Daevas -I- ✔️

Chapter 17.5: Beguiling Devil

Nis pointed to a familiar map Ari had grown used to reading and studying during his time at the Khaeo. "This is what you know... and here." He cleared away the other maps that sat on top of it. "Here is all that you do not." 

Ari's eyes widened. 

"Come let me show you." Nis strolled over to the door and opened it. 

Ari looked back from Kaval to Nis to the door. He had an aching feeling in the pit of his stomach, but he ignored it and walked towards Nis. 

"Let me show you what devils we can truly be." 

Ari was already through the door before he had the chance to turn back around. When he faced forward again it was as if his whole world had changed. Snow fell from the sky. It crunched under his boots once he took a wary step forward. It was narrow and dark, the place he stood, but as soon as he stepped out into the blinding light an array of strange tall buildings stood before him.

Odd smells and unfamiliar sounds lingered in the air, confusing Ari. Perfumes, he thought. Ari never smelled them or at least up close. He flared his nostrils and wiped at his nose hoping to dispel it. As he took a breath and reassessed his surrounding  he realized he was still in the city, just in a part he had never been in. Everything was still so new to him, after all. 

Nis must have been angered by him and sent him away from him. Ari sucked in his cheeks relieved yet annoyed by the thought. Where was he to go to now? Now that Nis got what he wanted from him, Ari knew he would be of no help to him. He would send him away as he just did.  

Ari grimaced at his situation. Nis gained Kaval and in return Ari gained a name. What good was it to know that demon's name when he was incapable of doing anything to him?  Ari was at a terrible, insufferable loss. He hugged himself tight as he made his way into the busy streets. There was nothing he could do about it.

The people in their dreary rags spared him no glance and pushed past him or shooed him off to the side much like the snow falling in their way. Horse drawn carts speckled between the people carrying what seemed to be hay, but the scent spoke otherwise. It reeked of dead humans. Fresh. Ari's eyes lingered on the carts before moving on. It was not his concern. He needed to worry for himself now such as where he would stay and what he should do about his growing hunger. 

As he wandered through the throng of people. He never had been in a place full of people so big. It was disorienting. The unfamiliar sounds and smells made it worse. Ari gazed at the sky, hoping to find some solace, some sense of sameness he was unable to find where he was. His thoughts jumped to Auovin wondering if he was looking at the same one and thinking of him. Ari pinched himself hard enough to draw blood, wanting his thoughts to transfer to the pain radiating from his arm instead. Anything but him. Thinking of him only made his heart ache.

Oh, how he longed for home and the warm comfort of Freir's disarming smile. It had not even been a day and he missed Kaval deeply. Being alone was not what he wanted, but it was what was needed. Cyrus would say those words. He knew he would. Ari so desperately wanted to cry at that moment. However, he bit his lip and mustered it down—swallowing it all down like acid. 

Ari walked for hours going whichever way his feet carried him. He heeded his surroundings, but it made no difference to him. It was not as if he had a specific place in mind to go to. His legs grew heavy. His head ached from his hunger pains or tiredness, he could not tell. The cold continued to seep through his skin resting in his bones. The snow blanketed cobble stone streets were abandoned. All but him and a few stray vagrants lingered amongst the quietness.

A dreary wind blew lifting a few signs from the ground while the hanging ones creaked and groaned, catching  Ari's attention. That was when he realized the familiar smell of bread. It was faint, but he knew it. Ari approached closer and peaked inside through a window. It was covered with curtains, so Ari skittered around back to look inside. 

"So you have come back, eh? And a little worse for wear," a man chuckled. Ari knew who he was from his voice alone. 

"Sascha," Ari murmured. 

Sascha held his lantern at eye level and beckoned Ari closer. "Come inside. You know better than to linger out so late at night. Be lucky no fog was drawn here tonight." He ushered Ari inside with the back of his cold, calloused hands. 

"You do not think we have demon problems here?" he asked as he sat the lantern down on the table along with a sword and bloodied demon heads. It took Ari by surprise, but he was too tired to register the expression on his face. 

"Be more careful. There are Stalkers here. Prey on young ones such as yourself." 

"I am tired," Ari admitted. He thought he would faint, he'd become so weary. 

Sascha stalked back towards him and set a plate of bread, salted meat, and a small jar of honey near him. 

"Then eat." 

It had been so long since Ari had a taste for human food. However, he had lived off it well enough before. He could do it again. Ari scarfed down the meat, nearly choking on the bread causing Sascha to smack his back and laugh. 

"Slowly, boy. Don't wanna wake the dead." 

As soon as his choking settled, Ari grabbed the cup nearest to him and swallowed it all down. Ari's brows furrowed at the unfamiliar taste and looked to Sascha to answer his silent question. 

"It is mead. Never had it before?" Sascha poured himself a cup and settled into his chair. 

"A drink to take some of the discontentment off. You will see." He poured more into Ari's cup, smiling all the while. 

"Sometimes bad things happen with no rhyme or reason. Other times you make a costly mistake. Regret. Remorse... " Sascha took a large gulp. "Enough of that to go around for centuries." 

Ari guzzled it down relishing in the calming bitter feeling. Bitterness was a feeling he was becoming more and more acquainted with. It was the only familiar thing around— and he tended to find the most comfort in things he knew. 

"Now, tell me, Ari, why is it that you smell of Sin?"

"Sin?" Ari said as if tasting the word. When he met Sascha's gaze it was hard and dark. Ari could hardly believe he was the same person just a moment ago. 

"Tell me, or I will have your head."  

Ari stared at the plate before him and let out a low chuckle. And so like before and the many, many other times before—he had been tricked. He balled his hands into fists and clenched them so tight they drew blood. Only this time his loss was not just his pride it was also his one, true friend. 

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[A/N]

Finally finished this chapter. It took me awhile to crank out. But boy, oh boy, Ari doesn't realize just what he has gotten himself into. Kaval was really the last bit of protection he had before being exposed to the harshness of the world. 

❤️ Leave me your thoughts below! ❤️