The young demon moved the curtain away and entered the hut cautiously.
“You wanted to see me, chief?”
“I’ve been told that you were the last one to talk to my kids.” Aloof, Houji played with the embers of a small bonfire with his bare hand. “Any idea of where they might have gone?”
“Well… I don’t know, sir.”
“Really? I heard that you were playing dices with them.” He stood up, serious, and the other fire demon stepped back; at low-light, the chief’s tattoos looked like grisly scars. “Didn’t they say anything?”
The soldier gulped, afraid. Suddenly, his throat was crushed by Houji’s hand, and he felt way more driven to answer the question.
“They said… something about making sure of your victory, sir… in the fireworks competition.”
“Even after I specifically told everyone not to meddle with this?” he yelled. Suddenly, the bonfire burned fiercely, the flames almost reaching the thatched roof. “Tell me, how’s the tribe supposed to respect a chief whose own children don’t obey him?
“None will know, sir, I swear…” he whispered, his breath failing.
“Oh, I’m sure of that.”
The warrior’s claws stuck into the demon’s flesh, and he burst into flames violently. One instant later, Houji was cleaning the ashes off his hands. The small bonfire died down by his side.
“I just hope they’re not doing anything stupid.”
