Violence warning ⚠️
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"You're not dead yet..."
There were so many voices. Muffled but loud at the same time.
"You need to get up..."
Hands gripping her legs and arms. Her chest not moving.
"You'll get us both killed... if you don't get up-"
Her body was gently laid onto what felt like concrete ground. She was waking up, just barely. She heard footsteps approach her and the sound of someone giggling. The voice was high-pitched and ecstatic like a clown. "Oooh, she's a pretty one!"
(Y/N) was able to move her arm and ball up her fist as she slowly opened her eyes. The light blinded her but once everything settled she met the face of a demon with white skin and multiple gold eyes that all blinked in unison. Her long black hair fell all around her body with her bangs covering the top half of her face. "OOOH, SHE'S AWAKE!"
(Y/N) opened her eyes all the way and jumped back in fright, making the female demon laugh.
The woman crawled away but hit her back on something hard and fell back. That something was another female demon who was tall, muscular, and had no eyes. She didn't look at (Y/N) and stood still with her muscular arms folded behind her back.
(Y/N) pushed herself to her feet and moved away as she finally took in her surroundings.
There were demons... everywhere.
Demons to her left, demons to her right, up the walls, on different floors, they were everywhere.
They all yelled and snarled at the only human around who couldn't escape anywhere. All possible exits were blocked by demons who growled and swiped at her. The first demon she saw skipped up to her and poked her body with long arms. The demon's nails jabbed into (Y/N) painfully and kept at it while circling the woman laughing like a giddy kid.
"POKE HAHAHA DANCE HUMAN DANCE!"
(Y/N) did her best to avoid the demon but due to her groggy state she kept stumbling and almost tripping.
The demon spotted the bloody bandages wrapped around (Y/N)'s side and perked up like she had seen candy. "OOOOH BLOOD~!"
With one fast but hard poke to her wound, (Y/N) yelped in pain and fell to the ground while clutching her side. The demon tormented her by laughing and calling her a 'silly human' as a tear formed in (Y/N)'s eyes.
The demon smelled the scent of (Y/N)'s blood and rolled her eyes back at the delicious sensation hitting her nose. "Human blood~!" She moaned as she got down on all fours and crawled towards (Y/N).
"I want a taste! Just a drop! Or a gallon! Gimme your bloo-"
"Fucking bitch!"
Before the demon could even touch the woman she was kicked away roughly and far. The demon landed on the concrete ground but got up and looked to the one who kicked her with a hiss.
(Y/N) was scared to look at who saved her. She could see tattered boots enter her peripheral vision and another set stand behind her. She didn't want to see them.
"Why can't you two just share, huh?!" The first female demon hissed. "You can't have all that tasty blood to yourself!"
"Peach, you touch her again and I'll fucking kill you!" An enraged voice yelled that the demon known as Peach mocked. "YoU tOuCh HeR aGaIn AnD iLl KiLl YoU. Oh shut up, Akai!"
(Y/N) whimpered when she heard that name and felt hands gently grab her body and lift her up. She shut her eyes and held her side tightly as she can feel cold hands move to inspect her wound. She hated how gentle he was being, removing her hands to see that the wound he gave her started bleeding again thanks to a manic Peach. A low growl came from him but she felt a cloth be placed on her side and her hands moved to where she was holding it.
"I'll get you patched up soon. Just keep this from bleeding." The dark demon spoke as he moved her hair out of her face. "Look at me."
She refused. That angered him.
Pressure was placed on her side and (Y/N) had no choice but to open her eyes and meet Ki's white one. When he saw her eyes he started to soften up and stared longingly into them while hers showed clear fear. "You're still beautiful. Even after all this time."
Peach, from where she was, saw this interaction between the two and gritted her teeth in jealousy. She glared at the human woman with so much hatred it could kill her.
(Y/N) broke away from him but backed into Akai who wrapped his arms around her and buried his face into her neck. She heard him moan in pleasure as he took a big inhale of her scent like it was a drug to him. His hand moved to her thigh and gripped it but his clawed dug into her skin through the fabric of her pants causing her to yelp in pain.
"You don't know how much I missed this, babe~!"
"Fraternizing with the human, are we?" A low raspy voice spoke followed by heavy footsteps.
(Y/N) looked and widened her eyes at a huge bulky demon carrying a large metal mallet approaching them. Akai could smell that guy's musty stench from a mile away. "Brus, go the fuck away."
Brus chuckled to himself as he examined (Y/N). This was the human they brought back for Zankoku to interrogate? More like a plaything for them. "Do you two have no shame?"
Ki didn't react but Akai was irritated. He let (Y/N) go and pushed her to Ki while he stalked up to Brus. "The fuck you mean by that?!"
"Did you take that woman for your own desires or for Zankoku? You're letting your personal feelings affect your decisions. Again." Brus lectured but Akai wasn't having it.
(Y/N) could tell a fight was gonna start. She can see the blond ball up his fist and the taller demon grip his mallet.
Before anything could happen the room suddenly quieted down. Brus looked up and went to kneeling on the ground immediately. Akai rolled his eyes and turned around to start kneeling as well. (Y/N) peaked behind her to see Ki in the same position too. Everyone was kneeling, besides her.
Suddenly loud footsteps caught the woman's attention. She looked across the room to a wall with a tarp-covered hole in it. A set of black claws emerged from the tarp and pulled it to the side. The figure who came out almost made (Y/N) buckle down.
The demon was 8ft tall with rough dark brown skin that was covered in so many scars and battle wounds. It was muscular with large hands that gripped the concrete walk with the strength to break it into rocks. It had a deer skull for a head with large antlers draped in black bandages and decorated in tiny pieces of jewelry that dangled and shined in the light. The demon wore matching bandages that wrapped around its exposed upper body and tied around its wrists and hands that were deeply soaked in dried up blood. The rest of its clothing was large hand sewn bulky black pants that went to the floor to cover its clawed feet.
This was the Demon King.
This was Zankoku.
(Y/N) was frozen where she stood. He reminded her of J'iraiya but even J'iraiya was at least friendly looking. This guy looked like a blood soaked monster.
Zankoku marched towards his concrete throne in the center of the room while all the demons around bowed to him. When he took a seat on his throne a deep breath exhaled from his body that shook the room. His deer head faced her finally and looked over her. She was shaking from head to toe while he simply watched her.
But then he chuckled and lifted his hand up.
(Y/N) began wobbling towards him but not on her own free will. Her legs struggled to carry her body and she was panicking. He was controlling her body?! How?!
Once she reached the demon he stood up and swung his arm down to grab her torso with his large hand. He gripped her body tightly making the woman whimper in pain from her side and lifted her up off the ground to be eye level with him.
Is this how she died? By the hands of this monster?!
"You're not what I was expecting. Maybe someone stronger. Less whiny." His deep voice hit her like a wave.
Zankoku looked to Ki and Akai who both had their fists balled up but never dared to look at him. "This is who you bring me? A weak human? I asked for a leader!"
"Sir, with all due respect she is a leader." Akai spoke. "The mutt told us she has authority over the demons and other humans like her."
"Is that so?" Zankoku gazed back at the woman. "Then I assume you'll tell me everything I want to know? Is that right, human?"
(Y/N) didn't respond, she didn't understand what was going on. But she began feeling her insides burn up and boil, like her blood was becoming hotter and hotter. Her blood rose to her throat and started to choke. She gasped for air while the Demon King watched her struggle in his hold. "I'm not repeating myself."
She quickly nodded just to make him stop. Her body began to cool down but it left her even more dazed then she was already was. What did he do to her?
"I like to get to know my enemies before I question them." He chuckled to himself. "I'm not a complete monster."
Akai tsked to himself. That was a total lie.
"What is your name, human? What hole did you crawl out of?"
"(Y/N)..." She whimpered, completely out of breath. "I'm fr-from... 12..."
"Zone 12?" Zankoku asked before looking to Ki and Akai. "Same Zone that took you idiots?"
Ki gritted his teeth but grudgingly nodded. Laughter erupted around them as many demons mocked the fact that Ki and Akai were captured once. Being captured by humans was seen as weak by them. Akai growled as his eyes turned red and he looked up to everyone. "SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTHS!"
"SILENCE!" The King yelled which quieted everyone, including Akai.
Zankoku went back to (Y/N). "You must ignore my people. They can be childish sometimes."
Was that supposed to reassure her?! The last thing she's worried about is demon's acting childish!
"I've noticed that it's not just Zone 12 exploring the surface with more humans than your usual amounts. You've traveled farther than your usual routes. And your behavior is different than before. You're up to something. What is it?"
She can't tell him. Her life may be on the line at this moment but if she was to reveal everything to this demon she would only jeopardize the Zones, her family, their future above ground. She didn't know what Zankoku was capable of but by how he's was able to accumulate this many demon followers and secure a huge territory, he was not someone to be messed with.
She can't betray her people. He'll have to kill her first.
The woman furiously glared at him and didn't utter a word. This felt like a challenge to Zankoku. "You dare glare at me?"
Ki and Akai quickly looked up. They couldn't see her face but she was glaring at him?! Was she crazy?!
(Y/N) gritted her teeth together as she was brought closer to Zankoku's face. His grip on her body tightened but held her glare and ignored the pain in her side. She could feel the demon deeply rumble inside and the intensity of his presence engulfing her. But she continued to hold her ground.
"What makes you think I won't snap your body in two right here right now?" He muttered.
"I'm not telling you anything and I'm not betraying my people. You'll just have to kill me." She whispered but it was loud enough for everyone to hear, including Ki and Akai who looked to each other.
The Demon King stared back into her eyes but turned away as he chuckled to himself. "I must have been wrong. You're not weak. But you're a damn fool."
When he looked back into her eyes however, he noticed something.
Ki quickly got up from his kneeling position and so did Akai. "Sir. We can try getting her to talk. We know her."
Akai nodded along as he couldn't help but keep his eyes on Zankoku's hand holding his girl. He's seen way too many demons die by that hand. "We know how to get her to talk! Just give us a few days."
"Shut up, idiots." Zankoku grumbled as he examined (Y/N)'s eyes. That shade of yellow... That glare...
"What are you?"
"I'm human." She replied.
"No, you're not." He chuckled. "Tell me. Do you know the name Reuban by any chance?"
'Reuban?' What was he talking about? She's never met anyone named Reuban. "I- I haven't..."
"He had those eyes. He had that glare." After this Zankoku refrained from looking her in the eyes. Almost like he knew what she could do. But who was he talking about? "What happened to him? How did you end up like that?"
His voice was amused, curious, and in disbelief all at the same time. But she was still confused. "I don't know what you me-"
Suddenly he released the woman and let her body fall to the ground. She hit the concrete hard and landed on her bad side. She writhed in pain as she could feel the heavy steps of the King circle her while chuckling.
"WAKE UP REUBAN! STOP YOUR HIDING!"
The demons around started to get amped up as many hollered and yelled for a fight.
"ARE YOU TOO SCARED TO FACE ME AGAIN?! HIDING INSIDE OF A HUMAN?!"
Ki and Akai had to do something or else things will go south fast.
(Y/N) got to her knees and backed away while the King stalked up to her. His fist punched the ground in front of her as she jumped away in time but was stopped by the concrete throne blocking her path. She frantically tried to move back more but realized she was stuck.
Zankoku swung his fist down at his throne right by her head and (Y/N) curled into a ball and covered her head in fear while the monster laughed at her crazily. She was too scared to use her ability on him but even then it seems like he knows what her abilities are somehow. She couldn't do anything.
Zankoku went to swing on the woman again and she braced for the impact. But it never came...
"Sir, I believe her wound is open again. Allow me to patch her up before you're next meeting with her."
The King slowly turned to the voice with heavy breaths. He looked down at the woman and indeed she was starting to bleed again. He needed her alive. "Go ahead then." He muttered.
(Y/N) felt the demon back away and slowly peaked through her arms to see Zankoku stare down at her.
"Come on, human. Get up."
That voice was familiar.
She slowly turned to her right and saw a black gloved hand holding a doctor's bag before her eyes traveled up to meet a demon who looked similar to Akai. She could feel her eyes water up but the demon subtly shook his head telling her no.
(Y/N) sniffed away tears and started to rise up on her own but struggled a bit. She clutched her side and nodded, telling him she was following.
With that, she followed the doctor close and stuck to him like glue as they approached the crowd of demons. They all were eyeing her, some gazing at her like she was a meal to them.
Ki and Akai both felt relief that the interrogation was over and began following them as well.
"I want to speak to the human again soon. Make sure she's not beat up, Yama." Zankoku called.
"Yes, Sir." The doctor replied.