Demon Wars [FINISHED]

Chapter 36

A low groan escaped her throat before she was properly awake. It hurt. Ailith felt herself test against a hard surface, and almost every part of her body ache.

She could remember the battle with the King.. Lenobia's passing and Hunter's flying..

Her eyes snapped open and she sat up as fast as she could, despite the sharp pains that hit her body. "Hunter?" she called as she took in her surroundings.

She seemed to be in an abandoned warehouse. It was relatively grey and dusty with cardboard and wooden boxes littered around the place. There was no light, save for the small streams of sunlight from a hole in the room.

"Hunter?" she called again. She slowly rose to her feet, aware that she was completely weapon-less. Her eyes soon, however, fell on a lump in a corner, two swords on the ground and a backpack with some of its contents littered on the floor.

She cautiously made her way to him.

The Prince of Darkness sat covered in nasty cuts and bruises in a dusty corner in a huddled lump, blankly and distantly staring at nothing.

She crouched beside him and extended a hand out slowly. She repeated his name.

His eyes flickered to her as her fingertips brushed his arm, and he jerked away violently. "Don't touch me," he whispered, terrified. "Don't hurt me again."

Ailith recoiled. "What? What happened? What did I do?" she asked slowly, bewildered.

"Don't hurt me again.. You.. You turned into one of those-those zombies and-and you attacked me! But-" he looked away from her and stared at the nothingness. "You hurt me, but I didn't want to hurt you."

She felt a punch in the gut. She was momentarily breathless. "When?"

He didn't reply.

"Goddamn it, Hunter, when?"

"Why is it," he asked slowly, his jaw set hard. "That whenever I love someone, they end up hurting me? Krystal.. My brother.. My father.. You.."

She shook her head at him, feeling her eyes sting and a lump form in her throat. "No, no, Hunter. I-I know I hurt you, but I didn't mean to- come on-"

She turned away from him, looking around helplessly. "What I did was inexcusable, but what you're doing now is just as inexcusable."

Her eyes fell on a half empty water bottle and a small roll of bread on the floor. She felt her throat tighten up as a few pieces clicked into her head. "Hunter, I just need two minutes with you and then I'll leave you alone.. When did I hurt you?"

He stayed silent before he took a deep, shuddering breath and spoke. "You- you were unconscious for ages.. I tried to give you some water.. You took a little and then .. you hurt me."

Ailith was silent as she tried to fit the pieces in her head. She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling a headache coming on. "And the water was bottled, right? From the palace?"

"Yes."

She sighed. "Thank you, Hunter. Go back to wallowing in your own self-pity. Don't eat or drink anything. I reckon it's been contaminated by the scientists with their finalised super-drug. I'll be back in a couple of hours."

She stood up, feeling the annoying cramping in her stomach. I am so not gonna let my period ruin things. She picked up her sword and muttered conceal, before throwing the necklace over her head.

"You don't know how to navigate your way around the demon realm.."

Ailith stopped short. She hadn't expected him to say anything. "Is there a bazaar or general store near here?"