Prologue

The sounds of her feet crunching the dried leaves on the forest ground and her heavy gasps were the only things she could sense.

Even the burning pain of countless cuts on her bare soles disappeared as adrenaline rushed through her veins.

How many minutes have it been since she started running off? She could not fathom it, as it already felt like a lifetime.

A lifetime of mindlessly running . . .

What did she ever do to deserve such punishment?

Punishment; she recalls living her entire life chained to it.

Will she ever be redeemed for the sins she did not commit?

The answer to that question was made clear when she took notice of what awaited her desperate venture: a cliff -- a dead-end.

A tear escaped her eye, but the wind lashing her face carried it away. How she wishes to be a droplet of water, easily precipitated into the atmosphere.

Now, she stares into the nothingness, devoid of hope.

"Seraphine."

That voice that never failed to make her tremble in fear, did not move her at all this time. Perhaps she's gone numb already, or she has finally accepted her fate.

"Kill me now, I beg of you," she coldly said with a straight expression, still not turning around to face him.

"You call that begging?"

A dense gush of wind brought her hair into her face, but it was then shoved away by a huge, rough hand. The heaviness of his touch is something she is well-accustomed to, but this face he's showing now is enough for all the courage she mustered up to fade away.

She took a step back, giving her a full view of the form he's displaying now.

That demon -- Azrael, the one her family released years ago, was the one she was offered as a sacrifice.

She already saw this appearance the first time he was summoned, but he retained a human-like form afterwards. . not until now.

His seven-feet-tall body is made afloat by a pair of enormous wings; his horns are twisted like those of a markhor; and his long, black hair follows the movement of the air.

"Has your false courage expired already? It seems like it."

She knelt down, as if agreeing to his statement, and spoke, "I-I don't want to go back. Please kill me instead."

"Hm? Hahahaha!" he burst into a loud laugh, rendering her confused and more frightened. "What do you take me for? I followed you not to help that cult out, I came here to take back my possession."

"That's just the same as taking me back to that hellish place! I'd rather die. . ."

"That place is not mine to stay in. But you are mine to stay with, Seraphine."

He's not with them, is that what he meant?

"What do you want?"

"It's I who shall ask you that. What do you want, my little fiend? Aside from dying, of course."

Despite her persistent desperation, Seraphine still considers the possibility that he's merely diverting her attention to give her family more time to find her. However, she had already run out of options to turn to.

"I. . I want to break free from this hell," she firmly declared.

"Really? Then I must tell you, this entire world is one huge hell. This island might be the safest place for a powerless human like you to be."

With all the suffering she was put through, is there still anything worse to expect out there?

Her own family murdered a hundred people to complete the ritual of summoning this demon in front of him. Afterwards, they offered her to complete the pact.

She has not seen daylight since then, as she was locked away from anything that could blemish her. All to keep her presentable and desirable to him.

"There's no other way for me to confirm unless. . ."

"Well, I could easily fulfill that for you. You've served me quite well these past years, but in exchange. . ."

His speech was interrupted by the enraged scream coming from the forest.

"Seraphine! You wretched rascal, come out now before we get to you!"

It was her mother.

Her heart clenches as she realizes it.

Seraphine's desperation has grown stronger. "W-what do you want me to do?"

"I'll give you five years of freedom, but you shall tend to me whenever I --"

It's only a matter of time until they get to her, bearing that in mind, she reaches for his arm and pleads. "I'll do anything! Now, get me out of this forsaken place!"

Azrael's lips curled into a devilish smirk. "Sure thing, my love."

In an instant, the two disappeared into thin air, leaving not a trace behind.