Where Am I?

Hello, hello….

Hello,hello….

Hellooo!!

James opened his eyes.

"Where am I?"

"So you are awake, demon slayer."

James was looking everywhere to find who is talking to him.

"Down here."

James looked down and saw a wooden doll in front of him waving its hand at him.

"You looked like you have a nice dream."

"Who are you?" asked James.

"Me? Oh, perhaps the name Pupiar rings a bell? Greetings, demon slayer, for I am Pupiar, Master Magicians, Master Puppeteer, Master of Thousand Voices and Master of Disguize, pleasure to meet you, Demon Slayer."

Poof, a cloud of smoke appear in front of him and a guy with clown make up on was standing in front of him.

"You looked down. How about I put a smile on that face?"

The clown started juggling.

"3 balls."

"4 balls."

"6 balls. And now watch this. Three hands!" From his cloak, another hand appear and was juggling the balls as well.

"4 hands! 5 hands! 6 hands!"

"6 hands each ball, are you impressed, Demon Slayer. Want to know the secret to my trick?"

"Erm, not interested."

"Hahahaha, you are a funny guy!" he started to laugh. "And dangerous as well," his voice turned deep and dark. He took a seat in front of him.

"So, demon slayer, you don't seem to remember what happened so allow me to jog your memory a bit. You appear out of nowhere in this place which I have kept hidden from the public eyes for so many years, just like my magnificent magic trick which still confused the crowd every time they see it. I am so great, am I right? So how in the fuck you manage to sneak your way into here?"

"I don't know."

"Hmm, it's either you are a good liar which is a good trait for a magician to have by the way," while he was talking, he took out a poker cards and started shuffling it and playing with it. "Or you seriously don't know how you end up here."

"I seriously don't know how I end up here.'

"Hmm, okay then, I trust you, just like how I trusted you back then ago. We meet before, do you remember?"

"I don't remember?"

"Seriously?" his tone felt dejected for some reason. "You don't remember the weird shadow which is talking to you in the woods. You saved two little girls from being eaten by a big bad wolf? Don't remember?

James started to remember.

"Ah, your face told me you finally remember. Good. You know, I take up many personas in my life time. I am a good actor, you know that."

"Good to know."

"So, since you are here, are you going to kill me now. Am I next in line in your killing list?"

"…." James did not answer. Pupiar took out a deck of tarot cards and started shuffling it. He took out one of the card and showed it to James.

"Ah, the Fool, a suitable card for someone like you and me. We are all Fools in this world. Fun fact, I actually don't know anything about reading fortune. I just really like the design of this card and just simply messing around with people."

He cracked into laughter. James wasn't laughing.

"So tell me, if I release those ropes around you right now, will you kill me straight? Are you going to aim for the head or are you going straight to the heart?" He made a heart shape in front of his chest.

James tried to move his hands but it was tied tightly.

"I am a master magician after all , so don't underestimate my tying skills. Hey, I even added a ribbon for decorative purposes so that it won't give such a depressing vibe. Look at how cute this ribbon is. It has a three bears on it. Isn't it just cute!

He coughed.

"Oops, slightly off topic here...back to the serious topic, I knew my days are numbered. It won't be long before my head is going to be chopped off by one of you guys. And don't worry, mark my words, I will release you but please just listen to this request of mine."

He took a deep breath.

"Please don't kill the demons that are living here."

He claps his hand together and bowed in front of James to make his plea.

"What?" James was taken aback.

"If demon lords are what you are aiming for then only killing me is enough. The demons that are living here all wanted a second chance in their lives. They wanted to get rid of their demons way and start to become human again. But society itself has rejected their existence and has condemned them for existing. They are trying to become humans again, one step at a time. Although it may sounds stupid but all of them are trying. Even though it might be an impossible task for a demon to pose as humans again, but look at them, they are all trying. They are all hoping for that day to come. This place you are stepping in right here is a small pocket world hidden away from the world. It is a place where demons who are not interested to act like a demon resides. This is the only place they can call their home. So please, demon slayer, spare them, have mercy. I, Pupiar, swore to them that I will protect this place from harm."

"Then, continue protecting this place then," said James.

"What? That was totally unexpected. Weren't you driven to wipe off the entire demon kind from the face of the earth. I mean that's what I was told about you. So now you are okay with letting demon lives? Are you trying to fool me?" He squinted his eyes.

"I am not trying to fool you. I have no interest in killing people who is trying to change their evil nature. But I will kill if they can no longer suppress their evil nature."

"Hmm, you seemed to have changed, demon slayer. You don't have those hatred eyes anymore. Now…it looks more….empty…."

"Besides, you are not a demon, aren't you?"

"What do you mean? I am a demon alright. Can't you see these weird looking arms?"

A tentacle grows out from torso. Not only that, there is also a baby, a small horse and a chimpanzee arms.

"And look at my face."

He swapped to a disfigured face and then later on, changed it to a blank face and then later changed it to a horse face.

"Can a human do all this?"

"A normal human can't, but a Master Magicians, Master of Thousands Voices and Master of Disguise plus, a prominent Soul User, can."

Pupiar was speechless and he started to laugh. It wasn't the clown type of laughter. But it was a normal laugh.

"Oh well, guess you have seen through one of my tricks. But who am I kidding, in terms of sniffing out demons, I am facing the worst possible person to fool around with. But I still have many tricks up my sleeves."

He literally pulls up his sleeves and then a lot of pigeons flew out from it.

"Can you untie me now?"

"Sure. Abracadabra."

Nothing happen.

"JK, I am just messing with you."

He snapped his finger and the rope untied themselves.

"So now, I am going to send you back to the main world. But I am curious though, you are letting me, a man who is on the list of demon lords go, just how are you going to explain to your superior about it? Isn't it your mission to kill them all or you will face punishment?"

"I will think about it when the that times come. But for now, I still have a few bad demons to hunt."

"Oh well then, wish you all the best and godspeed."

Pupiar flapped his cloaked and a strong blow against James. James has to shield his eyes from the wind and when he can opened his eyes again, he found himself at an unfamiliar place.

"Where am I?" asked James as he stood around in the middle of a strange town. "And how far away is here from Yugoslav? I better find out."