A subway scandal -3

"I I was just hungry," the demon's cracking voice drew Zayden out of his thoughts. He raised his brow and observed the lowly creature keenly. It was just a wandering soul that had been trapped here for his sins. However, slowly his spirit had withered away, succumbing to the dark world that had turned him into a low-level demon.

But was he here alone? Or had someone else sent him as bait to test their theories? Zayden wondered, his eyes piercing through his thoughts.

"Well, how about I quench your hunger forever?" Zayden asked, taking a step forward. He smirked as the poor demon struggled to move from his spot.

"Plea... please spare me," the demon stuttered.

"Sadly, I cannot do that," Zayden laughed and raised his index and middle fingers. A flame circulated around their tips and he moved them, sending a wave of energy that encircled the demon and tied him like a rope.

"But I can make an exception for you," Zayden said as he walked to Ziana. "Show me the faces that led you to her and I will spare your life," he added, squatting in front of her.

Checking her temperature, Zayden quickly took off his coat and covered Ziana with it. Her body was extremely cold and she was shivering, unable to regain her senses. The terrible incident had almost damaged her soul, and he knew only his energy could heal her faster.

Holding her hands, he closed his eyes and directed his energy towards her. Their clasped hands glowed, illuminating in a magical purple hue that helped Ziana regain consciousness.

She breathed out loud, her eyes widening as something hit her nerves, forcing them to regain function. Ziana looked up and turned to the demon. A shiver ran through her spine as his grip still lingered over her shoulder. The way he had almost killed her made her whole body tremble in terror.

Her eyes stared at his intimidating red eyes before falling on their hands. She panicked, mistaking Zayden for the demon himself, and tried to jerk away from his touch. However, Zayden tightened his grip.

"It's me, Zayden," he reassured her with a smile. "Everything is fine now, relax," he added, gently squeezing her hands.

Ziana slowly recovered from her shock and realized his presence. Her eyes softened and she looked at him with relief. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. A feeling of peace and comfort washed over her as she looked at him. Holding onto his hands, she took another deep breath to steady her nerves.

"Can you feel your heartbeat?" Zayden asked, wondering if his energy was helping her.

Ziana closed her eyes and felt the thumping of her heart, strong and steady. Tears formed in her eyes and she nodded in relief. For a split second, her heart had stopped and she had thought she had died. But now, it was beating again, stronger this time, and that washed away her fear.

"That's good," Zayden said, breaking their connection. The light around their hands slowly vanished and he removed his right hand to place it over her back. Slowly helping her stand up, he looked over his shoulder and the demon gulped at his stare.

Ziana stumbled as Zayden helped her toward the seating area, her mind still reeling from the demon's attack. "Wh-what about him?" she asked, her voice trembling with anger and fear.

Zayden flashed her a playful grin, his voice carrying a hint of menace. "What do you want me to do?" he asked, turning towards the demon writhing in agony.

"Should I torture him to death or let him go?" He asked helping her sit on the bench.

Ziana stared at the demon who looked at her with a pleading expression. She wasn't a saint who would let people be punished by their fate. And this demon needed to pay for his sick mind games.

"Kill him," she mumbled, her fingers tightening around Zayden's arm.

Zayden smirked, pleased with her decision. He raised his arm, forming a ball of fire in his hand. With a flick of his wrist, a powerful blast of energy shot out, striking the demon with full force. The demon screeched in agony as its whole body burned in a fiery blaze.

Ziana looked away, horrified by the scene, but Zayden seemed unfazed. The demon cried louder, its screams echoing in the empty train as they crossed another tunnel. Zayden, however, kept his gaze fixed on the creature until its whole body turned black, revealing its demonic form.

Ziana gulped, fear radiating through her veins as she observed its features. Unlike its human form, it was now a lean black figure covered in slimy scales. Its skin was rough and cracked as if made of hardened ash that was melting like ice.

"Look away," Zayden ordered her, knowing that the scene was not suitable for humans like her. But for him, it was nothing new. He had seen the horrors of the deep, the place where the monsters of mankind's nightmares existed.

Ziana had never seen anything like this before. She was paralyzed with fear, her heart racing wildly. She complied and turned around, avoiding looking at the scene.

"Tell me who sent you here," Zayden demanded, his voice compelling the demon to reveal the truth.

The demon struggled to answer, his cries of pain echoing in the empty train. "N-No one," he managed to utter, his menacing screams making Ziana shiver in disgust.

Zayden raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "You expect me to believe that you came here on your own, just to satisfy your hunger?" he asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm. Ziana's eyes widened in shock. Was someone behind her life? But why?

The demon groaned in agony, his body melting from Zayden's attacks. "I swear, I was here on my own," he gasped, his voice raspy and weak.

Zayden frowned, unsure if the demon was telling the truth. He had a feeling that there was more to this than what the demon was letting on. He glanced at Ziana, who was still facing away from the gruesome scene. He knew he had to be careful not to scare her any further.

"How long until the next station?" he asked, turning towards Ziana. She checked the map and the announcement screen.

"We will arrive shortly."

Zayden nodded, pondering the different ways to destroy the demon. He could easily turn it into bubbling ash and disintegrate it, but he knew that would frighten Ziana to the core. She had already been through enough, and her body had no strength left to deal with such a gruesome sight. Besides, carrying her out if she fainted would be a hassle.

Closing his eyes, Zayden focused his energy and began to channel it in a different way. Instead of unleashing a destructive blast, he manipulated the magic in a more delicate manner.

The demon writhed on the ground as Zayden's magic seeped into its body. Its form started to twist and contort, and soon Zayden could see the telltale sign of ash beginning to form around the edges of its skin.

Zayden opened his eyes and watched as the demon's body was consumed by ash, which swirled around it like a maelstrom. But this time, the ash didn't disperse into the wind. Instead, it took on a completely different form.

Hundreds of butterflies, made entirely of pure ash, began to flutter into existence around the spot where the demon had been. They were delicate and captivating, each one a different shade of grey and black, with intricate patterns etched into their wings. They glowed with an inner golden light, their wings shimmering as they danced around in the wind.

Ziana watched as the ash butterflies flew away, their wings scattering bits of ash in the air. It was a mesmerizing sight, and for a moment, she forgot all about the terrifying demon that had just been vanquished.

Zayden grinned mischievously, pleased with himself for being so kind to Ziana. He had not only saved her life but also spared her the trauma of witnessing the grisly aftermath of a demon's demise.

And, of course, he couldn't let such an act of generosity go unrewarded. He'd have to find a way to make sure she repaid his kindness later. Maybe he'd make her do errands or be his date for Karina's engagement party. That would be a great deal!

"Attention passengers, we have arrived at Thornhill Station. If you wish to continue on this line, please remain on the train. If you need to transfer to another line, please exit the train and follow the signs to the appropriate platform. Thank you for riding with us, and have a pleasant day."

The train slowly came to a stop, and Zayden snapped his fingers. Suddenly, they were inside a carriage full of passengers.

Ziana gasped, looking around in shock. It had been empty just a second before, and unlike the earlier dark stations, this one seemed to be a normal station, with bright lights and bustling people.

"Come, let's go." Zayden said and walked towards the exit.

Ziana came out of her reverie and took her bag. She quickly got up and followed Zayden out.