The Secrets of CHIAROSCURO (The Demon's Eye)

David's breath hitched as he stared down into the crater, eyes wide in disbelief. The massive boulder he had thrown lay pushed aside, revealing... nothing. No crushed body. No blood. Not a trace of the Demon General they had just fought.

"What the—?" David muttered, rubbing his eyes as if to clear a foggy illusion. "Where the hell did he go?!"

López, usually composed, took a hesitant step forward, her face etched with confusion. "He was right there, David. We saw him. We heard him get crushed." Her voice wavered slightly, betraying a creeping unease.

David ran his fingers through his hair, clearly shaken. "Does this happen to all demons? Like, do they vanish after we kill them?" His mind flashed back to the night at the hotel when they had slain another demon, only to find the body missing by morning. It gnawed at him now, more than ever. "This is the second time..."

Before López could respond, Joseph spoke, his voice calm but firm. "He's not dead." His gaze was fixed on the empty space where the body should have been, unbothered by the absence. "He won't die from something like that."

David turned to Joseph, the worry in his expression palpable. "You sound way too sure of that, man. Are you telling me that after all this, we didn't even manage to finish him off?"

A cold voice echoed across the cliffside, dripping with sarcasm. "It seems Sir Joseph knows me better than I thought."

David spun around, looking in every direction, his eyes darting across the landscape. "Where the hell is that voice coming from?" he muttered under his breath, frustration building with every turn of his head.

The Demon General's voice rang out again, his mocking tone piercing the air. "I never intended to fight you all. But seeing how tense you were after such a long, exhausting day, I thought I'd help ease that tension with a bit of exercise."

David clenched his fists, his anger boiling over. "Oh yeah? You're only saying that because we just kicked your sorry ass!" His words were sharp, but there was an edge of nervous energy in his voice.

A deep, unsettling laugh echoed in response. "Hahaha… Sir David, I must say, you're different from the other werewolves I've encountered. Far more entertaining."

López stood beside David, arms crossed tightly as if to steady herself. "What does he mean by that? Different how?" she asked, though her question was more to herself than to anyone else.

Joseph, on the other hand, remained motionless, his face a mask of calm as the Demon General continued. "I'll admit," the voice drawled, "you're all strong. Stronger than I anticipated. I have suffered some... damage. But know this—"

David growled, ready for more sarcastic banter, but the demon's next words made his breath catch in his throat.

"I am not your enemy."

The statement hung in the air, heavy and confusing. David's eyes narrowed, his instinct to distrust immediate. "You expect us to believe that? After all the humans your kind has sacrificed for power?" His voice was laced with accusation.

The Demon General's response was swift, his tone almost gentle, though it carried an undercurrent of menace. "Nor is that my goal, Sir David. Quite the opposite. You see, we share the same vision—peace."

Joseph's eyebrow twitched slightly as he heard the words, though he remained stoic. López's face, however, was a mix of disbelief and wariness. "Peace?" she echoed; her voice filled with skepticism. "You're a demon. How could you possibly want peace?"

David barked a laugh, though it lacked any real humor. "Yeah, right. Because demons are famous for their peace treaties."

The voice chuckled once more, the sinister edge returning. "You'll come to understand in time. For now, consider this a mere playful encounter." There was a pause, and then, with a final echo, the Demon General added, "We will meet again."

And with that, the air grew still. The dark presence that had once pressed down upon them like a suffocating weight seemed to lift, leaving David and López standing in the eerie quiet, Lopez's hearts still racing. The cliffside, though marred by their battle, was silent once more.

Joseph stood motionless for a moment before a soft smile crossed his face. Breaking the silence, he turned to the others and spoke calmly, "Let's enjoy the view while we're here."

David, still jittery from the encounter, shot him a look of disbelief. "How can you be this chill, Joseph? Don't you get it? Demons say one thing and do another! They're even famous for betraying their own allies."

Joseph glanced at David with a knowing smile. "And you're talking like our kind are saints."

David's eyes narrowed. "What? Are you taking the demon's side now?"

Joseph let out a quiet laugh, shaking his head. He walked to the edge of the cliff, gazing out over the sprawling city below. The night sky was clear, stars twinkling above the skyline, and the lights of the city sparkled like a sea of fireflies. "I'm not taking anyone's side, David," he said, his voice soft but firm. "I just want to relax. This cliff—it's the perfect place to do that."

López remained silent, she wants to say something, but the words are not forming. She had lived an ordinary life—graduating from university, passing the civil exam, securing a decent job. She had expected a simple, stable future. Never in her wildest dreams did she think she would be standing here, alongside a vampire, after watching demons and supernatural beings battle right in front of her eyes.

After thinking hard. She slowly just walked over to Joseph's side, joining him as he stood at the edge of the cliff, looking out at the breathtaking view. For a moment, all the chaos faded away, replaced by the quiet beauty of the night.

David hesitated, but eventually let out a long sigh. "Fine," he muttered, walking over to stand with them. "But don't think I'm letting my guard down just because we're enjoying the scenery."

Joseph remained quiet; his gaze fixed on the peaceful city below. Despite the calm, his mind was elsewhere, focused on the lives in that city—the people who had no idea what kind of threat lurked in the shadows. It was his responsibility to protect them, to shield them from the demons who would tear their world apart.

López, still processing everything, broke the silence with a hesitant question. "You've never told me... why do you guys protect humans?"

Her voice was soft, but her eyes were filled with curiosity as she looked at Joseph, waiting for an answer. Joseph remained silent for a moment; his expression thoughtful. Finally, he smiled gently, his eyes reflecting a deep, hidden sorrow. "There was someone close to me", he said quietly, "someone I couldn't protect. She lost her life because I wasn't strong enough. Now, I want to protect those I love—and the world I live in—from demons."

A soft wind swept through the air, brushing past López's ear as Joseph's words sank in, leaving her speechless.

And in that moment, standing on the cliffside with the city spread out before them, the three of them knew—Strom hasn't passed completely.

The night was deceptively peaceful, but the echoes of battle still lingered in the air. The Demon General's voice, his mocking laughter, his cryptic words—they refused to fade.

"I am not your enemy."

That single sentence gnawed at them, burrowing deep into their thoughts.

What did he mean?

Was it a lie? A trick? Or was there a terrifying truth hidden beneath his words?

Joseph's grip tightened at his side. David exhaled sharply, the tension refusing to leave his body. López stole one last glance at the vast cityscape before them—blissfully unaware of the war that loomed in the shadows.

Somewhere in the darkness, the Demon General was planning something big.

Something really Big.

And somewhere, his idea of peace was already in motion.

If the Demon General truly had no ill intentions, then what was the proposal he had in mind? What kind of peace was he talking about? And could the trio really afford to believe his words—the words of none other than a general among demons?