"I hate coming back to this fucking place..."
"We won't be here for long. Stop complaining."
The two demons talked as they walked through bushes and felt heavy snow crush underneath their boots. As they reached a gate, Ki teleported and reappeared on the opposite side meanwhile Akai simply used his leathery wings to fly over and land next to his partner. The two continued their walk towards a building in the distance with the view of it being covered by dead trees and shrubs.
"You got any 'genius plans' on leaving yet?" Akai air quoted with a mocking voice.
Ki simply rolled his eyes. "I need more time. This isn't like the labs."
The blond huffed and placed his hands in his coat pocket and leaned his head back, allowing his tattered hood to fall and expose his hair to the cold. "You need to hurry up then. I wouldn't be surprised if Yama already thought of something."
Akai smirked upon hearing Ki's dissatisfied breath. Ki despises the idea of being one-upped by the doctor.
The two neared a clearing and stepped out from the shrubbery into an open lot with the building a couple of feet away. They walked towards a set of doors and Ki pushed them open and entered inside with Akai. Once the doors closed behind him Akai sighed in relief at the warmth. "At least this place has heat!"
To warm himself up quicker he engulfed his body in flames that lasted for a few seconds before extinguishing them. Not leaving a single burn on his clothes.
Ki, not bothered at all from the cold, continued walking. Not waiting for the other to catch up.
Their presence in the building was quickly picked up by others. Lower demons taking up residence in rooms peaked out or moved away as the two passed. Even the animalistic demons chose not to bother the two scouts. Akai took pleasure in being seen as a higher up. If any of these lower demons ever even thought of trying to go up against him he has full authority to kill them without getting in trouble. They were lower demons for a reason and completely expendable.
Ki didn't care about the position he was in. Just glad that no one will ever bother him while he was here. Probably the only aspect of being a scout that he's happy with.
The two traveled up some steps, down halls that contained patient rooms, small labs, and offices. But as they went deeper, the more the rough looking hospital that they were in began to look like a horrid asylum. Chains hung against the walls in rooms, some keeping small weak demons locked down. Gurneys with straps, broken wheelchairs, and piles of trash littered the halls. Even claw marks, burns, old black blood, and tons of evidence of demons were present all around. This type of environment would be dreadful to humans but completely normal to demons.
Akai's eyes went to a busted corkboard that held an old map of the country they were in. They lingered on from where they were to other parts of the land before breaking away and looking towards the dark demon. "So where you planning on going after all this, hm~?"
"South. As long as we're not north." Ki's answer was short but straight to the point.
It was the better general option. Zankoku completely dominated the North and the areas surrounding it. It'd be smart to go in the opposite direction.
The blond snickered. "You know it's hotter down South, right? You sure your cold ass is gonna handle it?"
"I should ask the guy who can barely stand the cold without using his abilities." Ki shot back in his monotoned voice.
Akai deadpanned and heard a demon who was resting against an overturned desk chuckle quietly. His eyes turned completely red before stomping over to the demon who immediately froze up in fear. "WHO THE FUCK YOU THINK YOU LAUGHING AT?! HUH?!"
"Nobody-!"
Akai grabbed the demon by their jacket and hoisted them up to their feet. The demon panicked as Akai dragged them to a window and with one good lift, pushed them out and allowed them to fall 3 floors to the ground. He didn't wait to hear them land and turned away to head back.
Ki groaned. "Stop wasting time on the lackeys and come on."
"Piece of shit." Akai growled at the window before continuing on with Ki. They weren't able to get far when another demon stopped them in their tracks.
"Heh. Been a while since you two been back huh?" A husky voice greeted the demons which made them stop. "You sure take your sweet ass time out there."
Ki looked up and met the grey eyes of a rather tall and muscular demon. Another scout named Brus. "We've been busy."
"Busy doing what? You were supposed to be back a week ago. You know the boss is picky about time." The demon heavily chuckled which made Akai groan. "How about worry about your own damn job, Brus? You'll do everyone a favor."
Brus' 7'5 heavy frame moved towards the blond, towering over him with a cocky grin. The demon was almost as tall as the ceiling. His tattered white shirt contoured around his bulky body, displaying all his muscles but also his many war scars and rough skin being seen through the ripped holes in the fabric. He had yellow stained tusks that curled outward from his mouth and a large scar that ran from his hairless head to across his face, passing over his flat nose. His pointed ears had multiple makeshift piercings and even one that was a small chain that connected to one of his tusks. The demon was considered the most physically strongest out of all the scouts and carried around a huge mallet made of metal debris and blocks of concrete on his back to prove this. Akai cringed from the musty stench that wafted off the demon and backed away while giving the demon a glare. Brus smirked as he looked down at the blond with a cocky glare. "I've already finished my job. On time too. Just as the boss asked. Maybe you should start doing the same."
"How about for your next job you go grab a bar of soap, huh?" Akai mumbled while holding his nose and maneuvering away. He was met with a deep growl from the brute which he returned as well before catching up with Ki. The scouts aren't allowed to fight each other according to one of Zankoku's rules unless he himself allows it. But Akai desperately wanted to put Brus 10 feet into a ditch since the day he met him.
"Fucking hate that guy..."
"How about stop taunting him and maybe he'll leave you alone." Ki sighed.
Akai narrowed his eyes at his partner. "You may let others talk shit about you but I have a reputation to keep here!"
"And you're getting into trouble in order to keep your false reputation? Being a scout isn't enough for you?" Ki stopped just before a set of doors and looked to Akai.
The blond tsked and waved Ki off. "I don't give a shit about anyone here but if I want other scouts to not give me shit they need to know who not to mess with! We all know who's the strongest."
"Yea. And it's not you." Ki stated before pushing the doors. Akai growled at him but followed inside. Now wasn't a time to be starting fights considering what room they were in.
They entered into a large room with a high ceiling that was just multiple caved in floors above them. Debris laid in the corners with demons scattered across the room, either conversing amongst themselves or resting in their own areas. In the very centered of the room was a large makeshift throne made from chunks of flooring and concrete from the upper floors. The evidence of demons was very apparent in this room. Especially within a small area in front of the throne. A spot so covered in black blood that it's fused within the concrete floor, forever showing the evidence of slain demons who all died by the hands of the King himself in that very spot.
The throne was empty, however. Ki's eyes examined the room and landed on a large hole in the wall covered by a tarp towards the back. Zankoku must be in there.
Due to no one being allowed inside there besides the King himself and one individual, Ki teleported just outside the hole and lowered down to the floor while bowing his head. Akai stayed behind. Not wanting to be seen bowing to another demon.
"Sir, it's Ki. Akai and I are back to give a report."
No response so Ki continued. But he could sense his master just ahead of him. "It seems like the humans have an operation going on. It's not just Capturers, but Keepers and Scientists on the surface as well. They're traveling farther than usual and either killing demons who fight them or letting those who are peaceful go. Zone 10 and 11 have kept their distance but 12 has been heading north and I'm afraid they're getting closer to here. What should we do, Sir?"
Seconds of silence followed before the sounds of movement could be heard. Ki kept his head down and his eye closed but could feel the King looking down at him from where he kneeled.
"Bring me one. I'll interrogate them myself." A low voice ordered. A voice so deep and commanding that the entire room fell silent and looked to Ki and the tarp.
Even the dark demon gritted his teeth from the voice. Ki's bandaged hand that was resting on his back balled into a fist to keep himself from getting intimidated. "Should we bring just anybody, Sir...?"
"They should have a leader. Bring me one. I don't care how you do it. As long as they're alive."
Ki nodded before looking up and seeing a black claw pull back from the tarp, allowing it to fall back into place. He must have been watching Ki and is done with the report.
Ki stood up and turned around to see all eyes on him. Demons around were curious about what the next job was but went back to how they were once Ki met their eyes. As he went to leave a figure emerged from the tarp and calmly walked past the dark demon, completely ignoring him as he went. Ki watched the back of the demon with long blond hair pulled back into a low ponytail and wearing a black coat that reached his feet. He narrowed his eyes at him but observed the doctor as he held his bag close to him and used his abilities to lift himself higher up and deeper into the building through one of the doorways.
He knew something Ki and Akai didn't and was keeping it from them. The dark demon could sense it.
Akai had long left the room during Ki's report with the King. He wondered if Akai knew his brother was nearby.
The demon teleported out the room and reappeared next to Akai waiting in the halls.
Akai pushed himself off the wall he was leaning on and extinguished the flame he was playing with in his hand. "What he say?"
"He wants us to bring a leader from one of the Zones. He's gonna interrogate them and see what their plans are." Ki answered. At this, he could see the blond begin to smile sadistically and his eyes turn completely red in excitement.
"He wants us to bring a leader, you say~? You know what that means~?"
"Let's not be idiots about this and plan first. Then we'll go in." Ki began to walk while Akai giddily followed. They both knew exactly the person they were gonna nab.
"We're coming, babe~."