The Prince of Demons

Luna

Why did Dha give me such a ridiculous challenge? Even if Nautilus knew I was mentally not a child, how could I convince her to settle down? Ask the two of them to go swimming with me so Nautilus could see Helga in a swimsuit? Why couldn’t I do some based challenge to prove I deserved the ? I let out a deep sigh as I peeled myself off of the ground. At what point could you take a hand print of Nautilus from my chest? Helga was nearby watching Nautilus repeatedly put me into the dirt with little effort. Shouldn’t she be watching Nil? Granted, he currently had the world’s largest donkey Krahinn near him. I glanced between Helga and Nautilus, trying to come up with a starting point. My body was screaming from the repeated spars with Nautilus. Helga seemed to notice and helped me stand up while giving me a reassuring back pat.

“Ya seem distracted lass.” Nautilus observed as I rubbed my chest.

“Because I can’t gauge you and Helga.” I blurted out. Or just wing it. We’re winging the starting point.

“What?” Helga asked. That brick rubbed off me.

“I don’t know. You and Nautilus have this nice air and I’m curious as to the nature of your relationship.” I continued. Helga looked at me a bit baffled. Wait. I don’t think we told her Nil and me are mentally older.

“Why?” Helga inquired, trying to grasp what I was saying.

“Lass, what ya on?” Nautilus checked, giving me an intense stare. Commit or back off? I had no idea which would be better right now.

“I was feeling a bit guilty about our return, but you two seemed to have worked so far. I was curious how well.” I continued. I guess we commit. Please don’t backfire.

“Lass, stop.” Nautilus ordered beginning to glare at me a bit.

“You’re seven.” Helga stated, more to herself as she seemed confused as to why I would ask such a question.

“I’m a strange seven-year-old who hangs out with Nil.” I tried. How am I so bad at this? Am I just nervous? Nautilus looked at me baffled by what I was asking, and Helga narrowed her eyes between the two of us. Once she looked at Nautilus, her head snapped to me.

“Are you actually seven? Mentally?” Helga checked. Nautilus was behind her leaning her face into the fist with a sigh.

“Yes.” I lied while nodding my head. Helga looked at Nautilus, who was trying to put on her best I am as surprised as you are face.

“What about Crown Prince Nil?” Helga snarled. Um. Sorry Nil. This was not going well.

“Why don’ ya as’ royal grublin yaself?” Nautilus deflected. Nil’s day was about to be worse.

“Let’s.” Helga agreed as she stormed over to where Nil was.

What is wit’ ya? Nautilus asked me mentally, giving me an incensed stare and a what the forl gesture.

I don’t know. I panicked. I confessed. Stupid Dha and his ridiculous challenge.

Really? I hadn’ no’iced. Nautilus mocked. Could I even blame her?

I’m sorry. I apologized, trying hard to keep up with the incensed Helga.

Ya been a bi’ off since ya chat wit’ Dha. Why? Nautilus inquired as her eyes narrowed a little.

He gave me a ridiculous challenge that I can’t tell anyone, but I have no idea how to do it. I explained. Nautilus snorted a little, seeming amused by it.

Sounds like Dha. Nautilus chuckled as she ruffled my hair a bit.

Why did Nil get to play a game or some based challenge and I get this ridiculous challenge? I don’t get how it proves anything to him or what he gets out of it. I ranted. Why? It was frustrating.

Dha i’ abou’ life. He don’ like thin’s that relate no’mally. Dha is known fo’ makin’ challenges abou’ relationships. Nautilus informed me.

Why? Why would a Lord care about that? I pressed as Helga was nearing her target.

He a sappy roman’ic drama queen tha’ likes inducin’ relationship drama be- oh. OH. Nautilus began explaining before turning crimson. Her eyes shot between me, her, and then Helga.

Not necessarily. I lied. If Nautilus deduced it on her own, did that count as me telling her?

Before I could ponder that great mystery, Helga had marched up to Nil looking furious. Nil looked at me confused as I mouthed the words ‘I’m sorry’ to him. Krahinn stood there, looked between everyone, and manifested popcorn out of nowhere. Oh, I hated Krahinn. He gleefully began eating the popcorn as he summoned a seat for himself. He hopped on it, making his nine eyes disperse so he had a great view of each of us. Nil saw that and I could see him internally wince as he knew this was not going to go well.

“How old are you, Crown Prince Nil?” Helga inquired in a tone that made me shiver.

“Seven?” Nil answered, trying to figure out why she was asking.

“Oh really? Luna is mentally older, and you just happen not to be?” Helga clarified. Nil’s eyes clicked as he realized what the question was.

“Luna, you are mentally older? What? Is that why you befriended me?” Nil deceived with no hesitation. HOW DID HE KNOW WHAT TO DO?!

“Crown Prince Nil, I know your scheming tone. You both are.” Helga informed him as her face began looking angry.

“What do you mean? I am in shock.” Nil continued while acting like the world was spinning around him. Krahinn seemed openly amused by this before something clicked in his head.

“Dang. This would be fun to watch, but Luna you need to win that wager with Dha on the off-chance Nil succeeds in our game.” Krahinn sighed as he made the popcorn vanish.

“What do you mean?” Nil checked, seeming confused.

“Actually, I got about thirteen seconds of fun. Helga, Nil is about thirty something mentally. He knew everything he was doing as he tormented you.” Krahinn informed Helga. Nil glared at Krahinn as Helga hit the sky.

“Why?! I know I dropped you once as a baby, but what did I do to deserve your and Lux’s torment?! Did you have to make my job so difficult?! You knew better! And you still did it! Was it funny to you?! Why would you ris-“ Helga began before Krahinn put his hand in her face to cut her off.

“Times up. Dha considered Nautilus figuring something out as a loss. Don’t resist Nil, I need to borrow your and . Luna, thank me later.” Krahinn explained as Nil glared at me.

Without a word, Krahinn put a hand on Nil and me. Nil’s eyes began glowing, as his began forming something; a truly massive amount of his actually. Wait, I knew this . There was no way Nil could currently cast it. Krahinn seemed calm as massive circles began appearing. Nautilus and Helga both looked on, trying to figure out what he was about to cast. I went to protest, but suddenly Nautilus and Helga were missing. Nil looked uncomfortable as he gazed at Krahinn in awe. Did Krahinn just rewind time? Didn’t the stop that? Nil summoned it as he apparently thought the same thing. His face looked relieved upon seeing nothing had changed. Once the relief was over, Nil glared at me.

“Why did Helga ask me that?” Nil demanded, looking upset.

“I panicked and made a mistake. I’m sorry Nil.” I apologized. Krahinn cleared his throat with an overly dramatic ahem.

“Thank you Krahinn.” I added on. It felt weird to be thanking him.

“I don’t want more people to know yet.” Nil pouted. I walked up and hugged him.

“I’m sorry, I’ll be more careful. I was frustrated and it unintentionally affected you.” I told Nil as he hugged me back.

“It’s fine. Just, please give me a heads-up next time.” Nil requested as he nuzzled me.

“So sweet; a real tearjerker moment. Luna, I won’t be helpful like that twice. Savor this.” Krahinn interjected. Wait, why did Krahinn not count?

“I’m an . We aren’t exactly anchored in time, so I don’t count in that regard.” Krahinn lectured as he made his eyes anchor back to his face.

“Why did ya summon th’ lass?” Nautilus inquired as she and Helga walked over, looking annoyed.

“I felt like it. Wait, you wouldn’t understand that. Oi, I fel’ like i’ cause lil grublin Nil neede’ some pep.” Krahinn mocked with a fake smile projected on his face.

Nautilus and Helga sighed as they motioned for me to follow them away from Krahinn. I could hear Nil ask how Krahinn cast that as Krahinn reverted to his unhelpful self. I was a bit surprised he helped being honest. Now I knew if Nautilus figured it out from something I did it counted as a loss. I doubt I can ask Krahinn to rewind time for me to trial run this challenge. I was fairly confident he was serious when he stated there wouldn’t be a second time. I sighed as we returned to my combat lessons; Helga was giving Nautilus a flirty gaze as we walked. Maybe I should start with figuring out how to tell Helga I was mentally older. What would the best starting point be? Dha wanted me for his entertainment. That totally does not make my blood boil. Still, it was a somewhat useful piece of information. I still had no idea how to approach this however.

A horrid thought crept into my mind as I debated what to do. Krahinn doesn’t count. I hated the idea of asking him for help, but it might be a starting point. That was something I could try later. Now was for learning how comfortable the ground could be. Would it kill Nautilus to hold back just a little? Several hours of her torturous lessons later, I finally had a break. Thankfully, Krahinn was easy to locate. Why was he on top of the castle? I sighed as I augmented my body to scale the building up to where he was. I wish I could . Blasted Crowthornes and their , getting to just conveniently travel where they want. As I began my ascent, one of his crimson eyes followed behind me, watching me struggle up the castle. It took me a solid twenty minutes to get to where Krahinn was waiting, looking leisurely over Umbra. He was grazing on the popcorn he had earlier without turning to face me.

“Krahinn, I had a few questions.” I said sheepishly.

“Oh? Does someone want the insight of the great Krahinn?” Krahinn asked in a mocking tone.

“Yes.” I confessed before Krahinn began laughing.

“After someone thought such rude things about me? You were quite disrespectful you know.” Krahinn taunted. He definitely didn’t strike me as the forgiving type.

“I just have no idea where to start.” I stated, hoping he was in a generous mood.

“Luna, you were quite correct. I am not the forgiving type. Grudges, spite, and pettiness are where I excel. Be grateful I rewound time.” Krahinn informed me with no hesitation.

“I’m sorry for how I acted and thought.” I apologized. Krahinn began chuckling.

“Hollow apologies no matter how regretful you currently are will get you nowhere.” Krahinn retorted as he bent the space around him, so I was now in front of him.

“It’s not hollow. I. You were quite rude, and I still shouldn’t have but.” I rambled. Krahinn seemed to genuinely start laughing.

“Luna, you seem to be mistaken; you don’t need to justify your bad behavior to me. It doesn’t matter how rude I am, I am a King. I am someone who has a status that vastly exceeds yours. Being Nil’s precious little side piece might get you some nice privileges, but those are out of courtesy to him, not you.” Krahinn mocked me between laughs. I took a deep, composing breath. Empty thoughts. Empty thoughts.

“Aren’t those of high status obligated by their prestige and position to lead by example?” I challenged. Krahinn laughed much harder for a second, before radiating this odd sadness. He sighed before resuming his laughter, but it sounded dejected.

“Not bad, but not something I personally believe in.” Krahinn informed me.

“Why did you sound sad? What did I remind you of?” I probed. Krahinn’s eye that was following me began glaring intensely.

“None of your business.” Krahinn snarled. His tone made it apparent that I needed to drop it or else.

“Could you please give me a hint? Something to work off of?” I pleaded. Krahinn’s real laugh returned.

“No.” Krahinn stated immediately.

“Thanks for your time.” I sighed as I began mentally preparing to scale back down. Then I was standing in one of the courtyards with Krahinn smirking.

“See, I am helpful.” Krahinn taunted. His was so ridiculously smooth it was unnerving. Nil can augment his with time, Krahinn is just that skilled at .

“Flattery will get you nowhere.” Krahinn teased me, his fake smirk painted on his face.

“Wasn’t trying to flatter you; your is just smooth to an unsettling degree.” I told him. Krahinn gave me a sure gaze that was aggravating as he stroked his chin with his smoke hand.

“Maybe you should try reflecting on your past before groveling to me for the answer.” Krahinn mocked as he vanished into thin air. I let out a sigh as I began walking back to my lessons.