Chapter 11: AFTER THE ACCIDENT
For several hours, Malron was stuck at the police station, sitting and waiting outside the office in boredom. Kieran was somewhere inside, obviously in the company of the police. Malron didn't want to interfere or be questioned.
Even at Kieran's home, Malron was the subject of suspicious glances. Most people were fascinated by him.
But Malron didn't want to be exposed. All people knew was that Malron had helped Kieran when the young man got lost in Portland.
As he waited, Malron was preoccupied with his own thoughts. The demon knew for a fact that Kieran was in deep shock. His aunt and uncle had perished in a fire, and their bodies were difficult to identify. The initial assumption was that negligence had caused the accident.
However, Malron could smell the faint scent of demons in the house, though it was subtle. Malron was sure it was intentional.
Kieran's aunt and uncle's house still stood in its original form. If they had died inside, their bodies wouldn't be completely charred. Their house had two exits, no bars or gates, and even the windows were easily accessible.
What prevented them from escaping the fire? It was bizarre.
Malron could have entered the police station and presented his theories to the officers. He could have mentioned the involvement of demons. However, Malron would undoubtedly be considered insane - a crazy person who thought he knew everything.
So Malron decided to stay outside and let the humans mind their own business.
The door to the police station opened from the inside, and Kieran stepped out and stood silently at the door. The young man was quiet; his eyes seemed puffy, and his face was red and swollen.
For some reason, Malron felt a tiny bit of pity for Kieran. Half a grain of sand, if measured.
"Can you go home now?" Malron asked.
Kieran did not answer but approached the demon. The young man took a deep breath and exhaled, looking extremely tired.
"I don't have a home, sir."
"I mean, are you allowed to leave the police station?" Malron corrected his question and got a weak nod from Kieran. "All right, let's get out of here," Malron invited.
Malron felt somewhat comfortable in the police station. There was an energy of anger, a negative energy that made him feel at ease. At least it eased Malron's hunger a bit.
But the demon couldn't stay there. Instead, Malron wanted to go to Kieran's house to learn more about what had happened. Malron sensed that what had happened to Kieran's guardians had something to do with the people who had brought the gray-haired young man to Portland - especially the High Priests.
"Anything else?" Malron asked.
As they left the police station, Kieran stood motionless again on the sidewalk. The young man's eyes seemed empty. Malron guessed that Kieran had not been given anything to eat at the police station.
"Nothing, sir," Kieran replied weakly.
"Let's just go back to your aunt and uncle's house, shall we?"
People who experience tragedy tend to be traumatized. Most humans would empathize and prevent the victim from approaching the scene. But Malron wasn't human and didn't care what Kieran felt.
Wasn't Malron eager to investigate? Because he was curious about what demon was causing such trivial problems.
Kieran shook his head. "Not now, sir."
"So?"
"Well, I want to pray. Then we'll go home. Is that okay?" Kieran looked sadly at Malron.
The demon just nodded, reluctantly following Kieran's wishes. Maybe Malron would wait outside. After all, the place of prayer would be fine for Kieran.
But the opposite for Malron.
Malron's demon instincts suddenly sent a shiver down his spine as he imagined meeting the creepiest beings he had ever known.
White wings, white bodies, creatures that could fly high and far. Creatures with slender bodies, small eyes, but sharp gazes.
Not pigeons, of course.
But angels.
*
Malron stopped at the entrance to the prayer house, and Kieran looked at him in surprise. "What is it, sir? Won't you come in?" Kieran asked.
Malron shook his head quickly. "Just you. Say all the prayers you want."
Kieran nodded, and the young man entered the quiet, neat, peaceful courtyard. From behind the fence, Malron could see statues of angels placed at various points around the yard. Perhaps, if he got bored, Malron would find small stones and use them for target practice on the statues.
Once Kieran was inside, Malron, leaning against a railing, felt strange. The demon trident suddenly appeared, held tightly in Malron's hand. Malron's eyes scanned the area.
Someone was coming from behind Malron!
Malron swung the trident behind him and immediately hit a shield. The sound of the clash was loud and painful to the ears. However, people on the sidewalk only flinched when their ears suddenly began to ring.
Malron's body instantly transformed into a terrifying demon, his emotions growing more extensive, and he felt his power return.
Once again, Malron attacked, jumping onto the railing and thrusting the trident rapidly. But his opponent dodged, taking a defensive stance with its shield.
"Fight me!" Malron shouted with a menacing grin.
"We don't fight in holy places..."
"The hell with that! I'll finish you now!"
An enormous amount of fire energy gathered from Malron's trident as his opponent stepped back slightly from the prayer house and spread her wings in a defensive stance. She had a shield in her left hand and a spear in right.
"Don't make me send you back to hell!" the opponent threatened.
Suddenly, Malron stopped. The words 'send you back to hell' made the demon think twice. Malron stopped his attack. The trident disappeared, and Malron returned to his human form.
On the other side, the enemy did not attack, holding a white spear in one hand. Both beautiful wings folded, and the slender figure stood on a pillar, staring coldly at Malron. No emotional expression or smile, just a flat stare.
To Malron, it resembled a woman who had had too much Botox.
"Oh, my goodness... I didn't expect it to be you," she muttered.
Malron just snorted.
"Malron the Great. What a surprise."
"Seraphine the..." Malron stumbled. "The One Standing in the Pillar."
She sighed. "I really didn't expect you to stop your attack. But I remind you once again, if you dare to set your filthy feet in the sacred place, I will not hesitate to send you..."
"To my original habitat," Malron interrupted.
"That's true, isn't it?" Seraphine just stared at Malron, confused.
"Well, can you do it, Seraphine?"
"Do what, Malron?"
"Send me back to my world!"
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone