"Do you seek death, tiny human?" The demon growled.
"Yes." Xiao answered without a pause.
Silence passed through them for a solid ten seconds as the pair of red eyes slowly frowned as the demon processed what she said.
"Do you consent to having your soul as sacrifice to free me from this hell hole?" The deep baritone voice growled at her, and she could feel his confusion even thought his face is still hidden.
The chain clings as he moved his arms into a more comfortable position around his hips, and the golden sunset reflected on his ashy dark skin.
"Yes." Xiao took a step closer. One more step and she'll fall in. "You have my permission to take it."
"Terrific!"
His tone was rather sarcastic, then a large hand reached out on slapped on the ground next to her feet.
She didn't get the chance to react when she slipped. Xiao was pulled into the darkness, into her death, but she had already accepted it. Welcoming it, even.
But before she reached the bottom, something unexpected happened.
A pair of large hands held tightly on her waist, holding her up in midair. She came face to face to those two pairs of red eyes staring wide at her. The strap of her messenger bag is uncomfortably digging into her uniform, and she squirmed a little. Those large hands loosen their hold on her by a little.
"What the...?" She managed to mumbled when she looked up at those eyes.
The sunlight hit just right, and she got a glimpse of half his face. Thick lips parted slightly as those red eyes scanned her once more.
"Don't struggle, little witch." The demon threatened. "Or you'll be dropped."
"Please do." Her little fists picked at his hands. "Dropping me to my death sounds nice."
Well, she's only what? Six-five feet off the ground now? It won't kill her, but how the monster treat her will.
"Unfortunately for you, that's not how this works, little one." He smirked, as dark and menacing as the night, showing off his pointy sharp teeth.
"Didn't you say you need my soul as a sacrifice?" No hint of fear presented in her dull eyes, and she smirked back at him. "What took you so long?"
His smirk slipped, and those sharp teeth snarled at her. Xiao tilted her head in confusion and fascination. Is he going to give her an excuse?
"I was trying to find the perfect time." He said, dropping her onto the stone platform.
She hit the ground hard on her feet, but he caught her by the waist before she could even topple over. His hands are calloused, but his touch is gentle, as if he's handling glass. Xiao knows he can break her, so why doesn't he?
"When is your perfect time?" She looked up at him, and she ran her hands through her hair to pulled her bangs back in place.
"It's always the wrong time."
Another excuse, and the witch sighed dramatically. Seriously? She came here to die, and the demon doesn't seem to agree.
He picked her up from the floor by her waist again, earning a single yelp from her. Manhandling her is alright, but his gentleness surprised her again. She's put back on the edge of the hole where she first fell.
"Especially when it comes to a little one like you." His hands left her, and she dusted her uniform slightly. Then, she frowned at his words. Why doesn't he just end her and be done with it?
"I'm not that young." She said back.
"You are." He shook his head as he crossed his arms. The chains rattled and pushed at each other in awkward angles, but he doesn't seem to mind them.
"Well..." She sat down at the edge of the hole. It's getting darker by the seconds, and her candle is a little far away. "When are you gonna kill me?"
"When the moon is at its fullest." He answered flatly.
Her frown deepened, and her bottom lip were pulled up into a pout. Then, she pointed at the sky where the sunset hue isn't gone yet, but a silhouette of a full moon was already hung in the sky.
"Tonight is a full moon." Xiao rolled her eyes at the monster. "You see?"
Another long pause, and silence fitted between the two of them. He nodded after a while. "Yes, it is."
"So..." She leaned her head down into the hole so she can look at his face with the little sunlight that's still available.
"So?" The demon only leaned back into the comfort of the shadows, hiding his entire face except for his glowing eyes.
"Aren't you going to eat me?" She asked again.
He laughed, baritone voice vibrating the chains, but it sounded rather anxious than villainous. "Why would I eat a kid?"
She bit her bottom lip. Should she start poking at him? "Isn't it in the nature of demons to consume?"
"I suppose." His answer was immediate, but his silence came after.
Does he need a little more convincing? She was told when she was young that demons don't have morals, they take what they can get. Maybe this one had a terrible childhood, so he refused to eat children?
"I'm not that young either. I'm turning sixteen in a month."
He sighed deeply, the sound can be heard echoing inside the hole. "Oh well, I suppose I want someone my age."
The monster tried to blink away her death glare, but it wouldn't work. Just what? Why is he so difficult? All she wants is to die in this temple, but its inhabitant is not agreeing to kill her.
"You know what, if you're not going to kill me, I'll just do it myself."
His silence is so loud, as if he's challenging her. His red eyes looked at her in disbelief, and of course, the demon won't take her seriously.
Xiao took out her wand from her messenger bag. The wand hasn't changed since her first year at the Monastery, given to her by Uncle David himself.
Uncle David... Would he miss her? She supposed not. She's just one of his bright nieces who attend the Monastery; he'd have one less children to worry about.
In that moment, his eyes widened, focusing on her weapon aiming at her chest. With one quick motion, the young witch channeled her energy into her wand, propelling it towards her heart.