The Forgotten Temple of Meya

Over three hundred years had passed since a frail, thirteen-year-old boy with a burned face left the temple deep in the forest. He now returned a tall, strong man, without any physical flaws. No one would have recognized the injured child in this young man. And, as Kasar believed, there wasn't a single person left who knew about his past. But at this moment, he was being looked at by someone who should have vanished into oblivion long ago. Memories the demon had tried so hard to forget swirled before his eyes. Echoes of old fears and anxieties stirred like snakes waking from hibernation—nasty, slimy, and incredibly venomous. Kasar would have drowned in his own pain if not for the bright image of a young man with a gentle smile. Unfortunately, time had blurred the sharp lines, leaving only vague spots. Kasar longed to remember the face that had once warmed his heart and to look again into the eyes that had borrowed their color from the sky. Once, the local deity had seemed tall, strong, and unattainable to the small, frail boy. But now, the man saw only an empty shell before him. Meiya was incredibly weak, and Kasar wondered how he hadn't returned to his origins yet. Demons couldn't even step on holy ground, let alone approach a god. Kasar mentally praised himself for remembering to seal his powers before ascending the stone steps. Good always opposes evil. Demonic and divine origins are opposites—this is the foundation and an integral part of the world's cycle of life energy. Therefore, a powerful god could destroy a demon with just their aura. However, this also worked in reverse: a strong demon could easily destroy a weakened god. Kasar was genuinely glad he had remembered this; otherwise, Meiya would have disappeared before even having a chance to look at the demon. Kasar stared unblinking at Meiya, who was sitting on the floor. The young man’s pure, open gaze and gentle smile conveyed complete serenity. He easily tolerated Kasar's eyes darting all over his body. Anyone else would have been embarrassed, tried to cover up, and run far away, but Meiya didn't seem to care at all, as if he were stared at like this every day. He simply continued to look back, waiting for further action from the one who had come to his temple. The demon hesitated, unable to find the right words. He honestly didn't know what to do next. Deep down, he wanted to reveal who he was, ask about the distant past, thank him for saving his life, and find out why Meiya still existed. But talking about their shared memories would also mean Kasar admitting he was a demon. That would certainly darken the beautiful face of the local deity and make it impossible to maintain a relationship with him. At least, not a voluntary one, and the demon did not want to force Meiya. Not him. Kasar didn’t even realize how greedily he was examining the deity he had met again. He would have sworn that Meiya had become even more beautiful than in the past. Therefore, he felt the need to memorize every small detail, fearing it was some kind of illusion that would soon vanish. Kasar wouldn't have been surprised if he had actually fallen into a trap that drained life force while a person was lost in sweet fantasies. In fact, he wouldn't have minded dying that way. He might have even thanked whoever cast such a spell. "Who are you?" Kasar ultimately decided not to reveal his true nature. He didn't want to frighten the god, and pretending to be a human was the best idea he had. So the man asked a question he had once asked in this very place, to this very being. "My name is Meiya, I am the master of this place," the young man replied with a slight smile, remaining perfectly still, like the stone fox statues Kasar had seen on his way in. "Is this a temple?" the black-haired man clarified, continuing to play the role of a human. He pretended to be a traveler who knew nothing and had simply gotten lost in the forest. Pleased with his lie, the demon didn't notice the corners of the god's lips twitching slightly. "Yes, but now it's abandoned," the young man clarified, perplexed by the unexpected question. It was obvious that gods lived in temples. "Hmm, interesting," Kasar drawled falsely. "Someone once told me that bad thoughts inside a temple defile the god. I wonder if a god ever lived in this temple?" "Huh?" the mask of calmness and composure that Meiya had been so carefully maintaining cracked. The young man’s mouth hung open in surprise, but he couldn't find anything to say in response. Everything the demon standing on his doorstep had just said, from beginning to end, made no sense. It was only a momentary confusion; Meiya quickly brought his serene smile back to his face. It was hard for him to believe, but the fact was undeniable—the black-haired man with the bloodied shoulder and predatory gray eyes was desperately trying to pretend to be human. It couldn't be any other way, as he couldn't have failed to realize who stood before him. But apparently, his knowledge of gods was poor. For just as a demon can sense a holy essence from a mile away, a god can sense and, moreover, see a demonic one. "What surprised you so much?" Kasar raised an eyebrow. "You've been deceived," Meiya decided to play along with this foolish demon's little prank. A human can't harm a god, even if they started casting curses; it simply wouldn't work. "Otherwise, I'd be dead already," Meiya deliberately left the thought unfinished, lowering his gaze to the floor. Gods are the living embodiment of human feelings. They are born from the intertwining of various emotions and needs: want, pain, happiness, love. As a result, they have a profound understanding of the joys and sorrows of the simple human soul. They tenderly watch over their "creators," help them, and grant their wishes. The entire purpose of a god's life is to make people happy. But every power has its limit. Meiya himself was born, woven like a tapestry, from a group of people's passionate desire for a good harvest. Their lives depended on it, so they placed great hope in him and prayed tirelessly at the temple. And when the sky filled with bright light and a beautiful young man with long, wheat-colored hair descended from it, the locals were overjoyed. They named him Meiya, the god of fertility and harvest. And the newborn god loved them; he couldn't do otherwise. At that time, Meiya was constantly among the people. He was closer to them than he would ever be again. He was young and naive, like a newborn fawn. Though capable of walking, he hadn’t yet known all the sorrows of human life. And the most terrible of these was loss. Those he loved began to leave this world. The human lifespan was shorter than a god's eternity. Meiya no longer wanted to feel the heartache and stopped showing himself to people. Time passed, and the generation that had seen the god disappeared. Doubters and unbelievers emerged, but Meiya thought it was for the best. Though his power had diminished, it was enough to help people. And then a terrible tragedy occurred, claiming many lives. There were four equally distant settlements around his temple, and one of them was attacked by brutal bandits. Meiya didn't notice it right away and appeared only after it was all over. With a troubled heart and heavy head, the god of fertility listened to the voices of other believers. To his horror, the attack was repeated. One by one, the nearby settlements were destroyed. Meiya tried to conjure bad weather, invisibly hinder the bandits, and help the survivors hide in the forest. However, this was of little use, and he also experienced physical pain from interfering with human fates. Soon, there were almost no people left who believed in him. Gods can choose to listen to people's hearts. And at that time, Meiya was listening intently. The young man was scolded, hated, begged, and questioned. But no matter how much he wanted to save them, he couldn't. All that was left for Meiya was to exist in silent despair. Once able to summon days of rain and revive acres of dead plants, he now barely found the strength to show himself to the boy with the hurt face who faithfully waited to see him. And then he lost that ability entirely. Meiya's weakness began to attract various evil spirits to the forest. They believed that whoever consumed a god would gain incredible power. For this reason, in the last three hundred years, more "pilgrims" had come to Meiya's temple than in the years when he was still full of strength. However, all these visitors were small, weak demons. Meiya fought them off as best he could and convinced himself that at least in this way he could be useful to people. Although in reality, deep down, he longed to end his existence as soon as possible. Meiya was well aware that he had unforgivably overstayed his time in the human world. He should have dissolved into the oblivion from which he came the moment his last believer disappeared. The fact that this hadn't happened deeply saddened the god. Isolated in the forest, Meiya waited, waited, and waited again for his end, which never came. Some faint glimmer kept him alive. The god even decided it was a punishment from the heavens for helping people. But the term of his imprisonment was far too long, so he discarded that idea. When the black-haired man appeared on the temple doorstep, Meiya immediately understood who he was. It was a powerful demon, born from despair and hatred. A tragic fate had corrupted a human soul. The god saw it clearly, even through the wall. Enlarged by the suffering that filled it, cracked and burning with black fire, the soul seemed to be screaming in silent horror. Meiya felt pity for the person who had once endured something so terrible that it knocked him out of the reincarnation cycle, turning him into a demon. "What do you mean? How could I have been deceived?" an astonished low voice sounded, and Meiya emerged from his sad thoughts. "It happens; sometimes people lie," the young man raised his head and looked at the man in front of him. If it weren't for the translucent soul in his chest, Meiya would have easily mistaken Kasar for an ordinary human. After all, his appearance hadn't been distorted, as often happens with demons who actively commit evil. "But he wasn't a human..." Kasar mumbled to himself, stumbled, then frowned, thought for a moment, and continued speaking louder. "Why did he lie to me about that?" "I don't know," the god tilted his head slightly, not understanding why he was being asked about such a foolish fabrication. "Perhaps you behaved badly in the temple, and someone decided to teach you a lesson?" "No, I..." but Kasar couldn't find any more words. Why would Meiya play a trick on him? It was a completely inappropriate situation for that. Besides, it wasn't in the god's character. But if Kasar continued to ask, he would be exposed. That is, if Meiya even remembered him. "Don't be upset, that person probably didn't wish you any harm," this time Meiya smiled genuinely, amused that he was comforting the one who would soon be his killer. "Tell me, is that your blood?" "No," Kasar lied. His wound had already completely healed, so there was no need to draw attention to it. Although a human would surely have died after a piece of flesh was torn out near their neck. "I killed a starving beast; that's its blood." "There have been a lot of those lately," Meiya answered vaguely, looking at the man's hand. There were clear traces of fangs on it, stained with red. It seemed the demon had forgotten about a "small detail" like the bite. Meiya rose gracefully to his feet, as if he weighed nothing at all. He was a little shorter than Kasar, who, in turn, didn't miss a single movement of the god. He still couldn't fully believe that he had met Meiya after several centuries. The events felt like a dream, and the demon did everything he could to not wake up. Specifically, he made no sudden movements and focused only on the beautiful young man. "What is it about me that draws your gaze so?" Meiya couldn't help but ask. "You're beautiful," Kasar blurted out without thinking and frowned again, realizing he had said something stupid. "A-ha," a light laugh escaped the young man. He covered his mouth and stared at the demon with his blue eyes. "No one has said that to me in a long time. So, you're a sucker for a pretty face?" "No," Kasar answered firmly and clearly and, for the first time in their conversation, turned away. "I won't look if you don't like it." "Look, if you want," Meiya smiled, wondering what kind of strange demon had appeared on his doorstep. "You don't mind?" Kasar turned back around, a hint of joy in his voice. "How can I forbid you?" the god raised his eyebrows. "Just tell me what you want, and I'll do it," the black-haired man said, crossing his arms over his chest, exuding confidence in his own power and abilities. "Well, actually, I do have one request. Please be considerate of my home," Meiya silently walked to the open door. "There's a stream not far from here, could you..." "Damn, I stink of blood, don't I?" Kasar cursed, not letting the young man finish. The demon tilted his head toward his shoulder and sniffed. "Take me there; I'll wash it off." "Follow me," the deity's face remained unchanged, but he continued to be surprised by his unwanted guest's unpredictable thought process. Meiya had definitely been about to ask for something else. A stream with uneven rocky banks flowed not far from the temple. Once, people came there to get holy water. But now it had lost its properties, turning into an unremarkable stream in the dense forest. Meiya led the black-haired man to a convenient spot on the bank to approach the water. And, hiding in the shade of an old oak tree, he silently watched as Kasar washed himself. The demon took off his torn white shirt, tossed it aside, and began to thoroughly wash off the dried blood. Kasar was finally able to catch a moment to collect his thoughts. The cool water washed away the day's worries and was pleasantly refreshing. The man decided he would just spend his days with the god, and time would put everything in its place, as it always did. The only thing Kasar was sure of was that he would never leave Meiya again, no matter what. Suddenly, the idyll was disturbed by a rustling in the bushes on the opposite side of the stream. Both men reacted quickly, raising their heads in the right direction. Through the leaves, Meiya saw a black glow—a tiny fragment of a human soul, overflowing with dark energy. It was starkly different from Kasar's soul and indicated a very weak creature that probably didn't even have a clear form. Meiya was used to such guests and wasn't worried about meeting them. Kasar also didn't need to make an effort to sense the demonic essence. He glared fiercely at the bush that served as a hiding place for the small, malevolent creature and clenched his teeth. The understanding of why this minor demon had come here infuriated the man immensely. With every second, his blood boiled stronger inside him. He hadn't felt such intense hatred in a long time. And, if it weren't for his decision to play the role of a human, he would have jumped like a predator and torn the unwelcome guest to pieces without a second thought. "Some small creature has come to visit us," Kasar's speech sounded more like a growl than human words. "Stay there, I'll check." In response, Meiya just nodded, continuing to stand in the shade of the oak tree. In general, he wasn't going to do anything. Before, he fought off minor evil spirits because he could win and because he didn't want to be the cause of a bloodthirsty creature capable of harming many people. But now he simply had no reason to fight, as a powerful demon had come for the remnants of his divinity. And it would be strange if that very demon didn't go into battle. Kasar leaped across the stream in a single bound and disappeared into the dense foliage. He quickly found the small, formless demon among the tall grass and prickly branches and grabbed it. The creature in his hand squirmed and looked like black, clumped silt from a riverbed. Filled with anger, Kasar tried to crush the demon, but it seeped through his fingers and fell to the ground. Clicking his tongue, the man picked up the slimy mass again and, without a second thought, swallowed it. The cold substance slid down his stomach and froze, causing an unpleasant chill throughout his body. "What a nasty thing," the demon thought to himself. Kasar deliberately moved farther into the bushes so as not to give himself away and not to disturb the deity unnecessarily. However, he didn't know about the gods' ability to see souls. So before Meiya, an amazing scene unfolded in which a tiny black spark merged with a large one. This could only mean one thing—the demon had consumed another demon. That pathetic creature had no chance to escape; it quickly and without a word became a part of Kasar. All that was left for Meiya was to sigh heavily, awaiting the same fate. Kasar, for his part, stood in his hiding place for a while, acting as if he were looking for the animal that had disturbed him and the deity. Then he came back to the bank, gesturing with his hands as if he hadn't been able to find it. But Meiya interpreted this gesture a little differently. The internal tension within the god increased, and he offered a strained smile. He prayed to the heavens that this demon would remain as calm and unhurried as he was showing himself to be now. And that he wouldn't seek to destroy all life on the planet. "It's gone," Kasar said carelessly and began brushing off the green leaves that had clung to his pants. "Too quickly, even," the young man looked out from under his long eyelashes. It gave the impression that he was tired or bored. "It seems there's no blood left..." the man said, looking himself over. "Mhm," Meiya nodded slightly in response. "Are you tired?" the demon asked, bewildered. The atmosphere around the young man had changed; if before it exuded serenity, now his calmness was mixed with some heavy notes. "Can poison save?" Meiya asked, tilting his head back to the sky. Through the dense foliage, only a sliver of the blue expanse was visible. Nature is beautiful in any form, and the weather adorns it, be it rain, snow, a hurricane, or heat. Meiya thought that the coming end might not be so bad. Perhaps there would be some beauty in that too. "Maybe," Kasar replied, although he didn't understand what the god was asking about. "A drop of poison can be a cure, and a cup of medicine, a poison." "From an enemy's lips comes delight, while a close friend's will trample you with dirt," an old saying came to Meiya's mind. It perfectly fit what was happening now. The demon was playing some kind of game, hiding behind a mask and luring him into a trap. He was just waiting for the moment when Meiya would melt and jump into it himself. "Well, so be it." "How?" Kasar had completely lost the thread of the conversation. "It's for you to decide," the god looked intently at the man standing nearby. "Now it's your turn to ask me for something. What do you want?" Meiya's question made the demon's mind race like crazy. Many different thoughts and requests emerged from the depths of his consciousness: could he ask to touch the god or to stay the night? Kasar didn't know how appropriate such requests were or if they would occur to an ordinary traveler. The demon frowned, in the midst of an internal dialogue with himself, when a floral-musky taste of Meiya's tea suddenly appeared in his mouth. Kasar had never been able to taste that drink again, no matter how hard he searched. "I wouldn't mind a cup of tea." "Tea?" now it was the god's turn to not understand the conversation. "Is that your request?" "Yes, maybe you have some dried fruits too?" Kasar smiled, remembering the peaceful days he had spent in the temple. Back then, Meiya often gave him tea made from various herbs and fed him wild dried fruits. The men returned to the dilapidated temple. Meiya invited the demon to sit at a low table by the window, and he himself went to a small cabinet. From it, the young man took out a patterned metal kettle for heating water and a ceramic teapot with a minimalist design, as well as a special stand filled with magic and two mugs. Kasar silently watched the graceful movements of the deity and listened to his surroundings, enjoying the rustle of Meiya's snow-white clothes and the quiet creak of the floorboards under his feet. The demon had not felt such spiritual peace in a long time; it seemed as if time had frozen in this beautiful moment. Meiya placed the teapot, mugs, and stand on the table, then went outside to get water from the spring that flowed from the ground behind the temple. In less than five minutes, he returned with a full kettle. The young man placed it on the magical stand and pressed a button; the artifact began to heat the water. This little item was no different from a campfire, only it could be used anywhere. Meiya approached the cabinet again, and this time he took out a glass bowl with a floral pattern and a medium-sized bag. The young man transferred the dried fruits from it into the transparent container and put the bag back, tying it tightly beforehand. Next, he took out another bag, this time a small and fragrant one. Finally, the young man also sat at the table, across from the demon, and placed the dried fruits in the center. He untied the cloth, and a familiar scent immediately hit Kasar's nose. This was exactly how the tea Meiya had once given him smelled. The man eagerly watched the young man's thin, agile fingers. He wondered why even a simple action like pouring herbs into a teapot looked so beautiful and captivating when Meiya did it. Would any other god stir his consciousness like this? In the quiet silence, the kettle boiled. Meiya turned off the magical stand, then carefully and unhurriedly poured the hot water into the ceramic teapot. The room was immediately filled with a pleasant aroma. In it were notes of citrus, lily of the valley, and a barely perceptible hint of spice and pine. It was a very unusual and complex scent for a simple herbal tea. And no one could replicate it, no matter how many tea shops Kasar visited. It was time to pour the fragrant tea into the mugs, which Meiya did. He gave the first mug to the demon and only then poured a drink for himself. Kasar blew on the hot tea and took a sip. A true bouquet of flavors immediately unfolded in his mouth, and his heart was filled with nostalgia and painful warmth. Kasar suddenly felt the many years of loneliness and hatred for all living things fall from his shoulders. It was even easier to breathe because of this tea, prepared by a real god. The man had wandered the world for a long time and laughed at people, not realizing that he was just like them. A pathetic creature that wanted to gain acceptance and love by any means possible. And he could not satisfy this need until Meiya, without unnecessary words or questions, brewed tea for someone like him. The god had once again shown him what acceptance and kindness were. And now, something inside Kasar was slowly dying. He remembered how he once hated himself for being so insignificant in front of Meiya. And now that feeling had returned. Only now he wasn't just a human, but a disgusting demon who didn't even deserve death. Someone who had lost the right to be reborn. Meiya watched the demon, unaware that he was capable of lifting Kasar to the heavens and then casting him down to hell with a single act. All the god saw was how the joyful expression on the black-haired man's face turned into a frown. And Meiya was left to wonder about the reasons for such sharp changes in the demon's mood. Therefore, wishing to cheer up the silent guest in some way, Meiya pushed the bowl of dried fruits towards him and said: "You wanted fruits, help yourself," a familiar, gentle smile played on his lips. Evening was beginning to fall outside; the warm sunlight illuminated Meiya's face, highlighting the god's bright image. Meanwhile, Kasar sat in the shadows. The demon looked down at the bowl, but his appetite had vanished. His head was filled with painful thoughts, and his mood had sunk as low as it could go. Abruptly, Kasar rose to his feet, drank the hot tea in one gulp, and ran out of the door without a word. Leaving Meiya feeling confused. The god had already decided it was his time to return to oblivion, when his killer unexpectedly ran away. "And how am I supposed to understand this?" Meiya said quietly, continuing to stare at the doorway leading outside. The following days passed peacefully. Meiya continued his usual routine, with one exception. Now, a demon began to visit him. At first, he hid, watching from a distance. Then he grew bolder and came closer. Of course, the demon believed he was unnoticed. However, no matter how much he hid among the tall trees, Meiya could feel the dark energy and sometimes even see his demonic soul. Then, Kasar, having finally collected his thoughts, appeared on the temple's doorstep again. Meiya did not ask the demon about the reasons for his sudden departure or his days of surveillance. He simply smiled at him, as he had before. The god saw no point in fussing or worrying, even though he had felt a slight tension when he noticed he was being watched. But he quickly realized that the demon either didn't want to attack or couldn't bring himself to. And when the black-haired man did appear in person, Meiya was even happy and invited him into the house. Kasar became a frequent guest at the temple. He told various stories, both cheerful and sad. And Meiya listened to them with interest. He hadn't had a conversational partner in a long time and had forgotten how much fun it was to talk to someone. Meiya, in his long life, had never once left the vicinity of his temple. But it turned out there was a lot of interesting stuff outside its borders. The god was even a little saddened that he would never see the blue sea or incredibly high mountains. He wouldn't ride a horse or in a carriage, or taste a spicy dish from an island nation or a sweet rice cake. However, he quickly accepted this; everyone has their own fate. The men were not in a hurry; they had plenty of time ahead of them. Thus began the first days of autumn. The leaves hadn't yet had time to turn yellow, but the air outside had grown colder. Meiya had become accustomed to his strange visitor and even missed him a little when he didn't come for a long time. Of course, he sat on a branch nearby, but the god couldn't just call out to Kasar. After all, he continued to play the role of a human, and Meiya played along, only wondering why the man was hiding his demonic nature. Kasar liked the relationship that had developed between him and Meiya. They had become true friends: long conversations, genuine laughter, and comfortable silence. Moreover, the god hadn't disappeared, as he had done in the past. And this idyll was constantly spoiled by demons appearing in the forest. What’s more, with each passing month, there were more of them, and their power grew. Kasar fought them in secret from Meiya, but they just kept coming. It wasn't a problem for the man to kill them, but they successfully ruined his mood. This time was no different. Kasar was sitting high in a tree, hidden in the foliage, and watching the temple grounds. Suddenly, he sensed demonic energy nearby. Anger immediately flared inside the man; he quickly jumped down from the branch and rushed in the direction from which the dark forces emanated. Tree trunks blurred before his eyes until a dark silhouette appeared among them. A hunched and very thin, short man was looking directly at Kasar. His clothes hung off him; he was so emaciated that he could probably be called a skeleton covered in skin. Looks can be deceiving, and this also applied to demons. Despite his extreme thinness, the man opposite Kasar had enough strength to tear off someone's head. Not everyone could maintain a human form, and this demon was already slowly beginning to lose his. He bared his teeth and growled like a beast; all his muscles tensed. At any moment, he could snap and rush into battle. After all, demons were always enemies of one another. This was because they were dominated by the natural predatory instinct to subdue or destroy anyone weaker than them. Kasar was the first to lunge at the embittered opponent, aiming his strong hands at the demon's neck. The demon managed to react and intercepted the blow, letting out an inhuman growl. Before this, he had been warning him, as if asking him to retreat. In Kasar's mindset, there was no such option, especially when it concerned Meiya. Such a demon could easily kill a god; he was different from those who had come before. And now, he had accepted this mortal combat. The anger and hatred for all living things reminded Kasar of who he was. Even when he was supposed to be protecting, he still enjoyed the pain of others. Kasar grabbed the demon's hands in return, sinking his claws under his skin, and struck his stomach fiercely, wanting to break his opponent in half like a dry branch. The skinny man groaned and spat out blood, which landed on Kasar's white shirt. For a second, his vision went white; he quickly regained his senses, broke free from the tight grip, and jumped back. The best defense is a good offense; not waiting for any further actions from the demon, Kasar lunged at him again. His target remained the neck. The man was two heads shorter than Kasar, so he nimbly dodged the flurry of attacks. However, he clearly lacked stamina, and Kasar managed to grab his shoulder. The man pulled the demon toward him with one hand, while with the other, he seized his thin neck and squeezed it. The vertebrae bones cracked, causing the demon pain. He gasped, and Kasar yelled: "You'll never get the god!" "To hell with the god," the demon forced out. "I came for you..." "Are you out of your mind?" Kasar hadn't expected to hear such an answer; he threw the demon to the ground and stared at him with a piercing gaze. The man trembled, even though Kasar still hadn't released his demonic power; his appearance alone was terrifying. One wrong move, and there wouldn't be anything left of the demon. "They say a bloodthirsty demon has taken up residence in these parts. I came to fight him..." "Ha, a bloodthirsty demon, you say," Kasar sneered. "Are you looking for death or glory?" "I wanted to kill the demon and take his place," the demon gasped. "And you didn't know that this place belongs to a god?" Kasar raised an eyebrow. "No." "Ah-ha-ha," Kasar laughed, but there was no joy in his laughter. It turned out he had unintentionally lured a powerful demon to this forest. "What kind of a joke is this life?" "A joke?" "Forget it," the smile disappeared from the man's face, and he glared with fury at the demon lying on the ground. "You found me, and I will be your end." With a single motion, Kasar punched through the demon's rib cage and tore out his heart. The small organ beat for a few more moments before the man crushed it. He stood up and, with a look of disgust on his face, shook the foreign blood from his hand. Kasar whistled, summoning his ravens, and looked around. He wanted to order them to drag the corpse far away and devour it there. But he froze; his internal delight in the enemy's death turned into fear. Behind a tree stood a young man with long, wheat-colored hair. "M-Meiya," the demon's voice trembled, "I... he..." "Yes, I know," the young man nodded. He approached Kasar and tried to take his bloodied hand. But the demon, stepping back, wouldn't let him. "Are you not hurt?" "I'm fine," Kasar was panicking, trying to think of what to do next. Meiya didn't look scared or disappointed, but he was always so composed that it was impossible to be completely sure of the god's mood. A flock of black birds appeared in the sky; they cawed and landed on nearby branches. Meiya looked up, watching the demon's subordinates. Meanwhile, Kasar's eyes were fixed on the god's face, trying to catch every small change. The ravens were waiting for their master's next orders, and Meiya was waiting too. But the demon continued to stand still and silent. "You didn't just call them for no reason," the god asked, tilting his head slightly. His expression was friendly. "No," Kasar forced the word out. "And you don't care?" "About what?" Meiya was surprised. "I'm a demon," the man frowned; it seemed painful for him to say this. "Yes, I don't care," the god nodded, smiling. "I knew who you were from the very beginning." "You knew? But how?" Kasar hadn't even considered that possibility. Meiya knew, and he had accepted him even in his demonic form. "For starters, an ordinary human wouldn't be able to see me," the god covered his mouth with his hand, stifling a laugh. Kasar's expression was just too foolish right now. "Damn, I didn't think of that..." the demon was embarrassed and turned away, unable to look into the bright blue eyes that twinkled with amusement. "Thank you," the god said unexpectedly, and Kasar's heart skipped a beat. It was the first time anyone had ever thanked him. He was all ears. "For protecting me from the demons and for being by my side constantly over the last few months." "I did it..." the demon became even more flustered, "because I wanted to. No thanks are needed." "And I thank you because I want to, too. So just accept it, okay?" Meiya looked at the broad back of the black-haired man; normally he held himself straight, but now his shoulders were slumped as if he were carrying some heavy burden. "Mhm," the demon mumbled something indistinctly, nodding. "I'll go back to the temple. Come when you're finished here," and Meiya really left, without looking back. Kasar knew this because he was watching him go. Moss-covered stone steps, the quiet rustling of leaves, and the cawing of ravens in the distance. The barefoot young man was climbing to the dilapidated temple, his head filled with thoughts. As soon as Meiya sensed the demon in the forest, the dark soul, which had been visible high in the tree, disappeared into the thicket. Not even knowing why, the god followed Kasar. But he didn't move as fast as the black-haired man. And he could only watch the movements of the two dark souls from a distance. When Meiya finally reached the right place, he found a rather unpleasant scene. Kasar had torn the heart out of the demon's chest, after which the latter's soul almost immediately went out and dissolved. The god had not set out to expose Kasar; on the contrary, in recent days, he had started to fear the truth. Unbeknownst to himself, Meiya had grown attached to the demon; he was interesting to be around. The monotonous flow of time had unexpectedly taken on new colors. Every day, the god wondered if Kasar would come down from the tree today or not. If so, what would he talk about. Meiya thought about him, and even returned to collecting herbs and fruits, although he had abandoned that long ago. He wanted to please Kasar, to feed him something delicious, to see him smile. The truth Kasar was hiding was obvious. But what was hidden deeper, Meiya did not want to know. He was afraid that Kasar would leave. What if the demon had started some kind of game to fight boredom. But as soon as all the cards were revealed, would he immediately get tired of this unhurried life with a god forgotten by everyone? Few people could handle such a pace of life. With the demon's appearance in his life, Meiya had started to feel joy much more often. And with him also came a weakness in his body; Kasar was slowly poisoning Meiya with his unholy power. Meiya felt his legs stop obeying him, and he sat down on a step, unable to continue walking. "The poison, indeed, has become a cure," Meiya thought and looked at the blue sky. Once, he could easily soar into the clouds, but now he couldn't even climb to his own home. After a while, Kasar emerged from the dense trees. Guilt and worry were etched on his face. He had returned to the temple but didn't find the god in it, so he rushed to look for him. To his surprise, he found him sitting halfway up. The young man in his snow-white clothes stood out strongly against the gray-green steps. He was beautiful and captivating to look at. " Why are you sitting here?" Kasar asked, frowning. He had already started to think that the god had hidden from him on purpose. "I'm waiting for you," Meiya smiled and got to his feet. "Let's go." "But I was only pretending to climb the stairs when I came here," the demon continued to frown. "Is that so?" Meiya drawled thoughtfully. The men returned to the temple, and Meiya sat down on the floor by the window. He always sat there, and recently, the spot next to him had become Kasar's. The demon made himself comfortable and looked at the young man from under his brows with guilty eyes. He was waiting for reproaches for his deceit or at least some questions about his demonic nature. But none of that followed; Meiya just smiled and asked: "Don't you get bored with someone like me?" "No," Kasar bristled. "I'm happy to spend time with you, but if you say you don't want this, I won't come back." "I like you too. I'll be sad if you leave," the demon's expression now resembled a mischievous boy's; Meiya couldn't help but pat him on the head. Kasar tensed his entire body in response but accepted the other's affection. "You are too kind to someone like me," Kasar blushed almost imperceptibly. "I can say the same thing, you are too kind to someone like me," the demon could have eaten Meiya long ago, but he hadn't. And the god truly perceived his actions as kindness. The god's gentle voice reached deep into Kasar's heart. "You are a god, and I am like dirt under your feet. A vile demon who can only kill..." the man said with pain in his soul, lowering his head. "We are similar, you and I," Meiya sighed and looked out the window. "For the last three hundred years, all I have done is kill demons." "But," Kasar stammered, it was difficult to refute such a statement because it was true, "That's different. Humans and demons..." "Let's end it here," demons came from human souls and were not much different to the god. And Meiya couldn't judge everyone just by their appearance, because a sentient being is defined by their actions. "Tell me what you would like to do now instead?" The dialogue had taken an unpleasant turn, and Kasar himself didn't want to continue it. His gaze fell on a small cabinet with various books in it. The collection was rather modest for a being who had lived for several centuries. Kasar had long wanted to take something to read to pass the time he spent in the tree. But the language of most of the books was too archaic, which complicated the choice. The demon didn't want to read the boring religious treatises or pretentious poems on the shelves. But now his eyes caught on a spine with the inscription "Tales and Legends of the Peoples of the World." "Shall we read?" Kasar suggested, and without waiting for an answer, he got up and went to the cabinet. The book of legends should be quite interesting. The man took out the desired volume and returned to his spot. "Okay, then you read to me," Meiya smiled, and the demon nodded. In general, he didn't care who was reading. But he had hoped it would be Meiya, since Kasar hadn't read very much in his life. The man flipped through the book, looking at the titles in search of an interesting story. The language was slightly archaic, and a modern person would probably not understand it. But for Kasar, it was his native dialect; it was how they had spoken in his home village. Unexpectedly, the demon noticed a note among the pages. It seemed painfully familiar. Kasar read it once, then a second time, and then a third. And again, and again, unable to believe his eyes. The uneven letters, the words of gratitude that hid a deep sadness—all this had been written by a fourteen-year-old boy who, eight years later, had betrayed his god and become a demon. Kasar didn't notice the tears streaming from his eyes. "What's wrong?" Meiya was worried about the demon's sudden change. Kasar, wiping away tears with his sleeve, silently handed the note to the young man. The demon, who had long forgotten what tears tasted like, couldn't understand now whether he was crying out of regret for the past or out of joy that the god had kept his scribbles. "My little friend left this," Meiya took the sheet and looked at it carefully, examining every line. "Does it say something sad?" "What?" the demon didn't understand why Meiya had asked the question in that way. It gave the impression that he didn't know what was written there. But how was that possible? "I thought they were words of farewell. Is that not so?" Meiya raised his blue eyes. The tip of the man's nose had turned red; he didn't look like a vicious demon at all right now. "You can't read?" Kasar voiced his crazy guess.