Tartarus; a place that makes even the strongest demon cower in fear, it's known as a prison for rogue creatures to be punished. It is said that there's no escaping Tartarus once you've been banished there—it is said to be the curliest way a king could ever deal with a traitor.
Since it's only a creature with high power that can open the portal to Tartarus I'm honestly shocked why rogue demons are suddenly attacking Dapphipon.
Rogue demons are the worst kind of demons to be created, they are more feral than sane demons. They have no consciousness with no regard for any form of life, according to the teachings young hunters were told; Tartarus turned sane demons into insane ones with hard punishmentst.
And if they by any means escape the hell they are known to bring nothing but destruction, which escapes the worry swirling in the eyes of the lord of Dapphion though I can see him trying to stay calm for his men.
That's the thing about being king, you can't show your emotions—he is trying to hide his emotions, and his people are being attacked by rouge demons that seem to have been released somehow.
He obviously didn't open a portal for them which only means someone else did.
Someone who wants to see Dapphion go down to the depths of Tartarus.
"How did they escape?" I ask the lean man—Ric, I learned his name is.
He crosses his arms, his eyes trying to pick a knife, "Beats me, I wonder how they managed to escape the guardian of Tartarus. The king didn't command for their release," he says as he picks up two knives with a shrug he stacks them into his wait bag or pad, I couldn't really tell.
Other warriors too picked their weapons just as Xanthus turns to me, "Do not leave, stay up in our room and wait for me." He speaks the last part slowly in a low tone.
His blue flamed eyes beg me to not argue with him and I'd be foolish and selfish to argue with a king when there's an attack in his kingdom.
I press my lips in a thin line and nod, a spark of little anger almost makes me yell at him when he orders two men of his warriors to stay with me. I understand his lack of trust in me. I'm just angered that he thinks two men would be strong enough to stop me from engaging in this fight.
A chance to slay rogue demons, I have been training my whole life for it and I'd be a fool to pass the offer off.
The two bulky men with spears stay at each side while I walk my way up to the room- "You're humans." I note, maybe Xanthus is beginning to trust me since he put humans as my guards.
Did he really think they'd be able to hold me from running away?
They don't provide me an answer so I pull out a blade I had snuck into my pants while Ric was deciding which weapon he wanted, with a little spin I draw a circle with the knife a small satisfied smile makes way to my lips when I hear the men hiss and try not to cuss at me.
While they clutch their bleeding arms I take to my heels running to the stables, I hear their pounding feet hitting the ground harshly and probably angrily their bleeding arm forgotten.
"Any horse available?" I rushed out at the stable boy hurriedly looking behind me, he nods staring at me skeptically before leading the same dark horse with demonic eyes. "Hey Mel." I lightly pat her before turning to the boy to help me up.
Just as I feel comfortable on her I see a spear from the far end-a warrior must have dropped it by accident, "Get that for me!" I order and he follows it, I make a small clicking sound to let the horse know it's time to move.
The stable boy throws the spear to me and I catch it just in time, as the horse runs through the black gates the two human guards rush out of the castle doors and I shake my head at them.
"You're so incompetent!" I yell at them as my horse runs faster, the more it runs the louder the roars get.
Chaos, that's the only word to describe what's going on. I see black gooey substance on the floor along and bones, warriors are fighting off the rogues, and the sky is a dark hue with a tinge of red as if a volcano is about to erupt just anywhere. There's a continual flow of rumbling thunder and I can only say it's the work of the King.
I pull back just before we dive into the war, then alight the horse. "Go back girl." I pat her softly before running towards the fight, I quickly assisted a man that seems to be having a hard time fighting off the rouge that is three times his size.
I thrust the spear into the rogue's heart from behind and it stills before making a low exploding sound then he explodes coating both me and the man in its gooey guts.
It's very easy to tell the rogues from the sane demons, while the sane demons look human—as human as a demon can look because some look to be at the point of shifting to the best form but are trying to contain themselves if they don't contain their beast they'd end up almost as insane as the rogues who are huge with the black slimy body, their ribs are exposed and their eyes as dark as the cells in Tartarus they lack any form of humanity in them.
Attacking everything and everybody even themselves, some rogues don't need to be killed by warriors because they are already killing themselves. That's the thing about them, they lack cordanice.
A huff leaves my lips as I slay yet another demon, the thrill isn't as good as I thought it would be.
For one, my first kill is supposed to be with my parents and is supposed to be a demon in human form—a rogue demon isn't a hunter's first kill.
Yet, as the spear goes through the stomach of a snake-like demon I feel my heart clench. When I'd attack the dummy during training my father's proud words usually rang through my ears singing my praises.
I shake my head a bit realizing I'm getting distracted, unfortunately, that moment of distraction is enough for a crazy demon to sink his claws into my shoulder blades and then draw a slash around my belly with his other claws.
A loud shriek leaves my lips before I dig the little knife in my hand into his gut, he roars on my face black gooey substance sticks to my cheeks and I grimace from pain and disgust.
I'm happy when he explodes and I drop to my knees before I can fully collapse I feel strong arms wrap around my waist, my eyes contracted with blue and red angry eyes that hold a tint of worry in them.
A lazy smile makes way to my lips as he pushes a few stubborn baby hair from my face, "What the fuck are you doing here? No, are you okay? Of course, you're not, fuck! You're bleeding so much, shit shit!" There's a loud ringing in my ear accompanied by stinging in my shoulder and stomach.
I place a palm against Xanthus' chest to shut him the hell up because all he is doing is adding to the banging in my head, my vision is getting blurry I let out more coughs.
"Your highness the demons are almost gone, we can take care of the rest. You need to take care of the queen." I hear a man speak, his voice sounds so far away and like a mumble against my ears.
I can only guess Xanthus agreed because soon I feel his arm under my legs as he carries me bridal style, I feel numbness go through my body just before everything goes black I hear Xanthus say.
"Stay with me little Dawn."
••••
How embarrassing is it that I, Aurora Russell a hunter passed out just from a simple scratch from a rogue demon? Despite my trainings, I mean since age eight I began my training now at twenty I couldn't hold a demon's scratch?
Very embarrassing!
These thoughts consume my head, I try not to think of my dad's disappointed stance; he'd shake his head slowly, his lips tugged down while his eyes would show worry but I'd been too busy trying to come up with an excuse.
And even now I'm trying to come up with an excuse for passing out, my dad might not be here but someone else is.
A demon lord that I have bragged about being a wonderful hunter to.
Before I could speak he beat me to it. "What weapons do you know how to use best?"
I try to sit up but instantly slump down at the harsh pound at the corner of my head. I'm in a medical room—I can tell from the IV in the room and the bitter taste in my throat.
"What?" My voice is hoarse and I blink once again.
Xanthus leans off the window and strides to the chair close to the bed, honestly, the room looks a lot like the hospital rooms back in the human realm if not for the sky hues I would have assumed that Xanthus returned me in a panicked state.
"You obviously can't fight well with a spear—so knives or swords? I heard hunters have the weapons that complete them." He crosses his arms, each words that leaves his lips keep surprising me.
His blue eyes are curious, he doesn't seem annoyed or worried—I squint my eyes and see he is trying to hide the worry. Instead he is trying to approach the topic calmly.
"I left even when you said I shouldn't." I say and his calm facade disappears, "But I wasn't trying to escape." I quickly add hoping it would calm him down.
"You disobeyed me Aurora!" His voice is hard and has restraint as if he is trying to be calm, but his blue eyes kee switching to red. The familiar flames that I seem to enjoy watching swirl in his eyes are back.
"Yo—"
"You were poisoned! Six cuts, that's how many lines you had on your body. Your skin was turning pale, your lips were turning purple—your skin was cold! I asked you to fucking stay in for a fucking reason Aurora! Why do you never listen to me?" His voice raises as he paces the room, his fingers running through his thick curls.
I blink slowly as I digest his words, my eyes are on the blue and white walls. It's then I notice the slightly faded black veins under my skin, I trace them and hiss when they sting.
"I-I almost died?" I whisper to myself, my words breaking.
Xanthus stops his movement and sighs, "I thought you were in the room—God, how I was looking forward to the end of the fight so I could come to see you again only to hear your scream in the chaos. The scream of my fucking mate in pain!" I try to block him out, the worry in his tone frightened me.
The demon lord has done nothing but stole my choice, and made me cry, yet he claims to be worried when he heard my scream.
I swallow thickly, "I'm fine now, aren't I? Stop being dramatic." The moment I said it, a tiny part of me punches the other side—and continues punching when slight hurt passes through his eyes before he nods burying his hands into his trouser pants.
As much as I'd love to take it back, I didn't—I couldn't, his silence proved he was hurt by my words, and for some reason that don't feel as good as I thought it would be.
If anything it makes me feel like a...demon.
Before this place ruins me even more, it would be best to leave.
By evening time, the healer told me to walk around the castle to stretch out my limbs and I couldn't be more grateful. I was sick of just laying on the bed while the guilt kept hitting at me for basically telling Xanthus he was disturbing me with his worry.
It's funny how the hospital room is in the castle. According to the healer, others around town were occupied by those injured in the fight—and the demon lord wouldn't have had me in another room other than the ones in the castle.
For the first time in a while, I don't have a guard trailing me, maybe Xanthus doesn't care if I run anymore, and honestly that would be great!
"Aurora!" I hear the familiar voice and my mood instantly lifts at the gold girl, her lips spread in a smile as she walks up to me.
A big man follows her too, he looks irritated at me which is weird because I've never seen him before.
"Oh, my God! How are you?" She pulls me into one of her hugs and I groan at the pain that shoots through my arms to my back.
The man grunts behind her as I send him an awkward smile, "Why would you go into war just like that?" She asks pulling away but her hands doesn't leave my arms.
I open my mouth to speak but the brown-haired man interrupts me. "I never thought Xanthus' mate would be that disrespectful!"
Korina turns to me while I furrow my eyebrows. "And who are you?"
"Oh," She chuckles in a seemingly uncomfortable manner. "He is my mate Dorian—"
"A warrior. Didn't your mate tell you it's rude to speak to a male in that tone?" He moves closer and I see Korina visibly tense while I grow annoyed.
The corner of my lips tugs down at the man and I step forward. "Oh I'm sorry, would you prefer I ask for your name in a scared little voice?"
He lefts out a laugh that lacks any humor, his brown eyes almost turning dark. "You need to be put in your place girl! I am a man, a warrior and that makes me your superior! Which means you need to speak to me in a submissive tone." I take a step back in disgust then cross my arms ignoring how my limbs scream in protest.q
"Male or not, I am your queen which makes me your superior if anything you should be careful the way you speak to me—if I'm angered I can make you lose everything with just a snap." I say matching his glare.
He steps closer to me. "You really think Xanthus will take your side?"
"Who said anything about the demon lord? I don't need him to put you in your place. As I said, I'm the queen of Dapphion and you'll do well to respect me!" I say before turning on my heel totally ignoring Korina's apologetic gaze.
Just this once I'm going to accept the crown Xanthus has given to me.
As I said I need to leave here. It's ruining me slowly.
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Thanks for reading! Have a nice day/Night!