My Journey with the Demon King

2 - Beginning a Journey

hHe paused at my name. "Ashna Sangini?" he repeated. There was a strange note to his voice, but I couldn't place it.

I nodded. "Yes. My parents named me for a very strange reason indeed, didn't they? It's so ironic, it's sickening." He remained silent but I kept on. "It's kind of tasteless to name your child 'Beloved' and 'Life Partner, Companion'. Then to make matters worse, no one wants me when I grow up."

Was I bitter? Only a lot.

"Anyway, the irony of my name aside...You can just call me Ana. It's a lot easier to say."

He finally spoke. "Ana it is then." He glanced up at the late afternoon sky. "Come on. We should keep moving." He started off, towards the west. Shifting my packs on my shoulders, I followed after him.

We walked in silence for hours, reaching the huge forest near the village by the time full night fell upon the world. I shivered. It was spring, but there was still a chill in the air at night and in the early mornings. We had broken through the thick line of trees ten minutes ago. In the dark, I felt my vision narrow down to only three feet in front of me. I stopped. There was barely a moon out tonight and I could see almost nothing in front of me.

My night vision had always been terrible, but in the dark of the forest, it was even worse. Turning my head, I couldn't even see Zane anymore. "Zane?" I called out softly, uncertain. I took a few halting steps forward, promptly tripping over a raised tree root. Letting out a small cry of surprise, I fell to the ground. I hissed in pain as I felt the skin of my knee cut open. Pushing myself up from the ground, I leaned back on my haunches.

Before I could react, something reached out from the darkness. A warm, large hand wrapped around my arm and pulled me up. Once I was on my feet, it moved down my arm and held tightly to my hand. "You're hopeless, you know that?" A soft chuckle came from above me and to my right. "What would you do without me?"

I felt like being prideful and acting ungrateful. But then the pain in my knee flared up. "I don't know," I admitted. "Thank you for finding me."

His voice sounded a little odd. "No problem. I'll always find you when you need me, Ana. All you have to do is call my name."

I wanted to look into his face at his words, but the dark stopped me from doing so. "R-right," I nodded awkwardly. "I'll be sure to scream your name the next time I trip over a rock," I muttered sarcastically. I desperately wanted to lighten the mood. His words had sounded incredibly...personal. I wasn't sure how to explain it. Shaking my head, I let out a soft laugh. "At least now I won't be black and blue by the time we stop for the night."

At that moment my stomach let out a loud growl. I blushed under the cover of the night. I heard his chuckle again, then I felt him shift. A few seconds later, a small wisp of soft blue flame appeared in the palm of his free hand. Blinking, I turned my head away from the sudden light. When I turned back, the flame was floating a few feet in front of us.

Snatching my hand out from his, I glared up at him. "If you could do that, why didn't you when we entered the forest?"

He just smiled. "I'll use my magic to make us a quick camp," he said, ignoring my question. Saying so, I watched, silent and in awe as his magic unfolded around me.

In the space of one minute, there was a simple camp made up. A fire blazed in the center, with one large bedroll on the ground close by. I stared at the one bedroll. "Uh...Demon King? Where am I going to sleep?"

He actually blushed a little. "I can store items away in another dimension and summon them. That's why I wasn't carrying any packs. But I only brought enough for myself. I wasn't expecting to have company," he sighed. "If I make a solemn promise not to touch you in any way you find uncomfortable, will you feel better? I am bound by my word, if I choose to be. I will have to hold you close, for warmth at least. But I won't attack you in the night and I won't try to do anything else like that."