Chapter Four

It was quiet for days unsettling Ming An for a very long time. He didn't hear word of a demoness no matter how far he sent his people. Where the hell did that woman go? "There is no signs of her in the far north villages either, my lord." Ming An was annoyed and swung his cup of tea at his men's feet. "Just one demoness and you cannot find her?!"

The Black Lion head kept his head lowered to the ground. Manager Su nervously knocks on the door, "What is it? Didn't I tell you to not disturb me?!" Manager Su sweats bullets as his voice trembles from fear as he reports. "L-Lord M-Ming An, Wa-Wangye is here." Ming An irritated rests his head in his hands for a second to massage his temples. "What does the hell does he want now?" Manager Su was not use to such a crude and inelegant master.

But proving his worth the man adapts quickly, "Lord Ming, Wangye has come seeking information on the eastern border lines." Ming An sent a sharp look at the Black Lion's. "I will deal with you all later. For now, go back." His tone was low and barely concealed his anger at their failure. The Black Lion obediently vanish from the spots they kneeled from.

He keeps recalling demoness who did not allow him near her. The calm smile as she tells him she lost control of her body. The words she shouts out of madness as the demon's call took over. "Ming An, I need your help." Zhu Rong for the first time had a sleep deprived and serious look on his face when he walks inside. Ming An hid the frown behind his fan, "What in the world happened to you?" Zhu Rong's shoulders fall in defeat as he sat down heavily in the chair across from him.

"Yue'er...ran away." Ming An's brow rose, he was only slightly surprised by this. But seeing how devastated his friend was he still shows sympathy. "I see, what is it you wish for me to help you with?" Zhu Rong seemed relieved when Ming An says this giving him a grateful expression. "When she left, she had written saying she wants to return to her home town one more time. She said she misses her grandfather but...but the eastern borders have already been over run by demons." Ming An's smile froze over and his mind raced. Zhu Rong doesn't notice his partner's dilemma as he continues to explain.

"For no reason at all it seems a rise in activity has caused a steady rise in demons on the eastern borders. It seems like they have all gathered all together but for what reason we don't know. Demons are solitary creatures so we never expected such dangerous creatures to have ever attack all at once. It was so sudden the news didn't not get out until a few leading demons managed to reach the village just one fort away from the capital." Qurin, just what have you done? Ming An's fan is slapped onto the table when he stood up suddenly confusing Zhu Rong. "You heard him, go to the east village immediately. When you find her, do not approach. Report back to me right away."

The Black Lion's respond firmly, "Yes master!" Zhu Rong shows he was startled, "You are lending me the Black Lion squad?" Ming An smiles tightly at him, "No, I have something that needs to be found. You have my support, Zhu Rong. But I do not have the resources or time to help you currently. I apologize." Zhu Rong was stunned by Ming An's cold rejection. His eyes show fury but he close them before gritting out frustrated. "She took the demon dagger!"

Ming An's mind and body suddenly shook, he had forgotten that dagger. To think that blasted monstrosity he created was going to be in the same place where Qurin was. Ming An felt a sudden blast of helplessness and fear. "Does she plan to stop the horde of demons herself?" Zhu Rong answers through gritted teeth, "I don't know." The man spares no time and orders his people as he exits the room.

"We leave for the eastern borders immediately!" Ming An's hand found the horn in his hands instead his fan, he stares at the horn blankly as if surprised he still had it. His lip's shakily raise into a twisted grin of confusion, anger, and realization. "H-Ha a-ha..." He cared for her? A demoness? A monster? As he held her horn he laughs at himself with self depreciation.

"Impossible, I would never have....." Qurin's sad amber eyes as she stares at him flutters in his mind. Her gentle laughter as she laughs the pain away. The way she smiles even though he had every intention to kill her. The way she tells him how to kill her the easiest way. You did that to her. No, I didn't. I did not do that to her. You turned her into a demon! He had only given her that choice, he did not think anyone would be stupid enough to take the entire vial.

Liar. You saw the look in her eyes. You knew she would do anything you asked of her from the moment you laid your eyes on her. "I did not!" He roars slamming the wall furiously his face red his green eyes full of murder. Manager Su stood outside the door shaking like a cornered rabbit. Ming An suddenly regains his sanity and his expression that was earlier full of so much anger turned tranquil. He examines his broken hand with the eyes of a bystander. The memory of the one armed demoness flutters in his mind. With calm decisive movements Ming An with his unbroken hand moves to grab his sword. Manager Su seeing his master's icy gaze, and the way he grabbed his sword with his free hand and had a bad premonition. "Master NO!"

Manager Su bravely stops Ming An from unsealing his blade. But he was kicked away before he managed to even touch Ming An. Coughing blood Manager Su could feel his insides heaving with pain. But he still did his best to call out to his master who was not thinking with his mind at the moment. "Master! Please! Do not harm yourself!! Your hand can heal! You can heal!!!" Ming An froze and then glares at Manager Su sneering. "You dare tell me what to do?" Manager Su chokes on his blood and begins having a coughing fit, unable to answer Ming An's question. Ming An laughs almost maniacally, a trace of madness in his eyes. "Qurin did not heal!"

With no one to stop him Ming An crazily grins at his hand and unsealed his sword. As he raises it above his head a strong arm stop him from swinging it down. "Tsk, so much trouble for a human. The Queen is wasting efforts." Ming An's eyes flash and he turns the blade against the intruder. The demon had a horn as long as his arms resembling a unicorns shining brilliantly at Ming An. His eyes were bright red and his claws and wings like Qurin, were as black as night. His upper body was exposed showing the battle scars the demon received throughout his years.

His bottom half hidden by a pair of black trousers. Ming An narrows his eyes at him, "You, who are you?" The demon had a lazy expression on his face and scans Ming An up and down. Spitting to the side he sneers, "Just a pretty boy. Don't know what the queen sees in him." Queen? Ming An questions him calmly as if he wasn't going mad just a few seconds ago. "Are you speaking of Qurin?" The demon laughs, "Qurin? Who the hell are you calling "Qurin"? As I thought, you humans are clueless to whats truly happening behind your backs. So ignorant hahahaha!"

He grins with teeth as sharp as knifes, his red eyes have not a single trace of humanity. "No, we serve under the mighty queen, Hēiyè. The Black Star." Ming An's mind raced with this information given to him. "The black star..no..Qurin is..she couldn't be." The demon watches as the man seemed to have a semi melt down. His emotions fighting with his rationality. The black star? He had unwittingly released the black star? It cant be!! If she was the black star..Qurin cannot be the black star!!

Her gentle smile and beautiful amber eyes always watching him sadly. The way she held his hand as she willingly passes him her horn. A weapon capable of killing her...She cannot be the black star!

The demon grins when he saw the human falter in his stance and his shoulders sag as if he had been hit with the most devastating news. She was not wrong. The man really is losing his mind. He enjoys the show for awhile longer before calling out carelessly.

"You, human, its best if you forget the human shell called "Qurin". The Black Star will soon take over the capital and become our queen and true ruler." He spreads his arms out laughing with mad joy. His red eyes seeing a illusion of his queen and her army of servants burning the city of humans down. "She will be victorious..." Ming An was still stunned by the news, he didn't understand. How? Why?

The demon chuckles seeing his confusion. "Don't worry, and sit tight little human. Maybe, if you are obedient when we make our way here. A nice perverted demon will take you in as a pet. Hahahah!!" Ming An leaps forwards with his sword aimed at the demon's neck. His eyes filled with anger, but the demon only smirks at him before turning to smoke. Swinging his blade Ming An hit nothing but air and growls frustrated. "Qurin where are you?!"

~

The demoness sat with her legs crosses on her throne. She taps her long claws on her armrest as her underlings wait upon her with infatuated gazes occasionally throw her way. At the end of her dark hall that reeked of blood came another demon. The underlings eagerly await the approaching demon's mess up. They wanted the one arriving to make a mistake.

They wanted the newcomer to witness their beautiful queen's madness personally. Their beautiful queen!! But when spotting the demon entering, the underlings cower instead. The male demon strolled in boldly without looking their way. The demoness on the throne who was resting her head upon her claws, slowly brought her eyes from the black throne to the new arrival. Seeing the male demon come in without a care the demoness sat up straight almost sluggishly.

"Kuáng..." Her beautiful, cold, warped voice spoke outloud making her underlings shiver with delight. With speed faster than light feathers shaper than knifes suddenly impale themselves into the spot where Kuáng once stood. The male demon had properly dodge and kneeled at her feet kissing her long claws as if they were sacred. He grins roguishly up at her even as her mismatched eyes stare down at him coldly. "My queen. I come bearing the news you wish for. This loyal subject begs for you're forgiveness for being disobedient." He brings news of Ming An? The voice which had been gone since she left Ming An returns happily.

Hēiyè's gaze remains unmoved, slowly turning her claws up from his, she lightly trails a long dangerous finger along his neck. His eyes swirl with infatuation and happiness even when his neck begins to flow with a stream of blue blood. "Kuáng, tell me, do you see me as a being moved by pretty words like those detestable humans?" Kuáng grins madly, his expression growing if not even more infatuated with her. "No, my quee-en.."

He chokes on his next words as a hand pierces his gut through his back. A river of blue begins to flow from her throne towards the bottom mixing with the older blood of other victims. Hēiyè's hand slowly pulls from his stomach as the demon doubles over coughing blood over her legs. The demoness does not let it rest as she gently tilts Kuáng's face up towards hers. She smiles lovingly, her red eye dancing with madness. Her amber one showing a beautiful sign of sympathy.

"Such loyalty you have shown indeed. This is my reward to you." Her lips lightly brush the corner of his causing the demon's mind to work a hundred miles per hour. If he had a heart it would of bursts from his chest out of joy. The demoness pulls away after a moment of lingering seductively before tossing him from her claws. Kuáng held his stomach together as it slowly heals back up. Though being stabbed the wound regenerates as fast as a small scratch. Despite being injured by their queen's own hands, to think she was still so powerful as to lend him her own energy.

The male demon smirks at the underlings watching as their red eyes burn with jealousy of her favoritism of him. Hēiyè goes back to leaning back in her throne flicking off his blood from her arm lightly. "Report, Kuáng. Before I take back my gift." Kuáng stores a lingering strand of energy from his queen inside himself relishing the feel of her power inside his own flesh and bones. The demon doesn't make her wait and properly kneeled at her feet once more.

"It seems as if some of the demons in charge of killing any survivors from reporting our forces invading the kingdom have let a few loose." It is not about Ming An. Hēiyè chuckles, it sounded dangerous but addictive to his ears all at once. "Is that so? I hope you have dealt with them properly?" Her blood stained arm goes back to tapping her arm rest leisurely. He smiles to himself, his head still bowed to his queen. "Of course, my queen. But it seems as if we have a little pest, a human claiming to be the savior of humans is wielding a blade crafted from our scales."

The entire hall bursts into guffaws holding their stomachs and laughing up a storm. Even Hēiyè chuckles with amusement, "Savior of humanity?" So she has shown herself already? "The demons retreated after she killed one of our ranks. They say she knows poisons and uses them against us." Hēiyè's eyes sparkle prettily as she lifts up her arm unfazed by the news. "Hmm? Is that so?" Kuáng uses his eyes to glare at the underlings as one of the demoness eagerly approaches with a wet hand towel to help clean his queen.

The demoness had two horns that did not even hold a candle to the queen's single horn. She did not even have wings and dares to touch my beautiful queen?! But his glare was ignored, as in the presence of Hēiyè he could easily be out shone. The demoness coyly washes his queen's blood stained arm fluttering her lashes at her. Hēiyè's eyes flicker back to Kuáng who was distracted glaring at the demoness boldly hugging her arm while cleaning it. "It seems you do not appreciate my gift enough." Kuáng is brought back into attention and instead fixes his glare towards the ground. "No, pardon this loyal servant for his rude behavior my queen."

She turns her gaze back to her tapping claws. "Continue." Kuáng doesn't hide his jealousy but he still faithfully finishes his report. "The human has received attention from the remaining forces of the human emperor. They plan to hold their ground at the last fortress before the capital walls where the human emperor hides. As we speak they are mobilizing their entire force there, thousands of humans await our march."

Hēiyè thoughtfully hums, Kuáng waited for her orders but when he glances up and saw she was still lazily in thought he spoke up. "My queen, I can take on a thousand little humans on my own. I say we march on and show them our strength and make them watch as their comrades guts pour out from them like a river." His white fangs grin like a wild untamed beast. Hēiyè drawls uninterestedly, "No, you will take my half my court and head to battle from the west. The rest of my court under Shada shall take the south as they shall not expect it. Those humans have no idea how many court members I have."

Kuáng hearing her order curiously asks, "My queen, who will lead our men to take the east?" She stood from her throne, her large wings cover the sky from his position even folded as they were behind her back. The demoness still boldly follows after her like a dog wagging its tail. Kuáng stood with her and snarls at the underling who also snarls back fighting to stand by Hēiyè's side. "Shada." Hēiyè ignores the snarling dogs by her side and calls out faintly. It only took a moment before a third demon simpers to Hēiyè.

Taking her hand he kisses the back of it in a gentle manner. The demon had a unempathetic expression unlike Kuáng who loved to show a grin full of bloodlust openly. But even though his expression doesn't show anything he still grovels at Hēiyè's feet. His voice unlike a demons mimic one of a lover towards Hēiyè. "My Queen." Unlike other demons he had a single horn that was large and powerful looking. It also gave the handsome demon a elegant edge that attracted even more females to fall for his tricks. Perhaps out of them all he found Hēiyè's single horn more beautiful than anything in their realm.

The stub where her other horn use to be did not make his heart ache but brought him joy that he was more like his queen than the other demons ever could be. Hēiyè allows him to have his moment, "You will take my court towards the south as I have ordered. The one leading east shall be me." Unlike the other demons, Shada did not grow excited and lick his lips in anticipation of her slaughtering of the human forces. Instead the demon was smarter than that, his red eyes narrow at her fingertips.

Hēiyè sensing his unease smiles, "You have something to say?" Her voice gentle and almost loving were her eyes not showing displeasure. Kuáng sneers at the demon after tossing the demoness who still tried to stay beside their queen across the hall. "Shada you question our queen's decision?!" Hēiyè only glances his way and the male demon grit his teeth stepping back fuming. If there was a contest on who the queen favored the most in the hall, it would no doubt be the wild powerful Kuáng. But, when it came to who the queen liked the most...Kuáng knew he fell short more than a few feet from the male demon who was still allowed to hold his queen's beautiful blue hand.

"My queen, if you would allow me a few words in private." This time Kuáng could not follow her silent order and roars a challenge at Shada. "YOU DARE COVET OUR QUEEN?!" But he was block from approaching the male by a wall of black feathers that cocooned the two. "My queen!!" He protests eyes still blazing with the intent to murder Shada. But the demoness in the bubble of feathers pretends to not hear him her eyes focused on the male demon Shada who stood in front of her. "My queen, this loyal subject wishes to fight in the east by your side." Hēiyè shows amusement smiling at him, "You do not believe in my strength?"

Shada's red eyes show his feverish loyalty as he protests. "It is not that my queen! I just fear the filthy blood of dogs will stain your fair skin! I cannot bear to allow their inferior blood touch even a inch of your body!" For them to get the honor of touching a single part of his queen's body as she murders them.... he cannot allow it! They are unworthy to even die by her hands! The beautiful demoness smiles at her devotee. "No." Shada was distressed and in his heart felt endless worries. "But my queen!!"

Hēiyè brings her hand up to caress his cheek making the demon become shell shocked. "My dearest Shada, out of all my subject you have proven to be the most loyal. To follow me from birth till now, out of them all you are the only demon dear to me." Shada felt shame as his past actions were mentioned. He had discovered his queen when she had been born into a human body. But because he coveted her and her beauty he did not share her location to the rest of her court. Instead he watched her from a distance, allowing her to go through trial after trial.

Although he was obsessed with her beauty, he held no affection or attachment to her yet. If she died he would of merely collected her corpse and feel it was a shame she wasn't strong enough to live out till she could rule the demon realm. But now, it was different. His queen had undergone the trial of fire and awoken. He would die for her! "My queen..." Hēiyè laughs seeing the undemonic like expression on his face that was the closest Shada could get to actually feeling sadness. "The day you had taken me from the red carriage, it was the day everything changed. Although you did not explain, it was odd seeing a demon taking me from the fate of dying in a loveless marriage. But I was never afraid."

Shada recalls his queen's human form, even then she was so beautiful he wanted to tainted her with the black star's powers himself. Hēiyè taps his cheek tenderly before letting her hand fall. "You, more than anyone, know that the battle must be between me and the Blue Star only." Shada still protests, "But my queen! Why?! It is only a human!! Even if he is the Blue Star he is not worthy of your attention!"

Hēiyè chuckles, "Silly Shada, do you not see what I have become?" She taps her amber eye that still show the sorrow in her life. The eye that remembers. Shada brings his gaze to the last part of his queen that retained humanity. "This eye, this eye sees everything, it still remembers." We still remember.

The amber eye as if once more recalling her human life cries blue blood. "Try as I might, never in my entire life will I be able to erase what this damned eye saw. It will root the last bit of humanity that remains in this body by killing me even if it must." Shada snarls at the amber eye as if it were his bane. "My queen, we can complete the ritual. If my queen took the blood oath with one of her court-" Hēiyè waves her hand while again letting out a haunting laugh.

"The blood oath will kill me. Did I not just state this eye will kill me to stay human? Unless, Shada you wish to take my throne?" Her eyes flash dangerous making Shada gulp and kneel at her feet quickly. "Of course not my queen! This lowly servant would never think of it!" She pets his head with a satisfied expression. "Good child. When I kill the Blue Star, only then will this eye acknowledge my demon blood. When the time comes, just wait and see." You always know how to lie in my steed, Hēiyè.

Shada was left in his thoughts and frustrations as the curtain of feathers lowers. Kuáng hurries to her side anxiously, "My queen!" Hēiyè's expression was a lazy one, she orders lazily. "We set off to the humans. I sense they are getting anxious to have their throats cut open." Kuáng sneers at the still kneeling Shada as he follows their queen as she spreads her wings for flight. Shada's fist clenches tight as he fights the lingering doubts he had towards his queen's words. Will she be able to kill him?