1 1. Falling in love with a demon prince...

[Unknown POV]

Standing in front of a huge screen with my hands together behind my back at my waist level, I could see them all, puny insects. It wasn't a world of magic.

They had no powers. All I could see were armors and weapons that were a thousand times inferior to the ones in my world.

"We are ready when you are, Your Majesty." A voice called from behind me.

"Laurius," I called out his name.

"Yes, brother?" he replied.

"Isn't it such a weak world?" I asked.

"It is, brother. It certainly is."

"Look at them, like disgusting insects scurrying around for food. They have no idea what is about to become of them. Such a weak world does not deserve to exist."

"It is rather pitiable, I suppose."

"You know," I grinned, "the weaker a world is, the more terrified they shall be."

"I shall make their screams exalt your power and glory, brother."

"Mine and yours, little brother. Mine and yours, for my glory is yours, and yours is mine…" I patted him on the shoulder and then snapped my fingers. The screen before us instantly turned blank.

"It is time... Let the havoc begin."

───────────

[Kiva's POV]

"There you are!" I exclaimed, quickly earning the glares of multiple other students that were studying in the school library. I walked past them, pretending I didn't notice their burning gazes. "I've been looking all over for you. What's this you're reading?" I asked in a much more lower tone.

"Well look who finally decided to show up," my best friend, Skye, said with a roll of her eyes. She flipped to the next page of her book, intently studying the pages after giving me a short glare. "You said you would be here ages ago."

"You seem to have had a blast in the time I wasn't here, though," I said, gesturing to the array of books that had been spread out on the library table in front of her.

Sniggering, I plucked the book out from her hands, earning a yelp from her and a playful hit on the shoulder.

"Falling in Love with a Demon Prince?" I squinted at the title, disgusted. "I don't know what it is I expected. Of course it's yet another fantasy romance. You know, Skye, these books are always—"

"Illogical, irrational, and unrealistic," she said, finishing my sentence for me. "Yes, I know. That's what you always say!"

"Technically, I didn't say anything yet." I chuckled in reply. "You said it yourself."

"I swear, Kiva, you have not a single romantic bone in your body."

Snatching the book out of my hands, Skye placed a bookmark in between the pages she had stopped at before slamming the book shut. She worked quickly, arranging the mess on the table into stacks that she wanted to borrow and wished to return.

"I do!" I quickly retorted. "I just am not too keen on falling in love with someone – or something – that's not even human. Besides, there's no such thing as 'demons'. It's much easier to find true love when you've got your head out of the clouds and back on land."

"And that's why it's called a fantasy romance, smarty pants." Skye rolled her eyes as she quickly gathered her belongings. "They exist in the pages of these books and I am perfectly fine with that."

"That's what they always say," I murmured under my breath, quickly earning myself yet another slap on the shoulder.

Just then, my phone began to ring. I swiftly answered the call, laughing off my embarrassment when several pairs of eyes shot glares my way again for disturbing the peace within these walls.

"Mom," I said. "What's up?"

"Kiva! Oh, thank God you answered," came my mom's flustered reply. Her voice seemed haggard, almost like she had been running just prior. "Are you okay? Where are you? Are you with Skye right now?"

"Woah, calm down, Mom. I'm fine." When Skye gave me a questioning look, I only shook my head and shrugged in reply. "What's wrong?"

"Kira," my mother's voice shook, "I can't reach Kira." I frowned at her words but didn't interrupt. "Listen carefully, Kiva, I'll find a way and come over and get you and Skye. You girls are at your hostels, yes? Stay put and—"

The line started to cut off and stutter, my mother's voice quickly distorting on the other end to a point where I could no longer catch what she was saying.

"Is there something wrong?" Skye asked softly, noticing the look on my face. My mother's voice wasn't exactly soft either and she could most definitely hear snippets of our conversation. "What's your mom saying?"

"I don't know," I replied, frowning. My hands were starting to turn clammy. As if affected by my mother's frenzy, I, too, had started to grow worried. "Mom, can you still hear me? What's going on? What's happe—"

A sudden explosion caused a wave of screams to flood the place. The entire building shook, dust raining from the ceilings as the ground beneath us wobbled. I lost my balance for a split second, my phone flying out of my hands as I toppled forward. Skye had barely caught me, her back slamming into the desk behind us as we braced for dear life.

"What the hell was that?!" I yelled.

Gone was the silence of the library. Everyone had gotten up — or were thrown out of — their seats and were now scrambling for the exits in panic. Screams of terror drowned out our words, accompanied by several other similar explosions and the sound of shattering glass.

"Kiva, look!" Skye gestured to the opposite building from us. "That building just collapsed!"

What was once a part of our college campus had now been reduced to nothing but debris on the ground. Smoke rose from the ruins, with people visibly crushed beneath the rubble.

"Oh Lords…" I gasped, horrified.

"Ki— Kiva! Kiva are you still— Are you still there? Skye? Answer— Answer me!"

My mother's muffled voice brought me back to the present. I jumped, quickly looking down in an attempt to find my phone through the mess. Books had been thrown all over, furniture toppled, and some people struggling to get up. I finally located my phone a safe distance away and reached for it, placing it by my ear.

"Mom! We're here, we're still here," I spoke quickly. "The science block opposite us just collapsed and—"

"Kiva!"

"—and…"

"KIVA!!" My mother's strained voice forced me to shut my mouth and listen.

"Kiva, everything here is being destroyed, our world has been invaded and these people are blowing up things." I was already in a state of panic, and her words only hyped my anxiety. "Do not stay inside any building or vehicles, do you understand me?"

BOOM

Came the shaking sound of another explosion, causing my phone to fly out of my hand as we both went crashing into the wall. The screams had intensified.

"Are you girls still there!?" I heard my mother's voice.

I pushed my aching body up from the floor and reached my phone. This time the screen was crashed.

"Mom, mom, we—"

"Kiva, Kiva focus!" Mom roared. "Remember what I said, stay away from buildings and vehicles," she instructed.

But I could only wonder how we could follow that instruction, when we were in the heart of the city. We were literally surrounded by tall buildings and vehicles.

"Do you both understand me!" she yelled.

"Yes,"

"I'll find a way to get to you girls, so just make sure you stay safe, and stay alive, alright?"

"Yes."

"Ki_v_a—"

"Mom? Mom are you there?! Mom!!!"