Demons are often dismissed as mere metaphysical figments, entities that exist only in folklore and fictional stories. Yet some still believe. In the study of Demonology, ancient scriptures whisper of such beings, of their dominion, and of the kingdom of hell itself.
In Volker-A1, reports began to surface. Locals spoke of horned silhouettes soaring through the night sky, their cries reverberating in the silence. Some officials even warned that these sightings could herald the end of days.
The news will return with more on a man who believes another metaphysical realm exists outside of ours.
Anna Leofric sat quietly in her living room, the white walls lightly polished, expensive carpets soft beneath her feet. She sipped coffee as the flat-screen television delivered its stories, her golden eyes—bright and uncanny—reflecting the light of the screen. Then, with a swift click of the universal remote, the screen went dark.
Time to head to work.
She rose from the sofa, brushing breadcrumbs from her black pencil skirt, checking her white turtleneck for any betraying stains. A sigh of relief escaped her lips—no spill. Her straight brown hair, neat and long enough to drape her back, swayed as she turned. Two years at Wenzel Cooperation in Volker-B1 had taught her to care about appearances. She adjusted herself one last time before stepping out.
The morning sun greeted her, warm and blinding, as she locked her small yet luxurious home in the east sector of Volker-B2. Around her stood similar houses—quiet, clean, guarded by stillness. She forced a grin at the sky, but it faded back into her usual solemn expression.
From the side lawn, the old woman, Miss Tillmann, raised a hand. "Morning neighbour!"
Anna returned the gesture with polite formality. "Morning!" Her smile lasted only until she stepped into her vehicle, where it crumbled into a sigh.
Eckhart | Volker-B2/A1 Boarder | September 11th 2022 | 6:56 AM
Eckhart—a city humming with work centres and life, positioned like a spine between Volker-B2 and A1. It stood as the border, the shield, the silent authority. Crime here was rare: petty thefts, stolen groceries, a mere five per cent of the ugliness found elsewhere.
Anna's mother always wanted to live in such a place before her death, but her dream was far beyond her pay grade. Now left with her younger sister, June, who lived in Volker-B1, that dream was of the past, and she didn't plan on living in it because of a dead woman.
As she drove through the straight asphalt, past polished storefronts and spotless homes, she marvelled despite herself. The city was beautiful—too beautiful. And then her phone rang.
Ring! Ring!
Anna froze for a second, her heart skipping a subtle beat. Still facing the road as she rummaged through her leather skin bag, where she took out a cellphone, the details read;
[June]
Anna sighed, clicking on the 'Answer' button. From her lips, she muttered the obvious word with a question mark.
"Hello?"
Her younger sister's voice came sharp, high-pitched, almost giddy. [Oh, hi Anna... been a long time now, hasn't it?!]
June Leofric—just shy of twenty, with raven-black dyed hair, heavy makeup, and burning orange eyes—sat comfortably in her Volker-A1 apartment. Mischief clung to her like a perfume.
"June," Anna said flatly, irritation seeping through. "I'm on the road. What do you need?"
[Well, if you're driving, I guess I'll—]
"No. Just talk. I don't have all day."
[O-okay then. The weekend's coming, and I was wondering if—]
"June, how much money do you need?"
[No! It's not money this time—]
"What, then?" Anna pressed, already sighing.
[Well, since the weekend is approaching and we've got nothing to do, I was hoping to come stay with you at Volker-B2, maybe hang out and talk about boys-]
Anna froze, her brows knitting in disbelief.
And then it happened.
Sh*t!
The vehicle swerved, stopping abruptly as she was about to join the first tragedy of the month. Holding her chest, Anna heaved, her breath heavy and ragged.
The cat stood still, unfazed by the chaos, as it gazed into Anna's eyes before stepping down from the windshield into a store worker's arms.
Anna glanced at the young man holding the cat, his dark-raven hair blocking his face as he bent forward. The lady squinted, trying to get a good look at the man.
Stepping down from her vehicle, she forced all the anger she could muster in her words, "Hey, what's your problem?!" she shouted, "Don't you know pets aren't allowed out in the streets?!"
Hearing the commotion, the small locals of Eckhart gathered, muttering to themselves. The store worker, dressed in casual clothing and a vest, making him an employee of 'Hallmart', rose to his feet after carefully carrying the animal in his arms, turning to face the woman.
Anna froze, the young man facing her, his dark-raven hair neatly combed and eyes that resonated softness.
It was Erik Feuer, the purple-eyed cat in his arms, with a look of simplicity on his face. Though he looked quite simple, his gaze was quite hypnotic, pulling Anna.
For a brief second, she could see someone else standing before her, the young man's eyes blinking from a dark to red light.
What was that just now? Anna gasped, her body jerking back.
"Oh," said Erik Feuer to the young woman whose voice sounded muffled, "I didn't see you there, ma'am. Apologies for my cat here, I didn't know she followed me to work, I can pay for the damages, if you want"
Anna shook her head, the strange feeling from the cat's gaze troubling her, those purple eyes flashing in her thoughts. Erik placed his hand on the young lady's shoulder, breaking her from her troubled thoughts.
Anna shook, finally coming back to reality.
"Huh?"
"Ma, are you okay?" Erik asked, "You seem stressed"
"Y... yeah, I'm fine," she muttered, "You know what, don't pay for the windshield. Just.... just make sure to watch over that cat"
"Sureee.." Erik replied awkwardly.
Anna retreated quickly, leaving behind confused murmurs, the stranger, and the cat whose eyes haunted her thoughts.
That whole day felt like a haze, Anna's thoughts shifting and bending as she tried to get herself. Back in her car, her hands trembled on the wheel. The memory lingered—his gaze, the cat's impossible eyes.
What was that?...
Was that even human? Could I be hallucinating?.....
No, dammit. You need to start taking those medications or your mind will deteriorate...
Erik Feuer stood silently, the purple-eyed cat nestled in his arms. His face hardened as he watched her leave. Turning, he slipped back into Hallmart, disappearing into the storeroom.
With a gentle toss, the feline was on the floor.
Poof!
A cloud of white dust swirled, and when it cleared, the cat was gone. In its place stood a petite young woman, pale as snow, with long white hair cascading around her small frame. Her beauty was undeniable, her radiant purple eyes weary with exhaustion.
Achoo!
The young woman sniffled, "Oh, seems you found me, my lord," she said in a groggy voice, wiping her nose with her hand.
In the kingdom of Feuermahl, he ruled with great cruelty, but he also had a soft spot, and that was for the feline. A stray cat embedded with which magic had wandered into his turf, and the great demon lord had decided to take her in.
But there was one problem he had: Naming her. Now she just went by 'Cat or Kat' based on how different people spelt it.
Erik sighed, calm but annoyed by Cat's interference in his job, "Cat, I believe I told you thousands of times that you must stay indoors at all costs," he said, his brows knitted.
She bowed deeply, panic in her tone. "S-sorryyy, lord! Please, don't make me sleep in the litter box again!"
"Huh?.... What are you talking about? We don't even have a litter box," Erik said, stuttering before his voice came out firm. "And stop calling me lord. My name is Erik."
But she dropped flat on the floor, muffled voice trembling. "Forgive me, I'm a failure. I should be punished. Strike me down, my lord—Erik!"
"Hey, that's enough—"
The storeroom door creaked open.
"Hey, anyone here?" called a customer.
Erik cast a sharp look at Cat. "Back to animal form. Now. We'll talk after my shift. And please don't blow my cover next time."
She obeyed with a pout, dust and fur swirling as she shrank back into her feline guise.
Left alone, her purple eyes glimmered with thought. She remembered Anna. Her ability to hypnotise mortals with a single gaze had never failed—except against Erik. Yet with Anna… something had been different.
Not human. Not demonic. Something bright. Warm. Burning brighter than the sun.
Could she be… a potential vessel?
Cat stroked her chin, her tail flicking.
I must tell Master Erik.