and towns. He looked at his daughter and then continued, "We have spared no expense for this joyous event. We also welcome our valued guests – the nobles and merchants – who supported us through thick and thin. And so, without further ado. Let us all have a great festival!"

The crowd cheered and Felipe smiled. He looked towards his council members and signaled for them to follow him into their meeting chamber. They understood and followed. The rest of the people were busy going merry, clueless about what is going on under their feet and what the festival is about.

"This is our first festival without Jessica, right?" Irene said as she took a bite of her meat skewer, "I'm kind of sad."

"Who would have thought that she would elope with her lover?" Grace continued, "Isn't it kind of romantic?"

"Maybe, but it's kind of mysterious, though," Amanda said, "I mean. They never really had a reason to elope, both of their parents approve of their relationship. Besides, I know Jessica and she is not someone who would leave without telling us."

"Maybe she just felt shy?" Irene suggested, "She always trying to keep it cool you know. I am sure I could not actually tell to you guys straight if I ever did elope with someone."

"Yeah. I think she left us with clues, remember what we talked about before she left last year?" Grace added, "And Ai, it's not like you would find anyone to elope with soon."

"Shut up! I'll show you. I'll meet someone from the capital tonight and she will ask for my hand," Irene said with conviction, "It will be love at first sight, I tell you. He will be head over heels for me."

"I'm sure the person who will fall for you, at first sight, will be some barbarian because of the way you devour your food, is what Jessica would say but she is not here," Amanda added.

"Please don't say that," Irene said, "it sounds so creepy and real when you say it. At least I could laugh it off if it was Jessica."

"I know! It seems like Amanda's words have its power," Grace added, "maybe it's because you are a descendant of the great mage that accompanied the hero?"

"There you go again with your fantasies, Grace," Amanda retorted. It might be true that she is a direct descendant of the Great Mage but the gods have long taken magic away from Earth and it has already been more than 500 years ago.

"I still wonder why Grace is so popular when she is such an airhead," Irene said in discernment, "her head is only filled with flowers and honey, it is such a mystery."

"Well, Grace awakens the guys' protective instinct," Amanda said, "they like someone that they can protect and take care of."

"Then what about you?" Irene directed her inquiry towards Amanda, "Why are you so popular? You are even more popular than Grace!"

"Well, maybe because I am smart? And I am the daughter of the Village Chief. That alone gives them a shot at being the next one." Amanda explained with a cool tone.

"Guh! You would refuse to admit that you are pretty, huh?" Irene snorted, "Guys do not like smart and haughty girls, you know. You'd be too much to handle and I don't think any guy from this village would be able to. But, well, you have a point about your father being the chief."

"And what was that about me being the chief?" a voice suddenly answered from their back. Irene cursed and Grace shrieked. The three of them abruptly turned around to see the village chief alongside a strange young man.

"I'm sorry for startling you. Good evening girls," Felipe grinned at the girls as he got closer, "are you enjoying the festival?"

"Oh! Good evening chief," Irene and Grace said, bowing and regaining composure, "We miss Jessica but we are having fun nonetheless." Grace continued.

"Stop creeping from behind like that, Father," Amanda reprimanded, "What do you want?"

"I'm sorry, dear" Felipe apologized, still grinning, "But I have come here to get you. There is someone who wants to be introduced to you." Felipe said looking at the young man who was with him.

"Oh, you lucky bitch! He is too handsome!" Irene half whispered, elbowing Amanda at her sides.

"Stop that! He said he just wants to talk," Amanda said and turned to his father, "Can't we do the introductions here?"

"Oh, come on dear, surely you know that this place is not fit for a formal conversation," Felipe said, motioning to the crowd.

"Tch! I understand," Amanda said in frustration, then turned towards her friends, "I'll be back. This won't take long."

"Oh, please take your time!" Irene said. This is not the first time that Amanda was introduced to someone and she would refuse them all the time. She would later say that the guy was either too stupid or too overbearing for her taste.

"It will be sad next year, don't you think?" Grace said as Amanda left with her father and the gentleman.

"O won't be too sure about it," Irene said, "I mean, that isn't the first guy that was introduced to Amanda. Besides, he may be handsome and is within my strike zone. But I think he is too dumb for Amanda's taste."

"Yeah, you have a point," Grace agreed, surmising, "He won't be able to handle Amanda."

"Forget about handling her, Amanda will just devour him outright," Irene commented.

"I know right?" Grace replied and they both laughed. None of them knew that the next harvest festival will see only the two of them.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Please come inside and feel comfortable," Felipe said to the gentleman as the entered the receiving area of their house, "Would you like some liquor?" Felipe asked the man.

"Yes. I would love to," the gentleman answered. He knows that the liquor from this village is very popular in town and even in the capital.

"Please bring us the wine and prepare tea for Amanda," Felipe ordered towards the maid with a meaningful look.

"Right away," the maid bowed and looked apologetic. Amanda understood why the maid looked this way. Every person in their household loves her and they treat her as their child. Seeing Felipe trying to marry her off to some stranger leaves a bad taste in their mouths but they could only swallow this bitter pill.

"Please pardon my daughter," Felipe addressed the stranger, "She is haughty and straightforward but she is kind. She is just sometimes smart for her good." Felipe looked longingly toward her daughter. There was a hint of sadness in his eyes that was not there previously. Amanda started to think that there is something strange.

"Can we just get this over with?" Amanda said impatiently, "My friends are waiting for me and the night has just started."

"Come now child, at least let us wait for the beverages to be served," Felipe tried to calm his daughter down. And just like a practiced choreography, the maid came in with a food trolley with two trays on top. The wine and glasses on one tray and a teapot with a tea cup on another.

"Ah! Here it is," Felipe said, feeling relieved that the beverages arrived in time. "Once again, I gladly welcome you into my humble abode, Count Streagan. This here is my daughter, Amanda. I am sure you have heard that this is not the first time that was introduced to someone. But please treat her well anyway." Felipe looked at Amanda, waiting for a response, then cleared his throat.

"Right. I am Amanda, the village chief's daughter. I hate stupid people and those who cannot live without their parent's influence." Amanda said coldly. The Count was taken aback. It was the first time in his life that a girl did not swoon upon meeting him. She is even trying to push him away.

"Amanda!" Felipe reprimanded her.

"No, please. It is quite alright," The count said, "I find her amusing. Let us drink to loosen up the mood." The Count raised his now-filled wine glass and Felipe followed suit, still looking apologetic. Amanda half raised a tea cup and drank from it even before the Count lowered his. Amanda filled her cup right away to avoid having to talk and so the conversation between his father and the count droned on. Amanda suddenly felt dizzy a few minutes in. She tried to smell the tea cup but there was no trace of alcohol. She thought maybe she was so tired but she did not do anything the whole day. Soon enough, she suddenly fell unconscious.