The demon sat atop the structure, bemusedly watching the humans below. As much as guard duty sucked, it at least gave him a fair bit of entertainment. Humans of all stripes showed up. Many never came anywhere near him. The children were always a joy to watch, he found. Watching them come and go. Watching them talk to each other. Watching the occasional child approach, only to notice him and run off, quickly finding something else to do. Yes, a playground probably wasn't the best place for such a powerful relic, but it at least made his job interesting.

So, he sat there, watching the humans do their thing. Suddenly, a child approached. He stood up, expecting the child to turn around and go off. The child instead came closer. He was intrigued.

"Who are you?" the child asked.

"Me? Why, I'm a demon!" he replied.

"Really?" asked the child, skeptical.

"Yep. Straight from the depths of hell!"

The child cocked its head. "You don't look like a demon."

He tried to feign shock. "I don't? Well, what does a demon look like then?"

The child began gesturing at him. "They're, like, red and have horns and wings and stuff."

"How do you know we don't just look different when we're on Earth?"

The child stood there for a minute, thinking on this information. "Okay, then. What's your name?"

"My name? Oh, child, one does not just learn the name of a demon."

"Why not?"

"Names are a powerful thing, child. Remember that."

"But you have to have some sort of name!"

He sighed. "Well, if you insist on having something to call me, just call me Lilix."

"Lilix?"

"Yep."

"That's a weird name."

"To a human, perhaps. But you don't see a dog named Spot and go 'That's a weird name,' now do you?"

"No…"

"Well, then why should it be any different for a demon?"

"What are you doing up there anyways?"

He was taken aback. That was a sudden shift in topic. He shook the shock off and looked back at the child.

"I'm guarding this."

"Guarding it?"

"Yeah!"

"Why?"

"Because, it's a dangerous and powerful relic. I can't just allow anyone to enter it."

"Why not?"

"The relic grants great power, but, far, far too often, it comes a great cost."

"What do you mean?"

"I've seen folks try to enter the center of this. They come out changed. They've gone mad. They're scared that people are coming for them. They see people who aren't there. They begin talking rapidly in tongues no man understands, if they can even still talk at all. Their soul chars, blackening, and they begin to turn on all they love. Soon, the power consumes them completely, and they leave this mortal realm and reemerge in some of the darkest pits of hell."

"Nuh-uh!"

"Yep. It's not guaranteed, but I've never seen anyone come out the same."

"Bet it won't happen if I go in there!"

He shrugged. "Suit yourself. Don't say I didn't warn ya, though."

The child ran towards the playset and began to enter. Suddenly, everything went black.

He woke up, body aching. What happened? He opened his eyes and looked around. He was lying on his back in a bunch of woodchips. He sat up and looked around, then froze. Where was the relic? Where was the child?

He looked around once more. There were no humans left. The sky was pitch black, even though the sun was directly overhead. A voice behind him suddenly spoke.

"You were right, name redacted. I didn't come out the same."

He jumped to his feet and turned around. Who was that and how did they know his name?!

As he turned around, a small child stood behind him, radiating light. There was no way. He couldn't believe it. What…was happening?

The child spoke. "The relic changed me, that's for sure. And now, with the power and knowledge it has granted me, it is now my turn to change the world."

He stood there still in shock.

The child stretched out a hand towards him. "I want to create this universe anew, and I want you to join me, name redacted. Will you?"

He stood there a moment, shell shocked, then smiled. "Of course I will," he said, grabbing the child's hand.

As he took it, the ground fell away and a universe of light exploded around him.