A clammy hand pressed over her mouth Alana cowered behind shipping crates and tarps. Her cold breath shakily washing over her knuckles as she tried to calm herself form hyperventilating.
Ivo... he was going to kill me! For what? For asking to be set free.
Alana's ears were on high alert, any little bump making her jump and squeeze further into her hiding spot.
The crew was unaware, going about their business above and it made it harder to decipher one set of footsteps from another.
"Ivo!"
Alana heard Leven shouting somewhere in the distance, he seemed far. She though maybe a level below her.
Alana was always fast, an amazing runner, and had made it up two levels of the lower deck before deciding to hide. If she had gone up another level, she would have put the rest of the crew in danger.
She sat forward slowly, peeking from around the crates when she almost screamed. Right around the corner she saw Ivo, who seemed to be sniffing the air. In the darkness his glowing irises stood out, a poisonous green that lingered in the shadows.
"Alana..." He spoke softly, as if he was attempting to not come off as threatening.
She was not too afraid to notice that that voice was unlike Ivo, he was grittier, deeper. That is not Ivo's voice. Can the demon inside him speak?
She did not have much time to think on it as she heard the footsteps approaching further into the room.
What do I do?! If he comes any closer, he will find me!
"I can smell you." The demon taunted.
Alana quickly clasped another hand over her mouth, squeezing her eyes shut tight. No, no, no.
"Ivo doesn't want you to leave." The voice was growing louder the closer the demon approached.
Thot tears streamed under Alana's hands, she was chocking back sobs and curling herself into a tighter ball.
He is going to find me... and he is going to kill me!
"Ivo!" Another voice barked; Alana recognized it as a panicky Leopoldo.
The demon Ivo turned calmly to the white-haired demon. He seemed unimpressed and honestly, bored with the appearance of the other.
"Get control of yourself!" Leopoldo ordered. "Don't you see what you're doing?!"
"I am fixing it." The demon responded nonchalantly and low before turning back to the stacked crates.
"You're making it worse!" Leopoldo snapped, hastily advancing on Ivo.
"Ivo is upset... Removing this human will be better for him. No more rage." The demon explained his thought process.
Ivo is upset because I ran my damn mouth. What I said upset him so much that it is not Ivo that is acting like this, it is his demon possessing him. How could I ever think that Ivo could ever act like this?! I am horrible. Alana's self-loathing sank deeper as her tears welled in her palms.
"Please... don't make me hurt a dear friend." Leopoldo essentially begged, placing his right hand on the hilt of his sword.
Alana listened carefully, hoping that the demon in Ivo would not hurt Leopoldo. I cannot let Leo get hurt for my wrong doings!
"I am only helping." The demon took another step toward the boxes.
"Fine..." Leopoldo whispered. "But I cannot allow anyone to snuff out the sun."
Leopoldo unsheathed his blade and lunged in one smooth motion, moving like streaking lightning. In the same moment Alana had shot out her hiding place.
Leopoldo's blade sunk deep into flesh; a horrid squelching sound drew all breaths to a halt.
Both Leopoldo's and Alana's eyes widened as they stared into each other's orbs. Warm, thick liquid ran down Alana's skin like honey on a summer day, but it made her heart skip a beat. She could not believe it; her mind could not fathom what was happening as her sense came crashing down on her. What do I do? That was the only thought running through her mind. How could she fix the situation?
Leopoldo was shocked, he knew Alana was in the room by her scent, but he was not expecting her to jump out. My light, my sunshine, why? Why would you do that? Leopoldo's breath was caught in his throat.
"Le-Leo?" Alana whimpered looking down at the blade covered in crimson.
"Oh?" Ivo's demon followed Alana's eyeline down. "You got me."
Leopoldo stabbed Ivo...? Alana could not take her eyes off the blade protruding from Ivo's chest.
I never wanted her to see me do something so vulgar. I tainted my dear Alana's eyes. Leopoldo hated the thought Alana witnessing him do something so violent, he wanted all her memories of him to be happy.
"Alana," Leopoldo shook the thoughts for the moment. "Run."
"B-But... Ivo..." Alana felt the sob climbing up.
"This won't kill him! Just go!" Leopoldo assured, driving the blade further into the demon.
Ivo groaned in discomfort but kept his mission clear, once again raising his claws to the girl.
This time Alana was not frozen and was able to duck before the claws came into contact with her.
"GO, Alana!" Leopoldo pleaded.
Without waiting around for another attack Alana scurried between the two men's' legs as it was the only opening. Once on the other side of Leopoldo she fought to climb to her feet, stumbling a little and ran for the exit.
As she fled, she wiped Ivo's blood from her face with the back of her hand, her bandage soaking it up. When Leopoldo had stabbed through the demon the blood splatter had dashed across her frightened features.
Alana had no idea where she would go, her mind was so jumbled that reason was lost on her. She headed back in the direction she came and further down into the ship.
In the storage room Ivo and Leopoldo stood still, a tense silence falling over them.
"You have no right to take her from us," Leopoldo almost growled.
"She is going to leave anyway," The demon replied. "Why not make sure she cannot go anywhere?"
"That is not what we want!" Leopoldo barked. "That isn't what Ivo would want!"
"I know what Ivo wants. I am in his soul." The spirit commented. "If he wants that girl on the ship forever, I will keep her skeleton here."
"I won't let you! I will not let you harm her! And I won't let you use Ivo to do it!"
"Let me? You couldn't let me do anything." The demon almost laughed.
A cloud of gray smoke appeared, and Ivo was gone. Leopoldo's blade fell from the missing body and he spun on his heel expecting the demon to attack from behind. Though, he was not there.
"The thing I love most about this vessel," The voice sounded on the right of Leopoldo but when he spun, he found nothing.
"is that when he completely loose it, we trade places. It is like a full possession, but I get to get rational and logic, I can freely think. Not only that, but he is not constantly keeping me from ripping apart his soul. It is as if I have a body of my own. In our agreement I vowed to keep my vessel from any harm, which includes wounds of the heart."
That thing is speaking more clearly! Ivo is slipping away. Soon that demon will have completely taken over. Leopoldo's brows knotted harshly, he was getting angrier by the second, frustrated he could not find the spirit.
"I will kill the girl and I am sure Ivo would appreciate me more for it."
"You're a fool!" Leopoldo pivoted, slashing at thin air where he thought the demon stood. "Ivo doesn't want Alana's bones! He wants her! We all do! Killing her would make him loath you!"
There was another looming pause, Leopoldo listening closely for even a breath from the demon but it complete silence.
"We will see."
The demon had left Leopoldo alone and panting in fury.
"Ivo!" He roared.
"Alana!" Leven shouted, spotting her rushing down a hall.
She staggard to an instant halt, sighing in relief. She examined him from a distance but saw that he was not seriously injured. If not for the situation at hand she would have been amazed there was not a scratch on him. Thank goodness! He is okay!
"Leven." She cried, racing to him.
Alana was winded, her whole body shook from fear and exertion. She was happy to find one of the others again, finding herself speeding aimlessly through the bowels of the ship.
When Alana reached Leven, she was not afraid of the sight of him, the red eyes or the huge bat wings that rested behind him.
"Are you okay?!" Leven grabbed ahold of her face, maneuvering it around to find where the streaks of blood were coming from.
"I am fine!" Alana protested, clutching his wrists. "It is Ivo's blood. Not mine."
Leven paused, finally making eye contact with her.
"Idiot," He finally scoffed. "Whose fault is it? Why would you say something like that?" He grumbled and released her harshly.
"I- I am sorry," Alana cried. "I didn't- I didn't think Ivo would—"
"Yeah, yeah," Leven cut her off. "Whatever. It does not matter now, it's good you aren't hurt." Leven said the last part softly, looking away to hide any blush forming on his bluish skin.
"Just get down to the cells."
"Wha- The cells?" Alana asked.
"The cells, the brig." Leven snapped. "At the very bottom. Captain is down there, if Ivo can get past Leo and I then your best bet is waiting with Captain."
"O-okay." Alana nodded her head quickly and shot a glance behind herself, fearing the demon would be there. "But I don't know how to get down there."
Leven groaned loudly.
"Go down this hall, then through the door on left, go down the stairs and keep going."
Alana nodded once more.
"Thank you, Le—"
She was cut off by Leven, he had gripped her wrist and slung her behind him.
"Go, you idiot!" He shouted, drawing his blade to the shadow figure at the end of the hall.
Alana again was on the run, leaving behind another.
Please be careful, Leven. She was worried about Leopoldo, her only comfort being that they seemed to heal from fatal wounds while in their demon form.
"Not the small one," The demon chuckled, only to get a rise out of Leven.
"Shut it!" Leven barked. "You're not going to hurt Alana!"
"Why not?" The demon was quick to reply.
"We won't let you!"
"We?" The demon quizzed. "I only see one standing in my way right now."
The demon would have teleported right past Leven, if consecutively doing so was possible. Too many times and Ivo's body would surely break, and he had no use for a broken vessel.
"You wouldn't forget about me, would you?" A voice came from behind Ivo's demon.
The demon turned halfway to find the other white-haired demon.
"How cute, brothers fighting together for the same girl."
"Stop using Ivo's body, you sick fuck!" Leven snapped, knowing it was no good.
"Ivo's body is my body."
Alana had almost stumbled down the stairs multiple times but kept her pace.
I just have to make it to Kazumi! That is what Leven said!
"Kazumi?!" Alana called on the last stair, too impatient to wait and see if he was really there.
"Alana?" Kazumi called back as she came from the threshold.
Alana could almost collapse in relief, thanking the gods she made it with a pair of nails tearing her apart.
Kazumi stood by an open cell, upon seeing her he stood straight and alert.
"Are you okay?" He asked as she advanced further.
"I am fine, but—" She began, sucking in air as she went. "I heard fighting; I think Leven may in trouble."
Kazumi inspected her just as Leven did.
"Do not worry about Leven, he will be fine. The only way the demon could kill him here would be to take his head." Kazumi calmly assured her. "The same goes for Leopoldo, so do not fear for them. They are more than capable of protecting themselves. With any luck, Ivo is conscious enough in there to restrain himself, or perhaps the demon would not care to kill them as they aren't the object of his rage."
Alana was somewhat comforted by it, but she had not a clue of what to think. Could Ivo really retrain it? Would the demon pass on the chance to kill what is standing in his way?
"I am sorry," Alana cried. "I shouldn't have said anything. I shouldn't have angered him." She sobbed.
"Enough," Kazumi said firmly yet placed a gentle, comforting hand on her head. "There will be no more talk of that conversation. I want you to forget it completely."
What? Alana was baffled that Kazumi was effectively telling her to forget her freedom, but she knew better than talk anymore of it.
"Go stand in the corner, far out of reach." Kazumi ordered. "I will deal with him."
"But I thought you said Leopoldo and Leven were capable." Alana argued.
"They are capable of not dying," Kazumi retorted. "But this demon is pushing past every limit we need to hold in order not to be possessed or break from the spirit. Leven and Leopoldo are still within their limits, it would be almost impossible for either of them to beat a rampaging demon, as powerful as Ivo's, who will not submit."
Worry blossomed deeper in her gut and Alana did not dare argue with Kazumi on the topic, instead she simply obeyed. She went to the corner and stayed out of Kazumi's way.
Above them laid Leven and Leopoldo, unconscious and in human form. They were indeed bested by the rampaging demon. They fought their hardest to keep Alana safe but with no way to awaken the true Ivo, they were defeated. It was a blessing to them that the demon did not remove their heads. Perhaps he was distracted by his real goal, or truly uninterested in taking the lives of Ivo's close companions. Either way, Ivo was now descending the stairs.
Kazumi was already formulating a plan, a decision, to kill or not to kill Ivo. Kazumi was an expert swordsman, decapitating Ivo would be hard, but possible. Though, Ivo had been his closest comrade, he was there soon after Kazumi had escaped his own imprisonment. His love for Alana was truly being put to the test. For her life would he take his best friend's?
Kazumi drew his sword slowly, anticipating a figure to slink from the doorway. His mouth was dry, he was anxious, but his heart was steady.
For my treasure, my Alana... I will do anything. Kazumi's resolution was unwavering as he prepared his mind for what he must do. He adjusted his grip on the hilt of the sword, and planted his feet, readying his attack. The tension weighed down in the dungeon of the ship like the sea itself was crashing down on him.
Anything... Another last assurance.
"Kazumi!" Alana's shout ripping through the deathly silence was enough to cause Kazumi to falter.
He dropped his guard a moment too long, unprepared to feel the weight of a hand on his shoulder. His golden stares shot behind himself, meeting eyes with the demon.
"Hello," The demon smiled, his voice slithering through the echoes of Alana's scream.
Alana could only watch as they both disappeared, yelping a useless, "No!"
Oh, gods... He took Kazumi! Where?! What can I do? What should I do? Alana's hands shot up to her head, raking through her hair frustrated and fearful.
"No, no, no." Alana whimpered softly.
"Yes, yes, yes." The venomous voice mocked.