The cold wind smacked Ari's face as they ran. He fought to catch his breath. Freir, sensing his slowing pace, gripped his wrist and pulled him behind. Ari's heart and mind raced with fear of the repercussions of their actions if they were caught.
"Faster, Ari!" Freir shouted as they pushed through the horde of people.
Dusk fell and the air grew colder. As they sprinted through the crowd, Ari could see the clouds of breath forming with each exhale. It was not uncommon in Assania to have a hot day followed by a bone-chilling cold night. However, it did not dispel his worry or concern. Freir was his upper and he had to listen to him.
Everyone rushed indoors before the final rays of light could leave the sky. It was a widely acknowledged practice, an unspoken rule to never loiter in the night. Demons prowled the darkness, their ravenous mouths capable of tearing limbs before delivering the final, fatal blow.
"Freir, if he catches us, it is certain death. What we are doing is a mistake," Ari gasped for breath.
"Have you lost your mind, Ari?"
Ari jerked his wrist away as they stopped behind a building. "No, I am just not being foolish and reckless! He's not someone to be trifled with."
Freir crossed his arms and snorted. "So, you refer to it as 'he' now, do you?"
Ari's eyes widened, then narrowed, avoiding Freir's gaze.
"What was discussed between the two of you?" Freir grabbed Ari's chin. "Tell me, boy!"
"Nothing."
"You lie. How dare you lie to your senior! It appears I have grown too lenient, and now you underestimate me," he hissed.
"I am not."
"Tell me!" Freir's grip tightened as he shook him.
"He said the demon holiday, Basalda, is approaching and he did not want to travel during that time!" Ari yelled. "This is dangerous."
Freir looked around, seeing the deserted streets for the first time. There were many people once before, but now they had gone inside. Only they were dumb enough to try to leave as the sun went down.
"We should go back," Ari said.
"And you trust this demon, why?"
"It is not a matter of trusting him, Freir. It is just that he..." Ari's eyes drifted downward, reflecting on the puzzling situation. Why was he so steadfast in trusting the words of that demon? The question lingered, unnerving him.
"Enough with 'he.' Remember, it is a demon!" Freir scolded.
"You called him he as well. Do not berate me. 'It' is as much a he as we are."
Freir shook his head, raising his hand in surrender. He sighed and pressed his eyes shut before meeting Ari's gaze again. "Nolan will have my head if something were to happen to you under my care. That demon, it is a demon like none you have ever encountered before. It is not something you would want attached to you, nonetheless, lingering around."
Ari looked at him in silent contemplation.
"Ari, that creature is a Blood Demon, infamous for corrupting and defiling the sanctity bestowed upon us by Oliya. They are forbidden from feeding on our blood because we, His children, are too pure for such unholy beings."
Ari's brows knitted in confusion. If this was the expected order of things, he could not fathom how and why he became an exception. Was he not a child of Oliya? What about the other demons that preyed on human flesh? None of it made sense to him, presenting just as great a contradiction as the Blood Demon itself.
"With them, there is always a price to be paid. Not all knowledge is good knowledge. That knowledge is tainted with darkness and poison that infects the mind with its toxins and it spreads. There are things that are best left unknown, dear boy," Freir finished.
Freir grabbed him and thrust him forward. Before Ari could take another step, the air became filled with shuffling feet. People sprinted in their direction, paying no heed to those they passed. They pounded on doors and more doors, pleading for refuge. Ari knew they would not receive it. Opening doors provided an opportunity for demons to gain access to homes through any unguarded entrance. People, though not heartless, were driven by fear. Humans, after all, were inherently selfish. Yet, Ari attempted to approach a man who had fallen to his knees in despair.
"Ari, no. We cannot help them until we help ourselves."
The burden of their situation weighed heavily on him, though Ari refrained from voicing such thoughts. As his upper, he was bound to follow orders, regardless of whether he thought they were right or wrong. When he scanned the surroundings, all he could discern were the anxious expressions etched on the faces of the people. "Be in by sundown" was a terse warning, not to be taken lightly. Freir took him by the arm and pushed him behind the back of another building. The footsteps grew worse. They mixed with the sounds of skips and hops followed by chuckles. Screaming followed shortly after causing Ari to squeeze his eyes shut.
"We must leave this town, Ari. There is no turning back, not now, not anymore."
They weaved through the buildings, ignoring the cries for help. As they stopped behind another one to catch their breath, Ari sensed the presence of demons looming closer. They were not xems. They were not wyhils either. Ceeres? Impossible, they only like complete darkness. Any glimmer of false light would send them away.
"Freir," Ari breathed. "Something is approaching."
"What is it?"
Ari shook his head. "I do not know."
"Is it him?" Freir asked in between breaths.
Again, Ari shook his head, confused. Ari struggled to find the right words, but the atmosphere around the demon set him apart from others he had sensed, including this one. As Ari glanced around, the pressure of that unique aura lingered, growing more palpable with each passing moment.
"The gates are near. Just a little more distance to cover," Freir said.
Ari turned his head around, but Freir turned it back. "Do not look back. Continue to look straight ahead."
As the air filled with the smell of smoke, ash descended from the sky. Ari knew they were not going to make it to the gates. He knew it to be true at his core. The demon was not dumb. He had warned them then. Ari shut his eyes, imagining the horror that was about to unfold. And the demon would warn them again.
"Behind you!" Freir pushed him to the ground.
The cobblestone pressed harshly against Ari's face, causing his cheek to bleed from the scrapes. As Ari turned, he witnessed Freir collapsing to the ground. Blood streamed down Freir's nose and his split lip. Ari's eyes widened at the approaching figure, its footsteps resonating with a heavy, almost booming, presence.
Rising with determination, Ari held onto his recovering leg, suppressing the pain. As it turned toward him, Ari stepped back, his brows furrowed in confusion. Similar to the previous demon, it assumed a human form, with long straight blond hair flowing down its back. Dark verdant green eyes stared at Ari, transforming into mesmerizing aquamarine as the seconds wore on. It stood a foot taller than him, towering over him making him feel small, powerless, and insignificant.
"Ari, to the gate!" Freir cried, his grip firm on its leg, trying to hinder its movement.
Ari glanced at the gate, shaking his head in refusal as he turned back to Freir. The demon would track him down, no matter how far he ran. It should be Freir escaping, not him.
It swatted Freir away, as if dismissing a bothersome insect, and cracked its neck. "Human, I expected more from you."
It raised its hands and shook its head, lacking any amusement in its voice. Unlike the other one, no grins, smirks, or smiles adorned its face. Its voice carried a dark undertone, promising pain. Ari responded with another wary step backward.
"Ari!" Freir shouted once more.
Ari shut his eyes briefly, steadying his resolve. Freir could use this chance to escape. Ari should have let him go earlier. The demon must not discover their whereabouts, no matter the sacrifice. It was a harsh reality Ari had embraced. If a fight was what it sought, he was prepared to face it.
It stood still, an arm's length away, its expression void of emotion. Apathy colored its gaze as it stared at him. Despite Ari's racing heart and trembling hands, he suppressed his fear, locking eyes with the demon. His hand moved to his side, searching for one of his daggers, never breaking eye contact. Hand-to-hand combat was not his strongest suite, and the demon appeared to be well-versed in it.
It launched a punch, but Ari swiftly blocked it with the side of his arm. Another punch came, followed by a kick. Ari deftly spun around, evading both moves. Yet, its other leg swept under his, causing him to tumble to the ground. He quickly rose before it could loom over him.
"Freir, go!" Ari shouted.
The demon made a sudden lunge, but Ari side-stepped, swiftly drawing his dagger. In a quick succession, he delivered a slashing strike with the blade and a forceful punch with his free hand. The dagger returned to his grip, stained with the demon's blood. An unexpected kick landed on his hand, causing him to drop the dagger and wince in pain. Undeterred, Ari quickly retrieved another blade, slashing it across the demon's neck as it closed in.
Its gaze flickered to the dagger, and in the next second, Ari was struck from behind, the air knocked out of his lungs. Bent over and gasping for breath, he found himself vulnerable. Seizing the opportunity, the demon drove its knee into his face. Blood rushed to his head, blurring his vision. The demon's weight bore down on Ari as it tightened its grip around his throat, cutting off his air supply. Frantically, Ari groped for his dagger nearby, just beyond his reach. His strength waned, matching his loss of breath.
"Cyrus, do not kill him. He will be useless to me dead," the familiar languid voice of the demon echoed. The blond-haired demon hissed and reluctantly stepped away from Ari, leaving him gasping for breath.
Ari shifted his gaze toward the source of the voice. The demon ran its thumb across Cyrus' cheek and licked it. "He is quite fond of leaving scratches." The blood from the blond-haired demon's neck was wiped and licked away as well. Ari caught Cyrus hissing again, which made the other demon chuckle.
"Do not be so upset, pet." It kissed the other demon and added, "Thank you for finding him."
Ari turned his head away as footsteps approached. He yearned to close his eyes, surrender to fear, but denied himself that solace. Instead, he gazed into its amber eyes when it bent down beside him, taking his chin in its hand.
"Ah, your face." Its thumb traced across the scrape, eliciting a wince from Ari. "It will not scar," it reassured. Glancing around briefly, its gaze returned to Ari. "Where has your friend gone?" it asked with amusement. "Did he abandon you?" Ari remained silent, prompting the demon's expression to darken.
"I had warned you, Ari. Why is it that you do not listen?" It tapped its fingers against his face, sliding down to his neck and pressing through his skin. Tears pricked at his eyes, stemming from the pain, running down his cheeks as it sunk them in further.
"Oh, what is this? Tears?" It shook its head. "You seem to take pleasure in pain. Engaging in such acts suggests as much." Ari tried to shake his head, but its grip tightened. "Whatever shall I do with you? You deserve to be punished."
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[A/N]
Ah, Freir left him behind and just as Ari thought, the demon is not gonna let this go! What do you guys think is going to happen?
Leave me your thoughts in the comments!