Part of the creatures eye was revealed from it's pulled skin. (Y/n) had done some damage to it. Their eyes were very sensitive to light.
"What the hell is an Impure doing out in the daytime?" (Y/n) was brimming with anger and confusion.
The same question though plagued Dark's mind as well. He pushed it aside and rushed the Impure. The creature was fearless in it's attack to Dark as well. It was angry. This one seemed a bit different than the other two he had just killed.
It dashed towards Dark then diverted to his left, disappearing into a thick section of woods.
He turned and jumped out of the way just as it tried to attack him.
"It's fast." He thought, "It almost got me."
He continued jumping back a few more feet until it slammed its own head into a tree.
"Not the brightest individual, are we?" He spoke to it.
The Impure backed up a few feet, shook its head, and growled at Dark.
"Just kill it and get out of there!" (Y/n) called out to Dark.
Dark rolled his eyes then jumped up to a tree branch. He continued to jump from branch to branch hoping to get above the creature.
Little was he expecting it to follow him along. They were not known to climb trees, ever, which shocked him. Instead of attacking it, he was running from it. His plan was shot.
(Y/n) studied Dark and was confused as to why he wouldn't kill it, then it came to her, something about this fight was off, completely, and she was not about to sit there and watch it all happen.
Near her was a broken rock, with sharp fragments all around it. She pushed around pieces until she could the longest, sharpest part there was. She grabbed it and started towards Dark.
He jumped out of the tree and landed on the ground just as the creature was about to grab him. He had no clue where the creature was after he hit the ground until it pounced on top of him. It's sharp claw grazed his forearm in the process.
It's long fingers held both of his arms down. It was strong. Its face began moving closer to Dark's, opening up a wide jaw, much like a snake, and revealing thousands of tiny sharp teeth.
"Hey ugly!" (Y/n) called out.
It stopped in its tracks and turned towards (Y/n). Moments after turning a large rock came spinning at it, right into its face. The sharp end of the rock went into its eye, causing it to scream in pain.
Dark, now free from its grip, took this opportunity to knock it over. It landed perfectly on the sharp rock, causing it to dig deeper into its head, killing it instantly.
Several moments passed without either of the two making a noise, or moving a muscle. They looked at one another, then the creature to see it was still there.
A black smoke began emitting from its face rising up and through the leaves. Dark had never seen this before. Most if not all creatures turned to dust. He stood up slowly feeling a throbbing pain throughout his right arm. He wanted to get a better look at this smoke.
"Dark, don't!" (Y/n) called out.
It was much too late though to do anything. He took a breath of the black air, trying to figure out what it was. Little did he know its effects. His vision suddenly doubled. He looked up at her and it tripled.
(Y/n) could see he was becoming wobbly, his body swaying left and right. She rushed towards him hoping to get there before he fell.
He stumbled a few feet backward till she wrapped her arm around his chest, keeping him up.
"I gotcha." She spoke softly.
He looked down at her, confused. "Did I win?"
"Yeah, you won. It's dead."
"No, no, no." His words slurred, "The race you nit."
She couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, you won the race."
She began walking him over to a tree to sit him down. His wound was the first priority.
"You stay right here, alright? I'm going to wrap your wound until we get back to the castle."
"Do not worry, human, for I heal veryyyyyyyyyyy quickly."
"Okay, well, it's not quick enough for me. Now stay still." She grabbed the bottom of her shirt and pulled at it till it tore.
"Your shirt is ruined!"
"You sound drunk, just stay quiet."
She walked over to him and grabbed his arm. He pulled it away immediately.
"Get your filthy paws off me."
"You're in no condition to refuse. You're not even thinking straight." She glared at him. "Let me help you."
He stared at her for a few moments before turning away. "Continue if you must."
Those were the last words he spoke before passing out completely. Not from pain, but from the exposure of that smoke.
✂ ————————————
Dark's eyes fluttered open to the sun setting from his bedroom window. He squinted from the glare and turned over in his bed, only to feel excruciating pain in his arm. His face contorted to express this.
He sat up in his king sized bed and looked around the room, then at his wound. It was wrapped tightly with a small amount of blood soaking through. The memories of the forest event slowly came back to mind.
But where was (Y/n)?
"About time you woke up," Die spoke as he closed the bedroom door.
"Die?" Dark called out.
He smirked. "The one and only."
"Die, my friend, what happened?"
Die loosened his tie and began taking off his dress coat, setting it over the back of the chair then taking a seat himself. "You don't remember?"
"I don't recall much other than fighting a few Impure's."
"Well, I'll fill you into what I know. (Y/n) carried you to the castle. You were unconscious and bleeding. She said you were attacked by three Impure's, the third emitting a black smoke, causing you to pass out." He looked over at Dark. "She saved your life, I can only assume."
"Where is she?"
"She's in her room I believe."
Dark looked over at his wrapping once more. "And this, she did this as well?"
"She's very handy, you know. Crafty, innovative, you owe her your thanks at the very least."
Dark tossed away his covers and stood up. He was not about to spend his time in bed.
Die crossed his legs then stared up at the ceiling. "It's very strange you know."
"And what is that?" Dark pulled open a drawer looking for a shirt to wear.
"An Impure, being out during the daytime. Three of them at that. They must have been desperate for food."
"My concern lies more with the creature that secreted that awful black smoke. I have a slight headache from it." He sighed. "I will have to research the subject further. It's dangerous."
"It's cannibalism."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Cannibalism. It's very rare amongst creatures such as those, but desperate times call for desperate measures."
Dark pulled out a black t-shirt from his dresser, pulling it over his head. He felt the pain in his arm causing him to slow down his actions. "What calls for desperate measures though?"
"They're not finding enough food, enough humans to eat. It's a known factor in the animal kingdom here above ground. They're starving. It's another problem that has yet to be addressed."
"It was never brought to my attention."
"Understandable, but that still leaves the question, what are we going to do?"
Dark paused after putting pants on. He sat on his bed with his hands on his knees. "If they're willing to be cannibals then they're a threat. Alert the commander and the mayor of these events and have increased border control around the city. Find out as well if this is occurring elsewhere."
"I'll start first thing tomorrow morning."
"No, it's a matter that needs to be addressed tonight. If need be find Anti and have him assist you."
"Very well, will you be joining us?"
"I'm going to check on the human." Dark walked over to a chair and grabbed a zip up hoody.
"(Y/n)." Die corrected.
"Yes, what about her?"
Die stood up looking over at Dark, "She has a name, Dark. You should use it."
With that Die walked out of the room and down the hall leaving the King to himself. Dark listened to his words, he didn't believe that she deserved her name, but a happy medium came to mind. Her fake name. Spero.
✂ ————————————
"Human," Dark called out as he knocked on the door.
"Demon," She called back. "Come in."
He gripped the handle and opened up the door walking in slowly, looking around to find her. She sat on her bed with several books in front of her. She seemed to be studying each of them in detail.
"What are you doing?" He asked as he closed the door.
"I'm researching more creatures that come from Inferos**. It doesn't make much sense that Impure's were out during the day so that only makes me question what else would follow in their steps."
He walked towards her with his hands behind his back, getting a closer look at the books. "And you took these from the library?"
"Yeah, they were in the back. There's a lot of these. Taken, hidden, from humans." She then looked up at him. "Wait a second."
He continued looking down at her books, "Hmm?"
"You knocked."
"Yes, is that a problem?"
"No, I just— I didn't think you'd be courteous like that."
"I'm a man of proper etiquette—"
"All of a sudden you're choosing to be kind towards me?"
"Would you prefer I become more—"
"No— no, I don't. I'm sorry, I'm being selfish." She began packing her books away making room for him to sit. "Sit, please."
He didn't say a word as he sat down. He stared at the floor in thought. "I have a few questions for you, Spero."
"Spero? Where the hell did that come from?"
"It is what I've decided to call you, that is the name you first introduced to me. Human disconnects us— pushes us away from our agreement."
"Oh.." She dragged out. "Right, right the agreement." She paused, "What did you want to ask me?"
He wasn't sure what she was thinking, but it seemed to bother her. This was something to bring up another time. "Yes, yes, I wish to know what happened earlier in the day."
"Well," She placed the books on the ground and sat back up on her bed, "I was running towards you, or where I thought you were going. I saw you through the trees then something grabbed the rope around me. They yanked hard and I fell over. Then one hit me like I was a cat toy. I started running into the woods and then you found me."
"And after I passed out?"
"I couldn't make you wake up. I wasn't sure if there were any more of those creatures either so I pulled you over my shoulders and walked back to here. Guards saw us walking—"
"You carried me all the way back here? On your own?"
"Yes," She wrinkled her brow. "why wouldn't I be able to?"
"I did not believe you were that strong. You're a hu—"
"Yeah, I get it." She snapped. "I'm just a human, just a human, got it. Thanks for the reminder."
For once he didn't snap back at her. He understood that she was a bit angry. After all he still didn't thank her for her help, right now though wouldn't be a good time. Dark was always an action man, not a word man.
"Right...I have one more question to ask, then I shall leave you alone for the evening." He took a deep breath. "Why did you help me?"
The question itself set her back. She wasn't expecting it, but the answer seemed apparent. "You saved my life, so I returned the favor."
"No..."
"No?"
"I'm aware of your capabilities. I know you could have taken all three of those creatures down, possibly not as fast as I, but you could do it none the less."
Was that, a compliment?
"Okay, still, you helped me, so I help you, right?"
He then turned his head and looked at her, with deep confusion in his eyes. "But why didn't you run away?"
"Non reliquit hominem a tergo nec ad sinistram daemonium vivit." She answered plainly as if it was a routine saying.
(No man left behind, no demon left alive.)
"I'm not quite following, please explain."
She breathed out slowly taking a seat next to him, her legs dangling over the side of the bed. "When demon's attack I go into this— mode— of thinking, it's like a second instinct. It's taught in the rebellion. My goal is to have the...creatures... killed and get myself and whomever I'm with, out. The demon's were dead, and I had to get you out of there. No man left behind."
"I see..." He spoke, but in reality, he didn't. He didn't see how a murderer such as himself could receive the kindness of a human. Then again she was no saint herself killing a great deal of demon's at a very young age.
"Is there anything else you want to ask me?" She spoke up, breaking his thought process.
"No, I believe that will be all." He stood up from the bed, fixing his shirt. "I will leave you to your studies."
"Can I ask you something?"
"It's only fair since you complied to my questions." He turned and faced her. "What is it you wish to know?"
She stared down then shook her head, a smirk forming on her face. "No, never mind, it's dumb."
"Come now, you may have a hot mouth, but nothing ever, " dumb " , comes from it. What is it you wish to know, Spero?"
"I asked Die to find me this yellow paint for the library, because the walls are really bland and, no offense, ugly, and I wanted to know if you'd help me paint it tomorrow." She looked up at him, "I could use the help, and it'll give your arm a rest."
This questioning was different for Dark. They would usually go about their day performing rather adventurous tasks, but this way of asking, and the tone of her voice made the atmosphere feel...different...a relaxing different. She almost seemed nervous to ask.
"We will see." He grinned. "Have a good night, Spero."
"You too, Dark..."