Chapter 2: Suffering

The Ebony who called herself a hero started to climb the ladder out but paused as she heard movement behind her.

"Well I must say that hurt quite a lot." Ash said as he stood back up his head almost completely healed besides a few scratches.

The look on her face when she saw this was complete astonishment. Nothing has survived one of her punches before let alone a demon who where weak physically.

"H-how are you not dead? I'm sure I shattered you head into prices." She questioned as she dropped back down.

"Oh that's a simple answer." Ash said with a kind smile not at all fazed by the pain he just went through. "I'm immortal in the literal sense, after all I am the first."

The girl began to laugh. "Immortal? Only the gods are immortal no you must be a lich or some kind of undead bound to a spell or curse. But don't worry you'll be free if I use a purification spell on you." She held her arms out and cast the spell a blinding holy light filled the warehouse, and faded after a few seconds but ash still stood there although he was rubbing his eyes a little.

"Miss although I am a rather pale looking man I am not undead." Ash said giving a bow. "My name is Ashen named after the first ash from a volcano I am the first of the demon kind, and you are?" Ash said glanching at her from the bowed position.

The girl didn't know what to say or do in this situation, because if he was telling the truth she could not win this fight no man could. "U-um I am Jane the hero of the kingdom of Darnec." Jane said playing along for now.

Ash's face seemed to scrunch up for a second. "Miss jane the Darnec kingdom has been gone for nearly two hundred years."

"No, no I was just there two days ago before I was captured by the slavers." Jane said taken back by his words.

"I'm serious miss jane I was there when it fell, because it fell by my hand." Ash said his voice becoming dark

A massive wave of magical energy radiated off him jane began to choke from it.

"Y-you destroyed my home." Her eyes filled with tears as she assumed she was going to die, but then the energy suddenly vanished.

"Yes I did the ruler was cold and ruthless using people as pawns and attacking neighboring kingdoms. I had to do something." Ash said walking towards the later. "Clearly either you leapt through time or was frozen in it, but either way the world is different now, we are at peace and I the former demon lord, is dead." He said climbing out.

Jane just looked at him in bewilderment not sure how to take this the magic he is talking about is impossible at least for anyone human. "Did you freeze me in time during our battle?" She spoke slowly.

Ash looked away. "Yes I did a young lady such as yourself shouldn't have to suffer because of adults, in this world at this time you can live a peaceful life unlike the one that was filled with war and bloodshed." He said walking away.

Jane quickly climbed out and hurried after him. "Why all my friends and family are dead because of you!" She yelled at him.

Ash stopped and looked towards her. "Jane the hero slayed the Demon lord in the battle of Darnec, the only deaths were the royals, me, and the hero jane who sacrificed her life for peace." He turned towards her. "Your friends and family lived on mourning your death and grew old thanking you. There graves are in your home town of Hutch, and currently that's were their great grand children live."

Jane looked at ash shocked but then she caught his eyes they were filled with such sadness such lose. "Y-you have lost so much haven't you." Jane was no longer a hero right now she was someone who was alone and saw someone far more lonely then her.

Ash gave a sad smile "yes I have lost all my family, all my loved ones the world I once known, all that's left is this world now and all the defendants of the people I once knew."

Jane walked forward and stopped a few feet from him. "How old are you? How much time have you spent alone?" Something compelled her to ask.

"I have lost count of my age but if I were to guess I have spent a few million years alive, and as for how long I've been alone a few hundred years less then that. After a few centuries I tried killing myself, but no matter the outcome magic overload, decapitation, and even throwing myself into a volcano. I always healed I always came back" Ash said and turned walking towards the exit.

Jane didn't know what to say, in front of her was the man who caused her people so much pain, but at the same time he has suffered far more then everyone combined.

"I'm sorry." Was all she could muster out.