Good Night

She felt cold and many small needles poking her skin.

She opened her eyes and saw the cloudy sky on top of her. It was raining lightly. The castle roof has been destroyed. She was drenched with rainwater.

She felt her back laying against the cold wet floor

"Am I dead?" she asked. It was cold and she can't move her body.

She turned her head to the left and found that the water has turned red due to the blood.

"How am I still alive?" asked Mary.

She turned her head to the right and saw a man lying down next to her.

Her eyes turned wide.

"James!"

Instinctively, her body reacted to the danger. Hence, she tried to jerk herself up but couldn't as the pain prevented her from doing so and her body was not in a good condition to move.

She lied back down and looked at the unresponsive James.

"I have to kill him!"

Mary gritted her teeth and slowly push herself up by mustering up whatever strength left within her.

She struggled as she lifted up a huge rock next to her. She wanted to slam the rock onto James' face.

"You monster…"

Her hand shiver as she was lifting up the rock. As she was steadying herself, a wave of pain roll all over her body. Her hand let go of the rock and it fell to her side and shatter into pieces due to the fall. Her body folded forward and she found her face just inched away from James.

With her face so close to James, she couldn't help but examining his face closely.

"So peaceful. Almost like a baby," she murmured and smiled gently. "Even when a demon is here to kill you, you are still sleeping peacefully."

She lied down and hugged James as she leaned her head against his chest.

"You are the first person to actually want to help me, you know. But what do you know about me? I bet the moment you know that I am a demon, you will kill me without hesitation. That's what you did, didn't you? But then, why didn't you kill me in the end?"

"...."

"Your heart is getting weaker; I can hear it. And I can feel my strength leaving me. Both of us are going to die here isn't it?"

"...."

Mary smiled.

"Who would have thought that I actually want to have a chance to get to know you more. I want to know about your story. What happened to you. Why did you become a demon slayer? And all that stuff. You wouldn't expect that, didn't you? A demon wanting to do all those human things. Well, to be honest, I didn't expect it either. But currently, that's what my heart wants. I bet nobody would believe me when suddenly I want to change who I am. But you don't seem to be that type of person. You are not, right?"

"..."

"I guess not. You are a kind person. I can feel it. I am not."

"..."

Hey….do you know that I used to be a human as well? But that's a long story. A long and terrible story. And for so long I have been crying for help, desperately waiting for a person to save me from my horrible situation. But nobody came in the end and I gave up my humanity to become a demon as a way to escape. I thought I have completely abandoned my past, I was no longer that naïve girl but it seems that wasn't true. I was just lying to myself. I didn't know I was in pain. Well, not until you came and told me that you are here to rescue me. I didn't know why, although it doesn't seem to be relevant at all after so long, but your words managed to stir something within my heart, although it was a bit small, it did manage to crack my demon heart."

"...."

"Hey, James," Mary pushed herself up and looked at James.

"There's no need for you to save me anymore. This world is pretty cruel. By killing me, one of the demon lords, a lot of people will be saved. Go and become a hero for other people who are still human. Promise me that, would you?"

"...…"

"I take that as a yes."

"...."

"Good. You know what, I am getting sleepy now."

The gradually loud heartbeat of James and the raindrops acted as a lullaby to Mary.

"Your body is so…. warm…. Good Night James…Sweet…dreams…."