I was sound asleep in my university dorm when I felt something soaking through my clothing. Reluctantly, I opened my eyes. Had I pissed myself? The horror of the idea chased the dregs of sleep from my mind.

I could definitely feel something wet. But to my relief and confusion, it seemed to be coming from the bed underneath me. I was spreading through my bed as I fumbled for the light on my nightstand. What was this stuff?

I finally got the light on and recoiled, slamming my back against the wall. It was blood. There was a pool of blood leaking from inside my bed. I knew for sure that I was awake, yet I still rubbed my eyes. This was unbelievable.

I was scrambling off the bed, without any sort of plan in mind, when I froze. The pool of blood, or something inside it, was holding me tightly by the leg. Without pausing to check what it was, I flailed blindly.

But whatever was holding me wouldn’t be dislodged. Irresistible strength pulled me off my feet and back toward the bed. Back and then down through the bed. I stared back over my shoulder in disbelief, my leg had already disappeared inside the pool of blood.

There was no pain, no sense of it having been severed, just numbness. The blood had come to life and was pulling me into itself. Howling in terror, I grabbed the edge of my bed and fought the pull with all my might. But it only grew stronger and before long I was dragged screaming into the oblivion beyond the pool.

Everything went black. Neither conscious nor unconscious, I simply drifted until I heard a voice. High-pitched, it was shouting something. Whoever it was, it sounded urgent. Given that they were practically shouting into my ear, I found it hard to ignore. Why can’t you let me sleep? But there was no denying the voice.

I opened my eyes for the second time that night and saw a black-haired girl with red skin shaking me. There were tears in her eyes, but she didn’t look sad. In fact, she looked furious. The eyes themselves were pools of pure black, with crimson irises. Seeing that I’m awake, she stops shaking me and sneers. “Finally, now get up.”

I didn’t have much inclination to follow the commands of whoever this rude girl was, but I found my body was already getting up of its own accord. As if that wasn’t alarming enough, I realized my journey had left me drenched in blood. Next to that, I didn’t pay the black, bat-like wings protruding from the girl’s back much attention.

Standing up, I looked down at her. The top of her head didn’t reach my chin, even with the small curved horns protruding from her head. Tapping her foot on the carpeted floor, she demanded my name. Not really in the mood for pleasantries in the midst of this insanity, I intended to say something quite different. But instead my mouth moved of its own accord. “Cathal Moore.”

She smirked, as if she knew exactly what I was thinking. “Good, the binding was successful. Kneel.”

My legs gave out beneath me, knees slamming into the ground with a wet thud. She nodded, pleased as I sat there dazed. “I’m only going to say this once, so I suggest you listen. From this day forward you are mine, body and soul. You are the property of the illustrious Lady Sarinknell, Demon Lord of the First Circle. You will serve as my sword and my shield until your dying breath. Do you understand?”

For a supposed Demon Lord, her clothes were pretty shabby. Just a tattered old dress. If it weren’t for her strange features, I don’t think I could have picked her out of a crowd of medieval townspeople. When I faltered for a reply, now able to control my own actions, she slapped me hard across the face. “I said, do you understand?”

I clutched the bleeding scratches on my face, her long nails were quite sharp. They were more like claws; black just like her wings. I took a deep breath and shouted, putting all my terror and confusion into it. “I don’t understand anything!”

The girl raised her hand to deliver another slap, frowned, and thought better of it. She bit the end of her thumb and paced back and forth in the small stone chamber. Following her movements with my eyes, I noticed the bodies lying in a pile in the corner.

Men and women, there were at least half a dozen of them. I blinked, but they were still there. Still there and definitely dead, with deep cuts in their necks. And yet there was no blood on the bodies. Dumbstruck, I pointed a trembling finger toward them. “Are they dead?”

The self-proclaimed Demon Lord rolled her eyes. “Duh. They’re what I used to summon you.”

Either the horror of the situation hadn’t quite gotten through to me yet, or I was better at dealing with it than I expected. Trying to stay calm, I was about to ask why she’d go to so much trouble to summon me when I heard something striking the ground outside in rapid succession. The cadence of it sounded like someone running but it was clearly the sound of metal striking stone. Lady Sarinknell’s head snapped toward the door where a white light shone through from the other side. Her hands clenched into fists. “We need to leave, now.”

“What is it?”

My summoner was already moving toward the window. “There’s a Paladin coming. If they catch us we’re both dead.”

She climbed up onto the window sill, reading herself to jump. “What’re you waiting for?”

Dragging my feet, I followed her over to the window. “I can see why they might kill you, but what’s their problem with me? I’m just a human, y’know?”

Her face twitched with annoyance. “Not anymore you’re not. The binding made you a demon just like me.”

“Eh?” I didn’t feel any different. Glancing back, I couldn’t see any wings on my back. I was starting to think I’d be better off staying here rather than taking my chances with the murderer who summoned me, when that very murderess spoke again. “Besides, if I die you will too.”

She looked back at the door. The footsteps were much closer and the light had grown brighter in turn. It was painful to look at now. I decided that maybe escaping wasn’t such a bad idea after all as the demon was about to jump out of the window. “Wait!”

She paused in her escape. “How am I meant to get down? I don’t have wings.”

Breathing a heavy sigh, she turned back. “Fine. Grab onto me. But I can’t carry you very- “I cut her off by grabbing hold of her waist.

Taking a deep breath, she jumped out. And plummeted. I bite back a scream, heart hammering in my chest, as she frantically beat her wings. We fell at least three storeys before she regained some measure of control. Levelling off, we were still above the rooftops of the buildings ahead, albeit barely.

Even at this distance, I clearly heard the explosion from the room behind us. White light, blindingly bright, spilled out of the window.

“These Paladins are, uh, pretty dangerous, huh?” I tried to make conversation, but the girl carrying me was in no state to reply. She was having a hard enough time as it was just keeping us off the ground.

Despite her efforts we were starting to lose altitude again. It was clear we weren’t going to clear the next building, but she kept trying until it loomed before us. “I… can’t…” she said, between gasps and dropped me.

Somehow, I managed to turn over in the air. It was a quite a feat if I do say myself, it provided a perfect view of the ground rushing up to meet me. Using reflexes I didn’t know I had, I caught hold of the building beside me long enough to flip around and land on my feet.

Not that it seemed like it would make much of a difference, I was still falling at least six storeys. My feet slammed into the ground and I cried out, staggering… but other than a bruised heel, I was fine.

I had just enough time to breathe a sigh of relief before something hit the ground beside me. A metal covered fist struck my stomach with explosive force before I knew what was happening. Doubling over, I caught a glimpse of a figure of pure, white light. They were standing over me, holding their palm out toward me.

So, this was a paladin… I sensed that they were about to finish me off and closed my eyes as I waited for the end to come. But the final blow never came. Hearing the Paladin grunt, I opened my eyes. They’d stopped glowing, revealing a powerfully built man in white full plate, stained with a red-orange substance. I followed his gaze up to the roof.

The demon ultimately responsible for my near death was perched atop it. Her hand was pressed against her arm and I could see a trickle of the same two-toned substance leaking from between her fingers. She’d thrown her own weird blood at him.

Seeing that she had the Paladin’s attention, the demon took flight. Expecting the Paladin to turn back on me now that she was in the air again, I scrambled to my feet. But he paid me no mind. Instead, he crouched down and leapt.

He hurtled upward, even faster than the demon could fly, his gauntleted hand closing inches away from his quarry’s ankle. He’d missed, but now he was on the roof. Leaving the demon easily within reach of another jump.

I legged it onto the nearby street, thinking only of escape. The surrounding area was dark, with no one else in sight. Whoever this Paladin was, it didn’t seem like he had any allies lying in wait.

Heedless of where I was going, I ran. The buildings on either side of me blurred past as I ate up the distance. None of the architecture was familiar, but I suppose that was to be expected. I clearly wasn’t on earth anymore.

As I fled, I heard stone shattering up ahead. It seemed that in my mad rush through the city, I’d ended up close to the very person I wanted to avoid. I’d have been totally fine with them focusing on the demon instead of me, if it weren’t for the fact that she’d said I’d die if she did. That and… she had saved my life.

I had no doubt that the Paladin would have killed me if he’d had the chance. I suppose that gave me little choice. Thinking about it logically, dying to return the favour and let her escape would be better than both of us dying.

I suppressed my survival instincts and hurried toward where the Paladin must be. Who else would be making such a rachet at this time of night? Particularly so close by. Turning the corner, I spotted the demon on the street ahead with the Paladin not far behind her. One of her wings was torn and bleeding; the bits of the bone beneath exposed to the world. It was a grisly sight, but it didn’t seem to be impeding her ability run.

It’s just that…. she wasn’t very fast. Probably not much faster than most girls around the age she appeared to be. I don’t know how she’d managed to evade the Paladin up to this point, but he was quickly gaining ground.

From the way he’d moved before, I was surprised he hadn’t caught her already. The demon blood seemed to be inhibiting his abilities beyond just getting of his obnoxious glow. But weakened as he was… laying eyes on the Paladin again made me wonder what the hell I was planning to do to stop him.

Didn’t I have any special powers or anything? I concentrated, willing my hidden power to come forth. But, of course, nothing happened. I don’t know why I expected anything more, it made sense that the servant of such a shabby Demon Lord wouldn’t have much to work with.

I did feel stronger than normal and I wasn’t even winded despite the run. But that wasn’t going to cut it against the armoured figure before me. I at least needed a weapon or something. Scanning the street around me, I spotted a loose stone. It wasn’t much, but it was still better than my bare hands.

Gripping the rock tightly, I did a poor impression of a pitcher’s stance and hurled it at the Paladin. With a loud clang, it struck him in the chest and bounced off his armour. I cursed. My attack hadn’t even been enough to distract him.

How was I supposed to deal with this thing? It was way outside my paygrade. Not that I knew what my paygrade was. Did demons even pay their servants? But whatever it was, this was definitely outside it.

Thinking hard about how I could stop the Paladin, it occurred to me that if force didn’t work, I should try words.

“Hey! You!” He glanced in my direction, but that was all my distraction accomplished. It made me want to cry in frustration. But there was no time for that. “You stupid fuck!” Still no response. Maybe the insult was too modern. “Your father smelt of elderberries!” Nope, still nothing. Well, I tried.

The Paladin caught up and slammed the Demon Lord into the ground. I’d hoped that she’d still have a trick up her sleeve but she just lay there. All I could do was stand there, wishing I could somehow get within reach. I don’t know what I intended to do when I got there, but standing by and watching as we both lost our lives was intolerable.

As if an angel, or devil in this case, was watching over me from above, my wish was granted. I crossed the space in an instant, appearing beside the paladin. A jolt of pain seared through my head as my brain caught up with my new surroundings.

Recovering my wits, I sprung forward and caught his arm as he was bringing his fist down on the back of the Demon Lord’s head. Even with both arms I couldn’t halt his momentum completely, but I did manage to take most of the power out of the blow. It was enough to pound his victim’s head into the ground, but her skull still looked intact.

When he let go of her and turned to face me, I felt elated. I’d finally succeeded in distracting him. That feeling lasted exactly as long as it took for him to shake me off and square off against me. I expected to die, then and there. But the Paladin didn’t attack. Instead a deep, masculine voice issued forth from within his full-face helmet. “Who are you?”

Apparently, I’d piqued his interest. “Your doom.” It was a stupid line, one I found terribly embarrassing later, but it was all I could come up with at the time. In my defence, I was under a lot of pressure.

The paladin snorted in amusement. “Somehow I doubt that.” Perhaps if I’d said something else, things might have gone a little differently. But I didn’t, and he went right back to trying to kill me. I could hardly blame him. From his point of view, he was probably just trying to deal with the demons who’d infiltrated his fair city and massacred its citizens.

I smiled at him. I don’t know if it was adrenaline, false bravado, or what. I just know I was full of something, and it wouldn’t let me die, not without making him work for it. “Come on then, you bastard. I’ll- “Without even letting me finish, he threw a left hook at my face.

I moved back enough that it only caught the edge of my forehead. The force of it reverberated through my body, muddling my brain and transforming the world into a blur. Through the haze, I strained to see the Paladin’s next blow.

Catching a glimpse, I threw myself backward. Given what his first hit had done to me, I didn’t think I could take another. I got out of reach and took in the situation. There didn’t seem to be any way for me to hurt him, but so long as I kept dodging, I could buy time for the demon to escape.

That seemed the most I could accomplish. Dying for someone I’d never met before today in a different world wasn’t how I wanted to go out, but no one cared about my opinion. In that sense it wasn’t so different from the world I was born in. I can’t say I’d had a great time there, but it seemed a damn sight better than whatever insanity was going on here.

The next punch nearly caught me daydreaming. Unlike the previous well-measured strikes, this one was wild, thrown before his feet were in position. He was frustrated. I glanced past him, the Demon Lord was already turning the corner. Twisting my lips into a mocking smile, I taunted him. “She’s getting away, y’know.”

With a wordless cry of rage, the Paladin hurled himself at me with arms outstretched, abandoning all hint of subtlety. I ducked out of his reach and he simply dropped down with me.

Being slammed against the hard ground by the weight of the armoured man’s body was painful, but nothing compared to the bone-jarring shock that came when his fist pounded my head into the pavement. I blacked out for a second and just like that the fight was over. I’d lost. Quite handily at that.

Not much of a performance for my first day on the job, I can’t imagine the Demon Lord would be too pleased. Well, let them be pissed. It was her own fault for summoning me in the middle of a city protected by that insane light monster/man.

As a matter of fact, why couldn’t those guys have summoned me instead? Who wanted to work for a Demon Lord, anyway? Before everything went dark, I was treated to a slow-motion view of the Paladin’s metal boot coming down on my head.