Dai watched from his throne as the Fallen angel, the guardian, and her consort stepped toward the gates. He grinned, thinking about how little they knew. Perfect. This was going to be much easier than he anticipated. Children, all of them, Dai mused. He grew tired of the stale air and decay─ of the endless fields beyond the walls of his manor that stretched over miles and miles of land that he had walked for thousands of years. They would soon walk his same path along the grey, cobbled street that was built by the suffering children under Shozuka-no-baba’s control.

The old hag that stripped the children of their clothing, had been placed by Lord Tentei to punish the child that he had kept hidden for all these years. Every child that came through here, before going to the Ten Judgments and their Demon Kings that ruled, were punished unnecessarily, and for years was cruelly made to build a path that would reach to Heaven. He, above all others, knew that it was not possible. How many times had he traced the back of the doors to the Shrine’s entrance where his beloved remained, forever locked away in a father’s jealous rage? He longed for his quiet fields, for the soft bleating of the sheep as they wandered aimlessly in Heaven. He had never even seen the end of the vast heavenly empire. His face darkened as he thought about the last time he was able to hold her delicate face, or see his child.

“Dai Maō-Sama, shitsureishimasu,” he looked up at the skeleton-like maiden clad in black robes. Her hips creaked and jutted out as she extended herself in a low bow. “douzo hanashi wo tsuzukete kudasai, Kuro-San.” His unusual formal greeting to tell her story confused her and she hesitated before answering. “Eigo, kudasai.” The maiden bowed again and continued. “Kiwako-Sama is in her holding cell and we await her awakening. Shall I have her robes prepared?” He waived and dismissed her, nodding his head. Dai loved speaking in English, it was Tentei’s most loathed language, so he did anything he could to piss the old man off. She bowed and backed out of the room before shuffling down the hall to his daughter’s room. Damn this home, this whole building. He couldn’t wait to be free of his confines. For once, when his daughter opened her eyes, they would be joined on the other side and take their rightful place in Heaven. It was laughable, all the attempts Lord Tentei had made to ensure his daughter’s death. The Heavenly King was always one step behind, however. His pact with The Morning Star sealed that. As long as It lived, the girl would remain safe. I’m coming for you, Tentei, and nothing in the entire Universe will get in my way. The ground rumbled in the distance, rolling like thunder in the earthen sky.

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