The Demon King of the Desert

Chapter 22

Del'tra guided you to the rooms you and Nyala would be staying in. Up the staircase, she went to the first door on the left. Inside was a quaint little room that had a bed within the nook in the wall.

Ivy hung from the ceiling and clung to the wooden walls. Flowers dazzled each ivy line, giving more of a woodland life not covered in snow than you'd expect there to be. Plants of various types were potted about the space, making you a bit nervous Nyala might accidentally break one of them.

The moment her hooved feet touched the ground, she zoomed forward to get a good look at everything—moreso, the window that allowed her to see the blizzard just beyond.

Nyala crawled up onto the reading niche to get a better look outside. "It's so pretty."

It was then it dawned on you that she probably has never seen snow. "Oh, you like the snow?"

She nodded excitedly.

"It takes some getting used to," Del'tra insisted. "But, with one such as yourself, I am sure you can adapt just fine!" She came closer to Nyala. "We all can go out and play in the snow one day. How does that sound?"

Watching as the little devil nodded with excitement, you couldn't help but focus on the words Del'tra used wisely.

'One day' was such a way to indicate the future sometime—not right away. Del'tra knew it would be unwise to venture out into the world at the moment. She didn't wish to put anybody in danger.

"I have a few toys and things my young ones left behind," she continued with a warm smile upon her lips. "I'll see if I can't find them and gift them to you. For now, why don't you stay here and enjoy watching the snow? I'll bring you some hot coco in a moment."

Nyala nodded, keeping her eyes on the many snowflakes just beyond the window. Her tail flicked about with quiet excitement.

It was the first time in what felt like awhile the little devil seemed happy about something. The pressure of anxiety that was looming over you before eased up. Finally.

"This way," Del'tra insisted, urging you back into the hall to take you down to the next bedroom beside Nyala's. Opening the door, you were met with the same interior design, only crystals seemed to dazzle the scene about the floor.

For a mere second you were able to admire their beauty, till the memories of that day, where you assumed Demiurge fell, came crawling back. The biting, the angry growls and the explosions that relentlessly echoed in the air made an uncomfortable chill run up your spine.

Del'tra noticed the awkward heaviness that filled the room, causing her to give a knowing smile. "He's alive, my Lady," she reminded you. "Here..." Making it to the bed, Del'tra grabbed a medium sized box with gold, intricate lining and urged it in your direction. "Why not see for yourself?"

Taking it from her, you looked from the closed lid to the Alcune and then back again. Just as you reached for the intricately designed latch, Del'tra excused herself.

"I should probably make some food. Did you both eat?"

You smiled at the offer. "No, not really. My eating has thinned out a bit recently with the news of, what I assumed was, Demiurge's passing."

"All the more reason for me to make something." She bowed and took her leave.

Sitting on the bed, you opened the lid of the box to find a few letters inside. When you began to open to read each one, you found them to almost be more like journal entries addressed to you—talking to you about each different day and how things were going.

In the beginning of these, there was hardly much to read. It almost looked like it was possibly too painful for him to write, but he tried anyway. Even some of the writing seemed to drip from the ink and be a bit scratched up as well.