"You!"
The sharp voice cut through the chatter of the market. Quinn froze mid-step, his hand instinctively brushing against the inside of his sleeve where the scroll rested hidden. Slowly, he turned.
An elder sat behind a low wooden stall stacked with clay jars, bundles of herbs, and strips of dried meat. His hair was silver, though two small black horns jutted proudly from his forehead. His eyes, a faded crimson, studied Quinn with unnerving calm.
"You're not from around here," the elder said, tapping his stall with a gnarled finger. "The way you gawk and stare… it gives you away."
Quinn's heart skipped. He clenched his fists and forced his face to remain steady. "I… I don't know what you mean."
The elder chuckled, low and raspy, like dry leaves caught in the wind. "Boy, I've lived in this realm longer than most stones on this road. I can tell the steps of a local from a stranger. You're not demon-born."
A few nearby shoppers slowed, curious, though none stepped closer. The elder waved a dismissive hand, shooing them off. "Don't worry. I've no interest in exposing you. If I did, the guards would already be dragging you by the ear."
Quinn swallowed, his throat dry. "Then… why call me out?"
The elder leaned forward, lowering his voice so only Quinn could hear. "Because a boy like you doesn't survive here by wandering blind. You'll be eaten alive—if not by beasts, then by bargains. And seeing that hungry look in your eyes, I'd guess you need food."
Quinn stiffened. His mind raced. Zi was waiting and he had nothing to offer.
The elder smirked faintly, reaching behind his stall. He pulled out a small bundle wrapped in cloth and set it on the counter. The aroma of dried meat leaked from within. "This is for you. No coin."
Quinn narrowed his eyes. "Why are you giving me this?"
The elder's smile deepened. "Nothing actually. We demons are of a simple mind. I see you're in need so I help out, there is nothing attached to it."
Quinn didn't want to believe the elder even though there seems to be truth attached to it. As far as he was concerned, nothing comes freely.
The elder knew that he wasn't convinced but he had no plans of making him believe him. So instead of convincing him, he told him to leave.
"Do not keep someone waiting for you for long, you should get going before it gets dark. If that happens, leaving the demon realm won't be very easy."
"Is there any explanation to that?" Quinn asked. The way the elder spoke, it didn't sound so simple.
"I can't explain further," the elder said. "Just get going already."
Quinn took the dried meat from the elder. "Goodbye," he said and walked away.
Behind him, the elder squinted his eyes. "A human child in a demon realm? Hmmm..."
------
Quinn soon returned to the abyssal land and as expected, Zi was waiting for him inside the cave.
The moment she heard approaching footsteps, she waited until she confirmed that the footsteps belong to her brother before dashing out to welcome him.
"Brother, you're back and... " She began to sniff the air. "You are carrying meat, right?" She asked in excitement.
Quinn smiled. "You've got quite a sharp nose, huh?" He teased her and took out the wrapped meat from his sleeve. "You're right. And it's for you."
Zi collected it immediately and unwrapped it. She sniffed the dried meat, her eyes sparkling. "It smells so good!"
Without hesitation, she tore off a piece and began chewing, humming softly as if every bite was a treasure. Watching her, Quinn felt the tightness in his chest ease. At least for now, she wouldn't go hungry.
He sat beside her, resting his back against the cool stone of the cave wall. "Eat slowly, Zi. That has to last us till tomorrow."
Zi nodded, though her cheeks puffed out like a squirrel, making Quinn chuckle despite himself.
As she ate, his gaze drifted toward the cave entrance, his thoughts returning to the elder's words. "Don't stay till dark…"
The warning hadn't been casual. Something in the man's tone suggested danger—something Quinn couldn't yet see.
He clenched his fists. "We can't stay here forever," he murmured under his breath. "If the Demon Realm is this close… then sooner or later, we'll have to step inside for real."
"Brother?" Zi looked up, tilting her head. "What did you say?"
Quinn shook his head quickly and smiled at her. "Nothing. Just… eat well. After that, you rest up."
Zi grinned, chewing happily again, but Quinn's mind remained troubled. The elder's face, the glint in his crimson eyes, and his final words echoed loudly in his head.
'I have to visit the demon realm tomorrow again but before then... I need to train.'
When night fell, the two siblings sat together round the fire that Quinn made.
"Brother, tell me a story, would you?" Zi suddenly begged her brother.
Quinn was taken aback. "But that is not my job. I am a man, you know?" He replied.
Zi pouted. "But mother is not here to tell me stories," she whispered, her voice trembling just a little.
Quinn's heart clenched. For a moment, he couldn't answer. He stared into the flames, the flickering light casting long shadows across the cave walls. Memories he had buried clawed at him, but Zi's expectant eyes left him no choice.
"Alright," he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "But don't expect it to be as pretty as mother's."
Zi's eyes lit up instantly, and she snuggled closer to him, resting her chin on her knees as she listened.
"There was once," Quinn began slowly, his voice deep but gentle, "a boy who was born weaker than everyone else. He couldn't fight like the others, couldn't run as fast, couldn't even protect the ones he loved."
Zi blinked, her little head tilting. "Was he useless then?"
Quinn smirked faintly, though the bitterness in his chest burned. "That's what everyone thought. But the boy… he didn't give up. Even when the world spat on him, even when he was left behind, he swore that one day, he would rise. Not to be like everyone else… but to be greater than them all."
Zi's eyes widened. She whispered softly, "Did he become strong?"
Quinn stared into the fire for a long while before answering. "…He will."
Zi didn't press further. Instead, she reached out and placed her tiny hand over his, smiling. "Then I'll wait to see it, Brother. When you become strong, I'll be there too."
Her words pierced deeper than she would ever know. Quinn tightened his grip on her hand gently, swallowing the lump in his throat. "Then it's settled. One day, you'll see it with your own eyes."