The Story of Rogan

The Story of Rogan

Like always in the break during the school lessons, he just sat on his place, reading a book. The other schoolboys wouldn't like to play with him anyway since they thought that he was a spoiled brat. But Rogan didn't care about them.
The name Weltièr was well known in the seaport as his mothers concern was one of the two biggest cargo ship companies in the surrounding area.
As the lessons for the day ended he bid his farewell to the teacher and went straight home.
Rogan reached it without incidents and as he opened the housedoor, he almost stumbled over their housemaid.
"Good afternoon, young master. How was your day?" she asked as she took his jacket and the schoolbag.
"Thank you Mary. It was like always. Where's mother?" he replied.
"Madam's in the saloon but she has a conference right now."
Rogan went through the main hall to get to the saloon. Halfway he already could hear his mother, Selenne, speaking with someone. The sliding door was half open and he could see her with the other person, a man, was standing with the back to him. The boy could see the soft smile of his mother she always had on her lips, but her eyes were ice-cold as she discussed with the man vis-à-vis. But as she saw her child her smile turned into a real one and she rushed to him.
"Rogan, dear! You're already back?!" she kissed him on his forehead. "How was your day?"
"It was fine, mom. Who's that man?" he asked.
"That's Sir Luowin, my dear." his mother answered his question. Rogan noticed that her face froze for a second, as she spoke the name. No wonder, since 'Luowin' was the other cargo ship company and their rival.
"Would you excuse me, Rogan. I still have to discuss a few things with him. Why don't you go playing with some of your schoolmates?" she said.
"The other children don't like me. They won't play with me at all, but I don't mind. I'll just read another book." he replied.
"Oh honey," his mother stroke his cheek, "you really should try to make some friends. They just need to get to know you better, that's all. Think about your birthday."
Rogan remembered it pretty well as is was only a few days ago that he turned 10. He celebrated only with his mother and their employee. But he had no problem with it. He was surrounded by those he liked and that was all that mattered for him. Only his mother seemed really sad that he didn't had any friends to invite.
The young boy sighed as he looked at his mother. "Okay, I'll try my best. I promise."
His mother smiled happily at him and was about to say something as she got interrupted by sir Luowin. "Excuse me Mrs Weltièr but could we please continue our..... discussion?!" he said and gave Rogan a deprecatingly glare.
"In an instant, Sir Luowin." She smiled at Rogan once again before she turned around and closed the door of the saloon behind her.

The first half of the next day at school passed as every day did. During the lunch break he usually would sit down in a silent corner in the schoolyard, watching the other students while eating his snack. And after that he would read one of his many books. History, fantasy, mystery story.... he liked to read every kind of book. But mostly he liked books about the supernatural and magic.
This break was different. Since he promised his mother that he would try to make some friends, Rogan just kept observing everyone else for a while. After some time he decided to get to a small group of students, who were playing with a ball.
"Hey, hello." The boy greeted them. But as soon as they heard him they turned around and went away from him. Rogan stood there, watching them go. With a sigh he turned around and looked out for someone else.
As he saw a lonely boy on a swing he approached him. But as the boy noticed that Rogan headed his direction, he jumped from the swing and ran away.
>>God damn it. It's like I'm having a infective disease.<< the thought with a hint of anger. Again he looked around and saw a small group of girls near him this time. Rogan really didn't feel like playing with girls - even if they would let him play with them that means. But like the situation was right now, he didn't care much. As long as he would socialize it didn't matter. As Rogan got closer to the girls, one of them stood up – probably the 'leader' of the group.
"Go away! We don't talk with guys." She simply said.
"What? That's not true! I saw you talking with Bobby a few minutes ago." Rogan replied.
The girl remained silent for a moment and looked back to the others before she continued.
"We don't want you near us. You... your family is..... odd."
"Odd?! What do you mean with that?" he asked confused. But before the girl could answer the bell's school rang and everyone went back inside.
"Hey, wait! I asked you something!" Rogan shouted after the girl but she rushed away and was gone in the turmoil of students.

Back that evening he sat at the table in the dining-room with his mother. As they finished their main meal and waited for the dessert, she spoke to him.
"So, how was your day in school today, dear? Were you able to get closer to some of your schoolmates?"
Rogan sighed and looked away. "No, I was not. They always keep their distance to me like I would be sick with some terrible disease. One of them said, that my family is odd. Why did they say that?"
Selenne looked down on the table with a sad look on her face. "They just don't know us. That's all."
"Is it because father left you?" he asked.
Now she got a hard look in her eyes as she continued. "Maybe, maybe not. I assume it's hard for them to imagine a single woman to manage such a big concern on her own."
"But what about-" the boy started, but got interrupted by his mother.
"That's enough, dear. Look, the dessert already gets served. Lets stop for now."
So they ate their dessert in silence. It didn't really surprise him that his mother choke off the issue. Every time he tried to find something out about his father, she changed the subject or simply kept silent. All he knew about him was that he left his mother as she was still pregnant with him. And that he had his fathers green eyes. But aside of that, he didn't know who or how his father was, or why he left them. However, his mother was always there, taking care of him, taking her time playing with him and listening to his worries and hopes. So he didn't really miss the person he never knew.
They finished their meal and Rogan went to bed after thanking his mother and the cook.

On the next day, he tried again to get closer to some of his classmate, but with the same result like last time. Rogans mood dropped with every student that turned their back on him or simply ran away.
Like alway as he got home, he met Mary first, who greeted him friendly and took his clothes and the schoolbag. This time, his mother was also in the hallway, but as she approached him, she could see that he wasn't successful again. Selenne knelt down next to him and stroke his head.
"Honey, you don't have to push yourself if you have so much troubles to get closer to your schoolmates. If the time is right, you will find some friends, I'm sure about it. You are a nice boy after all." She smiled at him, but Rogan could clearly see that her eyes told a different story.
As his mother got back into the big saloon to another meeting he got his jacked again.
"I'm going out again, Mary. I'll be back at sunset!" and with those words he left.

After he walked for a while he found the small group of boys, which were in the same class as him. As Rogan got closer to them they stopped their rampage and looked at him.
"What do you want here?" one of them asked in a not so friendly tone.
Rogan squared his shoulders and finally spoke to them: "Hi. I just wanted to ask, if I can play with you guys."
The boys glared at him like he was an alien. "What?! You want to play with us?! Yeah sure. Didn't your mommy get you enough toys?" they blurted.
"Hey, leave my mom out of this! I just wanted to be friends with you." He bristled.
"Friends?!" the boys looked at each other and then, suddenly they started to sneer.
"If you want to be friends with us you have to proof, if your worthy!"
Rogan had a bad feeling about it. "What do you want me to do?"
The grin on their faces turned even wider as one said: "You have to stay one night in the 'Dead Woods'!"
The Dead Woods was a forest near the city. There were no animals in there, nothing could be heard. And if someone entered the woods too deeply they never came back.
Rogan knew that this was a bad idea, but he surely was no coward and didn't want to get the reputation of being one. So he replied straight-faced: "Sure, no problem. I'll do it."
The jaws of the boys dropped, but they recollected themselves quickly. "Yeah, sure! If you really dare it, meet us Saturday at sunset, west of the city at the entrance of the Woods!"
"I'll come." Rogan answered.

Saturday, evening.
Rogan took his thick jacket and hid some sandwiches, a piece of chalk, matches and a small knife in the pockets.
"Mom," he shouted over his shoulder. "I'm going now. I'll be back tomorrow noon."
His mother smiled happily at him as he left the house. "Have a nice evening, and greet your friends parents from me."
He told her that he met some of his schoolmates, finally managed to make some friends and that he was going to stay at their place tonight.
Just like they arranged, he met the other students at sunset, outside of the city, right in front of the cursed woods.
They looked at him with crossed arms and dark faces.
"You have to go in deeply, until you're not able to see us anymore. We will stay here to get sure that you don't chicken out and run back before the sun rises." one said with an evil grin on his face.
"Okay. See you tomorrow then." and without hesitation he entered the forest. As deeper he got in as more he got a queasy feeling. There were no birds singing, no insects chirping. It even sounded like the wind tried to stay as silent as possible as he blew between the trees. Finally he reached a point, where he wasn't able to see the edge of the woods. Rogan was smart enough to mark the trees he passed with the chalk he took with him. So he won't get lost in the forest. Now the boy tried to find an at least half-decent comfortable and safe place to spend the night. He unpacked one of the sandwiches and started to eat.

Half of the night passed by without anything worth mentioning. It was a calm night until the clouds started to pile up and soon it began to storm.
Rogan rushed through the woods in search of a secure place, still using the chalk on every tree he went by. After some time, which seemed like eternity for him he found a cave. As quick as his feet could carry him, he rushed into it. As he was sure that he was safe from the worts weather he sat down to catch his breath. Rogan collected some dry sticks from the ground and set fire with his matches. Suddenly he heard a growl like of a wild beast.
"OOOUUUUT OF MY CAVE! OR I'LL EAT YOU ALIVE!"
Rogan shrieked and jumped at the voice but didn't move an inch.
"I said out of here! Or I'll do things to you like in your worst nightmares!"
The boy tilted his head. "How would you know, what my worst nightmares are?" he asked into the darkness of the cave.
"Wha.... That's just a phrase, you dumbass! It means that I'll do terrible and gruesome things to you if you don't leave in an instant! Idiotic humans don't even know a locution....." the voice grumbled.
Rogan stayed were he was. "Who the hell are you?!"
The Voice chuckled evily as it spoke: "I'm a powerful creature of the darkness, which is able to destroy you humans in an instant if I feel like it! For I am a mighty demon!" with those words, the figure stepped out of the shadows.
What Rogan saw, was a big shaggy cat. No, he thought that it was a cat only the very first sight. It looked very similar to the felines but it walked on only two legs was wearing pants, had two tails and small horns on it's head.
"Who are you again?" Rogan asked unimpressed.
The creature glared at him with a open mouth. "What the?! I just told you that I'm a demon! Now get the hell out of my cave, you runt!"
The boy turned around and looked out of the cave. The storm got even worse that it was. He looked back at the creature -which wasn't even as big as himself, and Rogan was no giant at all- with a determined look on his face. "Out there?! No way!"
"You little-!" without finishing the sentence, the creature jumped at Rogan. For it's size it was pretty strong.
They fought for a while and each tried to drive the opponent out of the cave. Soon, both of them laid on the ground panting heavily.
"Have enough.... already?! I.... can go on.... like that the..... whole night!" the demon spoke in a harsh manner.
"So... so what?! I can... do the same.... No..... problem at all!" Rogen replied the same way.
The boy and the creature kept laying on the ground panting for several minutes. As both got up again, they jumped at each other and repeated the scenario, with the same result.
After the third battle, Rogan decided to end the fiasco. "Stop. We won't get anywhere like that. Let's say it's a tie."
The demon hissed at the boy: "I rather die that admit a tie to a mere human!" it wobbled as it tried to stand up again and fell flat on it ass. Then it didn't move anymore and just glared evily at Rogan, as if with every sight it would throw daggers into his direction.
For the boy, he also sat down and leaned against the wall of the cave. Rogan inspected if the sandwiches survived the battles. They got a bit squashed and scrunched, but except of that, they were still eatable. Just as he was about to take a bite, he could hear the stomach of his opponent growling.
Rogan took one of the remaining snacks and reached it over to the creature.
"Do you want one?"
"HEH!" the demon snorted. "Do I look like I would need some pittance of a human?!"
"Yes, pretty much." Rogan replied bluntly.
Ouch. That hit the demon's pride hard. Rogan just threw the sandwich over to him and applied himself to his own one. As he wasn't looking the demon grabbed the food and shoved it down his throat with two big bites.

They sat in the cave, glaring at each other for several hours. Rogan examined the creature from head to toe. The demon on the other side glared at the boy like he would try to kill him just with his eyes.
"You look awful. And I don't mean in a scary way, but more in a pitiful." Rogan finally broke the silence.
"Oh yeah? And you look drop-dead ugly!" The demon replied and kept glaring at the boy.
Again time passed by without anyone saying a word. And again, it was Rogan to be the first one to act.
"You said that you're a demon. I always thought that demons look..... different. More... terrifying."
The demon chuckled in an insulting way. "Well, how many demons do you know?!"
The young boy thought for a moment. "I only know them from the books."
"HAH!" the demon shouted. "Human books I bet. Your kind tends to overstate and fake a lot. I bet none of the guys, who wrote the books ever met a real demon. They're all just made up!"
Rogan got curious now. "Then, do all demons look like you? And I always thought that your kind is powerful and scary."
"We ARE powerful and scary!" the demon rose his voice. "We were the first ones who learned how to use magic. We invented the most powerful spells of all! And, hell no! We all look different. There are all kinds of demons!"
The boy moved closer to the cat-like creature. "Can you tell me more about it?"
The demon paused for a moment and looked at the boy with a slightly confused face.
"....Why the hell should I?" as he turned around and looked at the entrance of the cave he saw that the storm stopped and that the sun already rose up. "There, the weather's fine now. Now get the hell out of here before I decide to eat you alive!"
Rogan stood up and went to the entrance. He turned around to look again at the demon.
"I'm Rogan Nathanael Weltièr. What's your name?"
"None of you business!" came a snarl.
"That's an odd name." Rogan grinned.
"OUT!"
And with that, he left the cave.

As he reached the edge of the Dead Woods, his schoolmates were gone. Rogan wasn't really surprised about that. In the city he met them again at their usual place. They didn't believe him that he stayed in the forest the whole night and chased him away.
Instead of heading home, he went to the public library. Rogan borrowed as much books as he was able to carry, all about the same topic: Demons.

Next weekend.
Like the last time, he told his mother that he would stay at a friends place over night. Again he packed a piece of chalk, matches, a few sandwiches and also some sweets in his jacket.
As he entered the woods again, he looked out for the chalk markings he left the last time. Rogan refreshed them with his new chalk as he followed his path. It took him almost an hour before he found the cave again.
At the entrance the called into the darkness. "Hey, 'None-of-your-business', are you here?"
"You again?!" came an upset answer. "What the hell do you want here? Didn't I tell you to get the hell away from here and to never come back?! AND DON'T CALL ME LIKE THAT!"
"Well, you told be to get away, but you never said anything about never coming back. Oh, and what should I call you then? You didn't tell me your name." The boy said as he entered the small cave.
The demon growled annoyed in the darkness. "Hell, you're a persistent one! What do you want here?!"
Rogan sat down and made a small fire again. "I still have questions about you and your kind, 'No-Name'."
"And why the hell should I answer your questions? And stop calling me things already!"
The boy made a pondering face as he teetered his head from one side to the other. "Then how about 'Cat-like-thing'?"
"WHAT?!"
"No? 'Red-shag' then?" Rogan teased the demon.
"WHAT THE?! YOU-"
"'Horned-gnome'? 'Tiger-cat'? 'Fluffy'?"
"STOP IT,DAMN YOU! IT'S MAROON! MAROON!!! OKAY?!" the demon huffed.
Rogan smiled at the demon. "Okay. Maroon then."
He rummaged in his pockets and fetched two of his sandwiches.
"Do you want one?" he asked Maroon.
"You can shove your food up your ass!" the demon hissed.
"Well, if you don't like it then I'm going to eat them." The boy replied and started to eat one of them. So they sat in the cave, again in silence like the first time and time passed by.
And again it was Rogan who broke the silence.
"How many kinds of demons are in this world?"
There was no reply to his question, only piercing glares of Maroon. A few minuted passed by and Rogan thought that he wouldn't get an answer anymore as the demon finally spoke.
"More than there are humans on this world."
Rogan smiled. It was a good sign if the demon talked to him, even if he answered him just out of pure boredom. So he kept asking questions.
"Then, how comes that I've never seen a demon before you? I also don't hear or read anything about sightings of demons. Shouldn't you kind be more present if there are so many of you?"
Again, silence for a long time before Maroon answered again.
"Most demons stay away of humans and we know how to hide our presence. And mostly that isn't even necessary since the senses of your kind are pretty dull." he sneered.
"Well, you don't seem that good at hiding...." Rogan mumbled more to himself. But Maroon still heard it.
"Oh shut up you runt and get lost!"
The boy gulped. "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to-"
"I said. GET LOST!" the demon snarled.
Gladly it was already getting bright again, and so Rogan left the cave, leaving his sandwiches behind like he just forgot them. As soon as he got a few steps away he could hear the demon devouring them and smiled to himself.

Next Saturday, Rogan wasn't able to pay Maroon a visit. His mother went to the harbor to check on a new cargo that arrived this morning and he accompanied her. He always liked the harbor. The sound of the waves were nice, the people of his mother's concern were nice and there were a lot of straying dogs and cats. He liked animals and to feed and take care of them. They didn't run away from him.
As his mother talked to her main worker at the docks, he went to the alleys. Soon a gray dog with 3 puppies approached. Rogan patted the dog and gave it and its pups pieces of sausage he took with him from home. After they finished eating he played with them. He didn't notice that he got farther away from his mother as he did so.
Suddenly a big chunky man stood in front of him.
"Boy, what are you doing here?! Children aren't allowed to play here!" he grumbled.
Behind him appeared another man with the same figure and grinned evil.
"Yeah, such bad boys like you should be punished."
The dog put itself between Rogan and the men and growled at them.
"Stupid stray!" one of the men growled and kicked the dog away, which howled in pain.
"No! Leave the dog alone!" Rogan shouted and grabbed the man, who was about to kick the dog again.
"Let go of me, brat!" the man yelled and pushed Rogan away. The boy stumbled and fell down. The men got closer to him and it seemed like the would now start to kick him instead of the dog.
Right as one of the men grabbed after Rogan he heard a familiar voice.
"Now, my friends. Is that the manner you show toward a fellow man of business?"
"Boss?"
Luowin appeared behind his men and looked down on Rogan.
"This young men is Selenne Weltièr's son. You better leave him unharmed."
And so the men back off of Rogan but still glared at him.
"Th-Thanks a lot for your help." Rogan stuttered as the stood up and bowed before Luowin. At the same time the looked at where the dog was and noticed with relief that it already got up and toddled off with its pups.
"Oh, no need to thank me." Luowin replied to the boy. "I can't let the son of a dear friend of mine get harmed by accident by my men." He grinned at Rogan, but that grin was kind of eerie. Some people had gathered around them already and watched the scene.
"Just be sure that you won't get apart so far from your mother again. And greet her from me if you get back to her."
And so Rogan rushed back to his mother and told her what happened.
"That Sir Luowin...." she hissed. "I bet he had planned all that so that he looks like a good person. But I already know him too well to fall for that." Selenne looked down at her son.
"In future, keep staying near me, dear."
Rogan nodded and so they left the harbor and went back home.

Next weekend he went to the cave of Maroon again. Like always he took some snacks with him, he offered the demon. And like always, Maroon just gave an unfriendly reply to it. But this time he took some and ate them in front of the boy.
"Say, I read something about a god of demons called Belial..." Rogan started.
"Oh shut it, will you!" Maroon hissed angry. "That guy is everything else than a god! He's a demon like most of us. The only difference is that he won't die of age and that he's more powerful than anyone else. I should know best!"
"How comes?" Rogan asked.
"Because I knew that guy pretty well. We even were friends in the past. ... ... but that was long ago." The demon sat down with a brooding face.
Rogan looked at him with big sparkling eyes. "Wow, so you know a demon almost as powerful as a god?! Does that mean that you're powerful too?"
Maroon felt a swell of pride. "Of course I am! I was one of the most feared demons in the past. Besides Belial. Demons trembled at the sound of my name! I was able to cast spells so powerful, that they would clear half of the continent of all living things!"
Rogan noticed that Maroon was talking in the past about his power and he pointed that out.
"Because that bastard of Belial sealed my magic away!" That slipped the demons lips before he could stop it. That was actually something, he never wanted anyone to know.
"Wow, I thought you were friends? Why did he do it?" the boy asked
"None of your business." Maroon growled and looked away.
"Is there no way to break the seal?"
At those words, Maroon turned around an looked closely at Rogan. It took him a minute before he answered.
"There is. But that's something that never will happen anyway."
"But-" Rogan started but Maroon interrupted him. "That's enough already! I don't want to talk about it!" the demon growled as he hit the boy.
"Ouch! Hey, that hurt!" Rogan groaned and hit Maroon back. And Maroon kicked him in return.
"Hey! Do you wanna fight again?!"
Soon they started to kick and punch each other hard. Eventually it ended in a brawl that took its time.
After half an hour they sat next to each other, panting heavily for a while. Then Rogan unpacked two sandwiches and reached one of it over to Maroon. The demon just growled at the boy but took the bread and ate it.
So Rogan started asking him different things about demons again. Like, about their looks, their habits and magical abilities. And Maroon actually really answered most of them. The boy notices quickly that the demon liked to talk big, especially if he could brag with his knowledge or something else.
So time passed by and the sun rose again. Rogan left the cave, leaving the rest of the food he had with the demon and went home again.
Maroon observed Rogan as he left, eating some of the sweets the boy left behind.
>>What an odd human.....<< he thought as he chewed on a chocolate bar.

Now and then Rogan visited Maroon on the weekends, always bringing something to eat, asking him every kind of questions. Especially one kind of magic interested him the most. The one where someone were able to call another creature to support them. It was a nice imagination, to call something out when- and wherever you needed help.

Few weeks later.
Rogan brought some of the books he borrowed again from the library back and got home late in the afternoon. On his way home he met the group of boys, which gave him the challenge with the Dead Woods back then.
Rogan kept ignoring them as he passed the group but one of the boys shouted after him.
"Oi, someone saw that you entered the Dead Woods again. What were you doing there?!"
Rogan didn't look back as he answered. "Since when do you care what I'm doing?!"
"We asked you a question. just answer it!" one of them growled.
"It's none of your business!" Rogan simply replied.
"Heh, maybe his mom's haunting the woods and curses everyone." Another one laughed mischievous.
"Hey!" now he turned around and glared at them. "I said that you should leave my mother out of this!"
"Why? I bet she's actually a witch. How else can she lead such a big and complicated company. I also bet that's the reason your father vanished." One hissed.
"Or maybe she even killed him herself. Who knows?!" another one snarled.
Without a warning, Rogan jumped forward and punched the one, who said the last sentence right in the face. A crack could be heard and the boys nose looked a bit deformed and bled heavily.
"Don't you ever dare to say something bad about my mother again!" Rogan said with an ice-cold look in his eyes.
The other boys just stood there due the shock about what happened. but as soon as they picked up courage they screamed and attacked Rogan. It wasn't a long battle but it was intense. Rogan kicked and punched whoever got in his reach. He received quite some punches himself and ended up with lots of bruises, but the fights he had with Maroon now and then taught him a lot. He ducked under a punch and kicked against the foot of the boy. That stumbled and fell on another one. Meanwhile Rogan swirled around and punched the third hard in his guts. Before the boy, who stumbled could get up again he kicked him against the head. The last one, he finished with a heard clout. Rogan breathed heavily and looked down on the three knocked out boys. Then he turned on his heels and rushed home.

As he entered his home he could hear his mother. Rogan paused as he listened closer to her voice. She seemed rather angry from the way it sounded. He tried to follow the voice but Mary stopped him on the way to the saloon.
"I'm sorry young master, but Madam is...... really busy right now." She apologized. Then she noticed his appearance. "My Lord! What happened to you, young master?! Are you hurt badly?"
"I'm okay, Mary. But what about my mom?" Rogan said as he tried to get past the housemaid. "No, no, no! We have to take care of you first!" Mary said determined.
Without protest he let her bring him to his room. But as soon as their housemaid rushed away to get the first aid, he sneaked out of his room and to the saloon. He cowered next to the door and tried to eavesdrop the dialogue behind it.
"..... won't accept that! Never!" he could hear his mother.
"This is your last chance Lady! You'll regret it if you won't agree to the deal." Rogan identified that voice as that of Sir Luowin. That explained why his mother sounded so furious. She never made a secret of the fact, that she didn't like that person.
"No! Under no condition I will ever bestow my concern upon you!"
"The last warning Selenne Weltièr! It's too much for you. Just think about it! The company, the responsibility that comes with it, your son... You're a single mother, you-" Luowin babbled but Rogan's Mother stopped him rigorously.
"Out of my house!" she finally shouted.
Rogan could hear rushed footsteps and as fast as he could he hid under the next table. Just right in time as the door slid open and Sir Luowin stepped out of the saloon. He walked a few steps but stopped and turned around.
"This... was your worst mistake. And maybe even your last." He hissed before he rushed out of the hall and the house. That was more than obvious a threat! Rogan knew the men of Luowin's co-workers. He saw them now and then when he was at the harbor with his mother, to check the ships and the load. They all were big, chunky, scary guys – and mostly dumb as a wet loaf of bread. The boy didn't even dare to imagine what kind of threat that mister had in mind. Finally he could hear the footsteps of his mother. But she didn't leave the saloon. She just stood there for a moment before she went in again and closed the door. Rogan thought that he heard a soft sobbing before the door closed completely.
Rogan was confused and really troubled. Without realizing it, he took his jacket and went down the usual way he took to get to the Dead Woods. He startled from his pondering as he heard Luowins voice again. Rogan tried to get closer from where it came without anyone noticing him.
He saw the owner of the rival company with a dozen of guys in a back road.
".... know what you have to do. This time, once and for all, Selenne Weltièr will go down and with her the whole concern! The company won't be able to exist without it's head."
He didn't need to hear more and ran away. No matter what, his mother wouldn't stand a chance against Luowin's men. Even if they were able to gather most of their staffs. Luowin's men were monsters regarding to strenght. In panic Rogan rushed into the woods and to the cave.
"MAROON! MAROON!!! I NEED YOUR HELP!" he shouted as he got deeper into the cave.
The said demon, who was asleep just a few seconds ago blinked in confusion. "Whu... Whthemattr~~" he mumbled as he wiped the sleep out of his eyes. "Why are you screaming like a madman, brat?" Rogan grabbed the demon on his shoulders and shook him awake.
"They're gonna kill mom! I need your help!!"
"Wha-? What the hell are you talking about?!" Maroon huffed irritated as he shook of the boy.
"You said, there's a way to break the seal of you. What is it? Is there something I can do?! I need your help! I need your magic or they will kill my mother!"
Still a bit confused but now fully awake, Maroon examined the boy before him. Rogan was a real mess. His clothes dirty and partly ripped, as he rushed without regard through the forest, trembling, eyes opened wide of fear, tears running down. It seemed like eternity passed as Maroon finally spoke.
"Yes, there's a way to break the seal Belial put upon me, to gain my magic back. A pure and innocent soul has to sacrifice itself of it's own free will. Only then I will get my powers back."
Rogan stared at the demon. "What... what exactly does that mean? Do I have to die?!"
"More or less, yes." He replied.
The boy trembled for another moment but got calm quickly. "I would rather not die. But if it helps my mom...." he got out the small knife that still was in his jacket since the first time he entered the forest. He hesitated the first moment, but before he could chicken out completely he stabbed himself in the stomach.
A seal started to glow at Maroons feet and to fade away. The demon let out a roaring and manic laugher.
"NYENYENYENYENYENYENYEEEEE!!!!! Thanks a thousand times for your help. Finally, after so long I get my powers back. You're so naive, I almost pity you!" he stepped over the boys body, who was in terrible pain.
"This is a farewell, my friend. It was an amusing time with you but now I have to go and to enjoy my recovered force!" and with those words he left Rogan in the cave.

Crying out of anger about his naivety, his weakness and out of pure pain he laid there for several moments, not able to move. How was he so blind to think, that a demon would help him?! But he knew he had to get up. At any costs he had to warn his mother. He should have done that at the very beginning! So under great distress he pulled himself together and stood up. It took him several attempts but he managed to get on his feet somehow. With all strength he could bring up, Rogan stumbled back through the woods, home to his mother. It was already late at night, so no one was on the streets to help him.
As he finally reached his home, he almost collapsed at the entrance. But this very moment the door swung open and his mother stood before him.
Her eyes opened wide in terror as she saw her son, bleeding to death.
"ROGAN?! My god, what happened to you?! HELP! WE NEED HELP! A DOCTOR!" she screamed into the night.
"Mom... there's... something very important I-" Rogan spit out but had lots of trouble talking in his condition.
"Don't speak my dear! I will get you to the hospital!" So she picked him up and rushed through the streets. But she didn't got far. A few alleys away from their home, a bunch of men blocked the path.
"Please help me! My son is terribly hurt and needs to get to the hospital!" she whined.
But the men just grinned at her. Now even behind her gathered several dark figures.
"My, my, what a horrible incident. Just as the well known Mrs. Weltièr tried to get her son, which was badly wounded, to a doctor, she got hijacked and killed. What a tragedy...." Between the men stepped out Sir Luowin with an murderous smile on his face.
"You?!" Rogans mother trembled and stepped back, but was stopped immediately by the men behind her.
"I told you, that it would be your last mistake, didn't I?" Luowin sneered as he saw the panic raising in her face. But she got a hold of herself, stood up straight and glared determined at her antagonist. "Do whatever you want with me. But let me at least safe my son!"
"Why should I?" he chuckled in an evil manner. "If he dies too, the better for me. If the whole Weltièr family gets wiped out, I can easily overtake your concern with no one standing in my way."
"YOU MONSTER!" Selenne shouted. She was about to call Luowin even more but screams from behind disturbed her. She couldn't clearly see what happened to the men behind her, but it seemed like they would get tortured by the master of hell himself. Then, it abruptly went silent.
Luowin and his men in front of Selenne backed off a few steps.
"What.. What's going on there?!" he shouted.
A maniacal chuckle could be heard, followed by footsteps.
"Well, well... Seems like I didn't get all of my powers back after all. No wonder since the brat is still alive."
"Who are you?! Show yourself!" Luowin screamed, his voice almost breaking.
"Me? Oh, I'm no one special. I'm just a demon that happens to be in dept to that dying runt over there." Maroon said as he finally stepped out of the darkness and passed Selenne.
Rogan, who was barely conscious looked at the small demon through a blurry vision. "So, you came to help after all." he barely whispered.
"Yeah, yeah. But don't let it get to our head, idiot! I just hate to owe you something." The demon grinned at the boy and his mother.
Luowin stood there, glaring at the odd creature before him.
"Heh, hehe-hahahaha! Well, who- or whatever you are, you have no chance against all my men. GET THEM!" he shouted and all his worker launched at the demon and the woman.
Selenne and Rogan weren't really able to tell what happened then. It only took an instant. There were horrible screams, noises of cracking bones and splashing blood. In a blink of an eye they were standing in a puddle of dead bodies. Only Luowin still standing, as he was the only one who didn't charge at the small group. Pale as a corpse he looked at that what remained of his men – which wasn't really much. As life finally got back into his bones he turned on his heel, screaming like mad.
Without even paying much attention to him, Maroon just clicked his fingers. Out of the shadows right next to Luowin dashed two smoky arms, grabbing and dragging him in, right from where they came. Luowin screamed from the top of his lungs and struggled as much as he could. But as soon as he vanished in the shadow, his screams ebbed away, only leaving the night with its usual soundscape.
Selenne sank down on her knees. Confused, stroke with fear but strangely also relieved. But mostly she was confused and didn't know how to react to the creature in front of her.
Maroon turned around and looked at her and Rogan. Again he clicked his fingers and a woman in a blue dress and the wings of a firefly appeared.
"I wish for you to heal him!" the demon said to her. The Blue Fairy swung a stick, which had an alarmingly similarity with a human bone, and Rogan was clouded in blue light. As Selenne took a closer look on her son, she noticed that the terrible wound was gone.
"Th- Thank you so much, I...... " she started but the demon just waved aside. Rogan finally came back completely to his senses. "Thanks a lot Maroon. But.... why did you come back?"
Maroon shrugged with his shoulders. "I already said, I hate to owe you something. And I wouldn't have gotten my full power back, even if you have died, since it wasn't on your free will anymore. And, you know what? You're an odd but interesting guy." He turned to Selenne as he continued. "You have a very ill-bred boy there. Did a lot of thing you don't know about, for that I'm sure. He's way too curious and naive for his own good. And he's odd. Really odd! But that makes me curious about him." he grinned.
"What was that figure right now? That woman...." Rogan asked.
"That, my friend, was one of my summons." Maroon explained. His grin got even wider as he leaned forward to Rogan's face.
"Say, boy. Would you like to learn it? How to summon creatures?"




maybe to be continued....