My Roommate is an Ancient Demon

MIDNIGHT MARK

“Hey—why are we hiking this mountain, and where are we?” Andrea asked Kael as they traversed a trail she didn’t recognize at all. Kael led the way, walking steadily as if he could see perfectly through the dark.

Andrea, meanwhile, struggled not to bump into anything even with the flashlight in her hand. She glanced around: tall grasses, a few dalanghita trees, and massive old trees lined the path, blending into the shadows. She brushed her arms, as if swiping away an invisible chill.

“We’re at Mt. Cristobal,” Kael said without turning his head, his pace never slowing.

Andrea’s breath caught. She’d heard all the ghost stories surrounding this place, rumors of disappearances, scary tales featured on TV shows. It was known far and wide as the Devil’s Mountain.

“Mt. Cristobal… the Devil’s Mountain? Why are we here?” she asked again.

“She’s right—why are we here, and we’re starving!” a voice called from behind.

Kael stopped short and spun around, giving them both his familiar annoyed look. “You just ate, Bell. And why did you even follow us?”

“I wanted to see this mountain too,” Bell replied, plucking a dalanghita from a nearby tree. “I’ve heard Thalass talk about it, but I’ve never seen it myself. Why don’t we just teleport to the top? We’re demons, we don’t have to walk.”

Kael said nothing, only kept moving forward. Andrea’s legs already felt heavy and numb; she was exhausted.

Sensing her struggle, Kael stopped and looked back. “You really are high maintenance,” he muttered, then knelt in front of her, offering his back. “Hop on. You’re too slow.”

Flustered but too tired to argue, Andrea climbed on.

“Waaaah—unfair!” Bell whined, already gathering magic to teleport until Kael held up a hand to stop him.

“This mountain draws witches and occultists. A lot of hikers here practice dark magic. We’re doing this to avoid drawing unwanted attention until we're done here.”

“I get it…” Bell grumbled, dropping the magic, though he still looked like he’d rather be anywhere he could find food.

Kael glanced over his shoulder at her, a faint, teasing smirk tugging at his lips. “Did you gain weight?”

Andrea blushed bright red and gave his shoulder a light, playful slap. “Put me down right now if I’m so heavy!”

Kael chuckled low and soft. Andrea curled her arms around his shoulders, she rested her cheek against his back, letting him carry her the rest of the way.

Kael set her down gently once they reached the summit of Mt. Cristobal. Andrea pulled her phone from her pocket to check the time: 2:45 a.m.

Kael stepped close, his expression turning serious. “Do you remember me telling you that Mushins are bound to a specific place—they never wander far from where they belong?”

Andrea nodded. “Yes. What about it?”

“That second Mushin we ran into… it troubles me. It appeared out of nowhere on a street, attacked us, then vanished. That is not natural—someone placed it there.”

Andrea’s eyes went wide as a memory clicked into place. “Someone attacked me on my way home from the bookstore. I never saw his face but he said I had something he needed, and he tried to kill me.”

She glanced between Kael and Bell, and realized neither looked surprised at all. “Wait—you knew I was attacked?”

“Lior saved you—though he was just trying to look impressive,” Bell answered plainly.

“Why would you say that?” Andrea asked, confused.

“Kael told me. And he even ate my pudding while he was at it.”

Kael just shrugged, acting like it didn’t matter at all. “And last night, you recklessly ran off to your friend’s house, trying to fight a Mushin alone. I figured you’d only get yourself killed… because you let your emotions lead you.”

Andrea frowned, confused. “What does any of that have to do with hiking this mountain?”

“Today is the 13th on the calendar—my most favorable day for energy work. You’ll understand once midnight hits.”

“It’s almost 3:00 a.m.,” she pointed out.

“That is midnight in the Lower Realm, when the light is at its strongest,” Kael replied. He took her wrist and guided her to stand in a specific spot.

“Bell—make sure no one interferes,” he said, glancing over at Bell, who was perched on a stone peeling a dalanghita.

“Got it. I’ll guard this place with everything I’ve got,” Bell answered, mouth full.

Kael drew a symbol in the air and moved through a series of precise gestures. The air around them grew warm and heavy, and suddenly a massive door rose from the ground, matching the one she’d seen at the haunted house: two panels, skull-shaped knobs, carved with strange runes. As the doors swung open, she gripped Kael’s hand tight, fearing they’d fall. Instead, they hovered gently above the threshold.

“This is where the human world and the Lower Realm meet, for a short time. It’s the perfect moment for this.”

“For what exactly?” Andrea asked, thoroughly bewildered.

Kael lifted her left wrist, brought it to his lips, and kissed it—never breaking his gaze. Andrea froze, her face flushing hot enough to burn; she couldn’t look away.

A mark bloomed exactly where his lips had touched: a single, sharp character in black ink, unlike any writing she knew. Then the door beneath them faded, and they stood once more on solid ground.

“This is my mark,” Kael said. “Through it, you can draw directly on my power. But remember, only use it to defend yourself. Never to start a fight.”

He turned and started walking.

“Wait—you didn’t even tell me how it works!” Andrea hurried after him. “And… does it work on ghosts too?”

“Simply bearing my mark will turn away anything below my rank,” he replied, keeping his pace steady.

He stopped short where Bell was sitting. Dalanghita peels and seeds lay scattered across the ground. “This one’s too sour,” Bell grumbled.

“I’ve been wondering ever since I saw you eat at your restaurant,” Andrea said, stepping closer, confused. “How can you eat it like that without turning it into light? And where are your horns?”

Bell chuckled easily. “Everything we eat, even human food, turns into energy the second it hits our mouths. That’s the light you mean. We can also just touch it and draw the energy that way too. But either way? We still get to taste every bit of it.” He paused, then added simply, “As for my horns—they’re hidden, same as Kael’s.”

“Go home now, Bell,” Kael said plainly.

“Right, my familiars probably miss me,” Bell replied. He waved. “Bye!” and vanished in a flash of magic.

Kael stepped closer and took her hand. His black wings unfurled behind him, and his horns became visible again. Clouds drifted apart, and moonlight spilled over him—silver hair catching the glow, lips like cherries after rain. Everything about him felt breathtaking.

“Now,” he said, still holding her hand, “You’ve always had wings. Just… let them show.”

She closed her eyes. I’ve always had wings. I’m ready to use them.

A pair of black wings spread gently from her back. Kael’s lips tugged into a faint, proud smile, then he guided her, and they lifted into the sky together.

“We’re flying!”

A mix of her shouts and laughter rang out across the sky. “I’m so happy! I’ve always wanted to fly like this!” she called out.

“You really are such a loud, reckless little human,” Kael said, but the way he looked at her, with that faint, gentle smile, told a completely different story.

“I used to fly just like this all over the Lower Realm… back when I lived there,” he added quietly.

“Do you miss your home?”

A sharp ache twisted her heart at the thought: what if he goes back, once this bond ends? Her focus shattered, her wings vanished and she fell.

She reached out blindly for him. In an instant, his hand closed around hers, pulling her straight against him. Her gaze locked with his amber eyes—warm, steady, and looking right through her.

“What a reckless little human.”