The Demon’s Bride

Song recommendation" Vanic X Zella Days—Hypnotic 

.

Esther prioritize to not loses her pawns as a single pawn could also mean losing the life of a human on the floor. The blood smeared more on the floor, deepening the red color of the crimson tiles. 

One of the human couldn't handle anymore of the fear, running away from the tiles. Esther gasped, "No—" her warning couldn't be heard as the same human who had ran away had his head cut into halves. 

Esther winced, her hand tightening on the chair.

"That's, milady. Is alright. You shouldn't worry as I will provide you with another chess piece. As they had ran away on their own accord, this will not be count as your loss."

But that was far from the true problem, thought Esther. It was the blood and lives that were spilled and lost was what bothered her. To lose her pawn was even more scarier than the idea of losing to the entire match.

Esther gritted her teeth. The match continues with her trying to prevent live lost. She could see some of the humans begging for help toward her but she wasn't able to do anything against the rules that were set up.

Losing the fight her will kill her. Losing her pawn will kill the human. But being restrain to prevent the lives from being lost caused only another drawback where she could lose the game.

"Oh no," Asmodeus hummed, "It seems that we are now on our perspective last four moves, lady Esther."

Esther gritted her teeth, seeing the possibility of her king to be taken by Asmodeus which mark the end of their chess board. 

But that wasn't the only problem.

Esther could see her losing stance but she can also see the possibility for her to win. 

However if she wish to win in the game, she would have to sacrifice one of her pawn which was her own queen.

"What's wrong, milady?" Asmodeus questioned, feeling intrigued. 

Esther glared at the demon as she knew the demon was sure she wouldn't be able to fight against Asmodeus as she feared to cause more death. The demon was enjoying the only two choices that she had, the twisted choice where she could kill people.

Esther then spoke, "You said I could go down to the chessboard."

"For certain," Asmodeus confirmed, his eyes narrowing in wonder at Esther's words, wondering what she had in mind. 

Esther felt the bound on her wrist loosened the moment Asmodeus snapped his finger. 

"D7," Esther announced before jumping down to the chessboard. 

She saw the knight coming toward her King and quickly, she held the other person's hand, throwing him out of the chess board. 

This wasn't a choice Esther wanted to make. She didn't use her card the entire time because she knew if she was able to stop the other pawn on the chess, she would inevitably kill the warriors of Asmodeus's pawn.

Asmodeus watched this with a smile. He was close to losing but it appears that losing the match didn't interest him again as now, he was more interested in watching Esther suffering on choosing whose life she would take as all choices were right on her hands.

The thought of sullying a human's hands with blood delighted the demonic side inside of him.

Esther didn't hesitate to pick the sword from the child who was her king to cut clean the warrior's neck, defeating the knight.

Blood flowed down, causing scream from the women behind her. 

"You're a murderer!!" Shouted the woman.

Esther's eyes narrowed at the woman but she didn't take offense. To humans' eyes she was no less than a monster like Asmodeus when in truth she had killed the Knight as dying painlessly was better than being chopped to pieces.

Esther went back to her seat after wiping the rest of her blood. She glared hatefully toward Asmodeus, "Continue," she demanded. 

Asmodeus grinned widely. His mouth slowly opened to announce his next move when all of a sudden the door of the room slammed open. 

"Sir!" Shouted a servant who took care of the gambling house. He had only entered when from behind a hand had appeared to chop the servant on the back of his neck, causing him to lose consciousness.

Asmodeus frowned seeing the new addition the room. His hand was bound and so was his power. Knowing this, the man had taken the chance to walk over Esther and touched her.

"Stop!" Roared Asmodeus who could tell what the man was trying to do.

The man pay no heed to his shout and touched Esther's shoulder for both of them to disappear from the place, leaving only but a black thick smoke all over the places.

Asmodeus tore the strap binding his wrist and dashed toward the smoke. His hand reached inside to pull only nothing. 

"Shit!" Bellowed Asmodeus in fury.

Esther opened her eyes, finding her head dizzy as her vision tilting. When she looked up again, she saw the tall trees surrounding her before she realized the warmth of hand grasping her wrist. 

She pushed the man away from her, quickly pulling up her guard. 

"Who are you?!" She shouted, trying to form her magic on her hand, realizing she wasn't able to do anything for some unknown reason.

"Calm down," the voice answered. "I'm not an enemy, Lady Esther."

"After kidnapping me?" Esther huffed. "Yeah, of course, I trust you and your empty words which is not back up by any evidence. A man in a black cloak came and took me away and you expect me to say yes i trust you?" 

"No. I think you might remember me," slowly the man pulled down the hood which covered his face, revealing his bright brown eyes. His hair that once looked kept now was unkept, unruly, and untidy. Only a year had passed but the man was not even half of his past self. His appearance made him appear older and mature. Despite being a human, now he looked nothing like one, seemingly to have acquainted himself to the environments in Hell.

Esther blinked when she looked at the man. He didn't appear similar to his own self before. His beard that had grown almost had Esther to mistake him as someone else. 

"You are… Dalton Lone," said Esther with her frown tying into a knot. "Where have you been? Elise and Ian had been searching for you."

She remembered what happened and when was the last time she had seen Dalton. It was when the human man fell unconscious and was brought to Hell to have his injuries tended. 

Esther at the time had a brief fight toward Beelzebub and around that same time, Dalton woke up from her unconscious state, walking away from the castle and was announced missing after the death of Ernest and Apollyon.

"I know," answered Dalton while looking down to the ground. "I have seen the posters around Hell where my face was posted on it. I also know that Lady Elise and Lord Ian had sent the request to find me as they are worried about me. But I cannot ever be at peace without finding my brother."

Esther pursed her lips tightly. "I don't think you know this yet, Dalton but Ernest… he had died."

Dalton nodded his head, "I know. I do not mean finding him in a sense physically which why I had stayed here in Hell instead of finding a method on leaving Hell by meeting Lady Elise or Lord Ian. I wish to meet him… as a soul, I just wish to talk with him once again."

Esther stared at Dalton. The man had shown his determination to meet his brother again that he didn't care of the danger in living in Hell.

Esther recalled how Elise describe Dalton as a kind and gentle soul which she could see to be true. Suddenly Esther sighed, "Then did you came earlier to help me?"

"Of course, Lady Esther," answered Dalton without sparing a second thought.

"No, I am thankful that you wished to help me. But I had to win that match earlier to find the location of—"

"Mr. Beelzebub?" Dalton asked that had Esther to raise one of her eyebrows. "Pardon me, milady. But I overheard a little of the conversation in which you and Asmodeus had. I know that it is your top priority to find the location of Mr. Beelzebub but I also knew that if you had played that chess board, you would never win."

"I will never win?" Esther questioned his certainty in his reply.

"I have seen in his gambling house and how his matches work, milady. Most of the games he played always ended up with him winning and this is achievable because there are two bloodline power in him. One 'clairvoyant' and second being 'Victory'. The power of victory would always make him win no matter what game he played or at disadvantage he was put in."

Esther raised her hand, "But he had promised not to use his power."

"His power means his magic. Clairvoyant can only be achievable when he use his magic but his Victory power come from his bloodline. He didn't have to activate it for it to take effect," replied Dalton, seemingly like an open book.

"Then. Do you have any idea how I should find Beelzebub? He is in danger. In exchange," Esther quickly said, "I will also help you to gain an audience to meet your brother's soul. If we could find it."

Dalton's eyes quickly brightened as he looked at Esther with excitement and eagerness. "I don't need to be repaid, milady but I will be glad if you can help me to find Ernest. And as for Mr. Beelzebub, I do have an idea on where he might be."

Far away from the forest where Esther and Dalton stand in, Beelzebub stood inside his castle where his hands were covered by blood of his own which continue to pour from his arm.